Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 72

A dull thud followed by voices. It was Kalf’s voice, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying.

Ashika’s shoulders flinched in surprise. She had no idea what Drushia was up to, and anxiety was eating away at her insides.

After a while, the door opened and family knights, who had arrived at some unknown time, approached Kalf.

‘Surely he wouldn’t do something to Baron Crowny?’

Kalf was brushing off his front, which was soaked black with a handkerchief. What had stained his clothes was black ink.

‘Did grandfather throw an ink bottle?’

Such rudeness was unimaginable for the usually dignified Weive. Kalf must have been just as flustered, but his face remained impassive, as if he had expected something like this to happen.

Ashika was so startled that she forgot she had revealed herself from behind the pillar. Suddenly looking up, Kalf’s gaze met hers. His undisturbed eyes quietly observed Ashika with a searching look.

“His Grace has ordered us to escort you to the main gate.”

At the guard knight’s voice, Ashika snapped back to attention. Before the knights’ gazes could turn to her, she quickly descended the servants’ stairs. After leaving the main building, she practically ran across the garden.

“My lady, are you going out like this?”

Even as Jeanne hurriedly chased after her, Ashika didn’t slow her pace.

‘Something’s not right.’

A premonition that something was about to explode at any moment. Feeling that she shouldn’t be here, she quickened her steps. However, shortly after, Ashika and Jeanne found their way blocked by the family knights.

“How dare you be so rude when the young lady is going out.”

“Sir Berth, well…”

At Jeanne’s scolding, the knights looked troubled.

“The Duke has given orders. We are to escort the young lady back.”

Knight Captain Pelburn Coltern quickly approached from behind the knights.

“Sir Coltern, I have urgent business and am on my way out. Please tell grandfather I’ll see him at dinner.”

“I’m sorry, but he said to bring you back immediately.”

Pelburn, with his dark brown hair and gray eyes, was tall enough to be a head taller than the already tall Jeanne. He was a man who had served as a substitute conscript in place of Igraine, who had no one to send to the conscription army.

Every noble family in the Empire must send one person per generation to the conscription army, whether they have knights or not. Pelburn became knight captain after returning from conscription with Igraine’s full support. He was a man loyal to Weive to his very bones.

Unlike usual, Pelburn’s troubled expression sent an ominous premonition down Ashika’s spine.

“My lady, let’s see His Grace first and then go out.”

Pelburn blocked Jeanne’s path as she tried to step forward.

“Sir Berth is now relieved of duty as the young lady’s guard. Return your sword and go back to your quarters to wait.”

“Captain, what do you mean by that?”

Jeanne raised her voice at the bolt-from-the-blue order.

“I heard you left the young lady alone at the racetrack. There almost was a major accident, wasn’t there?”

“No, that was…”

It was an inexcusable mistake, so Jeanne was at a loss for words.

“You’re imposing discipline now for that?”

The ominous premonition had indeed become reality. Ashika’s face hardened coldly.

“These are the Duke’s orders.”

“Taking away my guard knight means you’re telling me not to go out at all?”

“I’m sorry. Meeting with His Grace comes first.”

The knight captain’s polite yet firm attitude was not something that could be swayed with words. Libron hesitantly approached Jeanne and extended his hand. Jeanne’s expression crumpled fiercely.

“Damn, shi—”

“Jeanne, I’ll go see grandfather, so wait for me.”

Ashika quickly accepted the situation. Even Jeanne had no choice but to comply with the family head’s orders. Swallowing the curse that was about to burst out, Jeanne unfastened the sword at her waist and handed it over to Libron.

The meaning of removing her closest guard was clear. Knowing this, Jeanne’s expression hardened seriously as she handed over the sword.

“Take this chance to rest and spend some time with the kids. It’s been a while since Leon and Lea came to visit, hasn’t it?”

At the calm tone, Jeanne’s eyebrows twitched.

Ashika patted Jeanne’s tense hand and stepped back. Though momentarily flustered, she quickly regained her composure and walked toward the main building.

“It has been a while since the children saw the young lady.”

Jeanne let out a long sigh as she watched Ashika’s retreating figure.

****

A tense atmosphere that seemed ready to explode at any moment filled the study. Ever since Ashika entered, Weive had been glaring at her with frightening eyes. He seemed to be struggling desperately to contain his anger.

Ashika’s spine stiffened. While maintaining her composed posture, it was difficult to meet Weive’s gaze. Despite his explosive expression, Weive spoke in a chilling tone.

“How do you know Duke Talion?”

This wasn’t asking about their annual meetings at negotiation tables. Ashika’s hands grew clammy with tension. Her lowered eyelids trembled slightly.

“Last time at the racetrack accident, I nearly got seriously hurt and Duke Talion saved me.”

“Is that all?”

The black eyes looking at Ashika glinted more sharply than ever before.

“Just that much, and Duke Talion sends me this kind of letter?”

A sheet of paper shook roughly in Weive’s hand. It was an official document bearing the crest of the House of Talion. The very cause of today’s trouble.

“What kind of letter…”

“A marriage proposal! That crazy duke sent you a marriage proposal!”

A roar-like shout thundered through the study. Ashika nearly bit her tongue in surprise.

“A marriage proposal! How dare Talion think to send you a marriage proposal!”

Weive forgot all dignity and composure. His explosive shouting shook not just the study but the entire ducal residence.

Ashika stood with her mouth agape, unable to close it. More bewildered than frightened, she was at a loss for words.

‘He’s lost his mind. How could he think to send a marriage proposal?’

Their meetings had been conducted in secret, constantly worried that someone might see or discover them. If their relationship were revealed, neither family could handle the repercussions and scandal that would follow.

‘Without a word of consultation, how could he do this…’

But strangely, she wasn’t angry. Even Weive’s scolding, which would normally have frightened her, didn’t seem scary.

‘Drushia sent a marriage proposal.’

He was a man quicker at calculating than she was. He wouldn’t have been unaware of the chaos a marriage proposal would cause. At first she was surprised, then bewildered. And then, in a complex and subtle way, confused.

“How could this be acceptable? Why would that bastard do such an absurd thing!”

Weive couldn’t see the confused emotions in Ashika’s eyes. He was too dumbfounded and furious at the marriage proposal that had arrived bearing the Talion name to calm down.

“Ashika, what have you been doing? If you were nothing to each other, there’s no way he would send something like a marriage proposal!”

Ashika hastily averted her gaze. Her inner feelings, which she hadn’t managed to hide, were revealed in her flustered expression.

“Why aren’t you denying it? Are you really in some kind of relationship with that bastard?”

The words “no” wouldn’t come out of her mouth. She should have made excuses, saying they were nothing to each other, that there must have been some mistake, but her mouth wouldn’t open.

The moment she made excuses, it felt like her relationship with Drushia would truly become nothing, as if she were denying his very existence.

Deep in Ashika’s heart, it was an emotion she had already accepted. Though she couldn’t reveal it openly, she didn’t want to deny it.

Weive knew his granddaughter’s character. If it weren’t true, she would have firmly denied it. Not denying it meant she was acknowledging the truth. This was so infuriating that another angry shout burst forth.

“How could you do such a thing! First your father wasn’t enough, now you too!”

The shout cut off abruptly. Weive barely suppressed the words that had slipped out unconsciously.

‘What?’

Ashika’s head snapped up. For the first time in years, her father had been mentioned from her grandfather’s lips.

“What do you mean by that? Why bring up father?”

Seeing the black eyes that resembled his own so closely, Weive turned his gaze away. Exhaling a long breath, he collapsed into his chair as if crumbling.

“It’s a bitter fate. Talion and Igraine have a bitter, bitter fate. How absolutely detestable.”

“Grandfather.”

“From today until your marriage matter is settled, you are confined.”

Until the marriage matter is settled. When would that be? Ashika’s heart grew urgent.

“I cannot proceed with marriage in this manner.”

“How dare you defy my will!”

Bang—the sound of striking the desk was harsh. Ashika’s shoulders flinched in surprise. However, she didn’t avoid Weive’s gaze.

“Time… please give me time to think.”

“I gave you time to think, and you broke off your engagement on your own and played at love with some ridiculous man. And you still dare call yourself Igraine’s heir!”

“Grandfather, I…”

“Shut up. I don’t need an heir who puts their own interests before the family. If you refuse this marriage, you’re no longer a young duchess or anything!”

Ashika’s face turned pale. It felt like all the blood was draining from her body.

“How… how can you say such things to me…”

Her fingertips grew cold and her breathing quickened.

For the past 14 years since she was eight, she had lived entirely according to Weive’s will. To acquire the qualifications befitting the position of young duchess, she had given up the joys and sorrows she should have naturally enjoyed and constantly driven herself.

Yet Weive had simply negated the time she had struggled through so painfully, just because she would refuse marriage.

“Pelburn!”

Before Ashika could respond further, Weive called for the knight captain. The door opened and Pelburn and the knights who had been waiting entered.

“Take Ashika to her room. Don’t let her take a single step outside until I give orders.”

Ashika looked at Weive silently. Her expression, having absorbed the shock, was coldly hardened. Weive, not knowing what she was thinking, turned away from Ashika and rose from his seat.

“Um, my lady.”

Pelburn cautiously called to Ashika. Even as knight captain, he couldn’t simply lay hands on her.

Ashika withdrew her gaze from Weive and looked around at the knights waiting for her.

Her expression was so chillingly cold that it made one’s spine shiver, causing Pelburn to avert his eyes. The black eyes that so resembled Weive’s had sunk so icily that they were difficult to meet.

Ashika moved without making a sound. Her graceful gait was no different from usual, but the knuckles gripping her dress hem had turned white.