Chapter 174 – Because You're Precious

The eastern grasslands of the Arken Empire.

Spring had fully arrived. A cool breeze carried the fragrance of blooming flowers across the vast plains.

It was a wide, peaceful plateau—but it took only a single moment for it to become drenched in blood.

Spring was the season when new life emerged after the harsh winter.

During that time, packs of dire wolves were more merciless and savage than ever.

Their prey tonight was a lone woman walking across the plateau beneath the midnight sky.

With practiced precision, the wolves formed a perfect encirclement, cutting off every possible escape route.

At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before she was reduced to scattered bones upon these tranquil fields.

But this woman was different.

There was neither fear nor tension on her face.

Grrrr...

As the dire wolves slowly tightened the circle, threatening growls suddenly escaped their throats.

Their instincts had realized the truth.

The woman they had considered easy prey only moments ago was anything but harmless.

She remained expressionless, as though everything in the world were empty and meaningless.

After staring blankly ahead for a while, her eyes slowly turned toward the wolves.

Two moons shone within her pupils.

The instant one of the dire wolves met those eyes, its body trembled violently.

Even as mere beasts, they saw their own future.

The moment they attacked this fragile-looking woman, they would become corpses scattered across the plateau.

The pack immediately abandoned its encirclement and fled with their tails tucked between their legs.

And so, the woman survived.

Clap! Clap!

The applause echoed across the grasslands just as the wolves disappeared.

Only then did the woman standing alone realize someone else was there.

"As expected of Yubel. Your instincts for surviving in the wild are still as sharp as ever."

The woman called Yubel turned toward the voice.

Standing there was an ordinary-looking woman dressed plainly, freckles scattered across her face.

She smiled warmly at Yubel.

"...?"

Instead of answering, Yubel narrowed her eyes and tilted her head.

The woman looked slightly disappointed.

"Oh my. It's only been a few years, and you've already forgotten me? I'm a little hurt, Yubel."

"...!"

Silver light once again filled Yubel's eyes.

The same deaths the dire wolves had witnessed now appeared around the freckled woman.

Even beneath that gaze—which awakened the instinctive fear of death—the woman merely sighed.

"Just because I put on a little disguise, you even activated your Eyes of Death? I didn't think we'd grown that distant..."

The freckled woman grabbed her own face as though she had no choice...and peeled it off.

Beneath it appeared a completely different face—that of a gentle, innocent-looking woman wearing a warm smile.

The moment Yubel saw it, all of her hostility disappeared.

"Sak."

Only a single syllable left her lips.

"My, that's a little cruel. At the very least, you should've recognized me by my voice."

"Sak."

"How rude. Do you really think the youth of Angrem fades with age? Even after several decades, I'm still nineteen."

"Sak. Sak."

Yubel narrowed her eyes into a glare.

Angrem rubbed her forehead helplessly.

Deciding to skip the small talk, she changed the subject.

"I heard you escaped from the Empire?"

"Man."

Yubel nodded.

"And yet you resolved everything so peacefully. I never imagined you'd manage it without getting a single drop of blood on your hands."

Angrem asked as naturally as if she were asking whether Yubel had forgotten to put on clothes.

Yubel stared at her through half-lidded eyes before quietly answering,

"Man."

"Man?"

Yubel raised one finger toward the sky.

Following it, Angrem looked up.

The moon hung overhead.

"Ah... now that you mention it, tonight is the full moon."

The full moon was the moon of mercy.

On that day, even those who deserved death could not be killed.

It was a rule established by Sierra.

"Sak."

"It couldn't be helped. I've served as one of Sierra's dancers for over twenty years. I've been gazing at the moon and offering prayers for even longer."

"Sak. Sak."

"Don't be angry. So... what will you do now? You've been imprisoned for three years. It must've been suffocating. Do you have somewhere to go?"

"Man."

"Oh? You do? Where?"

With a distant expression, Yubel slowly turned her head.

Toward the east.

"Ferda."

"Oh my..."

Angrem's eyes widened in surprise.

"I never imagined you'd mention that name. He must've made quite an impression on you."

Looking embarrassed, Yubel said nothing more.

"Don't be impatient."

A crescent-shaped smile spread across Angrem's lips.

"You'll be seeing him again before long."

"After all..."

"He is Lady Sierra's only child still remaining in this world."

***

Ferda's carriage safely arrived near the territory of the Grand Duchess.

Isabella was already waiting outside the village gate to greet him.

"Congratulations on securing the legitimacy for autonomous rule."

"It was only the expected outcome."

"Even if it was expected, you made countless preparations to achieve it. The fact that all that effort wasn't wasted is something worth celebrating."

They said praise could make even whales dance.

It certainly didn't feel bad.

Adjusting her glasses, Isabella spoke.

"Please come inside. To celebrate today's success, I have a gift I'd like to show you, Lord Ferda."

A gift?

As they entered the village, Ferda immediately spotted what she meant.

At the central square—left intentionally empty during the city's planning—a structure he had never seen before now stood proudly in the middle.

"A fountain."

"Correct. It is a monument crafted by the Tower Master of Iorga together with the artisans of the Magic Tower."

Where the spacious plaza should have been stood a magnificent white marble fountain.

Its outer structure formed a hexagon.

At its center rose a palace-like tower, and atop its highest spire was the unmistakable figure of a dragon.

Ferda instantly understood its meaning.

"It depicts Lady Valdrova during the dragon subjugation."

"Yes. They said that image represented her better than anything else."

It had already become one of the most famous songs among wandering bards.

Even now, people who had witnessed that day continued singing praises of the sight they could never forget.

For Ferda, it was a gratifying thought.

Still...

One concern crossed his mind.

The question is whether I actually have the means to keep something like this running...

A fountain was a symbol of prosperity.

But the conditions for maintaining one were extremely demanding.

First, it required a continuous supply of Mana to keep the water flowing.

Second, it needed enough clean water to circulate through both the city's water pipes and the entire village.

Third, every drop of that enormous quantity of water had to be pure enough to drink.

If even one of those conditions failed, the fountain would cease being a symbol of prosperity and instead become a monument to vanity and greed.

There was no way Iorga would have sent it here without considering those requirements.

Unless she intended to make a fool of me...

Then Ferda realized something else.

"So... you've succeeded in purifying the vast reserves of water beneath the Land of Demons."

Unable to hide her surprise, Isabella blinked.

"That is actually the Magic Tower's second gift. I intended to explain it more gradually, but you figured it out first."

"I suppose I ruined the surprise."

"Not at all. I'm simply delighted that the future of the Grand Duchess's territory is finally bright."

A proud smile spread across Isabella's face.

"I would like to show you the second gift as well, but we'll postpone it for now."

"Is there something more urgent?"

"Her Highness the Grand Duchess is waiting for the Regent."

For Ferda...

Nothing could have been more important.

***

After bathing and changing into clean clothes, Ferda headed toward the arcade.

Across from the balcony sat the woman in red.

Valdrova sat quietly, absentmindedly fidgeting with her fingers while watching the sun sink toward the western horizon.

Ferda stood there silently, watching her.

Sensing his presence, she turned around.

"Ah."

She immediately rose to her feet.

"Welcome back, Mr. Ferda."

Unable to hide her excitement, she hurried toward him with quick little steps.

"You've worked so hard."

Caught off guard by how close she came, Ferda forgot what to say and simply looked down at her.

"Master."

Luri stepped in, easing the awkward atmosphere.

"It isn't proper etiquette for Your Highness to personally come out to greet someone."

"Oh..."

Valdrova blinked.

"I'm sorry. I acted before thinking. Did I... seem too frivolous?"

Frivolous?

That word didn't suit her in the slightest.

"It is the greatest honor to be personally welcomed by Your Highness the Grand Duchess."

Ferda greeted her respectfully before taking his seat.

Standing beside them like a folding screen, Luri quietly refilled Ferda's teacup.

"How was it?"

Valdrova asked.

"My visit to the Arken Empire, I mean."

Recalling what had happened there, Ferda answered,

"You sent a representative."

Valdrova nodded.

"Yes. I sent Penelope. I heard she handled everything perfectly... Did she make a mistake?"

"Not at all. Penelope fulfilled her role admirably. Thanks to her, everyone now has a clear image of Grand Duchess Valdrova."

"Even though it wasn't really me?"

"It is common for rulers to use doubles. On battlefields and during less significant diplomatic missions, they often send stand-ins instead."

When assassination risks were high and little could be gained, such substitutions were commonplace.

Of course, Valdrova herself had no need for such precautions.

Assassinating her would be harder than breaching an impregnable fortress.

Still, Ferda chose not to mention that.

What mattered was that Penelope had played her role perfectly.

Her manner of walking.

The aura she carried.

To anyone who had never met the real Valdrova, she was utterly convincing.

"Are you satisfied too, Mr. Ferda?"

"Yes."

"Of course."

"Do you truly mean that?"

Ferda looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"I just..."

"You seem... very disappointed."

Her words struck him straight in the heart.

Almost reflexively, Ferda touched his own face.

Did I really let it show...?

"I'm fine."

He brushed it off as though it were nothing.

But Valdrova didn't let the matter go.

"I sent her for your sake more than anyone else's."

"So... I'd like you to be honest with me."

She was unusually persistent today.

He could have continued insisting that everything was fine.

He could have kept smiling and changed the subject.

But if he did...

Wouldn't that only leave misunderstandings and distrust between them?

That thought crossed his mind.

Ferda had to choose.

Should he lie to comfort her?

Or tell the truth, even if it hurt?

"...The truth is..."

He made his choice.

"When I heard..."

"...That Your Highness would be coming..."

"I was looking forward to it."

He had imagined Valdrova walking toward him with quiet dignity to greet her partner.

The anticipation had been like a groom waiting for his bride at the altar.

That was how much he had looked forward to it.

And because of that...

The disappointment had been equally great.

The one wearing the red dress and playing the role of queen had not been Valdrova.

It had been a third-rate demon.

"And..."

"I was also a little uncomfortable learning that Your Highness had become friends with that demon."

"...Is that really a problem?"

If one looked at it objectively...

Yes.

That demon was the village of Hestia's most infamous troublemaker.

Fortunately, no one had yet discovered she was actually a demon.

If they ever did, chaos would erupt over rumors that a demon lived within the Grand Duchess's territory.

Keeping someone like that close to Valdrova could only tarnish her reputation.

...That's just an excuse.

Although she was notorious for causing trouble in Hestia Village...

She had never once acted with genuine malice.

And Ferda knew perfectly well that her harmless antics could never truly damage Valdrova's prestige.

Everything he was thinking...

Was simply jealousy.

He envied the fact that Valdrova could casually reveal her face to Penelope.

He envied how much closer they seemed.

To voice those ugly feelings aloud would only become another chain holding back the woman who was finally beginning to step into the world.

So...

Ferda remained silent.

Valdrova did not press him.

Awkward silence settled between them.

"...The heart is such a strange thing."

Placing a hand over her chest, Valdrova spoke softly.

"The truth is..."

"That day... I really could have gone to greet you myself."

"Strangely enough..."

"After showing my face to Penelope, I realized I wasn't afraid of letting other people see it anymore..."

"But..."

She slowly raised her head to look at Ferda.

Even through her mask, he could feel her eyes meeting his.

"There was one person..."

"...For whom it was still impossible."

"The person closest to me..."

"...The one I'll spend the most time with..."

"...The person I wish to grow old beside..."

"Why is it so difficult to show him my face?"

"I can show everyone else..."

"But when I'm with you, Mr. Ferda..."

"I still hide behind a mask."

"The more I think about it..."

"...The more I wonder whether that's really right."

"The person who's done so much for me..."

"I can't give him that..."

"...Yet I can give it to everyone else."

"Isn't that..."

"...Terribly selfish of me?"

Ferda understood exactly what she was feeling.

Wasn't he the same?

Just as she couldn't reveal her true face to him...

He couldn't reveal the true nature hidden inside himself.

Because he wanted her to think well of him...

He became increasingly artificial.

The deeper their feelings became...

The more cautious they grew.

How had he failed to realize it?

In the end...

They had both been thinking exactly the same thing.

The jealousy and resentment filling Ferda's heart slowly settled.

Like muddy water clearing as the silt sank to the bottom...

The surface became still enough to reflect his own face.

The narrow-minded man staring back at him filled him with disgust.

Ferda gently reached out and took Valdrova's hand.

She looked slightly surprised...

Then quietly intertwined her fingers with his and squeezed his hand.

"Your Highness has already shown such courage."

"Is there... anything I can do for you in return?"

"..."

Silence.

Yet it wasn't uncomfortable.

The faint pulse beneath the fingers she nervously fidgeted with told him she was thinking.

"I-If that's the case..."

Valdrova spoke shyly.

"...Please..."

"...Don't call me 'Your Highness' anymore."

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