ILOIML 22

Chapter 22 

After that, Lucas kept getting on my nerves several more times.

I tried to ignore him and just walk away, but he kept crossing the line.

Then one day, he interrupted my precious walk, and I completely lost it. I shouted at him and said some harsh things.

But no matter what I said or how I threatened him, Lucas didn’t back off.

I got more and more tired and finally decided to leave the estate for a while.

Just then, the priests from the temple told me about a sponsorship event happening in a city near Asterra called Esta.

The temple in Esta usually didn’t allow regular people to enter since it trained official priests.

But for the sponsorship event, they were opening it to the public.

I made a big fuss in front of the Asterra temple priests, saying I really wanted to go, and soon after, an invitation from Esta’s temple arrived.

To be honest, I didn’t have much money.

But thanks to using Leon’s money to donate to Asterra’s temple, rumors must have spread quickly that the duchess was donating large amounts.

I started receiving letters from temples I’d never even heard of, all asking for donations.

Clearly, the rumors were greatly exaggerated.

Or maybe people believed the rumors that a foolish duke and his dumb wife were easy targets for scamming.

But I had another reason to visit the Esta temple.

‘They have the Goddess’s Torch there too.’

It wasn’t a very important sacred item.

According to Cassia, it was a torch that could be lit with a saintess’s holy power. It never went out and monsters stayed away from it.

Basically, it was a personal protection item.

Because it needed “saintess’s holy power,” it wasn’t really useful for me.

Still, I hoped that if I had it, maybe when the saintess joins us in Asterra, she’d feel sorry for me and bless it for me.

I remembered the cold way the saintess spoke to me and looked at me.

Would she come after me again if I found the torch?

I shivered slightly.

Being hated by Cassia didn’t feel good at all.

Anyway, going to Esta would help me avoid Lucas and maybe get the sacred item. A win-win.

After deciding to go, I thought about how to tell Leon.

Last time I left for Asterra’s temple, Leon acted all sulky.

I still wasn’t sure if he was serious back then.

“Leon.”

I called out softly, and Leon ran over to me like a puppy.

These days, fixing Leon’s shirt buttons had become my job.

Why was he always like this?

At first, I blushed and couldn’t even look at him, but now I was used to it and buttoned him up calmly.

“Were you looking for me?”

I nodded as I continued fixing his buttons.

“Of course. I had something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

After finishing the last button, I stepped back.

His eyes were full of hope.

But it wasn’t what he was expecting.

I felt a bit bad about telling him I was going alone.

Still, if I stayed any longer listening to Lucas’s nonsense, I might actually do something crazy.

“I’ve been invited to Esta Temple’s sponsorship event. I’ll be gone for about a week.”

The excitement in Leon’s eyes vanished in an instant.

He stared at me in silence for a few seconds.

Was he going to say no?

“Okay, have a good trip.”

“Really? You’re okay with me going?”

“Yeah. Pray a lot while you’re there.”

Huh? That was way too easy. Was that it?

Strangely, I felt even more disappointed.

“Last time I went to Asterra’s temple, you insisted on coming along.”

“Then should I go with you this time too?”

That was the response I expected.

“Hmm… I’d like that, but our duke has to stay and protect the estate.”

And then I reject him—that’s how it’s supposed to go. That would make me feel better.

“Right now, it’s better for Bell-bell to leave. A very bad demon lives here.”

He whispered quietly, holding a finger to his lips.

Sometimes when he said things like that, he really looked like an innocent child.

“Leon, have you been reading too many fairy tales?”

“I’m serious. That bird over there…”

He pointed out the window.

I walked beside him and looked outside.

Lucas was there, talking with the sub-commander.

I looked away and stared at Leon.

He looked back at me, watching for my reaction.

Then, when our eyes met, he quickly turned his head.

“Leon, what is Lucas?”

“Someone not worth thinking about.”

“Good job, Leon.”

I smiled and nodded, but I was still worried.

What if Leon couldn’t hold back the next time Lucas said something?

What if he made a mistake?

“Leon, why don’t you come with me to Esta’s temple?”

“Me too?”

He scratched his head.

Just like before, even if he said that, I could tell he didn’t really want to go.

“But you need to protect the estate, and finish the work you missed yesterday, and…”

He mumbled.

‘Wow, such a long way to say you’re not going.’

It was just a half-hearted suggestion from me, and his long excuse felt like a soft rejection—but it still hurt a little.

Sometimes I forget my situation and act like a real wife.

But moments like this remind me of reality.

He was just acting.

He was keeping his distance from me.

“Yeah. Of course. I should’ve known.”

I couldn’t help it. I spoke with sarcasm without realizing it.

What’s wrong with me?

* * * 

“Sometimes I really don’t know what Bell-bell is thinking.”

Leon said to Kalsen, thinking about how Bella had suddenly gotten upset and ran off.

“You call her ‘Bell-bell’ naturally now.”

Kalsen ignored everything else and focused on that word while stroking his chin.

“She’s nice to me, then gets mad. Then she’s nice again, then sarcastic… Is she getting tired of me?”

“Are you hurt by that?”

“Why would I be hurt?”

Leon’s gentle expression faded when Kalsen asked that.

He laughed bitterly and started shuffling through papers.

But it was meaningless—he soon gave up and rested his chin in his hand, sighing deeply.

“How long do I have to keep acting like a fool? Isn’t it pathetic?”

“Rather than pathetic, think of it as lowering yourself for your future.”

“If I lower myself one more time, I’ll be dancing naked in the streets.”

“If you’d like to, I’ll fully support it.”

Kalsen said with a straight face.

Leon couldn’t help but admire how Kalsen could take even ridiculous things so seriously.

“You really are…”

A faint smile flickered across Kalsen’s normally blank face—something only Leon could notice.

Kalsen was born an illegitimate child in a noble family and suffered a lot.

The only one who reached out to him and gave him an education was Leon’s mother, the former empress.

Even his father ignored him.

Ironically, being ignored by his father saved his life.

He didn’t even have time to mourn the death of his only family—his half-sister—before he dedicated his life to her son, Leon.

Now, Kalsen was determined to protect Leon, no matter what it took.

He knew better than anyone how hard it must be for Leon to keep acting like a fool in front of his enemies just to survive.

Each time he thought of it, his heart felt heavy.

Leon had grown up too fast.

But lately, Kalsen saw traces of youth in him—emotions fitting for his age.

Even though he didn’t fully trust the duchess, she was the reason Leon had changed, even just a little.

And that made Kalsen quietly happy.

“Maybe I should’ve followed Bell-bell… I mean, Bella.

Of course, not for any special reason—just curious about what she’s planning…

But why would I follow her?”

Kalsen just smiled silently as he watched Leon mumble nonsense to himself.