Chapter 69: Why

‘Why is the Duke’s crest there…’

Of all people, it was Viscount Leonard Jimilta. Not only had he used Jackie, but he had also just smiled prettily at her as if he hadn’t done anything.

Though she wanted to confront him immediately about how he had deceived her all this time, she held onto her skirt and restrained herself.

‘There’s no need to bring it up here.’

She didn’t know how her words might spread if she spoke in excitement. So she held back and observed Leonard as he watched his opponent. She thought the sword didn’t suit him well, perhaps because he never carried one. Though tall, his fair skin made him look more suited for parties than swords.

However, that thought shattered the moment the match began. Leonard struck first. He charged at his opponent while drawing his sword from its scabbard. Then he swung his sword mercilessly at the waiting opponent. The wind sound and killing intent were so intense it seemed as if Leonard might have left a visible line in the air.

“Viscount Leonard Jimilta.”

Karhen, watching the match from beside her, mentioned Leonard’s name while observing Bliss’s expression.

“Someone who inherited his title fully as the heir to the viscounty from a very young age. And you’re acquainted with him, aren’t you?”

“…Before I was married, I used to look up to him like a brother.”

Though she emphasized that it was no longer the case, Karhen emphasized the latter part. A relationship where she looked up to him like a brother. That caught Karhen’s interest. While stroking his chin and looking between Bliss and Leonard, he stood up at someone’s beckoning gesture from afar.

“My turn is coming up soon. Then enjoy watching.”

Karhen stood and greeted Princess Jasmin.

“I’ll be dueling not far from here. So don’t watch anyone else, watch me. I’ll fight quite well.”

After insisting she watch him, Karhen disappeared, and while Princess Jasmin stared at where he had gone, Bliss couldn’t take her eyes off Leonard’s swordsmanship.

“…It’s frightening.”

He was completely different from Caelan. Unlike Caelan who ended it with one move by holding his sword to his opponent’s neck, Leonard fought cruelly. Though his swordplay was controlled, blood sprayed everywhere each time he made shallow cuts across his opponent’s body.

It was Leonard’s one-sided attack. His opponent could barely defend while retreating, getting cut on his arms, legs, and sides everywhere. Unlike other stages, this one became a mess with blood sprayed everywhere.

“How could he…”

Though it was a match and didn’t break any rules, it was a cruel scene that made her stomach churn. Finally, when his opponent admitted defeat after losing considerable blood, there was no more cutting. Leonard gracefully showed courtesy to his opponent.

“If he ever faces Caelan…”

He would unleash such attacks on Caelan. Being sent by Duke Blast, he would clearly be even more merciless.

“I need to find out.”

She needed to know how Leonard came to bear that crest. As soon as the judge announced Leonard’s victory, Bliss stood up. Holding her skirt, she immediately slipped away to the side. She had no time to mind others. She moved quickly to not lose sight of Leonard.

***

“Have you seen Bliss?”

“She was here with us, but I don’t know when she left.”

Princess Jasmin had been so focused on Karhen that she hadn’t noticed Bliss’s disappearance. She looked around more flustered than Caelan. But as Bliss was nowhere to be seen, Princess Jasmin’s expression grew serious.

“She hasn’t gone to see the Marquis, so where could she have gone?”

Hearing Princess Jasmin’s question, Caelan thought for a moment before heading outside. Toward the waiting room.

***

“Viscount Jimilta.”

Leonard, who was returning to the waiting room, turned at Bliss’s call. Meeting Bliss, various emotions mixed complexly – gladness, unease, and more. If Jackie hadn’t betrayed him, Bliss wouldn’t know anything, but he couldn’t be certain. There was no one who could have told her about what happened at the marquis’s residence.

Observing Bliss as she approached, Leonard first put on his usual gentle smile.

“How pleasant to meet like this. But what brings you here?”

“I saw your match.”

“Ah…”

Leonard looked at his sword before subtly hiding it behind him. Blood was on his hand and scabbard. And when he cleared his throat, there was blood on his other hand too. Seeing that blood, Bliss asked.

“Are you hurt?”

“This isn’t my blood… I didn’t cut intentionally. It’s a match, and it only ends when the opponent admits defeat.”

“I’m not criticizing you.”

Bliss glanced repeatedly at somewhere on Leonard’s face. At her gaze, Leonard wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, and something sticky came off.

“There’s blood splattered below too.”

Bliss pointed at Leonard’s face. Leonard moved his hand to where she was pointing. But seeing he hadn’t wiped it completely clean, Bliss started to tell him to move a bit more to the side before pulling out her handkerchief, seemingly frustrated.

“This doesn’t mean anything.”

Bliss stepped closer to Leonard. And wiped the blood near his jaw.

“Bliss.”

“Please call me Marchioness Adrian.”

“Very well. Aren’t you going to ask me anything?”

At Leonard’s question, Bliss paused with the handkerchief in hand. After a moment, she lowered the handkerchief as if nothing had happened, and Leonard held out his sword in front of her.

“You must recognize this crest.”

“It’s House Blast’s crest.”

“Yes. It means I must definitely win against Marquis Adrian.”

Despite Leonard’s pressure asking if she still wouldn’t say anything, Bliss fidgeted with her handkerchief.

“What should I say?”

“Anything would do. If you ask me to lose, I will, and if you tell me to forfeit, I can do that too.”

“Why?”

“You’re making this difficult. You saw me earlier. Think about the blood that fell as I cut my opponent’s body. There’s no guarantee Marquis Adrian won’t end up the same way.”

Leonard took the handkerchief from Bliss’s hand. His lowered voice spoke her name – Bliss, not Marchioness Adrian.

“Use me. Bliss.”

“I don’t want to.”

Though Leonard showed her an easy way out, Bliss gently refused. No matter how gentle, a refusal was still a refusal, so Leonard’s expression wasn’t pleasant.

“I don’t distrust my husband enough to make such a request.”

Though worrying was another matter. Bliss hid her true feelings and acted as friendly toward him as he had been familiar with her.

“Let’s both do our best, I’ll cheer for you.”

“You must have seen my match earlier. Who knows what might happen. He could get cuts that leave permanent scars. Are you fine with that? Enough not to rely on me at all?”

“Why should she rely on you when she has her husband, Bliss’s husband?”

Just as Leonard was showing his hurt feelings to Bliss, someone appeared and interrupted them. When Leonard turned to see who it was, he gave a sardonic smile, while Bliss looked at Caelan wondering why he was there.

“You won’t ever have a day where she relies on you, so I’d prefer if you didn’t bring up such things again. I don’t like hearing it.”

Caelan drew a line between Bliss and Leonard, telling him not to cross it. At his cold response, Leonard gripped his sword tightly in anger. He wanted to cross swords with him right here and now, not wait for some future match.

Sensing such dangerous atmosphere, Bliss grabbed Caelan’s hand.

“Let’s go.”

Bliss hurriedly led Caelan away from the place. She thought it was good they quickly separated from Leonard as more people were heading to the waiting room.

As soon as they found a place where they could be alone, Bliss let go of Caelan’s hand.

“Are you alright?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Are you hurting somewhere?”

Bliss felt Caelan’s forehead while also feeling her own. Though it didn’t seem like he had a fever, she tilted her head and then placed the back of her hand against his cheek. It felt warm, so maybe he did have a fever.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“What? But you might not be well from overexerting yourself earlier. Should we call a doctor first?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t alright because I’m physically ill. Didn’t you see me fight? It ended in an instant, there was nothing that could have strained me.”

Instead of being happy about Bliss’s concern, Caelan first expressed his displeasure about meeting Leonard earlier.

“You seem to have already forgotten how he made advances on your maid.”

“That’s not it.”

Bliss knew that too. That’s why she kept her distance from Leonard. Inside, she wanted to ask him why he did that to Jackie. But there was another reason why she hadn’t shown such feelings to him.

“Is it because you remembered how close you used to be?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then was that maid you were so protective of actually nothing to you?”

“That’s not it either.”

Bliss denied all of Caelan’s words as the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile.

“Then why were you standing there being so friendly with him?”

“Duke Blast.”

“…”

“Leonard’s scabbard had the Duke’s crest on it. I went to find out about that.”

Bliss gradually soothed Caelan’s sharp mood.

“There was no other reason, so stop being angry.”