HGOS – Chapter 52

“Or… do you not want to have my child?”

Cassia was speechless at Zester’s pitiful expression.

“If that’s the case…”

“No, no. Why are you suddenly saying this?”

“I heard you brought contraceptives from Ruberno. And that you called the doctor to find out about the ingredients.”

As Zester spat out the words sullenly, Cassia thought, ‘Oh no’. It seemed the problem was that she had brushed it off, saying she was calling the doctor for a simple health check-up.

She never thought Zester would be the type to pay such close attention to her affairs…

“From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t seem like you hate the idea of children. So, it must be me you don’t like. Isn’t that it?”

What kind of absurd misunderstanding is this? He had leaped to a wild conclusion. Once again, his low self-esteem was adding weight to his needless worries.

Seeing Cassia only gape at him without replying, Zester felt crushed, convinced his fears were true.

He had been racking his brain all afternoon, wondering why Cassia, who had seemed to want children, was suddenly preparing contraception. In the end, he reached a miserable conclusion. It had to be that he, her husband, wasn’t reliable enough, or she didn’t like him, or something of that sort.

“You know, I feel this every time, but I think it’s hard for a normal person to understand your thought process.”

“What does that mean?”

“I mean exactly that. You think I don’t want to have your child? Why do you drag out such ridiculous thoughts just to make yourself miserable?”

“……So it’s not true?”

“Of course not. Do I look like I dislike you?”

Zester only stared at her in silence.

“When you first came to Greze…”

“Ah! Stop! I understand what you’re trying to say.”

Yes, their first meeting had been terrible. To Zester, it had been a “first meeting,” but to Cassia, it had been a reunion with the husband who had given her nothing but ten years of bitter memories.

But in this life, things had changed. Zester was doing his best to be a good husband, and Cassia was, in her own way, satisfied with him.

“But do I look like I dislike you now?”

Cassia’s cheeks reddened as she averted her gaze, as if embarrassed. Zester, who had been staring blankly, swallowed hard and shook his head.

“…No.”

“Right. Then why would you think that?”

“Then why did you get the medicine?” Zester asked carefully.

“Ah, that… well…”

What should she say? She couldn’t exactly tell him the truth, that she needed to wait until about two summers later to have a child.

It would sound completely ridiculous to Zester.

“I guess…it just felt a little scary. I’m still young, and I kept worrying whether I could be a good mother if I had a child right away. So, I thought it would be better to wait until I’ve settled into life here…maybe in about two years?”

After some thought, Cassia calmly offered plausible excuse.

“Is that… not okay?”

Zester, who had been listening blankly to Cassia, nodded his head vigorously.

“No, of course it’s okay! It’s your choice!”

“But when we were in Ruberno, you said you wanted children.”

“Ah, well, that was because Alan was just too cute. Of course we’ll have children someday, but if that’s how you feel, then there’s no need to rush. I… I didn’t know you were thinking that. You should have just told me.”

“I should have. From now on, let’s be honest so we don’t end up hurting each other with misunderstandings. You, too. Don’t go imagining weird things by yourself, and if something bothers you, tell me right away. Okay?”

“Yes. I’ll do that.”

So it wasn’t that she disliked him.

Zester’s grin stretched almost to his ears. He grasped his cheeks, trying to force his excited expression to calm down.

Watching him, Cassia felt complicated.

To think that this man, whom she thought to be a war maniac with not even a speck of emotion, was crying, laughing, worrying and imagining things…just because of a few words from her.

She felt a pang of regret for the ten years of her past life when they had never managed to grow close to each other. And another pang for the ten short years she had left in this new life.

‘No, what’s the use of regret? I should just focus on enjoying the rest of my life to the fullest.’

Nodding inwardly, Cassia pushed on Zester’s chest, while he was still smiling foolishly and lay him down.

“Huh?”

Zester’s happy smile froze and his expression stiffened as Cassia boldly and smoothly climbed on top of him.

“So, Honey, all our misunderstandings are cleared up now, right?”

Her blue eyes, narrowing into thin crescents, were unbelievably seductive. The corners of her lips, quirked up as if teasing him, and her sultry hand traced down his chest through the parted folds of his night robe…

Gulp. Zester swallowed hard, his throat bobbing visibly.

“Cassia.”

“Yes?”

“You seriously…”

“Oh my god!”

Zester grabbed Cassia’s shoulder and in an instant, flipped their positions to be on top of her. His breath was ragged, and his hands, as rough as his breathing, tore off his own cumbersome clothes with fierce speed.

Whoosh. Zester’s robe flew and landed in a heap at the end of the bed. At his beast-like reaction, Cassia swallowed a laugh and stretched out her hand. As her hand stroked down his hard, exposed chest, Zester’s brow knit tightly.

“…You drive me insane.”

***

In the Axios territory, the young lord Bertol stared at the pile of letters stacked high on his desk and let out a small laugh.

Tap, tap.

His long finger tapped the table in thought.

‘It’s been a while since I felt this restless.’

The letter he was waiting for from Greze showed no sign of arriving. He could understand the Baroness, but he’d thought the Baron would be practically lighting fires to announce his intention to visit.

He thought he was being a little strange. The image of Cassia Greze, whom he’d only met in passing, was strangely vivid in his mind. And here he was, eagerly awaiting a reply to an invitation he’d sent to a worthless barony.

Cassia Greze.

She was intriguing, yes, but that should have been all. She was already another man’s wife. And he had been the one to cut off any possibility of a connection from the start.

Bertol himself didn’t know exactly why he wanted to see her again. Which is why he wanted to see her. To find out exactly what it was that he desired.

The young count was not alone in his office. There was a pair of eyes staring intently at Bertol, who was lost in thought.

Bertol Axios’s secret aide and top retainer, Eunice.

A woman with no surname and unclear origins. Her appearance was far from what one expected of a noble’s vassal. With wrinkled cheeks and eyes and a jutting chin, she appeared to be an old crone, yet the one that Bertol kept the closest.

To put it nicely, they had a symbiotic relationship. To put it badly, they had a strict contractual relationship, moving together for mutual benefit.

Although Bertol conveniently called her a retainer and kept her around, no one knew of her true existence or their relationship.

Under the drab, navy-blue cloak that covered her face, Eunice’s eyes shone with interest.

“Are you thinking of the Baroness of Greze, whom you met in Viche?”

Bertol, with his gaze still fixed on the air, chuckled.

“I’ve always wondered but one of your powers must be mind-reading, yes?”

“Hoh hoh… Please, call it the insight of the elderly.”

“Elderly, my foot. Don’t make me laugh.”

Only then did his gaze shift to the woman across from him.

Only then did Bertol’s gaze turn to Eunice, who was standing across from him.

Eunice was a descendant of the last ‘sorcerer’ in this world. That alone was reason enough for Bertol to keep Eunice by his side.

A useful existence. Bertol only allowed those who could make him more ‘perfect’ to remain at his side.

“Still, this is a bit unexpected.”

“What is?”

Bertol swirled the wine in his glass.

“I thought you were a rational and cold-hearted person, Lord Count. I assumed that’s why I’ve yet to be able to tempt you.”

“You read me well.”

“I wonder. Hoho… Who would believe that the Empire’s hero and noble count is so restless over another man’s wife?”

“Hahaha… that’s funny.”

“This isn’t like you, Count.”

“No, this is very much like me. I simply want everything that will make me perfect in my grasp.”

“How can you judge that from a fleeting meeting?”

“My instincts have never been wrong. That’s also why you’re here, Eunice.”

Eunice’s mouth, visible under the cloak, twisted in a chuckle.

“Can you manage it alone? It wouldn’t hurt to take the easy road…”

From her wide sleeve came a clattering sound as she placed several fist-sized stones on the table. Bertol burst out laughing.

“You really are a born merchant. You never miss an opportunity.”

“I must do my best. Souls like yours, so full of ambition and so inhuman, are my favorite kind of ‘offering’.”

“Your consistent effort is so impressive, I almost want to sell my soul to you.”

“I know you don’t mean it, but I’m thrilled nonetheless.”

Eunice smiled faintly.

Bertol glanced at the stones covered in messy ancient script then pushed them aside.

“But Eunice, aren’t you underestimating me too much? Do you really think I, who have never once fallen for your temptation, would sell my soul just to get one woman? I think I’m more than capable without such cheap tricks.”

“Oho, I beg to differ. I would be disappointed if the woman who piqued the great Count’s interest was so easy to obtain. Both in her and in you.”

“Heh. You do make a point.”

Maybe it was exactly because she seemed hard to obtain that his desire burned hotter. Tilting his wine glass, Bertol’s lips curved in a lazy smile.

“I suppose I must hope you struggle. Until the day you ask for my help.”

“Haha, do I look like I want her that badly? If I can’t have her, so be it. I won’t go so far as to offer myself as an offering.”

“You never know. There are, after all, certain beings who are fated to lead many souls down the path of becoming offerings.”

“Interesting. Are you saying there will be others interested in her, besides me?”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps there are already souls who have willingly offered themselves for her sake. Hoh hoh hoh…”

After speaking, Eunice laughed meaningfully.

The corner of Bertol’s mouth, which had maintained a relaxed expression, twitched slightly. Eunice was the most wicked being he knew, but she didn’t confuse people with meaningless lies.

This might be something he couldn’t just ignore. Perhaps the strange grip Cassia already had on his mind was connected to Eunice’s cryptic words.

“Do not fear selling your soul. The souls that come into my hands will be glorious beings, the first to step into the ‘Paradise’ that the one true god, Remiel, will soon create.”

Eunice.

In this empire where everyone believed in the god ‘Orobas’, she was a heretic who worshipped another god, ‘Remiel’.

A devil-like being who sold ancient magic in exchange for soul-offerings.

Bertol stared at her twisted smile, then let out a low laugh.

“It seems I must go to Greze myself. I’ve become as intrigued as you are. In both my current state and that woman.”

Eunice only smiled without saying a word.

Bertol, smiling back, picked up a pen and quickly scribbled a letter.

Cassia Greze. He would go to meet her.

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