Come and Cry at My Funeral - Chapter 54
Thud.
He pushed the annoying tray further away from the side table.
After saying it out loud, his mouth filled with a toxic taste.
The existence of that ‘half-brother’ was known only to a very few within the ducal mansion, but just bringing it up was disgustingly irritating.
“Am I to hear such tales in my reign too?”
“…….”
The shepherdess lowered her head and gripped her garment with both hands.
Izar waited for her to apologize shortly, saying, ‘I’m sorry, I was thoughtless.’
But when those small lips began to move, it suddenly dawned on him.
“The one who told me not to act like a wife was you, Duke…”
This woman was secretly strong, and thanks to that strength, she had endured the thornbush’s lashings.
Izar glared at the shepherdess, scolding her.
“Did you take my words as permission to shamelessly behave in front of others?”
“That’s not it, but I’ve never done anything shameful. It was just because the fruit ripens early here…”
Her voice trembled just as much as the hands clutching her garment.
“Why… Why do you speak as if I’m a woman who carelessly eyes other men?”
“Is your behavior now any different?”
“…….”
“Answer me directly.”
At his words, the shepherdess hesitantly looked up at him.
He had thought so before, but her eyes were unnecessarily large. And unnecessarily large, they revealed too much emotion… too vividly.
It was fine when they sparkled beautifully, but when they swirled with pain, it twisted the viewer’s insides as well.
If this was going to be the case, it would have been better when her eyes continued to be dead like those of an old crone.
“Eat it quickly or get rid of it right now from my sight.”
“……”
“We’re leaving tomorrow, so don’t even start complaining.”
And without waiting for a response, Izar headed to his side of the bed.
It’s strange.
He thought venting his anger would calm the turmoil in his heart, yet, even after speaking out, a ring of fire seemed to blaze up inside his chest.
If only the shepherdess had said, ‘I’m sorry, I hadn’t considered how it would look,’ it wouldn’t have come to this.
He knew Deneb was a fool completely smitten with light, courtly love.
To have looked at Izar with such earnest, shining eyes, and then to gleam at another man’s gift was ridiculous enough to infuriate him.
‘Damn it.’
Why spoil the mood at the last minute, after all the effort and care?
He felt as though he had eyes on the back of his head, hyperaware of the woman’s reaction, almost as if waiting for her to start crying silently.
But the woman does not cry.
This brought him relief, yet he also wished she would cry.
Then, he might have pretended to relent, saying he was ‘a bit harsh.’
She could have waited to eat such fruits upon returning to Arcturus instead of receiving them here.
And warn her about how easily accepting courtesies from Deneb or the males of the capital could endanger her reputation…
‘What am I even thinking about… Forget it. Don’t bother.’
Let her mingle with other men if she wishes, after she’s been cast out.
She means nothing to him.
Truly.
***
Candles flickered late into the night in the prayer room of Deneb’s temple.
The priest, who had accompanied the young lady’s prayers, was still praying to Adamant.
The candlelight cast a blood-red shadow on his clear silver hair.
Without turning around, the priest calmly asked the slowly approaching figure behind him,
“How was Duke Arcturus’s ability?”
“…He dried up the numbers of the wolf monsters completely. And he cut down the leader in a single stroke.”
Behind the priest stood a man dressed as a black mercenary. Despite the mercenary being older, his demeanor was exceedingly respectful.
The priest let out a pained sigh and turned around.
“That’s quite regrettable. He was a child I held dear… His mate will be very saddened.”
“I apologize, Lord Canopus.”
“It’s alright. Thanks to you, we’ve gauged his strength.”
Originally, the plan in Deneb was to conduct only a few light ‘monster summoning’ experiments.
However, since Izar Arcturus, who rarely left his domain, had visited on his own, they decided to increase the intensity.
“We’ll have to prepare some stronger ones than the wolves for the hunting festival. Make thorough preparations.”
“Yes, Lord Canopus. By the way…”
The subordinate hesitated for a moment before curiosity got the better of him, and he spoke up.
“How was it meeting your ‘sister-in-law’?”
“……”
“I heard she came to pray at the temple.”
“Sister-in-law, huh.”
At that moment, the candlelight in the dark room flickered silently. The face illuminated by the light remained faithful and elegant.
However, on the side shadowed by darkness, the corner of his mouth curled dangerously like a snake eyeing its prey.
“It seems… We are more alike than expected.”
