MHHC Chapter 64

Dissonance

Adelheid couldn't tear her gaze away from his broad back, the thick muscles along his sides, and the sleek line of his waist tapering below.

His body, honed through years of training as a knight, felt like a weapon every time she looked at it.

It was strange—no matter how different what resided inside had become, there wasn't the slightest outward incongruity.

"What are you thinking about so intently?"

When their eyes met as she stared at him blankly, Valentin's eyes narrowed with a smile.

Adelheid opened her mouth half-impulsively.

"I saw the name written in the book you gave me."

"Did you?"

He answered as though it were nothing and pulled a clean new shirt over his head.

Even in the dim light, his imposing physique disappeared beneath the fabric, and then a strange silence descended. Neither confirmation nor denial.

Adelheid curled her cold fingertips into fists and pressed again.

"The name in the book was also 'Adelheid.' 'Adelheid Désirée Bathildis Nürnbergian.'"

"..."

"Who she was, why she shares my name, why you kept a book with that name written in it—"

"..."

"Will you refuse to answer this as well?"

Only then did Valentin lift his gaze to look at Adelheid.

His lips curved smoothly as always, but Adelheid could sense his mood had darkened.

"Ask me something else, Adele."

"..."

"Something other than what you already know the answer to."

His voice was utterly gentle. Only then did Adelheid realize that Valentin had intentionally given her the book with that name inscribed in it.

Because she'd been inwardly denying all this time that the previous life or soul was hers, drawing some strange line to say they were different.

"At least... the name you call me..."

She murmured, caught in wretched jealousy.

She'd thought confidently that even if he overlaid someone else onto her, it wouldn't matter—as long as what he called so tenderly was her name, it would be all right.

All those confident thoughts now felt like ancient history.

The moment 'Adelheid's' signature floated before her eyes again, Adelheid gathered what little rebellious spirit remained.

"I thought the tenderness you showed me was meant for me alone."

"I don't understand why you think the two are different."

He strode closer to the bed with decisive steps. His long, massive shadow fell over her head.

Valentin cupped her pale chin with long fingers and tilted it upward.

"I've told you before. Why wouldn't someone with the same flesh, soul, and memories be your husband? To me, you've always been that person."

"..."

"Is it difficult to understand with human concepts? I don't know. To my eyes, there's no difference."

"...I don't have her memories."

"You've only forgotten. And only temporarily."

"Even the claim that the flesh is the same is completely absurd—"

"It would have been nice if I'd commissioned a portrait. Then you wouldn't dare say you're not her."

Adelheid stared at Valentin's face with stricken eyes.

The lips that had kissed her while speaking of eternity, the eyes that curved sweetly as though gazing at something precious—tonight they felt impossibly distant.

Valentin, who had been looking down at Adelheid quietly, suddenly laughed.

"What should I do to make you believe me?"

His eyes and lips reeked of lies, concealment, and deception.

Now, deep anxiety of unknowable depth had joined those qualities.

Perhaps he'd been in that state ever since entering the Imperial Palace.

Without a single shred of composure, driven to his limits, always hiding every trivial detail from her.

"..."

Without conversation, misunderstandings were bound to accumulate.

But even if she made the effort to ask, if he continued taking this ambiguous attitude under the pretext of "protecting" her, their relationship would stagnate without progress. Eventually, it would rot that way.

She was not a child who needed protection.

Right now, her abilities and resolve might be lacking, but someday she wanted to stand beside him as an equal.

Someday, she wanted to become someone he could rely on completely. She had at least that much determination.

But you cannot build eternity on a sandcastle that might crumble at any moment.

'Why doesn't Valentin understand that?'

She gripped the bedclothes tightly. Tears threatened to fall but she held them back somehow.

She opened her mouth, barely suppressing the rising emotion.

"I'll try to believe you."

"..."

"Even if you carry certain memories alone, even if you're hiding some terrible secret from me—as long as you promise to tell me honestly someday."

This was the compromise she'd barely managed to find.

Even if he couldn't be honest right now, if there was at least a promise that someday he would approach their relationship honestly—

Then in the very distant future, someday they could stand in the same place and look at each other.

"You still remember the promise you made then, don't you? That you'd tell me everything once I was ready."

"...I haven't forgotten."

Adelheid nodded as though that was enough. Valentin looked at her with deep eyes whose meaning she couldn't read.

She pushed his hand away as if to change the heavy atmosphere and continued speaking.

"Today, instead of staying in the tent, I'm thinking of going out."

"...Out?"

He answered almost reflexively, as though this suggestion was more unbearable than the shock their conversation had given him.

Adelheid met his gaze without flinching, as though this was something she couldn't concede.

If she still didn't realize that Valentin had been cleverly preventing her from going outside since they'd arrived in the capital, she'd simply be a fool.

He'd even somehow managed to persuade the Emperor himself so that she didn't have to fulfill even her minimum obligations...

"I'm going to visit the shopping district in Pragma."

"...That's a two-hour journey just to get there."

"You stay in the forest for up to six hours. His Majesty never ends the day's hunt until he's caught a deer."

"..."

"Once Margaret arrives, I'll take the knights and go. There shouldn't be any problems. I'll return before the evening banquet."

"...We should wait until the banquet ends and go together."

"That would be the middle of the night."

He pressed his lips together with obvious reluctance, then narrowed his eyes as though he'd thought of a good excuse.

"Have you finished your homework? I said I'd check."

"I've read all the books except one. I've memorized the sections related to healing magic too."

"What about your magic power?"

"That's..."

Adelheid trailed off evasively. Honestly speaking, she hadn't even attempted practicing materializing her magic power.

She'd been distracted by other things all night...

At Adelheid's dejected face, Valentin let out a light sigh.

"Do you really have to go?"

"I want to."

"..."

"There—someone said they saw Greta in Pragma."

Adelheid hesitated slightly before confessing honestly.

It was absurd to expect honesty from others while withholding it herself.

At her words, Valentin's eyes took on a strange quality.

"According to the witness, she's living in terrible circumstances. Do you remember? She was my nursemaid..."

"Of course I remember."

"I know you'll dislike this, but if I can find her, I want to help her somehow."

His lips tilted crookedly.

"That woman of all people."

"Greta may not have been overflowing with affection, and perhaps she only pretended to care for me, but without even that much, I would have withered away long ago—"

Valentin raised his hand to stop Adelheid's words. Footsteps approached from outside the tent.

"Your Grace."

"What is it?"

"His Majesty has sent someone."

At the servant's careful prompting, Valentin responded with a weary face.

"I'll be out shortly."

He fastened his belt, pulled on a leather hunting vest, and picked up his cloak.

The neck of the cloak was designed to be secured with an intricate, complicated knot.

Even with a mirror, it would be difficult to tie alone.

"Let me do it for you."

Adelheid hurried out of bed. Valentin raised one eyebrow with obvious displeasure.

"...Your feet are touching the ground."

"It's only the carpet. Come here."

When he bent down silently, Adelheid stood on tiptoe and carefully completed the knot.

After watching her with an intense, persistent gaze for a long while, Valentin finally sighed deeply as though defeated.

"Morig has a vicious and tenacious temperament. By now, he's probably realized I've taken residence in this body. And that I keep you close and treasure you."

"Nothing will happen. Morig loves all people."

"I wonder... Was that really his personality?"

"..."

"If he realizes you carry my scent, that gentle mask he wears will come off and he'll lose his mind."

Adelheid's shoulders flinched.

Even now, knowing Valentin's true identity completely, hearing such blasphemous words about 'Morig' made her heart lurch with instinctive dread.

Valentin withdrew his cynical gaze and continued with furrowed brows.

"So when you go out, please be cautious of everyone who approaches you. Doubt every single word you hear. Stay on guard."

"Are you saying I can go?"

"If you take Margaret with you."

Before she could feel relief, Valentin's eyes narrowed. He grasped her chin again and leaned down.

"Open your mouth."

At the crude arrangement of words, Adelheid's breath caught sharply.

Their lips connected at an angle. The soft, moist movement made her spine tingle.

His magic power flowed across her lips and pooled inside, filling her overwhelmingly.

He caught the back of Adelheid's neck as she tried to escape. It deepened slightly, then pulled away cleanly.

The moment she realized his neat lips were moist, Adelheid's cheeks flushed pink.

At that innocent reaction, he laughed low and audible.

"Hold onto it well. You never know when you'll need it."