“Long time no see.”

The Duke of Rumpf, who had been sitting on the knee of a knight kneeling on one leg, slowly stood up and greeted.

“Since when were we on greeting terms?”

Askal shot back sharply.

“Why? There’s nothing wrong with it, is there?”

Askal grabbed my arm and pulled me. Then he hid me behind his back. I felt a gaze sharp enough to cut with a blade.

“I thought you’d never be close to a woman in your life, but I guess I forgot you’re also a man in his prime.”

Duke Rumpf slowly approached. Askal’s hand holding my arm was trembling slightly. Something was off.

“Has that all healed now?”

She placed her palm on Askal’s chest. He roughly pushed her hand away while exhaling. The color was draining from his face.

‘Something’s definitely wrong.’

This wasn’t a reaction of excitement from seeing a beautiful woman. It looked more like the onset of a trauma-induced seizure.

I stepped to the side to shield Askal. My relatively smaller frame didn’t cover him completely.

“Please return Anna and Ranson.”

I was scared but gathered my courage. Tears were falling from Anna’s eyes as she lay bound.

“Oh? I’ll let them go. Will you stay instead?”

She was smiling as if harmless, but I knew that wasn’t the case.

“Young lady, it’s alright now.”

He came out from behind me and stood beside me. Then he firmly grasped my hand. We stood side by side, facing off against Duke Rumpf’s group.

Duke Rumpf’s small eyes widened. The hair all over my body stood on end.

“Duke Rumpf, if you return the maid and the man, we’ll forget this ever happened.”

Unlike before, he wasn’t trembling now. His clouded gaze had returned to normal, and his voice was that of a ruler.

Duke Rumpf’s gaze lowered. After confirming our clasped hands, she tilted her head as if perplexed.

“What’s this? Have you really recovered completely?”

Click.

The sound of a gun being cocked made Duke Rumpf, who had been trying to get closer, stop in her tracks.

“…How dare you.”

She gritted her teeth as she looked at me pointing the revolver at her. Her gaze was fierce, as if she might draw her sword and cut me down at any moment.

“If you have something to say to me, come find me at Black Swan. And don’t touch my people like this.”

Where did this courage come from, I wonder? Was it because I believed Askal’s words that he would protect me? Or was it because I had someone I needed to protect in this moment?

“Kill…”

Duke Rumpf muttered softly. The silver knights didn’t seem to hear properly and remained still.

“Kill her! This woman!”

Duke Rumpf rushed at me as if to strangle me. Askal drew his sword and held it to her neck as he spoke.

“This is your last chance. If you don’t stop here, a war that will end only with the annihilation of one of our two houses will begin.”

“Askal, I’m the only woman who should stand by your side!”

Duke Rumpf bit her lip hard. Her pitifully beautiful appearance would have been enough to enchant anyone else who saw it.

“That’s for me to decide.”

Seeing Askal respond coldly, she changed her face from one that provoked protective instincts to an expressionless mask that revealed no emotion.

“Askal, you won’t be able to keep anyone but me by your side.”

Then she looked at me and said,

“Let’s see how long you can hold out.”

[This is the timeline separator]

On the way back to the mansion after the Silver Knights and Duke Rumpf withdrew, and after taking Ranson to Helinga.

“Sob, I’m so sorry…”

Anna couldn’t stop crying. I patted her back for a long time.

“Why are you sorry? We’re all safe now, so stop crying. Okay?”

“Y-yes… Sniff.”

Askal sat across from us with his arms folded, looking out the window. He seemed deep in thought.

As soon as we arrived at the mansion’s main gate, we were greeted by Rublion. The child ran across the garden, and out of breath, circled around me once. It felt like déjà vu.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

Rublion, letting out a sigh of relief, asked Anna the same question. She had just managed to stop crying but burst into tears again.

“Anna, take a good rest until tomorrow for now.”

“Sob, no. I’ll quickly, hic, prepare for you to sleep.”

Anna hurried into the mansion. Since I told her to rest, she’ll choose whether to rest or not on her own.

“Thank you for your help, Duke. And Rublion, can you let go now?”

Rublion, who was hugging my waist and burying his face, shook his head sideways. I wondered if he could breathe like that.

“Young lady, I’m sorry. You had to go through something you shouldn’t have.”

“Duke, why are you apologizing? There’s no need for that.”

I smiled brightly, saying I was fine. But he maintained the same stern expression he had in the carriage.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Mother.”

“Why are you apologizing too? There’s no need.”

It was quite a scene from both sides. I forcibly detached Rublion, who didn’t want to let go, and said,

“It’s late, shouldn’t we go to sleep?”

“Can’t we sleep together? I really want to sleep together today.”

“Sleep together?”

I hesitated. To be honest, I desperately wanted to be alone right now.

“Young lady.”

“Yes?”

Was it just my imagination that his voice calling me sounded particularly sweet?

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like the three of us to sleep together tonight.”

“…Sleep together, you say?”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Father.”

Rublion said with a bright smile and eyes full of anticipation.

‘Well, I don’t know.’

Half of me wanted to be alone. Half of me wanted to be together. So I decided to just go along with what they wanted.

“Alright. Then I’ll wash up and go to the Duke’s room.”

“I’ll go there first, Mother!”

Rublion jumped up and down with joy.

Right. Even if I’m a bit tired, it’s worth it seeing the child so happy.

[This is the timeline separator]

Askal, his hair still damp, sat on the sofa with a quite serious expression, resting his chin on his hand. Rublion mirrored the same expression and posture across from him.

“I did well, didn’t I?”

Rublion spoke first.

“Yes. It would be hard to endure alone tonight.”

“Was it serious?”

Rublion dropped his hand from his chin. Askal recalled the memory from the warehouse as he spoke.

“Facing a dead person is difficult even if you prepare yourself a hundred times. It must have been a gruesome sight for a noble young lady.”

He felt self-loathing for having a seizure in such a crucial situation.

The guilt of not being able to do anything and almost failing to protect her weighed on him.

“That’s the problem with Mother. It’s all written on her face that she’s scared and in pain, but she pretends like nothing’s wrong.”

Askal nodded in agreement.

“You won’t leave Duke Rumpf be, will you?”

“Of course not. I plan to tie up all her hands and feet until I go on the subjugation. So she won’t dare to covet what’s mine.”

“Can’t you entrust the command of the subjugation to someone else?”

Askal’s expression froze at Rublion’s words.

“Unfortunately, that’s impossible. If I don’t go, the subjugation force won’t be controlled.”

Rublion’s lips pouted briefly before retracting. Askal got up and placed the towel and clean basin brought by the maid on the shelf near the bed.

Knock knock.

Just then, Schmidt arrived. Rublion ran like an arrow to open the door.

“Mother, welcome!”

“Did you wait long?”

Her eyes tinged with sleepiness, she smiled faintly.

“You’re not late, come in.”

Deep black eyes like dark water gazed at him. Askal smiled awkwardly.

The bed was wide enough for three people to lie down comfortably. Rublion was beside himself with joy, repeatedly checking that Schmidt and Askal were lying on either side of him.

“Time to sleep now.”

At Schmidt’s soft whisper, Rublion closed his eyes, muttering that he was too excited to sleep, but soon started snoring. It wasn’t an unusual speed given how late it was, with dawn just hours away.

“You should sleep too, young lady.”

“Yes, I’m really tired.”

Schmidt, who had been lying facing Rublion’s direction, turned to lie on her back.

“Good night, Askal.”

“You too, young lady.”

Askal closed his eyes listening to Rublion’s purring sounds. Soon after, Schmidt also fell into a deep sleep.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ugh…”

Woken by the sound in his sleep, Rublion carefully raised his body so as not to wake Schmidt. Askal had already woken up and was sitting in a chair he had brought to the edge of the bed where Schmidt was lying.

“Looks like it was really hard on her.”

The child whispered so softly it was barely audible, and he let out a deep sigh.

“It’s strange that she’s sleeping so soundly after experiencing such a terrible thing.”

Askal carefully wiped Schmidt’s forehead, which was covered in cold sweat, with a dry towel. Rublion rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and said,

“What time is it now?”

“Five-thirty.”

“It’s almost time for morning training. You’re not going today, right Father?”

“That’s right.”

“Then I’ll go back to my room and sleep a bit more.”

He gestured with his hand to do so. Rublion yawned silently, bowed slightly at the waist, and left.

“Ugh…”

Schmidt turned to her side in pain. They were now facing each other.

‘Her complexion doesn’t look good.’

A face that had lost much of its color.

Schmidt, with her arms wrapped around her stomach, was frowning deeply.

As he was considering whether to call the court physician, Schmidt’s eyes suddenly flew open. Then she slowly raised her upper body.

“…You’re already awake?”

“I usually wake up at this time.”

“Ah, I see. I’m sorry, but I think I need to use the bathroom urgently.”

Seeing her trying to walk on her own with a pale face, Askal picked up the basin he had prepared. Somehow, he had a feeling about this timing.

Sure enough, as soon as Schmidt’s feet touched the ground, she began to vomit clear gastric juice.

He gently stroked her back.

“Drink this.”

Schmidt, sniffling with tears in her eyes, took the medicine he offered and drank it. Askal laid her down as color began to return to her face and said,

“Get some good rest for now.”

“…Thank you.”

As he wiped the forehead of Schmidt, who mumbled weakly, with a dry towel, he said,

“I’ll stay by your side.”