𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒: 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧
I said, “Take it easy for a while,” but Norra started helping me the next day, saying, “Being busy helps me not to think about anything.” It was convenient for me as Hanna was taking care of Stephan.
Norra was a very smart and capable girl.
―In the mansion, she was given a simple dress as an “apprentice pharmacist,” and Norra, who tied her hair tightly at the back, followed Ellen all day.
“There’s a lot to learn, so let’s take it slow.”
I said that, but Norra moved around diligently taking notes on the paper she received from the servants.
The servants of the mansion were tearfully talking about how her father was killed in front of her. And how Norra had helped Stephan, the big man, and seemed to have nursed him alone.
“How brave.” “Stephan’s benefactor is our benefactor as well.”
All the servants treated Norra with care, as if they were all trying to protect and raise her. Norra was also working sincerely.
・・・
『”𝙰𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.𝚌𝚘𝚖” – 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚍u𝚕𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 “𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜” 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 “𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜”.』
・・・
At the royal palace, two young people were whispering.
“What? Ellen said her guard was [someone important]? Really?”
“It’s true. I heard it from her.”
The second prince Ehrlich was surprised. He couldn’t imagine that the heir to the Marquis family would have feelings for a commoner’s guard.
“Yesterday, Ellen-sama came to see how I was doing, and she herself went to the sea on horseback to help the guard, fought the enemy, and brought the guard back.”
“How bold. But Freiche. I haven’t heard that story. If Stephan was alive, why didn’t Ellen tell me?”
“Maybe she was being considerate. The man was apparently severely injured by the defeated soldiers and is still bedridden.”
“That man is seriously injured. . .”
After that, the two of them whispered for a while. After seeing off Freiche, Ehrlich went straight to his mother, the queen.
“Mother!”
“What is it, Ehrlich? You’re shouting so loudly as soon as you’re feeling better.”
“I have a favor to ask.”
Queen Crabell loved this innocent second son. The other day, when he was missing in action on the battlefield, she literally went dark and collapsed. So when he returned safely to the palace, she hugged him so tightly that Ehrlich was confused and cried with joy.
“A favor? What is it?”
She smiled, ready to grant any wish of her son, whom she had once thought dead.
“When I was about to be killed by the enemy, there was someone who pulled my hand and helped me escape.”
“Yes, I’ve heard. It was a private soldier from the Bowen family, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. That man, Stephan, seems to have been found. However, he is seriously injured and is still bedridden.”
―I’ve heard the story of how he pulled my son’s hand and ran through the mountains, hid my son when he was exhausted, and danced in front of more than ten enemies. I was grateful for what he did, which was not easy.
Of course, the palace soldiers were also protecting the prince, and there were those who died in battle and those who were injured. But they were well cared for, mourned, and their families were taken care of so they wouldn’t have to worry about their livelihoods for the rest of their lives. However, this was not the case with the private soldiers.
“I thought I could never thank him enough. If he is bedridden, I would like to visit him once.”
“That’s a good idea. If it’s Mrs. Franca’s house, I’ll go with you. Let’s convey our gratitude to him from me as well.”
“Really? Thank you! If you’re with me, he’ll be happy too.”
That evening, a messenger from the royal palace came to the Bowen house and caused a commotion. The queen and the second prince were going to visit Stephan soon.
“Me? From the queen? No, that’s not necessary. I just did what was expected. It’s too much for the queen and the prince to visit me, so please, just tell them I appreciate the sentiment!”
Stephan was genuinely troubled after hearing this. However, Mrs. Franca insisted that he should accept the visit.
“Of course, I want to say the same thing. But the queen especially adores Ehrlich-sama, so I don’t think she’ll back down. She also likes you. So, as the person who saved Ehrlich-sama’s life, please accept the visit.”
“Is that so. . .”
As soon as Mrs. Franca left the room, Stephan looked up at the sky and closed his eyes.
