Chapter 59
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Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Episode 59
After that, Haem patted their backs with a resounding slap.
"Alright, let's move out!"
"Yes, sir, Captain!"
"Yes, sir!"
Three men of varying heights—one broad, one short, one lanky—responded in unison with booming voices and moved with military precision.
Their thunderous reply was so loud it grated on Haem's nerves, causing him to squint one eye.
Already sleep-deprived with a dull ache throbbing behind his eyes, the loud noise made his head pound even worse.
"Ugh, I'm exhausted. Ugh..."
He shuffled like a zombie toward the rear of the Main Residence.
The Commander's preparations for departure had stretched on, leaving roughly thirty minutes to spare.
Having finished his own preparations early, Haem trudged over to the Hay Pile and collapsed onto it with a heavy thud.
Rather than wait stiffly for the appointed time, Haem craved nothing more than to sprawl out in solitude where no one could see him.
"...I need to request leave. I need a vacation..."
During the nine days Lucas had been transformed into a horse, Haem had to handle his duties in his stead.
Those nine days had taught him a bitter lesson: his master accomplished far more work than he'd ever imagined.
The skill of turning pages every ten seconds was not something anyone could replicate.
The Territory he managed alone spanned millions of hectares.
When islands and scattered archipelagos were included, the domain expanded even further.
On top of that, he had to oversee the Black Family's military affairs and the council of elders' agenda.
What about the diplomatic agreements with foreign nations? Why were there so many ongoing ventures?
"This is inhuman work. Truly inhuman..."
Of course, aside from his closest aide Haem, there were deputy commanders stationed throughout each region, yet the work still overflowed.
'Sigh...'
This was not a workload any single human could handle.
When Haem suddenly had to take over and manage nearly everything, the first three days nearly drove him to a mental breakdown.
Had Gabriel not lent his assistance, Haem might have collapsed dead on the fourth day.
Wealth and high status were not blessings in themselves.
Haem wanted to live as a human. Not as a monster, but as a human!
"I must never let the Commander transform again."
Haem muttered this while gazing up at the sky with glazed eyes.
Since returning from his equine form to human, the Commander had become even more energetic than before.
How could anyone function on just two hours of sleep a day?
The Commander claimed his transformation was a curse, but wasn't it actually a blessing?
To gain the stamina of a beast upon returning to human form...
No, even beasts couldn't sustain such exhaustion.
"That's just a monster, plain and simple."
Having quietly blasphemed his master in solitude, Haem felt his mood lighten slightly, and a small smile crossed his face.
The soft, fluffy hay felt wonderfully comfortable.
The breeze felt refreshingly cool, and by the time I thought so, I had already drifted off to sleep.
"...Haem."
Who on earth....
"Haem, wake up. Haem."
My body swayed gently back and forth.
My eyelids were so heavy they refused to open, but the voice calling my name sounded so sweet that I barely managed to lift them.
"Are you awake?"
I gazed upward into the hazy air with unfocused eyes.
Her red hair, gathered loosely and tousled in the breeze, came into sharp focus against my blurred vision.
Lovely brown freckles dotted her pale skin, creating an endearing face.
Her pale green eyes gleamed more brilliantly than the verdant foliage around us.
Everything about her was so harmonious and beautiful that I found myself smiling and murmuring without thinking.
"Wow, you're so beautiful...."
"...What?"
Her eyes, which had been blinking in confusion, narrowed as if looking at someone strange.
"You're not fully awake yet, are you?"
As she tilted her head in that familiar gesture, reality suddenly crashed down on me.
"...!"
This isn't a dream?!
Startled, I bolted upright and headbutted Julie, who had been looking down at me.
Crack!
With a tremendous sound, both of us tumbled backward simultaneously.
"Ow!"
"Ugh!"
We both clutched our foreheads and crouched down in the grass.
The impact had been so hard that tears pricked my eyes, but I was more concerned about Julie.
"A-are you okay? Ow. I'm sorry. I was so startled... Let me see, are you alright?"
"I'm fine... Ow, I'm fine. My head is harder than I thought."
Julie answered with a forced smile, her eyes glistening with tears.
Both of our foreheads were swollen and red in identical spots, as if stamped there.
Julie glanced at me and suddenly burst into laughter.
"What do we do!"
Her eyes, wet with tears, curved like crescents as bright laughter spilled out.
'Did we hit our heads too hard?'
I couldn't seem to regain my composure as I looked at her.
These past few days, with so much work, I'd been drifting like someone living in clouds, but now I was dazed in a way that couldn't compare to that.
"Haem, I'm sorry. Your nose... You're bleeding! My goodness, why are your nostrils flaring like that?"
Her expression was apologetic, but her tone was one of barely suppressed laughter as she tapped the ground.
At her words, I finally noticed something warm trickling below my nose. Ah, a nosebleed. I really was bleeding.
Heat flooded my face, and my head drooped down without my realizing it.
"Are you alright? My head's always been rather thick—I used to settle disputes with headbutts all the time when I was younger. The nosebleed, what should I do about it?"
Julie knelt down and quickly grabbed the apron she'd been wearing to wipe away his nosebleed.
Whether freshly changed or not, the apron Julie used to plug Haem's nostrils carried a delicate, pleasant fragrance.
"Don't tilt your head back. The blood will flow down your throat. Lean forward instead. That's right."
Though he sometimes acted foolishly in front of Lucas, Haem was nonetheless the Duke's adjutant.
Most people either feared him or treated him as a capable, efficient servant.
Either way, he was never an easy person to be around.
"Let me see... ah, the bleeding's stopped. Thank goodness."
Yet Julie alone treated me strangely—like a younger brother. She was kind and gentle, and I could feel it in her tone and manner.
"Oh, that's right! The Duke is looking for you. I remembered passing by here before and came to find you... You should go quickly. Judging by those splendid clothes you're wearing, it seems you're heading somewhere."
"Oh! That's right! Going out!"
"Wait, wait. Haem, there's blood on you here too."
Julie sprang up like a salmon fillet and quickly snatched Haem's wrist as he tried to leave.
Caught off guard, he was practically pulled down into her embrace.
Julie meticulously wiped beneath his chin with her fragrant apron.
Her face felt remarkably close, yet Julie's expression held no tension whatsoever.
That was oddly displeasing, and yet not entirely unwelcome.
'What is this feeling?'
It was a strange sensation—disliking it while enjoying it, enjoying it while disliking it.
"There, all done. Go on now. Later, place a cloth on your forehead too."
She quickly pushed him forward. Even as he stumbled away from her shove, Haem found himself glancing back over his shoulder without thinking.
Like a worried older sister, Julie watched his retreating figure all the way, waving her hand.
"I'm supposed to be a capable person, yet..."
Why did I feel so unsettled?
Haem rushed off to find Lucas, his expression bewildered.
* * *
When Haem rushed to find Lucas, he was already fully dressed.
He'd even donned an expensive cane and hat, presenting himself as an impeccably refined duke with an air of aristocratic elegance.
As Haem stumbled in breathlessly, Lucas raised one eyebrow—a gesture executed with perfect grace.
"At last you've arrived, Your Majesty Emperor Haem."
Lucas tipped his black hat with exaggerated courtesy. Haem laughed awkwardly, caught off guard.
"My sincerest apologies, dear Master! Your humble servant collapsed atop a hay pile after you so generously bestowed excessive duties upon me. But sir, you look absolutely magnificent today! Are you perhaps receiving an envoy from another kingdom?"
His theatrics were perhaps a touch excessive, yet not entirely unfounded.
However, someone had taken notice of Haem's remarks.
"Hmm, isn't the cane a bit much?"
Selena Black murmured thoughtfully, rubbing her chin with a serious expression.
As if waiting for her cue, Lucas tossed the cane to Haem.
"There's nothing wrong with your legs. Why the cane?"
The handle was carved with a black horse, its eyes set with gemstones, and the outer surface gilded with gold.
The ostentatious cane served one purpose alone: pure ostentation.
"You're absolutely right, madam! Just as you are now, you're already utterly flawless."
"Is that so, Lora? Do I truly appear that way?"
"Of course! Look at you—perfect as a divine sculpture!"
Lucas glanced at the mirror at Lora's excessive praise.
Indeed, from head to toe, his appearance warranted every compliment.
He tilted his chin up slightly, projecting an air of aristocratic pride.
'Hmm, at this angle, Grace will surely be captivated, won't she?'
As I turned to check, she was indeed gazing at me with the kind of wonder that could inspire love at first sight.
No matter how many times those around me had praised my appearance—calling me charismatic, masculine, perfectly sculpted—it had never stirred me. But this was different.
'That's right. Grace loves this face of mine.'
Now, even the scar on my jaw seemed like an ornament that enhanced my beauty. I suddenly recalled those soft lips that had set my eyes ablaze the night before.
Despite having barely slept, energy surged through me. It was the magic of her kiss that rekindled the dying embers of my will to live, setting them ablaze once more.
The sensation of my lips against her cheek and the feeling of her lips against my skin were entirely different.
Of course, kissing her cheek myself had been wonderful, but when she reached out with those delicate hands, cupped my face, and pressed her feather-soft lips gently against my skin—that was an entirely different dimension of bliss.
'That's it. That's the mark of ownership. Yes, that's right.'
In any case, she was a woman with possessiveness that was truly unmatched.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org