Hoping For My Death

 

“Oh, Madam! I’m relieved to see you safe!”

The servants, upon seeing Sylvia rise from her seat, expressed their relief even to the point of tears.

Sylvia felt slightly embarrassed by their reaction.

It was a serious injury, but she was able to recover relatively easily because Auston had healed her external injuries with magic.

‘Yeah, it’s not a bad thing to appear weak. I should let them see me like this more often, so even if one day I suddenly die, they’ll accept it easily.’

Sylvia thought this way and brushed off the servants’ excessive concern with a laugh.

However, when she noticed the table laden with numerous tonics and nourishing foods since morning, she quickly turned serious.

“I’m completely recovered.”

“You have a long way to go to be fully recovered. You need to eat.”

“I don’t want to.”

“… From now on, when you go to sleep, we can cuddle without you being wrapped in the duvet.”

“… Pass me the fork.”

Sylvia, driven by the determination to deceive God’s eyes, swallowed the tonics with tears in her eyes.

Randall, who burst out laughing at the sight, was smiling even as he was chased out of the dining room by Sylvia.

After a somewhat tumultuous meal, Randall set out to install the barrier stone, while Sylvia went for a walk outside.

The physician had recommended that she take a stroll around the mansion for exercise, which was why she reluctantly went out.

Every time she saw the distressed looks from the people of Belfort Duchy, she found it difficult to outright refuse. 

She felt like she would become the world’s greatest scumbag if she refused.

After two laps of the garden, Sylvia muttered disgruntledly.

“… I thought he was a dog, but he turned out to be a fox?”

“What did you say, Madam?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Thank you for taking care of me, Thelma.”

Sylvia responded politely.

Thelma, who had been tilting her head, offered a kind smile and handed over a thick shawl, then took a step back.

The weather had turned quite chilly during the few days she had spent inside the mansion.

Sylvia didn’t hesitate and draped the shawl around her shoulders.

‘Hmm.’

As she absentmindedly toyed with the end of the shawl, Sylvia was lost in thought.

‘He said the one who provided first aid for my wounds was Lady Glevor, the daughter of the Marquis.’

After regaining consciousness, she heard it from Randall.

Rubea Glevor had swiftly administered first aid at the time and, in addition, due to her willingness to speak up during the subsequent investigation, even at the risk of danger, the culprit had been easily identified.

‘To be honest, it’s unexpected.’

Sylvia clicked her tongue inwardly. Her golden eyes gave off a cold glint.

Rubea’s emergency treatment was a matter of habit, as she had been living in the North, which was full of incidents.

Even in a situation where she could potentially be implicated as the mastermind behind this incident, she still chose to speak the truth.

‘Perhaps she thought that keeping quiet might complicate things later on.’

As Sylvia accepted this reasoning and reminisced about the past, she suddenly came to a halt.

‘… Now that I think about it.’

-Damn it, how am I supposed to handle this situation?

Back when her mind had been muddled with pain, a low curse fell on her ears.

The owner of that voice was undoubtedly Marquis Glevor.

‘I have a bad feeling about this.’

It was an instinctual uneasiness.

Sylvia stood there, her brows furrowed, and was about to talk to Thelma.

“… Ah.”

As Rubea turned the corner of the garden and noticed Sylvia, she flinched.

Momentarily displaying a flustered expression, she quickly composed herself and greeted Sylvia with an emotionless face.

“Your Grace.”

“Lady Glevor.”

“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

“… It was actually thanks to your swift treatment that my recovery went smoothly. Thank you.”

In truth, Sylvia wasn’t grateful at all, considering that Rubea’s treatment had wasted her possibility of dying.

However, Sylvia didn’t betray any hint of that sentiment and simply smiled graciously.

She was not stupid enough to show any discomfort when she was well aware that the eyes of the god were upon her.

On the other hand, Rubea, unaware of this fact, appeared visibly uncomfortable at Sylvia’s smile.

“Ah, well…”

She seemed to hesitate, pursing her lips several times before finally speaking as if reciting from a book.

“Thank you for saving me. Now that I’ve seen you in good health, I shall take my leave. I hope you continue to enjoy the good days, Your Grace.”

“Huh? Uh…”

As Sylvia was taken aback by the unexpected words, Rubea, who was so perfectly polite as to be almost laughable, turned and walked away.

Momentarily dumbfounded, Sylvia regained her composure and then spoke with a slightly trembling voice.

“Thelma.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Is Lady Glevor a wizard by any chance? It felt like time passed a bit faster just now.”

“She must be embarrassed.”

“… Embarrassed? Are you serious?”

Rubea Glevor and embarrassment.

The two words seemed to clash as if they were opposite sides of the same coin.

If she had heard those words herself, she would have undoubtedly been offended.

However, Thelma just smiled happily, as if she really thought so.

It was like the face of an elder watching cousins bicker and banter.

As Sylvia was about to shake her head in resignation, she suddenly remembered her original purpose and let out a quiet ‘Ah.’

“By the way, there’s something I need to ask you.”

“You should come inside and tell me. You’ve been out in the wind for quite a while.”

Thelma urged with a kind smile.

Sylvia didn’t hesitate and moved into the warm indoors without any reservations.

Sitting on the sofa and wrapping up in a blanket, they were finally able to resume their conversation.

Sylvia asked with a serious expression.

“Marquis Glevor seemed quite close with Randall. Was there any particular reason or event that could have led to it?”

“Ah…”

Thelma couldn’t hide her momentary embarrassment.

Sylvia pretended not to notice, quietly awaiting her response.

After contemplating for a while, Thelma carefully began to speak.

“Do you know why the first duke settled in the north, Madam?”

“… No.”

Sylvia responded in moderation.

Having lived for many years, she had long lost interest in matters of royalty and politics.

She remembered being surprised to hear that someone with royal blood had taken up residence in the north, a region that had been virtually abandoned, but that was all.

Thelma chose her words even more carefully than usual.

“The first duke and the late king were close brothers. So the first duke went to the north, saying that he would be a burden to his only brother if he stayed in the royal family.”

No matter how close brothers might be, when born into a royal family with claims to succession, friction could not be entirely avoided.

The brothers genuinely cared for each other, but those around them didn’t leave them alone.

-It’s only natural for the more capable person to ascend to the throne.

-Your Highness, if you set your mind to it, we will gladly be at your service.

The first Duke Belfort, who was the second prince at the time, was a talent with both literary and martial abilities.

Especially in terms of military prowess, he surpassed the eldest prince.

Thus, among the subjects, there emerged those who sought to enthrone the second prince.

They constantly tried to persuade the second prince, who claimed to have no interest in the throne, and he ultimately decided to leave the royal family to quell the unrest.

Despite the earnest pleas from the eldest prince, he remained resolute.

-I do not wish to bring harm upon my brother.

The second prince eventually abandoned the castle of Rokhlin and established a new stronghold named ‘Belfort’ in the North.

From then on, he devoted himself to driving out the demon races, crossing the brink of death every day.

Having witnessed the unwavering determination of Duke Belfort, his vassals gradually supported the eldest prince, who ascended the throne smoothly.

The brothers found happiness in their respective positions. They got married, had children.

And then, in the year when Randall Belfort, the only son of the Duke and Duchess, turned eight.

The duke and duchess were killed in battle against demons.

“The North was turned upside down. Before they were united under the name of Belfort, the families that governed the north began to voice their dissent, refusing to acknowledge him as their lord.”

Before the first Duke Belfort established his presence in the North.

The North was in disarray, with each family struggling to protect its own territory.

It was the first Duke Belfort who unified them all.

After he brought the families together, there was no denying that the north became a much more habitable place.

However, where the tiger disappeared, the fox began to roam freely.

After the premature death of the first Duke and Duchess Belfort, leaving behind only a young successor, the masters of each family that had roots in the North suddenly came forward.

-The young master is still too young.

-While it is possible to appoint a proxy until you come of age, leaving the position of a proper lord vacant in these trying times day by day is not a suitable course of action.

-It is not as if the young master can immediately take the battlefront either.

You’re still young. You’re weak. You’re not capable of leading the North right now.

They relentlessly attacked Randall, wrapping their greed in seemingly righteous justifications.

“During that time… there was an incident where the Lord disappeared. Suspicion fell upon those with ill intentions, and everyone set out to find the Lord.”

Thelma gently closed her eyes.

The events of that time were still vivid in her mind.

-Young master!

-Young master, where are you!

The servants of Belfort Duchy were devastated to hear that Randall had disappeared, and they searched for him all day until their feet bled.

An eight-year-old child who couldn’t even fully accept the loss of his parents.

The thought of not having properly looked after such a master made Thelma’s heart ache as well.

The sun had set, and there was no sign of Randall until well into the night.

However, the servants couldn’t bring themselves to give up the search, insisting that they should at least find his body.

They stopped at the castle to regroup and resume their search.

-… Young… master?

Someone mumbled softly, looking beyond the open door.

Those who turned their heads toward the door upon hearing the words froze in their tracks as if struck by lightning.

It would be more accurate to say that they couldn’t even think of breathing or moving.

-I-Is that not Young master?

-What? Young master?

-Good heavens, how in the world…

In the middle of the path leading straight to the castle gate.

As if parting the way, the people on both sides stepped back, murmuring among themselves, allowing a blood-soaked young child to walk through, his steps faltering as if his legs were barely supporting him.

More than half of Randall’s face was covered in blood, and his eyes couldn’t even open properly.

In his right hand, there was a sword with almost half of its blade missing, and in his left hand, something resembling the carcass of a demon could be seen.

Everyone, including the servants, thought that they should run to Randall’s side and support him right away.

However, the murderous aura surrounding the mere eight-year-old boy was so stifling that it choked them.

-This…

Eventually, Randall managed to walk to where the servants were with his own strength and extended his left hand forward.

-I, I caught it.

-I also… wanted to show that I could be of help to the North right now…

Randall struggled to continue his words, but then collapsed without finishing.

Thelma, who had been standing in front of the servants, instinctively caught his body.

The sensation, the emotion in that moment, would be difficult to put into words.

“… When the circumstances of that day became known, those who were clear-headed rose up. They criticized the heads of each family who were only trying to satisfy their own greed, and raised their voices in support of the lord.”

Those people who usually cared little for politics or governing, focusing solely on their own lives, were angered and stood up.

The calls to acknowledge Randall’s succession to the dukedom grew louder with each passing day, and the news even reached the ears of the present king.

The present king was wary of Randall, but he couldn’t overcome public opinion and ended up recognizing him.

-I hereby recognize Randall Belfort’s succession to the dukedom. I will also make him the young servant of my son until he is ten years old, and I will provide military support to the North during that time.

The king, under the pretext of protecting Randall until he reached the age of ten, kept him in the palace and closely monitored him.

While Randall stayed at the palace, he had hoped that the remaining forces in the North would again plot something, but unfortunately, nothing happened.

“Even though the lord succeeded the dukedom, there were those who couldn’t let go of their greed, so the people of the north took matters into their own hands. Among those who stepped forward and united the nobles during that time, one of them was Marquis Glevor.”

Thelma finished speaking and smiled as if expressing gratitude.

“… Thank you for telling me, Thelma.”

However, Sylvia couldn’t bring herself to smile back.

  Hello, everyone~!!! Eica here~ Thank you for having the time to read my translations.Due to my ongoing classes, I will provide updates once a week, specifically on Sundays, unless something unexpected happens.Despite my shortcomings in translating this, I hope everyone of you will have a good time reading this.For any mistakes, you can comment down below, or you can ping me at discord.You can support me on ko-fi. And please rate this on NU. Any comments of yours will be appreciated. And though I may not reply, rest assured that I'm reading and anticipating each and every comment of yours.Once again, thank you, everyone~!!! Happy reading~!!!