The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 97

After hearing the news that a mage had come to the imperial palace, Kyler hurried to the capital and returned as the sun was setting.

Even when she greeted him with a bright smile, he didn’t react much, only stroking her hair. He seemed to have failed to receive any information worth sharing, even though he had thought the mage would know about the monsters she was curious about.

Seeing him standing at the entrance of the mansion, only stroking her hair, he seemed displeased with the fact that he couldn’t convey anything to her.

“You worked hard coming back. Let’s go inside, quickly.”

Lately, she seemed to be consumed by monsters. She had lived well without them until now. Because she was hurt and could communicate with monsters in a subtle way, it felt like he was constantly being associated with them, which made him feel a little down.

What solution? They could just live quietly in the mansion, and if she was very tired and in pain, she could just hold his hand.

So, she smiled even brighter at Kyler and held his hand even tighter. What problem could there be when they could protect each other?

Kyler couldn’t bring himself to tell her the stories he had heard at the imperial palace when he saw her bright face.

First of all, the fact that there was no record of anyone communicating with monsters in this way meant that she was a special case, and it was impossible to know whether that ability was good or bad.

Sasha, who was worried that she might be something bad, came to mind.

Besides…

“That’s it! The good information I was going to give you! I found out who the leader of Geranel is.”

What he couldn’t bring himself to say was because of the identity of the leader of Geranel.

Kyler, worried about how to tell her, put himself in her shoes. If he were in her position, what would he feel?

Of course, she seemed to have no affection left for her parents. Not long after she came to this house, she said she wanted to invite her family, but they never visited this house again.

Even then, Duke Ivern didn’t even come.

Could he tell this story in this atmosphere? It was already a deep, unfillable rift. Would she accept it indifferently, or would she feel a despair that would deepen the deep wound even further?

“Do you want to wash up? Before dinner, let’s sit on the terrace and watch the sunset. The sunset looks really great from Kyler’s room, you know?”

Smiling softly, she came up to the second floor and gestured to Rose to prepare hot water in the bathroom.

Such a series of movements seemed so natural, like the owner living in this duchy, that he felt the uneasiness in his heart subside a little.

When Kyler washed up, changed into comfortable clothes, and came out, the window leading to the terrace was wide open.

Turning his head along the breeze that came in through the window, he saw Sasha sitting in a chair, her blonde hair fluttering in the wind.

“Are you snacking like this before dinner?”

“Ah, Kyler! It’s an aperitif. Rose told me that some good wine came in, so I asked her to get it.”

It was quite heartwarming to see her slightly rising from her chair, turning her head, and looking up at him.

Sitting close to her on the couch, he took the glass of aperitif she handed him. Inside the glass filled with a vividly transparent pink drink, the ice clinked with a refreshing sound.

“It’s the color of the sunset.”

Kyler took a sip of the wine and raised the glass slightly before putting it down. Sasha smiled back, looking at his glass, which was even redder as it overlapped with the sunset that was just beginning to set.

“The color is really pretty. It tastes good too. I’m drinking alcohol for the first time since I came here, so Rose must be choosing delicious ones, right? Everything is so delicious, it’s a big problem.”

He stroked Sasha’s hair as she chattered in a playful voice. Instead of hair that was rough and dry, it was shiny and soft, as if his palm would slip off.

“The mage couldn’t help it either, it seems.”

Sasha carefully opened her mouth as she sipped her wine and looked at the sky, which was becoming redder. In a voice as bright as possible, so as not to be too heavy.

Kyler knew that he couldn’t pass by without saying anything anyway, so he organized his thoughts while washing in warm water.

“The mage was only part of the group that started Geranel. When the current Geranel was created and full-scale activities began, it started under the command of the imperial family, so the mages only shared their wisdom and quietly withdrew.”

“Hmm…”

Kyler continued slowly and gently. It might sound like a history lesson, but it was like listening to an interesting story. His voice seemed just right for her.

“But if they were among the people who were there in the early days, they might have such important records left, they seem a little lazy.”

Her reply with a pout was cute. Kyler chuckled and agreed that she was right.

So, what should they do now? Should she say she’s going to see that monster again?

But it was still an adventure. If the two monsters they met last time were a coincidence, they might be caught off guard next time.

Neither of them had a clear decision on what to do next. Should they run forward with the goal of solving the problem, or should they think of it as a long-term goal and fight steadily, or should they just go out and kill the monsters only when they are dangerous, as they have been doing so far?

Perhaps it could be a fight with Geranel, or it could be a fight with those who are looking for a rebellion here and there.

Killing monsters is not his only job, but what makes Kyler the most difficult is his hearing, which is tormented by monsters, so his worries deepened.

A large hand wrapped around Sasha’s hand. Except for the time he spent washing up after returning to the mansion, he was holding her hand tightly, so he was in a very peaceful state, hearing only what he needed to hear.

“I won’t leave the duchy. There are so many things I can do inside.”

Sasha said that as she felt the strength of the hand that wrapped around hers. Sasha’s words, which she said casually. But suddenly, an epiphany rang in both Kyler and Sasha’s minds.

‘The leader of Geranel, the group that controls monsters, the reason why he had to hide and raise his daughter in the attic. Could it be that he knew?’

‘Even when I lived in the marquisate, I was locked in the attic and not allowed to go out. Could it be, no.! Could that be it?’

Because of the high probability of monsters appearing when she went somewhere, especially to the Uhalin Forest, she voluntarily said that she would stay in the duchy, and the fact that she had to stay in the attic naturally came to mind.

Moreover, Kyler was aware that Duke Ivern was involved with monsters, unlike what was known to the outside world, so he couldn’t help but feel a stronger sense of déjà vu.

A moment of silence fell between them because of their respective thoughts. They look at each other with affectionate eyes, without revealing the doubts in their hearts.

The red sunset was now gradually turning into a clear ultramarine color. Putting aside her complicated thoughts for a moment, Sasha looked at the rear garden of the duchy beyond the terrace.

“Shall we make a small pond over there?”

She could see the privet hedge that she often went to, which was very visible from her room. She looked at the forest, which was the first to be swallowed by darkness under the sky where the sun had set a lot and the red energy had almost disappeared.

It was nice to have water gushing out of the fountain, but she wanted to see something more natural. A pond is also made artificially, but…

“That’s not difficult. Hmm… What about a stream instead? I like the sound of flowing water rather than just still water.”

She said it almost as a joke, but he even increased the scale. It felt like a waterway would really be created in the rear garden of the duchy if he said so.

A smile appeared on Sasha’s face at his words, which reminded her of the Uhalin Forest.

“Then can you make a white gazebo too? Let’s just make that place in the Uhalin Forest here.”

He slightly raised the corners of his mouth and smiled, as if he felt the real expectation in her bright tone.

“You really like that place.”

“Because it’s one of our first date spots.”

It was a pity that the feeling didn’t last until the end, but that didn’t mean that the good feelings she had while walking through the mysterious forest with him until then had disappeared.

She stopped talking there, suppressing the story about monsters that was about to come out again. Just as the memories up to that point were beautiful, she wanted to keep the memories only up to that point.

With a slightly cute wish that if she pushed and pushed, that part would fade away and disappear someday.

Kyler stared at her, who was fiddling with his hand, and lightly kissed her head. He gazed affectionately at her, who was chuckling and playfully saying, “Why are you kissing my head?”

It would be okay not to know unnecessary things. There was no reason to talk about things that wouldn’t be a loss even if she never knew them in her life. Kyler embraced her like that and passed this matter over.

Really simply and simply, just looking forward to the future the two of them would have together, promising to protect this smile in front of her eyes now.

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