A voice softer and gentler than usual called out to Rosalie. Hesitating briefly, she slowly approached him.
“Only because it’s cold….”
Even she thought that it was a lame excuse. Drawn to the night sky, Rosalie found herself wandering outside aimlessly, ending up in Derivis’s embrace.
Derivis cautiously pulled Rosalie closer to him from behind. Rosalie felt content with the warmth she could sense from behind, and Derivis was satisfied with the warmth within his arms.
“It’s warm.”
Rosalie murmured as she gazed at the stars, prompting a gentle smile from Derivis.
“I’m glad.”
For the first time, Derivis was pleased that his body temperature was higher than others. After staring at the stars for a while, Rosalie was about to speak when Derivis spoke first.
“Look, there’s a shooting star. You should make a wish.”
Derivis said as he spotted a star streaking across the sky. Another star fell, and Rosalie saw the shooting star too.
“Do you still have a wish to make?”
“I’ve had one for a while now.”
Rosalie stepped out of Derivis’s embrace and looked up at him, and Derivis waited for her words.
“I hope you’ll grant my wish. But… it might be a selfish one.”
At that moment, Rosalie made up her mind. She cautiously took her first step into unknown territory.
“Tell me.”
“I hope that… you’ll still care for me even after knowing my secret.”
Rosalie’s eyes trembled slightly. Derivis’s face hardened at the sight of her wavering eyes. What secret could make this strong and firm woman tremble?
“…Tell me. Nothing can stop me from wanting you.”
“Even if I’m not the real Rosalie Judeheart?”
As Rosalie continued speaking, she bit her lower lip. Her fingertips involuntarily tensed as she awaited Derivis’s response.
“Take your time and explain it step by step.”
Derivis prompted Rosalie with a firm voice. She managed to start speaking and explained everything methodically.
Her journey into the book, the changes in the story, the Dita mine that was originally his, and finally… the fact that Sonia was supposed to be Derivis’s lover. She confessed that she had used this knowledge to her advantage all this time.
After finishing her explanation, Rosalie couldn’t bring herself to look at Derivis’s face.
‘He must be confused. Did he feel betrayed?’
Rosalie was scared that Derivis might react like Erudit. She wasn’t sure if she could control her expression if he did.
“Look at me. Lift your head.”
Rosalie slowly raised her head to look at him. His normally calm blue eyes remained just as serene.
“…Aren’t you confused? Don’t you feel betrayed?”
“I don’t feel that way.”
“Most of the changes that happened to you were because of me. The mines, Sonia…”
“I never wanted the mine in the first place, and Sonia was just a friend to me.”
His firm voice made Rosalie speechless, and he took her hand.
In response to Rosalie’s firm voice, she fell silent. Derivis took Rosalie’s hand.
“…And I’m not the real Rosalie Judeheart.”
“I assure you that I’ll act the same way no matter what you look like.”
Derivis continued without a change in expression, regardless of what Rosalie said. At a loss for words, she clamped her mouth shut.
Derivis slowly kissed the back of her hand. It was a gentle and affectionate kiss.
“How can I make you understand that I want everything about you and even your soul, even if it means giving up everything?”
Derivis murmured, and Rosalie tried to withdraw her hand due to the tingling sensation from his kiss. However, he held onto her hand as if refusing to let her escape.
“The me right now is not the character you read about in the novel.”
“…I know that.”
“Does knowing that prevent you from having feelings?”
Rosalie couldn’t deny it. As Derivis said, this truth sometimes made her heart heavy, and she knew she would feel it often, even if he was alright with it.
It might have been a kind of guilt. Derivis seemed to sense such feelings and opened his mouth.
“I’m not the Derivis from the novel you read. The me from there doesn’t exist anymore.”
Rosalie was speechless at his words, feeling as if she’d been struck.
“Tell me when you’re ready to face the real me. I’m good at waiting.”
Derivis released the hand he was holding and turned to leave. Rosalie stood there for a while, clutching the jacket draped over her shoulders.
⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰
Two days later, they safely reached the Dita Mine. The villagers, seeing the knights of the Judeheart duchy, whispered among themselves with hopeful eyes.
“Rosalie, did you fight with Devi?”
Nathan, sensing a strange atmosphere between them during the ride, casually asked. It was a valid question since Rosalie and Derivis hadn’t spoken much during the two-day journey.
“We’re not children to fight over something.”
“Really~? It feels strange though~ I guess I should ask Devi too.”
Rosalie realized that Nathan was deliberately joking as she turned her eyes away.
“Don’t ask useless questions and stay put.”
After stopping Nathan, Rosalie immediately went to the injured people who had suffered from the Wyvern’s attack. One of the mine workers, a man with a full beard, ran towards Rosalie, panting heavily, and bowed deeply.
It seemed he was the representative of the miners. He, too, was bandaged around his arm, which had been injured.
“What’s the extent of the damage?”
“Most miners quickly hid deeper in the mines, so the damage isn’t severe. But the wyvern’s range of activity is increasing, and its attacks are getting more aggressive.”
Rosalie headed inside the room full of patients. Those closer to the door had minor injuries, but those further in appeared to be more critically injured.
“Sir Toronto, Sir Aaron.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Sir Toronto, distribute the relief supplies the knights brought. Sir Aaron, please prepare the knights.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Toronto and Aaron quickly moved in response to Rosalie’s instructions. She also gave orders to the bearded man who had not yet left her side.
“We’ve called for a cleric for the aftermath of the wyvern battle. When they arrive, make sure those who need urgent care are treated first.”
“Oh! Yes! Understood!”
The man responded enthusiastically with grateful eyes and promptly bowed to express his thanks. Rosalie left him behind and wandered around the somewhat disheveled village.
The residents of the territory recognized her as she wore her official armor and quickly bowed their heads as she passed. During this, a boy who had been running around the village collided with Rosalie.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace! Our child got excited when he saw the knights…!”
A woman who appeared to be the child’s mother rushed out and lowered her head hurriedly.
“It’s alright. He’s a lively child.”
Rosalie replied nonchalantly, then picked up the boy who had stumbled against her armor. The boy, brimming with excitement, exclaimed.
“Are you the Duchess?! The Duchess who won in the war?!”
“That’s right.”
Rosalie patted the boy’s small head, smiling. The boy jumped up and down as if on cloud nine.
“My mom said so! She said that you’ll chase away the nasty Wyverns far away when you arrive!”
Impressed by the child’s innocence, Rosalie burst into laughter. The child’s mother blushed in embarrassment and tried to cover her child’s mouth.
“That’s right. The Duchess will chase them all away.”
As Rosalie turned her head to respond to the voice from behind, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Derivis.
“Since when did you come out?”
“Just now. The kids are lively even when the village isn’t fully restored yet.”
Rosalie glanced sideways. She somehow couldn’t face him since that incident.
‘It feels awkward, but…’
She knew they couldn’t stay awkward forever. They couldn’t continue like this.
“Derivis, I have something to say—”
“Your Grace! It’s a Wyvern attack!!”
However, the village suddenly became chaotic as Aaron’s urgent voice rang out in the distance. The child’s mother, with a pale face, quickly ran inside the building while clutching her child.
“They’re coming down to the village!”
“Get the knights ready. We’ll counterattack.”
Following Rosalie’s command, Aaron hurried off and the knights quickly gathered. Derivis caught Rosalie as she headed towards the knights.
“Promise me you won’t get hurt.”
“You too, Derivis.”
Rosalie looked at his hand on her shoulder and replied. Derivis nodded slowly, and Rosalie walked forward with determination.
“Kyaaaaaak!”
As soon as the knights gathered and went out to the front of the village, a horde of Wyverns swooped down menacingly from the sky.
‘They look like a mix of aliens and birds from some sci-fi movie.’
They were completely black and had a shape resembling birds, but they were the size of houses, with razor-sharp talons that seemed capable of tearing everything apart.
Moreover, their gaping mouths reminded Rosalie of the extraterrestrial creatures she had seen in movies as a child. Seeing that the number was larger than expected, Rosalie tightened her grip on her crossbow.
“Screeeeech!”
“Shoot their wings!”
Rosalie commanded as the Wyverns approached, and the firing squad fired their crossbows.
The arrows accurately tore through the wyverns’ wings. However, it took at least four arrows to bring down each massive creature one by one.
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