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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and ‌enjoy the latest releases, ‌‌‌‌please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 81
"My apologies. I was shortsighted."
The Nobleman immediately ‌‌‌bowed his head. Barcas entered his Bedroom without responding.
A servant quickly followed him ‌‌inside. ‌With a light gesture, Barcas dismissed the man, then settled into a chair and methodically removed his armor and clothing, arranging them neatly before immersing ‌himself in the bath the servants had prepared.
After a full day of riding, my body was thoroughly caked with dust and reeked of horse.
I ‌‌‌‌‌washed myself ‌‌thoroughly ‌‌in the clear water, then dressed in a deep ‌‌indigo doublet ‌and wool trousers. When I ‌‌‌stood before the mirror in boots that reached my shins, my reflection showed a perfectly composed silhouette.
Years of rigorous training had conditioned my body to maintain an impeccable posture ‌at all times.
I regarded myself in the mirror—a man who might have been cast by the Imperial Family itself—for ‌‌a moment before seizing ‌‌my coat and leaving ‌‌‌the room.
Just as I turned toward the Grand Hall, a woman descending the stairs caught my eye. Recognizing her as the Healer dispatched from the Imperial Palace, I immediately called ‌‌‌her to a halt.
"Why are ‌‌‌‌you coming down from upstairs?"
The woman hastily bowed her head.
"The Princess summoned me...."
My brow furrowed. I had anticipated that Talia would ignore my instructions, but seeing it confirmed with my ‌‌‌own eyes kindled a faint irritation.
I asked in a clipped tone.
"How is the Princess's condition?"
"Thanks to a full day of rest, she appears better than usual. Her fever has completely subsided. However, the pain in her legs still seems to persist...."
"Did you burn the sleep herb again?"
The Healer's face visibly stiffened, ‌‌as if she had detected the reproach in my tone. She spoke ‌‌defensively.
"The Princess suffers ‌‌‌‌from severe chronic pain. Using the sleep herb is the best measure to alleviate her suffering."
I scrutinized the woman's face with sharp eyes.
Could I truly trust a Healer appointed by The Empress? She was a woman who treated my daughter like a chess piece. There was no way to know what schemes she might be plotting behind my back.
I studied her face carefully, as if gauging her true intentions, then gestured for her to leave.
The woman bowed and descended the stairs at an unhurried, measured pace.
After observing her departing figure, I made my way toward Talia's ‌‌Bedroom.
When I ‌‌‌knocked on the firmly closed door, a slightly ‌‌hoarse voice emerged.
"Come in."
The moment I stepped inside, cool air brushed against my cheek. My brow knitted. Contrary to my expectation ‌‌‌‌of a room thick with stale smoke, the spacious Bedroom was filled only with a faint floral fragrance and the scent of dried grass.
I suppressed my rising unease and carefully surveyed the disheveled room.
Soon I discovered a small silhouette sitting on the windowsill.
I was about to call her name when I suddenly fell silent. I could not discern what had stopped my words.
The woman, bathed in the cascading sunset light, turned her head toward me. When our eyes met, my inexplicable anxiety intensified.
I pulled at the neckline of my doublet ‌‌and stepped closer to ‌her. After firmly locking the wide-open window, ‌‌I brought the back of my hand to her luminously pale cheek and felt an icy coldness.
"How long have you been sitting like this?"
"Sitting like what?"
"How long have you been exposed to the cold wind?"
Her eyes narrowed. With her petulant expression filling her small ‌‌‌‌face, she looked about two years younger than her actual age.
She swatted my hand away and spoke ‌curtly.
"I don't know. Why should I care?"
"If your fever returns, what then?"
"So my fever returns. What of it?"
He furrowed his brow. Whenever I engaged ‌‍in conversation with this woman, strange impulses stirred within me. A desire to force her into compliance through sheer strength warred with an equally peculiar compulsion to coax her into submission through gentle persuasion.
As if to shake off that ambiguous emotion, I stepped back a pace. The moment I created distance, her rigid shoulders visibly relaxed, ‌‌‌tension draining away.
Talia, hugging her knees with both arms, raked her gaze over me from head to toe before speaking flatly.
"More importantly, why are you ‌‌dressed like that?"
"Guests are arriving. I'm preparing ‌‌‌‌to host a modest banquet." ‌‌
"Guests?"
"Regional lords from the Eastern Region. They've come to make ‌a favorable impression on me, or so I'm told."
"Hmm...."
She fingered the edge of my coat, producing a peculiar sound. I gazed quietly at her hand.
After worrying at my garment for some time, she hesitantly opened her mouth.
"Don't I need to attend ‌‌‌as well?"
I lifted my gaze once more. Her face, beautiful to an unsettling degree, ‌‌filled my vision.
She was a woman who stirred others' emotions in the most extraordinary ways. Even I, whose senses were largely restrained, felt those strange impulses in her presence. I could foresee without witnessing what chaos her appearance would unleash.
I paused briefly before slowly shaking my head.
I couldn't hide her forever, but at least until I secured absolute control over the Eastern Region, I preferred to keep her from drawing attention.
"There's no need. I'll explain the situation adequately to my retainers. ‌‌‌‌For now, please focus on your recovery."
"...Is it because you're ashamed of me?"
Her voice suddenly turned sharp. I, who ‌‌‌‌had been turning toward the door, stopped and looked down at her.
She gnawed at her scabbed lips and spoke mockingly.
"Are you already regretting taking a cripple as your wife?"
I clenched my fists tightly. Without doing so, I feared I might do something ‌‌‌‌terrible. Taking a long breath, I waited for the sharp emotions to subside while regarding her with cold eyes. ‌Her pupils flashed with unmistakable hostility. In that moment, words I'd been suppressing clawed their way up my throat.
"Sometimes I can't ‌‌‌tell if what you say ‌‌‌is meant to wound me, or if you're simply hurting yourself."
Her lips hardened into a rigid line, as if words had abandoned her. ‌‌‌
I gazed silently at her face, thick ‌‌with disbelief, then ‌‌‌‌exhaled softly and turned away.
"I'll have a Handmaid brought to you. Prepare yourself. If you truly wish to attend, I won't stop you."
"Fine."
Talia leaped down from the windowsill and spoke coldly.
"If I stay with you ‌‌any longer, I'll run a fever again."
With that, she stumbled toward the bed and threw herself onto the sheets. Watching ‌‌‌her silently, I soon left the room.
Descending the stairs and stepping into the ‌‌‌‌‌Grand Banquet Hall, I was met ‌‌‌‌with the gaze of hundreds.
They rose from their seats in unison.
"You've arrived, Lord Barcas."
One of my retainers positioned near the entrance bowed respectfully.
I acknowledged the greeting with a slight nod and slowly crossed the hall.
Elaborately dressed high nobles and my own relatives occupied the central table of the banquet hall, while more modestly ‌‌attired noblemen surrounded them.
Passing through them ‌to reach the seat of honor, the faint melody that had been drifting through the hall ceased abruptly. I surveyed the assembled guests before offering ‌‌a ‌‌customary greeting.
"Thank you for traveling such a distance. I hope you'll forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality."
"Shortcomings? This is the finest wine I've ever tasted in my life!"
One of the noblemen seated at the long table exclaimed heartily.
I turned my gaze toward him. Embroidered upon his resplendent coat was the emblem of a black bear—the symbol of the Gutban Family, which dominated the Southeastern Region.
The Nobleman raised his wine glass high and continued speaking in a provocative tone.
"Indeed, the gifts bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor are truly exceptional. I wonder if ‌‌lowly creatures such as ourselves are even worthy of touching them with our lips. Is this not the reward earned through a lifetime of unwavering devotion by ‌the Lord of the House?"
The Nobleman, speaking with theatrical flair, ‌‌‌gulped down his wine in great swallows, then set the glass down with a loud, deliberate crash.
"When I think of the sweat and tears shed by the Lord of the House, this fine wine tastes bitter upon my tongue."
A heavy silence descended upon the Grand Hall.
Barcas leaned back against his chair and twisted his lips into a smirk.
"It seems you've come spoiling for a fight."

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official ‌‌site: valirscans.org
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