Chapter 10
A Messenger from the Royal Family
I’m terribly sorry for the long wait. The story is fully written to the end — I’d be so happy if you stayed with me until the conclusion.
The next morning, for some reason, the closet was overflowing with clothes.
A neatly written note was left on the desk:
“I selected pieces that I thought would suit Lady Algerita’s taste.”
Apparently, someone had bought and quietly delivered all these items during the night.
I picked up an orange dress and slipped my arms into the sleeves.
It seemed that Muti had already learned my measurements from our fitting yesterday — the length was perfect, though the bodice had a little room to spare.
She must have assumed that I would soon begin to “fill out” a bit more.
I’d heard that Lord Margus, having returned from his expedition, had entered a long period of leave to both rest his body and handle the postwar paperwork.
He would be staying in this manor for the time being.
Of course, if the commander himself didn’t take the lead in resting, the subordinates who had shared life and death with him would never allow themselves to relax either.
“That’s why I’m hiding away like this — only letting the bare minimum of paperwork reach me,”
he said, stabbing his fork into his breakfast omelet, as if sharing a secret.
The breakfast menu was always the same: omelet, bacon, bread, and strong black tea.
The very meal I’d made on my first day here had simply become our fixed menu.
I’d told him that I could cook plenty of other things, but Lord Margus had been adamant —
“I like this one.”
and refused to budge.
“So, what will you do today?”
he asked.
I couldn’t answer right away. What was I going to do?
The closet was full of brand-new clothes, none of them in need of repair.
The gardener was coming today, and there was only one riding dragon.
— In short, I had nothing to do.
Seeing my silence, Lord Margus smiled gently.
“I understand how you feel — I’m the impatient sort myself.
I’m always restless, thinking: something might be happening right now, or if I start working on that unresolved issue, things will go more efficiently.
I’ve always lived like that.”
“You too, Lord Margus?”
To me, he always looked like someone who knew exactly what he should be doing — someone without doubt or hesitation.
But apparently, that wasn’t the case.
“If I show indecision, it affects the morale of my men.
So I’ve always forced myself to stay on guard —
and before I knew it, I’d become ‘as stubborn as my grandfather,’ as people say.”
I didn’t know whether I should nod or deny that.
“…Ah, it’s already this late.
Then, tell me this evening what you did today,”
he said, glancing at the clock and standing up.
“Yes. I’ll try to have something good to report.”
“…If nothing in particular happens, that’s fine too.
And — please take care of the letters.
Don’t let anyone but the knights into the house.”
“So, only the Knight Order is allowed entry, right?”
“Exactly. No exceptions — not even for the royal family.”
Lord Margus repeated the words firmly.
I nodded solemnly.
That statement carried absolute weight.
After he left, I was still leisurely finishing my breakfast when Raktis poked his head in.
“Lady Algerita, is there anything I can help you with?”
He spoke with the easy familiarity of someone I’d known for ages.
I was glad I’d heard his story beforehand — otherwise, without that context, I might’ve misunderstood him and thought he was treating me rudely.
“No, it’s all right.”
There wasn’t anything I could think to ask him to do anyway.
I was already searching for things to occupy myself — I couldn’t very well take away his work too.
“Then, may I go out?”
“Of course. If you find something interesting, tell me about it later.”
With his long legs, Raktis strode out of the house in a blink.
He often went sightseeing in the city whenever he had time off.
It made sense — when you have a home waiting for you, it’s easier to enjoy the present moment fully.
— But me… what about me?
My life these past few days had been peaceful and fulfilling.
I’d managed to send a letter to the dragon village.
Everyone I’d met here was kind, and not once had I felt mistreated.
When I thought about how hard my life had been until now, it almost frightened me — this happiness felt too much.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
It was too early for regular mail — it must have been something urgent.
“Yes?”
When I opened the door, a stern-looking man stood there.
On his chest was the royal crest.
Lord Margus was a high-ranking noble, so it wasn’t strange for him to be in contact with the royal family.
But the messenger held an elegant, ornate box in his hands — the design clearly feminine.
“I request an audience with Lord Margus von Browning,”
he said curtly, looking down at me with cold eyes.
“I’ve been instructed to receive any letters on his behalf and deliver them to him,”
I replied, remembering Lord Margus’s clear orders.
That shouldn’t count as insolence.
But I could see the word “displeasure” written all over the man’s face.
“This is a personal letter from Her Highness, Princess Selene.
I cannot hand it to a servant.”
His firm tone made me flinch.
I regretted telling Raktis he could go out — if he were here, he could have handled this.
I wasn’t even wearing a servant’s uniform, but to him, that didn’t matter — I looked like one.
— Lord Margus may have said otherwise, but no one truly saw me as his wife.
“I request an audience with Lord Margus von Browning!”
he repeated, his voice raised.
“He’s… currently—”
“What’s all this noise?”
Just as I began to answer, Lord Margus emerged from his study, drawn by the commotion.
“This servant refuses to announce me properly, my lord.
To leave such an inept person in charge of the door would tarnish the Browning family’s good name!”
“Servant?”
Lord Margus glanced at me — I immediately looked away.
“Did she say that herself?”
“No, but—”
The messenger gave a smug, condescending smile.
“She is my wife,”
said Lord Margus.
“…What?”
The messenger’s stunned voice hit the top of my bowed head.
“Did you not hear me? I said she is my wife.”
Lord Margus pulled me gently but firmly against his side.
“Wha—”
I could almost hear the man’s thoughts: What on earth is he saying?
“I’ve received no such notice,”
the messenger stammered, clearing his throat awkwardly.
“I’m not the sort to report every personal matter to strangers.
If it bothers you, take it up with the main house.
And by the way — I was the one who ordered her not to announce visitors.”
“I… see. My apologies.
However, I must fulfill my duty.
Please accept this letter.”
He respectfully held out the letter, but Lord Margus didn’t take it.
“I refuse. That is my answer — deliver it as such.”
At those words, the messenger began trembling.
It was clear that he’d reached his limit after being dismissed so coldly.
“Have you gone mad?”
“I am perfectly sane.”
Refusing a princess’s personal letter and turning it away —
I didn’t know what Lord Margus’s intentions were,
but it felt as though something terribly serious had already begun… or perhaps it had started long ago.
Realizing that further argument was pointless, the messenger left.
When the sound of the carriage wheels finally faded, Lord Margus exhaled softly.
“That should keep them from coming again.”
“Was that all right?”
“It’s fine.”
I didn’t understand the political ties between the royal family and the Browning dukedom — nor Lord Margus’s personal connections.
But if he had decided it was best, I had no place to question him.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“No, it’s my fault — I probably gave a confusing impression.”
The warmth from where his hand had rested on my shoulder still lingered, leaving me oddly unsettled.
When I fidgeted, he abruptly withdrew his hand.
“If it bothers you that I called you my wife, I apologize.”
It wasn’t that I disliked it — I just didn’t understand.
“Wh-why did you… say that?”
I could understand if he simply wanted someone to care for his riding dragon.
But this wasn’t a joke — he truly intended to present me as his wife in public.
— I just couldn’t comprehend why.
At my question, Lord Margus gave me a troubled look.
“It’s not the kind of thing to talk about early in the morning.
…I’ll make sure not to trouble you any further.”
