Supporting Characters Also Need Some Love

CHAPTER 4: EACH TRUTH AND EACH HAPPINESS (IV)

Part 070

 

Ailene returned home. Her face was swollen from crying and she was curled up with a blanket wrapped around her, but the Duke of Donovan himself picked her up and took her to the carriage. Why on earth have they been ignoring these many words? Even though death came and went, and even after crossing the world, why didn’t she say the words she was going to say earlier? If she could have told her this sooner, she wouldn’t have had to come back this far. No, she was glad they could meet face to face even now. She was glad it’s not too late. What had been pressing down on one part of her heart for a while now became a little lighter. It hurted a lot, but they would move on. And maybe they could really become friends this time. After seeing off the Duke of Donovan’s carriage as it left, she turned back to the palace and found Adriana looking at her. Even though they were in the same space, they couldn’t even see each other all morning. She was happy to see her and approached her, but why, why has Adrian turned into a withered flower? When she raised her hand and touched Adrian’s right cheek, he leaned slightly against her hand and closed and opened his eyes heavily. Not only the pupils but also the whites of the eyes were reddish.

 

“Adrian, your eyes are red. Didn’t you sleep well last night?”

 

“Damian’s eyes are red too. You shouldn’t cry for so long.”

 

“Is that so… then Adrian cried too?”

 

Adrian gently closed his eyes and smiled at her question. She said it for a laugh, so she was grateful that he smiled, but it hurted her even more because his bright face has withered here and there. Adrian held her hand that was on her cheek and took her somewhere. There was a place like this in the magnificent main palace. In the small room, there was a table with a meal for two people.

 

“I heard you missed lunch.”

 

Now that she thought about it, it’s lunch time. Actually, she didn’t have any appetite, but it was obvious that Adrian hadn’t eaten lunch either, so she sat down. When she pushed the bread soaked in the warm soup, it went down better than she expected. The inside of her mouth was obviously very scratchy, but she didn’t know why her mouth wasn’t trying to communicate with her. As she eagerly ate the bread, Adrian also smiled and started eating. After thinking about it for a while, she decided that she needed to tell her story, so she brought up her story. If the petty crown prince starts a fight with Adrian about what happened earlier, she didn’t want to embarrass him by not knowing about it.

 

“Hey, Adrian.”

 

“Yes, Damian.”

 

“I guess I should have known. Well, I grabbed the crown prince’s head.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“It’s not exact, but it looks like he swore at me. I definitely grabbed his hair. It seemed like he pulled out a handful of hair as if he was pulling it out.”

 

Adrian put down the fork he was holding and stretched out his hands on the table. He put down the bread in a gesture as if asking for his hand and placed both hands on top of Adrian’s. He turned her hand over, looked at his palm for a while, and said.

 

“Your hand doesn’t seem to be damaged, but please don’t touch anything.”

 

It’s nothing, She just touched the crown prince’s head, or ripped it off? Adrian smiled brightly and placed the bread in her hand again. He held the fluffy bread in both hands and tore off a piece and dipped it into the warm soup. No, not this. Even for me, this was a bit strange. It’s good that you didn’t scold her for having an accident, but why did you do that? Shouldn’t he just tell her she couldn’t use it?

 

“Sir Franz even pointed a sword at the Crown Prince. He said he was protecting me, so Sir Franz did nothing wrong, but isn’t that something that shouldn’t be done?” 

 

“I will reward Franz.”

 

“No, it’s nice to give an award to Sir Adrian Franz. Are you going to keep doing this, if you know what I mean?”

 

Adrian smiled brightly. The corners of his eyes were also dotted with smiles, so she laughed along with them without realizing it, but then her expression hardened again. Adrian, who was looking at her face, smiled even brighter.

 

“There’s nothing Damien can’t do.”

 

“Where is that word?”

 

“Yes. Whatever you do, just do what Damian thinks is right. I’m sure it will be right.”

 

He was a man who leaves me speechless. She ended up smiling at his bright smiling face.

 

“Don’t cover it up like that and take sides. It’s going to make you a bad habit.”

 

Adrian grumbled with his smiling face and laughed out loud. After eating for a while, she put down her fork and Adrian also finished his meal. He is someone who ate everything with her while she ate, so today she held her fork for a long time on purpose. It broke her heart to see her face turn pale after just one night. She guessed she was just going to keep getting busier, but was she eating well?

 

“Are you going back home now?”

 

“Well, I was thinking of stopping by the Treasury, but you looked bad earlier, so I’m going to go home. Did the meeting not go well for you and Adrian?”

 

“The meeting went smoothly Damien.”

 

They said the meeting went well, but why is their expression like this? Of course, it was true that the current situation was a mess. She couldn’t put on a calm face when a war breaks out. As Adrian looked at her with hesitation and was unable to speak for a while, his heart became increasingly anxious. Have the rebels or the Taln army already started the war? Adrian, should we go somewhere right now? When she reached out to his anxious heart, his warm, large hand grabbed her. Adrian, with a bitter face, hesitated a little longer before opening his mouth.

 

“Taln has crossed the border and invaded the Marquisate of Huger.”

 

“Huh? When?”

 

“I think it coincided with the Royal Guard’s mutiny yesterday afternoon.”

 

“Oh my god. So you’re saying there’s a war going on in the Marquis of Rapture at this very moment?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

But she almost asked if she could just stay like this. Before she could say it out loud, she saw Adrian’s bloodshot eyes. If you can do something, you’re probably already doing it. something she couldn’t think of. He was probably already doing it. She heard that it would take a week from Midok to the western border even if a messenger rode non-stop. It would take at least twice as long to move a large army. It will take longer because the soldiers move on foot. There must be a lot of things to prepare. They didn’t know when the National Guard would attack, so they couldn’t send them all there. How could this person not have thought of something that even she, who knew nothing about, could do? You must be much more frustrated than her.

 

“It appears that the Taln Army will march towards Midok instead of joining the National Guard. We are preparing to go out as quickly as possible.”

 

“I see. Adrian has to go west himself?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I heard the National Guard is to the northwest. If Adrian goes west, who will be the one to stop the National Guard?”

 

Actually, she just hoped that Adrian wouldn’t end up in a dangerous place. The National Guard is on the other side, so they haven’t moved yet, so it’s too scary to say that they’ll be heading out soon. So, why don’t you just stay here? Commander, do you really have to come to the front? He thought such foolish and selfish thoughts for a moment. As she was talking, the Lorentine map came to mind. she memorized it tediously while preparing for the civil service exam, but as time passed, she couldn’t remember it as quickly. The writer of the Marquess of Rapture was at the far left, and as he thought about the territory leading from there to Midoc, he got out of breath and jumped up from his seat. Adrian followed me, rubbed my back, and sat me down on the chair again, but he was having trouble breathing.

 

“Don’t worry, Damian. The Etihart family will be safe.”

 

This man was going to the west. The reason she wanted to do it was… This was the reason why the commander vacated the capital and marched far away in this situation where the leader of the rebellion that assassinated the king might attack at any time. What a selfish and selfish person she was. Even now, in the Marquis of Rapture, people are going to die, but I can’t help it because it’s so far away, I’ve been convinced, but what is this relief that Adrian is personally going to protect my father’s place? Adrian is still worried, father. At the same time, I wish you all the best. 

 

‘Don’t look so worried. I don’t know what to say to you. Thank you? Should I say sorry? It’s dangerous so be careful? Or do you tell me to hurry up and get my dad?’

 

It was too selfish to say anything, so she couldn’t say anything.

 

“Nothing will happen to Etihart Estate. I will make it happen.”

 

Her heart was shaken by the warm hand stroking my back. Even if you criticize me for being selfish, she didn’t mind. It’s okay to be unscrupulous and try to fulfill your own selfish desires by relying on your lover’s position. It’s okay if other residents of the territory who are in danger point fingers, and it’s okay if they can’t stand these words and end up regretting what they received. Still, she had to say it.

 

“I know it’s selfish, but please, Adrian. Adrian is the commander, and I know it’s foolish to ask for such a personal request, but I still ask. Please protect my family.”

 

Adrian sat down on one knee and made eye contact with me, who was bowing his head. He held her hand tightly and spoke in a serious tone.

 

“If you’re asking if I’m going there personally because it’s Damian’s family territory, yes, that’s right. I don’t want them to invade Damian’s hometown. I don’t want to see Damian sad because he’s worried about his father. But that’s not the only reason. Once we surpass Count Damian Ethart, Midok will be within the daily movement range of the Taln cavalry. Etihat territory is a place that must be protected tactically. We will protect it at all costs.”

 

When she raised her head and looked at him, she smiled and touched the back of his hand.

 

“And Damian, Damian, she just tries to think about everything on her own. Can’t she be a little more foolish? I’m quite useful. I can do anything for you if you want, but it’s a shame to ask for such an obvious thing.”

 

Adrian said something playful with the intention of lightening the mood and immediately kissed the back of his hand. He couldn’t smile, but nodded his head. Adrian smiled as if that was enough.

 

* * *

 

She said goodbye to Adrian, who was sorry for not being able to take her there, and got on the carriage back home. Her mind was so complicated that it felt like it might explode. The assassination of the king, the rebellion, the war, it’s already serious and scary enough, but a war in the Manor of Ethart? Although she didn’t experience it directly, her hometown was so vivid in her memory. The wonderful castle where she spent her childhood, her mother’s grave, the people who took care of her, Anna, who passed away not long ago, and her father. She returned to the mansion with an indescribable feeling, but Rutvan welcomed her with a calm smile. And the mansion was extremely cluttered.

 

“Are you here? Looking at your face, it looks like you heard what I was talking about.”

 

“What’s going on? Brother? Are you packing now?”

 

Rutvan was silent for a moment, stroking her hair, then he took her hand and led her into the drawing room. As she sat down, closed the door to the living room, leaving behind the employees coming and going, Jenny served me some tea. With a smile similar to Lutvan’s, that somehow makes you feel sick. Then he went out, leaving her brother and sister behind.

 

“Are you going back to the estate? That’s it, right? You’re going to your father. You thought about it well. That’s right, you’re not going to sit here worrying, you’re going to your father’s side.”

 

“You are staying, Damian. Among the employees, only those who want to return will be selected and sent down.”

 

“I don’t want to stay, brother. I want to go with you.”

 

“If I take you too, father will kick me out.”

 

Rutvan laughed out loud while saying something that wasn’t even funny. She was even more upset because I felt like she knew what he was feeling as he affectionately stroked her head, but she also didn’t want to know.

 

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Translator Note: