.jpg)
“Who knows? I heard the Achen Duchy is fine. But it's not like we can go there. You should be prepared too, miss. This year will be difficult in many ways.”
The grocer sighed as he spoke.
The Achen Duchy. Iris bit her lip.
‘First, protecting you from House Achen is the priority.’
Rahan had said that as they descended to the village together.
‘Because it will be most dangerous until you receive the Elector title.’
The marriage of the two had been carried out under the arrangement of Grand Duke Yvette Lacheis.
At the same time, it was a kind of tacit agreement. In exchange for escaping the forced marriage to Philod and seizing the title she should have received, Iris Achen was to support Grand Duke Yvette Lacheize.
‘Archbishop Victor has proven your birth, so you must go to House Achen and inherit the title. But since you two cannot go alone, you must be protected by the Grand Duke.’
The two of them could not go to House Achen on their own. The threat to their lives was too great. Thus, under the guise of exile, Rahan and Iris were waiting for the Grand Duke's knights under the protection of the monastery.
‘They said three months, but it won't be that long. After all, the important thing is to deceive others.’
I see. Then I can stay at the monastery a bit longer.
That was all Iris thought.
But, shouldn't it be different?
Life is not a series of fragments. She couldn't just end her thoughts with "It's nice that I can stay at the monastery."
Because the end of that deal wouldn't be the end of her life.
"If the entire Grand Duchy is like that... what is the Grand Duke planning to do?"
At Iris's words, the grocer shrugged his shoulders.
"How should I know? Well, it hasn't been long since the Potato Blight started spreading. They say they're spraying medicine or something, but that's only right in front of the Ducal Palace."
"..."
"Still, it's only because it's Grand Duke Lacheize that they're doing even that much. I heard they aren't lifting a finger for the far north. It was the same twenty years ago. Do the high-and-mighty even care about the plight of people like us?"
Suddenly, she remembered the conversation they had earlier.
‘With power... how much can one achieve?’
Iris bit her lip. She was the daughter of House Achen.
Until now, she had never properly thought about that fact. She had been too busy avoiding the things crashing down in front of her.
However, those words kept weighing on her mind. Was there perhaps more that she could do?
‘Abbot Wilbert taught me that nothing in this world happens without a reason.’
There was a time when she resented Eridrahan. To think she was the daughter of House Achen. When a grand family she had never even imagined was attached to her name, she felt only overwhelmed.
Couldn't You have just let me live normally for twenty years, and continued to do so in the future?
That was all she had thought.
But now, Iris's thoughts had changed slightly.
Because she was the daughter of House Achen, she had met Rahan.
But was that all?
Perhaps there was another reason why that name was given to her?
Could it be the will of God, telling her to do something greater?
‘But what should I do?’
When she actually tried to think about it, she felt lost. She had nothing.
In the face of a disaster like the Potato Blight, there seemed to be nothing she could do.
"Iris!"
Just then, she saw a man waving his hand, searching for her among the crowd. Iris smiled for now.
Right, there's no need to rush for an answer.
Eridrahan always prepares the path.
I'll think about it gradually. Then, I'll find out.
* * *
"But you came back so quickly? You didn't get lost looking for the stables, did you?"
"...I told you I didn't..."
"If not, then fine! Of course, I don't see Rahan as a boor who would be rude to me anywhere. It's okay, Eridrahan made everyone that way!"
Rahan considered saying something to Iris, who was chattering away while organizing their luggage after returning home, but he stopped. If he did, he would have to explain why he had disappeared for a moment.
‘Tsk. What a damn tiny village.’
The person Rahan had visited, leaving Iris alone for a while, was a jewelry merchant. Of course, since he dealt with commoners, there was nothing extraordinary. It was all just hair ornaments made of hammered brass or necklaces of strung wooden beads.
‘Do you have any rings?’
‘Rings? Good grief. You're looking for all sorts of things. Do you think I'd have something that expensive?’
The wandering merchant, smoking a rolled leaf, snorted and showed his stall. It was nothing more than crude accessories made from rolled spoons. It was a failure.
Rahan had probably looked forward to today's Regular Market more than Iris had.
After the wedding night with Iris, what bothered Rahan the most was that he hadn't given her a decent ring.
The excuse that it was a rushed marriage was now just that—an excuse. The empty finger of Iris, who was clinging to his arm, had been bothering him the whole time.
Rahan smacked his lips and almost asked if the merchant could bring one if he ordered it, but he stopped.
There was no way a merchant like this would have the capital to buy a ring made of gold or silver. Moreover, if Rahan gave a deposit and the man ran away, that would be a problem in its own right.
Thus, Rahan returned empty-handed.
‘Damn it.’
Unaware of his feelings, Iris was humming as she put meat into the storage. It would be too late once the Grand Duke arrived. Rahan crossed his arms and groaned in thought before speaking.
"Iris, how long does it take to get to Arnsberg from here?"
"Arnsberg? It would take about two days on foot. Why?"
"Why? Well, I have to fulfill the request of the Vera Sisters..."
It was fortunate that he had an excuse. Arnsberg was a fairly large city. Rahan knew this because he had stopped by on his way from the Ducal Palace.
There wouldn't be many, but there would be shops that dealt in gems or metals. At his words, Iris's eyes widened, and she turned to look at him.
"That's right! There was something I wanted to ask."
"What is it?"
"You told Sister Tullie and Sister Millie that you had business in Arnsberg."
‘Fine. I have to visit Arnsberg at least once anyway, so I will go and pick out the fabric. Then you will be able to make it, right?’
She seemed to remember him saying that to the Vera Sisters. Rahan unconsciously tensed up. However, Iris's question was entirely different.
"But aren't you exiled here because of the Grand Duke? Can you go to Arnsberg?"
"There's no reason I can't."
Rahan shrugged, feeling slightly relieved. The exile was just a pretext, so there was no major problem with him going to Arnsberg.
Riet might say something, but she wouldn't actually be able to stop him.
"I can go? Then I want to go too!"
That's not... is it possible?
Rahan instinctively tried to refuse but flinched. He couldn't leave Iris alone for a four-day round trip.
There was also the attack by the knight. Of course, he could leave her with Riet, but he felt more at ease protecting Iris himself.
‘But the ring...’
He was going to buy a ring secretly.
He let out a groan. If the Grand Duke heard this, she would bark, "Just buy one in the Grand Duchy!", but once he became conscious of it, he couldn't stand the urge to buy her a ring.
Of course, he knew. Even if he went to Arnsberg, he wouldn't be able to buy a ring that perfectly matched his taste.
Arnsberg might be larger than Vandel, but compared to the Ducal Palace, it was nothing more than a small country town. Still, even if it was temporary, he wanted to slip a sparkling gold ring onto that slender finger.
"Oh, right."
Just then, Iris spoke as if she had just remembered.
"Come to think of it, Rahan, have you seen Karl since that day?"
"Karl?"
"You know, the other boy who was with Robbie that day."
"Ah."
Rahan frowned. She was talking about the friend of the village chief's son who had come to their house and caused a scene. Rahan asked, hiding the anxiety that crept into his heart.
"I don't know. Why?"
Iris shrugged.
"Well, I heard Karl hasn't come home for a few days."
.jpg)