The Munchkin Princess Wants to Run Away - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Thank goodness.”
Ivanna too finally let out a breath of relief as she spoke.
“What about the horses?”
—Based on the signal strength, it appears none of the horses have perished.
Only then did Ivanna exhale the breath she’d been holding.
—The knights are mobilizing for repairs. Please wait a moment.
“Understood.”
With that, Cedric switched off the Communication Stone.
“Are you cold?”
After ending the conversation, he studied Ivanna’s form.
“No. I’m fine.”
The princess shook her head, and Cedric, gazing at her intently, removed his outer robe. He draped it carefully across her shoulders.
“If you’re frightened, you may lean on me further if you wish.”
At the careful way his hand supported her waist, Ivanna’s eyes widened.
‘Why is he doing this again all of a sudden?’
She couldn’t make sense of his repeated kindness since yesterday.
“This isn’t an ordeal one encounters lightly, so your alarm is understandable. If your body is uncomfortable in any way, please tell me at once.”
Before the Duke’s composure as he watched over her, Ivanna managed an uncertain acknowledgment.
Kind one moment, cold the next.
She couldn’t begin to follow the Duke’s erratic behavior.
Instead, Ivanna made a conscious effort to regain her composure quickly, so as not to disrupt the schedule.
“In preparation for rescue taking longer than expected, we have not only Emergency Rations ready but also Bedding and clothing. To be safe, I’ve prepared enough provisions to sustain us for a fortnight.”
“What?”
A fortnight in the carriage?
Of course, with Preservation Magic and Lightening Magic available, such preparation was entirely feasible.
“Did you truly foresee the landslide and yet proceed with departure?”
Wouldn’t it have been better to postpone the schedule? Ivanna regarded Cedric with confusion written across her face.
“Isn’t safety preferable to taking such risks?”
“That reasoning isn’t without merit, but truthfully, the difficulty of the road between the two territories was a considerable concern.”
But what did the poor road conditions have to do with forging ahead recklessly? Ivanna tilted her head, unable to follow his meaning.
“Though it is true that the Duke’s House wields significant influence in the Southern Region, I cannot simply invest the Duke’s resources into every matter, can I?”
Cedric noticed Ivanna’s trembling gradually subsiding.
“I ordered the construction of a road between the two territories, but to no avail.”
Moreover, with Magic Circles available, the nobles felt no pressing need.
The work was essential for the common people, yet the territories involved refused to act—so I played my hand.
Now that the Duke and Duchess have been caught in a landslide on that narrow mountain pass, they’ll feel compelled to resolve the matter at any cost.
“I apologize for involving you in this affair.”
“Are you saying you deliberately caused this disaster, gambling with people’s lives?”
“I merely prepared more thoroughly for any unforeseen dangers.”
Was he a man obsessed with efficiency?
Or was he a madman who would sacrifice any method for his ends?
For the first time, Ivanna wanted to curse the Duke.
“I never wanted to experience something so terrifying. I believe others feel the same way.”
“So do I.”
He certainly didn’t appear to.
“It was reckless beyond measure.”
“Both territories will mobilize, so repairs will be completed within the hour.”
To ensure this, I sent mages ahead beforehand.
Count Lavern is loyal to the Duke’s House, but he informed me that he cannot bear all expenses from his own territory, and negotiations between the two territories have stalled.
To complete the road, my first priority was to sway Baron Marent, lord of the next territory.
“I apologize for putting you through such a harrowing ordeal. But there were reasons I could not delay the schedule further.”
The man who had been brazenly forthright suddenly offered an apology, leaving Ivanna speechless.
A sense of betrayal washed over her. Everyone else had known—everyone but her!
Her worry for Sola and Anthony burned in her chest.
“Your constitution truly is frail. Still trembling, I see.”
Seeing Ivanna burning with fury, Cedric clicked his tongue and lifted her onto his lap.
“Duke! That’s not—”
Ivanna urgently grabbed his shoulders and tried to rise.
“I harbor no unseemly intentions. You appear to have startled greatly, so I merely seek to calm you. Please do not misunderstand.”
That’s the problem! I’m not surprised—I’m angry!
“I’ve calmed down now! This is—”
“But you’re still trembling, aren’t you? I read in a book that when children are startled, patting their shoulders or holding them helps.”
“I’m not a child.”
Ivanna’s eyes narrowed sharply at being treated like one.
“There’s a five-year difference between us. How could you not be younger?”
With a single gesture, Cedric dismissed Ivanna’s refusal and gently gathered the princess into his arms.
“Once you fall asleep, we should have arrived at the baron’s estate.”
“I told you I’m not a child!”
It was absurd.
Though she huffed indignantly, he simply patted her back with steady rhythm, as if soothing a younger sibling.
‘What is this.’
Despite herself, Ivanna found the ridiculous situation amusing enough to draw a hollow laugh.
Whatever she tried to say, he just assured her it was fine and continued stroking her back.
With warmth and the gentle, rhythmic touch, her tension gradually melted away, and her body grew heavy with drowsiness.
Normally she could never let her guard down while resting against another person like this.
‘He’s a strange man.’
The Duke was truly strange. She couldn’t fathom which book had prompted him to treat her this way.
A child, indeed.
A princess of four-and-twenty had no reason to hear such things. He truly saw her as a little girl.
Though irritated, Ivanna soon closed her eyes and fell into deep sleep.
‘Her body is definitely frail.’
As Cedric heard the princess’s breathing deepen in the carriage, he lowered his gaze to confirm her condition. The coldness that had gripped her body was finally giving way to warmth.
He felt some regret at not informing her of this plan beforehand.
Yet he had prepared thoroughly, and since it was necessary, he could not put it off.
The odds of a landslide occurring were even. Had they passed through safely, he would have applied pressure through other means to widen the road.
If he hadn’t been married, he would have proceeded alone, but since the princess was traveling with him, he had made safety paramount in the plan.
‘I’ve failed to uphold my end of the contract. Compensation will be necessary.’
Cedric spread his outer robe and carefully laid the princess down. Unable to retrieve bedding, he had no choice but to offer his lap as a pillow.
Looking down at the scattered documents, he folded his arms and closed his eyes quietly.
He heard the anxious neighing of horses nearby and sensed people moving in the distance.
Just as he’d anticipated, a rescue request must have gone out the moment the landslide occurred.
Knock, knock.
“Quiet.”
At the sound of someone knocking on the carriage door, Cedric made a silencing gesture.
Having already confirmed from outside that the debris was clearing, he opened the carriage door slightly.
“The rescue operation is complete.”
Marcel, who peered carefully inside, confirmed the sleeping princess and reported in a low voice.
“Good work. Since the princess is asleep, move to the estate as quickly as possible.”
“Yes. We’ll depart immediately.”
It took considerable time to right the tilted carriage. Throughout, the princess remained deeply asleep in Cedric’s embrace.
Once the carriage was back in place, Cedric carefully laid the princess on a seat again.
Though many thoughts had crossed his mind while trapped in the carriage, Cedric had reached his decision.
‘The princess clearly doesn’t realize how fragile her body is.’
Should anything happen to her, it would be no different than acquiring a disqualifying factor myself.
A soft tsk escaped Cedric’s lips.
The Imperial House would never suffer losses on his watch.
He looked down at the princess coolly. He harbored no particular feeling toward her. That was simply the nature of a Contract Marriage.
He was merely obliged to fulfill his contractual duties. She, in turn, was honoring her promises.
Cedric concluded that he too was merely faithfully executing the terms of the contract.
* * *
“Indeed, since Your Grace married, you seem to have grown even more, Duke.”
Baron Marent spoke with genuine emotion as he watched the Duke and princess strolling together in the distance. The baron already seemed to hold considerable affection for the princess.
“Ha ha.”
Aide-de-camp Marcel pretended not to notice when Baron Marent’s eyes urged him to say more, offering only a hollow laugh instead.
The princess must have been quite frightened by the landslide. He too found it regrettable.
The Duke must think so as well, which is why he was behaving that way. The subsequent schedule was also planned to proceed only after the princess had recovered.
“How is the road construction progressing?”
“The Baron’s House lacks sufficient funds. Count Lavern’s House has agreed to bear a greater portion of the expenses.”
Marcel nodded at the Baron’s answer that he had done his best.
At the end of his gaze stood the Duke, strolling with intimate gestures beside the Crown Princess.

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