Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 178: Scene CLXXVIII
"Oi! Stop, kid!” — Infuriated, his hand unfolded to stop the child’s outrage.
“No!-?!... Ngh~... Gilead is a dummy!”
“... Just don’t throw dirt at me. You should thank me for listening to your blab every effing day, kid.”
Releasing the small wrist of the child, Gilead sat once again, indifferent to the pouting glare the girl dedicated to him, crossing her soft arms in manifestation.
A moment of silence went by as she watched those fighting each other wildly, attempting to ignore the mean guard... coming up with another subject to talk about with him as her fury was easy to dismiss.
“! Will Gilead meet that pretty lady today?!”
“?... What lady.”
“Um~ That Lady~... the one resembling Master’s wife fake mother!” — Having peeked at the last guests of her Master’s, Nu gave a hint to the guard of the woman he had met. Scowling immediately to it as such a meeting was supposed to be concealed from everyone’s eye.
"...."
Resuming occupation in the sharp of his inherited axe, Gilead feigned ponder, taking a moment to let out dry denial at the girl’s statements — “... I don’t know such a woman. You’re mistaken kid.”
“... Why is Gilead lying?” — However, tilting her head the child inquired with alarming certainty. — “Nu saw Gilead talking to that lady. Nu also saw how Gilead showed Sid’s treasure and made the lady cry.”
“?! Kid... stop talking.”
“Why was the lady crying Gilead? Nu wants to know~ hihi! Making ladies cry is a bad thing! Nu knows because the castle’s ladies taught Nu!"
Unaware that the current exhaustion of the man was because of her unbecoming knowledge, the innocent Nu ran playfully in circles asking the guard to tell her about the lady. Nonetheless, the man who watched her, frowning deeply spoke much harsher this time, threatening the kid with the glint of his eyes.
“Nu.” — He said to stop her run. — “Forget what you saw.”
“Hm?? Why~??”
“... Because if you tell this to anyone, I will hurt you.”
“..... Gilead will hurt Nu?”
“And if Nu talks about this, Nu will hurt her Master’s wife.”
“!!!!? Master’s wife?!!?” — Aghast at the sudden mention of her dear Master, the child became pale. Recalling her promise to protect those she admired. — “H-how could Nu ever hurt Master’s wife?!?!”
“... That’s how things are... keep it a secret, kid... I ask you this favour too.”
“...”
The hands of the shocked brakian mainglousse lowered from her cheeks as she noticed the guilt in Gilead’s expression. Coming closer to cautiously stare at his downward pose to ascertain her current conclusions.
“Does Gilead also want to protect Nu’s Masters...?”
“... Not sure ‘bout that...”
“... Nu will keep Gilead’s secret...” — Placing her small hand on the man’s shoulder, the child comforted him while showing a concerned smile. — “If it will make Gilead and Nu’s Masters happy, Nu will not tell.”
Thinking of the things that had occurred during their short stay at the palace, Gilead’s lids lowered more guilty to make the innocent child an accomplice. Recalling the meeting with a past master as he thanked the child by patting her small and warm purplish hand.
“... Thank you, kid...”
“Hihi~ it is blessed thee earth, dummy Gilead~.”
"Right..."
Smiling with dampened mood, the man appreciated the purity of Nu’s behaviour, and thankfully, in the line of his sight, he could notice a certain man the child had said she missed.
“Oi, look who’s here.”
Calling her attention his chin tilted to point at the Archduke entering the arena.
“!!? Master! Master is here!!” — Turning around the visage of the girl lit wonderfully in joy. Being observed by the guard and allowed to leave with a warning. Reminding her to keep the secret before sending her off to then contemplate on the events the meeting the child had witnessed would bring her admired Master.
“... Remember not to tell.”
“Yes! Nu will not tell! Buh-bye Gilead!!”
Without any sort of emotion, Gilead watched the girl run to the man with visible happiness in her energetic hops... whilst he sighed... annoyed at the decision he had taken.
"Darn be my greed..." — The man said as he recalled.
It was early in the afternoon of the day they arrived that Gilead had learned of the Baron’s daughter staying at the palace.
Rumours about the archdukes’ arrival buzzed among the many servants who, concerned about the hazard his visit could mean discussed between themselves the celebrations that were to take place in the guest’s honour.
“The Archduke brought many men with him this time...” 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
“... A lot of food was to be prepared even if only the two lords had arrived. It is the feast his majesty has arranged that concerns me more.”
“Ah... The houses of the kingdom have assembled, summoned by the King himself...”
“Yes... If the Barbaric Archduke is met by an imprudent noble, I fear what could happen to the Kingdom... Last time it was solely because the house of the noble he killed was already extinct that war did not break. His majesty’s efforts to calm the houses bonded to that one were truly a difficult task...”
“What is more... Herklain’s Princess has remained here.”
“Oh lord... don’t even mention it... When she learned the Archduke had been married, I heard he secretly had to kill the men she sent to the Archduchess’s birthland.”
“!! Indeed... I recall her outrage, much more since he let one live solely to send him back and tell her the men were killed and in vain for the archduchess had already left the barony’s fief weeks ago.”
“His majesty also aided in that occasion...” — Sighing at the patience their king demonstrated to his family, the women smiled resignedly while doing the tasks of the kitchen.
“! If this coming feast is in honour to the Archdukes, do you think Princess Dorothea will...”
“... Most likely.” — The older of the two servants nodded discreetly. — “The Orteu are a family that has fallen in its glory after the Baroness’s decease... For the princess, the Archduke’s marriage was humiliating not only for the continuous rejection but for marrying a woman of a humble house.”
“... Who he bought.” — The young servant said with judgemental murmur.
