Erina and Leorino had become good friends and had gotten into the habit of chatting twice a day. After breakfast, they would discuss their respective schedules, and after dinner, they would talk mainly out of concern for Erina’s mental health.
After Zwelf declared war, Fanoren marched into conflict for the first time in eighteen years.
Erina had been depressed for a while, thinking about the husband she had left behind, but that was to be expected.
Leorino understood how she felt all too well. They may have been at war, but the royal capital was as peaceful as ever. Nevertheless, Leorino’s home province and Erina’s new home of Brungwurt would quickly become a battlefront if Zweilink was breached.
Their family was there, preparing for war. For the Cassieux family, the war had already begun.
Gravis had hardly returned to the royal capital. The Royal Army had sent additional troops toward Zweilink, and at the same time redeployed the mountain troops to the other border, the Baedeker Mountains. Gravis and his men literally leaped from base to base, bracing for battle.
One day, letters arrived from Auriano and August.
Auriano asked Leorino to take care of Erina and to make her days as enjoyable and carefree as possible.
His father’s letter was about Maia. Originally, he had planned to send Maia away with Erina to the royal capital. However, Maia was adamant in her refusal. She insisted that whatever may come, she wanted to stay with August until the end.
August’s letter contained a plea: “If the flames of war should spread to Brungwurt, I would like you to humbly request His Royal Highness to use his Power to rescue Maia.”
Leorino accepted both his father’s and his mother’s wishes with a sense of anguish. He was beyond frustrated that he was helpless to do anything but wait in the royal capital. But now was the time for both Leorino and Erina to be caged birds and remain safe in a secure location. That was all they could do for their loved ones.
The Brungwurt estate was under even stricter security. His third brother, Gauff, had been coming home every night for some time. This seemed to be yet another request from the royal palace.
Even now, Josef slept in Leorino’s room, and Erina’s guard with her. The two were practically never left alone except when they slept.
This situation did Erina’s nerves no favors. Her quickly approaching due date took a toll on her body, further deepening her anxiety, all of which caused her to suffer insomnia.
For that reason, Leorino set aside time every evening after dinner to talk with his sister-in-law. It had become a time of solace not only for Erina, but also for Leorino.
Erina had primarily kept herself distracted by shopping. The other day, she happily told him all about what she had recently bought—the vast majority of it intended for the baby. Sometimes she also gave Leorino small gifts, such as an embroidered handkerchief, and the like.
From Erina’s point of view as a first-time parent, she could never be too prepared. She distracted herself with thoughts of a brighter future.
Leorino watched on, hoping that her shopping spree would be enough to keep her thoughts from the anxiety of war and childbirth.
“Ah, fancy meeting you here.”
It was a day like any other when Leorino passed a man who appeared to be a merchant in the hallway of the Brungwurt estate, led by a butler. Leorino was awfully surprised when the stranger suddenly spoke and knelt before him. Leorino had never seen him before.
Josef stepped in front of Leorino. The butler who had been escorting the merchant also scowled when the man addressed Leorino.
The man, however, appeared unbothered as he bowed.
Unable to ignore him, Leorino had no choice but to speak.
“I’m sorry, who are you?”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Smirnov of the Moirlud Trading Company. I’ve been doing business with Lady Erina.”
“…Well met.”
Leorino responded to the greeting, thinking the name sounded familiar. The merchant, Smirnov, bowed deeply.
“Judging by your dashing, radiant appearance, you must be Lord Leorino Cassieux. I have heard rumors of you.”
“I see.”
“I could not be more honored to finally meet you in person… To think I could be graced with the presence of the future spouse of the king’s brother.”
Judging by Smirnov’s frivolous way with words, Leorino intuitively sensed he would not find himself getting along with the merchant. But now that Erina was nearing the full term of her pregnancy, she had only a handful of diversions she enjoyed these days: choosing items for her baby, selecting fabrics that would suit Auriano, tailoring them into various personal items, and sending them to Brungwurt.
Leorino observed the man again and wondered if he was Erina’s favorite merchant, who had been visiting her as of late.
He was a tall, thin man with no distinguishing features, but he possessed a certain shrewdness about him, like any good merchant.
“Thank you for the recommendations you offered my sister-in-law.”
Leorino offered the merchant minimal courtesy and immediately attempted to leave.
The man bowed deeply as Leorino walked away, and spoke to his back.
“I am very glad I got to meet you here. I am certain we will meet again.”
“So today I was picking out the lace for the baptism clothes.”
“Is that so?”
Leorino watched his sister-in-law with a smile as she went on excitedly.
Perhaps the reality that she was about to have a child still hadn’t quite sunk in yet. Leorino felt like it was still a little early to prepare for an event that would take place six months after birth, but if it made his sister-in-law happy, he could only share that joy.
“This baby might be Brungwurt’s heir, after all. I sent a letter to my mother-in-law asking her if we could borrow the clothes she had used for my husband. She told me that they had already been used four times between my husband, your brothers, and you, Leorino. She suggested it was the right time to have some new ones made.”
It was a real relief to see Erina so invested in something. If it would distract her from the anxiety of war and childbirth, she could order all the baby clothes in the world.
Suddenly, Erina held her belly and groaned softly. Leorino and the servants in the room gasped.
“Sister, are you in pain? Shall I call Dr. Willy Jr.?”
“No, I think I’m fine. My stomach is a little upset… It happens a lot these days. The doctor said I should be relaxing now that my baby will be due soon.”
Erina’s maid quickly approached and rubbed her lady’s waist. Then she offered Leorino a pointed look.
Leorino understood exactly what her gaze meant, and stood up to let Erina rest.
“Well, then… Sister, I think we’ve talked enough for today. Let me help you to your room.”
Erina stood up from her chair, her hand on her belly. Leorino and a maid assisted her.
“Thank you. The baby is so big now, I must look quite pathetic.”
Leorino smiled, supporting Erina as she tottered along. “You always look beautiful, now most of all. Since Auriano can’t, I’ll have to commit this sight to memory myself.”
It wasn’t mere flattery—he really meant it.
Leorino would never be able to give Gravis children. Not to mention, Erina was quite literally glowing with the joy of becoming a mother, even if her belly looked ready to burst.
Erina also grinned, as if she knew that Leorino was sincere.
“I don’t care if the baby looks like my husband, I just want them to have a soul as beautiful as yours.”
“I only wish for my nephew or niece to be born healthy, that’s all I need.”
The siblings-in-law smiled at each other.
At that moment, Leorino suddenly felt a presence and looked ahead. Someone stood at the end of the hallway.
“…? Who goes there?”
As Leorino frowned at the unfamiliar figure, the shadow approached him. “…You, I know you.”
“Smirnov, why are you here at this hour?”
It was the merchant he had met that afternoon. How did he get into the estate at this hour?
“We meet again, Lord Leorino. And Lady Erina, thank you for your patronage.”
The man’s mouth turned up at the corners. Leorino felt a chill run down his spine.
At that moment, Leorino quickly pushed Erina toward the two guards behind them.
“Josef…! Hold my sister!”
It all happened in an instant.
“…Wahh!”
The two guards held Erina as she staggered backward.
The next moment, the man who called himself Smirnov closed the distance between them with extraordinary speed and grabbed Leorino from the front.
At that moment, Leorino already knew who the merchant was.
It’s him…!
The man whispered in Leorino’s ear. “…I was going to take that woman with us, but I suppose you’ll do.”
“……Master Leorino!”
Josef extended his hand toward Leorino.
Leorino twisted around and reached for his guard. But his hand grasped only air.
The moment he was taken by the enemy, Leorino shouted the name of the man he loved in his heart.
…Vi!
In an instant, the man and Leorino vanished into thin air.
“No…!”
Erina’s cry echoed through the hallway.
“Master Leorino!!!”
Josef’s outstretched hand closed around nothing at all.
Leorino had been kidnapped from the Brungwurt estate.