22. She will be in danger.
It was clear.
Jillian was sulking.
He smiled and spoke softly, but there was a thorn in the end of every word.
For a moment, I was taken aback by the unexpected sight.
‘There’s no way I’m locking you up.’
‘If I were to imprison you, I would give you a world so huge that you wouldn’t even think of it as a cage. Do not worry.‘
Bianca’s cheeks hardened as she remembered his whispering to her this morning as if teasing her.
It seemed like he was pushing it, but looking back, he looked hurt.
It was her who was rude.
Even if he got angry, I have nothing to say, so how can I withstand such a gentle protest?
“Jillian.”
Bianca mustered up the courage to call him.
Because what Jillian wants is not an apology.
“Yes, Madam.”
“I am…….”
One of Jillian’s eyebrows slightly lifted at Bianca’s hesitant words.
Bianca was clearly aware that he would be displeased with an apology, so she quickly spat out the only other words that were in her mouth.
“I will do better.”
Bianca swallowed her dry saliva and lowered her eyes.
I didn’t think I could speak more when I saw Jillian, but..
“Really… I’ll try my best. But, please wait a little.”
For Bianca, this was the best she could do.
Jillian, Julie, Hayley.
She knows that all Baloch were friendly towards her.
If she said she didn’t know that, she would be lying.
Was it possible for me not to know the hand that was being offered to me, and the look in their eyes that was so kind and soft?
However, I was just scared because I didn’t know how long this will last.
I was afraid that the moment I fell into this warmth, they would withdraw their outstretched hands.
If I got thrown away, if I was left alone once again.
At that time, I didn’t think I could endure it like I do now.
Bianca knew better than anyone else that once she tasted the warmth, she could never go back to the way it was before.
The night I met Deborah and the Marquis Ilion, I felt particularly saddened by the cold treatment the imperial family gave to me, Bianca Termina, so I soaked my pillowcase.
Even that brief warmth was exhausting, and if I was left alone, I had to suffer not just for several days.
But even longer than this.
So, I couldn’t even imagine how long I would have to cry alone after accepting this unreasonable warmth.
Could I erase it by crying?
Could they understand how I felt, being scared and pushing everyone away?
At that moment, something rushed to the end of her throat, so Bianca swallowed it bitterly.
“I will try my best.”
“Madam.”
“Yes.”
“Madam, I know you don’t trust me.”
Bianca was startled by the words that seemed to have been seen from her mind.
“What…….”
Hiccup.
I was so embarrassed that I started hiccuping, which I didn’t do often even when I was young.
Hiccup.
Hiccup.
Despite that appearance, Jillian just looked at her quietly and did not hand her water or rub her back.
He just took the tea with his own hands as if he can’t hear anything.
It was as if he was showing her how he could change, and Bianca felt a part of her heart change for a moment.
Ugh huu.
I covered my mouth with my hand and held my breath for a long time.
The rattling noise stopped and Jillian handed me the teacup.
“It’s cooled down enough, so you can drink it now.”
“Thank you. Hiccup.”
I guess he did that to give it to me.
While relieved, Bianca’s mouth felt sour.
I pretended to be okay, but I thought that when Jillian had become cold for just a moment, my fingertips had also become cold just like that.
I was so wary, but had I already leaned in to him?
What should I do?
“Madam.”
If he turn his back on me, how many days will I have to cry before I will be okay?
Bianca did not let go of the numerous questions that came to her mind, even when Jillian called her.
“It’s natural that you don’t trust me. We haven’t really met properly.”
“Why…”
What’s wrong?
“Without any other options or proper explanation.”
Bianca’s heart pounded as it seemed like she would never have chosen to be his bride if she had had other options.
“My wife didn’t even know what to do when when she first came out with me.”
“I am.”
I am okay.
Bianca swallowed the words that were about to escape out of habit.
I couldn’t talk to Jillian, the other person involved, because she didn’t seem to be okay.
Not only my fingertips but my entire body became cold, and my ears rang and I cried.
“It’s not something you chose because you wanted to, so you can’t help but feel distrustful and anxious.”
This…
“This was wrong from the beginning. So, let’s stop. And…”
I shouldn’t have been like this.
I should have acted tactfully.
Not doubting everything and raising thorns like a hedgehog, now he was exhausted!
Bianca! You made this happen.
At that moment the tip of my nose became cold and my vision became blurry..
“Let’s start again.”
But the words flowing from his mouth were asking for a beginning, not an end.
“…What?”
The tears that had been welling up in my eyes, that were wide open in surprise, started to fall.
“Bianca, will you marry me?”
“We already…”
Jillian cut off Bianca’s words in a refreshing tone and smiled.
“Bianca, I’m proposing to you.”
If you don’t like it, you can refuse.
A long finger slowly approached and brashed the corner of my eye, as if asking for permission.
The fingers that touched my moist eyes were so gentle and lovely.
“Me……?”
So I ended up asking a question that I would never have asked before.
“Me, to me?”
Stuttering like an idiot.
Jillian nodded at those words.
“This is a marriage proposal to you, not to Princess Bianca Termina.”
To me.
Not to Princess Termina.
Not to Bianca Termina.
But to Bianca.
It sounded like a play on words, but it was enough to make me burst into tears again.
The woman, who had never lived as herself, couldn’t control her emotions and burst into tears as she saw herself as a complete person for the first time.
Jillian reached out and cupped her wet cheek and whispered sweetly.
“It’s okay to refuse, but if possible, accept it. I will keep asking until you say yes.”
“Can you accept it?”
“Be my mate.”
His marriage proposal was like poison.
It slowly seeps in and engulfs people.
“Even if you don’t like me, please accept it. Let’s get married properly.”
“Why? You already signed the marriage contract.”
Jillian whispered non-stop into my sobbing ear.
“I want a signature from you.”
Huh?
“You can also fill out the pledge as you wish. How about that? Write whatever you want, as you wish.”
Bianca finally dropped her shoulders and cried as the sweet voice rang in her ears.
In the end, Jillian had to end the tea time without receiving an answer.1Nooo, I want my yes(╯︵╰,)
***
“Please rest a little.”
With a friendly farewell, Jillian left and Bianca, who was left alone, wiped away the tears that flowed non-stop.
What kind of disgrace was this!
Even when I was alone, the tears didn’t stop.
‘It’s not something you chose because you wanted to, so you can’t help but feel distrustful and anxious.’
‘I want a signature from you.’
‘You can fill out the pledge as you wish. How is it? Write whatever you want, as you wish.’
Jillian said caution was warranted because it started off wrong.
Because it started off wrong.
It was not Bianca’s fault.
That’s why I kept thinking of his words and the tears couldn’t stop.
‘If it weren’t for you!’
The indulgence given naturally to a woman who always had to face the her sin consequences was so unfamiliar and nice.
With tears streaming down her face, Bianca whispered what Jillian had said.
“Write anything, as you wish.”
As I repeated his words in the same way, the feeling that I had felt earlier came back to me.
I felt sick and my vision became dark.
Ah.
‘I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘It’s okay to refuse. I’m going to beg you until you agree.’
His words buzzed around in my head like an auditory hallucination.
It felt like her feet were sinking and her mind was about to fly away, but Bianca laughed even as she held her head in dizziness.
The words that were directed at ‘me’ as a whole person were so sweet.
Bianca admitted that she couldn’t hold on any longer.
***
“Are all the captains of the fortress gathered?”
After lunch, Jillian immediately called for a meeting.
Since all the ‘captains’ of each fortress were called, the atmosphere at the main castle was quite stiff.
It may have been natural for the captains of each fortress to gather here, at the main castle and first fortress, for a strategy meeting before the wave, but..
“Isn’t it still too early?”
“The herd movement was already observed a few days ago, so it’s not too early.”
Jillian was the last one to come because he had to speak to Hailey separately as he was worried about Bianca, who couldn’t stop crying.
As if all the castle captains had already gathered in the office, loud voices came out without stopping through the thick wooden door.
“What happened to the fifth castles’ repairs?”
“It’s still in full swing. This is a pain in the ass.”
“Did you say that all the food reserves in Fortress 6 were filled?”
“Yesterday.”
Jillian shrugged his shoulders at the words of the captains who were checking the situation at each fortress.
“Don’t make a fuss.”
“Isn’t it only natural that he called all the fortress captains?”
“Of course not …..what!”
Huh.
Jillian snorted at Creta’s words as suddenly opened the office door without warning.
The captains’ attention was immediately drawn to the wide open door with the sound of a door slamming against the wall.
Jillian, who entered under a barrage of gazes, made a bombshell announcement to the captains who were waiting to hear what he had to say.
“Each captain give twenty knights.”
“Yes?”
“We need natural manpower.”
“It’s not for the Seven Citadels, but for the main castle?”
When the wave started, it was the outermost 7 castles that received the most attacks.
6 castles depending on the time.
5 Citadels only twice in history.
4 Citadels only once since the the Citadels were built.
But, where and what now?
The captains thought that Jillian had misrepresented the main castle and the 7th citadels.
“What… If it’s the 7th citadel.”
“It’s as I said.”
“the 7th citadel.”
“It’s as I said. A giant rabbit came into the main castle not long ago.”
At Jillian’s words, Blatt, the captain of the 7th Fortress/ Castle, raised his voice.
“Wasn’t that caused because of the by-product cart?”
“Anyway, if I hadn’t been there that day, the Giant Rabbit would have caught and swallowed the maids.”
“The 7th Fortress is always short of knights. If we give up even twenty here, our power will be disrupted.”
“When there is a wave, I will not be in my main Castle, but in the Seven Citadels.”
“Duke!”
“What guarantees that this will not happen next time? What makes you sure that the duchess won’t be the target next time?”
“Still.”
At Blatt’s words, which naturally protested, Jillian stretched his words in a pouty tone.
“Would it be better for me to lead from the main headquarters during the wave?”
“Isn’t that really too much!”
What he said just now was petty.
The person handling the wave was no one else, but Duke Baloch.
He is the most important force.
But if he’s missing…
Now he was making an absurd threat.
Although the Castle captains’ gazes were not kind, Jillian pretended not to notice and persisted until the end.
In the end, it was the captains who lost.
Because they had to protect the fortress and the family that settled there.
“…..When can I send them to you?”
“Right now.”
Jillian ended his one-sided threat by promising to send them ‘new troops’ twice as many as the missing knights.
When they heard that there would be more knights sent than who were taken away, the captains’ stern faces softened a little.
“Really, you know you went too far, right?”
Blatt did not hide his sullen tone before returning to the 7th Fortress.
“I know.”
Jillian knew it too, but he couldn’t help it.
Bianca will be in danger.
His instincts were warning him.
