Chapter 60.1

Please hold back from going back, sir.

Her body flinched and trembled.

It was probably because she had slept in an uncomfortable position. And she kept hearing someone calling her Canillia in her dream. She wasn’t sure who it was; perhaps Kieran. Perhaps Ian.

However, because there was no way Ian would be here, she concluded that she had misheard and plunged into sleep again.

The searing pain of a leg cramp woke her, and she grabbed her calf to massage the cramp away. Her eyes opened. The sun hadn’t yet risen, but only just started on its journey. Across from her in the darkness was Claude, sleeping with his arms crossed on his chest.

The scene struck Lia as unreal. This man, shrouded in darkness with a few strains of light, shone brighter and more beautifully than the first signs of dawn.

She examined him, forgetting any discomfort. She wasn’t curious as to why the Duke was in the carriage and sleeping in that position.

The simple fact that he was in front of her was all the truth and reality she needed.

She lifted herself up slowly and leaned her torso towards him carefully. She wanted to be closer to him.

As they have to say goodbye today, she wanted to etch his features in her mind as thoroughly as she could.

As she stretched out her hand to brush his bangs off his nose, she saw the tip of his lips go up.

“Just what are you planning to do,” he asked, startling her.

Lia froze with her hand outstretched. Claude’s blue eyes topped with long eyelashes searched for an answer like a light uncovering what is hidden in the darkness.

“Nothing,” she blurted out.

“You may do it.”

It was just what the Duke would say. Lia stretched out her hand towards his face again. As she scoffed and brushed his hair off his nose, his eyes showed disappointment.

“It was just that?”

“Were you here all night?” she asked, evading his question.

“I came to get you, but you were sound asleep,” said Claude.

“Even so—”

She stopped herself, swallowing the question she was going to ask. He was overstepping his bounds.

Lia calmly returned to her spot and pulled up her blanket. As she did, he stretched, his neck cracking, and opened the carriage door.

The cold wind blew in, stirring the still air within the carriage. The morning air was refreshing, yet moist. Everyone was busy getting ready to send off Marquis Gliad.

“Canillian.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t think about coming onto a sleeping man. I’ll provide you with another carriage so you can return in that.”

“Pardon?” she asked, not knowing which part of his statements was most confusing.

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Coming onto a sleeping man!

He casually drew his sword and tapped the sword handle on the lock. Lia realized that the lock had been broken.

Was he here all night because he was worried? Worried about me sleeping in an unlocked carriage?

He got down from the carriage, took a quick look back at Canillia who was drawing a blank and approached a group of soldiers. They saw him and saluted him nervously.

Lia came back to her senses after Claude completely disappeared into the swath of soldiers. Then she quickly checked herself in a hand mirror.

She almost screamed as she found her hair was a mess and she had drool on her chin!

He saw me in this state!

If Pepe had seen this, she would’ve been even more horrified, but that wasn’t the problem.

She quickly jumped out of the carriage and ran in the direction that Claude had gone. She could see Gliad Vale in his Naval uniform.

***

The soldiers saluted solemnly as they stood in line formation with the Marquis in his Naval uniform and the Prince in military uniform at the starting point. Their eyes encouraged each other.

“Then, be safe. Your Majesty, the Prince.”

“I also wish you the best of luck.”

Lia and Kieran gravely watched their salutes from afar. Their eyes welled in response to sending their father to the battlefield.

Lia held Kieran’s hand. As she did, Kieran looked straight ahead as he whispered to her, “Don’t you try to make me cry as well, Lia.”

“He’ll come back safely,” she assured him.

“Yes, of course,” he said, containing his emotion.

Claude was seated on a black horse commanding the soldiers. He didn’t seem like an adolescent that just became a man.

The farewell to Gliad was brief. He didn’t even act like a man who didn’t want to leave anything behind; he simply got on his horse and turned around.

Kieran’s hand clenched Lia’s at that moment. Lia looked back and forth from Kieran, who looked like he was going to cry, as the Marquis and his platoon disappeared into the distance.

She might not be there when the Marquis returned.

She didn’t know when she’d get in touch with her mom, but before this war ends, she might be gone.

The soldiers didn’t end their salute until the Marquis’s platoon completely disappeared. The factions in this war stem from greed. Claude said that, although he was afraid, he had to win. But it was still difficult for Lia.

She was rubbing her eyes and then met Claude’s eyes. He had just ridden up to her. The emotion expressed in his eyes was not one of greed, but something else.

She felt compelled to look directly into his eyes.

He surprised her when he stretched out his hand to her and said, “Come here.”