“Yes, even the general butler didn’t say anything earlier.”
“No, I mean, Valia, you…”
“Me what?”
“Ehem, nothing.”
Valia’s sudden change in atmosphere caused Carl to keep reading the room since earlier. She was unusually calm, and she also complained less since she was a child. Perhaps it was because she was his brat, but she looked good in his eyes. He thought her elegance flowed naturally like a stream and that she was mature enough to be put anywhere. And the way she disciplined the general butler earlier was really the act of a dignified noblewoman. Carl realized again that Valia had become a Marchioness.
‘I thought they were madmen at first.’
Carl recalled what had happened the other day.
It was just a few days ago that he returned to the Lisa Kingdom. He hasn’t seen his granddaughter in a while, so he stopped by the market first and bought ingredients to make a warm cream stew for her. Valia was a child who did not express much emotion, but she smiled well when she saw him. She called him grandfather and followed him well. He came home, thinking that she would be happy and run with joy. But it was different.
The house was cleaned up but it was strangely empty and there were traces of there having been a long absence. Carl called Valia’s name again and again but there was no answer.
When he had just entered Valia’s room, Carl opened his eyes wide. Two men were standing in front of the bed and closet. They were just like petty thieves who were caught trying to steal something.
[You punks!]
He was quick to grasp the situation. Carl immediately took out the mace he was wearing on his back and grabbed it. The mercenary’s sharp eyes glanced through the room. Valia was nowhere to be seen. His granddaughter was missing and strange guys were snooping in her room! Carl shouted out loud.
[What did you do to my precious granddaughter?]
The men ran away to escape from Carl while he wielded a mace. Filled with the single thought of beating those guys, Carl did not notice how flustered they had gotten.
After missing the men with his mace, he gnashed his teeth in anger. In Carl’s mind, the worst-case scenario was already being envisioned. It was then that he found the letter that Valia had written.
“…And then?”
“And then, I thought about it. It’s indeed your handwriting, but how would I know if you wrote it in tears while they threatened you with a knife on your neck?”
Carl seriously agonized.
He wondered if he should report the missing case to the Kingdom’s capital security or if he should believe the letter and that Valia was going to be away for a while. Carl was sleepless all night. Early next morning, the men reappeared before him.
They went on to explain for some time. They were not thieves, but they were guarding the house. They were not the people of Lisa Kingdom, but the people of Gel Empire. And the reason they were in this house was to carry out their Master’s order. There was a word that stood out to Carl in their long, uneasy excuse.
“They kept saying ‘our Madam’s pillow,’ ‘our Madam’s pillow.’ I flared at them, why would they search for their Madam’s pillow in our house. After having the conversation, then I found out. When they said Madam, they were referring to you.”
“Pillow?”
“Yeah, pillow. I gave it to the housekeeper lady or whoever before coming here.”
Why a pillow all of a sudden?
Valia looked puzzled. Carl also had her expression back then. To be honest, he had never been more flustered than he was then. He wondered when Valia had even gotten married.
When Carl did not believe them and did not let go of his guard, the men begged him to wait a little longer, saying that they would report it to their superior again.
However, the men’s report reached the Gel Empire shortly after Schuden left. The aide was troubled by the unexpected situation. He did not feel it was right to talk about it to Madam and asked for her opinion. His Grace paid attention to this matter in secret, so it would be disappointing if she knew it beforehand.
If he wanted to hear from him that an aide to a certain family was competent, he had to think about this carefully. But there was no place nor was there anyone to discuss it with. Finally, the aide told Paul about it. Then, they put their heads together for a long time.
Why is His Grace asking to bring the Madam’s pillow?
There was no good reason that they could come up with. In the end, they came to one conclusion; Let’s just get her the pillow for now.
However, Madam’s foster grandparent was holding out and did not want to give the pillow. So the plan came down to one thing.
Let’s bring Carl too!
Through this process, Carl came to the Southern Marquisate. Though he was full of doubt, he was worried about Valia. So, he gave them the benefit of the doubt and followed them.
Considering the unusual ability of those who were searching the house and with the way they called Valia ‘Madam’, it was not difficult to guess that Valia had become a noblewoman from a respectable family.
However, he was just uncertain. He was afraid that an old, ugly noble had taken Valia as his second wife. He came with the intention of running away with Valia at night but the name he heard was unexpected.
“I wondered if it really was the ‘Garth’ I know. Is the Marquess Garth really your husband?”
“Yes, it’s indeed him.”
“How did you end up marrying that dev… I mean, the Marquess of the Empire?”
“Well… It just happened.”
Valia beat about the bush as she did not want to talk about the temple princess. Carl realized the awkward complexion on his granddaughter’s face and did not pry further. He just thought that Valia was a smart kid so she would do well on her own.
“When did you get married?”
“Hmm… I think it’s been about half a year. We got married in spring.”
“Spring?”
Carl was at home in spring and left the Lisa Kingdom before summer. He had a speechless look on his face.
“Did you get married as soon as this grandpa left?”
Valia laughed. Carl raised his eyebrows with his arms folded. He buckled down and asked like a parent checking to see if his child was living well.
“Did you hold a wedding ceremony? You didn’t just let it pass without any ceremony, did you?”
“I didn’t. We had a wedding ceremony. Oh, I didn’t call you because…”
“I know. Well done. If I had gone to your wedding ceremony, the nobles would surely run their mouths. I’m tired just thinking about it.”
Carl shuddered. They were not blood-related, but they were each other’s only family. The grandfather and granddaughter understood each other’s thoughts.
“How’s your husband? Is he nice to you?”
“Yes, he’s nice to me.”
“He’s not harassing you or beating you, is he?”
Valia burst into laughter.
“He’s not someone like that. Don’t worry.”
“Is that so? That’s a good thing.”
For Carl, a wandering mercenary, Marquess Garth never had a good image. Although he was called the ‘undefeated knight’ because of his legendary record of never losing a war, his other modifier was more famous among mercenaries.
‘How can they call him a devilish murderer? It’s not like he’s some kind of monster.’
Carl wondered how he had slain people on the battlefield so brutally that he even got such a cruel modifier. He heard that the Marquess was young, probably a couple of years older than Valia. He also heard that he had a surprisingly beautiful face. But if his personality was trashy, wasn’t that completely useless?
‘But she looks okay.’
Valia’s expression was bright. Thanks to that, Carl was relieved.
“Tell me how you’ve been doing. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
Valia was excited to talk. She had been really happy since she married Schuden. She wanted to tell Carl, who was always worried about her, that she was living a happy life. Valia’s story began with Schuden, followed by Schuden, and ended with Schuden.
Her nonstop story was cut off only when Carl suddenly opened his mouth.
“Do you like the Marquess?”
“…”
Valia, who was smiling, shut her mouth. For a moment, all sorts of confusion flashed through her silvery-gray eyes. She could tell a lie if she wanted, but she was surprised because it was her first time being asked such a direct question. Eventually, Valia hunched her shoulders like a girl who had been caught having an unrequited love.
“…Is it obvious?”
“Very.”
Carl answered lightly and asked Valia again skeptically.
“Your husband doesn’t know?”
“…Maybe?”
“Oh Lord!”
Carl clicked his tongue.
Her eyes are shining that much. How can he not know that?
“He’s a very dull fellow, isn’t he? But then again, just because his sword skills are first-class, it doesn’t mean that his sense will also be first-class. He’s so slow. Tsk.”
“Grandfather!”
“I got it, I got it. Look at you, siding with your husband because you’re married. They say it’s useless raising a child. I didn’t expect you to do that, Valia.”
Carl lamented. Valia eventually laughed.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
After that day, a pillow was added to the couple’s bedroom. It was a small pillow Valia had used since she was a child. It was washed clean and dried well under the sun, but it still could not hide its old look.
A well-worn pillow that did not fit the luxurious castle. The maids who came to clean the bedroom twice a day were briefly distracted by the pillow every time they came in.
Valia was sitting on the bed. Several soft cushions were placed on her back and her legs were straightened out. She put the old pillow on her lap and read the document with a soft blanket wrapped around her like a cloak.
It was a report from Paul. The paper briefly reported about the renovation of the castle—how many workers, from where to where, and how much would be renovated.
Under the direction of the lady, the castle was being completely renovated. All the golden silk tapestries that dazzled the eyes were rolled up and the gold leaf spread out on every side was also scratched off clean.
The same went for the yard. The shrubs and bushes were neatly maintained thanks to the gardeners but there were too many statues. It was very hard to tell whether it was the castle’s yard or a sculpture exhibition. Considering the landscaping, Valia decided to collect almost all of them, leaving only a few of the best ones.
Paul and Sarah were running more aggressively than anyone else at their Madam’s commands. In fact, they were secretly praising Valia’s determination. As employees, they could not dare to criticize the castle that belonged to the family of their Master. But their sight had grown bad thanks to looking at the castle’s interior, it blazed so much it had made gold no longer look gold.
‘It would be a beautiful castle if it were a little less fancy…’
Most employees would have had that thought at least once.
“Madam, it’s time to take your medicine.”
The doctor’s voice was heard outside the door. Valia frowned reflexively. The violent bitterness of the medicine remained a powerful shock to Valia. As her body got better, the medicine might have gotten a little thinner. So it was a little less than the first time she ate the medicine. But in any case, it was still a bitter medicine.
“…Come on in.”
Valia gave her permission. The doctor carefully took the medicine bowl with both hands and entered the bedroom. Valia put down the document she was reading beside her. A maid received the medicine from the doctor and politely gave it to Valia. She began to drink the medicine with a very reluctant face.
It took a long time for Valia to empty the bowl. In the meantime, the doctor looked at his patient’s face, took her pulse, and measured her body temperature. Even after finishing all that, he still had some time left. So he just rolled his eyes without doing anything. Then, the pillow on Valia’s lap caught his eyes. The old pillow stood out among the luxurious bedding and caught the attention of the doctor.
“Madam.”
The doctor was the type of person who would ask something he was curious about. Valia shifted her gaze.
“Is this the pillow you used before marriage?”
“Yes, even the general butler didn’t say anything earlier.”
“No, I mean, Valia, you…”
“Me what?”
“Ehem, nothing.”
Valia’s sudden change in atmosphere caused Carl to keep reading the room since earlier. She was unusually calm, and she also complained less since she was a child. Perhaps it was because she was his brat, but she looked good in his eyes. He thought her elegance flowed naturally like a stream and that she was mature enough to be put anywhere. And the way she disciplined the general butler earlier was really the act of a dignified noblewoman. Carl realized again that Valia had become a Marchioness.
‘I thought they were madmen at first.’
Carl recalled what had happened the other day.
It was just a few days ago that he returned to the Lisa Kingdom. He hasn’t seen his granddaughter in a while, so he stopped by the market first and bought ingredients to make a warm cream stew for her. Valia was a child who did not express much emotion, but she smiled well when she saw him. She called him grandfather and followed him well. He came home, thinking that she would be happy and run with joy. But it was different.
The house was cleaned up but it was strangely empty and there were traces of there having been a long absence. Carl called Valia’s name again and again but there was no answer.
When he had just entered Valia’s room, Carl opened his eyes wide. Two men were standing in front of the bed and closet. They were just like petty thieves who were caught trying to steal something.
[You punks!]
He was quick to grasp the situation. Carl immediately took out the mace he was wearing on his back and grabbed it. The mercenary’s sharp eyes glanced through the room. Valia was nowhere to be seen. His granddaughter was missing and strange guys were snooping in her room! Carl shouted out loud.
[What did you do to my precious granddaughter?]
The men ran away to escape from Carl while he wielded a mace. Filled with the single thought of beating those guys, Carl did not notice how flustered they had gotten.
After missing the men with his mace, he gnashed his teeth in anger. In Carl’s mind, the worst-case scenario was already being envisioned. It was then that he found the letter that Valia had written.
“…And then?”
“And then, I thought about it. It’s indeed your handwriting, but how would I know if you wrote it in tears while they threatened you with a knife on your neck?”
Carl seriously agonized.
He wondered if he should report the missing case to the Kingdom’s capital security or if he should believe the letter and that Valia was going to be away for a while. Carl was sleepless all night. Early next morning, the men reappeared before him.
They went on to explain for some time. They were not thieves, but they were guarding the house. They were not the people of Lisa Kingdom, but the people of Gel Empire. And the reason they were in this house was to carry out their Master’s order. There was a word that stood out to Carl in their long, uneasy excuse.
“They kept saying ‘our Madam’s pillow,’ ‘our Madam’s pillow.’ I flared at them, why would they search for their Madam’s pillow in our house. After having the conversation, then I found out. When they said Madam, they were referring to you.”
“Pillow?”
“Yeah, pillow. I gave it to the housekeeper lady or whoever before coming here.”
Why a pillow all of a sudden?
Valia looked puzzled. Carl also had her expression back then. To be honest, he had never been more flustered than he was then. He wondered when Valia had even gotten married.
When Carl did not believe them and did not let go of his guard, the men begged him to wait a little longer, saying that they would report it to their superior again.
However, the men’s report reached the Gel Empire shortly after Schuden left. The aide was troubled by the unexpected situation. He did not feel it was right to talk about it to Madam and asked for her opinion. His Grace paid attention to this matter in secret, so it would be disappointing if she knew it beforehand.
If he wanted to hear from him that an aide to a certain family was competent, he had to think about this carefully. But there was no place nor was there anyone to discuss it with. Finally, the aide told Paul about it. Then, they put their heads together for a long time.
Why is His Grace asking to bring the Madam’s pillow?
There was no good reason that they could come up with. In the end, they came to one conclusion; Let’s just get her the pillow for now.
However, Madam’s foster grandparent was holding out and did not want to give the pillow. So the plan came down to one thing.
Let’s bring Carl too!
Through this process, Carl came to the Southern Marquisate. Though he was full of doubt, he was worried about Valia. So, he gave them the benefit of the doubt and followed them.
Considering the unusual ability of those who were searching the house and with the way they called Valia ‘Madam’, it was not difficult to guess that Valia had become a noblewoman from a respectable family.
However, he was just uncertain. He was afraid that an old, ugly noble had taken Valia as his second wife. He came with the intention of running away with Valia at night but the name he heard was unexpected.
“I wondered if it really was the ‘Garth’ I know. Is the Marquess Garth really your husband?”
“Yes, it’s indeed him.”
“How did you end up marrying that dev… I mean, the Marquess of the Empire?”
“Well… It just happened.”
Valia beat about the bush as she did not want to talk about the temple princess. Carl realized the awkward complexion on his granddaughter’s face and did not pry further. He just thought that Valia was a smart kid so she would do well on her own.
“When did you get married?”
“Hmm… I think it’s been about half a year. We got married in spring.”
“Spring?”
Carl was at home in spring and left the Lisa Kingdom before summer. He had a speechless look on his face.
“Did you get married as soon as this grandpa left?”
Valia laughed. Carl raised his eyebrows with his arms folded. He buckled down and asked like a parent checking to see if his child was living well.
“Did you hold a wedding ceremony? You didn’t just let it pass without any ceremony, did you?”
“I didn’t. We had a wedding ceremony. Oh, I didn’t call you because…”
“I know. Well done. If I had gone to your wedding ceremony, the nobles would surely run their mouths. I’m tired just thinking about it.”
Carl shuddered. They were not blood-related, but they were each other’s only family. The grandfather and granddaughter understood each other’s thoughts.
“How’s your husband? Is he nice to you?”
“Yes, he’s nice to me.”
“He’s not harassing you or beating you, is he?”
Valia burst into laughter.
“He’s not someone like that. Don’t worry.”
“Is that so? That’s a good thing.”
For Carl, a wandering mercenary, Marquess Garth never had a good image. Although he was called the ‘undefeated knight’ because of his legendary record of never losing a war, his other modifier was more famous among mercenaries.
‘How can they call him a devilish murderer? It’s not like he’s some kind of monster.’
Carl wondered how he had slain people on the battlefield so brutally that he even got such a cruel modifier. He heard that the Marquess was young, probably a couple of years older than Valia. He also heard that he had a surprisingly beautiful face. But if his personality was trashy, wasn’t that completely useless?
‘But she looks okay.’
Valia’s expression was bright. Thanks to that, Carl was relieved.
“Tell me how you’ve been doing. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
Valia was excited to talk. She had been really happy since she married Schuden. She wanted to tell Carl, who was always worried about her, that she was living a happy life. Valia’s story began with Schuden, followed by Schuden, and ended with Schuden.
Her nonstop story was cut off only when Carl suddenly opened his mouth.
“Do you like the Marquess?”
“…”
Valia, who was smiling, shut her mouth. For a moment, all sorts of confusion flashed through her silvery-gray eyes. She could tell a lie if she wanted, but she was surprised because it was her first time being asked such a direct question. Eventually, Valia hunched her shoulders like a girl who had been caught having an unrequited love.
“…Is it obvious?”
“Very.”
Carl answered lightly and asked Valia again skeptically.
“Your husband doesn’t know?”
“…Maybe?”
“Oh Lord!”
Carl clicked his tongue.
Her eyes are shining that much. How can he not know that?
“He’s a very dull fellow, isn’t he? But then again, just because his sword skills are first-class, it doesn’t mean that his sense will also be first-class. He’s so slow. Tsk.”
“Grandfather!”
“I got it, I got it. Look at you, siding with your husband because you’re married. They say it’s useless raising a child. I didn’t expect you to do that, Valia.”
Carl lamented. Valia eventually laughed.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
After that day, a pillow was added to the couple’s bedroom. It was a small pillow Valia had used since she was a child. It was washed clean and dried well under the sun, but it still could not hide its old look.
A well-worn pillow that did not fit the luxurious castle. The maids who came to clean the bedroom twice a day were briefly distracted by the pillow every time they came in.
Valia was sitting on the bed. Several soft cushions were placed on her back and her legs were straightened out. She put the old pillow on her lap and read the document with a soft blanket wrapped around her like a cloak.
It was a report from Paul. The paper briefly reported about the renovation of the castle—how many workers, from where to where, and how much would be renovated.
Under the direction of the lady, the castle was being completely renovated. All the golden silk tapestries that dazzled the eyes were rolled up and the gold leaf spread out on every side was also scratched off clean.
The same went for the yard. The shrubs and bushes were neatly maintained thanks to the gardeners but there were too many statues. It was very hard to tell whether it was the castle’s yard or a sculpture exhibition. Considering the landscaping, Valia decided to collect almost all of them, leaving only a few of the best ones.
Paul and Sarah were running more aggressively than anyone else at their Madam’s commands. In fact, they were secretly praising Valia’s determination. As employees, they could not dare to criticize the castle that belonged to the family of their Master. But their sight had grown bad thanks to looking at the castle’s interior, it blazed so much it had made gold no longer look gold.
‘It would be a beautiful castle if it were a little less fancy…’
Most employees would have had that thought at least once.
“Madam, it’s time to take your medicine.”
The doctor’s voice was heard outside the door. Valia frowned reflexively. The violent bitterness of the medicine remained a powerful shock to Valia. As her body got better, the medicine might have gotten a little thinner. So it was a little less than the first time she ate the medicine. But in any case, it was still a bitter medicine.
“…Come on in.”
Valia gave her permission. The doctor carefully took the medicine bowl with both hands and entered the bedroom. Valia put down the document she was reading beside her. A maid received the medicine from the doctor and politely gave it to Valia. She began to drink the medicine with a very reluctant face.
It took a long time for Valia to empty the bowl. In the meantime, the doctor looked at his patient’s face, took her pulse, and measured her body temperature. Even after finishing all that, he still had some time left. So he just rolled his eyes without doing anything. Then, the pillow on Valia’s lap caught his eyes. The old pillow stood out among the luxurious bedding and caught the attention of the doctor.
“Madam.”
The doctor was the type of person who would ask something he was curious about. Valia shifted her gaze.
“Is this the pillow you used before marriage?”
