“Do you mean the Duke Hugo family?”

“Yes, they said they would come for a visit.”

At those words, Demian’s expression stiffened. His Adam’s apple moved slowly as he swallowed dryly.

Arasila had already honestly revealed to her family how she got injured.

She judged there was no use in trying to cover it up, as the incident would eventually come to light once the culprit was found.

She decided not to lie and deceive her family unnecessarily.

Demian was also aware of this fact, so he was nervous.

Since Arasila had been injured in his place from an attack aimed at him, from the Duke Hugo family’s perspective, they would likely resent and hate him.

Perhaps they would grab him by the collar as soon as they saw him.

He didn’t know what words he should use to apologize to them.

Just as Demian was clearing away the book with a heavy heart, Audrey came to inform them of the arrival of the ducal family.

“My lady, my lord. The Duke Hugo family has arrived. Shall I show them to the room?”

“Yes, Audrey.”

Arasila nodded lightly.

Demian stood up from his chair with a slightly pale face and moved aside to the side table.

Soon after, the Duke Hugo family burst through the bedroom door.

“Oh my goodness, what happened, Arasila!”

“Oh dear, my baby! Are you alright?”

“Ari! Are you badly hurt?”

The Duchess, the Duke, and Iris poured out words one after another.

“Sister!”

Adrian rushed to Arasila with a face that looked like he might burst into tears at any moment.

The bedroom became noisy in an instant.

Arasila looked around at her family while patting Adrian’s head as he hugged her tightly.

“Thank you all for coming to visit. But I’m fine. I just broke my right arm and leg, so I need to rest for two weeks.”

At her calm and gentle response, the Duchess put her hand to her forehead.

“Oh, you! Didn’t Mom tell you to be careful?”

She couldn’t help but strike her second daughter’s back.

Arasila twisted her body, unable to avoid the sharp touch.

“Mom, it hurts!”

“Did I hit you to tickle you? How can you keep worrying your mother like this, now and before―!”

The Duchess felt a surge of emotion as she recalled Arasila, who used to come back with minor injuries every month before marriage, saying it was for magic tower missions to eliminate magical beasts.

Of course, she knew this time was for a different reason, but wasn’t it Arasila who forcibly joined the Western magical beast subjugation operation in the first place?

Seeing her daughter who went out to subdue magical beasts even after marriage, blinded by achievement, and came back injured, the Duchess raised her hand to strike her back once more.

Smack―!

A crisp sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out.

However, the source of the sound was not Arasila, and the Duchess looked with a surprised face at the one who had stepped forward to protect Arasila’s back.

“Lord Vandermir…?”

“My wife was injured because of me, so if you want to hit someone, hit me.”

Demian, who had stretched out his arm to block Arasila, said seriously. Arasila also looked up at him with surprised eyes.

“No, my lord. How could I…”

“It’s alright. Please hit me. I will remain still even if you slap my cheek.”

“No, no. I have no intention of slapping your cheek, my lord.”

The Duchess waved her hand, flustered by her son-in-law suddenly offering his cheek.

But Demian, who truly intended to take the slap, remained motionless with his head bowed respectfully.

He had a great desire to apologize even in this way.

Realizing his sincerity, Arasila grabbed his sleeve and pulled.

“Demian, my mother doesn’t hit other people’s precious children.”

The Duchess quickly nodded in agreement with her daughter’s words.

However, Demian still didn’t raise his bowed head and said,

“Didn’t I cause the Duchess’s precious daughter to get hurt?”

“Did you attack me? You didn’t. So why do you keep saying I got hurt because of you?”

“If you hadn’t tried to save me, you wouldn’t have been hurt like this.”

Arasila frowned deeply at his words tinged with heavy guilt.

It seemed that just serving her for one day wasn’t enough to erase that emotion.

“If you’re going to argue like that, I acted on my own without you asking me to save you.”

“If I had done well, there would have been no need for you to step in. It’s all my fault.”

“Demian, are you going to keep doing this?”

Demian didn’t say anything.

Just as Arasila, unable to bear the frustration, was about to say something…

“That’s enough, Ari. If you go any further, you’ll end up fighting with Lord Vandermir.”

Duke Hugo intervened at the right moment to mediate. Arasila’s lips twitched, but she closed them following her father’s words.

The bedroom was instantly filled with silence.

Adrian looked around nervously from his sister’s embrace. The Duke looked at Demian with a solemn face and asked,

“I wanted to talk to you about this incident anyway, do you have a moment?”

Is it finally coming? Thinking that briefly, Demian nodded.

“Yes, I do.”

“Then follow me. Iris, stay here and keep Arasila and Adrian company.”

After this unilateral announcement, the Duke and Duchess took Demian out of the bedroom. Arasila didn’t have time to stop them.

At the end of a deserted corridor, the two stopped. Demian also stopped following them.

“I heard that the assassination attempt that injured Arasila was actually aimed at you.”

As the Duke opened his mouth heavily, Demian bowed his head again with a shameful face.

“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. For causing my wife to get hurt because of me, for failing to protect her. I deeply regret it all. I will strive to never let this happen again.”

There was no response from the Duke and Duchess.

Demian was prepared to apologize and bow his head as much as they wanted, even if they didn’t forgive him.

In his view directed at the floor, he saw the Duke take a step forward. His hand also stretched out.

Was he going to hit him once where Arasila couldn’t see?

If so, Demian didn’t avoid it, thinking he would silently take even ten hits.

“Lord Vandermir.”

But along with the quiet call, the hand that came was not a fist.

The Duke gently placed his hand on Demian’s shoulder and said,

“We didn’t call you to be angry. As Arasila said, this incident is not your fault.”

“That’s right. We just wanted to ask if you were alright. We called you out here because we couldn’t bring up the assassination in front of Adrian.”

“…Pardon?”

Demian inadvertently raised his head and opened his eyes wide at the unexpected words.

The Duke and Duchess had gentle faces with no trace of resentment or hatred towards him.

“What kind of scoundrel would target our son-in-law’s life and hurt our daughter? I won’t let them off easy if I find them.”

“Yes, Ned. You show them. This man used to be quite good with a sword back in the day. Though it’s probably no match for a Sword Master like you.”

“Still, it’s enough to deal with those wretches who dare to touch our family, May.”

As the Duke proudly patted his own shoulder, the Duchess burst into soft laughter.

Demian looked at them with a confused expression.

He had clearly thought they would resent him.

If he were in their position, he would have hated himself too.

Even if they couldn’t openly say harsh words, he thought they would at least let slip a few words of resentment, but there was no sign of that from the Duke and Duchess.

‘And they even say our family…’

His chest suddenly fluttered, feeling as if he was definitely included in that.

Demian carefully opened his mouth, trying not to stagger unsightly by putting strength in his legs.

“…Do you truly not resent me? Even if you do, I’m in no position to say anything and will humbly accept it.”

“Oh my, what fault do you have in this incident?”

The Duke retorted with a face that seemed to say what nonsense are you talking about.

Demian, unable to look directly at the two of them, said,

“My wife got caught up in an assassination aimed at me and got hurt. So naturally―”

“Naturally, we should resent the assassin and the person who sent the assassin. Not you.”

The Duchess lightly cut off his words. At her words that completely missed his expectations, Demian clenched his fists.

A overwhelming emotion boiled up from inside his chest. He couldn’t define what this feeling was at all.

Joy? Gratitude? Embarrassment? Guilt?

Demian felt as if his throat was blocked by their generosity in readily reaching out to the man who had put their daughter in danger.

The Duke and Duchess, who had been staring at Demian’s face that looked like it might crumple, exchanged glances.

Then the Duke called out to him.

“Lord Vandermir. No, we’re family now, so can I call you by your name?”

“…Yes.”

“Then, Demian. Don’t bow your head for something you didn’t do wrong.”

The Duke’s large hand patted Demian’s shoulder.

Then the Duchess also gently patted his arm.

“My heart feels like it’s being torn apart because Arasila is hurt, but I’m still glad that you’re safe, Demian.”

At the warm and sincere voice that felt no pretense, Demian was enveloped in the contradictory sensation of his whole body losing strength yet gaining strength at the same time.

Although his hands were larger than theirs, he felt that the Duke and Duchess were the true adults.

“…Thank you both.”

At the words of gratitude he finally uttered after a long time, the Duke and Duchess smiled brightly.

Demian too was finally able to face them and curve his lips.

It felt as if the guilt that had been weighing on his chest like a heavy stone had melted a little.

In the much more comfortable atmosphere, the Duke cleared his throat softly and said,

“We’ll help catch the assassin who targeted you.”

“No, it’s alright.”

Demian shook his head very urgently.

He didn’t want to involve the innocent Hugo ducal family in this incident that might have entangled not only the Vandermir ducal family but even the imperial family.

He had to resolve this family feud on his own, as it could potentially cause great harm to them.

Especially since Arasila was already involved.

“I can handle it well. Please trust me and leave it to me.”

At his almost desperate plea, the Duke and Duchess nodded, though looking somewhat bewildered.

“Well, having too many people involved might just complicate things unnecessarily.”

“But if you need help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Demian bowed his head respectfully.

No matter how dangerous it got, he wouldn’t ask for their help, but just hearing those words made him feel more reassured.

Daringly, shamelessly so.

After the visit from the Duke Hugo family, Demian’s expression certainly became lighter.

It was thanks to the Duke and Duchess that he was able to put down some of the burden on his mind.

If Arasila had one complaint in these peaceful days, it was just one thing.

“Let’s go out to the garden.”

Being confined to the room all the time. On the fifth day of bed rest, she threw up her hands.

Although her bones were healing faster than expected by not moving at all in the room, she felt like she would wither away first.

“I want to breathe some outside air too.”

“I’ll open the window for you.”

“Not that. I want to go out myself, even if I have to use crutches.”

As Arasila’s expression turned sulky, Demian looked down at her bandaged leg.

Recalling how unsteady Arasila had been when using crutches, it was out of the question to let her walk on these two legs.

After pondering for a moment, Demian slowly opened his mouth.

“Then I’ll have refreshments set up in the garden. Let’s enjoy tea time there together.”

“Great! Bring me the crutches.”

“No, I’ll carry you.”

Arasila, who had been very excited, paused. Was he going to carry her in his arms like when getting in and out of the carriage?

Feeling ticklish at the thought of being held in those broad arms again, she scratched the bridge of her nose and said,

“I can use crutches.”

“It’s dangerous with the stairs in the mansion, so you can’t. If you don’t like it, let’s just wait until you’re fully healed to go out.”

“Let Demian carry me!”

Arasila exclaimed urgently, disliking staying in the room more than being carried by him.