Chapter 143 - Andymion

“…Ah, no way.”

“Well, it could be it. In any case, it’s certain that we won’t be getting back.”

“Hahaha, I knew it wasn’t any of us!”

* * *

“When was the last time that quack came here?”

“Did you just say quack?”

“Oh, sorry about that. Izek and the others keep calling him that, so I accidentally got used to it.”

You don’t need to apologize, but poor Sergei, he’s quite talented, but I wonder how he got stuck with that nickname.

I smiled as I looked at the perplexed Andymion scratching his head.

“It was two days ago. He said some strange things.”

“Strange things?”

“He said you might be able to leave before spring comes. Isn’t that strange? He’s not the type to speak so ambiguously.”

Andymion avoided my gaze and let out a vague cough.

Haa. Now that I think about it, he seems to have grown taller.

“Kukuku, ahem, is there anything uncomfortable about your stay here? Everyone is very concerned.”

Well, no matter how uncomfortable it was, it couldn’t compare to last winter, when my husband and his colleagues took turns sleeping outside while chasing after a giant lizard.

I was staying in a small cabin adjacent to Rom’s cave in the frost forest.

Originally, it was a place that was used as an observatory, but it had been renovated.

Some brought gifts, and meals were also provided, plus ironclad knights patrolled the area, so there was nothing to complain about.

If there’s anything to complain about, it’s only…

“What could possibly be inconvenient?”

“Well, still…”

“Of course, it gets boring just hanging out with these fellas. There’s Ronja and Lucille, but still… Today, with you visiting like this, it’s really nice.”

I could clearly see the perplexity spreading on Andymion’s face as he gazed at me with a lonely look in his eyes.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, I spoke up.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I was acting childish again. Maybe it’s because of the vague things Sergei said to me…”

“Oh, no. It’s natural for you to feel lonely! All of us, especially Sir Izek, are going crazy…”

“Of course, I understand that. He can’t just recklessly abandon his post while these two are devouring my magic, plus it would have been dangerous for me to get too close to divinity. It’s not like it’s really chaotic right now either… Anyway, since you, Andymion, are here today, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”

“What? Oh, yes, yes. Of course, I’m not as strong as your husband, but I’m still incomparable to anyone in the north. But that’s not why I came here today, it’s because Sir is about to… No, that’s not it!”

As Andymion blushed and rambled on, I opened my eyes in surprise, wondering if I should stop teasing him.

“Andymion? Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine. More importantly, Madam, he will be here soon, not just because of the danger that you and I both know about…The reason why the quack said this is because he already knew…”

“Yes…?”

Andymion clenched his fists tightly in front of my absent-minded eyes.

Then, his pumpkin-coloured eyes sparkled brilliantly.

What was wrong with him?

“In fact, the reason is a secret plan that just got delayed.”

“A secret and cunning plan… What is that exactly?”

“It’s a secret!”

“….”

“What I just said is also a secret. If they find out that I am saying this, I will not be able to see the sunrise tomorrow, and I will not be able to see you either… Do you understand? Well, I’ll go now!”

With that, our cheerful little trainee left.

He was the same as always.

I didn’t know what secret and cunning plan he’s talking about, but it seemed that I could leave soon anyway.

Ah, I caused trouble here and there as soon as I returned.

Externally, it was known that I was temporarily recuperating at the Duke’s villa due to the shock of losing my in-laws.

Currently, the only thing known about the former queen’s actions towards me was that she acted wrong, and while I was in Romagna, I heard that the Omerta family held Enzo’s funeral.

If I go down from here, I should go to Enzo’s tomb and put some flowers.

According to what Ellenia told me, after Enzo died, Freya entered the monastery.

It was an unexpected move for her.

It seemed that witnessing such a death had caused significant trauma.

Some memories are meant to stay forever.

Good memories and bad memories.

So I was worried about Ellenia, but she just laughed and said, ‘Who’s worrying about whom?’ telling me to worry about myself, Leah and Arien instead.

Damn it. I’ve been worrying enough.

To be honest, I’m quite satisfied now. I’ve never felt such a sense of liberation before!

That profound sense of liberation I felt when my husband dedicated the sword that killed my big brother to me.

If that’s a sin, so be it.

Anyway, I’m already in the depths of Satan’s lair.

It wasn’t bad living here.

As I told Andymion earlier, there weren’t many uncomfortable things, and it was quite enjoyable to live with the dragon baby, Popo, and Griffin.

When will I be able to play freely like this again? It’s just…

“Piyoooooo!”

It was a moment when I came out alone outside the cabin while Ronia and Lucil were taking a nap, and the griffin, who I thought had gone hunting, suddenly flew over and waved its tail in the air, making a loud noise.

Why were they all so wild today?

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Pururrring, pururrring! Purrring!”

It was obvious that some other creature had caused the griffin to appear so desperate yet excited.

“What’s going on again? Is it possible that Popo and the dragon baby are fighting over something weird again?”

Anyway, because it was clear that there was some urgency, I hurriedly followed Griffin.

After running along the familiar forest path, we arrived at a clearing filled with blueberry bushes before the entrance to Rom’s cave.

And then, “Po, Po, Po!” Popo, who clearly looked scared, yelled loudly and pointed vehemently in my direction, as if he were accusing someone.

Griffin, perched on Popo’s head, also glared eagerly in the same direction.

And for a moment, I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to be looking at.

But…

On the other side of me was a Durahan I had encountered a few times before. It was a knight who carried a severed head on his hip as he travelled.

The problem was that even though I couldn’t see his expression, I could feel his intense anger, and the fact that there was no head where it should have been on his hip added to it.

And on the opposite side of Popo and Griffin, pointing eagerly, was none other than Izek.

Although it was clear that Izek had been hit, for some reason he was dressed in his sxxy knight clothes, holding Durahan’s severed head in one hand.

How should I interpret this scene?

Izek, who had been fighting here with a weird expression, slowly turned to me.

I swallowed.

“What are you doing over there?”

“…I’m mediating the fight like an adult.”

What was adult-like about this?

“A fight?”

“Well, because that pig and the magpie pecked at that little one’s head during playtime, the little one lost his mind.”

“Oh…?”

“So, I tried to return it to the little one, but suddenly the magpie brought you here and now they’re making it as if I was the one who did this.”

“What?”

I opened my mouth and looked at Popo and Griffin.

The two of them were gradually moving away from me.

No, but the audacity of these two?

“But why are you treating Durahan like this?”

“Did you forget? Today is Sabbath.”

“…”

“Besides…there’s another reason why I shouldn’t get MY hands dirty today.”

“What reason?”

Instead of answering, Izek turned his head as if avoiding my gaze and vigorously threw Durahan’s head back towards its original owner.

Perhaps it was because it wouldn’t be fun to fight in the dragon’s territory, or maybe it was because of me, or maybe he was satisfied with finding his head, but the knight put the head on his side and rushed away, as if saying “when did this happen?”

A brief silence passed between the two of us.

I blinked and looked at Izek.

Why did it feel like it’d been so long since I last saw him?

It seemed like his hair was a little longer than the last time I saw him.

Did he get taller? Or not?

Well, what did it matter even if he grew even taller?Why was he wearing such a provocative outfit?

Although I told him not to wear anything provocative, he had worn it when he came to save me…

Wait, was he going to do something dangerous again?

Was that why he came to see me?

Did something happen?

Unlike me, who was staring at him cautiously, Izek kept his gaze down, not even meeting my eyes.