Chapter 24
“Shut up, Carls.”
Her mouth opened when she heard his growling voice.
Her husband was the best gentleman in the empire, always cultured, idealistic, and seductive.
“No matter how tired he is, how can he swear like this?”
Notice her surprised expression.
“Carls is a real problem. He is always teaching you hackneyed words and expressions.”
"no...!"
Omarion frowned and looked at Sir Carls.
She couldn't really say anything positive about Karls' behaviors, so it would be best for Karls to refrain from talking to his master like that.
Karls, who was about to say something, dropped his alcohol like water with a goblin expression.
“I wonder if this is how the Empress feels when she sees the Emperor playing with a concubine.”
“Why are you the Empress?”
“Does this matter?!”
Leonard Karls patted him on the back, as if to comfort him.
She didn't know what to say, so instead she ran her fingers over Victor's eyes, closing them.
Daedric quietly draped a blanket over the two.
I thanked him with a smile and watched the campfire.
***
It looks like she fell asleep.
“Be careful, this way...!”
I woke up to the sound of swords clashing.
The fire was almost out, leaving only embers behind, but her keen senses allowed her to sense the situation.
A huge monster attacked the campsite.
The monster was a nightmare orc that lived deep in the mountains and was usually active at night, and was feared for its ability to quietly kidnap its victims.
“Why are there orcs on a plain like this?”
She panicked and looked around.
Several knights managed to immobilize him by wrapping chains around his ankles, but the giant monster, twice the height of an ordinary man, was hitting hard.
She bit her lip and tried to stand, but she felt a weight on her thighs.
Victor was asleep with his head in her lap.
"my lady".
Leonard noticed her waking up and rushed over.
“Stay there. I didn’t wake you on purpose.”
“Is everyone okay?”
“He's one orc who's easy enough to catch. His Highness has been asleep for a long time, so please sleep with him.”
She nodded anxiously and put down her sword.
The Morty Knights were not weak enough to be defeated easily, but she still felt sad watching them.
The advanced Ammari knights hunted down the monsters with ease.
But even the top knights couldn't handle the orcs well.
Two knights quickly approached the monster's rear.
They may have been trying to cut the joint behind the knee.
“But it is dangerous to make this kind of move...!”
Then, suddenly, Victor opened his eyes.
I looked at him in surprise.
"Victor? Are you awake?"
He did not answer her, stood up, and pulled his sword from his waist.
Then he walked towards the monster.
The knights shouted as they saw their master approaching the orcs' range.
“Your Highness! It is dangerous!”
“…!”
The next moment caused her mouth to open in awe.
impossible!
In one sword slash, the orc fell, its stomach brutally torn apart.
“I have to hit twice to take down an orc, and he did it in one hit?”
The orc had leather-like skin, which was why her sword couldn't pierce it right away.
But Victor's power made it possible.
Praise for Victor can be heard everywhere.
His knights jumped up and ran towards him.
“Excellent, master! The only person who could do something like this is the Duke.”…
Their steps gradually slowed down.
Their bodies were signaling danger.
I felt it too.
Goosebumps formed on her arms, and she unconsciously straightened her spine.
Slowly, Victor's gaze moved to his knights.
I shouted.
“Go away!”
Explosion!
A tent collapsed with a terrible sound. Victor had beaten him.
She clenched her teeth and unsheathed her sword.
The current Victor was in a state of sleepwalking. But for some reason, he was stronger than he had been any night before.
“Why is he doing this? Was it because he had been asleep for so long? Or because we were outside?”
She struggled to direct him to a field far from their camp. The knights grabbed Daedric and quickly fled. It was understandable why they would run away from their master without looking back, but it was still a bit sad.
“I should have killed the orc... Orc is much easier-”
Without giving her a moment to commiserate, Victor's sword swung violently at her. She turned her body, narrowly avoiding his terrifying strike.
Their swords were met with a sharp clatter.
“You should sleep soundly tonight.”
She smiled bitterly as she struck his blade.
“Victor.”
“He can't hear me.”
It was even more annoying because she hadn't seen him like this for a long time.
His eyes were cloudy, and his hands were holding his sword tightly. He was wandering around in a nightmare.
“How much pain will it be when he wakes up tomorrow?”
She dodged his blow and quickly moved behind his back.
Now, she just wanted to put him to sleep.
“Good night, my husband.”
With a short hand gesture, his motionless body collapsed.
***
Victor woke up late the next morning.
“Are you awake?”
After digging into the orc's corpse for a while, she greeted Victor who was approaching her.
He looked at her with a strange expression on his face.
What do you do?
“Excreting poisonous glands.”
Nightmare goblins had pockets of venom in their throats, which they used to paralyze their prey.
It was poisonous if drunk or touched directly, but it was a valuable ingredient that could be diluted to make various medicines.
So, in Amari, whenever they killed an orc, they would throw a party, saying it was a good omen.
They only got one plate of pickled meat each, but they called it a feast...
The knights who were standing in amazement watched as she skillfully cut the orc's neck and removed the bags of poison.
Victor moved to her side.
“Do you need any help?”
“I'm fine. Please stay away, the blood may spread on you.”
“It's literally everywhere.”
She raised her head and looked at Victor. He was smiling bitterly.
“I hurt you.”
"Yes".
She received a scratch from him while trying to protect the knights.
It wasn't too bad, and Daedric had already treated him and wrapped him in a bandage.
She hid her arms behind her back.
Victor's expression distorted.
I'm sorry
“I told you not to apologize for anything that wasn't your fault.”
She spoke firmly as she stored the poison glands in a skin pouch.
“You have a disease. It is a disease that we treat together, but it is not easy. I do not resent patients.”
Victor's eyes darkened.
She still couldn't read his thoughts.
What was certain was that he wasn't smiling as brightly as he usually did.
You tried to comfort him as best you could.
“Victor, you don’t know…at night you are too weak to hurt me.”
Victor's golden eyes widened.
“If it weren’t for yesterday’s knights, it would have finished without a scratch. It usually takes less than a few minutes.”
“…”
"Have you ever gotten angry when a wild cat scratches you?"
Victor asked.
... “You mean I'm a wildcat?”
“Is this strange?”
“No... I've never heard such a metaphor before.”
He looked a little surprised.
He burst out laughing
“You called me a wild cat.”
“I did. You still look like a wild cat in my eyes.”
“Victor's night is like this for me too.”
“A knight by day, but as weak as a child by night.”
“Victor is that kind of person for me.”
She was afraid at first, but now that she knew everything, he was too weak to be a real threat.
It was sad to see the weakness of such a strong person. She saw his body and mind at their most vulnerable every night.
She wiped her hands with a cloth and walked towards him.
“So, just say thanks and smile.”
A smile slowly spread across Victor's lips.
It was bittersweet, but beautiful as always.
“This is better.”
He hugged her tightly.
“How could there be someone as kind and pure as you?”
She couldn't speak for a moment, and hugged him gently. As they exchanged body heat, I felt an unexpected relief. She hoped he felt the same way.
Someone shouted.
“Stop it and come back! How can you act like this?!”
She was startled and pushed Victor away.
Victor glared at the mocking knights and took her hand.
She was led to the camp and she was blushing.
***
• End of chapter •
To be continued •••
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