Translator: Happybear13
Just as chicks wake up from their eggs, and when they first see people, they are imprinted.
She thought Dylan would have felt that way for her. And now. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Dylan.
‘It feels weird.’
Charlize exhaled slowly.
The aftertaste of the dream made her feel strange.
On the other hand, her body was fresh and refreshing. It feels like a condition that someone took care of her.
Charlize remembered that she fell because of the Blackshaw at the ballroom. Charlize had a hunch.
Due to this incident, the Blackshaw was completely combined with her mana. In the future, only light sneezes will come out when pollen is taken care of.
‘Nursing, did he do it?’
The warmth of the hand she felt in her sleep.
A few tender whispers.
It wasn’t an illusion.
Whenever Charlize was sick or distressed, including the experience of being Keira. No one empathized or cared for her.
So.
It was the first time.
‘He kept changing the wet towel.’
Charlize grabbed the wet towel from her forehead with her hand. It is still wet with water. A new one.
The bright sunlight was seeping through the window.
Charlize observed Dylan.
‘Dylan. Does he look like this?’
Afresh. Dylan’s face, which fell asleep, was handsome.
Just.
Every time they bumped into each other in the morning, Dylan was always neat. That’s why his messy hair feels unfamiliar.
Even his black hair, which was secret like the reigning lord of the night, seemed quite defenseless at this moment.
Long eyelashes. A refreshing scent. The clear facial features are just harmonious.
Did he feel the gaze?
Dylan slowly opened his eyes. Soft-opened blue eyes. Some said blue like the river, but it was always like the sea.
It is so vast that one cannot guess the depth. When you reach the end of the deep sea, you don’t know what’s there.
“…Are you awake?”
Dylan looked at Charlize carefully and touched her forehead as if to examine her.
Charlize stayed still.
Amiable warmth.
Dylan also measured Charlize’s pulse with his finger behind her ear. The finger that touches the hair feels strange. Soon Dylan was deeply relieved.
“How is your vision like now? Do you feel dizzy or blurry?”
“It’s all right.”
Charlize barely made a voice. How long did she fall asleep? Her voice became so hoarse.
“It’s clean and clear.”
Her vision was clear.
Her body was surprisingly light. She felt as if she had never fallen.
“That’s a relief, you woke up three days after the ball day.”
Three days. I see.
Dylan was visibly pleased with a sigh.
Charlize felt strange. It was because she remembered what she had thought just before she fell.
‘I trust Dylan, so I thought I would be safe.’
And Dylan. He proved Charlize’s trust in a perfect way.
Trust…
“Your Highness, I have something to tell you.”
In the meantime, Dylan had avoided knowing what Charlize wanted to say.
But there were only two of them after a long time. Being together in the bedroom, it wasn’t long before the conversation became tense.
Charlize whispered.
“I want to take a fifteen days vacation.”
“Fifteen days…? You mean…”
“Yes.”
“Are you that sick? To such an extent that fifteen days was needed during recovery.”
In the worried eyes of Dylan, Charlize shook her head.
“No. I’ve recovered all my sickness. It’s just a pure vacation. I’m thinking of leaving the island for a while and exploring the Lion Mountains.”
“…”
Only after that Dylan sensed and looked at Charlize.
At this moment, he felt a sense of deja vu. It was just Charlize.
Five years ago.
Charlize asked Dylan for a vacation. It was to participate in a fencing competition.
‘At that time, she was making a wish to the emperor as a winner, and saved Heelu-herb.’
The 7th concubine was free from pain after eating Heelu-herb.
Dylan didn’t ask how Charlize had been getting Heelu-herb at that time. But he can guess it.
Dylan is intelligent. He just didn’t have to talk to her and get the confirmation. He would have known everything.
‘This time, fifteen days of vacation is enough.’
Charlize will find the family heirloom and win the heart of the Duke of Kenin.
To be Dylan’s political force. The center of regional military power. The neutral faction of the nobility who have not yet decided on their Lord.
“…Yes, fine.”
Dylan gave his consent at once.
“Aren’t you going to ask me the reason?”
“I.”
Dylan spoke firmly.
“I trust Master. Completely.”
‘Trust?’
Charlize was speechless for a moment because of what she was just thinking.
Surely Dylan was excellent. Instinctively known or not. He was a genius at penetrating people’s minds.
Charlize who thinks of working as soon as she wakes up after fainting, and Dylan who believes in her and affirms everything. They were definitely two extraordinary people.
‘This is how it feels like.’
Charlize felt a tickling sensation.
“…Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Is there anything else you need?”
Charlize thought for a moment about Dylan’s question.
“Two maids. And a letter of delegation from Your Highness.”
Dylan’s eyes became subtle.
“I think that’s enough.”
The letter of delegation is effective.
We could borrow a hundred of millions of money, or we could sign a contract with legal effect instead.
It was such a destructive document, but Dylan’s answer was very smooth and elegant this time.
“Yes, I will prepare it. Master.”
Dylan’s trust is so solid. It never seemed to break.
Just as Dylan repaid Charlize’s trust, this time Charlize also wanted to fully repay Dylan’s trust.
***
For that reason, Charlize soon left the island. There was no reason to delay it.
The Lion Mountains are of course far away. But it wasn’t long after she took the teleporting train using mana.
“We’ve arrived, Grandmaster.”
Charlize got off the train under the guidance of her maid.
Because she had contacted The Duke of Kenin in advance. The coachman was waiting at the train station where she arrived.
“Go up this way, please.”
There were also five escorts from the Duke of Kenin. This is a very kind of hospitality.
Charlize got into the carriage with her maids. People wondered why a valuable person called the Grandmaster of the Crown Prince had come to this distant place.
“Nice to meet you, Grandmaster.”
The Duke of Kenin spoke in his own gentle manner. To treat Charlize, all the employees also greeted her.
“While the Grandmaster is staying. We’ll serve you devotedly.”
Charlize looked at the Duke of Kenin.
He who protected the North was a powerful man even the emperor could not match him.
He lost his wife a few years ago and didn’t get remarried, so he has no children. The handsome appearance of his youth remained the same.
Charlize pretended not to know Kenin, who was searching for her with a sharp glance.
“So do I. Thank you for accepting my request to stay in your manor. I don’t know what to do with your hospitality.”
Kenin was aware of Charlize’s position.
There are rumors that she is a wicked woman. But now, she is under the next generation of the person in power in the imperial family, both in name and reality.
He offered, hiding his vigilance.
“How about having a conversation with a cup of tea for a while?”
“All right, Duke.”
Charlize nodded her head.
The parlor, which arrived soon, was splendid.
As if he had already studied Charlize’s taste, there was tea and cookies she liked.
Charlize sat down.
“So, why did you take your precious step to this distant place?”
Kenin looked at Charlize with a mixture of strong energy, as if he were trying to get a head start.
“May I hear your story first?”
Kenin was a knight. A knight of the knights. His muscular and solid body was so big that it could not be covered by a uniform.
It is usually intimidating to say that he is an excellent knight in this view. But Charlize, dressed in a beautiful dress, looked as if she didn’t budge.
“Rather than the story.”
The lady smiled brightly. Is she really the Grandmaster? Rather than shrink, there was an intensity that made Kenin recoil at the moment.
“I heard that the Duke likes to bet.”
Charlize said, sipping the teacup elegantly and putting it down.
“Why don’t we just lighten up the mood by making a simple bet?”
Her words of recommendation, it was no different to initiate into a fight.
If Kenin had a child, he would have grown as much as Charlize. For a moment, the Duke felt charisma that he didn’t feel when dealing with any high-ranking noble. He held his breath.
“…Okay.”
In the words of Charlize, Kenin had a strong competitive spirit. It was not necessary to start a fight first. The reason for not responding to the incoming fight. There was none.
Kenin leaned his back on the chair.
“Can I choose the betting event here?”
“Of course.”
Kenin looked at Charlize and rang the bell to call the servant. The servant came in very carefully with his eyes fixed on the floor.
It was clear that military discipline was strongly held.
“Bring me the jade marble board.”
Kenin ordered high-handedly.
The servant seemed surprised for a moment but soon obeyed. The jade marble board was placed on the table.
A game commonly called ‘Confidence game’ in the street. The difference is that it used luxurious materials like that of nobles.
If you put a jade ball in the center, it falls on roulette with 29 probabilities. The winner was the one who bet chips and guessed what number it fell.
“It would be better if the examiner was the Duke.”
Charlize readily gave up her advantageous position to Kenin.
Kenin’s forehead has been narrowed slightly.
Charlize had a calm attitude, even though the manipulating device might be hung on this board.
Kenin has never lost a fight. To be exact. He has never had a losing fight.
He secretly pressed the hidden button on the board, wondering how far Charlize’s calm expression would go.
If he does this. No matter what the answer is, it will never be the correct answer.
“Let’s get started.”
Charlize crossed her legs. It was a strangely laughable attitude as if to try to make fun of anywhere.
Kenin opened the lid in the center and put in a jade ball. And then spin the roulette. The sound of the jade ball falling rang.
Clink clink clink clink.
Tak.
Kenin looked at Charlize confidently.
Charlize glanced down at the given chip. She didn’t worry much with her arms folded. She said, pushing all the stacked chips forward.
“All in on number one.”
‘All in?’
Kenin frowned his forehead. What makes you so confident?
“Will you answer that? Number one is not the correct answer.”
He could see that Charlize was at a disadvantage. 1/29 and 28/29. But at the moment, Kenin was surprised at how unshakeable her face was full of conviction.
The correct answer can’t be number one. Because the manipulating device is hung so that the first answer is not correct.
Kenin had nothing to lose. He also pushed the chip forward.
“Okay, I’m going all-in too.”
Then now it was time to check.
‘I looked at her highly because she was the Grandmaster, but she was nothing special than I thought.’
Kenin opened number one with confidence. He made the winner’s face without even checking. But it was strange.
Charlize looked up at Kenin without shaking her legs as she had been. And hide a smile on her lips.
‘Are you smiling?’
Kenin lowered his head with doubt. And he saw something unbelievable.
On number one. There was a jade ball in it.
***