Chapter 132
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 132
He worried the biting wind might make her ill.
Barkas leaned his shoulder against the window frame, his gaze tracing her every move.
Her gait was much steadier now. When she walked slowly, maintaining a constant pace, it was almost impossible to tell her leg was troubled. However, that stability never lasted. Her weakened muscles would seize at the slightest overexertion, and after ten minutes, her stride would become noticeably labored. Though she refused to show it, the pain clearly persisted.
Barkas crossed his arms, his fingers drumming a restless rhythm against his forearm, before he finally snatched up his discarded coat. He knew he wouldn’t be at ease unless he was by her side to monitor her condition himself.
He rounded the wooden desk and crossed the carpeted room. Just as he opened the door and stepped into the hallway, he ran into Daren coming up the stairs.
"Your Excellency."
The man strode toward him, clutching a small slip of paper that looked like a telegram. Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Barkas furrowed his brow.
"What is it?"
"The informants dispatched to the North have sent an urgent dispatch. It would be best to convene an emergency meeting immediately."
With a grim expression, Daren held out the rolled-up paper. Barkas took it, quickly scanning the cipher—a complex mix of Eastern script and the Imperial common language.
The report was unmistakable. The North was preparing for war, and they were being thorough about it.
"No word yet from those planted in the capital?"
"No, nothing so far."
That meant the North’s suspicious movements had not yet reached the central regions. It also implied that the House Heimdall was moving with extreme caution.
Barkas raked his hair back from his forehead with a rough hand.
"This information alone is insufficient. We must take care to prevent rumors from spreading until we grasp the exact situation. Select the most trustworthy advisors and gather them at the assembly hall."
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Beylof, Rugen, Labomir... that should be enough."
As he named the subordinates he had been keeping a close eye on, Daren stroked his chin and nodded.
"They’re all tight-lipped. They’ll handle the matter with discretion. I’ll have them waiting in the meeting room shortly."
As Daren turned to leave, Barkas tucked the telegram into his inner coat pocket and headed straight down the stairs. His mind was instantly consumed by the precarious political situation of the Northeast.
He weighed several possibilities. By the book, he should report the situation to the Imperial Household. But would that truly be the wisest course of action? The House Heimdall wouldn’t have started such a dangerous gamble without insurance. It was highly likely they had already bought off key imperial officials and a large number of nobles.
If even one of the vassal families turned traitor, the order of the Empire would collapse in an instant. Now was the time to gather intelligence and quietly tighten the noose around Balto's neck beneath the surface.
Barkas rubbed his eyes, feeling a sharp, tingling sensation spread from his temples to the bridge of his nose. Just then, a cool, melodic voice reached him.
"Barkas?"
Barkas, who had just left the Great Hall and was heading toward the Military Affairs Office, came to a dead stop.
His wife, who had been strolling in the rear garden just moments ago, was now sitting near the pavilion in front of the Main Palace. She stood up abruptly.
"What are you doing here at this hour? I thought for sure you were out on official business..."
Moving with undue haste, she stumbled heavily. He moved instantly, catching her by the waist. As he held her frail body—which felt almost weightless in his arms—he felt his throat constrict.
He looked down at her flushed face with a look of disapproval. His body reacted unbidden to the sight of the faint blush on her neck and earlobes. Ignoring the sensation, he helped her stand upright.
"Please, be careful."
"I’m usually careful. It’s only because you appeared so suddenly," she grumbled softly, her eyes downcast. Her tone was as prickly as ever, but she seemed drained of energy.
He tidied her disheveled collar and lightly pressed the back of his hand against her reddened cheek.
"Your fever hasn’t completely subsided yet. Why are you out here instead of resting in your room?"
"It was stifling in the bedroom. My throat was stinging from the smell of burning wood..."
He narrowed his eyes. Indeed, she had been coughing frequently since they started lighting the fires. He would have to arrange for heating equipment powered by magic stones soon.
"Even so, do not stay outside for too long. The air is cold."
"Then when am I supposed to use this coat?" she asked, glaring at him as if he were being absurd.
After a brief pause, Barkas replied flatly, "You can use it when you go out with me."
Whether it was the unexpected answer or the weight of his gaze, her eyes—which resembled the autumn sky—widened slightly. As if to hide her agitation, she lowered her long eyelashes and spoke bluntly.
"You’re incredibly busy. Who knows when you’ll ever find the time?"
"Soon..."
He was about to say he would make the time, but the news from Balto flashed through his mind, and he fell silent. Feeling a surge of irritation at the timing, he rubbed his brow. The woman, observing his expression, took a step back and spoke coldly.
"Forget it. You don’t need to worry about me. Just go about your business."
With that, she turned toward the entrance of the Main Palace. Almost reflexively, he caught her. His reflection was once again captured in her wide eyes.
"I will take you to your room."
"It’s fine. I can walk on my own—!"
Ignoring her protest, he swept her small frame up into his arms. After shooting him a resentful look, she soon leaned her head against his shoulder with an air of resignation. Supporting her back firmly, he gestured to a dwarf maid standing awkwardly a short distance away.
"Go to the Military Affairs Office and tell them I’ll be there in two hours. Tell them to wait."
"O-oh, understood!"
Passing the maid, who bowed flusteredly, he entered the hall, drawing the gazes of the servants moving busily about. Ignoring the looks that treated them like a rare spectacle, he strode up the stairs and saw another maid hovering near the bedroom.
"What are you doing there?"
As he approached, the young maid jumped in surprise and bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Your Excellency! This morning, the Grand Duchess mentioned she wanted some fresh fruit, so I hurried to the market to fetch some. However, she seemed to be away, so I was waiting for her return."
He shifted his gaze to the tray in the maid’s hands. In the silver bowl were a bunch of wild grapes and several neatly peeled slices of pear.
She usually only ate fruit or honeyed drinks when her nanny practically begged her to. Since he had never heard her express a craving of her own accord, he felt a strange sense of relief. He adjusted his hold on her with one arm and took the bowl with his free hand.
"Thank you. I’ll take it from here. You may leave."
With that, he opened the door and stepped into the bedroom.
"Did you want some fruit?"
As he set her down on a heavily cushioned chair and knelt before her, he noticed the look of unease on her face. Thalia, her lips set in a firm line as if to hide her emotions, spoke primly.
"That’s not the kind of fruit I said I wanted."
"Then what did you want to eat?"
She didn’t answer immediately, picking at her clothes before finally mumbling after a long silence.
"Strawberries..."
Barkas’s brow creased. They were a fruit that had been out of season for quite some time. As if she were well aware of that, she added defensively and quickly, "I just told them to see if they could find any. I wasn’t being unreasonable or throwing a fit. Simply asking them to check the market isn’t an excessive demand."
"You may order as many errands like that as you wish," he said, his voice firm.
A sense of frustration welled up within him at her attitude—the way she acted as if she were walking on eggshells around him. Did she really think he would scold her over something so trivial? Feeling a knot form in his stomach, he gently lifted her chin.
"Do you want strawberries?"
"I just... suddenly thought of them..."
"It might be difficult today, but I will have them brought to you within a few days."
The woman, who had been avoiding his gaze, slowly met his eyes.
He added, his voice tinged with urgency, "If there is anything else you wish for, tell me. Anything at all."