Chapter 9 – It’s A Misunderstanding, Captain! (Part 2)

Having just arrived in Ferdando, Alhendore was sitting in a corner of a restaurant.

“Damn it.”

A curse slipped from his mouth. He glared at the innocent water cup with a menacing expression. Although he had followed Lena to her hometown, there was no way to meet her.

Since the Leshuriel family served the lord of Ferdando, it seemed Lena was currently at the lord’s castle.

His eyebrows furrowed deeply.

To meet Lena, he would have to go to the lord’s castle, but as a duke, he had no pretext for visiting without a reason.

Should I just wait until she comes to town?

“Sigh…”

With a deep sigh, he rubbed his face dry.

Already feeling troubled, the city was bustling as if there was a celebration. The lord’s son was getting married, apparently.

‘Wait a minute…’

Could Lena’s sudden return to her hometown be related to this? Because it’s the son of the family she serves? Or… because they’re close?

As he pondered seriously.

“Did you hear about it?”

“Hear what?”

“About the young master’s bride.”

“Oh, that baron’s daughter?”

“Yeah! That girl!”

A conversation that irritated him was heard right nearby.

“That girl is coming?”

“I was thinking about it, could it be the Baron Leshuriel’s daughter?”

Clang-.

Alhendore dropped the water cup he was holding. Even though he knew it wasn’t true, just hearing her name linked to another man made his heart sink.

“Why? The young master and the daughter of the Luban Mercenary Group grew up together, right?”

“Oh, right!”

Of course, people didn’t know the detailed circumstances of Lena going to the capital for an engagement.

‘Luban.’

Come to think of it, Lena’s mother was a mercenary. Alhendore immediately stood up. If he went there, he might be able to meet Lena.

The Luban Mercenary Group used a tavern as their base.

A building with half-stone and half-wooden walls. One wall was lined with barrels of stored liquor, while the opposite wall displayed the mercenary group’s flag.

Alhendore entered the tavern and approached the oval-shaped bar table. The man standing inside the bar glanced up and down with a hostile look.

“Who are you?”

The man was Kof, the leader of the Luban Mercenaries.

Lena’s mother, who was the former leader of the Luban Mercenaries, had Kof, her right-hand man, succeed her after she passed away.

Kof was very uncomfortable to meet someone for the first time who had a bigger build than himself.

“Alhendore.”

Alhendore, cloaked in a cape, spoke quietly.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Lena Leshuriel. You know her, right?”

“…Who the hell are you?”

As soon as Lena’s name was mentioned, the eyes of everyone gathered in the tavern turned sharp.

They looked like they were ready to draw their swords at any moment, and Alhendore smirked, curling up one corner of his mouth.

It was clear she was loved and protected here more than anywhere else.

‘Well, my Lena is indeed lovable.’

Feeling proud like a father boasting about his child, Alhendore nodded to himself.

“Are you laughing? You think it’s funny? Hey, you son of a-.”

“I’m her lover.”

“-b*tch, huh?”

Kof, who had been frowning fiercely, was taken aback by the following words. 

What? Lover?

Kof blinked in confusion at Alhendore’s confident demeanor and let out a hollow laugh.

“Damn, I almost believed you.  Our Lena is about to get married, and you’re claiming to be her lover? What kind of crap is that?”

He almost fell for it. 

Our Lena is about to marry that Galverd or whatever his name is.

Kof naturally assumed Lena was marrying Galverd. Lena hadn’t mentioned breaking off the engagement with Galverd to avoid causing worry.

And Alhendore had no way of knowing this.

“I said my name is Alhendore. Didn’t Lena tell you? I’m her-.”

“Listen, asshole. Our Lena is getting married soon, so who the hell are you to come here and act like her lover?”

Alhendore, whose words were cut off, hesitated for the first time.

‘Lena is getting married?’

To whom? The lord’s son? Suddenly? That can’t be.

The argument between the two, tangled in misunderstandings, eventually ended with Alhendore leaving the tavern.

If he stayed any longer, it seemed it would turn into a sword fight. No matter how uncommunicative these people were, he couldn’t hurt Lena’s precious people.

“Marriage…”

Alhendore muttered as he sat alone by the seaside.

Was Lena really marrying the lord’s son? Could the letter that hastily brought her back home be…?

“A proposal?”

Could that letter have been a proposal from some idiot directed at her? If so, what should I do?

“Should I bring her back?”

What use are dignity and justification? His Lena was about to be taken by some random guy. He seriously considered kidnapping the bride.

“Captain!”

“Lena?”

“You’re really here?”

Lena, who had broken a dish while helping with the wedding preparations, had come to the mercenary group after being told to take a break.

After hearing about the commotion at the mercenary group, she ran to the seaside, following reports that he had headed there.

When she heard “Alhendore,” she wondered if it could really be him, and to her surprise, it was.

Finding him abandoned by the seaside, she marveled. No matter how she looked at him, it was indeed Alhendore.

“Wow, Captain, are you perhaps jealous?”

“…What are you talking about?”

He found her peeking at him cute yet absurd. Finally reassured, he let out a deep sigh and a hollow laugh.

“You followed me all the way here when I said I was going on leave! Really.”

“I was worried. Why did you leave so suddenly?”

“Well, my childhood friend is getting married… Didn’t I tell you?”

Lena pondered seriously with a grave face. 

Oh, did I really come down without saying anything?

Alhendore found her absentmindedness, especially leaving out the most important things, both endearing and sad. He hoped she wouldn’t forget next time.

“…Yes.”

“Aha!”

“Aha?”

Alhendore, with a melancholic face, mimicked her words, letting his eyebrows droop.

“Can’t you give me a little more attention?”

“What?”

“I need your attention.”

“Uh?”

“It seems like you don’t care much about me.”

As he kept getting closer, almost touching her nose, Lena wondered why the captain was acting like this. Lately, he seemed to be more clingy.

Attention, attention…

Thinking hard, Lena stood on her tiptoes and patted his hair.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you attention?”

His expression showed he was dissatisfied, but when Lena’s arms got tired and she frowned, he slightly bent his knees. Still, his size remained the same.

“Lower your head a bit.”

“Do you like this?”

“This is surprisingly nice.”

“Sigh…”

Lena seemed to like his fluffy hair, standing on her tiptoes and stretching her arms to touch it.

Unable to watch any longer, Alhendore suddenly picked her up.

“Ah!”

“Just stay like this.”

Suddenly held in his arms, Lena blinked blankly.

‘It is comfortable.’

As he lifted her up to touch freely, she leaned against his broad shoulders, her legs dangling.

“Is it fun?”

“Yes!”

“Well, as long as you’re having fun.”

Walking along the beach with Lena in his arms, a pleasant breeze blew.

“So, is that hometown friend the lord’s son?”

“Yes, if I hadn’t gone to the capital, I would probably be his personal maid right now.”

“That’s a relief.”

“What is?”

Lena looked up at him curiously. Alhendore, watching her quietly, gave a relaxed smile.

“Because that lord’s son, who was served by you, would have to serve you instead. You’re bad at your job.”

“Hey!”

Angry, Lena bit his neck. Alhendore chuckled and made a nonsensical remark.

“Are you provoking me?”

Then he kissed her lips without warning. Surprised by the sudden contact, Lena’s face turned bright red.

“Ah, really!”

She pounded his back and pointed to the lord’s castle. If she stayed with him any longer, she felt they might do even more, so she hurriedly changed the subject.

“Shall we go to the lord’s castle now?”

“What?”

“We have to go to the wedding. That’s why I came here!”

“Like this?”

In the so-called princess carry position, Alhendore looked down at Lena, who was dangling her legs in his arms.

“Am I heavy?”

“No, you’re light.”

Seeing her about to cry, he quickly denied it and walked along the beach path to the lord’s castle.

Since she wasn’t walking, Lena got bored and eagerly looked around. A seagull perched on a boat swimming in the sea.

‘I wonder how much that boat costs.’

These days, people were using boats for cruises.

Suddenly, an idea came to Lena, and she tapped his shoulder.

“Captain, shall I start a business?”

“Suddenly?”

“Yes, I want to grow it well and give it to my uncle as a gift.”

She had already used all the money she saved from her knight work to pay off debts.

Alhendore, sensing why Lena was suddenly talking about business, couldn’t outright say no and changed the subject.

“Let’s find another way instead of business.”

“Why?”

Wouldn’t you end up losing everything if you started a business?

He swallowed the words and looked away.

“The weather is nice.”

“Why are you changing the subject?”

“Changing the subject?”

Lena squinted her eyes and glared at him. The man who always met her gaze was now only looking at the sky.

“You must be mistaken.”

“No, I’m not…”

“No, you’re mistaken.”

“Liar!”

Lena shouted in his arms. Finding it amusing, Alhendore held her and suppressed his laughter.