Epilogue (Part 3)

When Reubellina gave up her curiosity about the forest path, Fleur spoke again.

“The bloodstains seem fresh, so there must be people who went inside.”

“Shouldn’t we rescue them then?”

“Judging by the footprints, they are not northerners. It wouldn’t be wise to encounter them.”

Reubellina nodded at Fleur’s response. She had come out just to look around the territory but ended up seeing traces of non-northerners.

“Could they be barbarians?”

“I haven’t heard of them coming this far down, but it’s possible. Perhaps someone has separated from their group.”

“Really?”

‘If we capture that person, it might help Tartenon.’

Reubellina was about to turn her horse, thinking she should bring more knights to capture the nearby barbarians.

“Ugh!”

A barely clothed person appeared, bleeding. A group wielding swords chased after him, and Reubellina, startled, looked at Fleur.

“H-help…!”

She couldn’t leave the person who collapsed near her horse. Reubellina signaled Fleur with her eyes, and he quickly lifted the fallen man onto the horse. Before the group chasing the unconscious man could approach, Reubellina spurred her horse, and Fleur followed her.

As they approached the outer walls of Speraum Castle, the soldiers guarding the castle recognized Reubellina and hurriedly opened the gate. The group following her and Fleur soon disappeared.

“Your Ladyship!”

Upon reaching the inner castle, Paddington and Sandy, who had come out to greet them, were shocked. It was only natural, as Reubellina, who had gone to inspect the territory, returned with a near-dead man.

“Call a physician.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Sandy answered energetically, and Reubellina went straight to the office. Now, she had to wait for Tartenon to return.

***

Upon arriving at the northern border, Tartenon was puzzled by the barbarians’ less aggressive attitude. When he appeared, the barbarians scattered, looking wary.

“It doesn’t seem like an invasion.”

“I have eyes too.”

Heather replied indifferently to Hemil’s comment.

“Then why did they come down here?”

There was no one to answer Heather’s question. The knights who had boldly set out to the border with Tartenon had to return to the main castle without any significant results. Although it was good that the matter was resolved quickly, Tartenon couldn’t hide his discomfort.

Realizing that Tartenon was in a bad mood, Heather and Hemil kept their mouths shut and followed him cautiously. And shortly after, when they saw a barbarian holding a teacup in front of Reubellina, Tartenon’s mood hit rock bottom.

“What is this…!”

He rode back swiftly to go out with Reubellina, but the person he loved was sitting across from some dark-skinned man, drinking tea. And not just any man, but a barbarian, not a northerner.

The half-n*ked man, without a shirt, was casually sipping tea in front of Reubellina, and she couldn’t hide her curious eyes.

“Tartenon.”

Reubellina greeted him with a smile, but Tartenon couldn’t return that smile. The man sitting in front of her was occupying his place.

Tartenon approached and kicked the leg of the chair. With a thud, the man fell to the ground and couldn’t get up.

“Tartenon!”

Reubellina called his name with a different tone, and he turned his eyes to her. Seeing her flinch at his fierce gaze, Tartenon couldn’t hide his discomfort.

“Who is this?”

“He’s someone I found being chased by strange people on the forest path in the territory.”

“You brought an outsider into the castle?”

“He was injured, so I had no choice.”

“And you let him sit in my place and drink tea?”

“Tartenon.”

His clenched fist trembled. Seeing Reubellina’s clear golden eyes, Tartenon gradually swallowed his anger. Her eyes showed only curiosity towards the man, no other emotions.

‘Is it just pity for a poor person?’

The Reubellina Tartenon knew wasn’t that merciful. He was curious why she brought this man into the main castle. In truth, he wanted to break the neck of the man lying on the floor and throw him out rather than satisfy his curiosity.

Before he could reveal his violent thoughts, Reubellina approached and gently took his hand. The touch of her soft, warm hand seemed to soothe his anger a bit. But Tartenon’s blue eyes still held a hint of fury.

Reubellina pulled his hand, making Tartenon bend down. As he obediently leaned in, her lips brushed past his ear. Tartenon almost grabbed her waist and kissed her in the heat of the moment.

Turning his head, he saw her serious eyes, and she moved even closer, placing her lips on his earlobe. The small contact made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, and his fingertips tingled.

As strength filled Tartenon’s hand and he swallowed dryly, Reubellina’s soft breath touched his ear.

Just as he was about to bite his lip,

“A barbarian entering the territory at this time, isn’t it strange?”

Her small whisper made sense.

Indeed, it was strange. Tartenon’s cold gaze, which didn’t dismiss Reubellina’s words, fell on the man still lying on the floor.

“Don’t be too harsh on the patient.”

Reubellina, who had moved away from him, smiled gently and stopped him. Tartenon, looking at the man staring up at him, asked with a reluctant expression.

“Who are you?”

The man, hastily getting up and moving respectfully, bowed his head.

“I-I am Verito of Jarman.”

Though his voice trembled, Tartenon detected the anger within. This wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened. Attempts to send spies to Speraum to gather information were ongoing.

‘To think they’d target Reubellina.’

It might have been a coincidence, but Tartenon believed this entire situation was a well-crafted plan. His instincts, honed from living in the North all his life, told him so.

Seeing Reubellina signaling him, Tartenon slightly lifted the corners of his mouth. It was his fortune to have such a clever Grand Duchess.

Tartenon asked Verito again.

“Why did you come to the territory of Speraum?”

“I am the successor of Jarman. I was attacked and fled here.”

Verito, who spoke with a clear voice despite his weakness, glanced at Tartenon. His eyes, though trembling with fear, were not ordinary. Tartenon noted all these changes but deliberately refrained from commenting.

“Bruelin!”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Take him, treat him, and once he’s recovered, throw him out.”

“Yes.”

“Wait…!”

Verito seemed to have more to say, but Tartenon didn’t give him the chance. Dragged away by Heather and Hemil, Verito cast a pitiful look at Reubellina. Meeting his gaze, Reubellina grabbed Tartenon’s hand.

“Isn’t it okay to at least hear his story?”

“Hear his story?”

Tartenon’s voice turned cold. Reubellina, signaling with her eyes, spoke to Tartenon.

“He fled to save his life, so we should help him….”

“Then do as you wish. Listen to him instead of me.”

Without waiting for Reubellina to finish, he walked out.

***

“Do we really have to go this far? Do you have to avoid me like I’m the plague?”

“Your Grace, please calm down….”

“Calm down? Do I look calm to you right now?”

Hemil, trying to soothe the shouting Reubellina, had to step back.

“To think you would tell me to calm down. You’re still far from understanding.”

Heather smirked at Hemil and approached Reubellina. Her clenched fists were trembling, and her eyes were fiercely narrowed. Sandy, standing beside her, was calmly tidying up the teacups with a knowing look.

Watching Reubellina’s outburst, Sandy continued her work nonchalantly.

“His Grace went too far.”

Since then, Reubellina hadn’t been able to see Tartenon. For some reason, he didn’t come to the bedroom, and even when she went to his office, he only gave cold words without opening the door. Worse, he even avoided her when they ran into each other by chance.

Reubellina bit her lip.

‘This is the first time this has happened.’

Even when she was engaged to Inferno, this never happened. Reubellina, who had never experienced someone avoiding her so one-sidedly, was too bewildered to make a proper judgment. Even those who disliked her chose to confront her directly and humiliate her rather than avoid her, but Tartenon was different.

She needed to extract information from the spy about why they targeted Speraum in the North at this time. After treating his wounds, Verito occasionally gave her seductive smiles. Since he had specifically approached her, the Grand Duchess of the North, he must have had another plan.

‘I was going to say we should keep an eye on him for a bit longer!’

Unable to meet Tartenon, she couldn’t even get angry or soothe him. Her helplessness gradually turned into anger, and now, days later, that anger had morphed into a strange obsession to meet Tartenon.

“Where is he now?”

“I heard he’s at the training ground.”

“Will I be able to see him if I go to the training ground?”

“I’m not sure.”

Heather could no longer speak playfully. When the barbarian Verito occupied a secluded room in Speraum Castle, Heather and Hemil were beaten in the training ground. They were literally beaten up under the guise of sparring. After receiving Tartenon’s warning, Heather and Hemil resolved not to get involved in their couple matters anymore.