* * *
…Duke Kalinos has left.
“Do you really have to take my portrait with you?”
“Yes. According to research, carrying your wife’s portrait boosts your courage about 20% and lets you exert at least 15% more monstrous power than usual.”
“What kind of research even says that?!”
I had even gone so far as to tear apart the portrait with my face on it to prevent a death flag! Yet with an indifferent expression, he pulled a new portrait from his pocket and spoke.
“Turns out there is. Isn’t it fascinating?”
Why does he have spares of my portrait? That’s seriously madness….
Duke Kalinos persuaded me, who was trying to stop him, using ‘objective research results, and in the end, he simply left.
I let out a deep sigh and ran my hand through my hair.
“…le.”
“…”
“Duchess Giselle Kalinos?”
Only then was I able to open my eyes and look ahead. Oh, right. We’re having tea right now. Neslan, Yuliana, and I. The three of us were enjoying a cozy teatime together after dinner. To be exact, it was more like Yuliana spending the time saying, “How did you manage to hide the fact that you’re Wot from only me until now?”
Honestly, I’m too worried to concentrate. Thinking about my husband, who’s now carrying a death flag, left a heavy feeling in my chest.
Yuliana looked at me curiously, then smiled as if she understood. “The first time is always like that.”
“Pardon?”
“Your husband’s gone off to slay monsters. Of course you’re uneasy. After all, he’s your beloved husband.”
Judging from the particular emphasis she placed on the word ‘beloved,’ about half of it sounded like teasing me. Normally, I would have just played along and said, ‘Yess, Giselle just loves the duke ve~ry much!’ But for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud.
Love… What even is love, anyway? Was the feeling ‘Giselle’ of the past for Duke Reshaniel really love? Or is the feeling Duke Kalinos called ‘liking,’ is love? What do I even feel?
I’d never really loved anyone of my own free will before. And in this damned regret novel, my love had always ended in disaster. Which meant my own judgment regarding my feelings was unreliable.
“…O-Of course. Giselle loves the duke so much. But you know…”
“Hmm?”
“What kind of feeling do you think love is?”
The moment I finished speaking, Neslan and Yuliana’s expressions turned slightly subtle. Then Yuliana smiled faintly and said, “How about trying to write it?”
“Pardon?”
“I, too, came to clearly understand my feelings while writing letters to my husband. Love letters, that is.”
“Hmm, letters?”
“The love letters were re-really to-touching…”
How odd. For a moment, I could have sworn that Yuliana’s expression softened. Meanwhile, Neslan was dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief. He was definitely crying.
“Please stop crying.”
“But, I just suddenly remembered how touching it was back then…”
Yuliana, looking a bit flustered, stabbed her fork into a pancake. Then, as if she were brandishing a weapon, she pointed it right at Neslan’s mouth.
I thought to myself. Well then, looks like I’ll have to get dragged into this again. Being around such an extraordinary couple, I feel like their oddness might be contagious.
After finishing my meal as quickly as possible, I returned to my bedroom and decided to write a letter, just as Yuliana had suggested. At the very least, I should report everything that’s happened until now. But as I sat under the lamplight, pen in hand, I suddenly froze.
A wife writing a letter late at night to her husband, who had gone off to war. This is also a serious death flag… Why do death flags keep getting planted everywhere?
Still, I couldn’t stop my pen from flying across the page. Strangely enough, it seemed I had a lot I wanted to say to him. I was sure I didn’t like him in a romantic sense…
To think I stayed up all night writing several letters… Staring at the half-finished letters I’d crumpled up and tossed in the wastebasket, I pressed a hand to my forehead.
* * *
[Everything is going very smoothly with my plan for revenge against Duke Reshaniel here in the capital. First, I focused on improving my reputation, and things just started falling into place. Once people heard I possessed divine power, they seemed to like me quite a bit. Especially when I took the time to carefully help those who’d been neglected and left behind by the Reshaniel family’s half-hearted treatments.
After that, I asked a self-help author I know to write about the runaway Duke Reshaniel. For reference, the book is titled <How to Raise Your Child to be an Archmage for Free>. It’s currently a bestseller in the capital. I’ll enclose a copy for you.
Oh, and lately, in addition to learning how to freely control mana, I’ve started studying how to use divine power as well. It’s actually a lot more fun than I expected. Next time we meet, I’ll be sure to show you that I’ve mastered it perfectly.
P.S. In an emergency, never look at the portrait.]
“How strange.” Vientin read Giselle’s letter. He read it, then read it again, and again.
“Pardon? Your Grace?”
Because Vientin was staring at the letter as though looking upon the corpse of a comrade, rumors had spread among the northern knights that perhaps he had received divorce papers…
“To think such a masterpiece exists in this world. Isn’t it truly strange?”
Vientin’s reaction only made things more confusing. Was he mad with joy, or mad with sorrow, or had he simply always been mad…?
“…Um, Your Grace.”
As the surrounding gazes became increasingly cold, his aide finally stepped in.
This place was right in the middle of what resembled a bloody battlefield after all the monsters had been wiped out. Although thanks to the duke’s efforts that not a single ally had been injured or killed, it was hardly the sort of place to leisurely read a letter.
“E-Excuse me. Your Grace! There’s a monster right next to you, and you’re reading a letter…”
“Ah. I was just too curious. I wondered if there might be a secret hidden in this last line about ‘mastered it perfectly.’” As he spoke, he raised his longsword and sliced off the monster’s head.
Whether or not the knights beside him found his odd remarks baffling, Vientin simply rode on, muttering to himself. “Subtly, I can’t help but think she’s emphasizing the day we’ll meet again. Maybe she’s finally started to have feelings for me.”
“I’m not sure about that…”
At those words, a faint crack appeared right in the middle of Vientin’s forehead.
Seeing that, the man hurriedly opened his mouth to respond. “Right. Your Grace’s words are correct.”
Feeling quite pleased, Vientin returned to the tent and carefully wrote a reply.
[You said people like you. I believe that is only natural. After all, I like you as well.]
Naturally, after writing that much in such a straightforward manner, Vientin picked up the fountain pen again.
[Is the title really <How to Raise Your Child to be an Archmage for Free>? But then why does it contain stories about Duke Reshaniel? In any case, I’m glad to hear it became a bestseller.
The fact that Duke Reshaniel has remained quiet feels suspicious. I’ll return as quickly as possible.]
After sealing the letter and sending it off with a soldier, he called over the scout standing guard outside his tent and asked. “Any additional reports?”
“Yes. A colony of <Demon Seed> has been discovered nearby. It’s already swarming with monsters that have hatched from the seeds. I think we need to deploy immediately.”
“Let’s go.”
The scout looked at Vientin with a bewildered expression. “B-But why are you smiling?”
With a faint frown, Vientin carefully tucked the letter into his inner pocket as he spoke. It was a letter he’d read so many times, the end was already frayed. “…I don’t feel like telling you. Let’s just deal with the monsters first. Where exactly were they found this time?”
“…Y-Yes. It seems we must pass over Rigo Ridge.”
And so, time was passing much faster than expected. Driven solely by the desire to see Giselle again, Vientin kept moving without rest. As usual, he was able to defeat the monsters with ease. The problem was, he still hadn’t found any evidence linking Duke Reshaniel to the monsters.
Even now, Duke Reshaniel’s whereabouts were completely unknown. No one knew where he was, but it was possible to guess the situation. He’s probably gone searching for a new lucky stone. Knowing Duke Reshaniel’s obsession with the lucky stone gave weight to that hypothesis.
In that moment, a clear answer flashed through his mind. If Giselle and I find the location of the lucky stone first… Yes, that would do it. A wicked smirk twisted one corner of his mouth.
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