Chapter 6 Part 5

As the crates piled up in front of him, he handed Alexander a document listing the items in a table.

“Upon inspection, most are ordinary household items.”

They consisted mostly of a mobile for a child, unfinished small clothes, and various cooking utensils.

“At least the only thing somewhat worth reading is the diary Celestine wrote.”

He took the diary from Boris. In truth, it barely qualified as a diary, since most entries were about Melissa.

『—saw my swollen belly and quietly asked whose child it was. Of course, I said it was yours, but he didn’t seem to believe it. He wondered how a child could be born between us. When he said it didn’t matter because you were my woman and that we should raise the child together, I was so stunned that I didn’t speak to him at all today. I intend not to talk to him tomorrow either.』

『He seems afraid that I’m human. Does he think our differences will tear us apart?』

『The child said “mom” for the first time. I was excited and said my child is a genius, but — shed tears. More pathetic than me.』

『When the child sleeps, they open their mouth, and when I close it, they soon open it again. Listening to the tiny heartbeat, I am simply thankful they are alive. Though people say I’m obsessive, — cleans the child’s drool with my hands and never puts them down. What if the child can’t walk someday?』

“Every spirit’s name has been erased.”

“That’s not all. The drawings, too.”

There was a crooked drawing likely by Melissa—of a small child and a mother, unmistakably Melissa and the child, but the face of the presumed biological father was scratched out.

He read the diary with indifferent eyes. As he flipped through every page swiftly, his expression contorted then alternated with a strange thrill.

He muttered harshly,

“I thought she was abandoned.”

Alexander seemed displeased that Melissa, who was apparently dearly loved by her biological parents, might not have been so in his eyes.

Boris gave up trying to understand his master, fearing his own sanity would unravel.

『My father’s reprimands never cease. Melissa, I thought you would understand me, since we’re so alike. When my father asked who my husband was, I told him the truth. But as soon as he heard it, he tried to kill my daughter. 』

The diary grew increasingly tense with conflicts between her and her father. That was normal. But the final part couldn’t be overlooked.

『Who exactly is my husband? I’ve never been married. I casually dated men, so having a child by chance was natural. I accept responsibility for that. But I can’t understand why my father, who once promised to raise the child if I gave birth, now treats my child with disdain. 』

 『They say my child will be a threat to Bergritz. It’s better to hand her over. My father treats me like I’m insane. 』

It was as if she had completely forgotten Melissa’s biological father.

『But who is the man written about in my diary? 』

That was the last line of the diary.

Alexander closed the diary. Celestine died before she could properly start her rebellion due to her father’s betrayal, and the baron handed Melissa over to Bright.

Unlike Celestine, who seemed to have completely forgotten her memories related to the spirits, the Gallandia baron remembered everything.

“I see he knew.”

He murmured while staring into space. The Gallandia baron wouldn’t have handed his granddaughter to Bright without reason. Surely, he revealed Melissa’s true identity, believing she would be useful someday.

Thus, Bright also knew Melissa’s true nature — that Melissa Gallandia was the daughter of a spirit.

Bright, knowing this, neglected her but nurtured her like a jewel and kept her near Franz as a pawn.

According to the ‘truth’ uncovered by Tavalon scholars, spirits don’t easily die at human hands, which explains why attempts to kill Melissa repeatedly failed.

The key fact was that the Gallandia baron knew all this and sent Melissa away, effectively handing her over to be used at will.

“What a remarkable loyalty.”

He sneered sincerely.

“The grandfather she longs for so much actually abandoned her and handed her over to be used—how would Melissa react if she knew? She would collapse miserably. If embraced at that moment, she might be less likely to look elsewhere. But he did not want to see her fall apart. Alexander tapped the desk twice with his index finger. Let’s think differently. If she learned that she was quite loved by her mother, she would smile brightly. She would be sad at the absence of her mother, but also breathlessly happy. Perhaps she would forget her loneliness, even if only for a moment. Here’s the problem. Would a woman who is not lonely need him? He furrowed his brows and put the palm-sized diary down on the desk.

“Is there anyone else who knows this?”

“I’m the only one who has checked the diary.”

Alexander leaned on the desk, crossed his arms, and stared at Boris for a long time. Everyone in the room knew he was contemplating whether to kill him or not. Eventually, unable to stand it, Pulvius shouted,

“Sir Boris knows loyalty better than anyone. Sir, please trust him.”

“I do.”

Alexander still stared at Boris, curling his lips.

“It’s just that I’m concerned. Your superior has personal feelings for my sister-in-law.”

“…What? …Sir is obsessed with men… and yet meets several… No, even if you have a hobby of women… Melissa is too young…”

Pulvius stammered, flustered.

“You said you consider her like a niece? Oh, wait, you don’t even have a niece.”

He started turning pale as if thoroughly misunderstood. Boris suppressed the urge to hit his crown and opened his mouth to defy his master.

“I know exactly who my master is. Just give me the orders. Even in the afterlife, I will keep my mouth shut.”

“Good. Keep it secret. Be careful what you say in front of your sister-in-law.”

Boris now felt bitterness rather than irritation.

Melissa was no longer in a position to be pitied, but it was inevitable to feel sorry for someone who knew nothing. Yet Boris maintained a perfect poker face—a skill honed over more than ten years dealing with Alexander.

“By the way, why is she still ‘sister-in-law’?” Boris said bluntly. Not long ago, he used to call her by name just fine.

“Until the safety of the Gallandia Marquis is secured, he said not to touch her.”

“……”

“Until then, she’s just an outsider. So, sister-in-law.”

Alexander pulled out a small box from his br*ast pocket. Inside was the most expensive ring known recently. Instead of imagining placing the ring on her finger, he recalled biting deeply into her finger. Don’t touch her. Ah, she was truly a woman desperately struggling in many ways.

***

“I want to practice on the castle wall.”

Melissa’s sudden stubbornness had a reasonable cause. The farther she got from the mansion, the easier it was to open the gate to the otherworld where the dragons lived, so she insisted she must leave the annex for training. Of course, the knights didn’t know that transforming the magic stone and easily opening the gate to the otherworld were two different problems.

“No.”

Despite her cunning, Boris and Pulvius stood firm.

“I just want to go out for a bit, Sir Boris. Isn’t there any way?”

While pretending to be a sage, Melissa stayed in the annex and could only leave when going to the academy. Going back and forth between the academy and annex was stifling in a way. It was a different feeling from staying in the mansion. Although the places she could go were limited, eyes always followed her: Boris, Aetiu, and Askan included. Sometimes their gazes grew sharp, making it hard to feel comfortable. She felt suffocated.

“How about the castle wall right behind the annex? Wouldn’t that be okay?”

Pale Melissa asked anxiously, and Aetiu spoke with concern. But Boris shook her head firmly.

“By the lord’s orders, Lady Melissa must be safely escorted within the annex.”

“We’re not going far, and there’s no enemy nearby,” Askan stepped forward. She nodded her head, challenging Boris and Pulvius.

“You’ve both seen it for yourselves. Either the academy or the annex. The guards have more freedom than this.”

Boris and Pulvius were helpless. Already disliked by their lord because of the ‘captive’, they had no choice but to be firm. Their lives depended on their swords, so they had to be strict.

Just as Boris was about to shake his head again and refuse,

“For a while only, I told you, sister-in-law.”

Alexander stood slanted in the doorway. The knights quickly made way so Alexander could approach her.

Melissa could not hide the joy of seeing Alexander after nearly a week.

He stood tall before her. Her eyes softened and brightened the moment they met him, a sight quite pleasing.

“You told me not to touch you, yet your face shows regret.”

He teased, but she hesitated, then answered honestly.

“…Yes, I regret it.”

“…”

“But there’s no choice. You’re the one who proposed the deal.”

Alexander shrugged and stepped forward with purposeful strides. He seemed unwilling to discuss the matter any further.

“How many times must I tell you? Call me by my name.”

“But everyone’s here…”

“That’s fine. Pretend they’re not.”

Melissa glanced around nervously. The noisy crowd from before now bowed silently, hiding their expressions, like statues in a corner of the room.

Resigned, Melissa nodded and softly called to him.

He leaned closer as if not hearing well.

“What did you say?”

“…Alexander.”

He smiled gently and whispered,

“I never intended to imprison you, sister-in-law.”

His breath brushed her cheek like a kiss. Melissa nodded to show she understood his words. Her heart trembling wildly and her body uncontrollable whenever near him felt foolish.

“Are you feeling very frustrated?”

“…Yes.”

“That’s why you told the ignorant knights about the gate to the otherworld.”

“I’m sorry.”

He must have heard her lie. Unable to raise her head, he gently lifted her chin.

“That was for your safety. Besides, we have a plan, don’t we?”

“…Since you mentioned the plan first…”

He whispered as if sharing a secret, and her face blushed deeply as she spoke softly.

“What about my grandfather’s safety? Is it even possible to secure it from the start…?”

“Trust me. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Half of his shameless lie was the truth. Literally, there would be no trouble regarding the safety of Lord Gallandia. Alexander smiled widely, making sure she wouldn’t pry any further, then extended his hand.

“Let’s go.”

Alexander longed to bite into Melissa’s cheek, which was coloring vividly. Her ever-changing expressions were not just amusing but stirred strange desires within him. The common lust spoken of in the world flared easily in her presence.

“Please allow me to escort you. I will accompany you.”

“Thank you.”

Thankful, yes. But in truth, his intention was to keep her confined. If possible, he wished to lock her in his room, but the renovation of the top floor wasn’t yet complete. He was displeased the way Franz had left it in disarray. While rebuilding, he was remodeling it into a proper marital chamber.

“Let’s go.”

The hand of the woman who often came to his mind suddenly clasped his.

***

They climbed the castle wall overlooking not the sea, but the vast plains. The middle of the triple walls stood higher than the outer walls, offering a clear view down to the horizon of the plains. At the breathtaking sight, Melissa took a deep breath. Glancing back, she saw that he, too, was gazing at the expansive plains. A sudden curiosity overcame her, and she couldn’t resist speaking.

“Alex, do you love Tavalon?”

His head slowly lowered toward her. His black hair, covering his forehead, fluttered in the breeze. Alexander leisurely took in his land with his eyes before finally speaking.