Chapter 99 – 9. The Story of the Years Gone by (9)
A cold wind blow. The sun, hidden behind the majestic mountains and the horizon, gave off its brilliant, dazzling rays for the last time. Just like the word “Hoegwang banjo”, It warmly wrapped itself in the cold frozen soil and scattered faint blessings.
Live.
Survive.
Despite such a harsh environment, nature was whispering. It was a cruel but beautiful world. It was a life so valuable that it could not be exchanged for anything else. It was for this reason that the son-in-law of a prominent central family did not lose his will to live even in the midst of severe ordeal.
‘Temur, the unbreakable one!’
In the wilderness of a blizzard, a giant with two axes fiercely confronted a knight armed with plate. And Lucienne, who could vividly see such a fierce battle from the drops of blood flowing down the needle of fate, was simply overwhelmed without saying anything.
‘Will you be my daughter’s husband?’
To the knight who repelled the alliance of Camag tribes and created another legend, Oriane readily suggested that he would become his son-in-law. However, the shock of having to leave Summerstone in the South and not ready to accept anyone yet, Rome politely declined.
‘I’m sorry, but I’m not a good husband.’
‘My family isn’t always a good married couple either.’
It was an offer that no one could easily refuse.
‘Let’s meet sometime. Even if it means pitying me for worrying about the future of my one and only daughter.’
However, after my death her, the Marquis Lady, who was concerned about her daughter her, recommended that I meet with Lucienne several times after that, and in the end, she and Rome, who had been reluctant to marry her, were consummated.
‘I ask Romuald Dior. Do you swear in front of her that you take Lucienne Le Mohan as her wife her, and that you will love and respect her in good times and in bad times, and that you will be with her all her life her?’
‘I swear.’
‘I ask Lucienne Lemoyn. Do you take Romuald Dior as her husband her and swear before the gods that you will love and respect her in good times and in bad times and be with her all her life her?’
‘… Yes.’
‘Under the generosity of His Majesty Alphonse de Gaul, the great King of Gaul, the lawful and majestic one watched over by the heavenly gods, both the bride and groom of the two families have concluded their oaths. I solemnly declare that this marriage has been made perfect and flawless, and that the two of you have become husband and wife.’
It was a modest ceremony. It was rare even among the powerful families of the north to claim themselves as guests simply out of goodwill to the margrave family, which was gradually losing its place. At least, only the Count of Poitiers and the Baron of Lothringen and Brienne came back with an assortment.
‘Romuald, the Bishop said he was very grateful for the activity he showed in the West the other day.’
The only other visitors were his half-sister Marguerite and the old Grand Duke Melanie, now his brother’s wife his.
‘It’s a pity, I think I won’t be able to see her more often from now on.’
‘Sister…’
‘Please be happy.’
My dear sister gave me a load of expensive presents so that my precious little brother would not be despised by being called a bastard or an illegitimate child. There was nothing insignificant about them, and after adding the share of the bishop, who was his godfather, they were the perfect addition to a coma.
‘Congratulations on your marriage, young boy.’
‘Thank you for coming, sister-in-law.’
As the Countess of Dior, Melanie attended Rome’s wedding despite her husband’s objections of her, despite her conflicts of her. Although we didn’t have much conversation because we became awkward because of the past, in the few words exchanged, we realized each other’s place and put away our lingering feelings.
‘Romuald, can I call you by name?’
‘Of course, Lucienne.’
So it would have been nice if it ended with a happy ending for a long time.
‘I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think there’s anything like a couple laughing and talking with you. Because we are bound by politics. I don’t want anyone to interfere in what I do with anyone. Do you understand me?’
‘Yes, I respect you.’
‘I’m glad you seem to understand. Then please get out of my room. I don’t think that will ever happen, but if you have any business in the future, don’t forget to deliver it through Bijou first.’
It was the early night of the wedding. The couple, who should have had a happy time soaked in the sweet dreams of newlyweds, separated by revealing their positions. Exactly, Lucienne Le Mohan was like that, and her Romoire de Dior, who respected her, was the way she was convinced.
‘Fuck off, you illegitimate child… !’
‘Oop!’
‘The position of Marquis is not something a youngborn like you can dare to claim!’
The vice-count who led the four barons soon showed his true colors. Attempting a surprise attack in the middle of the night, he stabbed the back of the defenseless Rom, and mobilized his subordinates and mercenaries recruited in advance to destroy Lemoang Fort.
‘Mistress, leave this place to me and get out of here!’
‘No! Marion!’
‘Knight, I’ll ask for you two.’
It was a civil war. The magic beasts of the five vassals were spread all over the Marquis. Rom, Oriane, and Lucienne managed to escape from the citadel thanks to the head maid who sacrificed herself by blocking the portal leading to the secret passage.
‘I heard the news. My name is Claude, the village chief.’
‘This is Romoald, Marquis of Lemoyn. As of the present time, I will conscript the village’s elders.’
‘Haona Nari, we are a bunch of ragtags who haven’t even been properly trained.’
‘Does not matter. I just need to have an assortment.’
With their wounded bodies, they took dozens of peasants from the village and restored the nearby cities one by one. In the end, despite the central sideline, he regained all of the Marquis and defeated the five retainers who were the leaders of the rebellion.
‘Cobain, your ambition ends here.’
‘Nonsense! No matter how injured you are… !’
‘No one can pollute my hometown.’
Denggung! The vice-count’s neck escaped with a single knife. The remaining four barons resisted fiercely, but were also killed.
When everything was sorted out, Rom and his estate were devastated. Mrs. Marquis Baek, whom I respected, suffered from severe depression for some time after the death of the nanny who had raised me since childhood. Even so, his wife, Lucienne, who was cold to him, became more ferocious from then on.
‘I don’t know what kind of hardship this is because of my incompetent husband.’
‘I’m sorry, I have no face.’
‘My mother will tell Bijou to take care of her. Get off in front of me because you don’t want to look ugly.’
It was a truly cruel treatment for Rome, who had a hard time even just dealing with the Marquis’ internal affairs. Every day was an unbearably difficult day, and in the process, he formed a bond with Oriane, who was longing for someone to rely on.
‘I’ll give you this book.’
‘… Wife.’
‘It’s as if we lost each other’s diaries.’
Under the excuse that everything is because she is bad.
‘Lucienne, will you be okay for a moment?’
‘Who told me to come into my room?’
‘My mother asked me how it would be to have a meal with my family after a long time…’
‘I’m not interested, so leave immediately.’
He regards the northern frozen land as his hometown and regards its revival as his mission. He never gave up and moved forward in any order.
‘It’s a fish name. As of today, the Decree of the Marquis of Lemoyn deprives the Kingdom of Gaul of all titles and rights on account of the crime of plotting civil war. Respond to the arrest of the 10th Marquis Romuald Lemoyen and his family according to the trial procedure of the royal court.’
‘My conspiracy is ridiculous!’
‘It turns out that the person responsible for assassinating the Duke of LeBlanc in the east is your wife.’
‘You mean Lucienne? It’s an outrageous slander!’
‘There was a command that if you didn’t comply with the edict, you could be taken by force.’
Even when 5,000 soldiers led by the royal court and the royal knights tried to subdue them under the pretext of false accusations.
‘I am not ignorant of your reputation. However, as far as I know, the aftermath of the rebellion of the five vassals has not yet gone away in the frozen land. If you obey me, the rest of your life is guaranteed. Do you mean to challenge His Majesty’s authority?’
‘This is my hometown. Moreover, what you are suing is none other than my wife. Even if her bones are buried, she won’t be trampled on.’
‘You’ll regret it, Marquis.’
He won the battle commanding at most 300 or so soldiers.
‘Get out of here, the royal dog!’
‘Kuh… !’
‘Go and tell your master and my brothers! If Gallia crosses this place again, then she will have to be prepared to step on the corpse of Romuald Lemoang! I am the invincible knight of Lumière, the hero of Limousin, and the savior of the North!’
Even when the king’s advisor, the country’s most famous wizard, personally came and took hostages.
‘Nice to meet you, Romuald of Dior.’
‘Not anymore.’
‘Nothing! If you want to save these two, you’ll have to surrender to His Majesty.’
‘Get those filthy hands off my family… !’
He saved them even while being hit with cursed flames.
‘Madam, are you okay!’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Lucienne, you?’
‘Would you mind putting that dirty mug away, Romuald?’
‘… Yeah, I’m glad neither of them seem to be hurt.’
For more than ten years since her marriage, she has not even been treated properly as her husband, but she has been constantly striving and renewing herself. He was indeed a dutiful husband and knight. Outside, everyone was hostile to the frozen land, and inside, even though he was persecuted by his beloved wife, there was no law.
“You said you would regret it if you used it.”
She was the one who swore to spend the rest of her life with the worst villains. For that alone reason, the man has been standing where he is now throughout his two lifetimes. He met his old wife with his dear wife under the twinkling stars one by one in the watchtower of the citadel, which was about to fall at night.
“Lucienne.”
From the period of growth marked by abuse to the days of a wandering knight who had no days to set his mind on exploitation. The peace that I wanted to get at the end of countless performances flew away like a spring dream. In his second hometown, where he settled after leaving behind painful memories, he struggled with cold treatment from his wife, saying that a day was far away. Even then, there was never a chance to turn away.
“… Why?”
Finally, Lucienne asked. She could n’t understand the fact that even with a moment’s sewing, her painful memories flowed through her blood, and she opened her mouth. Even this she had n’t fully looked into his life her, but she had enough to harbor hatred.
In short, her former wife asked her.
She said why didn’t she hurt me.
“Because I loved you.”
It was for a very simple reason, though.
