NRAL | Chapter 08

Chapter 08 

Still, care for you

The Grand Duchy of Royster.

The Duchy of Royster is located southwest of Juvenile. Unlike Juvenile, which has long winters and frequent rain, Royster enjoys a mild climate with fertile land, where life begins to bloom every spring.

The rich land of Royster feeds its people well, and its dense forests and mountains offer an abundance of wood, animal skins, sour fruits, and herbs. The beautiful sea is not far either, so wealthy citizens of the empire flock to Royster to bathe in the exotic waters in the summer or enjoy the brightly colored mountains in winter.

Though neighboring countries, including Juvenile, envied Royster’s fertile lands, there was one thing that has always kept them away: frequent attacks by magical beasts.

To the northwest of Royster lies the Stella Mountain Range, known for being the highest and longest mountain range on the continent. Its peaks are so deep and dangerous that travel and climbing are strictly prohibited, and hunting and gathering are only allowed in certain areas.

The most notorious peaks, known as the “Devil’s Peaks,” are located in the northern part of Royster, and monsters often come down from there to threaten the land.

Some of these monsters are especially dangerous, which is why everyone in Royster, regardless of gender, is taught to use weapons from a young age.

Many of the empire’s most famous knights are from Royster, and they are led by someone who commands them with unmatched authority: the Duke of Royster, Karsian.

“Your Grace, the Duke, I greet you,” Eleanor said, quickly lowering her head in respect after staring blankly at him.

She had been taken aback by his presence, and when she realized it, she quickly averted her gaze.

She could tell she had offended him by staring too long because of his subtle grimace.

Arlo, who had been raising his hand in a threatening manner, also lowered it as he grasped the situation. But his fierce attitude didn’t soften.

“What’s your business here…?” Arlo began, but Karsian interrupted confidently.

“I thought this garden was open to all,” Karsian responded, cutting him off. Arlo’s face twisted in surprise.

That wasn’t the answer he expected, but he was trying to make a point!

Arlo gritted his teeth, about to raise his voice, but Karsian’s calm tone stopped him.

“I heard loud voices, so I came out,” he said. Arlo’s face turned awkward, and Eleanor felt equally uneasy.

Did he hear everything? Eleanor thought. Was he listening to their conversation? She felt a rising sense of shame, imagining that she might have sounded like a betrayed lover expressing her frustration with her unfaithful fiancé.

Why, of all people, the Duke?

On one hand, it was probably better that it was Karsian, who wasn’t known for gossiping.

He wasn’t close to society and would likely keep quiet about what he’d heard.

But on the other hand, Eleanor felt it would have been better if anyone else had heard it. She didn’t care about the rumors in high society anymore…

Besides, the Duke dislikes me.

There was nothing worse than seeing someone who disliked you point out your flaws. As she sensed that, she hesitantly looked up. Once again, her gaze was caught by his glowing red eyes in the darkness.

For some time now, Karsian had been staring at her, his gaze sharp and cold.

Whenever their eyes met, he would often turn away, looking disgusted.

Although Eleanor wished it were just an illusion, the anger in his eyes confirmed that he likely hated her.

There were many reasons why Karsian might despise her, some of which were personal, political, and even religious.

Royster, although officially neutral, tended to lean toward the imperial faction and supported the Triton  faith, whereas Eleanor’s family, the Astrians, had supported a rival religious faction and worked to dethrone the first prince, placing Arlo on the throne instead.

It was not surprising that Karsian did not like her, but she did not expect him to ask her this question.

“Do you need help?” he asked, his voice still sharp but with a trace of concern.

Eleanor hesitated. Why was he concerned about her? They had never spoken properly before. She couldn’t understand why.

Before she could answer, Arlo’s harsh voice cut in.

“Help? What are you talking about?” Arlo’s tone was filled with mockery, and he wrapped his arm around Eleanor’s waist, pulling her closer.

“We were having a private conversation, as you can see,” Arlo sneered, emphasizing his control over Eleanor.

She instinctively drew away from him as his arm tightened, and Karsian’s eyebrows furrowed at the sight.

“It doesn’t look like a private conversation, more like one side shouting,” Karsian said, his voice low and threatening.

Arlo laughed mockingly. “You are not familiar with it, are you? Not having had a proper relationship yourself.”

Arlo had always been hostile toward Karsian, but the reasons for his dislike were well-known.

Karsian’s mother had been a lowly servant, and he had inherited the title of Duke only because all his brothers had died.

This made Karsian the subject of mockery among the aristocracy, even though his abilities and appearance were admirable.

But despite his talents, Karsian still came from a lowly background, and people like Arlo hated him for it.

Eleanor understood the reason for the hostility, but she had no intention of getting involved in it.

Karsian ignored Arlo’s mockery and asked Eleanor again, “Are you alright?”

Eleanor was still unsure of what to say. Was she okay? She wasn’t sure herself.

But before she could respond, Arlo pushed her lightly and demanded an answer.

Then Karsian’s voice came again, cold and threatening.

“If you are being threatened, please let me know.”

“Threaten? What do you mean by that?”

Arlo couldn’t hold back and raised his voice. But Karshian, as if he found it amusing, cut him off again.

“If squeezing someone’s shoulder and forcing an answer isn’t threatening, then what is it?”

Eleanor bit her lower lip tightly.

She was about to burst into laughter because what Karshian said was so similar to what Arlo had said a few days ago while defending Nora.

“If forcing a conversation in this situation isn’t threatening, then what is it?”

She was basically hearing the same words back.

She wanted to laugh out loud, but since she was her fiancé and she was the Princess of Astria, she couldn’t do that. Eleanor forced a smile and spoke slowly.

“Your Grace, Duke Royster, I’m fine. There’s no need for concern, so please go ahead and don’t worry about me.”

He wouldn’t care, but Eleanor said it out of formality.

As expected, Karshian seemed displeased with his misunderstanding and furrowed his brows.

“Don’t be angry, I’m just saying it!” She smiled gently, hoping he’d understand.

The moment Karshian saw her smile, he turned around again. Eleanor started to wonder if there was something wrong with her smile.

“Wait!”

Arlo didn’t give up and stopped him again. Karshian turned his head slightly, clearly annoyed.

“If you’re leaving, at least apologize for the misunderstanding. You dared to treat the Empire’s crown prince like a pervert, then run off without saying anything. Is that how people from Royster behave?”

Or is it the roots that are the problem? Arlo muttered under his breath, but Eleanor heard him clearly.

She blinked in surprise. It wasn’t exactly quiet, so it wouldn’t have been strange if Duke Royster got mad and started a fight.

‘Arlo would probably exaggerate things on purpose.’

That was probably his intention.

Eleanor felt embarrassed by her fiancé’s childish behavior and also worried if the Duke would fall for it. Even though they weren’t close enough to worry about each other.

But the Duke of Royster wasn’t as easy to deal with as Eleanor had expected.

“People from Royster only apologize for things they’ve done wrong. It is not my place to apologize for someone else’s unreasonable behavior. At least you seem to know how you look, so I’m relieved.”

A soft laugh escaped him as he finished his words.

Karshian quickly walked away, his long legs making his figure fade from view.

Arlo gritted his teeth, his arms trembling.

He was so angry he looked like he wanted to shout, but his carefully built image kept him from doing so. After all, it wouldn’t be good if people found out the Crown Prince was causing a scene at someone else’s party.

Instead, he vented his anger elsewhere.

“Did you do it on purpose?”

“…What?”

“Did you purposely stay quiet, trying to make me look bad in front of that guy? Is this your revenge?”

What is he talking about? Eleanor was left speechless, staring at him in confusion.

When their eyes met, Arlo seemed to realize how petty he sounded, so he turned his head and brushed his bangs aside.

‘What an annoying guy.’

He clenched his fist tightly, thinking of Karshian’s shameless face.

That low-born, uneducated man always managed to get under his skin.

Arlo hated how, despite not liking parties, he always seemed to run into Karshian at the same events.

It wasn’t just that.

The Duke of Royster, who didn’t care about anyone, always looked at Eleanor with strange eyes.

Arlo’s gaze was not kind or affectionate, but he was aware of a man’s animalistic instinct.

The guy was definitely eyeing his fiancée in some way.

‘How dare that scoundrel…!’

Arlo gritted his teeth, looking at Eleanor.

She was staring into the distance with a neutral expression, and it annoyed him even more.

‘Why does she look so plain?’

No wonder someone like him would show interest. Arlo clicked his tongue.

His fiancée was always out of touch with the latest fashion.

Sometimes she wore dresses that looked like they belonged to her older sister, too baggy and outdated.

Other times, she stuck to plain outfits.

No matter what she wore, she always looked dull, like the clothes didn’t suit her.

Despite her noble birth and natural beauty, she wasn’t mocked, but older women would praise her for being the perfect example of a modest lady.

Still, Arlo was embarrassed to be seen with her. She didn’t live up to his standards.

Today’s dress was slightly better than usual, but it was still outdated.

He sighed and tried to suppress his emotions. At least her face, when she looked up at him, was pretty enough to make up for it.

After all, she was still Princess Eleanor of Astria.

“…Elli. I think I overreacted. If you were shocked, I apologize.”

“What?”

“I think I was frustrated because you misunderstood me. I know the situation isn’t great, but… I still care for you.”

He spoke softly, interpreting her silence as a sign that she was touched by his words.

Eleanor’s lavender-colored eyes trembled faintly.

Arlo mistook her silence as a good sign and continued in a gentle voice.

“Eleanor Astria, my precious fiancée. I don’t want to lose you because of this misunderstanding.”

His large hand stroked her blonde hair gently. Eleanor stood frozen, not moving.

“Since you’re tired, maybe you should go back now. Shall I take you back to the Duke’s residence?”

“…No, it’s fine. You must be tired, so go ahead. I’ll stay here and get some fresh air.”

“Alright then. I will visit you again soon.”

Arlo lightly tapped her shoulder and left.

Eleanor, left alone, slowly lifted her head to look at the sky.

The sky had turned dark, with a bright full moon hanging high.

As she looked at the moonlight that gently touched her palm, she replayed the voice that echoed in her mind.

“I still care for you.”

“Eleanor Astria, my precious fiancée.”

To someone, it might sound sweet and dreamy, but Eleanor couldn’t stand it.

‘Arlo doesn’t care about me.’

Eleanor smiled bitterly as she looked at the moonlight.

Then, she slowly walked towards a dark, uncomfortable alleyway, where no one was looking for her.

‘Eleanor Astria. He only cares about that name.’

No matter who it was.