CH 36.2

‘How, how could such noxious words come from someone with such an innocent face…’

‘This is why you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.’

In any case, it seemed the Marquis had taken a very particular bride for a wife. Having gotten used to the mild, gentle character of the previous marchioness, they couldn’t help getting nervous.

This was especially so for Fabian who was assigned to always be by Nadia’s side. He came to a decision as he shivered slightly.

‘I absolutely cannot mess with her from now on……’

His resolution was true for every one of the knights who stood in the room.

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Stabilizing captured territory always required a lot of time and labor, and it was even more so if the territory was rich and fertile. But it would still be too much to stop the soldiers from celebrating their victory just because they had a lot of work ahead of them. Glenn opened the Vallon castle warehouse, and allowed all the soldiers to take the meat, wine and gold inside. Instead, he prohibited them from plundering the private houses of the common folk.

Since their master had guaranteed their rewards, there was no need for them to go ransacking people’s houses.

“All day today, you can take anything from the opened storeroom and use them to your heart’s content! Enjoy them like you would have no regrets even if you die tomorrow!”

And like that, they opened a banquet to commemorate their victory. It was to celebrate their success, and also to honor the memory of their fallen counterparts.

The ordinary soldiers gathered in the drill hall of Vallon castle. Meanwhile, their superiors began filling the castle’s banquet hall. The sound of wine jars being picked up and placed down could be heard all around the hall. The knights made a din as they bit into the meat placed before them by the maidservants.

“They say no one from Sir Vincent’s division died.”

“Sir Vincent’s division is the one that went to capture Count Altair, right?

“They say he didn’t even put up a resistance and immediately surrendered when he met their division. A very wise decision, I’ld say.”

“It really was a complete victory, a clean sweep! Hahahaha! Who could have ever imagined that?”

“Exactly! Who would have expected  such a clever scheme to come so unexpectedly……”

“Could have never imagined that, of course.”

“Mhmm……”

Only a moment before, they had been laughing loudly with joy, but the moment talk of the operation came up, a subtle silence descended on the room.

The greatest contributor to the victory this time was Nadia. Of the knights who had been around the conference table at that meeting, not one of them could deny that fact.

But that was the problem.

‘Why did the marchioness help us?’

If it was really because she loved the marquis, then of course that was a good enough explanation. But none of them believed that she could be so ardently devoted to a man she had never once said a word to before their marriage. Giscard’s voice broke the delicate silence.

“Now that that’s come up, where is Madam at the moment?”

“Ah… well.”

“Uhmm…”

They all turned to Fabian. Fabian was the only one of them who was acquainted with her.

Fabian who had been cramming food into his mouth turned his head with a confused look on his face.

“Uh… why is everyone looking at me…”

Immediately, all the senior knights who had been staring at him flocked around him and began pestering him.

“The Madam played the key role in the battle, so it’s a bit odd that we are the only ones celebrating here. Why don’t you go call her, Sir Fabian?”

“That… I don’t think Madam will come to a place swarming with men like this.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. Since she helped us, doesn’t that mean that she doesn’t hate us? Maybe Madam is waiting for us to call on her, you never know!”

“How could Madam possibly say no a great day like this? Just go talk to her, alright?”

“Uh, I’ll… I’ll first go look for her. Maybe she is resting in her bedroom.”

Fabian tried to hide the awkward look on his face as he rose from his seat. Madam didn’t seem like someone who would like such a noisy place. But in any case, he could not remain in the banquet hall for them to continue giving him orders disguised as requests.

Fabian left the banquet hall, stopped a passing maidservant and asked her.

“Where is the marchioness?”

“She just left the office to go to the bedroom. She is probably not asleep yet.”

“Thank you.”

Following the maid’s words, he climbed up to the third floor where the bedroom was. Rays of light could be seen through the cracks of the shut door. It seemed what the maid said about Madam not sleeping yet was correct.He knocked cautiously on the door as he spoke.

Knock knock.

“Madam, it’s Fabian. May I come in?”