Hermia opened the carriage door as she felt the speed slowly slowing down.
“I’ll go to the duke’s house for a bit!”
“what?”
Ignoring the countess’s question with a bewildered expression, she pushed down the step.
“I have something to say to the Duke. Please go in first.”
“What are you doing all of a sudden, without asking in advance? So rude?”
“Father came in at dawn too. Why are you doing this again? I guess that’s just how it is in the house.”
“What, what did you say?”
Hermia, who had been spitting out random words in a rush, got out of the carriage before it had even come to a complete stop.
She started driving straight towards the city, leaving Sam behind as he hurriedly got out of the driver’s seat.
After limping for about thirty minutes, we arrived at a public post station where stagecoaches were lined up.
She climbed, gasping, into a faded carriage in the front row.
“Roch… Rockford… please go to the Duke’s house.”
“I don’t know, miss!”
The coachman with a warm impression looked at Hermia with curious eyes and then moved to the driver’s seat.
She ran without even breathing, wondering if the stagecoach’s operating time had ended, and collapsed inside the carriage. Her whole body was drenched in sweat and felt as heavy as lead, making it difficult to even sit down.
‘Ugh. My stamina is really trash.’
As she gazed at the round roof of the carriage, wrapped in yellow tarpaulin, she felt motion sickness again. The carriage entered the forest road, and soon she had to yell again for it to stop.
“Ugh… … .”
“are you okay?”
The coachman, who had been patting the horse on the back, asked worriedly.
Since I hadn’t eaten anything, the water kept coming up and it was even more horrible. Hermia slowly got up, panting.
“mister.”
“yes?”
“Have you ever seen someone vomit while jumping… … ?”
That’s me.
She tapped the coachman’s shoulder, who had a question mark on his face, and climbed back into the carriage.
How long had it been since the car, with its gaunt appearance, shook listlessly? The car tilted backwards as if it was going up a hill, and it continued to run like that for a while. Then, at some point, the ground became even and the internal vibrations subsided.
“Miss, they’re all here.”
By the time she stood on the flat pavement with her two feet, it was already evening. She raised her head in front of the huge, plastered castle wall.
I couldn’t imagine it when I just heard about it, but the Duke’s Castle wasn’t just a mansion, it was a real castle… a real castle!
A sharp spire that I had never seen before towered high into the sky, and on the thick walls that must have served as a defensive wall for at least several hundred years, there were old scars and signs of repair here and there.
Surrounded by a dense forest, it was the Duke of Rockford’s Castle, a fortress-like place. I couldn’t help but take a step back at the overwhelming sight.
Only then did Hermia realize how old and honorable the Rockford family, known as national heroes, was.
“Hey, isn’t this the kind of place where a king lives… … .”
“It’s 8,000 pesos with the night surcharge.”
Hermia turned her head, realizing something even more astonishing than the huge castle. There was… no money!
She quickly began to roll her head.
I have earrings and a bracelet, but they are too expensive to pay for.
If you leave it as a warranty and go to pick it up later, they’ll probably shut their mouths and say what the hell you’re talking about.
Hermia asked quietly.
“Isn’t it okay if I have a loan…? I’m the only daughter of Count Bansen. I’m quite famous….”
“Why are you doing this, sir?”
The kind old man who had affectionately patted her on the back was nowhere to be found, and in his place stood a model commoner who looked like he would report her at any moment.
Hermia, who had been rolling her eyes wondering what to do, suddenly remembered the existence and hurriedly lifted up her skirt. The coachman immediately turned his head in fright.
“What the heck! I have a bear-like wife and wildcat-like daughters at home… …!”
“Can I give you a book instead?”
Hermia handed the coachman the first volume of The Thief’s Tale. Since it was to be returned to Irene anyway, she planned to use it as carriage fare instead.
“This book is sold at the bookstore for ten thousand pesos. It’s a little bent, but it’s brand new and unopened.”
She continued, shoving the book into the coachman’s hand.
“There’s a saying in the capital these days that if you don’t know this, you’re a spy of the Eastern Empire. Take it home and give it to your daughters as a gift, they’ll love it.”
“Oh, really? But our kids are only three and five years old… … .”
“Then tell the kids to watch it when they’re older. It’s really fun. It’s so fun that I almost cried.”
The groom frowned as he saw the words “for ages 12 and up” written at the bottom of the book. However, the duke’s guards had already approached the noble lady, who had run away as if she was running away.
He quickly gave up and got into the driver’s seat, knowing that if he got caught by them, they would ask for his ID and other annoying things like the purpose of his visit.
“How did you come here?”
Even in the early summer weather, two guards wearing long-sleeved, long-trouser military uniforms cast shadows in front of Hermia.
They had long, dark muskets on their shoulders and swords hanging from their waists. Hermia’s shoulders naturally shrank at the almost threatening atmosphere.
“Good evening, sirs. You’ve worked hard… … .”
“How did you come? Please tell us the purpose of your visit.”
He looked as if he would shoot at any moment if I didn’t speak. Hermia answered hurriedly.
“I have come to see Duke Walter. Please tell him my name is Hermia Bahnsen.”
“Do you have a prior appointment with the Colonel? Or do you have a visitor’s pass?”
“No. That’s not it… … .”
What is this tight security? It was a miracle that my father, who had dragged eight people here while drunk, didn’t die.
The guards exchanged a silent glance, and then one of them ran toward the gate.
“Please wait here for a moment. You may enter once permission is granted.”
The person who remained quietly reported. Hermia, who was standing alone on the street, scratched her chin and twisted her body, feeling a little awkward.
“Hey… can I sit and wait?”
“Please wait like this.”
“yes.”
This time, if she moved without permission, he would shoot her. In any case, she stood still, craned her neck, and watched the gate, afraid of being shot.
After about 20 minutes, the drawbridge fell heavily onto the moat, which also appeared to have been built hundreds of years ago.
The person riding out on a black, sturdy horse was none other than my fiancé.
Hermia’s face lit up as if she had met her savior, as she had been left alone with the scary-looking guard without saying a word.
“Your Majesty!”
“Miss Hermia.”
Walter leaped down from the black horse, panting heavily, before he had time to calm his yapping horse. It was a very nimble move, considering his large size.
He hurriedly handed the reins over to the guard and came over with a surprised look on his face.
“What is happening all of a sudden at this hour… … .”
Walter, who had been talking, suddenly noticed her condition and became serious. Then he asked in a noticeably lowered voice.
“Have you been attacked nearby?”
“A raid?”
Hermia looked down at her with a puzzled look as she watched her up and down. Her dress was a mess after she had fallen to the ground after jumping and vomiting on the dirt floor.
Ah. Is that because there’s a little blood on the hem of your skirt?
“This one is so dirty… … .”
“Please forgive my rudeness.”
“Mom!”
After Walter finished speaking, he quickly picked Hermia up in his arms. In an instant, Hermia, with both legs in the air, hugged Walter’s neck tightly in anxiety.
He flinched even though he was holding her, then turned his gaze to her shoes and furrowed his previously straight eyebrows without mercy.
“Those are the shoes I gave you. The size doesn’t fit, so why are you wearing them again?”
“Uh… … . The Duke bought them for me, so I have to wear them diligently.”
The ones the Duke gave me were the biggest ones. If you wear them often, they will break in and the fabric will become softer.
Hermia, as always, was used to hiding her true feelings and sugarcoating them.
Walter’s ears turned red, but Hermia thought it was just a natural physical reaction to the pressure of holding someone.
“Double… no, triple the number of security personnel, and turn away any and all future guests.”
“yes!”
The guard who had responded to Walter’s command in a restrained manner quickly moved away.
Hermia was being carried in Walter’s arms like a princess. Having never experienced this level of physical contact with a man before, her face soon turned bright red.
“It’s still May, but it’s so hot… … .”
“… I think so too.”
The peacock smelled really good. It was the subtle scent of skin that he had been giving off during the engagement party, plus a faint smoky scent.
Walter apologized with an embarrassed face as Hermia sniffed without realizing it.
“I’m sorry for the gunpowder smell. I was going to wash up and come out, but you’ll have to wait too long.”
“Ah… … . This is the smell of gunpowder.”
Hermia looked over his shoulder in awkwardness, while Walter continued walking, staring straight ahead.
As they passed through the arched gate, a ducal carriage with a blue body and gold decorations was waiting for them.
Walter watched as the guard opened the carriage door and lowered the step, then carefully lowered her inside and cleared his throat.
“Let’s go to the main building first and treat your feet.”
“Your Majesty, aren’t you riding?”
He hesitated as he was about to close the door himself, then bent down and climbed into the carriage.
“Victoria, take her to the stable.”
Watching Walter speak to his subordinates, I could tell that Victory was referring to the black horse from earlier. ‘Victory’, it was a truly military horse-like name.
Hermia looked around the carriage this time.
The Duke’s carriage had thick walls for a typical large carriage. Judging from the heavy rolling feel of the wheels, the body seemed to be very sturdy as well.
I had read in the newspaper that enemy spies often attempted assassinations, so I guessed that the carriage was also equipped to handle terrorist attacks.
Inside the carriage that began to move slowly, Hermia stopped looking around as she recalled the original purpose of her visit.
“I’m sorry for coming suddenly without notice.”
“Absolutely not, not at all, no, it’s okay.”
Walter, sitting across from me, answered with a stiff face.
Even though she pretends nothing happened, she must be flustered when her daughter suddenly barges in after her father.
I don’t know. I was prepared to break off the engagement, so whatever happens, happens. I have to find a way to live, too. Hermia blurted out with that feeling.
“Have you read Volume 2 of The Thief Youngae, Your Majesty?”
“Volume 2… Are you talking about that?”
Then she started to lift up her skirt again.