IDIBC Chapter 112

Ricardo’s Return (4)

Duke Paquin was away on business in a distant continent and couldn’t be met, but judging from what his vassals’ wives were gossiping about regarding his character, it was obvious how he would treat Sabrina.

Feeling as if she were blocked by walls on all sides, Lienne sighed, and Sabrina tapped the table with her fingers.

“Do you know how great the Demahen Knights are?”

Sabrina’s voice, cutting through the heavy atmosphere, was tinged with light laughter. Even in this situation, she was trying to reassure me.

“Demahen’s cavalry is so overwhelming that there’s no one in this area who can match them. The scariest thing is that no one knows the exact size of Demahen’s forces. They say there’s no greater weapon on the battlefield than instilling fear.”

“Who did you hear that from?”

“Obviously from my fiancé, Young Duke Julian, who knows everything that happens in this world.”

The old Sabrina used to talk endlessly about him whenever she came back from meeting Julian. But after their actual engagement, she barely spoke of him. Her attitude suggested there was nothing particular to bring up.

“Do you know what was being discussed among the noble ladies before you appeared here?”

I shrugged my shoulders instead of answering.

“They were saying all sorts of ominous things. Asking what the reason could be for the Young Duke Rochester and the Crown Princess to disappear at the same time. Oh, but did you hear that story? They say the Crown Prince isn’t in the Empire either.”

I already knew that the Crown Princess had gone to Resotia with her son, but I didn’t add anything to what Sabrina said.

“So what did you say?”

“I just fluttered my eyelashes as always.”

The image of her brazen appearance came to mind, making me laugh involuntarily.

“After that, they really got into talking about that incident.”

“Which incident?”

“The day of the Pallium tournament held at the palace.”

As soon as I heard that, the memory of that sharp kiss suddenly came to mind, and my face flushed red.

“Countess Sparrow was talking about it, saying it was clear that the Young Duke Rochester and the Crown Princess weren’t involved… She seems oblivious at times, but other times she’s incredibly sharp. She’s truly an enigmatic person.”

The Duchess had said one must always be careful with words in front of Countess Sparrow. She had added that there was always a reason behind the woman’s seemingly oblivious behavior.

“Moreover, she speculated that if the Young Duke Rochester really did leave the capital and go somewhere, the reason might be more romantic than one would think. Was she perhaps testing me, knowing everything?”

“Your feeling might be right. Noble ladies always speak in roundabout ways.”

Sabrina, who nodded and turned her gaze into the distance, had an unusual gleam in her eyes. Following her line of sight, I could see Julian approaching. Watching him, Sabrina continued speaking.

“The three ducal families really are the nobility among nobility, aren’t they? Most people can’t even guess what’s happening behind the veil, so it’s natural they’d be curious.”

It was something I was realizing anew as well. That most of the cruel history hidden in very high places exists only in their world.

And that people only learn parts of that truth long after time has passed.

Julian, walking leisurely, captivated attention with his brilliance today as well. His long strides and lively gait, along with gestures slightly more exaggerated than others, revealed his characteristic personality.

He was a man who, despite his formal attire and neatly combed hair, somehow evoked the image of a sleek wild jaguar.

“How did we end up so deeply entangled with men like that?”

Sabrina’s green eyes watching Julian were as deep in color as a summer forest. Seeing her like that, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

“Are you… okay?”

At my earnest question, Sabrina was silent for a moment, but soon a lighter look returned to her eyes.

“What wouldn’t be okay? Didn’t I say before? You shouldn’t think too complicatedly about men. He uses me, and I use him. That’s all there is between us. How convenient.”

Sabrina turned her eyes back to Julian. As if the words she’d just said to me were an affirmation, she showed a perfect fiancée’s smile.

“If there are no emotions, there’s nothing to go wrong.”

“The problem is that there are emotions.”

At my words, Sabrina’s face contorted slightly as she bit her lower lip.

But that too was brief. She showed Julian another sweet smile and answered lightly, moving her curved lips just a little.

“Then, since it’s come to this anyway, shall I like him just a little more before I leave?”

At her characteristic question, I finally laughed aloud.

“What amusing stories are you discussing?”

Before I knew it, Julian had approached close enough to hear his voice, bringing a scent completely different from Ricardo’s.

I deliberately took a large step forward, hiding Sabrina from the harmfully gorgeous man. Even hiding her behind my back wouldn’t completely conceal her appearance, though.

“Your fiancée was telling me the great war tales of the Demahen Knights.”

“Ah.”

The man nodded with an understanding face, his jawline so sharp it was annoying.

“Watching the excellent horsemanship of Demahen’s cavalry feels like being possessed by a ghost. They’re also unmatched in speed.”

“I already heard that story from Sabrina.”

“Is that so?”

As he tried to casually cast a glance at Sabrina, I stood even closer in front of him, blocking his line of sight. It was meaningless mischief, but it seemed to somewhat improve my annoyed feelings toward him.

I could hear Sabrina laughing softly behind me.

“Then how about this? The Demahen Knights may be heroes in the Empire, but in other countries they’re called the Plunderers of Veritica.”

Veritica was the name of a river flowing through hell. While I slightly furrowed my brow, he continued the conversation as naturally as flowing water.

Even his eloquence was as refined as him, leaving nothing to be desired. In many ways, he was a man I didn’t like.

“No, I’m hearing that for the first time.”

“The exact number of Demahen’s forces is unknown, but I’ve heard that the knights, led by the cavalry, have infantry numbering more than ten times the cavalry. They say it got that name because when they deploy infantry in a semicircular formation with archers interspersed between them and push forward all at once, not a living thing can be found in that area.”

Julian was more talkative than usual. From such small behaviors, I could glimpse his feelings. That he was being considerate of me now.

He was a man I didn’t like in many ways, but he was also very similar to Sabrina. All the more so in that he was impossible to hate.

“The reason you’re telling me this now is because you know I’m worried about Ricardo.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. But I also know as much about the reputation of the Demahen Knights as others do.”

“Then how about this?”

This time, he wore a confident expression and pulled out a letter from his jacket pocket.

“A messenger just came from the Rochester estate. Of course, I haven’t read this letter myself, but…”

The relaxed expression I’d been wearing until just moments ago had already disappeared. I focused all my senses only on the letter dangling from his fingertips. It was fortunate that I didn’t stand on tiptoe to snatch the letter.

“The content I’m about to tell you is probably the same as what’s in this letter.”

I couldn’t even answer and swallowed hard.

“Ricardo is on his way here now.”

“Ah…”

“So this letter probably also contains news about Ricardo’s return.”

I received the letter from him and tore open the wax seal with trembling hands. Just as Julian said, the Duchess’s letter stated that Ricardo had returned to the capital just last night.

Though the handwriting showed no wavering, she must have trembled while writing this news.

“When will he arrive?”

“Since one of the Demahen Knights came by discreetly an hour ago, Ricardo will probably enter Paquin’s road in about another hour.”

Paquin’s road was a wide, straight path lined on both sides with tall cypress trees standing straight toward the sky.

On the day I came to the Paquin estate, I was briefly distracted by the scenery, beautiful enough to momentarily make me forget my scattered thoughts.

Soon he would be entering that road.

Just thinking of Ricardo made my heart pound and beat inconveniently.

Then Julian stepped aside and stretched out his arm to the side as if to guide me.

“If you go that way, a carriage is prepared. You should go to meet him, shouldn’t you?”

Ah, I couldn’t even answer and just stared at his outstretched hand.

Then I immediately came to my senses with a start. His consideration was so touchingly grateful that I felt sorry for having thought him annoying just moments ago.

“Thank you.”

When I turned my head, Sabrina also nodded with a broad smile on her face. As if I’d received permission from her smile, I ran to the place Julian had mentioned.

A carriage as splendid as Julian himself was waiting there.

It was almost time to meet Ricardo.