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Chapter 249
Red (Summer Special Illustration 3)
Meanwhile, at Valdrova Castle.
"Ferda-nim will be arriving shortly."
"Y-yes!"
"There's no need to be nervous. Ferda-nim is......."
Ruri's words momentarily stalled.
Е̃ n ů m̃ а
She recalled the moment she saw Ferda's right hand in the audience chamber.
"Ruri?"
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"......You are unharmed."
Ruri finished her sentence as if nothing were wrong.
Valdrova quietly nodded.
"Ferda-ssi is coming......."
W eb.n о̆ v е̌ l̇ Е̄ ñǔ m̊а̌
Valdrova unconsciously placed a hand on her own chest.
Her heart was pounding as if it would tear through her skin and burst out.
"Refreshments have been prepared. Tea has also been set up so Ferda-nim can make it himself."
"Yes....... Huh?"
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Realizing the implication of those words a beat late, Valdrova asked.
"Do you have somewhere urgent to be?"
Ẅе̌b n̈оv̂ е l̀ Е̇ n u.m а
Ruri fidgeted with her fingers as she answered.
"I apologize to Master-nim...... but I would like to take a vacation starting today."
Valdrova's face was filled with surprise.
Ruri, who never once said she wanted to rest, who was so sharp and proper, declaring a vacation.
"Yes. Alright."
It was a truly joyous thing for Valdrova.
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She had thought that Ruri should rest at least once.
"Where will you go for your vacation?"
"......I plan to spend it at a place called Crystal Lake in the west. I want to fish, buy some food, and enjoy some leisure."
"The west......."
Valdrova's eyes grew moist as she gazed at Ruri.
She always met those eyes confidently, but Ruri gently closed her own, avoiding Valdrova's gaze.
Ŵ е̄ bn o v еl̃ Е n uma
"How many days will you be gone?"
"A week...... should be enough."
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"Do you have money?"
"The money I have on hand will be enough for travel expenses. If worst comes to worst, I have ways to secure funds, so there's no need to worry."
"Alright, I understand."
Valdrova said with a smile.
Еn_üm̀а̀
Her smile was always gentle.
"Go carefully and come back."
"Yes."
Ruri bowed deeply and turned around.
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The moment she was out of Valdrova's sight, her face twisted severely.
She repeated words she couldn't bring herself to say aloud, moving only her lips.
Ë ǹǔ mа. id_
'I'm sorry.'
Ruri had promised Valdrova.
That she would protect her man.
But Ruri failed to protect that man.
'If it hadn't been for Odograsado-nim....... Would I have been able to restore that right hand?'
She threatened, turned things upside down,
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Even after doing all that, if she couldn't restore it,
If she had just gone back with Ferda's right hand still wrapped in bandages.
Would Valdrova still have welcomed Ruri with a smile?
'She would have.'
Valdrova would have forgiven her.
She would have comforted her, saying it couldn't be helped, that she did her best.
Е́ nû m̃ а.
Because she's a pathetic person who can't even get properly angry.
'That's why I can't forgive myself.'
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Ruri knows that because she can't get angry, things fester inside.
She couldn't burden her with the things she herself did, or even things she didn't do—she who has lived blaming herself for everything.
That's why a vacation was needed.
However, not to go to a lake in the west and leisurely enjoy herself.
Е̃numа̊ .ǐ d̂
Her destination was elsewhere.
The place she would head to was the Far North, where cold air flows even in midsummer.
It was Silverwind's Headquarters.
* * *
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Having quickly resolved only the important matters in the village, Ferda returned to the castle.
The Far Eastern nobles were planning to formally prepare a banquet for Ferda within the castle.
Wе b̈no v̊е̊ l Ё n.u mа̌
He headed toward the castle on the mid-slope along with them, and an unexpected flag stood planted before the castle gate.
'A signal that a distinguished guest is present.'
It's a flag rarely used.
They didn't even use that flag when the Princess and Second Prince visited.
Which means a being of even higher standing is here right now.
Ferda immediately knew who that distinguished guest was.
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Ferda stopped the carriage and called Consillus, saying:
"From now on, we'll enter on foot."
"Yes."
"The castle lord will appear, so tell them to fix their appearance and make full preparations."
"The castle lord...... Understood."
Consillus, having received the order, conveyed it to each of the nobles' carriages, and the nobles got down from their seats following Ferda.
Ẇёbn̈о̊ v̀ e l̊ Ẽn ů m̌а̀.
Thus they moved their steps toward the castle gate.
"Show proper etiquette!"
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A resonant woman's voice rang out.
Those words were originally what Ruri should have done.
But the owner of the voice that came was Garnet, who had returned first.
At those words, the nobles knelt.
W̊ е̇ b̂ n о̃v е̂l̂ Е̃ numа̂
Soon after, the castle doors opened and someone walked out carefully from within.
The nobles, who had been sneaking glances with heads slightly raised, saw that being's silhouette and dropped their heads again in shock.
What emerged was a woman's silhouette.
But two pairs of horns and a thick tail that couldn't exist on an ordinary human were in place.
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It's certain.
Their liege who settled in the Far East but whom they've never properly seen even once is right here before them now.
W̆êbnоv̇еl̆ Е̂ n̈ um̆а̄
'Terrifying pressure.'
'I must not lose my mind......!'
There was no Dragon Fear.
They were simply nervous, yet it was to this degree.
Just standing before a dragon made them feel like they were suffocating.
If they were told to raise their heads now, they'd know just how unsightly they'd look.
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Everyone knelt, and Ferda walked a bit further forward, took her hand, and paid his respects.
"I greet the Great Phase of Fire, Valdrova-nim."
"......."
Valdrova didn't answer.
She merely gave a brief nod, accepting the greeting.
'As expected...... a dragon, she says.'
Eň ǔmà . і̂d̆
'She's terribly strict with her partner too.'
It was enough to accept it that way.
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Wearing a mask, not even offering a reply—that appearance looked cold as ice.
She looked nonchalant, as if she naturally knew she would win this war and return.
But Ferda knew.
'You're flustered.'
W̄ е b_n̊ o v̌è l̈ Е̂ nūm̄ а
It wasn't just the nobles who were nervous.
He could feel sweat on her hand, showing just how nervous Valdrova was.
She must have been waiting thinking Ferda would come alone, then froze when she belatedly noticed the crowd trailing behind.
Valdrova withdrew her hand and quietly ascended the stairs.
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Ferda stood and said to Count Consillus behind him.
"I might not be able to attend the banquet, so if I'm not there, you all enjoy yourselves."
Ŵ е̌ ḃ n̄о_v̇ еl̆ E n u mǎ
"Without the protagonist, how......."
Consillus started to say that, then suddenly realized something and nodded.
"Understood. I hope the two of you have a pleasant time."
He must have imagined something rude, but Ferda didn't care.
Ferda followed behind Valdrova.
'Ruri's not visible.'
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The kid who stuck to Valdrova's side like a clingy girl isn't there.
Suddenly, the tears Ruri had shown Ferda came to mind.
'I hope nothing's wrong.'
The fact that Valdrova was this nervous led to speculation that something might have happened to Ruri.
Stray thoughts tried to torment Ferda.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on such things.
Ŵ е̂b.n о̆ v е̃ l Е n u m а̇
They neared the meeting place.
The place Valdrova led the way to was the arcade with a view of the western scenery.
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These days she visits the office, reception room, and various places, but officially, they always met at that spot.
"I'll open the door for you."
Ferda went ahead and opened the door for her, then followed inside.
The moment the sound of the door latch closing was heard,
W̆ ẽb ñо ṽе l Е̄ nũ m̃ а̀
The stray thoughts trying to dig through Ferda's head vanished in an instant.
Ferda realized.
That from a place where everyone's gazes were felt, it had become just the two of them.
Recognizing that, he turned his head,
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And Valdrova's gestures had become those of a lovely girl.
"Ferda-ssii......."
W e b̆ n о́v е l Ёn û m а̇
A sticky voice, as if her heart had melted, came out plaintively and lovingly.
How much she missed him—it melted in her voice.
She whipped her body around, leaning into him as if to throw herself into Ferda's arms.
Ferda prepared to catch that body.
"Ah."
But she didn't embrace him.
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The body that had leaned forward suddenly jerked back, and her head fell back even further than her body.
Her horns were shining ferociously today as well.
"I'm sorry, I almost caused trouble getting all excited by myself again."
"......It's alright."
Ferda awkwardly lowered his two hands, which had lost their destination.
He always thought.
Ẇ е bǹ.ö.v̇_ẽ l̇ E_n̈ u m̀ а̃
Even if his chest were pierced, he wanted to just hug her tight.
As if reading that disappointment,
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Valdrova carefully approached again and gently, tightly grasped Ferda's right hand.
Ferda raised that held hand, kissed it, and said.
"I've returned, Eleanor."
"Welcome back, Ferda-ssi."
Eńu m а
She caresses Ferda's right hand as if it's precious.
The skinship of a reunion after several weeks made Ferda nervous.
"Th-that is......! Ru, Ruri went on vacation."
"I see. So that's why she wasn't visible?"
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"Yes, yes!"
It was a strange thing.
Е n_u m̃а́.і̄ d̀.
That Chihuahua-like maid on vacation.
It wasn't incomprehensible.
In this war, Ruri had suffered terribly mentally.
I wonder if she told Valdrova about her hand being cut off.
Suddenly, such worry arose, but he quickly erased it from his mind.
As if reading this thought would be a disaster, Ferda decided to change the subject.
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"I'll prepare tea. Please sit and wait."
"Yes, yes!"
Valdrova sat obediently at the balcony table, and Ferda prepared boiling water.
The atmosphere was truly awkward.
"Were there no issues in the territory?"
"Yes, it was fine."
W̄e bn̊о̇vе̇ l Ë n̆u m̈ ӑ
"Is that so......."
"......."
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"......."
His mind went blank.
Usually he was the one to start conversation, but something wouldn't let the words continue.
The reason was immediately clear.
W̄ е b n о̀ṽ e l̄ E̊ n ü m̆ а
At times like this, Ruri—who always served as the bridge—wasn't there.
'Being alone together isn't all good either.'
I need to match this atmosphere, but can I do it alone?
Holding such anxiety, he poured red black tea into her cup.
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They drank a cup in silence.
It tasted strangely bitter.
W еb́ňȯ_v е̇l̆ Ẽ n̆ u m̈а
"Lately......."
The one to speak first was Valdrova.
"Monsters haven't been appearing much lately."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Those words also meant there was no place to vent her blood qi.
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"Is it quite serious?"
"Th-that is...... pretty serious......?"
"It seems it was serious while I was gone."
Ferda worried with a serious expression.
Seeing that expression, Valdrova fidgeted with her fingers.
"Ah, no that's...... while Ferda-ssi was by my side, there were no times I had to vent blood qi alone, and it settled down a lot, so actually I don't need it that much...... no, that's......."
Е nǔ m̈ а̃.. і̃ d_
Valdrova rambling incoherently.
A woman who is terribly bad at lying.
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As Ferda calmly waited for her words, Valdrova chewed her lip and confessed the truth.
"I'm sorry. I just said that because I wanted to feel Ferda-ssi's mana."
"Ah, is that so?"
"Uuuu......."
Е nŭ m̀ а̀ .і d̆
Valdrova covered her face inside the mask with her hands.
"I'm sorry. Ferda-ssii....... We finally met after so long...... and this woman is only having vulgar thoughts......."
Vulgar, she says.
I just wanted to say it's even more vulgar for you to say that.
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Ferda pondered for a moment, then rose from his seat.
He took a chair and sat next to Valdrova.
W̊ ĕ bñ òv̂ ë l̈ E nû m̊ а
"It's alright. Please, your hand......."
"Yes......."
Her slender fingers.
Ferda tried to send his magical power.
That was when.
Simultaneously with the movement of mana, a strange movement appeared from the Dark Circle.
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At the same time, Valdrova's appearance buried in Ferda's memory rose vividly.
A burning village.
Valdrova shedding tears of blood.
"Ferda-ssi?"
Her voice wakes him to reality.
"Why are you like this?"
Еń um̄ â
Ferda raised his head.
Two pairs of horns and red hair.
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And only the porcelain mask is visible.
Is that why? That despairing expression torments Ferda again.
Ferda said to Valdrova.
"Just a little......."
Êǹum̀ а̂
"Yes?"
"Could you bear with it just a little longer?"
Ferda's mana is mana made of emotion.
Valdrova said that mana is incredibly warm and cozy.
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Right now, it felt like he'd give her even that memory and anxiety he experienced.
For Valdrova, this was the first time Ferda spoke like this.
E nu mа̊
When she asked him to hold her hand for trivial reasons, he never refused once.
Why would that be?
"I will."
She was curious but didn't ask.
Instead, Valdrova carefully wrapped her hand around Ferda's.
"Actually...... it's fine even without that."
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She lowered her head and leaned on Ferda's shoulder.
"Just holding Ferda-ssi's hand and being like this makes me incredibly happy."
Breathing sounds and a question containing warmth.
"Ferda-ssi too, right?"
Yes, me too.
Normally he would have surely answered that way.
Ẁ_ё b̄ n.о̇ v̊ еl Ё n̄ú m̈ а̇
"That's not true."
Ferda said that.
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Valdrova was surprised by Ferda's answer and raised her head to look at him.
"Eleanor."
Ferda's face looked incredibly sad.
"Believing that as long as I have the heart that loves you, I can accomplish anything, I've been moving forward. I thought there was nothing more to wish for if I just had that."
W_е b n о̂ vě ľ Ӗnŭm̈ a
Ferda stood at death's doorstep in this war.
Ferda experienced his body being taken, and even saw hallucinations that pained Valdrova.
At that time, Ferda felt.
"But it wasn't like that. I......."
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He strongly gripped that mutually held hand.
As if he never wanted to let go even if it meant dying.
Ѐñ uṁ ǎ_.id
"I'm a person with more greed than I thought."
Eyes like a deep lake gazed profoundly.
She wants to look away, but can't.
Valdrova knows those eyes.
When they went to the Demon Land together, when she was struggling—those are the eyes he had then.
Those eyes have decided something, and Valdrova has no choice but to face them.
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"If there's greed......."
She asks with a trembling voice.
"Does that mean there's something you desire?"
"Yes."
"What kind of thing is it?"
She asked, but in fact she knew.
Ẅеb̄ n̊ õ v̇ ẽĺ E̊ ñ u m̂а̄
Ferda's blue eyes had always spoken, and conveyed it clearly to Valdrova.
Just, Ferda had never conveyed it with his mouth, so she pretended not to know.
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And now was that moment.
"When we meet, will you please take off that mask now?"
An unavoidable moment has arrived.
Valdrova lowered her head and quietly removed her hands.
Еnüm̀а .їď
Unbefitting the title Phase of Power, her two hands heading toward the mask only struggled.
"......I can't. With my strength, it's absolutely impossible......."
Just as disappointment was about to brush past, Valdrova's face approached Ferda.
"So...... will Ferda-ssi take it off for me?"
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Ferda quietly nodded and reached out his hand.
He could understand why she trembled so much.
Ėǹu mа .ïd
It was something she always longed for, yet even her resolve seemed to want to evade and stop.
Excitement was the main part, but fear also pricked like an awl in a pocket.
What if Valdrova's face shedding tears of blood appears?
The anxiety created by the Dark Circle tormented Ferda.
Ferda's resolve peeled off that white porcelain.
Like lifting a thick veil to confirm the bride's face.
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That face, so precious to Ferda, was clearly shining with light.
Golden eyes and vertically split pupils.
Someone might call it an eerie light, but to Ferda, they're incredibly lovely eyes.
"Ferda-ssi......."
Her small lips move vividly.
Overcoming the lump in her throat from tension, she replied.
Ӗn̄ ũmа̄
"Yes."
"My face...... how is it?"
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At the shy question, Ferda scanned her face again.
"It's beautiful."
A very lovely appearance, far from what he worried about.
Yet just one thing was the same.
Ӗ nům̈a.. і d̃
"And it's red."
"Is it...... very red?"
"Yes."
Even at this moment,
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She was blooming even redder.
