episode_0123

“Welcome to the North, Miss Eleanor.”

The man who greeted Eleanor as she stepped off the train was not the black-haired man she had been eagerly waiting for.

With his grey hair swept to one side over his black Knight Order uniform, the rugged-looking man approached Eleanor as she got off the train, kneeling on one knee and speaking.

In surprise at the unfamiliar man’s appearance, Eleanor extended her small left hand, wrapped in white lace gloves, palm up towards him and spoke.

“Uh, nice to meet you. But who are you?”

“I am Bernard, the commander of the Raven Knight Order, who serves His Grace closely.”

“Ah, Sir Bernard. I’ve heard a lot about you from Dmitri.”

Bernard then lightly kissed the Duke’s ring on Eleanor’s slender finger.

Having become accustomed to the customs of nobility by accompanying her mother to social gatherings, Eleanor managed to keep her face from blushing in front of the unfamiliar man.

Carefully withdrawing her hand from his, Eleanor asked, “Sir Bernard, is he there?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Where is Dmitri?”

Standing up from his seat, Bernard replied politely, “His Grace could not come today. The return of the scouts sent outside the barrier was delayed, so His Grace had to leave briefly to deal with the issue.”

“I see…”

Eleanor’s voice was filled with regret. However, she quickly masked the disappointment on her face.

Even though Dmitri was her lover, he was first and foremost the Duke ruling the North.

Just as her father had suppressed his desires and shortened her daughter’s journey to the North, he too had thought of the North.

Even if her lover were to set foot on the desolate land of the North for the first time, there might be times when he could not come to fetch her.

“Well, if there is something important, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Hiding her displeasure, Eleanor flashed a forced smile at Bernard. She then raised the corners of her mouth graciously, saying, “Since there are urgent matters in the North while I am in the West, he has told me several times.”

“I will escort you safely to the front of the Duke’s residence on behalf of His Grace.”

As Bernard once again politely bent his waist to Eleanor, she felt a slightly different atmosphere from when they first met as she got off the train.

#.

The people of the Verberitz Ducal House considered it an honor to protect their territory, and further, the Galatea Empire, from the horses and monsters that migrated south in search of warm land.

They had replaced their pride in their lineage, which had branched off from the royal family, with this sense of self-respect.

Thanks to this trivial pride, the people of the Verberitz Ducal House had given up the comfortable and cozy life in the typical noble mansions and moved to uncomfortable and chilly castles.

Moreover, the location of the castle was not far from the barrier, which was called the front line even in the North.

In other words, Eleanor’s journey to the Duke’s residence would not be easy.

“Why isn’t there a railway laid all the way to the front of the Duke’s residence like in Beaurn…”

Muttering to herself as she leaned her slender body against the swaying carriage, Eleanor unintentionally caught Bernard’s attention outside the window as he went to meet Beaurn on behalf of the Duke. Since Bernard had already made a good impression on her at the train station platform, he unintentionally listened to Eleanor’s muttering.

“It seems that the railway authorities couldn’t find a reason to extend the railway line to the front of the fortress, as the fortress is somewhat skewed towards the north and the terrain is rugged,” Bernard’s voice echoed quietly, revealing an answer that no one in the carriage had expected.

In a way, it was a critique of the land that he had lived in and risked his life to protect, but Bernard’s lips were curled up in a smile.

“Oh, really!”

Eleanor, taken aback by the unexpected voice, bounced her slender shoulders covered by a cardigan over her dress.

In fact, the outburst just now was something she had blurted out unintentionally due to the hardships of the journey. It wasn’t a question meant to elicit a response.

“Ahaha… I see, Sir Bernard? So that’s the situation.”

Eleanor, who sent a slightly embarrassed smile as her eyes trembled, was met with Bernard’s calm voice.

“Miss Eleanor, as the lord’s companion, feel free to speak your mind.”

“Um… even so, it’s just that…”

Eleanor furrowed her brows as if in distress. Fine lines appeared between her white forehead.

Gray hair.

A rugged, manly face refined by the harsh winds of the north.

That was the impression of Bernard reflected in Eleanor’s eyes. And those two elements that described him made the man, who was only two years older than Dmitri, appear as a middle-aged man exuding a sophisticated charm.

But he looks like a gentleman…

Moreover, as the leader of the knights, he held a high position…

Speaking informally out of the blue was a bit, well, you know.

Fortunately for Eleanor, Bernard didn’t delve any further.

The carriage fell silent once again.

Looking at the undulating foliage of the coniferous trees that sharply pierced the sky, Eleanor pondered the words Bernard had just uttered.

In the end, Bernard’s words meant that it was impossible for the railway line to reach the front of the fortress, and it also implied that the challenging journey would continue in Eleanor’s future life.

Dizziness filled her mind at the mere thought of it.

Eleanor turned her gaze from the trees passing by her eyes to the distant horizon outside the window and whispered softly into Eugenie’s ear.

“You know, Eugenie.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Eugenie, who softly responded to Eleanor’s whisper, didn’t look too pleased either.

“If I become the Duchess, I should extend the railway line to the front of the fortress first.”

“Yes, Miss. With the power of Beaurain, it should be possible.”

Usually, when Eleanor made grandiose statements, Eugenie would respond with a smile. But now, overwhelmed by dizziness, she had no choice but to go along with Eleanor’s words.

Eugenie, like Eleanor, was also prone to motion sickness.

#.

In fact, when His Grace mentioned that there was a woman he had in mind, and that he was deeply contemplating his future relationship with her, Bernard, like the others in the fortress, was one of those who shook his head with an incredulous expression.

‘Contrary to the rumors that have spread, His Grace has never shown any interest in women.’

The reason why there were rumors circulating in the capital that the Duke of Verbriz had fallen for a woman was because His Grace had played along with those rumors.

As the support from the imperial family dwindled, the north, reaching the brink of Dimitri’s rule, had now reached a difficult state where it was even hard to survive the winter.

To keep the northern region alive, it was necessary to seek support not only from the royal family but also from other nobles. In order to get even a crumb of support from the high-ranking nobles in the capital, His Highness resorted to dirtying himself by mingling among the ladies’ skirts.

“He never truly held any affection for women.”

As Bernard gazed at the woman before him, who seemed to have descended from the goddess of beauty herself, he continued his thoughts. The reason he volunteered to personally escort Eleanor, the beloved of His Highness, was also rooted in this.

Bernard was extremely curious about the true identity of Eleanor Arène de Beaune, the woman who had captured His Highness’s heart and penetrated the fortress-like heart of a man like him.

Was His Highness able to read his thoughts?

With an unknown smile, His Highness granted permission for Bernard to continue his musings.

And now.

As they rode together in the carriage from the first encounter at the station, Bernard couldn’t help but feel like he was unraveling the mystery of how that woman had melted His Highness’s heart.

First and foremost, her appearance.

The young lady with platinum blonde hair sitting across from him possessed a beauty more captivating than any other woman present.

Of course, His Highness being a man, he might have his own criteria for female beauty, but he was not one to be swayed by mere looks and promise the position of a duchess based on appearance alone.

After all, he was well aware of the atrocities committed by the former duchess in the north.

Before long, the grey hair swayed up and down. The clue was not as far away as one might think.

How much the Duke cherished the youngest daughter of Beaune was a well-known rumor, spreading even to the frozen lands beyond the barrier.

So it was a common tale how precious Eleanor had grown up to be, even without seeing it firsthand.

However, having observed Eleanor for a day, it was clear that she was remarkably modest in her words and actions compared to other noble ladies.

“It seems she has grown up quite differently from other noble ladies.”

Whether answering each question kindly or treating her maid with affection as she did now, Eleanor’s demeanor was notably reserved.

“Miss, you don’t look well. Are you feeling tired?”

“No, I’m fine, Miss.”

“If you’re tired, would you like to lie down on my thigh?”

“No, I can endure it.”

She even showed a modest gesture of offering her own legs.

This was not the only instance of her modesty.

Even when they first met at the station, Eleanor had behaved the same way.

Despite expecting a lover, she did not throw a tantrum or speak harshly.

“Rather, she smiled as if understanding and sent me off with a smile, in case I felt uncomfortable.”

“Is there something amusing happening, Bernard?”

Unintentionally, Bernard replied in a subdued voice, his lips curling up. It seemed that the sky-blue eyes facing him from across the carriage had softened considerably compared to before.

“It’s nothing, Miss.”

Concealing his feelings, Bernard raised his hand and pointed out the window with rough fingers.

“Miss, the towering mountain peaks you see there are right next to Verberit’s ducal palace.”

As his words trailed off, her eyes swiftly moved from his face to his fingertips.

“Oh…!”

Her sky-blue eyes trembled. The rugged peaks of the mountain, with sharp turrets reminiscent of an intro from a movie, stood tall next to them.