Disclaimer: Some words or phrases may be lost in translation. The word might not have a literal translation in English or there may be sayings in Korean culture that I am not familiar with.
(athanasiafrost)
This place boasted excellent security, with residents well-versed in self-defense and stringent criminal laws keeping unlawful activities exceptionally rare. Having spent my younger years surrounded by criminals, the safety here was oddly comforting.
Despite being a woman naturally prone to suspicion, those around me blushed in response to the favors and compliments I gave them. The brief period I spent here turned out to be surprisingly pleasant.
If there was a place where I could find respite, especially considering my profound physical and mental exhaustion from enduring prolonged stress, it would be a place like the North. This realization was not apparent when I first arrived.
“Me too… .”
I mumbled while the rooster crowed at dawn. In the serene northern region untouched by demons during the pitch-black night, I expressed my hope for a comfortable haven.
“I hope so too.”
At that moment, my sentiment was genuine. However, the harsh reality remained—without stealing the ‘Time Stone,’ my lifespan remained uncertain, yet acquiring it would jeopardize my stay in the North.
Surprisingly, the most notable individual among those who visited was not the sincere bell tower keeper. In fact, the person who underwent the most significant attitude change was Leo.
“… I came to visit you, Eloise.”
His hesitant and polite words revealed a newfound openness, evident as he visited me every morning, often in the company of John, the Yorkshire Terrier who had become my friend.
“How are you feeling today?”
“Hmm… I know it’s a bit difficult to call me mother. But we are family. No need to be so polite.”
I smiled while stroking John, who affectionately clung to me. It was unreasonable to expect a boy who did not call Johannes ‘father’ to address me as ‘mother.’
“Then…”
“Treat me a little more comfortably. Don’t stand so straight and make a blunt expression.”
“… Yes, Eloise. I will try my best.”
Leo, who would typically reject me at least once, nodded with his ears turning red. Then, as if he was embarrassed, he disappeared like lightning.
‘Oh cute.’
I chuckled to myself as I watched Leo run away. The more I thought about the shy face of a child who matured early, the cuter it became, and the more I laughed.
‘Really… cute.’
Observing Leo in good health brought an odd sense of relief.
In a way, it felt like I had come to the Dukedom for nefarious purposes. However, witnessing Leo’s lively activities allowed me to tentatively rationalize that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Paradoxically, seeing a healthy child in front of me felt like salvation.
And also, the third significant event that transpired for me…
“Hehe, madam.”
Now, I had to contend with Braeden, who visited daily after lunch, laden with books.
“How is your ankle today?”
“Well, it’s okay. The doctor mentioned that I naturally have a slow recovery, but it’s improving bit by bit.”
“Heh… This old man thought something really big was going to happen. I’m genuinely glad.”
Braeden nags me with the same advice every time we met.
“You were able to act recklessly because you didn’t know anything. Luckily, everyone was safe this time, but please don’t do anything like that again. The North is not a place where things can be solved by throwing one’s arms around an impulsive sense of justice.”
While every word seemed misplaced for someone like me, I grinned and nodded.
“Yeah, I got it! From now on, no more throwing myself into situations—just knives!”
“Haha… I don’t know what that means… Then, let’s start studying today.”
Braeden opened the book and spoke solemnly. I nodded, quill in hand. It all began with something Johannes mentioned on the day he returned to the duchy.
“Teach Eloise about the basic common sense of the Duchy of Noavik.”
Since that afternoon, Braeden had been faithfully visiting to educate me. It served as a substantial motivation.
“Everything between the South and the North differs — from vegetation, race, lifestyle, and history. To prevent something like this from happening, Eloise must know the North and the Noavik family well. Moreover, if you are going to deal with an envoy from the Kingdom of Emmenta, you will naturally need to have basic common sense about that country.”
“Ah, um, well, right… .”
“Today, we will start by studying the history and characteristics of the Noavik family. It will probably be very helpful in understanding the Duke.”
“Oh, starting today?”
“Well, if you’re truly tired or finding it challenging, we can postpone until tomorrow. I will inform the duke accordingly. Oh, you can keep it a secret and take a break surreptitiously. I have a heavy mouth.”
In reality, I wasn’t that fatigued. However, I wasn’t particularly eager to study just to better understand Johannes.
Anyway, Johannes compelled me to study to avoid the fatigue from dealing with Princess Yujei. He harbored resentment towards the man who threatened to expel him summarily, making cooperation seem unappealing.
Well, who would suffer if I were to be embarrassed in front of Yujei? It wasn’t my concern, and all of this was other people’s business. I nodded, appearing somewhat fatigued, thinking it was acceptable to buy some time for a few days.
And then, the third significant event unfolded for me…
“Hehe, ma’am.”
Now, I had to face Braeden, who arrived daily after lunch, loaded with books.
“How is your ankle today?”
“Well, it’s okay. The doctor mentioned that I am naturally slow to recover. But it’s improving bit by bit.”
“Heh… This old man thought something really significant was going to happen. I’m really glad.”
Braeden repeated the same admonition each time he saw me.
“You were able to act recklessly because you didn’t know anything. Fortunately, everyone was safe this time, but please refrain from such impulsive acts. The North is not a place where matters can be resolved by embracing an impulsive sense of justice.”
Having an impulsive sense of justice didn’t quite suit me, but I smiled and nodded nonetheless.
“Yeah, I got it! From now on, I won’t throw myself, only knives!”
“Ahaha… I don’t know what that means… Then, let’s start studying today.”
Braeden opened the book and spoke earnestly. I nodded, holding the quill. It all commenced due to something Johannes mentioned on the day he returned to the duchy.
“Teach Eloise about the basic common sense of the Duchy of Noavik.”
And since that afternoon, Braeden had been visiting me to provide instruction. It served as a considerable impetus.
“Everything between the South and the North differs—vegetation, race, lifestyle, and history. To prevent something like this from happening again, Eloise must be well-versed in the North and the Noavik family. Moreover, if you are going to deal with an envoy from the Kingdom of Emmenta, having basic common sense about that country is essential.”
“Ah, um, well, right… .”
“Today, we will start by studying the history and characteristics of the Noavik family. It will likely be very helpful in understanding the Duke.”
“Oh, starting today?”
“Well, if you’re truly tired or finding it challenging, we can postpone until tomorrow. I will inform the duke accordingly. Oh, you can keep it a secret and take a break surreptitiously. I have a heavy mouth.”
In reality, I wasn’t that fatigued. However, I wasn’t particularly eager to study just to better understand Johannes.
Anyway, Johannes compelled me to study to avoid the fatigue from dealing with Princess Yujei. He harbored resentment towards the man who threatened to expel him summarily, making cooperation seem unappealing.
Well, who would suffer if I were to be embarrassed in front of Yujei? It wasn’t my concern, and all of this was other people’s business. I nodded, appearing somewhat fatigued, thinking it was acceptable to buy some time for a few days.
“Ahaha, then let’s put it off until tomorrow, and you can get a bit more sleep…
“Is that so? Well, the bloodline of Duke Noavik is quite distinct from that of ordinary people, so there is quite a lot to study. Whether it’s the Senate’s recognition of a successor, the eye to see into demons, or the ‘treasure room’… .”
Wait a minute, ‘treasure room.’ Then, the story took a slightly different turn. I immediately changed my mind and swiftly grabbed Braeden’s hand as he turned around.
“No.”
“Yes?”
“Sleep is something you can do when you die. When I think about it, pushing tomorrow’s studies to today was a personal hobby of mine. I want to start studying.”
And so, my studies began from that day. It turned out to be quite advantageous for me. Despite feeling like I was going crazy due to curiosity about the ‘Treasure Room,’ I was so determined to keep it to myself that I couldn’t inquire about it.
Even attempts to gather information under the guise of playing hide-and-seek with the kids proved futile, as not a single child knew the location of the ‘treasure room.’ Everyone simply shrugged their shoulders, stating that only Noavik’s immediate family was privy to that information.
However, having the opportunity to teach myself under the guise of studying was truly remarkable. I refrained from searching for information for fear of appearing suspicious, a circumstance that worked to my advantage. I assumed an upright posture and smiled brightly at Braeden.
Ultimately, Braeden flashed a smile and settled at the desk with me. While I had hoped for insights into the ‘Treasure Room,’ he instead opened an immensely thick book and declared,
“Then… We will start by memorizing the genealogy.”
Regrettably, instead of learning about the ‘Treasure Room’ that day, I found myself subjected to infuriating memorization for several days. Braeden insisted that I commit to memory the tedious genealogy, geography, and vegetation of the North, emphasizing the need for a basic understanding.
‘Uh… I really don’t want to do this… I guess I should do it though… .’
In some respects, all of this might be considered a bit overdue. It was knowledge I should have acquired a long time ago, being a hostess of the North.
However, owing to Johannes’ directive to ‘observe without asserting authority,’ coupled with my indolence and lack of interest in learning, my knowledge of the North had remained limited until now.
But now things are a little different. Following Johannes’ decision not to find fault with Princess Yujei, I now had to do the bare minimum of research about this area.
Initially, I harbored some resentment toward Johannes, but considering he could have abandoned me in a forest filled with wolves, yet he personally brought me here and even healed my ankle, my feelings shifted.
Furthermore, he exhibited good manners and consideration until the end, refraining from making any statements about kicking me out or getting a divorce in front of others. Even though no one realized he was more polite than perceived due to his usual cold and arrogant demeanor.
So, since I had committed to studying, I felt magnanimous enough to prevent him from embarrassing himself in front of Yujei.
Moreover, I now had a powerful incentive to work diligently and extract at least a tidbit about the treasure room.
Leaving everything else aside, it was undeniably lamentable that he possessed the Noavik castle yet remained oblivious to the fact that packs of wolves roamed the surrounding forest.
As I delved into my studies, even sacrificing sleep, Johannes never sought me out.
“1201… Sewerage maintenance in Edina Noavik… Leto Kingdom merges with Mazien Kingdom… .”
Seated at her desk, Eloise was engrossed in memorizing history and geography with a determined posture. A bandage was wrapped around her ankle, and neatly placed crutches stood by the desk.
When faced with difficulty recalling something, she would sigh and lean against the large teddy bear positioned beside her. Her flowing blond hair sparkled in the moonlight, and her lips moved incessantly as she worked with her pen.
Johannes watched Eloise’s profile through the open door and then quietly turned around.
Observing Eloise’s profile through the open door, Johannes silently turned away. The side view he had been focusing on appeared so innocuous. It had been a few days already.
Initially, they had agreed on a designated time for divorce, and if she declined, the plan was to have a private discussion every night to discern her true feelings. However, as he observed her lips diligently uttering the names of northern locations, he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt.
Complications had overtaken his thoughts.
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