If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 68
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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At times like these, it was clear she belonged to the bloodline of Kristin. Fitting for the wife of Marquis Vernat, the Knight of Ice and Blood.
“Are you planning to inspect Arta first?”
“Yes. I heard that more than half of Arta was bought under the name of Kristin by my father.”
It surely wasn’t just for that reason. Ethan glanced at the Madam next to him, knowing all too well.
Somehow, Agatha knew that Cain, who had been injured in the shoulder, had left the northern border areas and was now in the northwest, in Arta, combining hiding with recuperation.
Believing only his superior officer who was so blindly devoted as to defy the Emperor’s favor to marry into Kristin, it turns out his wife was no less a warrior for love, not hesitating to face everything for it.
What kind of noblewoman would leave her estate and the capital to follow her injured husband?
Truly, what was verbally agreed upon as a contract for mutual benefit appeared in reality to be a young couple, clueless and deeply concerned for each other.
“When do we depart?”
“As soon as the preparations are complete. Probably within three days.”
The determination and drive to push through with her plans were indeed like her husband’s.
Hoping not to be severely scolded for accompanying the Madam to Arta, Ethan closed his eyes tightly.
* * *
An urgent message arrived. It was from Ethan in Leden.
Urgent, Duchess Kristin, to Arta.
Without even a moment to inquire about each other’s well-being, the message was hastily scribbled with just a few words.
“What does it say?”
Lehmann, who had rushed in with the message, asked. He was a close senior knight assisting Cain in the camp, filling in for Ethan’s role as the deputy.
“My wife is coming to Arta.”
“Your wife? But, what about Hawk? Why is she coming here?”
“She must be coming with him. My orders were to not leave her side and protect her.”
Cain crumpled the message and threw it into the fire.
“And why is she coming?”
“Guess we’ll have to ask when she arrives. The arrival of this message means she left days ago.”
“How could she travel to such a treacherous place?”
“It’s not a battlefield, so it shouldn’t be too dangerous, but…”
It was certainly a harsh environment for a lady of her status. Cain sighed shortly and looked around. There were no proper dwellings, only tents barely providing shelter from the wind and rain.
While the knights might manage sleeping crumpled on the ground, having done so countless times, it wouldn’t be the same for her.
Born into nobility and having faced a series of events as she grew up, Agatha had never known a life outside the neatly constructed walls of estates, never having to rest her head anywhere but on soft pillows and clean sheets.
How was she to manage living in a tent made of old fabric laid upon the rough ground?
“Could it be because of the commander’s injury that she’s coming?”
“Nonsense. How could she possibly know about it?”
“Well, you see, when I sent the last letter, I briefly mentioned that the commander had been hurt.”
“What?”
“I informed the deputy commander about the commander’s injury, thinking he ought to know…even if he was not on the battlefield.”
“Why did you do something I didn’t ask for?”
His head throbbed. Loyal Ethan would not have stayed silent upon hearing of his injury. He wouldn’t have rashly run to Agatha with the news, but he surely would have thought it necessary to see Cain’s condition with his own eyes.
Furthermore, to not violate the command to not leave the lady’s side, he might have thought it best to move together. Reaching that conclusion brought a sharp headache.
“…To guard and protect her, and now he’s leaving the capital together?”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind. First, we need to prepare a clean new bed for the Madam. And since her servants will be coming along, we should also arrange for a suitable tent to accommodate them.”
“Why prepare a separate tent for the Madam?”
“What?”
“Can’t she share the commander’s bed?”
Cain was momentarily at a loss for words, realizing that no knight would know they weren’t sharing a bed, so his order to prepare a separate bed for Agatha must have seemed odd.
“Right. Of course. Then, just prepare a separate tent for the servants. Change my bed to a larger one.”
“Yes, commander. I’ll see to it immediately.”
After saluting, Lehmann hurried off, and Cain pulled a chair closer to sit down. More than the hassle of unexpected guest preparations, he was concerned about Agatha feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place.
She must have decided to come, knowing Arta wasn’t a dangerous area.
The journey from Leden by carriage would take at least twenty days. He worried whether her frail body could withstand such a long travel without issue.
Crash.
The sound of something breaking violently snapped Cain out of his thoughts. Looking towards the noise, he saw a woman with red hair in a state of panic, not knowing what to do.
