Chapter 14 (2/2)

“What did I expect? Anyways, you can be excited for this gift.”

“All right.”

From a room in the rear garden of the castle of Lea Marquisate, a sobbing sound could be heard.

“Luke, what do I do now?”

A beautiful woman in her early twenties was using a handkerchief to wipe her tears. Her face was swollen, seemingly from the long hours of crying.

It was Luke’s fiancée, Isabelle. The unlucky woman who had awakened to her Holy powers by coincidence and was now being sold off to the Church of Flora.

Lea Marquisate had immediately accepted the offer made by the Church of Flora when it had been made. The House of Lea was a House that strictly calculated profits and losses, and had done so without hesitation.

It was true that Luke was a veteran officer from a prestigious House. The terms being offered by the Church of Flora were better.

Isabelle had been completely ignored during the decision making process.

“Why did my affinity with Holy power have to be revealed now? It would have been better if all of this had happened before I met Luke, to save us the pain…”

Isabelle could do nothing but lament at her destiny.

Lea Marquisate was widely known as a domineering and strict House. Isabelle had grown up being unable to express her opinions, or whether she liked or disliked something.

Her time at the Academy for n.o.bles came as a shock to her. She had never seen someone like Luke, unafraid to speak his opinions and speak out, something completely unimaginable to her.

Luke, who made friends easily regardless of status and was not shy was like a completely new human specimen to her.

She had become interested in Luke right away, and had worked up her courage for a long time before asking Luke out on a date. After they became a couple, it was as though a new world had been brought to life before her eyes.

“Do you know how to ride a horse?”

“No. My father said women should be elegant and reserved, and forbid me.”

“Is that so? A n.o.ble woman should know how to ride a horse. You’ll be able to travel here and there easily. I’ll teach you, just don’t tell your house.”

Isabelle had learned horseback riding from Luke, and traveled the famous sceneries and tourist spots around the Academy. It was as though she was living in a dream.

“What a beautiful waterfall! I had no idea that there were so many beautiful places near the capital.”

“You haven’t traveled a lot?”

“The women of Lea Marquisate don’t get to travel without permission.”

“Ah, there are too many restrictions.”

As time pa.s.sed, Isabelle fell for Luke deeper and deeper. He was kind and energetic, as well as always considerate of Isabelle.

When Luke had gone to Lea Marquisate with his sleeves rolled up and succeeded in receiving permission to marry her, her heart was stirred with emotion.

When Luke enrolled to serve in the military as a representative of House of Esteban, Isabelle wrote letters every day and sent those letters to Fort Potellan once a month.

They had built their love brick by brick since they were young, but right before they could realize their love, tragedy had struck.

“I don’t want to go to the Church of Flora. I want to become a Saintess even less. I just want to marry Luke and live happily.”

She cried silently, and her words echoed in the empty room. Isabelle was going to be sold off to the Church of Flora, powerless to resist. Just like her sisters.

The door to the room opened suddenly.

Dulkuk.

Isabelle hurriedly smoothed out her clothes. The person who had entered through the open door was a strict looking middle aged man. It was her father, Marquess Lea.

He took one look at her swollen face, and clucked his tongue in disappointment.

“Stupid fool, crying like a baby…”

“Fo-Forgive me, father.”

“Guards from the Church of Flora will arrive within fifteen days. Finish your preparations by then.”

“Father.”

Isabelle slowly looked up at her father and pleaded.

“I sincerely do not wish to go to the Church of Flora. Please…”

Marquess Lea’s eyes shown fiercely.

“Silence! It will treat you much better than becoming a mistress.”

“I want to be with…”

“I don’t want to hear it. Daughters of a n.o.ble House must sacrifice themselves.”

Isabelle silently lowered her head, defeated. Marquess Lea continued to glare at her with fierce eyes before remarking.

“There was a message from Esteban Earldom. That Luke, he’s just left the earldom to see you.”

Isabelle gave a start and looked up once again.

“Luke?!”

“It’ll take him longer than fifteen days to get here, so he’ll arrive after you’ve left for the Church of Flora. I will make him understand the situation.”

“Ple-Please, let me meet him.”

“Do you not understand your situation? Meeting him will only complicate things, it is better to reduce the chances of uncertain outcomes.”

Marquess Lea turned his back coldly.

“Finish your preparations and wait. Like a woman of Lea Marquisate should.”

Isabelle followed her father’s back with watering eyes.

The campfire was snapping at the night air.

Hwarerere.

Luke threw in a couple of branches into the flames and glanced at Kurotan. They had ridden for an entire day to make distance, but Kurotan was swinging his sword, fiercely training.

Uncertainty filled Luke’s eyes as he watched on.

‘This is crazy, no matter who looks at it.’

Luke slipped his hand into a pocket in his s.h.i.+rt silently. When he took it out, his hand held two books, the books containing Aura cultivation method and mid-level sword technique. To those who made a living by swinging their swords, the books were unmatched treasures.

‘G.o.ddammit, I don’t know if this is a good decision.’

Luke swallowed and opened up a small leather bag. The bag held a scroll with strange characters, and a few gla.s.s bottles containing a blue liquid.

The scroll was a magic scroll that installed a formation that gathered and concentrated mana over a period of time. The gla.s.s bottles were mana potions.

Mana potions were known to be worth more than its weight in gold, and the magic scroll was even more expensive.

Both were critical in learning an Aura cultivation method, and so Luke prepared them, being scolded by his big brother in the process.

Luke put down the two books, magic scroll, and mana potions in an orderly fas.h.i.+on next to the campfire and looked at Kurotan. Kurotan had just finished his training, sheathing his sword and wiping the sweat his brow.

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