Supporting Characters Also Need Some Love

CHAPTER 5: HERE, NOW, AND YOU (XIII)

Part 109

 

‘Ah, I’m back. I’m back. It’s home!’ The tip of her nose felt sore, so she took a deep breath and stepped into her mansion. When she crossed the threshold and arrived at the entrance, all the employees were waiting for me, just like the first day I came to the duke’s residence. Ethan must have come back first, and was standing in the middle, supporting Jenny.

 

“Jenny!!”

 

“Miss!!”

 

As she struggled to jump off the horse, Adrian hugged her waist and lowered her. Jenny shook off Ethan’s hand and ran to hug her. Jenny, who was hugging me while crying, had tears in her eyes as if she couldn’t see clearly, and touched her and checked every corner of her.

 

“Are you not hurt anywhere? Are you okay? I heard you fell into the water. In that cold water… Miss, are you okay? Are you wearing shoes? Are you really okay?”

 

“I’m okay, Jenny. What about Jenny? What happened to your wound? Is it okay for you to move around like this? Shouldn’t you lie down? Let’s go in, okay?”

 

She held on to Jenny’s arm to support her, Jenny clung to my arm to support her, and they entered the mansion together. Millie and Louise followed, crying. She wanted to let Jenny rest, but her three maids worked together to push her into bed. She protested that it wasn’t even lunch time yet, but whensheI went to lie down on the bed that had been heated with a hot water bag, she felt tired as if it were a lie. She felt like she had a lot to do, but her body was melting under the blanket. How long has it been since she last laid down on her own bed? She decided to get up after a little sleep and asked Millie and Louise.

 

“Okay. I’ll take a nap and wake up, so Jenny can rest now too. Watch out for Millie, Louise, and Jenny so they don’t do anything, and make sure they don’t move while I sleep.”

 

“Yes, miss, we’ll tie you to the bed too. Hurry up and become a housewife.”

 

Millie and Louise left my room, holding on to Jenny who was crying and saying she would stay by my side. As she was falling asleep, Adrian came into the room. He sat by her bedside and stroked her forehead and hair.

 

“Would you like to be a housewife?”

 

“Okay, I’m going to sleep for a bit and wake up.”

 

“You can sleep well and wake up.”

 

“Ugh. Just a little bit. I’ll wake up and hug you again, Adrian.”

 

She heard his low laugh and felt warm lips against her forehead. The feeling of his hand stroking her hair felt good. Then she fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

As Adrian quietly closed Damian’s door and came out, Ethan stood in front of him and bowed his head. He followed Adrian down the hall and reported the situation.

 

“The palace has been recaptured. Cale has organized the capital army and is blockading Midok. Do you want to go?”

 

Now that Damian was back,she thought he would stay by her side today, but Adrian made an unexpected noise and hurried his steps.

 

“Go to the palace. Call the doctor. She has a mild fever.”

 

When they met again, he didn’t notice because he couldn’t control his agitated mind. But as he just felt her forehead, he was sure. As he remembered, it was only slightly higher than Demian’s body temperature. The first thing he did was check her condition. Hennessy and the princess were next. Ethan bowed his head and took the command, and Adrian got back on his horse.

 

As soon as the battle in front of the northern mound of the outer castle ended, Adrian sent Bigor’s knights, excluding Ethan, to the royal palace. At the time when Franz was running to the royal palace, standing at the front, gnashing his teeth, Hegel was persuading Hennessy and Doyeff in the throne room of the main palace. After looking down at her son who had been whining for several days with disapproval, Hennessy suddenly lost her temper.

 

“Stop! Don’t you want me to stop? Why are you talking so much about something that will be resolved once he comes to power and takes over military power?”

 

“Father, even if we were given military authority, would the soldiers listen to us? There is no way the coup would succeed.”

 

“The palace is already in our hands. After we wipe out him, that damn princess, and the disobedient nobles, who will be there to beat me!”

 

Hennessy shouted, and Doyev nodded his head. Hegel was heartbroken.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous! This isn’t possible with just a thousand militiamen!”

 

“So, isn’t that why you receive military authority? Lord Hegel, why don’t you capture the princess at a time like this?” said Doev, clicking his tongue.

 

Hegel looked up in despair at Hennessy, who snorted and turned his head, and then closed his eyes. Words didn’t make sense. This morning, when the princess they were looking for appeared, Hennessy and Doyeff excitedly ordered a chase. He smiled proudly, as if he had Laurentine in his hands. Those who had threatened Adrian in the name of Antalov without justification or power were now blatantly showing their intention to kill him and take the throne. He spent ten years thinking that there was nothing he couldn’t do if he could get his father’s approval. Then he met Adrian, and lived thinking that he could risk his life if he could get him to a high position. I thought that if Adrian, wearing the shining crown, was happy with Damian, then everyone would be satisfied. No, no. Hegel lowered his head. It would be a lie if I said I didn’t have any idea of my father’s ambition. He knew that his resentment towards Adrian was as deep as his loyalty to Antalov. Because he was so thirsty for his father’s affection for calling him his son, he pretended not to know that he knew this would happen. Thinking that Hennessy’s words that it would be okay for Antalov’s blood relatives to inherit the throne were sugarcoated, he pretended not to know. He was making excuses for his master, but it was he who destroyed his own home. When he looked down at his feet, everything was pitch black. I burst out laughing as I looked at my cheek on the floor of the throne room, a gorgeous throne room carved from sparkling marble. While Hennessy and Doyev were looking at Hegel in bewilderment, who was giggling and laughing wildly, a member of the militia ran in and shouted.

 

“It’s the Bigor Knights! They’re being pushed back!!”

 

“What?! That’s ridiculous. Unless that guy goes crazy!”

 

“They say the duke’s fiancée has returned!”

 

How can a woman who was said to have been washed away in a river come back alive? Doyev, who glared at Hegel, ran out of the audience room in a hurry, and Hennessy, who jumped up from his seat, became angry at Hegel.

 

“It’s because you didn’t do things right!”

 

Hegel looked at Hennessy, still laughing.

 

“Father, it was a vain dream from the beginning.”

 

“What a vain dream! This was the last chance to fulfill His Majesty Antalov’s long-cherished wish!”

 

“Just be honest. You just coveted what was his.”

 

“Shut up, you bastard!”

 

Hennessy tried to rush to Hegel with an angry look on his face, but when he heard shouts from outside, he turned around and looked away. Although he was resentful and bitter, he had to live first, so Hennessy gathered his subordinates and ran out of the throne room. In the empty throne room, where Hennessy’s harsh footsteps echoed for a long time, Hegel lowered his head with a pale face.

 

All kinds of thoughts disturbed his head. Shameless Wind was the first to ask for forgiveness, but he smiled bitterly and shook his head. Those guys have come a long way. Even if Adrian forgives him, he will most likely be put to death after a trial. He couldn’t let his lord see him hang ugly and eventually have his head cut off. Then should he commit suicide? He has committed a mortal sin, so should he pay for it with death and leave? His easy method was tempting, but he shook his head again. His knot had to be tied. He drove a nail into his lord’s chest and drove a sword into his comrade’s back. He has wandered down the wrong path and has come so far that he cannot go back, so he must go to the end. That way, they will cut me down and turn around in relief.

Hegel ran out of the throne room in pursuit of Hennessy. The front of the main palace was a mess. He was swinging his sword with such anger that the Bigor Knights were about to explode. In particular, Franz’s spirit was so fierce that his colleagues could not keep up. Hegel approached Hennessy, who was protected by militiamen in the first floor corridor, and said:

 

“If you don’t dodge now, you will die.”

 

Hennessy looked back at Hegel with wide eyes, but he knew that what his calm face said was true. Grinding his teeth, Hennessy ran towards the back of the main palace. Hegel wasted time by pulling out his bow and keeping Hennessy in check so that he could escape, and Franz and Thierry ran into the palace.

 

“Hegel!!”

 

Hegel gritted his teeth as he threw back the sword that Franz had thrown at him. Hegel smiled, hiding his crumbly insides.

 

“Our youngest is very angry.”

 

“Shut up!!”

 

Franz attacked again, swinging his sword. When Franz’s sword penetrated to the right, he instantly turned to the left and plunged his sword down. He raised his bow and struck, but it was not enough to withstand the sword bearing his weight. His bow was cut in two, causing a deep cut on his left shoulder. He was the youngest who always scolded me for having a light sword, but it was a fairly heavy attack. He gritted his teeth and swung his sword, widening the distance. Now he can’t use his left arm. Without hesitation, he threw away his bow and ran away. Franz, who hesitated for a moment after facing the bleeding Hegel, gritted his teeth once again and ran after him. Several of Bigor’s knights followed him to the back of the main palace, and Thierry, who was looking at Hegel and Franz with a complicated face, sighed heavily and cleared out the main palace with the remaining knights. Doyev, who had stolen the crown and was hiding in the residence of the palace officials, was captured, and all militia remaining in the main palace were cleared out. The courtiers hugged and cheered, greeting Remina as she entered majestically.

 

While Homer and Van were cleaning up after themselves, Adrian, who had gone to the duke’s residence, entered the palace. Thierry approached Adrian as he entered the main palace and reported.

 

“They escaped the palace and went towards Mount Saso. They detained Doyev.”

 

“What about the pursuit force?”

 

“Lord Kayle has sent his troops and is now organizing them. Would you like to lead them directly?”

 

“I’ll look at Doyev first.”

 

Thierry led Adrian to the room where Doyev was being held. Doyev, who was tied to a chair in an empty room, was startled and flinched when the door was opened. He confirmed that it was Adrian and smiled servilely.

 

“Young master.”

 

Adrian walked into the room and punched Doev in the face. Doev, who fell to the floor with his chair, screamed, and Thierry casually lifted the chair up again. Doyev, blood dripping from his mouth, begged Adrian.

 

“Master, listen to me…”

 

Before Adrian could finish speaking, he punched Doyev in the face again. This time Doev fell on the other side, writhing in pain and realizing what was wrong. As Thierry stood him up again, Doyev opened his mouth again with broken teeth.

 

“Duke Bigor, you can’t do this. Don’t you want to save your fiancée?”

 

When Doyev dared to mention Damien’s story, Adrian could not stand it and beat him again. Doyev, who was once again lying on the floor, shouted urgently in a slurred voice.

 

“Poison! She had been poisoned! I’ll make you an antidote, so please, Duke!”

 

Adrian stomped on Doyev’s neck. Doyev, who was choking, squirmed and squirmed, and Adrian, who had been watching the bastard’s breath stop, clicked his tongue and took his foot away at the last moment. Doyev was coughing hysterically and shaking in his chair to which he was tied. The eyes that opened and closed heavily turned red again, and he guessed that they wouldn’t just kidnap her. He also knew that Doyev was good at using poison when he followed Antalov through the battlefield, so the past few days when Damian disappeared were even more hell as he thought about what-ifs he didn’t want to think about.

 

Adrian shook his head. Probably not. It was just a slight fever. If Damian had been poisoned, there was no way he wouldn’t have noticed. If she had any symptoms she would have told him. So, probably not. He believes so, but he cannot leave any doubt when it comes to her.

 

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Translator Note: