How Can You Pay Back The Kindness I Raised With Obsession?

She was just about to close my eyes. Her eyes met the saint in the picture hanging on the wall. It felt like solemn eyes were scolding her like this.

 

‘How dare you commit obscenity in this sacred Holy Land!’

 

Now that she thought about it, the four sides of this living room were filled with paintings of saints. It seemed like everyone was looking at them with accusatory eyes. That’s right… Kissing profanely in this sacred place? The sky was so close, but she felt like she would be struck by lightning from God if she kept doing this.

 

…It was the moment when she thought so,

 

Pop!

 

Perhaps because she was not paying attention or because there were too many, the snack broke.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

Now all that remained between them was an awkward silence. But there was another lover who succeeded in an unholy kiss at that time…

 

* * *

 

As he walked along the labyrinth of the greenhouse and turned a corner to escape the priest’s gaze, Daniel was taken aback by Giselle’s surprise kiss. But he soon regained his composure. The moment he turned the corner again, it was Daniel who gave her a kiss, and a rather deep kiss at that. His lips fell in an instant. Daniel, who was walking along the promenade as if nothing had happened, mumbled something like a sigh that the priest following him could not hear.

 

“We will go to hell.”

 

Giselle, who was standing at a distance like a stranger, passed him by indifferently and whispered.

 

“Wherever you are, it’s heaven to me.”

 

* * *

 

Luca successfully passed the entrance exam. However, since he was still young, it was decided that when he turned fourteen, he would join the Holy Knights as an apprentice knight.

 

“Even a paladin in charge of purification must have basic physical strength and weapons.”

 

The Grand Duke was directly in charge of Luca’s training from the day he returned to the Grand Duke’s residence.

 

“It looks difficult.”

 

She muttered as she looked down from the library window at the gymnasium where the sound of cheers could be heard. The Grand Duke was so merciless towards his younger brother that the training Luca had received from other teachers seemed like child’s play.

 

“Lucas Blaine, that’s not it! Again!”

 

She knew very well that everyone was doing this for Luca. He may act without blood or tears on the outside, but she must be hurt inside because his delicate younger brother made him roll on the dirt floor. Luca also seemed to know how his older brother felt and did not cry and continued training seriously. The past incident seemed to have actually hardened Luca’s soft heart.

 

“Still holding up well. Good job, Luca.”

 

“I envy him.”

 

Luna, who was looking down at the training ground next to her, muttered. Why was she jealous of her little brother rolling around on the dirt floor? The question was answered at the dinner table.

 

“I envy you.”

 

Luna, who had been quietly listening to the Grand Duke and Luca talking about sacred power, sighed and muttered.

 

“What?”

 

“Who?”

 

The Grand Duke and Luca took turns asking.

 

“Sacred power. Both.”

 

Luna had an uncharacteristically glum face.

 

“My brother and Luca have them, but I’m the only one without them.”

 

The Grand Duke let go of the glass he was holding and looked Luna in the eye.

 

“You take after your father.”

 

She heard from the Grand Duke that the previous Grand Duke was a man famous for his brilliant mind. Not only did Luna inherit that brain, but even her black hair and purple eyes looked exactly like the previous Grand Duke in the portrait.

 

“But I can’t be a great head of the family like my father.”

 

Because a woman couldn’t be the head of the family. Luna put down her fork and she asked the Grand Duke seriously.

 

“What can I become when I grow up?”

 

“It depends on what you want to be.”

 

“No. There is nothing I can be. At most, my value will be to be used as a pawn in an arranged marriage.”

 

The Grand Duke’s expression became serious.

 

“Luna, why do you think I would use my sister brother as a bargaining chip or something?”

 

“But all nobles do that.”

 

Clever Luna knew very well that since a female noble could not become the head of a household, she remained only as a means of reconciliation or as a source of affection for her allies and her friends.

 

“There are still many things you can do when you grow up. You don’t have to have holy power to become a priest, so it’s okay to become a priest, and if you have an interest in learning, you can open a laboratory in your mansion. Or, you can finance the top with your share of inheritance money.”

 

“Top?”

 

Luna’s eyes sparkled as if she was interested.

 

“Then, starting tomorrow, Luna will go to work in the office. I will teach you how to run your estate. It will also be helpful in operating the upper level.”

 

“Good!”

 

Luna’s shoulders, which had been sagging, suddenly gained strength.

 

“And get married if you want. I won’t interfere…”

 

The Grand Duke suddenly stopped speaking. What on earth was he thinking that made his face so grim?

 

“…I tried to do it, but if you bring in a strange guy, I’m completely against it.”

 

“That’s natural. We can’t give Luna to just anyone.”

 

She nodded and agreed.

 

“Anyway, if you’re going to do it, marry the person you love. I plan on doing the same.”

 

But why did he say his last words while looking at Hazel?

 

“Hey…”

 

Luna suddenly smiled sinisterly and looked at the two of them in turns.

 

“Then when will my brother get married…”

 

Fortunately, Luna’s nonsense words were interrupted by a knock on the door.

 

“Please come in.”

 

Sir Daniel’s expression was extremely dark as he entered the restaurant with the Grand Duke’s permission. The smiles disappeared from the faces of all of them who were laughing cheerfully.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Your Majesty, just now at Duke Monette’s…”

 

“Correspondence?”

 

“The Duchess and Princess have arrived.”

 

The middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa in the living room looked as if she was going to collapse at any moment.

 

“I’m just sorry for coming to you suddenly without sending a message or asking for permission in advance.”

 

Her tone did not lose the elegance of a noble woman, but her voice was trembling, as if to clearly show the urgency of the situation.

 

“You don’t have to feel that way. It must have been a rough journey, but I’m glad you both arrived safely.”

 

“It doesn’t make sense for us to be in such a hurry to evacuate. Maybe this example would be good.”

 

Elliot, who was not interested in the appearance of Duchess Monette and the Princess, did not think it would be rude for them to look bad. Moreover, both of them looked gaunt, and it was obvious that they paid attention to their appearance.

 

“We are checking where the butler and the maid will stay, so you will be able to relieve your travel fatigue soon.”

 

“Thank you. It’s really shameless.”

 

“Please don’t feel burdened and have a comfortable stay.”

 

Elliot added, erasing his smile a little.

 

“However, you must follow the rules of the Grand Duchy. The rules will be distributed through the duchy’s employees, so please take care to ensure that everyone in the duchy follows the rules. I know you are going through a difficult time, but I believe you will understand that this is a measure for everyone’s safety.”

 

“As uninvited guests, of course we have to do that.”

 

The Duchess, who dared to call herself an uninvited guest, trembled noticeably with her pale hands more than before, wiped her dry eyes with her handkerchief, and muttered to the Princess who was sitting quietly next to her.

 

“What happened to your father and brothers?”

 

“Mother, don’t cry.”

 

Soon the mother and daughter began to embrace and sob. Elliot and Daniel, who were watching in silence, rolled their eyes at each other.

 

‘The princess takes after her mother.’

 

‘Anyone can see that.’

 

She just rolled her eyes because it was a contrived act that was clearly intended to elicit sympathy and guilt, but the Monettes were in a situation that made them cry. They hoped that they would extend a helping hand to them.

 

The Duke’s letter brought by the Duchess showed that his handwriting was scrawled, as if to clearly show the urgent situation, and she was unable to correct her typos. The castle of Villette collapsed. The Duke explained the whole situation in one line.

 

Château de Villette was the last fortress on the way to the Duchy of Monette. This meant that the army of the Kingdom of Billund had long since broken through the border and was now trying to devour the heart of the duchy. Just before entering the sit-in, the Duke had all the women flee the family, leaving only the men. He also sent out requests for support to lords across the empire. 

 

Elliot and Daniel were astonished when they learned why the war, which they believed would end with the Empire’s victory as quickly as in the past, ended up being a long-term war and pushed the North to the point of collapse. Unable to overcome the monster army’s offensive… An army of monsters began attacking two weeks ago, and the tide of the war quickly turned.

 

“An army of monsters.”

 

“Nothing like this has happened in the last 100 years.”

 

100 years ago, the ability to control monsters was banned. Those with forbidden abilities were exiled, but Regina gathered them together and established an army of monsters.

 

“You’re out of your mind.”

 

The Duke ended his letter by requesting him to take charge of his daughter and wife and reiterating his request for support.

 

“We are said to have saved our lives thanks to His Majesty’s protection, but those who remain in the Dukedom…”

 

The Duchess spoke again as if she was trying to put pressure on Elliot to join the war. He didn’t have to.

 

The duchy fell. The only question was how long it would last, but that was a given. The moment the northern bastion was breached, Billund’s army will push into other territories of the empire without hesitation. This meant that the Marquis of Arwen, which borders the Duchy, and the Grand Duchy below it were no longer safe. After making a decision, Elliot looked back at his adjutant as if asking for his consent. Daniel, a member of the Marquis of Arwen, also had a dark complexion.

 

Elliot was at a loss for a moment. What a decision. He really had no choice.

 

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