For the heart - Chapter 32

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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 32

 

Did Bern have a fiancée? I haven’t heard anything about that.

 

Seeing him talk about getting married as soon as he’s discharged, Nina thought there must be someone he’s close enough with to have made such a firm decision.

 

“Yes. I’ll definitely attend the wedding. If you invite me.”

 

“Ah, I don’t have anyone yet…”

 

At Nina’s response, Bern’s face turned red as he trailed off.

 

“Then… What will you do after unification, Commander? The Imperial Knight Order won’t be disbanded, but…”

 

“I wonder.”

 

“Once the political situation stabilizes, the Knight Order will stand firm even without you personally stepping forward, Commander. You’ve led it so solidly all this time.”

 

“I hope so.”

 

Bern’s heart was beating frantically fast.

 

He had thought hundreds, thousands of times about whether Nina would accept if he proposed.

 

Of course, he always concluded she would reject him, but today he wanted to at least test her feelings.

 

“Commander, don’t you ever think about… putting down your sword someday and returning to an ordinary life?”

 

Nina finally stopped walking and looked at Bern.

 

His face seemed somewhat flushed, but his eyes were serious.

 

Even so, Nina didn’t think it was a question born from personal feelings.

 

Instead, she recalled that he, House Hydrick, was a family that received tremendous trust from the Emperor and Empress.

 

When the war ends, the nobles will try to use her immortal body for other purposes for their own benefit.

 

At that quickly connected possibility, Nina’s expression gradually grew cold.

 

Sensing the chilly atmosphere, Bern hastily raised his hands and continued speaking.

 

“Ah, I didn’t ask with any other meaning. You’ve always fought at the very front of the battlefield, Commander. I just… thought you seemed to carry too much alone, and I hoped there would come a day when you could breathe easily, even briefly.”

 

Nina looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

 

“…Yes. I’ll think about what comes after continental unification when the time comes.”

 

Bern had been by her side for six years.

 

If she had to name the most trustworthy person in this Imperial Palace after Tila, it would be Bern.

 

Though she couldn’t tell him all her inner thoughts honestly, she still felt sorry for showing hostility for a moment.

 

Nina walked toward the Main Palace again as if nothing had happened.

 

Bern, who had somehow become dejected, fell silent.

 

“Bern.”

 

“Yes, Commander.”

 

“…I’m always grateful to you. Because you were there, I wasn’t lonely on the battlefield, and I could always move forward trusting you.”

 

“C-Commander…”

 

It was the first time he’d heard such words.

 

Nina Arsed was someone who never spoke of her pain or inner thoughts to anyone.

 

“So please take care of me until the end.”

 

“Yes, Commander.”

 

Even knowing it was a completely different kind of feeling from what he harbored for Nina, Bern’s heart swelled again.

 

His ears had turned bright red before he knew it.

 

His heart kept beating so fast it felt like it might burst out of his mouth.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Just then, at the sound coming from right behind them, Nina and Bern turned around.

 

Bern was flustered.

 

How could neither the Commander nor I have noticed his presence until he got this close on this long corridor?

 

Then did he see everything from behind – my conversation with Nina, and what kind of eyes and expression I was looking at her with?

 

Bern glared roughly at Casian with worsening mood.

 

Then Casian raised the corners of his mouth and met his gaze.

 

His red eyes seemed to shine transparently and mock him, as if saying he already knew all about his feelings.

 

“I was also invited to the banquet.”

 

“What did you do?”

 

Watching Casian naturally stand beside Nina, Bern spoke bluntly.

 

“I was the one who found and marked the boundaries of the magic dome, and I was also the one who healed Her Highness’s hand when she retrieved the imperial seal from the flame magic. Though I don’t need to mention it since it was my assigned duty, it seems you’ve completely forgotten, so I’m sadly informing you, Sir Hydrick.”

 

At that annoying smile, Bern gritted his teeth.

 

“Thanks to that, the Commander got crushed by the chandelier.”

 

“Both of you, stop it. Today’s banquet is to celebrate the conquest of Nortanica. You both know you’re more than qualified to be invited. Why are you acting like children?”

 

“Exactly. It seems Sir Hydrick dislikes me.”

 

“You’re quite perceptive.”

 

Despite Nina’s intervention, the two continued their war of nerves.

 

Nina sighed and shook her head, walking ahead faster than both of them.

 

Then the remaining two also went to Nina’s side, not to be outdone.

 

* * *

 

“Entering are Knight Commander Nina Arsed, Her Highness of the Knight Order of the Arsed Empire, and Vice-Commander Sir Bern Hydrick. And His Highness Prince Casian Montregger of the Montregger Empire.”

 

As the three entered the banquet hall doors simultaneously, people’s gazes turned toward them.

 

Especially Lillien, who was already seated, and her ladies-in-waiting were blatantly staring at Nina, Casian, and Bern.

 

“Ahem.”

 

Bern faced his younger sister Ivana Hydrick, who was looking at him with narrowed eyes, and kept clearing his throat awkwardly.

 

He knew his sister had been coming and going to the Imperial Palace as Lillien’s lady-in-waiting since childhood, and that she acted impudently toward Nina, so he always felt uncomfortable when they met like this.

 

He had scolded and warned her many times, but since nothing changed, it was quite a headache.

 

“I’ve felt this for a while now, but Princess Lillien’s maids are arrogant and insolent. Especially in front of Princess Nina. This would be unimaginable in Montregger.”

 

“…!”

 

Bern whipped his head around and glared at Casian.

 

He couldn’t tell if Casian knew that one of those insolent maids was his own sister or not.

 

But since he agreed with the sentiment, he found himself at a loss for words.

 

Nina herself showed no particular reaction to Casian’s words.

 

Her face was indifferent, as if Lillien and her maids were completely beneath her notice.

 

“Commander, please sit here.”

 

Bern quickly pulled out a chair for Nina.

 

Since this was a banquet to celebrate the Knighthood’s return from conquering Nortanica, tables were assigned according to rank.

 

With Bern and Casian’s names listed at Nina’s table, the three ended up sitting together.

 

Lillien was furious from the very seating arrangement.

 

This banquet felt like a public announcement to everyone that Casian was Nina’s dedicated Healer.

 

His presence beside Nina would become even more natural going forward.

 

“Your Highness, do you know? Recently, Princess Nina brought a boy into her Satellite Palace.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“He’s a runaway Healer who’s staying at the Satellite Palace. And you know Duke Montregger’s attendant? Emil, was it? That attendant frequently visits the Satellite Palace too.”

 

Lillien’s head snapped toward Michelle, the maid who was whispering closely to her.

 

Michelle didn’t stop there.

 

“There are people who’ve seen Duke Montregger himself coming and going several times already.”

 

“What?”

 

Fire flashed in Lillien’s eyes.

 

Casian was visiting that shabby, run-down Satellite Palace where Nina lived!

 

“While the two of them were away in Nortanica, that attendant seemed to have almost all his meals at the Satellite Palace. Because of that, they appear quite close now.”

 

“Ha.”

 

Noticing that Lillien’s mood had completely soured, Ivana stealthily glanced toward her brother.

 

She had always found it distasteful how her brother revered Knight Commander Nina Arsed as if she were some kind of deity, but at this moment, she felt a surge of fear.

 

She knew better than anyone how much Princess Lillien hated Nina, and how much more serious that hatred had become since she set her heart on the Prince of Montregger.

 

The people around Princess Nina might become dangerous.

 

Including her own brother, who could be considered Nina’s closest confidant.

 

“I have a way to keep Duke Montregger, and that attendant too, from even getting near the Satellite Palace, Your Highness.”

 

Michelle whispered to Lillien, who was glaring at Nina, as if offering her something very sweet.

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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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