Sigrid Novel Chapter 71

"Beramund!"

"Isn't it better for at least one person to survive than for both to die?"

"Then it should obviously be you, the superior officer."

Sigrid protested. Truly, when she realized Beramund intended to embrace her and die, everything went black before her eyes.

When Prince Rudinal was there, she thought it was to help the prince escape, but not during the second cliff fall.

"I don't want to. I'll save the person I like."

At Beramund's words, spoken with a pout, Sigrid was at a loss for words. She said softly:

"You're precious to

too."

"Wow— if you say that while looking at

like that, I might really misunderstand."

"But you really are precious to ."

Sigrid said, frowning.

"Don't you believe ?"

"No, I believe you. I do, but—"

Beramund gently caressed Sigrid's cheek with his right hand, then pinched it.

"Beramund!"

"You shouldn't enter soone else's bedroom at night."

"That... I'm sorry."

Beramund exhaled deeply and stroked her hair.

"With your hair all loose like this..."

The silver hair flowed smoothly through his fingers. He grasped the long hair that fell to her waist, then let it slip through. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I like you."

"Yes, I—"

As Sigrid responded reflexively, Beramund tightened his grip and continued whispering:

"I like you, I like you, I like you, I like you so much."

"Ah, I, I—"

She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't co out. Her face felt strangely hot. Seeing Sigrid unable to respond, Beramund smiled, kissed her forehead, then released her.

"I'm fine now, so go to bed, miss."

"I'm not young enough to need a goodnight kiss, you know."

As Sigrid rubbed her forehead and spoke, Beramund grinned.

"That's sothing soone with enough discretion not to enter a man's room in the middle of the night would say."

Sigrid frowned at his words, then bent down and kissed his left eye. Beramund instinctively reached out but stopped himself.

Instead, he smiled and joked:

"Should we sleep together if you think you might have nightmares?"

Sigrid's crimson eyes glanced to the side before looking straight ahead as she spoke:

"I'm not young enough to share a bed with a man."

"—!"

"Good night, Beramund."

As she gracefully walked out of the room, Beramund exclaid, "Ah, really—!" and flopped onto the bed.

Sigrid closed the door and placed her hand on her chest.

Thump-thump-thump-thump.

Her heart was beating rapidly.

The cheeks she touched with both hands were hot.

'My face is hot... What could this be...? Am I unwell?'

Thinking this, Sigrid slowly walked away.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Serios listened to Beramund's report with his face in his hands. Even after Beramund finished speaking, he remained silent for a long ti before saying:

"I'm the worst."

"In what way?"

"In every way."

He answered, then rubbed his face before lowering his hands and speaking to Beramund:

"If you had died, I would never— I could never have forgiven myself. Thank you for coming back alive, Beramund Lunatil."

"I think you should say that to the magician rather than ."

"Ah— Should I summon him separately?"

When he said "magician," Beramund replied with a strange expression:

"He says he won't et unless Sigrid introduces him."

"What?"

"He says if you want to et him, go through her."

"He wasn't that handso—"

"Siri is pretty."

"Well, I an, she's not unattractive— Wait, are you calling her pretty in front of ?"

"I'm in the midst of an unrequited love, you know?"

"What—?!"

Serios forgot the gravity of the situation and exclaid with his mouth wide open:

"Beramund Lunatil? A woman? Unrequited love?"

"Hold on, is my reputation that bad?"

Beramund asked with a frown, and Serios shrugged. Beramund asked again:

"Is it really that bad?"

"Reflect on your past behavior."

At those words, Beramund crossed his arms as a servant outside quietly announced:

"His Grace, Duke Lunatil, has arrived."

Before the servant could finish speaking, the door burst open.

"Beramund—!"

"Oh, Brother?"

As Beramund turned to look at him, Ravis rushed over and grabbed both his shoulders.

"Are you hurt anywhere? No injuries?!"

"Oh, um, I'm fine."

"I clearly—!"

Ravis started to shout but suppressed it. Beramund was startled by the trembling hands on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything."

"If you were sorry, you wouldn't have gone."

Ravis let go and pressed his temples. Beramund, even more flustered, said:

"No, I'm really sorry. I didn't know you'd worry this much."

"......"

At those words, Ravis looked at Beramund, then turned to Serios and asked:

"So, was it worth putting my brother in mortal danger?"

"We found out that Rudinal is a traitor, at least?"

"I see. That's regrettable, Your Highness."

"I regret it too."

Serios leaned back in his chair, interlacing his fingers. A complex expression showed on his face, but Ravis had not the slightest intention of sympathizing with him.

"Then what will you do? You must know that the Achtschwietz are stirring up trouble everywhere."

"How many private soldiers can be mobilized from the Lunatil domain?"

Beramund flinched at Serios's words, spoken with his eyes closed, but Ravis replied smoothly:

"About a thousand."

"I see."

Serios smiled.

"How many available soldiers might there be in the west?"

"It would take longer for them to co from the west to the capital. Besides, there's no justification, Your Highness."

"Justification, huh..."

With his eyes still closed, Serios's interlaced fingers tapped his hand.

"What if they've joined hands with crazed magicians?"

"Magicians, you say?"

Ravis frowned. He turned to Beramund, who nodded.

"We t one, a magician."

At those words, Ravis fell into thought for a mont before speaking to Serios:

"If that's the case, why not formally request help from the Ice Tower?"

"Would there be ti?"

"Well, we can't trust a magician's sense of ti. For now, Beramund, I need to et this magician you ntioned."

"We were just talking about that."

Serios said with a faint smile, "Oh?"

"Weren't you talking about your unrequited love?"

"Unrequited love?"

"Serios! No, Brother, it's nothing. Anyway, I'll tell Siri."

Beramund hastily said to Serios, who nodded. As Beramund half-pushed him out of the audience chamber, Ravis stopped and asked:

"What's this about? What unrequited love?"

"It's nothing."

"Beramund Lunatil."

Ravis called his brother's na sternly. Beramund couldn't understand why he felt intimidated when his brother called him like that, even though he was clearly taller and had been an adult for a long ti.

"It's... just..."

"Is it sothing you can't tell ?"

At Ravis's words, Beramund shook his head, sighed, then said quietly:

"I've fallen for a girl. No, but isn't it weird to tell you about things like this?"

"But you tell Serios?"

"He's— he's like a friend."

Ravis blinked at those words, then chuckled. He lightly patted his brother's shoulder and said:

"To think the great Beramund is in unrequited love, who's the lucky girl? Is it that 'Siri' you ntioned earlier?"

"No, please, Brother. Don't get involved."

Ravis chuckled and reached out to ruffle his brother's hair. Then, removing his hand, he said with a serious face:

"If anything had happened to you because of this, the Lunatil family would have beco enemies with Serios."

"...Brother..."

"Of course, Erial is important too. And the connection with Serios is natural for our family. But I don't want to do that at the cost of you."

"Yeah."

Seeing Beramund respond obediently, Ravis looked at him, then patted his back and said:

"I'll go ahead then. Drop by soti, l is worried about you."

At the ntion of his sister-in-law's nickna, Beramund nodded.

"Alright."

Beramund pulled his hood over his head and carefully slipped out of the palace through the back door used by servants. He didn't want anyone to know he was in the capital yet.

Returning ho, he told Sigrid that the Crown Prince wanted to et Arkana. Sigrid asked in confusion:

"Why are you asking

about that?"

"Well, that guy said he won't et anyone unless it's through you."

"Arkana?"

As Sigrid turned to him, Arkana grinned and said:

"I told you from the beginning. I'll only et people through Sigrid."

"Did, did you?"

Co to think of it, he did.

Sigrid hesitated, then said to Arkana:

"I think it would be good to et once."

"Only if Siri cos too."

"Can I co along?"

When Sigrid turned to Beramund and asked, he nodded.

"Of course."

"Then I'll go."

At Arkana's answer, Beramund swallowed a sigh of relief. Arkana said to Sigrid:

"Before that, can I at least go see Seria? I want to reassure her."

"Ah, sure."

Sigrid nodded, and Beramund added:

"I'd appreciate it if you kept our return a secret."

"I have enough sense for that. By the way, can I use the main entrance?"

"You're not going by magic?"

"It's not an ability I can use so freely."

"Then I'll let you out through the back door."

Arkana nodded at Beramund's words. Sigrid added:

"Send my regards too."

"Got it."

Nodding, Arkana followed Beramund out. Beramund opened the door leading to the back of the mansion and pointed to the back of the garden.

"There's a back gate over there, it's not locked so you can just open it and leave."

"Lord Lunatil."

At Arkana's call, Beramund turned to him. Arkana asked:

"If I asked you to keep your hands off Siri in return for healing your arm and eye, what would you do?"

At those words, Beramund turned fully towards him and grinned.

"Take them back, then?"

"Well— I see."

Arkana exaggeratedly feigned a sigh.

"It was Siri's request, so I can't take them back. If that's your level of determination, I guess I have no choice."

"What about you?"

"What do you an?"

"What would you do if I told you to keep your hands off Siri?"

Arkana smiled faintly and said:

"My soul already belongs to her."

"What?"