Delphine, whom I met after a long time, was still beautiful.
There was no need to employ more descriptions to express her beauty. As always, the enchanting and captivating scent of the woman dulled the senses of the man.
It felt as if I were intoxicated.
The distinction between reason and desire had blurred. Moreover, she was the female I had held in my arms twice.
The instincts of a male were violently shaking my mind.
However, today there was a more important matter at hand.
I deliberately cleared my throat to regain my composure. Regardless, Delphine just looked at me with a slight smile in her eyes.
That gaze was affectionate.
It was a glance filled with love. I turned my eyes away, feeling grateful yet embarrassed.
Of course, the outfit clinging to Delphine’s body was provocative.
Through the disheveled neckline, a secret valley was visible. I inadvertently imagined the scene beyond that thin fabric and had to swiftly erase the images that floated in my mind.
Right, it wasn’t the time for that yet.
Enjoying leisure could wait until after our conversation.
“Senior Delphine, have you been well?”
“No.”
Delphine replied with a playful smile.
The way she crossed her arms and leaned against the back of the chair was quite defenseless. Perhaps her breasts resting on her arms emphasized the shape even more.
If it were in the past, I might not have realized, but now I couldn’t help but know.
That Delphine was trying to seduce me.
In any case, she was a woman who loved to tease.
“How could I be well when my husband has collapsed? I lived every day just worrying about him.”
“You don’t look particularly emaciated.”
“It would be troublesome to look haggard. I’m a woman too, and I want to look pretty in your eyes.”
I chuckled lightly, shaking my head.
There was probably some half-truth in Delphine’s words. Since we had a certain connection, it couldn’t be helped that she would be concerned.
However, there was a fallacy in her confession about worrying all day long.
My injuries were not that serious.
In fact, they fell under the category of serious injuries, but compared to the time I was completely wrecked, with my organs shattered and my body pierced all over, these were superficial wounds. The only injuries I had were fractures and bruises from fighting Leorick.
Hence, I was able to recover relatively quickly.
Even a comparison with the recent battle against the Corpse Giant would illustrate this.
Back then, I had to lie still for several weeks. Considering that precedent, the injuries I sustained from my fight with Leorick were laughable.
Although they were serious injuries, they did not threaten my life.
They were not wounds significant enough for Delphine to worry about.
As proof, I had managed to escape after just two hours of scolding from the Lady Virgin Saint. This indicated that my injuries were not as severe as they had been before.
The Saint tended to adopt a strict demeanor the more seriously I was injured.
In fact, this was not limited to the Virgin Saint alone. Most of the women surrounding me were like that, and because of that, I had to endure endless scolding until just a few minutes ago.
At least it was fortunate that Ceria was not around.
I heard she was busy dealing with the remaining problems at the front line.
She was expected to arrive today or tomorrow, and she would likely notify us of her arrival as soon as she did. That would mean the beginning of yet another round of scolding.
How I ended up living in such a captured state.
I sighed inwardly, but there was a genuine reason to sigh now.
My words flowed out straightforwardly.
“You entrusted me with the treatment of the Yuridina Clan.”
It was then that Delphine’s previously relaxed demeanor began to crack.
The playful teasing was wiped away.
Startled, she momentarily stiffened and then frowned slightly. She straightened her upper body and tapped her fingers on the table a few times as if she had a difficult dilemma.
Delphine did not bother to pry into the subject of my confession.
There were only two beings capable of deciding the fate of the Yuridina Clan in the Empire.
One was Delphine.
The other was obvious.
A soft moan escaped from Delphine’s lips.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.”
That was my honest feeling.
Delphine smiled as if she had expected that response and leaned back against the chair again.
Her blood-red eyes turned momentarily to the side. It was a habit she developed when lost in thought.
A competent leader does not delay in making decisions.
Delphine was the same. Her body shot upright, and soon her white hand was rummaging through the cabinet. It didn’t take long before a luxurious bottle of wine revealed itself.
Two wine glasses naturally rose on the table.
I was fine with that, but the timing was not right. I could not indulge in drinking at such a critical moment.
A small sigh escaped my lips.
“Senior Delphine, did you not hear me? This is a matter regarding the fate of the clan. We need to put our heads together immediately…”
“No.”
It was a simple yet firm tone.
My mouth, unable to penetrate her thoughts, snapped shut. Delphine was already pouring the wine.
With a slosh, the ruby liquid poured into the two glasses.
The fragrant aroma tickled my nose. It was the usual development.
The only difference was the rather bored expression on Delphine’s face.
That was also typical of Delphine. Until we had that covert late-night battle, she had always maintained such an attitude.
Bored and tedious.
Her complexion indicated that she was tired of everything in the world and wished to choke.
“My father has been detained, so now I am the head of the Yuridina. While they may not monitor my bedroom, all my schedules are likely under scrutiny. What if I inadvertently show that my husband and I are discussing something?”
I did not pry into the words that followed.
She would lose the Emperor’s trust.
It was a conclusion unfavorable for both me and the Yuridina Clan.
Still, I couldn’t shake off a sense of regret.
“But…”
“I don’t want to lose anything.”
Delphine slumped into her seat, hugging her knees and leaning her upper body forward. She was not the poised and graceful figure I was used to.
Only I would be able to witness this defenseless side of Delphine.
A fragile voice followed.
“I don’t want to lose either you or the clan…”
It was an unusually soft-spoken remark for her.
It could even be treated as a child’s whimper. Not wanting to lose either option was merely a personal wish.
What if the moment came when a choice had to be made?
Delphine would need to make a decision. She couldn’t possibly be unaware of that, yet she was pouting at me.
Saying she didn’t want to lose either me or the clan.
At the same time, it meant that my importance in Delphine’s heart had surged to that extent.
That I was now weighed against the clan.
I spoke with a bitter smile.
“Then doesn’t that mean we really need to put our heads together?”
“No, I can’t make an objective judgment. Besides, the more frequently we meet, the more detrimental it is.”
Then it meant I had to refrain from meeting Delphine for a while.
At least, I couldn’t have conversations as secretive as this.
Feeling regret, I licked my lips and fell back into thought.
Did that mean I had to solve this dilemma on my own?
I could arrive at a brief conclusion today, but a hasty decision would likely turn out to be poison.
Delphine watched me silently, seemingly bored; yet, she wore a slight smile as if she found it amusing. The wine swirled in the glasses.
Ultimately, it was Delphine who broke the silence.
“Why not have a sage?”
“…?”
My eyes, filled with questions, turned to Delphine.
She continued with an air of nonchalance.
“There are plenty of smart people in the world who aren’t me. There must be someone like that around you, right?”
Ah, I inadvertently gasped.
Come to think of it, there was someone.
My most trusted friend, a brilliant mind.
Reto Ainstan.
I quickly sighed in relief at the name that flashed in my mind.
Perhaps with Delphine it was different, but there was no reason for the Empire’s Intelligence Department to interfere if I was sharing my concerns with Reto, who was like a brother to me. And with Reto’s intellect, he would surely come up with a solution that would satisfy me.
As I brightened, Delphine burst out laughing.
“Were you that worried about me?”
“Of course… I mean, wouldn’t anyone feel that way?”
I cleared my throat, trying to maintain my composure.
Was I worried about Delphine?
That was a question with an obvious answer.
Was there a man who wouldn’t worry about a woman with whom he had crossed countless lines and shared two nights?
Even if such a man existed, it would be questionable if he could even be called ‘human’.
Delphine leisurely raised her glass and said.
“Hehe, you seem to be deep in thought already? You ought to be able to forget for at least tonight… It’s a joyous occasion, isn’t it?”
“No, I can’t do that. I should also express my gratitude for securing the elves’ livelihood…”
“One of those elves saved the North.”
My words came to an abrupt halt.
I had heard it too.
About Pope Eyong’s sacrifice.
His life was filled with hatred for a long time. To hate and resent someone can rot your very heart.
Yet, in his last moment, he chose to throw himself for the humanity he despised so much.
Pope Eyong once told me—
That just like a loaf of bread must be returned by bread.
Thus, he may have thrown away his life. After all, I had thrown myself to save the elves of the village.
I could only maintain silence in a heart that felt inexplicably heavy.
“The Yuridina does not forget blood debts. Whether it be the blood we shed or the blood shed for us… His sacrifice will receive its rightful reward.”
“…Thank you.”
I tried to act as if it meant nothing, but my voice was tinged with moisture.
Once again, I had fallen into debt.
I lost Ned and I lost Pope Eyong.
And going forward, it was likely to continue in that manner.
My path lay on the line of life. It was impossible to advance without stepping on someone else’s sacrifice.
However, I reaffirmed my resolve today.
Even if the world forgets, I will remember them.
Delphine was a very understanding woman.
She waited patiently for me to soothe my heart and ended up sharing a drink as we spent the night together.
And then, what?
Before long, Delphine was beneath me. The disheveled state of her clothes and the sweet scent of her body enveloped my nose intoxicatingly.
With slightly flushed cheeks, she gave me a sly smile.
As if trying to squeeze the man’s heart.
“Looks like this is how it ends up again today, my husband?”
I instinctively tried to deny that statement, only to then smile wryly.
It was true.
—
Ceria felt good.
It was as if her heart had turned into down feathers, fluttering in the air. Her overwhelming joy quickened her steps.
The dire crisis the North faced had been resolved.
And the one who solved that problem was the senior she adored.
Ceria was so pleased that she could have cried just from that fact.
With the monster that could have covered the North gone, her beloved sister must have found peace of mind as well.
Furthermore, the reputation of Senior Ian, who had consecutively taken down the minions of the evil god, would surely rise even higher.
It was a boon that had come to both family and love. There was no reason for Ceria not to be happy.
Now there was only one worry left.
That was Ian’s well-being.
Although it was not life-threatening, anxiety could burrow into her heart, lying in wait for possibilities. Ceria felt proud of Ian, yet she found herself biting her nails anxiously each night.
But now that tormenting night was over.
Because she had heard that Ian had regained consciousness.
As soon as she heard that news, Ceria headed home. It was such a sudden decision that she probably didn’t even properly notify her family.
But it didn’t matter.
Ceria was Delphine’s most trusted younger sister. There was no place too secret for her not to be able to come and go within the clan.
Leaving behind the shock of the gatekeeper, Ceria hurriedly ascended the stairs.
No matter how much she longed to see Ian, order had to be maintained.
Ceria was a vassal of Yuridina, and upon arriving at her family’s home, it was only natural for her to report to the head.
The time was already late at night.
Delphine would likely be in her bedroom, not her study. Perhaps she might have dozed off from fatigue.
That was good.
In that case, she could skip even the brief time needed to report to her sister.
Of course, it didn’t take long for Ceria’s expectations to be betrayed.
A soft light was still seeping from Delphine’s bedroom. In that warmth, Ceria involuntarily sighed, but then steadied her mind.
Delphine was also someone Ceria respected just as much as Ian.
But the moment she took another step forward…
“Looks like this is how it ends up again today, my husband?”
Ceria’s body froze as if she had received an electric shock upon hearing the flirtatious tone for the first time.
It was Delphine’s voice.
Ceria, who had lived her life with Delphine as her only goal since childhood, certainly couldn’t mistake her sister’s voice for anyone else’s.
Yet, she still couldn’t erase a shred of doubt.
Delphine’s tone was so unfamiliar.
As if she were being affectionate, desperately craving the affection of her partner.
Holding her breath, Ceria instinctively lowered her posture. She crawled and ambled to sit outside the door where the faint light was seeping in.
Only then did she sense the presence within the room.
There were two.
And they were far too familiar.
The blue eyes opened wide, filled with disbelief.
Immediately after, the soft laughter of a man rolled into the young girl’s eardrums.
“…Indeed.”
Ceria had to cover her mouth with both hands.
There was no doubt.
That was Ian’s voice.
