A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 53

 

Walking through the garden together, Cain suddenly spoke up.

 

“I think we’ll depart around lunchtime.”

 

“You’re leaving without eating?”

 

People originally run on food after all.

 

At my words, Cain let out a deflating sound as if somewhat incredulous and laughed.

 

“I didn’t expect to hear such words. I saw before that you were too busy taking care of the children to eat properly.”

 

“Ah, but I still ate everything I was supposed to eat…?”

 

“I wonder.”

 

He shrugged slightly as if disagreeing, then added.

 

“Make sure to eat properly while I’m away from the manor.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“No matter how hungry you get, don’t eat poisonous plants again.”

 

Ugh.

 

What exactly does he take me for?

 

It was unfair, but I had nothing to say. Given all the accidents I’d caused so far.

 

Last night’s conversation ended like that.

 

‘But he said he’d leave at lunch.’

 

The schedule seemed to have moved up as there were already signs of departure.

 

I could see him gripping the horse’s reins.

 

“Young Master, it looks like His Grace is departing now.”

 

At my words, Jayden gripped the window frame tighter and leaned his body forward even more.

 

‘He’s definitely gotten much closer than before.’

 

The Jayden of the past would have trembled just at the mention of Cain, but now only curiosity showed in the child’s eyes. As someone who had taken on the role of a bridge, this was quite a welcome change in attitude.

 

It was at that moment when I leaned my arm against the window frame and looked outside again.

 

Cain, mounted on his horse, suddenly turned his head back sharply.

 

Oh. Is he looking this way right now?

 

‘Maybe not, but.’

 

What does it matter anyway.

 

“Young Master, Young Master! Wave your hand, quickly!”

 

“What, what! How embarrassing!”

 

“It’s a prayer for you to travel safely and return well! Hurry!”

 

Jayden was startled like a cat but soon made a contemplative face at my following words.

 

Ahem. The boy cleared his throat and slyly stretched his hand upward, waving it out the window.

 

Even so, as if too shy to show his face, he hid below the window frame with only his hand sticking out.

 

Still, this was quite courageous for him.

 

In case Cain might miss it, I deliberately made large gestures pointing to Jayden’s timidly waving hand.

 

Cain was still looking this way.

 

Though it was too far to see clearly.

 

For some reason, I had the illusion that he was looking this way and smiling.

 

* * *

 

It was a few days after the Duke had left for the Imperial Palace.

 

“Whew.”

 

The training grounds were heated up with the knights’ fervor.

 

It was because the Duke had increased the training intensity before leaving.

 

Yujin wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead and headed for a shaded area.

 

It was grueling training that left him breathless.

 

But it was strange. Rather than feeling like he was dying from exhaustion, he actually felt refreshed.

 

‘My body has been particularly light lately.’

 

It seemed he wasn’t the only one feeling this way, as the expressions of the knights running around the training grounds didn’t look too bad.

 

Smoothly, Yujin habitually rolled up his shirt sleeves and took out scar ointment.

 

It was exactly that ointment Viola had gifted to the knights.

 

She had earnestly entreated them to apply it whenever they thought of it. Now it felt empty if he didn’t apply it regularly.

 

His rough fingers scooped up the yellow ointment and rubbed it over the scars on his forearm. Along with a cool sensation, a familiar grassy scent spread.

 

“…”

 

But was it his imagination?

 

Yujin narrowed his eyes and glared at his own arm. The scar that had been horribly mangled by a demon beast’s bite.

 

They said that due to the terrible demonic energy embedded in it, it could never be erased without the holy power of a highest-ranking priest.

 

So he had given up on treatment altogether.

 

“…It doesn’t seem like an illusion?”

 

It had faded. Very clearly at that.

 

The bumpy surface had become somewhat smoother, and the dark red dead skin color was showing quite a bit of its original hue.

 

“Hah.”

 

Yujin let out a hollow laugh.

 

When he first asked Viola to work as a healer, he hadn’t expected anything like this. Even skilled healers had told him to give up.

 

‘How could such a thing possibly happen?’

 

Was it simply that Viola’s skills were good? Or had her sincere care for the knights reached them and caused a miracle…?

 

Probably both.

 

Yujin carefully put away the ointment as if it were a treasure, tucking it deep into his inner pocket. Then he surveyed the training grounds that were beginning to show vitality again.

 

The atmosphere among the knights had clearly changed since Viola arrived.

 

“Hey, don’t I look a bit more handsome lately?”

 

“You crazy bastard. The ointment didn’t erase your scars, it erased your conscience. Go look in a mirror.”

 

He could hear Craig and his colleagues exchanging jokes with giggles. Though their words were rough, the knights’ faces were full of laughter.

 

The atmosphere that had been stagnant for a while after the vice-captain left his position had completely reversed in an instant.

 

The fact that someone sincerely supported and cared for them. That alone gave the knights’ sword tips more strength than before.

 

However, the improved morale of the knight order wasn’t entirely a good thing.

 

Because someone clearly despised this atmosphere.

 

* * *

 

The demon beast wave that had been raging for the past three years.

 

Because of it, there wasn’t even enough time to stay at the manor. Nevertheless, over the past three years, Cain had brought about many changes to the closed-off Ashern Duchy.

 

A simple example would be several knights including Yujin from the knight order.

 

Lowly commoners by birth who normally wouldn’t have been able to set foot in the Silver Dragon Knights.

 

Through Cain’s decision to value skill over status, Yujin was able to enjoy the honor of becoming a member of the Silver Dragon Knights.

 

It was an unwelcome development for Morden, the knight commander, but he decided to comply with the dragon blood’s choice.

 

It was thanks to his belated understanding of his master’s true intentions.

 

‘His Excellency believes that even lowly commoners can be saved if they become vassals of the dragon blood like me.’

 

He wishes for me to prove my worth and loyalty by making them useful.

 

If so, then he had to follow that noble will.

 

Like washing a dirty rag to reuse it, Morden sought to somehow scrub the commoners clean and forge them into excellent shields.

 

The commoner members’ skills were impeccably outstanding, but there was just one insurmountable difference in their nature.

 

‘They understand nothing about the weight and sense of duty that serving dragon blood entails.’

 

They had neither proper loyalty nor perseverance.

 

For dragon blood, one should not begrudge even their life. Not born as retainers nor even nobles, these lowly commoners could not comprehend such nobility.

 

It had to be resolved. His Excellency would be waiting for me to fulfill my duty.

 

Morden prevented the members from receiving any further treatment.

 

He also expelled the dedicated healers.

 

Knights who feared getting hurt could not sacrifice their lives for dragon blood.

 

Those who must serve dragon blood even in the most extreme situations should not slack off using treatment as an excuse.

 

Thus, only recently had the knight order’s discipline finally begun to take shape.

 

But some time ago, Conrad had come with a sudden announcement.

 

“Lady Viola has agreed to temporarily take charge of the knight order’s treatment for the time being.”

 

Viola?

 

That woman who had arbitrarily fed medicine to Jayden, reducing him to weak dragon blood?

 

“Bring some commoner wench into the training grounds? Since when did the training grounds become a washhouse?”

 

Conrad’s eyes flashed sharply.

 

“She is not a wench but a healer. She’s helping out of concern for the knight order’s lack of healers, so watch your words.”

 

“The Silver Dragon Knights need no healers. I made that clear.”

 

Their very existence gnawed away at the knight order’s discipline.

 

The expectation and relief that injuries could be healed if treated.

 

When risking one’s life every moment to serve dragon blood loyally was still insufficient, such emotions only made the members lax.

 

Conrad, being from a retainer family as well, surely couldn’t be unaware of my intentions!

 

“So you’re saying the current situation where Ashern’s knights can’t even receive proper treatment is justified?”

 

After mingling with commoners, even Conrad had finally been tainted by rotten complacency.

 

“Knight order personnel matters are my authority.”

 

“It is His Excellency’s will.”

 

Cain Ashern. So this was what his true master desired.

 

Morden had never once doubted Cain’s choices.

 

So normally, he would have accepted His Excellency’s will, thinking it was another test.

 

However…

 

“There are rumors that His Excellency quite favors that woman. Is it true?”

 

“His Excellency’s intentions are not for the commander to discuss.”

 

Morden recalled an incident from several years ago.

 

When the Young Count, who possessed dragon blood, had fallen in love with some fallen noble’s daughter and defiled the noble dragon’s blood.

 

The lengths he had gone to protect the dragon blood then.

 

‘If dirty blood is trying to ruin the ducal family once again…’

 

Further conversation was worthless. With those words, Morden stormed out of his seat.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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