Chapter 50: His Unhappy Marriage
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: His Unhappy Marriage
Miella placed her hand on the knight’s bleeding arm.
A bright light glowed from her slender fingertips before vanishing a moment later. When the light faded, the sizable wound that had been there was gone without a trace.
After checking the knight's complexion and the now-healed skin, Miella asked, "Are you all right now?"
"Yes, good as new! It's all thanks to you, Cleric."
Miella treated the remaining wounded before rising to her feet. As she glanced around, as if searching for someone, the Commander of the Delmark Knights approached her.
"It seems we're in your debt once again, Cleric. It must have been a difficult journey. Thank you for coming all this way."
Clerics who possessed divine power were often deployed to treat the injured during various incidents in the Imperial Capital. While all their duties were grueling, there was one assignment most clerics dreaded and avoided: accompanying subjugation campaigns against magical beasts. The beasts’ habitats were remote, the risks were high, and the number of casualties was typically large. There was absolutely no reason for them to volunteer.
Because of this, the Commander had no idea that Miella had specifically requested to join the subjugation.
"Don't mention it. It is my duty, after all," Miella said with a bright smile, her eyes filled with anticipation. "By the way, is His Grace not here?"
"He had other matters to attend to. Besides, the magical beasts that appeared today aren't particularly dangerous."
"Ah… I see."
Trying to hide her obvious disappointment, Miella turned her gaze away, only for her eyes to widen as she spotted something. Among the knights, several creatures resembling tulip bulbs were tied up and squirming.
"What are those?"
"Ah, those are young magical beasts we captured. They usually live deep in the forest but must have been swept out here during the commotion."
At the words "magical beast," Miella’s expression hardened with disgust. "Why didn't you kill them?"
"They're still young, and more importantly, they actually help the forest grow. They tend to run at the sight of humans, so they rarely cause any harm."
Having fought countless magical beasts in the North, the Knights of Delmark knew them inside and out. Although Delmark conducted large-scale subjugations, they avoided killing beasts that were beneficial to the forest or posed no threat whenever possible. The forest, after all, had much to offer.
"Once we finish cleaning up, we plan to take them deep into the woods and release them."
Despite his explanation, Miella’s stance remained firm. "But they are still magical beasts, are they not? Who knows when they might turn on us and hurt people?"
"That is true, but…"
"I believe it's best not to leave any room for danger. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt, including you knights."
As she softly voiced her opinion, worry clouded her brilliant golden eyes. Seeing that look, the Knight Commander found it difficult to argue his point. She was, after all, speaking out of concern for them and for the people.
Watching the exchange, a subordinate signaled for the Commander to just go along with her. Though the Commander felt a sudden, uncomfortable prick of conscience over the unnecessary killing, he reluctantly gave the order.
"...Take them away and dispose of them."
"I'm sorry," Miella said. "I was being stubborn…"
"No, it's fine. I fully understand your concern, Cleric. Especially since you work so closely with the injured."
"Thank you for understanding."
Miella replied with a radiant smile, as if her worried expression from a moment ago had never existed. "Then I shall take my leave. The Lord may have other tasks for me."
As Miella walked away, she could hear the knights whispering behind her.
"She's an angel. A literal angel."
"An angel in both face and heart."
Treating the sick, worrying over them, performing acts of service—Miella was, of course, a good person. To her, this reputation was only natural. It had followed her ever since she became a cleric.
* * *
Miella arrived at the temple by carriage.
I should take a bath first.
As she always did after working outside, she headed toward the annex to wash away any negative energy she might have picked up. On her way, she heard the murmuring of several voices. Turning toward the sound, she saw a group of young noblewomen and ladies chatting under a flowering tree. It was a common sight for those who came to the temple to pray or make donations to gather and talk, especially in spring as the weather warmed.
Miella was about to pass by without a thought, but she stopped in her tracks when she overheard their conversation.
"But the two of them seemed to get along so well at the banquet the other day."
The banquet they were referring to was the one held at the Delmark Ducal Mansion. Since Miella was not a noble, she hadn't received an invitation, but she had heard snippets about it from the nobles who visited the temple. She had a feeling that if the topic was the Delmark banquet, Herdin's name might come up.
Hiding behind a wall, Miella listened closely.
"His Grace isn't the type to show his feelings. Even if he looks fine on the outside, he must be suffering on the inside, don't you think?"
As the noblewomen spoke, hiding their mouths with their fans, Rachel—who had brought up the topic and had been listening quietly—subtly chimed in.
"From what I've seen, Blair… I mean, the Duchess, seems to be rather obsessive when it comes to His Grace. She gets so anxious whenever he so much as makes eye contact with another woman."
The name "Blair" rang clearly in Miella's ears.
"Oh my. Isn't that just obsessive jealousy?"
"Well, perhaps. The Duchess has always had a tendency to obsess over things she considers hers, even when she was young. She used to be quite obsessed with me, too."
"Lady Seldon, you must have had a hard time."
"No, not at all. As her long-time friend and family, I find even that side of her pitiable and understandable, but…" Rachel spoke in a tone that made it seem as though she were genuinely worried for Blair.
Hearing this, the noblewomen pitied Rachel for having to deal with such a friend, and their concern soon shifted to Herdin.
"If the Duchess restricts him like that, His Grace must feel so suffocated. If even Lady Seldon can see it, imagine how much she must control him when they're alone."
"I feel so sorry for His Grace. He returned a hero of the empire, only to be married into the Imperial Family—his enemies."
"Exactly. A man of his stature could have easily married a lady more to his liking."
After chatting for a while longer, they realized there were many listening ears around and dispersed one by one, claiming they had other matters to attend to. Miella, who had been listening, also quietly turned away.
As she mulled over their words, her thoughts naturally drifted to Herdin—a man who was indifferent and cold in everything he did. Yet, the moment Miella first saw him, she felt her entire world shake. It was as if God had created him for all of creation to love.
How could anyone not love such a man?
As if following divine providence, Miella had fallen in love with him at first sight. However, he was already a man who had pledged his vows to another before God. Miella had no intention of trying to win him over. Even if her love went unrequited, she was content just to watch him from afar.
She only wished for his happiness.
But what if he wasn't happy? What if that unhappiness was because of his marriage?
Miella was well aware of the bad blood between the Imperial Family and the House of Delmark. If that long-standing animosity was what had forged him into the cold, distant man he was today…
Marrying the Princess is too cruel for him.
Though she held no personal grudge against Blair, she grew to resent her for making him unhappy. She couldn't know if the gossip she had just heard was true; rumors were notorious for being fabricated from thin air.
Yet, one thing was certain. Blair, who had accepted the marriage despite knowing full well the history between their families, was a bad person.
Miella fell deep into thought.
Is there no way for me to save His Grace from this unhappy marriage?
* * *
"Shall we call it a day, then?"
Agnes and Blair stepped out of the greenhouse after finishing their tea. The weather had warmed up significantly, so there was little difference in temperature between the inside and outside.
Agnes seemed to notice it too, remarking, "It really is spring now. Next time, we could have our tea outdoors."
"I'll set up a table in the back garden when the cherry blossoms bloom."
"Oh, how romantic. I feel like the tea will carry the scent of the flowers."
Blair smiled at the delighted Agnes, then looked at a budding cherry blossom tree as something came to mind. "Lady Lorellain, did my husband happen to say anything to you?"
"About what?"
"Regarding the hypnosis."
"Ah, the hypnosis. He didn't say much. I believe he thinks it's still too early."
"What do you think, Lady Lorellain?"
"In my opinion, you could start it to overcome your pyrophobia… but it seems His Grace is simply very worried about you, Duchess."
Agnes had a talent for phrasing even the most mundane things in a way that pleased the listener.
After seeing her off, Blair went up to her bedroom.
Herdin's overprotectiveness… is probably due to his guilt from the Fireplace Incident.
But that didn't help her in the slightest. Blair stared blankly out the window at a world painted in the light green of new sprouts. It was now fully spring.
And the time to conceive Asiel was the beginning of summer.
I don't have much time left.