“Waaah!”

The next moment, a cheer erupted that seemed to shake the training grounds. Even the exhausted knights who had collapsed clapped their hands and stamped their feet, hailing Ansgar. To the knights’ eyes, it must have looked like the Grand Duke’s ‘complete recovery’. Even on the expressionless face of Knight Commander Gunther, who was watching from the corner, a faint smile appeared.

In the North, power was justice. The strength of a lord who had to personally lead wars was power itself, and for his vassals, it was the strongest foundation of trust.

“Ansgar! Ansgar!”

“Glory to the King of the North!”

Adelheit looked at the cheering knights with a strange gaze. It was both fascinating and puzzling that no one seemed to notice that Valentin’s soul had changed, despite having shared life and death with him.

Valentin, who had calmly retrieved his sword, seemed to have just noticed Adelheit standing at the entrance of the training grounds. He briefly ordered the knights.

“Oh, that’s, enough for today. Dismissed.”

He strode towards Adelheit with quick steps. He didn’t look like someone who had just engaged in an intense duel. His breathing was steady, and not even a drop of sweat had formed on his forehead.

He smiled broadly, uncharacteristic for a knight, and gently cupped Adelheit’s cheek.

“Adelheit.”

“Your Highness.”

She bent her knee to show respect to the lord. Immediately, Valentin waved his hand as if embarrassed. He urgently grabbed her forearm and lifted her up.

“Don’t, bend your knee… You’re my, wife… after all.”

Adelheit tilted her head in confusion. Even if she was the lord’s wife, it was natural to show respect to the lord. Women’s value was at best seen as a useful tool for continuing bloodlines, while men were the pillars that maintained and supported the family. That’s how she had been taught and how she had lived.

Is this a thought he can have because he’s a demon? Because he has a fundamentally different way of thinking from humans?

“How, did you come, here?”

Regardless of Adelheit’s confusion, Valentin seemed to be in a very good mood. With his eyes wide open and head tilted, his appearance seemed almost innocent as he asked.

Touching his own lips and smiling, he narrowed his eyes seductively and raised the corners of his mouth.

“You, were worried about me. Weren’t, you?”

He undoubtedly knew which expression made his perfect face look the most handsome. Adelheit, who had been staring blankly at that smile, blushed and averted her gaze.

“There’s an urgent matter I need to discuss with you.”

Giggling, Valentin gently rubbed Adelheit’s cheek before speaking in a voice full of concern.

“It’s cold, out here.”

“I’m fine. It’s because your hand is warm.”

“Let’s, go inside.”

Valentin’s eyes narrowed as if Adelheit was putting on some unnecessary bravado. He enveloped her small hand with his large one. He carefully matched his steps to her narrow stride.

The gaze that seemed to observe her as naturally as breathing was uncomfortable. Whenever he acted like this, she was at a loss for how to react, feeling only bewildered.

“Ah.”

They were suddenly in front of a muddy path. When she unconsciously reached out her free hand towards Yannik, Valentin quickly extended his arm and grabbed her waist.

It was a pose reminiscent of a woman being abducted by Death in the underworld of a sacred painting. Yannik, who was standing nearby, flinched and averted his gaze. Judging by Valentin’s unusual demeanor, he was clearly giving Yannik an unnecessary warning.

That sharp vigilance she had seen before. Adelheit then realized for the first time that those warm golden eyes could burn so intensely blue.

“Adelheit. You, need to be careful.”

“……”

“Hold, on tight.”

After whispering these contextless warnings in her ear, he lightly lifted Adelheit into his arms. As she swallowed a surprised breath and wrapped her arms around his neck, Valentin let out a soft laugh.

“Good girl.”

His steps through the mud were unwavering. He didn’t even catch his breath once while climbing the high stairs and crossing the long corridor. As they entered the main part of the castle, every servant they passed looked at them with round eyes. While some sent fond smiles, most faces were bewildered.

Adelheit buried her flushed face in the nape of his neck and pleaded.

“Please, put me down……”

“Why?”

“Everyone is watching. If you do this, it won’t preserve your dignity as a lord. You know that.”

“I, don’t, know.”

“……”

“Adelheit, your steps are, small and cute. I’m, faster.”

Adelheit was taken aback by his brazen words. His attitude suggested that she had simply forgotten something extremely obvious. It seemed to imply, why insist on inefficiency when I can work more efficiently?

Adelheit, somewhat powerlessly cradled in his arms and swaying with each step, realized they were approaching the stairs to the third floor leading to the bedroom and once again struggled.

“No, not the bedroom.”

“Why not?”

Why, he asks….. The memory of the ‘Dragon of Bietzleben’ was so intense that she had momentarily forgotten, but she clearly remembered the strange atmosphere that had flowed between them right up until that incident. Moreover, he didn’t seem to care that she was the ‘wife of another man’.

With the same body, same memories, and even a soul, he was unlikely to show consideration now when he had asked why he wasn’t her husband.

‘I’ll just have to be twice as careful…..’

No matter how innocent she might be, she was well aware of the things that happen between husband and wife. The guards didn’t bother to watch their words when Adelheit passed by. Everywhere, they loudly gossiped about what women were like, what they did where, half-jokingly and half-seriously. They especially did this whenever Adelheit passed by.

It had become a problem because she used to blush and run away whenever she overheard such talk when she first came to the North.

Lost in thought, Adelheit realized that Valentin was leisurely looking down at her. Heat rushed to Adelheit’s neck.

“It’s too early in the day….. That’s right. This, this must be against etiquette.”

She was desperate for an excuse. Her stammering voice sounded nothing but unstable. Valentin’s eyes narrowed.

“Is, that so?”

She pressed her lips tightly together and nodded her head vigorously. Adjusting his hold so that her bottom rested on his left forearm, he used his free hand to brush her lips. Her soft, plump lips were pressed down by his touch.

“Adelheit.”

“Y-yes?”

“What, kind of thoughts, are you having… to say it’s against etiquette to enter, the bedroom during the day?”

“……”

“Hmm?”

His teasing eyes were playful. Suddenly, she felt sorrowful.

“You had your memories from the beginning, didn’t you?”

“……”

“That’s why you already know all this….”

Valentin swallowed a laugh. Her round eyes were sorrowfully downcast, though it wasn’t clear what exactly upset her. Instead of answering, he carefully set Adelheit down on the ground.

“There.”

Adelheit’s light green eyes widened. After begging so much to be put down, she now looked scared when he actually let her go. She seemed to be closely watching him, scurrying after him to see if he might have been offended.

Her slender back, which she tried hard to keep straight, was visibly trembling despite her efforts.

“……”

Adelheit often resembled a small forest animal. With her tiny frame, she runs around diligently, wrinkles her nose bridge, nibbles on food, and thinks. Always wary of when she might be eaten, yet unable to resist the warmth offered, she gradually brings her small body closer. Always.

He chuckled and grasped the doorknob.

“Let’s, talk inside…”

“This is.”

“The, library. You, said… you wanted, to come here.”

Adelheit looked back and forth between his face and the door in surprise. He had mentioned it in passing when his mind wasn’t entirely sound.

Although she had been eager, she never expected him to actually allow her access to the library, neither then nor now. Moreover, it was even more surprising that he had remembered it all this time.

Valentin opened the library door and extended his hand to her.

“Be, careful… It’s, not dark…”

In normal circumstances, she would have been flustered and refused his kindness, but her desire to see the library with her own eyes as soon as possible was stronger. Adelheit forgot her shame and quickly grasped Valentin’s hand.

As he had said, the inside of the library was dim. With her vision obstructed, the unique musty smell of decaying old paper felt particularly strong.

“Just, a moment…”

As if he could see clearly even in the darkness, Valentin walked without hesitation to a certain point in the library and let go of her hand. Soon, the sound of curtains being drawn was heard, and bright light poured in. Adelheit narrowed her eyes against the brightness before finally looking around and exclaiming in awe.

“Wow.”

She looked around the library with eyes full of curiosity. In the center was a large table, and beside it, enormous bookshelves were placed at regular intervals. Each shelf was packed with parchments and ancient books.

‘They said they moved the entire library from Nassau Castle, and it seems it was true.’

At least regarding the library, Oscar’s words were correct. Adelheit was overjoyed when she discovered the shelf organized with herbology books. For that moment, she even forgot her worries about Valentin.

“You, can use it as much, as you like.”

“Is it really alright?”

“There’s, no one else who can, use it anyway… It’s better for, talking than the bedroom, right?”

He retorted playfully.

“So. What, is this matter… you wanted to discuss?”