Chapter 23
Most people living in the Roetingen Castle were locals who had lived there all their lives.
People who came from the capital struggled to fit in. Roetingen’s weather was harsh, and winter had already arrived. While Roetingen itself was managing okay, Akelans, who had come from Impel, had to rely on the supplies sent in advance by the former emperor, Rowella.
“Looks like the young lady finally knows how to dress properly, huh?”
Two maids, who had come down briefly to get some snacks for Hasollan, didn’t respond. They just quietly prepared honey-glazed nuts, small crispy bread, and plum jam for her.
“You came from Impel after a fight, right?”
“I don’t know.”
The older of the two maids replied curtly. The younger one was still a girl, not yet an adult, and stayed silent.
“There was so much gossip about her working at Lisa Taylor’s store. Thank goodness nothing bad happened.”
“What do you mean ‘bad’? Don’t talk like that.”
“Tsk. She’s the lord’s partner. Someone like that shouldn’t mix with commoners. ‘Bad things’ can happen when people start treating her carelessly.”
Only selected people were allowed in this castle—mostly nobles and high-ranking soldiers. Naturally, even the servants knew how to carry themselves with dignity.
“No one treats the lady carelessly.”
The older maid slammed the tray down.
“When the bandits attacked last time, who saved everyone? It was thanks to her. No one dares look down on her!”
Hasollan, with her jet-black hair flying, had hit every target with her bow and even led the panicking guards. Who could underestimate her?
“The young lady goes where she wants. That’s not something we lowly folks should question.”
The maid grabbed the tray with the younger girl and left the room.
“I just said it because I was worried about her” someone mumbled, but they were already gone.
Roetingen had a new mistress, and curiosity about her only grew. Akelans had wiped out five enemy bases near the northern border overnight, and Hasollan had scolded the castle guards while working as a shop assistant at Lisa Taylor’s. Neither of them was ordinary.
“Good afternoon.”
“Hello.”
Even the knights politely greeted Hasollan’s maids carrying the snacks. Akelans and Hasollan had become the center of attention.
“Did His Grace drag the young lady here by force?”
“Shh, don’t say a word near Lord Gidmong. It’s not like there’s an official gag order, but everyone acts like there is.”
“So she snuck out at night?”
“No one knows where exactly, but it was definitely near the harbor. So at night and the sea…”
The knight shivered as he spoke. Even after surviving the barbarian raids, the dragon he saw that night haunted him.
“I couldn’t sleep at all”
“How could anyone sleep after seeing that?”
The dragon had been furious. Lightning had nearly struck the harbor and the sea, and then the only news the next morning was that the lady had been locked in His Grace’s bedroom. Awkward.
“I hope they make up soon.”
“I think they already have. They’re together in the office right now.”
“They go everywhere together. His Grace won’t leave her side.”
“Are they getting married soon?”
“Aren’t they already married?”
“Then why do we still call her ‘young lady’?”
“Oh, true but don’t they seem like an old married couple already? I thought they were.”
Many agreed. Being together felt so natural for them. The head treasurer of Roetingen, who had doubted Hasollan’s knowledge of finance, had walked out speechless after hearing her speak.
“Whew…”
Hasollan stretched and sighed deeply.
“Young lady, please take a short break.”
A young maid, cheeks still round from baby fat, approached politely with a tray. She glanced nervously at Akelans, sitting nearby.
“There’s warm, fragrant tea here.”
Hasollan wasn’t made for numbers. After pushing through the tough work, she was tired—but the way the little maid struggled to lift the hot teapot was so cute and endearing that she smiled.
Akelans watched her quietly.
“I’ll carry it. What were you doing today?”
All the maids in the castle were daughters of respected local families. It was tradition to send them early for training. The one serving Hasollan was the youngest.
“Today, I learned how to tell silverware apart. Sir Vitaly taught me.”
Lord Vitaly, who managed the castle, would soon be even busier.
“Is there anything special you want to learn?”
“I… I don’t know, my lady. I don’t know anything. I think I’ll be learning how to make lace, tell fabric apart, and um…”
She counted on her fingers, trying to speak clearly as she’d been taught. Especially with the Duke of Roetingen himself nearby, she had to be extra careful. She too had been too scared to sleep when the black dragon had appeared by the sea.
“I guess… I’ll be learning how to be a good maid?”
“There’s no such thing.”
Hasollan chuckled, slid the honeyed nuts to her, and gently placed a small silver spoon in her hand.
“Try this. I’m not really in the mood for sweets right now.”
The girl hesitated, sneaking glances at the Duke.
“It’s fine. It tastes best fresh. Eating alone isn’t fun. I’ll have one of these.”
Hasollan picked up some bread.
“Thank you, my lady.”
The maid, who had been swallowing nervously, finally tasted a few nuts.
“Is it good? It’s good, right?”
Hasollan, like Akelans, was very kind to children. She smiled brightly, dimples showing, and kept offering more snacks.
“My lady… may I ask something?”
“Sure.”
“Aren’t you scared of riding horses?”
The girl whispered, afraid the Duke might overhear. Of course, Akelans heard everything.
“Not at all.”
“I’m scared. All the girls in Roetingen ride horses. I have to learn too, but I don’t want to. Still, I have to.”
“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”
Hasollan poured her tea into the cup Akelans had been using and placed it in front of the maid.
“You don’t have to do things just because others do. Find what you want to do.”
The maid, forgetting the cup belonged to the Duke, lifted it with both hands and sipped.
“Not wanting to ride horses isn’t bad. It just makes you different. Don’t worry too much.”
“I want to shoot a bow!”
She raised her voice but quickly covered her mouth.
Hasollan tilted her head and smiled.
“Well then—”
“That means I still have to ride, right?”
The girl drooped again. Her cheeks turned red with worry.
“I don’t want to, but I have to. Horses scare me. The trainers just yell and throw me on the horse. I couldn’t handle it… It’s scary…”
Though timid, she felt safe talking to Hasollan, who listened kindly.
“There has to be a gentle teacher somewhere. We’ll find one. If you want to shoot arrows, riding is essential. Especially here in Roetingen.”
“Yes, my lady. You can’t even step outside the castle without a horse.”
Her words quickly turned into cheerful rambling. Hasollan smiled, enjoyed the chatter, and only sent her off after she finished her tea.
Leaning back, Hasollan picked up the next document, satisfied.
“..Aren’t you giving me any tea?”
Akelans finally spoke, having silently listened the whole time.
“You don’t even enjoy it.”
Hasollan replied coldly, all warmth gone, now the picture of a tired bureaucrat.
“Just smoke your pipe.”
Akelans, already pulling out a fine ivory pipe, twitched his jaw but said nothing. Dragons smoked often, wrapped in blue and white mist, lost in thought. Hasollan knew that.
While reviewing Roetingen’s thin finances, she asked casually:
“Did that woman know how to ride a horse?”
It sounded like small talk about the weather, but Akelans choked and coughed. A rare sight.
“Do you think Gidmong can teach riding well?”
“Why would you ask your bodyguard to teach you how to ride?”
“He’s not my bodyguard. He’s your spy. Follow me everywhere—it’s annoying. He seems like he’d be good at teaching.”
Hasollan spoke lightly.
“A proper lady should have a bodyguard.”
“I’m not that kind of lady.”
“No—you need someone like me as your guard.”
Only then did she look at Akelans, and he realized her gaze alone gave him a bit of relief.
“And… I don’t know.”
“Know what?”
“I don’t know if that woman could ride horses.”
His voice was rough, then softened when he saw her stare.
“You don’t even know if the woman you wanted to make your mate could ride a horse?”
Hasollan held up the imperial decree from Impel. Akelans frowned at the seal.
Countess Bessa had dug through the imperial archives and found records about Akelans. The decree said that because a black dragon once chose a human as a mate, the emperor would now choose one the same way.
It implied that Hasollan was not his mate, and Akelans was a dragon who had failed even when he did have a mate. It was a cruel insult.
“She wasn’t my mate. I don’t even remember her name.”
Instead of raging, Akelans just gave a cold smile and shrank a little in front of Hasollan.
“…I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Hasollan asked sharply, far more bold than before.
“For hurting you over a woman whose name I don’t even remember… And for making you go through all of this now. That was never my intention when I came back.”
He grabbed the decree from her hands and threw it aside.
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
That was it. No excuses, no begging. Just guilt.
“Everything was my fault. I’m sorry.”
