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Episode 69: Happy Birthday (VIII)
“If what you are saying is true, then even more so, I cannot acknowledge the unity with Spinel.”
“

”
“My wife.”
His clenched fists trembled. The margrave’s voice was darkened.
“To die under the blade of a Spinel while loving me
”
There was hatred for me in his eyes. Those must be his true feelings.
I kept quiet in front of him, as long as he was agitated.
So that the totality of our emotions was not overdone.
So that this negotiation would not be too emotional.
“Margrave, the people who did it were not the Knights of Spinel.”
“
What, I’ve definitely seen it! They were wearing Spinel’s uniform!”
“I ordered the knights on the border to defend only the minimum. They followed my orders thoroughly.”
I took some papers out of my pouch and held them out.
“This is the data investigated by my lieutenant.”
“

”
“The ones who harmed your wife are the pirates of Theron Beach, who stole Spinel’s uniform and stayed on Theron Island pretending to be knights.”
“!”
I had ordered my lieutenant to investigate it when I heard that Aktoum’s margrave was attacking Theron Island over and over again.
If it was mishandled, it could become a big diplomatic problem and escalate into a war.
Thus, I had prepared in advance.
As he read the papers, the eyes of the margrave were deeply engrossed, and shocked.
“
My wife was burned to death by pirates
”
His eyes slowly became watery.
I looked at that face sadly.
Such was the bare face of a man who removed evil and now missed his love.
He had a painful expression on his face, as if his body was being set on fire. Like he was going through the death of his wife together.
“

”
I felt sorry, that big middle-aged knight became pitiful.
I parted my lips, as if giving a little consolation.
“Your wife wouldn’t have suffered much, Margrave.”
“

.”
“In most cases of death due to indoor fire
 fainting is probably the first thing that will happen due to the smoke.”
So it likely wouldn’t be as painful as he was imagining it would be.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a big comfort, but I wanted to lighten his heart even a little.
“And, take this.”
I pushed what I took out of my pocket to him.
“This

.”
The margrave accepted it with trembling hands.
“It was collected by my lieutenant as ‘evidence’ during the investigation of the site. It was engraved with the emblem of the Deltian tribe.”
The only Deltian on the island was the wife of the margrave.
It was found next to a well near the house, the only spot where the fire had not reached.
His wife wouldn’t have known when she lost her hair tie. She wouldn’t have known it would become a keepsake of her own to be delivered into her husband’s hands

I brought these documents from Spinel in anticipation of trouble with the margrave. However, the hair tie that I now extend to him was not brought for political purposes.
I just wanted to appease his longing.
“
My wife’s
”
The fortress-like man clasped the hair tie tightly in his hands, and broke down completely.
“You’re right

.”
He wept and let out harsh breaths.
The margrave, who cut people without blood or tears, was a man and a human too.
He cried like a boy.
“
Margrave.”
I felt sorry for him, so I approached him and put my hand on his shaking shoulders.
“She should have been sent to a husband who could give her a child. She should have had another man’s child and see them live happily ever after.”
When I saw him talking about his regrets without breathing, I thought,
‘You don’t even know which one of you caused the infertility.’
They probably didn’t examine it because they were afraid it was the other person rather than themself.
They feared that the wife he loved, or the husband she loved, would blame himself or herself.
They were together even though they were willing to endure anxiety and pain.
Although their words were sharp, the truth was not.
It was just clumsy with misfortune.
“Your wife wouldn’t want another man’s child.”
“

”
“If it were me, it would definitely have been the case.”
Sniffling, crying– With my hand, I gently patted the wide back similar to a crying bear.
“Margrave, raise your head.”
“

Your Majesty.”
The light blue eyes, wet with tears, had softened a lot. I could feel those sincere eyes moving and examining my heart.
“I, too, gave up all that I enjoyed and risked my life for this marriage. That’s how I came to Rixus.”
“

.”
“No matter what happens in the future, I will never leave his side.”
It was only after I exhaled through my mouth that I finally realized.
That this was my true heart that even I didn’t know.
* * *
After the conversation with the margrave, I returned to the banquet hall with a throbbing heart. Then I sat down at the table where Rixus was waiting.
“I’m here.”
“

Yes.”
Rixus sat next to me, very close.
“I was dying to see you.”
“
I see, so you can sit a little further away.”
We were only a few minutes away, but I missed him so much.
As soon as I arrived, the nobles glanced at Rixus, who sat close to me.
It was evident Rixus’ firm statement that it was unpleasant to have other women next to him was spread among the nobles.
Everyone was like, ‘Oh my
!’ They had delighted and satisfied expressions.
Of course, I wasn’t telling him to stay away because of those gazes.
First of all, I felt I was falling in love with the outfit he changed into because it matched so nicely.
Secondly, my heart was a little weak because I realized the feelings that I didn’t know before.
“Why, I have to show friendliness on purpose, right Candy?”
“I think that’s enough.”
I grabbed the chair and moved it to the side to create a little distance, but then Rixus drew closer by that much and sat down very near to me.
I felt his willingness to never separate. My arms felt hot.
“
Don’t stick to me.”
“No.”
He felt like a teenage high school student who didn’t really listen well. I glared at him like an angry English teacher who heard a high schooler pronouncing ‘Sometimes’ as ‘Sometime’.
“What did you say to the Margrave?”
“

”
The question reminded me of the last thing I said.
A sincere oath that I would never leave his side.
‘I can’t say it. To Rixus.’
I will keep it a secret until the day I die. If it was made known, I would be so embarrassed and ashamed.
Even though I could say it to others, it was difficult to be honest with Rixus for some reason.
As I rolled my eyes and plucked the green grapes, I said,
“It’s a secret.”
“Hmm
”
Rixus held his chin, as if he didn’t want to pry.
“I wonder if he was persuaded. That stubborn old man.”
“He isn’t that old.”
“What does that mean?”
“
He has a young heart.”
Because he was a man who knew how to remain in the moment he loved his wife when he was young.
Rixus looked at me with a disconcerting stare.
Anyway, this time I asked what I was curious about.
“And you?”
“What.”
“What did you do while I was away?”
Actually, that was not the question I really wanted to ask.
‘I wonder if you’ve met Yuria.’
Earlier, while I was walking with the margrave, I witnessed Yuria entering the mansion.
Even more ominously

‘She went in after talking to Deborah.’
If Deborah was involved, there was a very high possibility that an unexpected action would pop out.
It was disturbing, but trusting Rixus, I just continued talking to the margrave.
But with a face far from my anxiety, he casually raised his arm.
“I cut my sleeves.”

Sleeves
? Why was he cutting off his sleeves all of a sudden? And the sleeves looked fine.
‘Did Yuria cut off his sleeves
?’
At this point, it was suspected that Yuria was into ‘retail’, but there was no trace of the sleeves of his clothing being cut off.
When I looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression, he let out a low laugh.
It was then. I caught sight of the servant of the margrave going out of the outdoor banquet area.
‘Where is he going?’
Maybe the margrave changed his mind and sent him to Archduke Marquis to change his vote right away.
How good would that be?
‘I don’t think he’ll be in that much of a hurry, and actually
 I’m not even sure if he was persuaded.’
Even with that thought, throughout the banquet, the antennae in my mind flickered in search of hope.
My heart kept pounding.
‘Has it been about an hour?’
Outside of the outdoor banquet area, the servant of the margrave jumped off his horse, rushed in, and shouted.
“Emergency news!”
All the nobles’ eyes were focused at once.
“Archduke Marquis has stamped the marriage permit. The wedding will be held soon.”
“!”
The nobles, who heard it, were surprised and then they cheered in unison.
The atmosphere in the banquet heated up in an instant.
There were people clapping and whistling at us.
Rixus listened to the news with a slightly bewildered expression on his face, and he narrowed his eyes at me.
“What magic did my wife use?”
“

I don’t know either.”
I pretended not to know and quickly picked up a bunch of green grapes.
But his lips touched mine first.
Chuu! The aristocrats cheered louder at the cute kiss.
“Rixus!”
I slapped him on the shoulder in embarrassment, and Rixus burst out laughing.
“We’re finally getting married, Berylia. Aren’t you happy?”
Rixus hugged me like a dog that went mad on a snowy day.
The sound of applause from the people warmed my heart.
It was only when I felt his body temperature that I realized.
‘Finally, we did it.’
In the end, I smiled broadly and hugged him back.
* * *
On the other hand, there was a dark shadow from the window of the mansion.
It belonged to someone who could never applaud their victories.
A person who firmly believed that their marriage was the beginning of misfortune.
“

”
Yuria bit her lips as if they were about to burst.