divorce chapter 22

Soon, he could hear the soft rhythm of Estelle’s breathing. He tried not to notice, but he couldn’t resist looking. He tapped on the driver’s compartment. It was a signal to stop briefly.

“What is it, Your Grace?”

“I’m going to use a magic circle. Let’s go that way.”

“Yes? Yes, Your Grace.” The driver’s bewildered voice reached him. It was understandable, considering Lennard had never once used a magic circle despite his frequent trips to the battlefield. Lennard sighed, burying his face in his hands. The remaining journey felt unbearably long.

***

Thanks to the magic circle, they arrived in no time. He sat up to wake Estelle. Seeing her lying there with her eyes closed, as if in death, Lennard brought his fingers to the base of her nose. She was breathing. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“We’ve arrived.” He spoke softly, so as not to startle her. There was no response. Lennard called her name several more times, but Estelle’s eyelids remained firmly shut.

“Mmm… Mmm.” He couldn’t help but smile as she frowned and shifted her body. After a moment’s hesitation, Lennard gently shook her.

“My lady, we’ve arrived.”

Her amber eyes flickered open in the darkness. Lennard drew back slightly. She looked bewildered to have arrived already.

“We traveled by magic circle.”

At his explanation, Estelle seemed a little dazed, but she nodded.

Lennard disembarked first so Estelle could alight comfortably. He extended his hand to escort her. For a fleeting moment, annoyance flashed across Estelle’s face. And then, ignoring his hand, she jumped down.

‘Oh!’ He saw her stumble as her shoes slipped in the mud upon landing. Reactively, Lennard reached out and caught her in his arms. He inhaled the floral scent that enveloped him as she fell against him. Being this close, he was certain. The woman he had met that night was indeed Estelle. The sweet fragrance, mingled with the scent of grass, was the same scent he had first encountered in Dali. And he hadn’t found it anywhere else since. An inexplicable sense of relief and comfort washed over him.

“Oh, I… um…” Lennard didn’t want to let go of Estelle as she tried to pull away. A tingling sensation surged through him, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on her waist.

“I-I apologize!” Coming to his senses, Lennard released her. His face flushed with the realization that he had succumbed to temptation and reached for her. They both avoided each other’s gaze, speechless. The air felt thick with unspoken words.

“Your Grace!” Lennard felt a surge of gratitude for his adjutant, who had come to meet him. Judging by her expression, Estelle seemed to feel the same. Only the adjutant seemed bewildered by their overly enthusiastic welcome.

***

Lennard spoke briefly with his adjutant and then called for me. His slightly flustered expression struck me as odd.

“If you follow this man, he’ll show you to your accommodations.” He excused himself almost hastily. The adjutant, left alone with me, bowed respectfully and introduced himself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Philip. I’ll escort you to your quarters.”

It was too late to search for Lennard, who had vanished.

“Lady Estelle, shall we?”

“Yes.” I followed the adjutant, taking in my surroundings. This was my first time on a battlefield, and I was nervous.

“Oh.” But something seemed strange about the encampment. It wasn’t the bleak, tense place I had imagined.

‘What is this? Some kind of party?’ The streets were filled with couples in extravagant attire. The men wore clothing that seemed utterly impractical for combat, and the women were dressed in elaborate gowns fit for a ball. I felt almost embarrassed at my own cautious attire. The temporary structures were equally flamboyant, ranging from cafes and upscale restaurant branches to glittering taverns.

“Most of the people deployed here are Awakened. They have considerable wealth, so it’s natural that people gather here,” the adjutant explained in a slightly louder voice, noticing me looking around. The streets, devoid of any sense of tension, felt surreal.

“The gate here only releases low-level monsters, so the risk is minimal. They’ve been letting them roam for the past ten years, simply controlling their numbers, which has allowed this kind of commercial district to develop. That’s why some people aren’t pleased about His Grace’s arrival.”

I wondered if this was truly acceptable, with monsters roaming about.

“Here we are.” It was a neat building, situated in a less crowded area. My assigned building was single-story and quite large, with a row of smaller, similar structures behind it.

“The atmosphere is a bit different over there.”

“Those are the quarters for the regular knights. They find these extravagant buildings a bit overwhelming.”

I nodded and entered the accommodations he indicated. The interior was spacious and tidy. It included a small kitchen for simple cooking, and the bathroom was large and clean. Finally, we reached a sunlit bedroom. A large bed dominated the center of the room. It felt strangely like a hotel room.

“Your luggage has already been unpacked, so you needn’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

“Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”

Once the adjutant left, the tension finally drained from me. I threw myself onto the bed.

As expected, one must lie down. I had thought sleep would evade me, but I was wrong. I drifted off without even thinking about dinner.