“Episode 29”
At those words, Ricard’s face hardened.
“Did my grandmother really say that?”
“I know, it sounds too strange. A dragon’s bloodstone….”
“No. It might sound strange, but the existence of the bloodstone is real.”
Aris’s eyes widened at his response.
“So… there are other bloodstones out there.”
Ricard’s muttering stirred Aris’s thoughts.
“What do you mean—”
Before she could finish her question, Ricard gently took her hand and placed it on his chest. His heart was beating.
“There is a bloodstone here.”
“What…?”
It seemed impossible, but his expression was serious.
“Now that you are my Grand Duchess, I will tell you. The curse of House Albertus… isn’t really a curse. It’s a promise, an oath.”
It wasn’t a peculiar condition or disease.
“When a new Grand Duke ascends, a secret ceremony known only to the family is performed. It is an undocumented ritual passed down from generation to generation.”
Ricard’s dark eyes grew more intense.
“My father died too early. No one expected it. Just before he passed, he imparted the family’s ritual to me. That was… his last act.”
Aris’s hand trembled at this new revelation.
“Yes, as you might guess, I was an ordinary human before undergoing the Grand Duke’s ritual.”
“A ritual…?”
“It’s an unavoidable, compulsory curse.”
Ricard recalled the painful memories. After that, he became a monster, unable to be close to anyone.
“Once you accept this curse, you gain powers beyond human capability. You can fight forgotten monsters alone and never lose in war.”
This was the contract between Albertus and the bloodstone.
“Do you know anything about the bloodstone?”
Ricard was just as desperate, if not more so, than Aris. Desperately, he grasped her small hand.
“Any memory, any experience.”
Aris pursed her lips. She knew, but she didn’t want to speak of it.
“…I don’t know.”
“Then, how about a way to break the promise? Even a small clue would help.”
Ricard’s grip tightened. Unconsciously, Aris pulled her hand away with all her strength.
“I… I really don’t know!”
Belatedly, she saw the expression on Ricard’s face, but how could she speak? Whether he believed her or not, she couldn’t talk about the years spent as Patrick’s wife.
“I’m sorry.”
Ricard was the first to apologize.
“I lost my composure for a moment.”
He realized that no matter how desperate he was, it was his issue alone.
“I’ll leave.”
Aris looked up at him as he stood. Was he planning to use the secret passage again? To his solitary space?
“For now, it’s better to use this way so as not to raise suspicion. Please bear with it for a little while.”
Was his desire to be alone in the secret passage from his wife’s bedroom a testament to his love for her? It didn’t make sense. A man who had confessed his love to her couldn’t want to stay away. Pretending not to notice had its limits.
“Your Grace.”
Aris held onto Ricard’s hem.
“Please don’t go.”
Ricard turned back with a look of disbelief. Aris took a small breath. It was hard to talk about her past life, but she didn’t want the man who had always been there for her to be lonely.
“I don’t know much about this fragment either. Or why you’re the only one who can see it.”
The secret of House Albertus was also the bloodstone. But it was clearly different from the one Aris had. No one was kept away from her.
“You were so busy that you skipped dinner. How about taking the prepared supper with you?”
Ricard hesitated.
“It’s amazing that grapes are in season here, considering how cold I thought the North was.”
“That’s based on the Empire’s standards.”
“Then, is there a real North?”
Ricard nodded.
“Within our territory, there’s indeed a very cold and harsh land. It’s always inhabited by barbarian tribes who raid us. Records even mention monsters being hunted there in ancient times.”
“Monsters…?”
“Well, it’s just a record.”
Ricard shrugged. As they faced each other like this, they felt like an ordinary couple.
“Battles still occur at the border. Though it’s far from here, so you needn’t worry.”
“No, if Your Grace goes out, I would also…”
“The Albertus Black Horn Knights are excellent, so there’s nothing to worry about. The Black Crows, including Fel, are also outstanding.”
As Aris watched Ricard’s serious expression, she suddenly clapped her hands.
“Come to think of it, where is Fel?”
She remembered the faithful messenger bird that had brought them together.
“There’s even milk here. I should call Fel.”
Ricard couldn’t bring himself to stop her as Aris smiled brightly. She took out the whistle she had cherished and blew it twice. Then, the familiar Fel swooped in and greeted them.
“Fel, it’s me. Did you miss me?”
“Caw. Caw!”
Aris’s eyes were filled with affection as she looked at Fel.
“Look, there are cookies with beans too.”
She seemed to think of Fel as nothing more than a pet. Ricard couldn’t help but speak up.
“Aris, Fel is not just a pet.”
“I know, he’s smart and polite. Right, Fel?”
“Caw.”
If only she showed half of that bright smile to him, Ricard wouldn’t have been jealous of a mere bird.
“Fel really seems to like milk and beans.”
Aris’s kind gaze shifted from Fel to Ricard. For a moment, Ricard couldn’t breathe.
“So cute, really.”
Even though the comment wasn’t directed at him, Ricard’s mind went blank at Aris’s words.
“Can I keep him?”
The fact that Fel had military value comparable to a fortress and wasn’t just a pet to be fattened didn’t seem important compared to Aris’s smile.
“It’s fortunate he follows you well. If you want him, this bird is no trouble at all.”
The clever Fel flapped his wings as he drank the milk, as if enjoying the leisure of retirement from military duties.
“Caw, caw!”
That wretched bird. As Fel cried out in delight, Ricard’s fist trembled silently. Only Aris wore a satisfied smile. Sadly, it seemed that in Aris’s heart, Ricard and Fel held similar levels of affection.
LOL