Chapter 171
Thanks to the forced march, they reached the Norden Plain earlier than expected.
After emerging from the Argand Forest, home to millions of birch trees, Varkas led three hundred mounted warriors across the vast expanse of open land.
Before long, a massive city surrounded by sand-colored walls appeared on the horizon, along with numerous villages of various sizes scattered around it.
Galloping straight across the plain to the outskirts of the nearest village, Varkas slowly surveyed the scattered vegetable gardens and wooden buildings.
The villagers pulling weeds or thinning the spring crops all removed their hats in unison as a sign of respect. A few children gathered along the roadside gazed at the knights mounted upon their enormous warhorses with eyes full of admiration. At first glance, it was an utterly peaceful scene.
His eyes narrowing, Varkas carefully observed the expressions of the townspeople before riding directly toward the city gate.
As soon as he approached, the guards stationed atop the watchtower blew a long whistle, announcing the Grand Duke's return to the entire city.
"Welcome home, Your Grace!"
The moment he passed through the gates and entered the city, a booming voice rang out above him.
Looking up, Varkas spotted a sturdily built young man bounding down the stairs connected to the city wall and frowned.
Moving with the agility of a leopard, the man approached him, his amber eyes shining brightly as he flashed a cheerful smile.
"We've already heard the war is finally coming to an end. You've worked hard all this time, Brother."
Varkas quietly looked him over with thoughtful eyes.
The last time he had visited Laedgo Castle, Lucas had been away leading a campaign in the northeastern region, making this their first face-to-face meeting in nearly a year.
Climbing down from Tork's back, Varkas walked over to the younger man, who had somehow grown nearly as tall as himself.
"I almost didn't recognize you."
"I've spent every day under the blazing sun, so my skin ended up completely tanned."
Lucas grinned.
"It looks like you've been avoiding the sunlight altogether, Brother. You're almost as pale as the Northerners."
Ignoring his joke, Varkas stepped aside so the knights following behind could enter the city. Then, while surveying the area around the checkpoint, he asked,
"Has anything happened while I was away?"
"Nothing besides what was already mentioned in the last dispatch you received."
Lucas shrugged as though it were nothing serious.
Despite his carefree words, an odd tension lingered across his cheerful face.
Letting out a troubled sigh, he continued,
"But something may happen before long. It's because of the creature Sister-in-law is raising..."
Realizing what he had said, Lucas glanced cautiously at Varkas before quickly correcting himself.
"The beast Her Grace is raising has the entire city in an uproar."
"The dispatch said my wife is being suspected of heresy because of that monster."
Varkas murmured in a completely emotionless voice.
Lucas stole a glance at his expression before scratching the back of his neck with another deep sigh.
"The retainers exaggerated things a little. To be precise... people are accusing her of encouraging heresy."
"What's the difference?"
"It means very few people actually believe Sister-in-law herself has embraced heretical beliefs. It's simply that a handful of ignorant people have begun spreading strange rumors because of that monster."
Lucas spoke almost defensively.
Holding Tork's reins as he slowly walked along the broad avenue, Varkas looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"What exactly are people saying about my wife?"
"Well..."
Lucas paused briefly, organizing his thoughts before speaking rapidly.
"Sister-in-law naturally attracts attention wherever she goes. But then she started traveling everywhere with a wolf the size of a bull... Some of the townspeople who saw them began associating both her and the wolf with the legend of Tiramer."
Until then, Varkas had assumed she was simply being criticized by followers of the Imperial Orthodox Church for keeping a magical beast.
He abruptly came to a halt.
"They believe my wife is some sort of spirit of the earth?"
"I think only a very small number truly believe that."
Lucas answered uncertainly.
"However... there's no denying that Sister-in-law has been encouraging the East's traditional folk beliefs. At least, that's how the Grand Cathedral sees it."
Varkas turned an icy gaze toward the towering spire of the Grand Cathedral rising above the western side of the city.
Watching him from the corner of his eye, Lucas continued calmly,
"The conflict really escalated last spring after Sister-in-law appeared at the festival outside the city walls. When the villagers saw the Grand Duchess arrive with that wolf, they caused such a commotion it was as though Tiramer itself had descended among them. Even afterward, the entire city couldn't stop talking about the beautiful young Grand Duchess and her enormous wolf. And that..."
"...Provoked the priests."
Varkas finished flatly.
Lucas nodded.
"Not just the priests. Most of Kalmor's devout followers of the Orthodox Church believe Sister-in-law is leading ignorant peasants astray. Then, not long ago, a corpse torn apart by a beast was discovered north of Laedgo Castle, and rumors began spreading that the monster serving the Grand Duchess was responsible. Public opinion has become worse than ever."
After silently listening to everything, Varkas suddenly let out a faint, mocking laugh.
"How many people have wandered carelessly beyond the walls and been killed by wild animals over the years? What evidence are they using to spread such rumors?"
"There... isn't absolutely no basis for them."
Lucas abruptly fell silent and looked around.
The avenue was crowded with citizens who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their great lord returning after half a year.
Although everyone remained a respectful distance away and the surrounding noise made it nearly impossible for anyone to overhear, Lucas still lowered his voice.
"The body they found belonged to Sister-in-law's healing mage. You know... the woman who came from the Imperial Palace."
Varkas's expression hardened instantly.
He immediately pictured the composed middle-aged woman who was always attending at his wife's side.
Lucas continued gravely,
"The healing mage was found with her throat torn open by a beast. Naturally, everyone suspects Sister-in-law's wolf. But Sister-in-law defended it so fiercely that no proper investigation was ever carried out."
"Did anyone actually witness what happened to the healing mage?"
Lucas shook his head.
"It seems she left the castle alone before dawn and met with disaster. Everyone agrees no one saw her for several days before her body was discovered."
Falling silent, Varkas looked toward Laedgo Castle towering above the northern edge of the city.
If Lucas's report was accurate, every piece of evidence pointed against his wife.
"We'll return to the castle first. I need to see that monster with my own eyes."
He immediately led his men across the enormous square.
After following the gentle road leading north for some time, the moat surrounding Laedgo Castle came into view.
The gatekeeper, who had spotted them approaching from afar, hurriedly lowered the drawbridge.
"Welcome home, Your Grace!"
As they passed through the gates into the courtyard connected to the training grounds, hundreds of retainers rushed out to greet them.
Without sparing them a glance, Varkas strode directly toward the keep.
Soon, the enormous sand-colored fortress stood directly before him.
"You've returned safely after a long journey, Your Grace. You arrived sooner than expected."
Just as he handed Tork's reins to a servant and stepped toward the entrance hall, the white-haired chief steward hurried over with a group of servants.
Skipping even the customary greetings, Varkas asked immediately,
"Where is the Grand Duchess?"
The steward swallowed nervously before replying in a trembling voice,
"Y-Your Grace went to the spring around noon."
As Varkas stepped toward the entrance, he suddenly stopped and looked down at him.
"The spring?"
"The wolf Your Grace keeps doesn't tolerate the heat well... Since summer began, Her Grace has gone there every day. She should return in about an hour."
Varkas turned his gaze toward the path leading behind the castle.
"How many attendants accompanied her?"
"W-Well... Her Grace dislikes having maids following her around..."
"How many?"
"Only the guards you assigned to her have been following discreetly."
Lucas answered in place of the flustered steward.
Varkas frowned.
Which meant that the woman was caring for the beast—now apparently as large as a bull—almost entirely by herself.
Running a rough hand through his hair, Varkas immediately headed toward the rear gardens.
"There's no need to follow."
Firmly stopping Lucas and his subordinates, who naturally intended to accompany him, he strode down the garden path.
Beyond the small formal garden behind the castle lay a woodland thick with lush trees and dense undergrowth.
Spotting the guards leaning casually against the trees, Varkas's eyes turned razor-sharp.
He had repeatedly ordered them never to take their eyes off her for even a moment.
Yet here they were, standing with their backs turned to the very person they were supposed to be protecting.
It was the exact opposite of his orders.
Grinding his teeth, he walked toward them.
At that very moment, a clear peal of laughter drifted through the wind.
Varkas froze as though every muscle in his body had been paralyzed.
Slowly, he turned his head.
Early summer sunlight poured brilliantly through the thick canopy of leaves.
Amid those dazzling fragments of light...
She was smiling.