Subjugation Expedition (5)

Beneath the tent where silence flowed. A desk and chair placed upon the grass. Seated there, Abel was deeply engrossed in thought, absently flipping through papers.

Scratch, scratch.

The intermittent sound of a pen grazing across paper reached my ears. Along with the sound of a fountain pen being dipped in ink came the low murmur of a sighing voice.

I lay sprawled on the sofa placed atop the grassland, quietly observing the scene. Like this, it almost felt like I had some ASMR video playing in the background.

'This is oddly comforting.'

Even in my past life, weren't there videos like this? Those "Study With Me" clips featuring handsome or pretty people studying together, for instance.

If I just closed my eyes like this, I could probably fall into a deep sleep, couldn't I? The moment that thought crossed my mind, a small laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

Perhaps finding that laugh irritating, the scratching sounds ceased. Abel set the paper down on the desk and glanced over at me, narrowing his eyes slightly.

The scar near his eye made his expression look even more intimidating, but it wasn't an angry face.

If anything, it was closer to mildly annoyed. After spending months together, I could read that much of his emotions.

Well, barging into the tent unannounced, flopping onto the sofa, and then suddenly laughing to myself—I suppose I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had it coming.

If I had to make an excuse, it was just that seeing a sofa again after my reincarnation made me unconsciously lie down out of sheer delight.

Though, truth be told, it was far more comfortable than I'd expected, which was why I couldn't bring myself to get up.

That faintly pitying look in his eyes was probably just my imagination, right?

"What brings you here?"

"Between two people already engaged, do we really need a reason?"

I shamelessly steeled my expression and answered like that. My reply seemed to catch him off guard, as he let out a dry laugh.

Unfazed by his reaction, I continued rolling around on the sofa.

Suddenly, the necklace around my neck felt irritating, so I yanked it off. Instantly, my snow-white hair began reverting to its original black.

A faint sense of liberation washed over me. The constant disguise magic had always left me feeling stifled, with mana clinging unnaturally to my hair.

Watching me, Abel set down his pen and chided me.

"My, aren't you becoming far too brazen?"

"A skill I learned from a certain someone."

There had been more than a few occasions where Abel had flustered me with his shamelessness.

Maybe if I threw it back at him like this, that audacity of his would diminish a little. Isn't this what they call mirror therapy?

Abel chuckled at my retort.

"It feels like just yesterday you were trembling like a frightened rabbit."

It was true—back during our first meeting and early days, I had been like that. My friend had never missed a chance to lecture me on how utterly ruthless Abel's character was.

But now, after so much time had passed, I could see how different he was from the Abel of the original work. While he was just as merciless and razor-sharp, he also had an unexpectedly warm side toward those close to him.

"Me? When was that?"

Still, I had no intention of admitting it outright. I steeled my expression again and feigned ignorance, prompting a smile to curl on Abel's lips.

"Hmm? Seems your memory fails you. That time after the Contract ended, when your legs gave out right there—"

"Eek! Don't say it!"

I bolted upright from the sofa and frantically clapped both hands over his mouth. With his speech muffled, he gave me a sly, laughing look.

Just as I was about to get lost in that beautiful smile, Abel licked my palm.

The moment that disgusting sensation registered, I yanked my hand away with a shriek.

"Eugh?!"

"That's the price for interrupting a Duke."

Horrified, I wiped my slightly damp hand against my leather armor. No matter how you looked at it, who in the world licks someone's hand just because they covered their mouth?

I turned my head to protest—only to see Abel grinning smugly, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

Sighing at the sight, I flopped back onto the sofa. Watching me, Abel spoke up in a quiet voice.

"I heard you used the Panacea Talisman."

"Has word already spread?"

"Merely a report I received."

He answered indifferently, shifting his gaze back to the documents. Though his face betrayed no particular emotion, I could somehow sense his wariness.

"Aren't you going to say anything about it?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

He tilted his head in genuine confusion at my question. His expression suggested not that he was dodging the subject, but that he truly didn't understand.

"Like... why I'd waste something so precious on someone else..."

Abel burst into dry laughter as if the idea was absurd. The sound of his chuckles filled the air before his gaze settled back on me.

"So you thought me the kind of petty man to care about that?"

I turned my head away, avoiding his eyes. If anything, it was more that I'd brought it up out of my own ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guilt.

It was also because I couldn't imagine Abel ever using the Panacea Talisman so carelessly.

"To think you'd use something as grand as the Panacea Talisman—something most people never even lay eyes on in their lifetime—just to save a stranger."

As if denying my thoughts, Abel shook his head slightly.

"The Panacea Talisman was given to you. How you choose to use it is entirely your decision."

"...I see."

He finished signing the last document with a rough stroke of his pen. Tossing the quill back into the inkwell, Abel settled onto the sofa across from me.

Unlike before, his expression was serious now. He met my eyes directly.

"Do you regret that decision?"

"No, I don't regret it, but..."

Trailing off, I hesitated. Abel crossed his arms and studied me, his gaze piercing as if silently demanding whether I truly felt no remorse.

His eyes were so unwavering that I almost wanted to look away.

"...Honestly, I'm not sure."

I answered in a small voice. At that, he quietly closed his eyes.

"I think it was the right choice."

"Huh?"

"The Pope is a sly old fox. The fact he's clung to that seat for over a hundred years says it all."

For the sake of the youth? If that were true, he'd have stepped down long ago.

Abel's tone was laced with sarcasm, and for a moment, he seemed almost unfamiliar.

He never openly showed hostility toward the Pope, but neither did he seem to hold any goodwill toward him. Abel gestured to the crumpled paper still stuffed in my pocket and continued.

"Do you really think someone like that would hand over something like the Panacea Talisman without an ulterior motive?"

"You mean..."

"Exactly. In the end, saving that priest from the Holy Kingdom was the right move."

Far from owing them a debt, we've instead placed them in our debt. That makes it far more difficult for the Pope's faction to interfere with us.

Gaining the upper hand by indebting others—that's always been the Pope's way.

"And Yurp, was it? How much do you know about her?"

"Almost nothing. I've only known her for two days."

Tapping his fingers against his arm, he lowered his voice slightly.

"Not surprising. She's one of the Holy Kingdom's Saintess Candidates."

A Saintess Candidate?Her?

I stared at him in disbelief, but he merely nodded calmly. Well, the sheer amount of Holy Power she wielded on the battlefield was worthy of a Saintess.

Still, I never would've guessed she held such a position.

"Now do you see why I called it the right choice?"

"...Ah."

An imperial knight, using a Panacea Talisman gifted by the Pope, saved a Saintess Candidate of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Holy Kingdom. The political implications painted a rather favorable picture.

"Politics really are complicated."

Listening to Abel's explanation made my head spin a little. These high-stakes maneuvers among the powerful still felt foreign to me.

He gave a wry smile, as if agreeing.

"They are. It's not like I was this adept from the start, either."

"Really?"

"Yes. Though I doubt you'd believe me."

I shook my head slightly. After spending months together, I'd come to understand his personality somewhat.

"You must've put in a lot of effort to reach this point, right?"

He never showed weakness, always avoiding displays of his own struggles.

According to Laura, the head maid, he rarely let even the servants see his vulnerable side.

The fact that he'd let his guard down around me meant he trusted me, at least to some extent.

"I respect that about you, Abel."

"......"

My words left him speechless, like a mute who'd just tasted honey. His unusually flustered expression made me laugh despite myself.

"Oh? Did I just make your heart skip a beat?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Abel sighed and stood up. Apparently, my comment had backfired slightly.

"You should leave now."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"Yes. It's time for me to sleep."

It's still early for that, though. Just as the thought crossed my mind, I caught sight of the faint reddening at the tips of Abel's ears.

Smiling at the sight, I rose from the sofa. Well, seeing this uncharacteristic side of him was more than enough for today.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fastened the necklace again and activated its disguise function. Watching my hair turn completely white, I stepped out of the tent.

The chilly night air somehow felt pleasant against my skin.

§

"I respect you."

It had been a long time since I'd heard those words from someone else. The last time might've been from Arin or Evan back in my childhood.

Hearing them now stirred something in my chest. Whether it was fluttering or simply the joy of being acknowledged, I couldn't tell.

But one thing was certain—I held some measure of goodwill toward her. Whether it was romantic attraction, though, I couldn't say.

"Getting along well with Mother, are we?"

"...Arin."

Arin's grinning face came into view. She was leaning against a tent pole, arms crossed.

"Who's your mother?"

"Well, if she's going to be Father's wife, then she's my mother, no?"

Since when did she get so shameless about meddling in my personal affairs? Honestly, where did she even learn to be this mischievous?