Chapter 63

“Stop.”

Calix interrupted Asella.

‘It’s driving me crazy.’

Her hands were in such a state, but she spoke of treating herself, worrying about the damaged carriage, and even offering to ride and follow them on horseback.

With palms like that, it would be impossible for her to even have a firm grip on the reins; she would be lucky if she didn’t fall off the horse.

Above all, Calix was angry at Asella’s apology.

She had made no mistake. She had suffered severe physical injuries in the accident that nearly took her life.

Naturally, he would hold the escort guards accountable for what happened and give them a proper punishment, but she took the matter as if it was her own fault.

‘Philip must have taught her that.’

He recalled the despicable face of the one who was basically selling his step-daughter, and, as if that wasn’t enough, bargained over the price as well.

“Don’t worry, Your Excellency. I have educated her with all my heart and soul. I’m sure she will become a gentle and obedient wife.”

“A young noblewoman like this is rare,” he said with a face filled with a strange sense of satisfaction and perhaps even joy as he laughed.

Considering what she had been through with Philip, it was no wonder that she was trying to please him so much.

***

“If she doesn’t behave, you can always use a whip to educate her.”

“You want me to raise a hand on my wife?”

“No way! I misspoke, Your Excellency! I was just joking.”

***

It was an interaction that had not particularly bothered him until this moment. But for some reason, this conversation came to mind now, and he didn’t know why. 

It bothered him.

Such a hideous person unleashing his inferiority complex and anger on his step-daughter, he must’ve educated her to accept everything as her fault.

“I don’t understand what I’m hearing now. Why are you apologizing?”

“What?”

Her watery blue eyes blinked and trembled slightly. She became nervous, obviously wondering if she had said something wrong.

“If anything, you should receive an apology. You’ve been injured so badly.”

“Um, I’m really fine. This doesn’t really hurt that much.”

Calix tightened his clenched hand unintentionally.

The nobility were people who considered the dust that entered their eyes more fatal than a battle wound, especially since the Empire was a country with a more strict status system than the rest of the world.

Even on the battlefield, there were commanders of noble birth who refused to obey orders and drove all their subordinates to their deaths. Of course, such men were executed by military law without exception…

Moreover, it went without saying that the young lady, who grew up in such a family, was still of noble birth.

But to have been injured to such a state and not utter a single word of pain or even a small groan….

That meant she was used to it.

Such pain.

Now, he was filled with rage that he didn’t understand.

“Ryzen!”

Ryzen, who was cleaning up nearby, rushed to his master at his lord’s call.

“You called for me, Your Excellency?”

“Go get the doctor. Now.”

Since this was a rather large convoy, there were physicians among the members.

Well, it was ‘were’ since this statement was true until just a few moments ago.

“The physician was killed in the attack just now; I have contacted the Capital residence to send additional people-“

“So you’re saying there are no doctors?”

Calix cut him off coldly. A shiver ran down Ryzen’s spine at the cold atmosphere; his master was clearly furious.

“Ryzen, I ordered you to keep my wife safe.”

His cold voice subsided faintly, but his fierce red eyes flashed with anger.

“What is all this?”

For a moment, Ryzen did not understand Calix’s words.

All of them were almost in great danger, but fortunately, they were safe thanks to the Grand Duke, who arrived on time. The damage might have seemed bad, but it wasn’t that serious, not as much as it could have been.

‘Then why is My Lord in such a-‘

Ryzen’s confused gaze passed through the Grand Duke and moved to the slender woman next to him.

Tattered hems and open wounds. His eyes opened wide in shock.

“Your- Your Highness…!”

It was then that he realized what he had missed, and Ryzen’s face turned blank.

As his lord began to slaughter the beasts, the first thing he had to do was to make sure of the Grand Duchess’s safety and well-being.

Reflecting back, it was no surprise that she was injured since the impact was so severe that the carriage was destroyed.

However, the only thing he did was the trivial task of removing all the remaining beasts and cleaning up the scene.

Having been attacked unexpectedly and being too reassured by the fact that the Grand Duke had arrived, he made a terrible mistake.

No, this was not a mistake; he dared not call it in such a way.

“What would have happened if I had been even a little late?”

Ryzen immediately knelt down and lowered his forehead to the ground.

There were no excuses to be given to his master.

It didn’t matter what the scale of the beast’s attack had been or how hard he and the other knights had done to fight it back.

What mattered was that he had failed to carry out his master’s orders properly. The fact was that they caused injury to a precious individual who should not have been injured, not even by the slightest.

“Do you have anything to say?”

There was nothing he could say even if his head were to fall off right there. Ryzen answered with his head down.

“I will accept any punishment for the crime of failing to follow your orders.”

“You know, no further explanation is necessary.”

Calix raised his body and drew his sword. The blade, which had cut through dozens of beasts in one stroke, was smooth and free of any bloodstains.

Feeling his master’s eerie energy approaching, Ryzen closed his eyes tightly.