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For days, Benedict lay in bed unable to sleep.
He even tried to force himself to sleep from dawn until late at night, preparing for battle, but he was still unable to sleep.
For a moment, he stared at the ceiling blankly before suddenly standing up.
Benedict moved with difficulty to the bedroom doorknob and closed it.
Then he closed the door forcefully and returned to his bed.
She's just a fake wife.
“Why all this trouble?”
He muttered, as if repeating a programmed sentence.
Of course, that wasn't what someone who checked on Elena daily via Ms.
Perona would say.
He wondered if she had been hurt so much and was still suffering.
Of course, Mrs.
Perona assumed that Benedict was deeply in love with her.
Benedict tossed and turned in his bed again.
'She must be hurt.'
For a woman who loved him so much, she must have been deeply hurt.
Maybe I've finally given up on him.
“…That’s what I was hoping for.”
He mumbled quietly, his lips feeling bitter.
He obviously hoped that Elena would abandon him, but part of him felt uncomfortable.
“Shall I inform Her Excellency of the departure schedule?”
“No need.”
Mrs.
Perona suggested that they spend some time together before leaving, but Benedict flatly refused.
He still felt uncomfortable facing Elena.
In the end, he barely even slept before leaving.
The next day, the garden of the Archduke's palace was filled with soldiers.
Benedict's hands were slow as he loaded the horses with their gear.
He was always quick to prepare his gear, but today, a part of him felt uneasy, as if he had left something behind.
He tried hard not to turn his head towards the palace behind him, defying his body that had a deep desire to disobey its master's order and destroy it again and again.
'I didn't even tell her about my departure schedule.'
Benedict shook his head, trying to get rid of the superficial anticipation that had seeped from deep in his heart.
At the end of that idea...
“Archduke!”
His heart contracted to hear Elena's breathing, accompanied by a faint sound.
Benedict turned around slowly.
He stared blankly at the panting woman in front of him.
'Did you come to say goodbye?
How did you know...'
It had been a long time since he had seen her.
Benedict stared at her face, still soft and disheveled, she must have just woken up.
He felt strangely dizzy.
It was clear that he had not slept well in days.
He narrowed his eyes, trying to gather his strength.
“It is a spell that guarantees a safe return.”
Finally, he swallowed hard, after seeing the thing Elena had given him.
A burning feeling came over the top of his head.
'Even though I treated you so cruelly...'
He had never experienced such a deep and absolute love in his life.
His feverish mind, frozen in thoughts, was in a daze when a weak hand grabbed him.
“...!”
It was as strong as the flap of the wings of a small butterfly, but he staggered as if a storm had swept over him.
Then, absent-mindedly, he took the small, ornate ring placed on Elena's palm.
At that moment, Elena jumped into his arms.
“You must come back safe.
"I will wait for you."
Her shaggy golden hair, flowing wildly, tickled the tip of his chin.
Her delicate scent caressed his nose.
The rays of the rising sun cut through the startlingly blue darkness of dawn.
Elena's face was engraved in his memory, like an imprint.
***
All the way to the Duchy of Caprice, Victor kept looking at Benedict.
He would rub his left chest every chance he got, as if he was suffering from a heart condition, for hours.
Victor took advantage of the rough road, slowed down, and quickly approached Benedict.
“That which Her Excellency the Archduchess gave you.
Is this the enchanted charm of your sword?”
“Hmm.”
Benedict replied with a clumsy cough, subconsciously fiddling with the pocket where he kept the ring.
It was just a decorative ring made of twisted thread.
Maybe she was truly enchanted, his heart had been beating hard ever since he had placed her in his chest.
For some reason, it bothered him, and he checked the ring in his pocket again and again, even from his horse.
Victor's eyes narrowed maliciously.
“The Archduchess must love you very much.”
“……”
Benedict wiped his lips, which were trembling for no reason.
It was a familiar fact, but hearing it from someone else made it seem even more special.
“Your happiness feels the same too, right?”
“...!”
Benedict swallowed hard.
He didn't expect to be asked this in return.
For some reason, his heartbeat quickened.
"correct?"
Victor pressed him urgently to answer.
Benedict replied, remembering that he had sworn that his only goal was to ensure a flawless trial.
“Sure, I love it too.”
“Heck...”
Upon Benedict's answer, Victor immediately burst into tears, his face red with emotion as he raised his head to the sky.
His cold master, who had braved the battlefield as a lone wolf, risking his life alone, now spoke of his love with a red face!
It was a moment more poignant than any other.
From then on, Richard's forces' subjugation of the barbarians proceeded as smoothly as could be expected.
Despite months of imprisonment, Benedict effortlessly slaughtered enemies as he roamed the battlefield.
It was a familiar sight, yet still terrifying.
But Victor, at this moment, was amazed by a sight even more exciting than the battlefield itself.
Maybe he boils dragon bones and eats them in secret.
'No matter what I thought about it, he had tremendous stamina.'
The night after the battle, in the friends' barracks.
At this moment, while everyone was asleep, only Benedict remained awake.
Isn't he the most mobile on the battlefield?
Even when slaughtering enemies, he would check his inner pocket to ensure the safety of his wife's gift.
Benedict was now staring very intently at the ring he had pulled from his chest.
'Does Her Excellency love the Archduchess that much?'
Victor smiled relieved at the sight.
At the same moment, Benedict also thought.
'Do you love me that much?'
Benedict played the trinkets Elena had given him in his hand.
He looked at the delicately braided knot of black and gold, and felt a strange sensation.
The combination of colors was similar to the color of his and Elena's hair.
The pale hand holding the knot was incredibly small.
The thought of her little hands, desperately tying knots, hoping for her lover's safe return, made his heart skip a beat.
He felt her love for him in every drop of sweat.
“You must come back safe.
"I will wait for you."
Elena's voice rang in his ears.
Just having someone wait for him after he was gone sent a warm wave of comfort through her chest.
He was terrified by this feeling, so he shook his head vigorously, as if he was getting rid of it.
'Whether I wait or not is none of my business.'
Benedict resolved and pulled his sleeping bag up to his head.
∗∗∗
The campaign ended much faster than expected.
“Oh my God, oh my God.
Commander, don’t you think your sword has become sharper?”
“I think the number of enemies he deals with in one strike is twice as many as usual.”
Benedict quickly attacked his enemies, as if someone was waiting for him.
Thanks to his efforts, the subjugation forces were able to return to the Archduke's headquarters two or three days earlier than scheduled.
Around that time, news arrived that Aiden Spencer, the young marquis who had arranged the visit of the Grace Kingdom's Guard Guild, had requested to arrange his visit to the Grand Archduke's residence.
“We must accelerate our return.”
"More than now?
No!
We're already three days early!"
Benedict's remark was casual, but Victor was surprised and objected.
It was a long walk indeed, and only Benedict, with his immense strength, could manage such an exhausting schedule.
“Young Marquis Spencer is an important guest.
So, I will go even if it means going alone.”
The young Marquis used an excuse.
Aiden and Benedict were in the same class at the military academy, and after graduating, he was the one who managed Benedict's investments.
Thanks to his gentle personality, he would often approach Benedict first and act friendly.
Benedict did not consider him a true friend, but other than the soldiers, he was the only person he interacted with.
For this reason, he rode his horse, eating and sleeping less.
It was his duty to receive Marquis Spencer as Archduke Richard.
There was no one else waiting for him in the palace.
In the end, he arrived at the Archduke's residence three days earlier than previously announced.
The first thing he saw was the sight of a loving couple in the garden.