Chapter 41 Temporary Peace
Yesterday evening, as soon as he found Delphine, he ordered her to secure the list before heading to the manor.
It was impossible for her to tamper with the list unless she suddenly worked her magic.
“I wanted to see… in District 3.”
Obviously, coming all the way here was just for fun.
She was a noblewoman who had spent her entire life in District 1.
Pride had never imagined that she would dare to cross the barrier and venture so deep into District 3.
It was impossible for a woman to enter alone and return safely.
‘But so much for an innocent young lady’s outing.’
He couldn’t let her get any closer to the truth.
She is to stay in this sweet, happy world, this sugar house.
Only in his manor, made just for her.
He trampled over all that bleeding flesh to get here for him.
He’s never received a favor from anyone in his life, never given one.
So how could he know that forcing an unwanted gift upon someone is a form of violence?
“I’m going to the manor… Bring me a new uniform.”
He may have blood on his hands every night like this, but he wants her to always remain innocent.
Just like that girl who applied ointment to his wound with a face that said she knew nothing.
Swallowing the words he couldn’t bring himself to spit out at her, Pride made his way to the manor where she still resided today.
***
Ioannes didn’t have to work hard to keep Delphine from going out.
Delphine had been running a high fever since the night before.
Perhaps from sitting in the cold tub too long.
Or maybe it was the trauma of the day.
In an unfortunate twist of fate, Ioannes’s anger at the sight of the sick Delphine quickly subsided.
The busy man rarely left the house unless it was for urgent business.
He tended to her tirelessly, never missing a beat.
She fell asleep, fainting from the fever, and whenever she awoke, Delphine would find him at her bedside.
“Are you all right, My Lady?”
She made no move, but he knew immediately that she had opened her eyes.
“…”
Then, without saying a word, he would change her towel or feed her porridge himself.
The same was true in the early morning, when she would wake up with a sudden spike in fever.
The man who was still sitting by her side rushed over, wiped her lips, and calmly helped her change into her pajamas.
‘Does this man… not sleep at all…’
She faintly wondered that, but she couldn’t think too deeply about it as her body ached with fever.
Even when he lifted her up as lightly as a doll and changed her pajamas, nothing came to mind.
All she could think was that she was so cold and in pain, and she wanted this pain to go away.
She think a whimper escaped her lips.
Then, without a hint of annoyance, the man said softly-.
“Sorry. I’ll wrap up quickly.”
And that was it.
Delphine didn’t move from her bed for a week.
Fever was no laughing matter in the Empire, where medicine was not very advanced.
In winter, even in noble families, sudden deaths sometimes occurred.
As her body weakened, her mind followed suit, and Delphine wondered if she was going to die.
But no matter how he read her mind, Ioannes’s firm voice came through.
“You will never die.”
“… Hhhh.”
His gruff voice cut through her feverishly confused consciousness.
“Not as long as I am… Within this Empire, you cannot.”
What does that mean?
But in the rush of the suma, Delphine could not remember the words and fell asleep.
***
It had been a week and five days, to be exact, since the dangerously high fever had broken.
The doctor who examined her congratulated and comforted Pride, saying she was over the hump.
But, he admits, it was a risk.
“It’s a miracle you didn’t have any after-effects from that fever.”
At that, Pride took a rare moment to open his mouth and answer at length.
“There are no miracles because there are no gods, … At least not in this Empire.”
***
Peace reigned in the manor for a time, even after Delphine was fully recovered and out of bed.
Through the coldest months of the year, they never growled at each other or set their blades on each other.
Just like an affectionate couple.
“It’s very windy, My Lady.”
Ioannes’s strange obsession with her safety had intensified, not diminished.
He now sought to interfere not only with her access to the manor, but with the opening of the windows in her quarters.
“…”
But each time, Delphine was not as fiery as before.
If he had been more forceful, it would have rekindled Delphine’s rebellious spirit.
But to the man who had nursed her through this week without sleep.
To a man who had nearly lost his mind with worry.
She couldn’t let her nerves get the best of her.
Delphine finally broke her stubbornness and nodded.
When she did, he smiled back at her, bright and friendly.
Perhaps this was the first time she’d ever seen him smile genuinely.
If only she hadn’t been so stubborn as to try to discover his identity, they could have such a peaceful marriage.
Delphine smiled awkwardly at him, hiding the complexity of her feelings whenever she saw him.
Recalling the radio she’d received from La Rouge, hidden deep in her study.
***
Once her illness was over, the man went out again in the early morning, returning late at night.
Delphine was no longer confined to the company of her favorite maids.
A group of stern-faced maids, commanded by Ioannes, followed her everywhere.
The number of knights guarding the manor has multiplied.
And so, with all the arrangements in place behind her back, she was stunned to see the man in front of her, smiling gracefully with a beautiful face.
It was one of those evenings when there was a breathtaking peace, like the eve of a storm.
Chizik-.
Delphine, sitting alone in her study, reading a book, looked up.
Fortunately, none of Ioannes’ maids had followed her into the study on the third floor.
She knew there was no way out of the room unless she jumped out a window.
Of course, she knew they were watching from outside the door, pretending to sweep the hallways.
Delphine quickly lifted the radio in her hand to her mouth.
“Black Cat!”
She shouted the code word she’d been given on her last visit, and Belly’s voice came over the radio.
[“How are you, Mrs. Pride, I hope you’re over your fever?”]
She wonders if she’s getting news of herself.
How could she, with Ioannes watching her so closely?
But it had been nearly a month since she had heard from him.
Delphine whispered urgently into the comm, worried that the sound might leak out the door.
“My body is nothing to worry about. More importantly, have you learned anything?”
Belly replied in a cheerful tone into the radio.
[“Sure. Oh, by the way, have you heard the news? A ‘demonic violinist’ has appeared in the capital recently.”]
Delphine’s voice sounded puzzled at the somewhat off-the-cuff answer.
“… The Devil’s Violinist?”
[“Yes. Haven’t you heard of him? They say he’s the most famous man in social circles these days.”]
“… I’ve been avoiding social gatherings for a long time.”
[“There are all sorts of stories floating around about his prodigious playing ability. Six fingers, twice as long as everyone else’s. Everybody says it’s like…”]
Belly’s jovial voice drops to a sullen tone.
[“It doesn’t look like human workmanship.”]
“Not human workmanship…”
Delphine, her face grave, echoed his words.
“You suspect I’m using a black crystal.”
[“Yes, I have only suspicions and no hard evidence, but he happens to be giving a solo recital in a week’s time at the Marinaski Theater.”]
Of course, the theater is in District 2, inside the barrier.
And the audience for the recital is always the aristocracy of District 1.
“You want me to go and investigate.”
Delphine said in a low voice, and Belly replied in a pleasant voice.
[“Yes. Please, it would be a very dangerous mission, as we would have to go in undercover, but it sounds like it would be easy for you.”]
“What exactly do we need to do?”
[“As you may already know, their eyes change shape when they unleash their demonic powers. Watch them during the concert and see if their pupils change.”]
It was as simple as it sounds.
She was about to ask if there was anything more dhe could do when another voice came over the radio.
[“The lady just needs to be checked, and please don’t do anything dangerous.”]
It was Lynn.
The man was clearly not as confident as he had been the last time she visited La Luz’s headquarters.
She guesses he still thinks he’s a noblewoman who can’t do anything on her own.
“… I see.”
Delphine replied reluctantly.
They exchanged a few more cautions before the radio went dead.
The study suddenly felt even quieter.
For a moment, she responded curiously.
Delphine put the radio down and sank into the couch in her study.
Of course, as they said, she was a noble of the District 1, so it wasn’t hard to get into the concert hall.
But there was one problem…
“How do we get permission to go out with Ioan?”
Delphine let out a long sigh.
