Chapter 24

Episode 24

Chapter 11. Side Story 01

(T/N: the pov shifts to a new character— Weiss)

A barracks temporarily placed in the front yard of an old castle that looked desolate, fluttered in the wind. Vice Commander Weiss opened his mouth heavily as he watched the commander examining the map with a calm expression.

“Are you okay?”

The young commander—who had been Weiss’ military academy classmate—but now became a superior, raised his head with an expressionless face.

“What?”

It was surprising on the one hand and sad on the other hand to see his old friend who had no change in behavior even after hearing that his father was taken as a prisoner by the enemy. Weiss shook his head quickly, hiding his gloomy expression.

“It’s nothing.”

“What is the condition of the soldiers? “

Damien asked while looking at the map in front of the swaying candlelight. After a few days, the attack had to be resumed. If the weather gets colder, it becomes difficult to cross the mountain range.

“I’m sorry to tell you, but it’s not that good.”

The seriously injured were treated to some extent, but there was a bigger problem.

“Their morale is down. It seems that the news from the southern camp has already spread.”

Fear was the greatest enemy in any situation. The fact that the army led by the war hero Duke Tisse was struggling— was enough to dampen the morale of the soldiers. Damien slowly raised his head and opened his mouth.

“I want to drink something hot.”

Weiss quickly walked out of the tent and gave a brief order, and the tea was ready soon after. Weiss sat face to face with his superior drinking tea silently and thought about what to say.

Should I pray for peace for the deceased?

Weiss had never thought that there would be a situation where he had to comfort Damien. This is because the path Damian—who was born with no shortcomings from birth— has always been on a solid road. Until war broke out.

“Weiss.”

Damien broke the silence and finally opened his mouth.

“Why don’t you loosen up?”

“What?”

“Just because you’re dying won’t make my father come back alive.”

Weiss, who had his fists pressed tightly to his knees, bit his lip. Damien was not optimistic enough to hope that Duke Tisse, who was captured by the enemy, could return.

“If you look at it, it’s not that sad. There’s a saying that the most honorable way for a noble is to die in a war to protect their country.”

“…….”

“My father will probably keep his honor until the end. And the same will be true for me, who has to follow suit.”

Weiss finally drank the tea in front of him at once. He became sentimental in the wartime situation and felt that he still had a long way to go.

“I’ll correct it. I apologize for your concern.”

“Isn’t it hot?”

Damien smiled quietly, shaking his shoulders with a ridiculous expression. Belatedly feeling the swollen roof of his mouth, Weiss shook his head.

“It’s a bit dull at first.”

“That’s true.”

Weiss, who was loyal to Damian, a classmate from the military academy, was not the type of person who could be manipulated from behind. Damien looked at him and spoke calmly.

“Weiss. I have no intention of dying in this war.”

“Of course.”

“Apart from my respect for my father, I haven’t finished my work yet.”

Damien lifted the iron cup as if holding a wine glass and took a sip. Considering that even his appearance was dignified, he was undoubtedly a nobleman.

“After the war, I’ll go where I belong.”

Weiss’s eyes widened a little and shook, but Damian’s gaze was resolute. As Weiss saw Damian’s face looking straight at him, he knew he hadn’t misunderstood his intentions.

“By all means.”

“… Commander.”

“I hope we’ll still have a good relationship then.”

Damien whispered as he stretched out his body and leaned back on his chair.

“To do that, first of all, winning this damn war is the order.”

Looking at Damien who was very calm, it was hard to see him as a person who spoke of treason, Weiss tried to guess from when he had been thinking like that. Perhaps it was much longer than he expected.

“What’s the point of saying that to me, Commander?”

“It means you’ve been chosen by me.”

Damien looked at him and smiled.

“So rejoice. I never miss the one I choose.”

While the wind outside the barracks was getting rougher, it was then when he heard the sound of piano playing somewhere. The sweet-sounding music didn’t match the current situation at all.

Piano during the war? In addition, the scales of some keys shook as if the instrument had been out of tune for a long time.

“What’s going on?”

When Damien turned his head, Weiss stood up from his seat.

“I will check…… In a moment”

After walking out of the tent, Weiss looked up at the place where he could hear the piano sound—A place where dim lights flicker in the old castle—The sound of music came from the window on the second floor.

The noise made by soldiers who were camping with sleeping bags laid on the unmanaged front yard slowly decreased.

The soldiers who were tired of the war, who did not know when it would end, were looking at the place where the sound of music played as if possessed.

Both the young soldier kneeling while burying his face in his hands, and the old soldier with a bandage on his arm were silent and said nothing.

The moonlight was mysterious and the night was dreamlike, to the point where he wondered if this had ever happened from the time he had been running nonstop since the war began.

“That’s Verdier’s first daughter.”

Weiss, unaware that Damien was behind him, took a step back in surprise.

“It seems so.”

“Isn’t she the same person who treated the soldiers among the wounded? Chloe Verdier.”

Weiss nodded, thinking when did Damian remember her name.

“Yes, I was bothered by harsh words among the soldiers, so I cautioned the Viscount.”

“Certainly obtrusive.”

“…..Should I tell her to stop playing?”

“Leave it.”

When Damien said something unexpected, who would have ordered him to do so, Weiss asked without realizing it,

“Should I leave it?”

“Yes. If you stop it now, there will be a riot.”

It was clear that the piano performance on the moonlit night was definitely comforting the tired soldiers.

“Instead, confine her so that she doesn’t get out of that room during our stay. It means don’t make her stand out, Weiss.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Weiss had no idea that she would later become the Duchess of Tisse. Just looking at Damien’s eyes staring through the window on the second floor, he only hoped that the poor girl would not offend the Duke’s heart any longer.

(T/N: Weiss’ pov ends here)

Chapter 12. Duchess’ Duty.

Birch Tower, located on the northern border of the kingdom, was used as a reconnaissance tower to defend the kingdom’s borders in the distant past. Since Damien’s great-grandfather, Count Tisse, was promoted to Duke, the tower continued to expand to become a mansion, and after more than 100 years, it was finally transformed into a beautiful Birch Castle.

The architectural style of the white brick castle resembled that of Swan, the capital of the kingdom, but only the pointy tower, the turret in the center, and the cogwheel-shaped balcony wall at the top of the castle remained intact, showcasing the original purpose of the castle.

“It’s bigger than I thought. Miss.”

To enter the castle, one had to pass through the two gates built on the birch forest path one after another. Finally, looking at the Birch Castle unfolding in front of him, Gray whispered softly.

“Yes, you’re right.”

Chloe spoke softly. The carriage they rode had no wheels and roof, so it had a structure reminiscent of a giant sled, but it had the secondary function of being able to feel the surrounding landscape vividly, apart from the original intention to prevent it from slipping in the snow.

A sled-like carriage passed through the castle’s garden. The lawn of the snowy garden was neatly mowed, and there was a large fountain in the middle. The naked body of the sculptured man carved in the middle of the frozen fountain was beautiful and dynamic, but Chloe felt like she was getting cold and buried her face into a thick coat.

In front of a beautiful snowy castle, the carriage and a cart carrying her luggage finally stood one after another.

“Welcome, little madam. I’m Eliza, the maid and the acting butler.”

Eliza, who stood upright, bowed her head. Several keys jingled from her waist. Chloe immediately guessed why only one servant came to meet her in the huge castle, which has more than 150 bedrooms, except for a study, drawing room, library and tea room, piano room, and various hobby rooms.

“Her Ladyship is waiting for you.”

She was not being welcomed.

It wasn’t unexpected. Chloe smiled with a little red face frozen by the wind.

“Thank you for the warm welcome.”

“I’ll have someone organize the luggage.”

After Eliza glanced at Gray standing next to her, she spat out in a hard voice. She meant to send him back because he isn’t needed anymore. Even if she (Eliza) didn’t rush, it was time for Chloe to let him go. Gray had to leave right away to catch the return train on time.

“Can you bring some warm tea and food for my servant? He did a great job in serving me on the way here.”

“Sure. If he waits here for a while, I will guide the little madam and order another maid to deliver the food.”

Chloe lifted her head and made eye contact with Gray one last time. Snowflakes flew and landed on his head. Concerns flashed in Gray’s good puppy-like eyes. Chloe endured the tears with all her might.

Don’t make Gray worry.

She could not make him say that she cried when Gray describes Chloe’s last appearance to her father, who would only be waiting for her news.

“Lady.”

“Thank you, Gray. Be careful when you go.”

Chloe eventually turned her head first. Parting was one of her least favorite things, but now she had to do it maturely.