Chapter 8 (Part 2)

“Oh, so you’re the one who kept my brother’s banner to the end.”

“Ah, well, I just…”

“Surviving means you kept the unit. Well done, well done.”

Thomas, with his red curly hair, looked sheepish.

Young Thomas, who admired Edarson’s fame, naturally followed the lord when he received the king’s command to go to war with the foreigners. Little did anyone know it would last for seven years.

He wasn’t particularly skilled in martial arts, and on that expedition, all he could do was help with the menial tasks of the supply unit. The supply line was often inadequate, so he spent more days trying to make the lord smile a little more than performing his actual duties.

In the final battle, he somehow survived. He was one of the few who survived among those guarding the camp, and the only one who did not get caught by the pursuit team.

He had a long and arduous journey back home, hiding to avoid a military trial.

Who would have thought that the elders of the collateral family in Tarnu would welcome him upon his return?

The lord had strictly ordered not to open the gates to them under any circumstance.

“They say my brother’s funeral will be held soon. Shouldn’t you give a eulogy or something?”

“M-Me?”

“If you recite some of my brother’s heroic tales, Madam will be pleased too.”

“W-will she be pleased…?”

Thomas hunched his shoulders.

The lord’s expedition was harsh and grueling. It was a battlefield set up to drive the renowned unbeliever, who had led the kingdom to victory after victory in his youth, to his death. Having seen it up close, Thomas had nothing to say to the Madam.

“The lord did miss the Madam a lot.”

Thomas mumbled without realizing it, causing Schultz’s eyes to narrow sharply.

“You’ve heard that someone from the same unit is here, right?”

“Yes, I heard…”

“What was his name…?”

“Edan.”

A tousled-haired man listening to their conversation quickly answered.

“Yes, Edan. Wasn’t he a squire…?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Do you know him? He’s here. Tall, blonde like the people from the north, with green eyes. Looks like a complete gigolo.”

“Well, I don’t know all the squires… And I wouldn’t know their names even more.”

“His origin. From his accent, it seems he’s from around here.”

“There were so many who followed the lord from the east…”

“He’s tall too.”

“If he was a squire, he would have been young then…”

Thomas tilted his head and spoke uncertainly. Schultz’s lips twitched in dissatisfaction.

At that moment, a man came running from inside. It was the bishop’s attendant.

He whispered something in Schultz’s ear, causing Schultz to twist his lips into a smile.

“Well, I must go.”

He tapped Thomas’s shoulder with his thick hand, adorned with several large rings.

“The Madam is calling for me. Stay and have fun. See you next time.”

Thomas bowed deeply and quickly scurried over to where the old men were chatting in the distance.

***

“You two should have a talk.”

“I have nothing to say.”

Ellenia’s firm words made the bishop’s wrinkled cheeks twitch.

In the lord’s study. The bishop, who visited her study morning and evening to pester her, was seated at the desk as if he had made up his mind.

Ellenia stood in front of the desk, hands clasped, fighting back in her own way.

‘There’s no whip, it all burned before my eyes yesterday…’

She constantly fidgeted with her trembling fingers.

“Still, if you talk, things might change.”

“There’s no such chance.”

The bishop’s clasped hands trembled. In the past, he would have thrown something or struck her, but today, he restrained himself from damaging that face.

His strength had waned, and he was intimidated by the servants of Tarnu, so he rationalized that he was making a concession.

Ahem, at least that tall young man who always glared at him wasn’t there. Whenever he tried to speak to Ellenia, that cold gaze, like a snake’s, would fix on him.

‘It will be over in an hour, or even half an hour.’

He had made sure water leaked into the room he was staying in and had specifically asked for Edan’s help, claiming he needed someone tall. Thus, Edan was tied up in his room.

‘I’ll be back soon.’

Ellenia’s words to heed the bishop’s request were reluctantly followed, but Edan’s warning gaze towards the bishop was irritating.

The bishop’s gaze towards Ellenia was, however, filled with greedy desire, like a snake’s.

“You came to save the family of unbelievers in the name of Nux, and what are you doing? Unable to hide the harlot’s blood flowing in you, you just…”

“…”

“Do you not realize that by the grace of the Lord, you barely enjoy this luxury?”

Swallowing her dry saliva, Ellenia said the words she had practiced since yesterday.

“Even if Tarnu goes bankrupt… I will never return to Nux, so don’t worry, Grandfather.”

“Ha! How will you manage without wealth, without a husband?”

“You told me to die in Tarnu if I must.”

Her fingers trembled as she stared at the edge of the desk.

Rumors said she was dying, and indeed, she looked as thin as someone who couldn’t even eat gruel. Even with the meager divine blessing, it was clear to him that her life was waning.

‘She will die in Tarnu.’

To him, the promises made by the Earl of Opellus in exchange for Tarnu were more important than the health of his granddaughter, who shared his blood.

While he was calculating, the bishop remained silent.

Knock, knock.

The knock was oddly timed, as if the person knocking was trying to make it stylish. No one had invited him in, but Schultz opened the door and entered.

“Good afternoon, Bishop. And you too, Madame.”

Ellenia stepped aside and bowed her head.

“Thank you for arranging this meeting, Bishop.”

His body language was oddly arrogant. The bishop cleared his throat and nodded, then stood up.

“Anyway, you understand my point? Running a castle without a husband is not easy.”

“Of course, of course.”

“Have a talk.”

With surprisingly nimble steps for his age, the bishop was already pulling the door handle. As Ellenia stepped forward, either to follow or stop him, the bishop had already closed the door behind him.

Thud. The dull sound of the door closing was followed by silence.

“I have nothing to discuss with you.”

As Ellenia took a step towards the door, Schultz blocked her way with his body. A look of displ*asure crossed her eyes.

“My thoughts differ greatly from yours. People usually talk in such times.”

Schultz grabbed her shoulder and pushed her towards the couch. Ellenia hurriedly spoke out.

“I am the legitimate heir of the lord, and this inheritance has nothing to do with you. I don’t see why a conversation is necessary.”

“Well, that’s something I can explain in a conversation.”

Schultz pushed her to sit on the reception table, not the couch. Sitting on the cold wooden table, Ellenia looked visibly flustered. Schultz’s thick shadow loomed over her.

“This could have been resolved so easily. Why did you avoid it so stubbornly?”

Ellenia hesitated and placed her hand behind her back. Schultz took a step closer, standing between her knees, causing her to instinctively pull her legs up onto the table.

Schultz smirked and leaned forward. Ellenia moved her hands behind her, trying to push herself further back.

“Ah, so you’re willingly lying down.”

“W-what…!”

“You know it all, don’t you? The obvious things that happen between a widow and the brother of the deceased.”

“Don’t mistake your delusions for common sense.”

“In ancient times, it was customary for a brother to take his brother’s widow.”

“This is the era of the kingdom.”

“That just means it’s a natural thing.”

Thud, Schultz’s thick hand hit the table. The sound echoed like the blade of a guillotine falling.

His arms now caged Ellenia’s waist.

Though not as well-trained as Edan, his large body was imposing. With the rainy season making everything dark even in the daytime, his presence made it feel like night.

Nights during the rainy season were hard to endure without her husband.

Ellenia kicked her legs to move further back. Schultz snorted and climbed onto the table, kneeling.

“If you stop here, I won’t question you any further.”

“Who would believe I’m committing a crime?”

As Schultz’s face slowly approached Ellenia’s, she spat for the first time in her life, hitting Schultz’s chin. Schultz, realizing what had happened, swung his hand into the air.

Thud. With a dull burst, Schultz’s thick hand slapped Ellenia’s cheek, turning her head. Her elbow slipped, causing her to fall onto the wooden table.

Her cheek stung, her ear buzzed, and her head throbbed with a dull pain… yet Ellenia’s blue eyes fiercely glared at Schultz. Blood stained her pale lips.

“I’m offering to be the husband you need.”

“…You’re overconfident.”

“You seemed to need it at night. Taking any man into your bed.”

Schultz’s green eyes gleamed wickedly. As Ellenia struggled to get up, his thick hand pressed down on her shoulder.

Unable to overpower him, she could only glare. The rings on his fingers dug into her shoulder, making her bones ache.

“Ten years. I waited 10 years, so I deserve this much.”

Quickly sitting on her legs, he lifted one of her hands. It was the hand with Tarnu’s signet ring.

“I’ll be your husband in bed and as the lord of Tarnu.”

As he fiddled with her fingers, he touched the ring. Just as it was about to slip off her thin finger, her fingers curled like hooks. Though not strong, the sudden resistance thwarted Schultz’s intention.

“I said it’s unnecessary.”

“You don’t seem to understand. This isn’t a matter of agreement; it’s already decided. The bishop agrees too.”

Schultz chuckled at her pale face. The signet ring would soon be his anyway.

He smirked, tossed her hand aside, and lifted her skirt, slipping his hand underneath.

“…This is improper!”

Furrowing her brows deeply, Ellenia twisted her legs together. Her eyes, filled with determination, flashed.

“Improper?”

Schultz snorted and grabbed her b*ttocks.

“Ugh…”

“You spread your legs for that bastard with unknown origins, but you can’t for me, who has Tarnu’s blood?”

Schultz leaned down to bury his face in her neck. All Ellenia could do was pull her head back as far as possible.

He… He…

The door Edan had exited through at the bishop’s request came into view.

‘No matter what you want to do, Madam. No matter how happy you want to be. No one can hurt you, Madam.’

Maybe not. Maybe you were wrong.

Ellenia’s eyes trembled helplessly. Her fear was so intense that not even tears welled up.

Schultz, seeing where her gaze was directed, snorted in disbelief.

“That bastard would die. Depending on how you act, I might spare his life.”

He forced her legs apart and wedged his knee between them.

“Cry, whether in pain or pl*asure.”

As he unbuckled his pants, the study door suddenly burst open.

“Damn it, I told them not to let anyone in…”

Schultz’s eyes widened.

“Ellie!”

As Edan entered the room, he saw Schultz with his pants half down and Ellenia’s dress beneath him.

“What the f*ck!”

Edan rushed forward in a few strides, grabbing a paperweight from the desk on his way.

Schultz drew a dagger from his belt, intending to use it if Ellenia resisted too much. But before he could even draw it out properly,

Thud.

Edan’s hand, holding the paperweight, swung hard towards Schultz’s head.