Chapter 31. Sleep Habit

But my heart, which was about to be touched, shattered the next moment.

As if he was either not listening to me at all or only half-listening, Claude, who was tilting his head to gauge the sun’s position, spoke bluntly in a gruff tone.

“You slept for quite a long time. It’s already lunchtime.”

His expression was as if he had never seen such a lazy person before.

It’s not like I did it on purpose, I was sick…

Normally, I would have argued, ‘I can do that because I’m sick!’ but strangely, my voice came out meekly.

Although it wasn’t intentional, I felt my shoulders shrink at the thought that I had delayed our schedule because of me. The people of the North must be eagerly waiting for the purifier’s arrival, and here I am sleeping until this hour…

Why am I suddenly acting so nice, you ask?

This isn’t acting nice, it’s just how I felt.

When I think of the North, I think of extreme hardship, and then everything I find difficult feels like whining in comparison.

“No, you should have woken me up…”

My voice came out sounding like I was blaming Claude.

You always woke me up at the crack of dawn until now.

“What if we lose the purifier like that. Are you confident you’ve chosen a successor before you go?”

Hey.

People don’t die from colds.

I wanted to talk back, but somehow it felt like I shouldn’t. His atmosphere was murderous.

And…

I’ve already chosen a successor, you know. Hehe.

This, above all, I shouldn’t say.

I was a bit excited at the thought of ending this life in 2-3 years and handing everything over to Aveline. Although I also sighed at the thought of how to endure until then.

“So, shall we depart now?”

Feeling awkward, I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Claude silently stared at me.

Ugh.

It’s a bit scary when you stare with that expressionless face.

I quietly lowered my eyes.

As I was staring intently at the frozen ground for no reason, I could feel his gaze wandering over me.

My whole body felt prickly, whether it was my head, face, or entire body.

Unable to bear the silence, I slightly raised my head again, and Claude quickly turned his head away.

“……?”

What’s this?

Did he just avoid eye contact? Why?

When I blinked in confusion, I noticed his neck, which had turned red.

Oh?

Claude’s ears turning red and even his neck becoming flushed is…

[Wham!

When Aveline ran and hugged him, Claude became docile.

“I thought something had happened… Jumping into a lich’s lair like that…”

He could feel her trembling body in detail. Claude was about to say something like, did she think he would be defeated by such things, but he stopped.

Why is this woman clinging so tightly, it’s embarrassing.

He was about to say something about that too, but he stopped.

Instead, with his large, firm hand that had been awkwardly hesitating in the air, he carefully patted Aveline’s back as if comforting her.

“I came back like this, didn’t I?”

His ears had turned red, and even his neck was flushed.]

So, he only gets that red up to his neck when he’s extremely embarrassed.

I tilted my head.

What is there to be embarrassed about now? I just woke up late and came out of the tent?

It seemed like he was flushed from the cold, considering he’s wearing only a thin shirt.

“Um, Your Grace.”

He frowned and turned around sharply.

Hey, I called you with good intentions, why are you looking at me with such a scary expression?

Still, I had gotten somewhat used to it.

Ignoring my pounding heart from his cold gaze, I approached him.

“Button up your coat.”

You might get frostbite.

As I kindly fastened his coat that was open on both sides, Claude twisted his upper body backwards as if he had been burned.

“Touching seems to be a habit of yours.”

“……?”

“You were clinging like that even while sleeping.”

“Me?”

What are you talking about?

I couldn’t believe it.

“I don’t have such a sleep habit though?”

“Then it seems you’ve just developed one.”

“That can’t be true, right? Are you just saying anything because I can’t remember now?”

“Why would I lie about such a thing?”

Claude frowned as if annoyed.

But I couldn’t accept it.

Are you saying I embarrassingly clung to you while I was asleep?!

“I really don’t have such a sleep habit! Really! Cough, cough! Ah, my throat hurts.”

When I raised my voice and then coughed, Claude looked at me like I was a troublemaker. He then abruptly held out something to me. It was a water bottle filled with melted snow from last night.

“It’s noisy, so shut your mouth. We’re leaving right away.”

He meant for me to drink water if my throat hurt.

Claude turned his head away as if he didn’t want to exchange any more words with me. His blood-red eyes stopped somewhere beyond the sky he was looking at.

Somehow, it looked like he was gazing at a land of love and hate, burning fiercely yet unable to leave.

The emotions contained in it were so thick and complexly intertwined… I unconsciously turned my gaze to the same place as him.

Far away, beneath the snow-covered Grodes Mountains, a pointed castle the size of a fingernail could be seen.

“We’re already very late.”

* * *

We entered Hilton Castle after midnight.

I tilted my head up while firmly holding Sylphid’s reins. The sturdy castle walls situated beneath the rugged mountain range filled my entire view.

It looked small and cute from afar, but up close, it couldn’t have been more majestic. Without exaggeration, it exuded a dignity no less than the Imperial Palace in Elmon.

Although the atmosphere was quite different.

If the Imperial Palace felt luxurious and abundant, the Hilton Castle was like a veiled castle hidden in a winter mountain from a fairy tale. One that had stood proudly for many years despite the harsh weather.

“Wow.”

A sincere exclamation escaped my lips.

Although my breath was constantly visible in the cold, this place was so wonderful that I forgot about the cold while admiring it.

I don’t know for sure, but my eyes must be sparkling like an explorer who has just discovered treasure in the snow. That’s how I felt. It was like becoming a child again.

I only had the perception that the area around the Grodes Mountains was rough and dangerous…

To think that people were living together in such a beautiful place!

It was completely different from Claude’s image.

This guy.

I thought he only had a harsh mouth, but he’s actually governing his territory well.

The long icicles hanging under the roofs and the snowmen made of clean snow awakened the forgotten childhood in me.

Somehow, I felt like I could understand Claude. Why he keeps protecting this place without leaving, even as he spits out harsh curses about how the undead can never be completely eradicated no matter how long he swings his sword.

“It’s a wonderful place.”

“I wonder if you’ll still say that after seeing the undead.”

Ugh.

I just complimented his hometown, and he responds so unpleasantly.

He just can’t be likeable.

Cursing inwardly that he must have had a hard life to be so twisted, I slowly rode my horse.

As we entered the lord’s castle at the center of the inner city, many people were out in front of the castle gates despite the late hour.

Huh? At this hour?

I thought everyone would be asleep…

“Your Grace!”

A man with brown hair and a beard of the same color hurriedly approached.

“Kiel.”

Despite the urgent voice calling him, Claude opened his mouth with an unwavering voice. The middle-aged man called Kiel spoke with a face full of worry.

“Why are you so late! We were so worried thinking something might have happened…”

As he was rambling, Claude quietly gestured towards me with his chin, and Kiel trailed off, slowly turning his head. His face immediately brightened.

“You must be Miss Seraphina!”

“Nice to meet you.”

“We’ve been waiting! All of us have been waiting for you, Miss Seraphina!”

I felt a bit shy at such an enthusiastic welcome. Everyone, represented by Kiel, had faces welcoming me. They all looked tired, probably from waiting for so long.

“Although it’s late, we prepared a welcome party!”

Kiel said energetically.

Cough.

At that moment, I coughed softly, just as I had been doing throughout the journey. Well. It could be ignored. I didn’t have a fever, and it didn’t affect my daily life at all.

“I’ll guide you to your room right away. After you put down your luggage, we’ll escort you to Hilton Castle’s banquet hall!”

“Did your eardrums freeze from being outside for too long?”

At that moment, Claude interjected in a chilling voice.

The innocent Kiel was flustered, his pupils shaking. I also turned to look at him in surprise.

Saying someone’s eardrums are frozen?

I’ve never heard such a thing before.

The insults of the North are truly novel.

While everyone was holding their breath, wondering why their lord was acting like this, Claude spoke without hesitation.

“The welcome party is cancelled. Didn’t you hear the coughing?”

“……”

Huh.

I stared at him with a blank face, dumbfounded.

Regardless, Claude seemed to have no intention of taking back his words. As the welcome party they had worked hard to prepare was cancelled, the shoulders of the people of Hilton Castle began to droop one by one.