32. The Duchess Who Never Existed.
Even though they were waiting outside, they were still fifty knights.
If they decided to attack, the thick wooden door would not last long.
The knights standing guard at the outer castle felt their mouth go dry from nervousness.
Knights were stationed at each castle wall.
However, the majority of people were concentrated in the north, in the direction from which the monsters would pour out.
At the main entrance of the outer castle leading to the Duchy, there were only six people, the minimum number of people who could open the door.
One of the six went to the main castle to report, so there are five left here now.
They were completely inferior.
In the worst case, they could hold on until the Duke came, right?
After waiting anxiously for an hour, a loud announcement rang out along with the sound of horses’ hooves.
“The Duke has arrived!”
***
The strange standoff in the outer castle ended with Jillian’s arrival.
“Open the door.”
At his soft words, the knights of the outer castle immediately let down their guard and began turning the pulley.
With the sound of metals clashing and rubbing together, the thick gate opened.
“Hmm.”
Jillian made a soft noise as he checked the knights outside the wide open door.
The condition of the knights who visited Baloch Territory was as reported.
The knights, who appeared to be at least fifty in number, were wearing imperial epaulettes proving that they had been officially ordained, and their armor was of a fairly high rank.
They were knights with an owner.
The owner should be wealthy enough to obtain these weapons.
One of Jillian’s eyes moved slightly.
“This is the Duke of Baloch. I came out to welcome the important guests.”
“We are not guests.”
“Then?”
“After seeing the announcement, we came to Baloch to become your knights.”
“Yes, and who is your owner?”
Step.
Jillian smiled, taking a step forward.
At that moment, a snowstorm blew in, causing his hair to become disheveled and fly everywhere.
The moment the knight felt that the shining golden eyes seen through the snow that was coloring his vision white were eerie, the blade of his sword was draped around the knight’s neck.
“……..!”
He was looking at him clearly with his own two eyes.
However, he could not tell when the young Duke of Baloch had approached him, let alone when he had drawn his sword.
The knight quickly rolled his eyes and looked at the situation in disbelief.
However, the only ones who weren’t surprised were the Baloch knights while the others looked distraught.
Was this how Baloch normally was?
“Yes, and who is your owner?”
While he was hesitating for a moment, Duke Baloch lightly twisted his sword and applied pressure to his neck with the back of his sword.
At that point, he felt like he was being strangled.
“I don’t like saying things twice.”
“My Lord, there is no owner.”
The knight stuttered without realizing it.
His golden eyes which were at a short distance from him were shining ferociously, like a beast with its teeth hanging from the back of its neck.
Only then did the knight realize why no other lady wanted this charming Duke.
He was a dazzlingly beautiful and charming young, unmarried duke.
And yet no one wanted him…….
“I am really telling the truth, really.”
Could it be because he was not an ordinary man?
What an intimidating man, as if he could be swallowed up at any moment!
The knight gritted his teeth and trembled.
“Who is you owner?”
The Duke, who did not like to repeat his words twice, asked a third time.
He was going to die!
The knight was convinced of that for a moment.
“Really, I have no master to serve…….”
“What happened to Sam?”
The knight’s eyes widened at the unexpected name.
“No matter how I tried to aske, you couldn’t understand the question.”
His expression was so calm that one couldn’t find any signs of the ferocity he had shown just a moment ago.
His strength that was like a blade, and his golden eyes that boiled like an animal remained calm and serious for a long time.
“What happened to him?”
The question became clearer than before.
However, the knight’s mouth was tightly shut and did not open for a long time.
No, the correct way to put it was that he couldn’t answer right away.
‘Go to Baloch Territory, and……….’
“There is no master. If the Announcement Decree is still valid, I want to live as Baloch’s sword.”
‘Be his knight.’
“Our knight’s oath has been broken, and we are looking for a new owner.”
“Your master is a very clever man.”
The young Duke laughed at his extreme expression.
“He cared enough about his knights to provide custom-made weapons for their new, yet he didn’t give them his family’s crest.”
The young Duke’s eyes fell on his empty left shoulder.
“You know why.”
There was nothing that was as much a thorn in the imperial family’s eyes as well-maintained knights.
Because there was nothing more arrogant than the Crown Prince’s former hand and foot having his own knights.
It was an order of knights that was trained so carefully.
Although he was abandoned by the Crown Prince some time ago, Sams Frenz was a man with abilities.
Even though he was hated and kicked out right now, the Crown Prince would bring him back at some point.
There’s no way Sam and his friends didn’t know that fact.
But he sent the knights he raised with great care to Baloch instead of the imperial family?
“Not just anyone can become a Baloch.”
“But it was said that Baloch would accept a broken sword.”1I believe a broken sword means people who broke their oath.
“……Broken sword.”
With a low, muttering voice, the golden eyes that had once shined so brightly became dull.
“Isn’t your master really pathetic? He taught you something that I can’t refuse and pushed you her like this.”
The knight groaned softly at the sight of Duke Baloch stepping aside as if to come in.
‘Don’t worry. Baloch will recognize the trampled trust.’2I don’t fully get it, but I think we will find out slowly what that means…
As Duke Baloch harshly commented, his master was a very clever man.
The Duke of Baloch was just as his master had seen him.
“The public notice decree is valid.”
The ‘new owner’s’ voice towards the broken swords was extremely firm.
***
“Are you really going to accept them?”
“There’s no reason not to accept some Knights.”
Jillian shrugged his shoulders at Creta’s words.
“Don’t you think that they could be the Emperor’s spies?”
“You would let those guys mess around?”
“Thank you for your high opinion.”
Contrary to hee thanks, Creta frowned.
It was truly a clever way of speaking.
Although it seemed like a compliment, it was more stinging than a reprimand.
If something happened, it will be her own fault for not preventing it in advance.
Normally, she would have grumbled at such clever way of speaking, but today was a very happy day to her as she was freed from her main duties.
“We will keep them under surveillance for the time being.”
“I guess it is pretty good, huh?”
Jillian nodded, as if he could understand why Crete did not grunt.
“Of course.”
“Really? That’s surprising.”
“What’s surprising?”
“Hmm. I didn’t know you would agree so readily. Anyway, let’s go home.”
The look on his face as he mounted the horse seemed genuinely suspicious.
Not indicating that she was clever to pass on the work to others, but sincerely suspicious.
Creta erased her grinning expression.
‘That’s surprising.’
It was a light sentence.
Maybe it was just to tease her.
However, Creta was naturally agitated and felt uneasy all the way back to the castle.
‘I didn’t know you would agree so readily.’
Crete had to keep thinking while she rode, feeling like she was missing something.
And only when they reached the main point did Crete realize what this unpleasant sensation was.
“Duke, should I have been more suspicious?”
It was a question asked without hesitation, but Jillian seemed to understand something and just smiled.
He looked refreshing as he smiled with the corners of his mouth sharply lifted.
But, did he know that that expression really pisses Creta off?
That response was driving her mad, it was neither positive nor negative, and so full of intrigue!
“Should I have suspected her? You accepted her as a Baloch, right? You couldn’t give her back anymore, and you didn’t have any intention of giving her back.”
It was natural for Creta to raise her voice as she spoke to Jillian.
“I had to, but you didn’t. That’s why I said it was unexpected.”
It didn’t have any special meaning.
Jillian handed the footman his cloak that had become heavy after being covered in snow.
“Should I have been more suspicious?”
“That’s for you to decide. It’s not for me to force you.”
He quickly took off his wet gloves.
The boots that reached below his knees were also changed into dry shoes brought by an attendant.
Creta followed Jillian, tearing off her cloak and quickly catching up with him as he walked away.
“It’s hard to understand what you mean. Please tell me clearly.”
Creta’s mind was storming.
‘There’s more to this!’
It was clearly something important that Crete had not noticed.
Judging by Jillian’s reaction, she knew it’s serious, but she also knew it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
But, apart from that, her pride was hurt.
Creta Barhan.
She was officially the Duke of Baloch’s right hand and also the person responsible for intelligence in the Northern Territory.
It was impossible for him to have information that she did not know.
Although she had not registered it as an official guild, there was no one in the Northern Territory that handled more information than her.
But Jillian’s reaction now?
Creta raised her voice towards Jillian, who was moving away in frustration.
“What’s going on? Is the duchess really the Emperor’s confidant? Or are there other forces? According to my information….”
“The Duchess?”
Jillian snorted, cutting off Crete’s rapidly pouring words.
“When were there a Duchess in Baloch?”
“……Don’t play with words. You’ve already written your wedding vows.”
“Was that marriage vow meant to connect you with someone who doesn’t even exist in this world?”
“That……! What do you mean?”
Creta felt as if the floor had collapsed at the unusual words.
A person who doesn’t exist.
Then, wasn’t it the princess who entered this Duchy?
They say she was an abandoned princess, but had she been dead for a long time?
Three or four thoughts ran through her head for a moment, and none of them were good.
“That……!”
Before her angry words burst out of her.
Jillian whispered as he put one foot on the stairs.
“The Emperor erased his daughter out of the imperial family tree. What he gave me was a written oath signed by Bianca Termina. Now, do you understand? I don’t have a wife yet.”
From Hailey to Crete.
That broken expression was very worth seeing.
Even without saying anything, one could clearly see the numerous emotions on her face, including disgust, contempt, and even pity.
It wasn’t really a secret.
No, in order to prepare a proper wedding, it was necessary to inform some of his close associates, including Creta and Hailey.
What meaning did this marriage have?
Why did it have to take priority over anything else?
Why did it have to be flashy?
They had to understand that even if he leaves the castle to take charge of the Wave, its preparations should be perfect.
Jillian thought so.
“…What do you mean?”
Until he saw Bianca, looking pale, standing on the top of the stairs.
***
TL:
A cliffhanger, would you believe me if I told you I was more surprised by it that any of you would?🤣.
I will try to speed up the translation of next chapter to know what happened next<(￣︶￣)>
Edit: I finished the finals, so for celebrating, I will unlock all chapters and update after some sleep ✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧
