A few days have passed since Austin attended the funeral of the two closest beings to him.
The Council, along with Eryndor, has organized the ceremony for the martyrs who sacrificed themselves to protect their people. A total of twelve hundred soldiers died during the war, including the Commander of Aderg.
The families of the sacrificed ones have received compensation, and the damage dealt to the military assets is slowly recovering.
The Council Heads have returned to their offices and have resud their work.
There has been so talk about creating a defense line in the Sea of Separation to at least get warned about any wave of demonic beasts that may attack them in the future.
After this war, there were several things that were supposed to change. There was a high chance that strong warriors, regardless of which field they belonged to, would be forced to take the military training so that if a disaster like this strikes again, they could gather a larger number of warriors.
A eting has been organized to address the matter, and from Eryndor, not only the King but the 'crowned' Prince was invited as well.
Well, Austin hasn't thought about it as of now. He was more focused on helping his girl recover.
"Say aah~" Austin urged, and the violet-haired woman shyly parted her small mouth to intake the spoonful of porridge.
The porridge had everything she needed for recovery, and it was quite delicious too. Despite all that, she had a look of complaint on her face, which urged Austin to ask, "What happened? Do you want sothing else to eat?"
Valerie shook her head, "It tastes good…but I wanted to be the first to feed you like that." Her voice was so small and adorable that he had to lean toward her to enjoy it to the fullest.
Haah~ this cuteness, he missed it so much.
"Next ti, when I fall sick, you can feed , okay?"
Valerie humd as she continued to eat.
A few spoonfuls were left, and Valerie was already full, which is why Austin decided to finish the rest.
"Ah…" Valerie exclaid, seeing him eating with the sa spoon.
Austin's brows elevated as he teased, "We were kissing passionately in the morning, and you feel shy to share the sa spoon?"
Valerie blushed, "That…and this is different." Why did her Lord have to add the word 'passionately'? She couldn't stop thinking about it now…
Austin finished the porridge and set the bowl aside. Then he slid under the blanket and gently pulled the girl into his arms.
It felt warm—so warm—and right in a way he couldn't explain. Holding her close, feeling the softness of her body pressed against his, he was filled with quiet peace. She was here. Safe. And in that mont, it felt like she belonged there, with him, and nowhere else.
"I just want to make a ho right here inside the blanket and never leave."
Valerie nestled in his chest, her eyes half-closed and the corner of her lips curved, as she said, "Maybe having the sa porridge has aligned our thoughts." What could be better for her than to always be with the man whom she adores?
In those few monts after the parasite bit her, and her consciousness began to fade, the very thought of not being able to see him again killed her from the inside.
It was strange…so strange, that the only person whom she could think about in her dying monts was not her parents, not her nanny, not her teacher, even though they all were important people to her.
The only thought that kept clouding her mind was 'I won't see him…I want to be with him…he will be sad…I don't want to go…'
Her hold on his shirt turned firm, and a single tear droplet appeared at the corner of her eye.
"Val…?" Austin, who had been quietly admiring his wife's beauty, was startled when he saw tears in her eyes. Gently, he asked, "Are you thinking about what happened?"
Valerie sniffled and let him wipe her tears. "In those monts… when I couldn't see you, when I thought I might not survive…" Her voice trembled. "It broke sothing in . And I don't think I can ever forget that mont."
She looked up at him, eyes searching. "Were you devastated too…?"
Austin froze for a second… then smiled softly. A few monts, she'd said.
To her—and to the rest of the world—it had only been seconds when she'd fallen on the battlefield, standing on the edge of death.
But for him, it had been fifty long days. Fifty days trapped in that dark dungeon, weighed down by the constant fear that he might not be able to protect her. That everything he was fighting for might end in failure. Those thoughts haunted him, shook him awake at night. And because he couldn't bear the wait, because he was desperate to see her again, he barely stopped fighting.
Austin just hugged the girl close to him and told her, "Hear my heart, and you would know what I felt when you nearly left ."
His heart…it was beating slower than usual. She has counted his heart rate, and this was slower than usual.
He fears nothing more than getting separated from the girl he was hugging at the mont.
And now, Austin would make sure that he never goes through the sa dread.
Ever again.
…
Sophie was in the kitchen with a maid, making so cookies for her family mbers so they could enjoy them with so tea.
The Corwon couple were also staying here for the ti being, so it would be a good family ti.
"Take this and you rember everyone's preference, right?" Sophie asked as she rested the plate full of cookies and other snacks.
She has given the list of what drinks Austin, Cedric, Averis, and Valerie prefer. She doesn't know the taste of the Corwon couple, so she told the maid to ask them first.
The maid turned towards the lady, a bit nervous, as she asked, "Umm, my lady, won't you join as well?" She was nervous about making a mistake when she reached there.
Sophie paused for a mont...the fact is, she should be there, join the table when the lady of the Corwon house and her in-laws were gathering.
However...Sophie knew that if she went there, Austin wouldn't be able to remain comfortable. He might even leave the table upon seeing her.
That's why, "No, you go. Just don't forget what I told you." She shook her head and urged her to leave already.
Left in the kitchen alone, Sophie rested her hands on the station and looked down.
...although her husband told her to approach Austin...she couldn't. After going through such a traumatic experience, Valerie was finally healing him. That's why Sophie didn't want to step in and sour his mood.
"I am better not seen..." She sighed and decided to return to her room, but then, she froze.
There was soone standing in the kitchen.
It was, "Austin..." She called out almost reflexively.
"Hiding from because you are guilty...or running away from taking responsibility for your actions?" He questioned, his tone heavy.
Sophie shook her head, but no word ca out of her mouth.
She was ready to receive any punishnt for what she had done...but the sha of what she had committed doesn't allow her to face him.
Austin raised his hand and showed her a broken pendant.
"Ah..." Sophie recognized the pendant. She gave it to him before Austin left for Aderg.
"You said that it was a good luck charm...but it was actually a barrier."
Looking up at her, he asked, "Did you know?"
Sophie slowly nodded, "...it once saved from a wild boar. I didn't tell you because I thought...you won't accept it."
Austin was powerful...and giving him such a trivial gift for his protection might have been rejected...that's why she said it was a good luck charm.
Austin heaved a sigh, "It saved my life...so thank you."
When the Parasite King attacked him using Rudolph's body, Austin panicked and dropped the Stopwatch he received from Sebastian. He didn't even have the Absolute barrier since he had already used it.
At that ti, if the barrier hadn't appeared before him...he might have...
Sophie was shocked at the news but...she didn't enquire and just took the broken pendant before saying, "It fulfilled its duty." She was glad she showed courage and gave it to him that day.
Austin stepped back and said, "Stop hiding away since I don't loathe you. I can't forget what happened, but because of , I don't want to see my family incomplete."
Leaving those words, he turned around and left.
Sophie's eyes turned moist as she smiled and, with a nod, spoke to no one, "Yes...I won't run away anymore."
°°°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thank you for reading the book.
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