HGOS – Chapter 14

Cassia went out to the castle garden with Drian after finishing their meal.

“Forgive me.”

“…”

“Siaaa.”

“…”

“That’s not fair. After years of friendship, you’re taking the side of a man you’ve only known for a month, just because he’s your husband?”

“This isn’t about taking sides, Ian.”

Cassia, who had been walking ahead with a sour expression, furrowed her brows and turned to look at Drian, who was trailing beside her. The truth was, Drian wasn’t serious about the whole ‘taking sides’ argument. He was just trying to get a reaction since Cassia hadn’t even looked at him since she got upset.

“This is about your image. What will people think of you when they hear you say that?”

What do you think people would think if they overheard you?”

“They can think whatever they want. Come on, can you really eat that kind of food and say you’re living well? It was hard for me.”

“I’m no longer the daughter of Count Ruberno. I have to live here now, as the Baroness. Are you telling me to act like a spoiled brat and whine about food?”

“…Sia.”

“Seriously, you worry me too. You’ve already inherited your territory and now you have all those people to look after so what will happen if you still act like a child? Geez, this is why I was so worried about you when I left for Greze. Honestly…”

“You sound really grown-up, Sia.”

“What?”

Drian mumbled, staring at Cassia in a daze. And he had a point. Cassia really seemed to have become a different person after just a month in Greze.

If before, she was a gentle, soft-spoken noble lady, now she gave off the impression of a seasoned noblewoman who’d been through life’s trials and was experienced in managing affairs of an estate.

“It reminds me of my mother.”

Cassia felt pricked hearing Drian mutter absentmindedly. Now that she thought about it, Drian might have become a proper lord now, but he was still quite young. His personality had always leaned a bit childish.

As for her… well, her soul had lived ten more years, so it made it easy to talk like this…

Alright, I better stop. Cassia realized she had unconsciously slipped into tone she used to nag Rael and Lucy. She pushed down the urge and changed the subject.

“That aside, how long are you planning to stay? You can’t leave your territory unattended for too long.”

“Two weeks.”

“What? That long?”

Drian narrowed his eyes at her surprise.

“Is that bad?”

“It’s not that. I’m just worried.”

“I left the territory in good order. Don’t treat me like a kid. And honestly, I did come to see your face but also…”

With that, Drian pulled a piece of double-folded parchment from the inside pocket of his coat. When he unfolded it, it revealed a series of cryptic, arranged markings that were neither images, nor letters. It was certainly not the imperial language, but Cassia knew what it was.

Ancient language.

A language so obscure that only a few scholars of ancient studies could decipher it. But noble families from territories like Havelyn and Ruberno, where ancient ruins were frequently unearthed, often had old tomes and dictionaries passed down through generations. It is said that some of their ancestors had even studied the ancient language.

Of course, since ancient studies weren’t exactly lucrative, most nobles of the Havelyn House and the Ruberno House could not read ancient language…

“I brought this because I thought I could ask the amazing Sia for help.”

“So, you had an ulterior motive.”

“It hurts if you put it like that.”

Drian grinned and put the parchment in Cassia’s hand.

Yes. Although Cassia wasn’t fluent, she could interpret ancient language to some extent. This was because she used to kill time reading old books in her father’s study when she was young.

“These are the inscriptions I found on the magic stones. I think it’s engraved to indicate what kind of magic is stored in them, but everything is written in metaphors so it’s giving me a headache trying to decipher this.”

“Aren’t you spending all that money on research scholars? Why not ask them?”

“I don’t mind sharing the information for low-grade stones with simple magic formulas, but for the high-grade ones, I’m a little uncomfortable revealing what magic they have. Even though I’m working with them, I can’t trust them completely.”

“Fair enough.”

Cassia nodded and slowly began reading the ancient language on the parchment.

“Bestow…light of God…to dark and hopeless one?”

“Remember that thing I gifted you? I found this sentence on that low-grade magic stone.”

“Ohh. So a light spell was sealed inside. Bestow light to the dark and hopeless one.”

“Exactly. But that’s where it gets frustrating. The low-grade magic stones are easy to interpret but the high-grade stones are a different story. In fact, I don’t even know what these ones at the bottom say.”

“Hmm. Let me see…bestow the pitiful one…drenched in regret…and remorse…a chance to repent. The god of opportunity will receive his deserved…price and you shall build a new page of repentance…What is this?”

“That’s what I’m saying…”

“I have zero clue what this high-grade magic-stone is supposed to do.”

“If I could just decipher the formula and figure out the type of magic is inside, I’d hit the jackpot. High-grade magic stones don’t just have ordinary spells in them. I’m talking weather manipulation, spirit summoning…”

Cassia furrowed her brows in thought.

‘No wonder the magic engineering industry failed. It’s based on these magic stones but it’s hard to even figure out how to use a high-grade magic stone with great magic sealed within. Even if you say there’s amazing magic, it’s all just empty talk.’

And yet, they gave one of these high-grade magic stones, an utterly useless stone, something whose formula they didn’t even know, to Zester as a reward for the territory war.

Cassia trembled with anger as the past resurfaced in her mind.

She remembered just how much Zester had tightened his purse strings to raise an army, how empty it felt to face her husband after he came home and handed her a stone that had no practical use, calling it compensation.

Greze had neither the funds nor the infrastructure to maintain a standing army of knights or mercenaries. So embarrassingly, the only soldiers stationed in the castle were the five or so mercenaries Zester had brought back after bonding with them during his days in a mercenary company. For reinforcements, they usually had to pay a one-time fee to temporarily hire troops from the capital or nearby territories.

However, when Zester went to help stop the invading army in Havelyn and Ruberno, perhaps because it involved his father-in-law, he had gone all out and hired a proper force.

The cost of assembling that army alone should have earned him proper compensation…

“Ian.”

“Yes, Sia?”

“This magic-engineering business. Do you think it’ll succeed?”

“Of course! Everyone is scrambling to invest!”

She wanted to say ‘No, it’s going to fail’ but she could tell he wouldn’t be convinced. Drian’s face practically glowed with excitement over the magic engineering industry.

‘Fine. I might not be able to stop the collapse of the industry, but I can at least stop Zester from volunteering and getting stuck with another useless stone this time.’

Something like ‘if you want to see me dead, go ahead and join’. Maybe that kind of threat would make Zester change his mind?

In her past life, Cassia had never interfered with Zester’s work. Naturally, she had never stopped him from going to war. That was her husband’s job and if he didn’t do it, there was no way for them to make money.

‘I have no reason to stop him from going to a war that brings money. But I am definitely not allowing him to go to a battle that will just end with him stabbed in the back.’

Cassia thought about how stunned Zester must have been, receiving a useless rock from his own father-in-law. This time around, she was determined to stop him from participating in that battle.

***

Later that night, Cassia sat alone in her bedroom, lost in thought. This was because of Drian’s plan to stay in Greze longer than expected.

She had planned to do the territory inspection after Drian left. In her previous life, she had done the territory inspection on the fourth day after arriving, so things were already very delayed.

That thought of the territory reminded her of Mrs. Margaret.

A woman with five children and a sick husband, who also ran a small inn. With little to no income, she’d taken up sewing as a side job and suffered to the point of vomiting blood then she passed away from overwork. She was too kind for her own good and couldn’t just ignore poor travelers, so she let them stay without paying. It was frustrating to watch, and Cassia had wanted to advise her to be firmer, but Margaret’s good nature had made it difficult to say.

The day Mrs. Margaret passed away was getting closer and closer, so Cassia knew she needed to get involved and make sure the woman got some rest and took care of her health…

Feeling restless for some reason, Cassia decided she needed to speak to Zester right away and move up the territory inspection. It was already very late, but she was so anxious that she couldn’t bear to wait an extra second.

Cassia threw on a coat over her nightgown and rushed out of her room but as soon as she opened the door, she jumped.

“Ack! My goodness…You startled me.”

Her heart nearly dropped. Zester was standing right in front of her.

Zester was even more surprised and flustered to see Cassia clutching her chest in surprise.

“I-I’m sorry! Did I scare you?”

“Whew… Yes, a little.”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s alright.”

“But… where are you going at this hour?”

Zester asked out of concern, but Cassia bristled, thinking it was another weird misunderstanding.

“I was on my way to see you, Baron.”

“Me? Why?”

Zester, who had been worrying over what to say before knocking on her door, suddenly felt like he could fly. She was coming to see him?

But just before his hopes soared too high, Cassia coolly revealed her reason.

“We talked about inspecting the territory, right? I was hoping we could go tomorrow if that’s alright with you.”

“Ah… Why the sudden change? It won’t be too late even if we go after Viscount Havelyn departs.”

“Let’s not talk out here. Come in.”

Cassia stepped aside.

“Ahem. Pardon me.”

Zester hesitantly took a step to enter Cassia’s bedroom and…

BAM!

“Oh God!”

Cassia jumped at the sound of Zester’s shoulder slamming into the doorway. She was startled for only a second, but the impact made a small frame on the nearby wall rattle, then it fell.

“Gasp!”

The frame nearly hit Cassia’s head, but Zester reached out just in time to catch it. It was small, so it wouldn’t have done serious harm, but it definitely would’ve left a visible bump.

Cassia clutched her chest and gasped for breath as she looked at Zester’s face which had gotten very close. He looked even more shocked than she was.

“Are, are you alright? That was close.”

“Yes, thanks to you, Baron.”

“…Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You’ve never been great at controlling your strength anyway.”

‘When did I show Cassia that I can’t control my strength…?’

Zester wondered for a moment, then carefully hung the frame back on the wall and awkwardly made his way to a chair at Cassia’s invitation. He walked with a strange gait like he was trying to move his hands and feet at the same time.

Cassia stared absentmindedly at his back then followed him and sat down across from him.

“Viscount Havelyn says he will be staying longer than expected. I don’t know why he would vacate his territory for so long when he just became the Lord but he insisted so I agreed.”

“…I guess he just doesn’t want to part from you.”

Zester muttered grumpily. Cassia ignored him and continued.

“I’m worried our plans will be too delayed, so I’d like to begin the territory inspection tomorrow. Does that work for you?”

“Whatever you wish.”

“Okay.”

Cassia answered with a sigh. The conversation stopped and silence followed.

Zester peeked at his wife who seemed to be done talking because her request was complete then frowned slightly and asked,

“Is that… why you wanted to see me?”

“Indeed. But Baron, why did you come to see me?”

Cassia’s face made it clear she expected him to leave now that their conversation was done. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him to leave since they were done talking so she hesitated, and it fell silent earlier.

Feeling strangely upset, Zester spoke in a curt tone.

“We’re married. Must we have a reason to visit each other?”

Cassia was dumbfounded by Zester’s words.

Zester from her previous life had never come to her without a reason unless it was their conjugal night. Did she really just hear those words from her indifferent husband?

“Of course not, but given the time of the day…”

It was almost midnight, and he showed up unannounced at his wife’s bedroom.

“Ah.”

Realization dawned on Cassia.

“You’re here for that…right?”

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