CHAPTER 55………..
“My goodness, Father! How many did you even catch?!”
Adelle flinched and turned her head at the breakfast table set in the garden.
Bears, lions, hyenas… it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had cleared out an entire mountain.
The count wiped the blood off his spear with a quick swipe and leapt down from his horse.
“The weather was nice for the first time in a while. Well, do you like it?”
“Like it?! Did you really have to do this the moment you came back?!”
“I’ve left them alone for quite some time. If I don’t reduce their numbers now, they’ll harm people again like last time. So, Adelle, you focus on your fiancé.”
The count glanced at Killian and chuckled.
Adelle looked up at him, confused, feeling a warmth rising at the nape of her neck before she knew it.
In his gaze, she saw the same hungry, beast-like expression from last night overlaying his usual look.
“Open your mouth, Adelle.”
“Ah… this is too much.”
“Yes, just like that.”
…Crazy.
Showing even a hint of emotion in front of her father would make her look just like one of the prey here.
Adelle composed herself, neatly spreading her napkin.
“The commander is handling things just fine. He’s not someone who needs to see excessive blood first thing in the morning, like Father.”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course. In Mount Fidelio, no life, even that of a monster, is wasted.”
God, forgive my father, who has taken these poor lives.
Adelle made the sign of the cross to Enes out of habit.
The count shrugged with a peculiar expression, as if holding back something difficult to endure.
“That’s too bad. I too had dreamed of a simple hunt with my son-in-law, like everyone else.”
“You mean Kaiden?”
“What he does isn’t hunting. He wipes them all out. True hunting is about counting each catch one by one.”
“……”
“So I would hunt with my son-in-law…”
“No. Don’t even dream of it.”
Adelle cut him off firmly and subtly gestured to Killian.
‘See? He’s always like that.’
Killian seemed quite unsettled by her calm expression, as if he were a ruler tasting defeat for the first time.
‘There’s definitely something going on.’
After returning from a hunt, the stark contrast between the two men made Adelle suspicious. She narrowed her eyes.
Her father seemed delighted, chuckling to himself, while Killian looked distinctly displeased.
Even with his usual blank expression, she could now notice the slightest changes.
“…Did something happen between you and Father?”
“No. Nothing of the sort.”
“But after going hunting…”
“I don’t particularly enjoy seeing blood first thing in the morning. I’m glad Father enjoyed it, though.”
“I see…”
Adelle’s slightly awkward expression softened rapidly. Killian’s gaze lingered on her chattering lips.
“I feel the same way. Seeing red in the morning makes me queasy.”
“Really… is that so?”
Killian murmured in agreement, only lifting his eyes from Adelle’s lips when he sensed someone watching.
His vigilance toward enemies was instinctual.
As soon as he noticed a clumsy-looking Xerox approaching, his hand gripped his spear more tightly.
“Everyone’s here. If Father is okay with it, may we join you for breakfast?”
“Noella.”
The count cast a kindly glance at Noella, a markedly different tone than with Adelle, but he was not indifferent toward his second daughter either.
“Then sit. You too, Xerox.”
“…Thank you, Count.”
Xerox, summoned to the count’s residence from early morning by Noella, lowered his head.
Even after seeing him often, he wasn’t comfortable; a single word from the count made him hesitate.
Noella, frustrated by the contrast between Killian and her fiancé, gave him a sharp look, prompting Xerox to speak reluctantly.
“Um, Count, I have something to say before breakfast.”
“What is it?”
The count’s hand paused mid-slice, and Adelle looked at Xerox. Conflict flickered in his eyes.
“Since you’ve returned, Count, we’d like to move up the engagement with Noella.”
“…Brother.”
Noella covered her mouth, looking entirely surprised.
Adelle, watching them closely, swallowed a gulp of cold water.
‘Where does she get off doing this?’
Apparently, Xerox was expected to shoulder all the difficulty—but she wouldn’t allow it.
Even though she brought Killian, Noella still acted like this. Her intentions were now unmistakable.
‘She wants to test me.’
Adelle twirled the knife in her hand unconsciously.
Killian might not understand, but as heir of the Sergio family, she was well-versed in defending herself. Not exactly self-defense, more like practical, lethal techniques—but she had never felt her hands itch like this before.
And sitting right next to her, someone else was gripping his fists even tighter.
“This is troubling. I was just about to make the same request.”
“…Huh? Commander?”
Xerox, focused solely on handling the count, looked displeased at Killian’s sudden remark.
Thinking of his cold gaze last night still sent shivers down his spine. Seeing it in the morning didn’t lessen the chill.
“It seems Adelle and I should hurry as well. We’ve decided on it.”
“Who decided that?”
“Obviously, your fiancée, here.”
Adelle smiled brightly at Xerox’s dumbfounded face.
Yes. I decided that.
Xerox knew well that once she made up her mind, there was no turning back.
“…Adelle.”
But he also knew how exhausting it would be if he backed down now. Seeing Noella’s tearful face weighed heavily on him.
His desperate gaze turned to the count, avoiding Killian.
“Count, I will take care of Noella, no matter what.”
“…I don’t wish my daughter to be taken care of elsewhere. That’s not how I raised her.”
“It’s not like that…”
“Well, anyway, you want to hurry. That applies to you too, Commander.”
At this moment, the only person enjoying this was the count.
Two suitable grooms had come, each asking for the first chance to marry. Why wouldn’t he be pleased?
He leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced. Meals could wait.
“…Hmm.”
The count’s red eyes studied his youngest daughter, Noella. She looked innocent, a little frightened—but that was all.
As the count lingered calculating in his mind, Adelle’s eyes narrowed.
‘Why is he doing that?’
She couldn’t ignore his apparent stalling.
Unfortunately for Noella, the count was precise about beginnings and endings.
If tender tears or pleas worked, he wouldn’t have gained his fearsome reputation.
“Anyway, this is sudden. The engagement I had prepared wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
“Count, please trust me…”
“On what basis?”
“…Huh?”
“Xerox, you can move wherever you want with your abilities, but switching between my daughters in my house isn’t allowed.”
For a moment, his gaze between his interlaced fingers became ruthless.
“Why not wait until Kaiden comes? If it’s the family bloodline that attracts you, who knows if you might like him more.”
“Count! That’s not it. I truly love Noella—”
“Enough. I traveled all that way and all I get is talk of love?”
The count’s arrogant voice dominated the breakfast table.
Though smiling, those who knew him could guess how quickly he might change.
“Marriage or business, if you want to change the order, you need a proper reason.”
Of course. That explains why he wouldn’t give easy permission.
Adelle exhaled, half relieved, half resigned.
Even if he allowed the marriage, her father was not one to yield easily.
After ordering her to prepare her engagement with Xerox, then seeing each bring different partners, his reaction made perfect sense.
“Marriage isn’t something you finish over a quick meal. Does the Sergio family even allow such weddings?”
“…I-I’m sorry, Count.”
Tsk.
Adelle clicked her tongue at the flushed Xerox.
Those words weren’t just for Noella’s couple—they applied to him too.
She herself had brought a groom, so there was no rush.
But if asked whether she regretted not rushing her marriage with Killian… that’s another matter.
“Then I’ll have to start skinning the polar bear we caught today. I was hoping to make a hat of that color this winter anyway.”
“……”
“Hm, Commander, what do you think? Would it suit me?”
The count, who seemed about to leave, gave Killian a subtle smile.
Why now?
Adelle frowned at her father’s proud look, but Killian remained impassive.
“Of course.”
“Well, Commander, there will be a time for you to show your skills too. Let’s await that day…”
“Father, I believe you haven’t answered me yet.”
“C-Commander?”
Adelle was startled as Killian called out to her father just as he was about to leave.
No need to rush!
Noella was blocked; the marriage could be prepared step by step. A more strategic approach was needed to sway her father.
“That can
