IYAMD 175

IYAMD 175

Ashley Amarante. The woman, who was once well-known in the social circles, was still very beautiful even in her worn-out state. However, her eyes, empty as if her soul had left, and her gaunt face, which had been neglected, gave her a blurry impression.

While Marsilia was in a meeting with the mayor and others discussing the appearance of ogres, Jaha spent time in Mrs. Ashley’s room. He did not engage in any conversation with her, who showed no reaction. He simply sat across from her, with a cup of tea between them, passing time without speaking.

The chocolates Jaha had brought from the capital for her remained untouched, placed like a picture.

Jaha stared at her face, which seemed like a hollow, lifeless tree. Was this what it felt like to lose the will to live?

Worrying about Marsilia, who might project himself onto Arnold, Jaha, instead, found himself projecting onto Mrs. Ashley. At the same time, he acknowledged that there was nothing he could do. He knew this because he had experienced it himself.

To live, one must want to live, and regardless of what triggered it, she had to grasp onto that will and escape the place she was trapped in.

Jaha’s own trigger had been Marsilia. Every time Marsilia’s green eyes looked straight at him, every time their gazes met, something unknown would stir in Jaha. At first, he didn’t like him, but he was clearly aware of him. Whether the feeling was good or bad, he couldn’t ignore the presence of the large man before him.

Though the process was long and complicated, it was Marsilia who had made Jaha start to want to live. So, shouldn’t something similar arise for her? Even if she had lost her loved one, she still had grown children left. Three sons, in fact. The eldest, Arnold, had inherited the title of count and stayed by her side, while the second and youngest were away on business in their fief.

But even with family by her ​unauthorized copy​side, what could a stranger like Jaha do for someone who had let go of the thread of life?

Jaha thought it was arrogant to believe that a person could change another. His own change through Marsilia was just a fluke, and it wouldn’t be the solution for everyone.

It was a difficult situation. He didn’t want to ignore her, but there was nothing he could do—stuck in a dilemma. It felt like being wrapped in something heavy, falling into a deep, empty abyss, utterly powerless.

After the tea had cooled, Jaha stayed in the room for a while before standing up as the sun began to set.

“Madam, it was nice meeting you.”

He bid her farewell. He would remain here until the ogre issue was resolved, but he had decided not to visit her again in the meantime. If he couldn’t do anything, there was no need to dwell on his own helplessness.

Still, a small sense of empathy made it hard for him to turn his back on her immediately. He knelt before her, placing his hand gently over the one she had resting on her thigh.

The lukewarm temperature of her hand gradually merged with his, becoming warm. Jaha looked at her hand and then lifted his gaze.

“Madam, I hope we can meet again someday, smiling. I hope the day comes when you recognize me, and I wish you always stay healthy. Sincerely.”

Gripping her hand firmly, Jaha stood up, leaving with a sense of regret in his heart.

Returning to his assigned room, Marsilia greeted him.

“Is the meeting over?”

“Yeah. Apparently, a wolf pack has been appearing in the forest since last year, and there weren’t enough wild animals to feed the ogres, so they started coming down to the villages.”

“How many wolves are there?”

“From what the guards have gathered, at least 50.”

“That many?”

Marsilia stretched and shared the details he had heard from the guards. Jaha, while listening to him, naturally climbed onto the sofa, sitting on Marsilia’s lap and embracing him.

Even when properly dressed, Marsilia’s body always felt hot, and Jaha felt it particularly because of his own relative coldness.

He closed his eyes, fully leaning into the man’s warmth.

“The group gathered from different places might have united. It’s possible they chose the area strategically because of the large monsters like ogres. If not…”

“There’s also a chance that a stronger wolf dominated the other groups,” Marsilia added, clicking his tongue. “The fact that the pack has grown suggests a lot of things.”

“Is it becoming complicated?”

“There are a few things we need to think about. First, it’s likely that the wolf pack moved because there wasn’t enough room for wild animals in other areas. Or it could be that, due to a lack of food caused by large monsters, they moved here.”

In any case, it seemed that monsters were largely to blame. Marsilia said that the wolf pack could have moved quite far, which was troublesome because they didn’t know where they had been or where they would go next.

“Let’s just take them all down.”

As Jaha casually responded, Marsilia ruffled his hair and chuckled softly.

“You probably noticed on your way here, but this place isn’t exactly rich in wild animals. It’s not that there are fewer than other places; it’s just that the prey is significantly lacking to handle wolves of this size. As time passes, the damage to the people of the territory will inevitably increase.”

“Then should we hunt the wolves as well?”

“Usually, the local lord would organize a hunting competition to control the population… but the problem here is the forest is too vast.”

Maybe because there’s a possibility that other monsters are hiding here as well, Jaha thought. Holding the man who was lost in thought, he patted his back.

“We’ve already contacted the knight order through the communication stone, so we’re free to leave anytime.”

“Shall we leave tomorrow?”

When Jaha raised his head with a bright expression, Marsilia asked in surprise.

“That soon?”

“I can’t do anything about Lady Amarante’s condition.”

Only then did Marsilia realize that Jaha had become downhearted, and he wrapped his arm around his head and pulled him closer. Hearing a soft chuckle, it seemed he was enjoying it.

“Don’t get excited and laugh when someone else is down. It’s annoying.”

Jaha muttered, burying his face in Marsilia’s shoulder, and Marsilia coughed awkwardly before changing the subject.

“Getting excited and laughing? That’s wrong, Jaha. I was trying to comfort you.”

“Yeah, right.” Jaha heard him sniffle and then softened, caressing his back as he whispered.

“I mean it. It hurts my heart to see you like this.”

When Jaha raised his head, he saw the man’s dimples still visible, unable to hide his smile.

“Stop smiling and say it.”

Marsilia, unable to hide his deepening smile, covered his chin with one hand.

“You’re cute.”

“How can you find it cute when someone else is weak?”

However, Jaha realized that he was no different.

“Well, I find it cute when you pretend to be weak… ‘I guess we are in the same boat,’ isn’t it?”

“Oh, I know that one. It means we look alike, right?”

Jaha lifted one corner of his mouth and moved Marsilia’s hand away from his face.

“No, you fool.”

“Then what does it mean?”

“I won’t tell you.”

Jaha kissed his cheek and whispered mischievously.

“Because I don’t want you to speak the Eastern language so well.”

“Why don’t you want me to?”

“So I can’t use it to insult you later.”

Heh. Marsilia made a strange sound, as if finding it ridiculous.

“Just do it. You still say everything in the Western language anyway. What’s the matter now? You still remember calling me a fool, right?”

Jaha, grinning, rubbed the man’s cheek as he smiled shyly.

“They say only real fools get upset over being called a fool.”

“It’s not that I’m upset, it’s that you don’t filter your words. So just stick to what you’re doing.”

“I’ve been trying to be careful lately. I can’t call anyone a fool in front of the kids.”

“I remember hearing it a few times in the twins’ room already.”

Hmm. Jaha made an awkward face and turned his head away from him.

“Can we just let it go?”

Marsilia, not the type to let an opportunity slip, followed him and whispered as Jaha pulled away.

“Maybe if you kiss me, I’ll forget.”

Anyway, this man would be the biggest flirt in the empire.

“Lecher.”

When Jaha called him by his nickname, Marsilia whispered in his ear nonchalantly.

“I’m just asking for a kiss.”

Jaha’s eyes narrowed sharply. This man sometimes brings trouble upon himself.

Marsilia, who had his eyes closed and his face leaning in, didn’t realize Jaha was making that expression. So when Jaha bit his upper lip hard enough to hurt, Marsilia truly looked startled, opening his eyes wide.

Jaha thought he had won, but he had underestimated Marsilia too much.

When Marsilia, enduring the pain, opened his mouth as if not wanting to miss the chance, Jaha realized that, in the end, it didn’t matter who kissed whom first with this man.