2.

Many things had happened since Lorendis returned. First, he discovered the fact that she was terminally ill. So Dennis was tearfully bringing his disciple to find an antidote.

Second, she had an audience with Tessler in the capital. He seemed to disapprove of Catherine, but for now, he appeared to be leaving her alone.

Third, Lorendis was by her side. This was the biggest change. Lorendis, who had been absent for a long time, was now guarding Catherine’s side.

“His Grace will escort you to the banquet hall. Enjoy your meal.”

Since it was a casual dinner, she dressed lightly. Nancy tied her hair up comfortably, exposing her refreshingly bare nape.

“How much time do we have?”

“It’s almost time.”

Just then, Lorendis came to escort her.

“The master has arrived.”

“Have you been waiting long?”

This evening, she had been invited to the knights’ internal banquet hall. Catherine greeted Lorendis with slightly nervous feelings.

“You’ve come?”

Lorendis removed his leather gloves and extended his hand.

“I think the knights will be uncomfortable if I go……”

“There’s none of that with those big guys who’ve rolled around with me in the battlefield. They might be curious if they’re curious. They’re all men who use their bodies roughly, so they might act a bit uncouth.”

Lorendis seemed more relaxed than usual as he brought this up. He had set aside his heavy weight and relaxed like a languid male lion.

‘They must be especially close to each other since they’ve been by Lorendis’s side for a long time.’

That would mean he’s close with the knights too.

When Lorendis opened the dining room door, all eyes focused on them. The knights sitting in the banquet hall drinking beer all turned their heads at once.

She had imagined burly knights, but that wasn’t the case. They welcomed Catherine with clean, bright faces.

“You’ve arrived, my lady?”

“We heard from His Grace, but to think you’d come all the way here, we’re sorry to host you in such a humble place!”

All the knights were wearing white shirts and leather pants. The knights, who had just rolled up their sleeves, pulled out chairs to prepare seats for them.

“Please come in. We’ve been waiting for you. His Grace arranging such a gathering—he has changed a bit since getting married.”

The knights sat gathered around a large table, drinking continuously. The sight looked so spirited and joyful that it caught her attention.

“What are you looking at?”

“They look like they’re having fun. Even if I’m intruding on your reunion…!”

Catherine couldn’t finish her sentence. Before she could finish, Lorendis seated her at the head of the table. Then he sat down beside her.

“Our Grace, even after marriage, still maintains that cold attitude. The statement about him changing is canceled.”

“If the previous duke saw this, he would be very pleased. Hahaha. The alcohol tastes good.”

The knights briefly paused and glanced at Catherine, but they quickly lost interest.

How many containers of alcohol are they emptying? Are their livers made of iron? Will all that be digested by the end of the day? Won’t they get stomachaches and be bedridden later?

As Catherine fidgeted while observing them, Lorendis spoke while touching his forehead.

“Drink in moderation. Isn’t there training tomorrow? Does this mean I can break something on those who are out of it in the morning?”

“When Your Grace says such things, it doesn’t sound like a joke. The lady is here, so please lighten up!”

That boisterous atmosphere was different from the banquets she had seen before. They set aside etiquette and formality, freely sharing drinks.

Lorendis was extremely wary of being bound by rules and formality, and showed indifferent reactions to etiquette. Perhaps that’s why. Lorendis also blended smoothly among them.

“Your Grace, please drink too. We’ve brought in crates of alcohol, and these guys won’t leave until they’ve drunk it all!”

“Drinking recklessly will kill several people.”

“Your Grace also drinks strong liquor by the bottle. Do you know, my lady? His Grace is a renowned drinker. Helen’s traditional liquor……”

Catherine was captivated by a strange feeling. While the position of the Duke of Helen itself is high in Helen, he doesn’t control people. People simply follow him.

Lorendis Helen.

The meaning of that name is never light. The fact that they talk about Lorendis so comfortably means they’ve been by his side for a long time.

It doesn’t mean they lack formality. They’ve just set aside formality to match the occasion. Lorendis seems more comfortable with that too.

“They’re people who care about you.”

That was a soliloquy. At that passing remark, the knight sitting across from her raised his head abruptly.

“His Grace is just cold and dirty in temperament, but warm-hearted inside. My lady, you’ll know if you experience it by his side. Just experience it for about ten years.”

“Leonard, why don’t you keep quiet?”

Lorendis silenced the man called Leonard while eating a green grape. Leonard closed his mouth at those words.

“Ten years…… If I spent such time beside him, would I get to know this person a little better, like you all?”

“That much time is more than enough to know him to the point of being sick of it.”

Leonard said while heartily emptying his beer. If I have ten years left, there might be opportunities to get closer to each other.

Harboring such hope makes one create expectations for oneself. And when that hope is taken away, people wallow in the mud again.

“They’re interesting people. They seem to know you very well, Lorendis.”

“I’ve seen them for a long time. Since I’ve been wandering the battlefield since I was fifteen, I’ve seen them for at least ten more years. It’s tiresome. Those faces. I don’t know why they stay attached to this place, what they’re doing here.”

Lorendis’s words carried indifference, but faint affection seeped through.

It was affection built on trust. Not something built in a short time, but something built up carefully over a long period.

“What is this?”

While Lorendis turned his gaze away, Catherine stared blankly at the bottle of alcohol across from her.

“Our lady seems curious about the alcohol!”

When Leonard took the bottle and tried to pour a glass for Catherine, Lorendis grabbed his wrist with a demonic face.

“What are you doing?”

“The lady seemed curious…… Did I make a mistake?”

Thinking Lorendis might get angry and tell him to put it away, Catherine spoke first.

“I am curious.”

Lorendis frowned. He seemed quite displeased. Is this a kind of deviation? Dr. Dennis didn’t say not to drink.

“I want to try it. It’s my first time. You brought me here on purpose, didn’t you?”

When a person is ill and alone, they easily get consumed by depressing emotions. Lorendis was wary of that too, which is why he brought Catherine to them.

“Well! Your Grace is exceptionally concerned. My lady, this is fruit beer! The tangy traditional fruit flavor of Helen is exquisite. The alcohol content is high…wait? What’s the alcohol content of this?”

“Sweet drinks usually have low alcohol content! The lady might find it to her taste, so please try it. Is there a spare glass left?”

Leonard personally poured the beer into a large wooden cup. It gave off a refreshing scent as if mixed with cherry juice.

The bitter taste of alcohol and fruit aroma spread together. As she stared at the glass with wide eyes, Lorendis sighed and rested his chin on his hand.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“It’s bitter and fragrant. Smooth yet tangy. The bubbling like carbonation…… Was I talking too much?”

Lorendis blinked as if surprised.

“Just, when have you ever talked that much?”

“It’s the same as usual.”

“Then it is what it is. Just my feeling, I guess.”

Lorendis tried the same fruit liquor following Catherine but seemed not to like it as he put down his glass. Leonard perceptively brought out a strong liquor.

“This is for Your Grace. Since Your Grace considers beer too bland, I’ve set aside a strong liquor separately. And Your Grace, shouldn’t the lady eat? Are you just drinking?”

“Ah……”