Chapter 54

"Magics Rue Litt Arnier O Dona Barmilue Stiris Umt La Yenbriyore!"

The final drop, glowing red with magic, was successfully absorbed into the cloudy crystal. I measured the residual magic of the creature lying in the magic circle to confirm it was safe. Since the magic meter showed no reaction, it was a success.

"You can enter the magic circle now."

"Thank you for your hard work, Melfiela-sama."

Chaos, who had been watching the process of extracting the magic, bowed to me and then called in the knights and kitchen staff waiting outside. The makeshift work hut, created using an empty shed, was soon filled with people.

"Wow, what a magnificent Bergnion!"

A cute woman exclaimed as a particularly large Bergnion, which was being carried out to have its feathers plucked, passed by. She was Reina, the 'Assistant Kitchen Head' in charge of the Midleag kitchen.

"I didn't expect you to accept it so readily. Thank you, Reina-san."

When I thanked her, Reina shook her head and became flustered.

"W-We were also very interested, a-and the Kitchen Head is very enthusiastic, so please look forward to dinner!"

"Yes, the food here is very delicious, so both I and the Duke are looking forward to it."

"H-Hai!"

"By the way, I can smell something very fragrant from outside..."

I thought the Bergnion, being a bird-like creature, was being prepped by burning its feathers. However, the smell was very fragrant and appetizing.

"Oh, that's the bones of the Bergnions that were prepped earlier being slowly roasted. The Kitchen Head said he would make soup with them."

"Bergnion soup! Hehe, I'm happy to hear it will have lots of vegetables. I love the rich vegetables here."

"I-I understand! I'll tell my father... I mean, the Kitchen Head!"

Reina bowed energetically and left the room with a shy smile. A soup made with well-roasted bones and lots of vegetables would be very nourishing.

(Well, I need to hurry too.)

I started cleaning up the magic equipment to help with the Bergnion's prepping. After the morning's battle against the Celestial Wolves, many Bergnions, which had been hit by the dragon riders when the magic barrier was lifted, had fallen. I thought it would be a waste to feed all of them to the carnivorous riding beasts, so the knights suggested they wanted to eat them to vent their frustration, and we decided to select the ones that had died with their necks cleanly cut for prepping. Incidentally, the ones that had touched the magic barrier and turned black were to be used as fertilizer.

"Chaos, do the Bergnion feathers have any use?"

I was curious about the destination of the feathers after plucking, as in Galbreath, materials taken from creatures were often sold, and I wanted to know about uses other than eating.

"Flight feathers are used for arrows. Others might be used for brooms or decorations. This is the first time we've had to process so many Bergnions, so the down feathers might also be usable if they are of good quality."

"Oh, down feathers!"

In the cold region of Martial Raid, down feathers were a valuable material. Down-filled pillows and blankets were essential for the cold winter.

"Thank you, Melfiela-sama, for indulging the knights' whims. Will you still help?"

"Yes, I want to experience the dissection of the Bergnions."

"Um... Do you have to go back to the Duke's room?"

Chaos, who was helping with the cleanup, stopped and looked at me.

"The Duke is sound asleep now. He must have been very tired."

"Melfiela-sama, you must be very tired too, starting with my early morning treatment."

"I'm full of energy. Chaos, aren't you tired from using unfamiliar ancient magic? You should rest..."

I thought of the Duke, who, after receiving a bandage, immediately fell asleep on my lap with the words, "Can I lie down for a bit?"

◇

After treating the Celestial Wolves, the Duke, who had re-erected the magic barrier, returned to his room and received a merciless treatment from Chaos. After removing his shoulder armor and upper clothing, a wound like a split ripe fruit was visible on the Duke's left shoulder. The deep, jagged wound was painful to look at.

"What is this? Did the Celestial Wolf's claws get in?"

After carefully cleaning around the Duke's shoulder wound, Chaos poured purifying water directly onto the wound.

"Ugh... Who pours it like that right away!"

While complaining, the Duke accepted Chaos's treatment. It looked painful just to watch. However, I held the Duke's right hand tightly and did not look away.

"Aristide-sama, you'll hurt your lips if you keep biting them."

The Duke was biting his lip to endure the pain. Noticing this, I touched his lips with my fingertips and gently stroked them. The lip was red and clearly marked with tooth marks.

"Does it hurt?"

For some reason, the Duke froze and said, "Thank you, Melfiela-sama," in a way that didn't quite make sense. Chaos, who had been treating the wound, completed the bandaging with a brisk efficiency. The left shoulder was firmly immobilized with the bandages. The ointment used to speed up the healing process seemed to be magical, and it had a strong, effective smell. Chaos told me that the Galbreath knights, who often had minor injuries, were actively researching the medicines they used.

"Here, Your Excellency, it's done."

"Huh, oh... What? My arm won't move."

The Duke, who had been dazed, blinked and tried to move his left arm, noticing the discomfort.

"The wound was quite deep, so you'll have to bear with it until it heals."

"I can't work like this."

"You can still use your right hand. Since Melfiela-sama is taking care of you, it's best to indulge a bit."

Chaos was right. I wasn't skilled in such treatments and had to rely on others, but I could help with the care. I could assist with changing clothes, meals, and even bathing. Feeling motivated, I nodded, and the Duke mumbled, "W-Well, occasionally."

After cleaning his limbs, Chaos forced the Duke, now in clean clothes, to sit on the bed.

"I don't need to sleep!"

"Would you prefer to be tied to the bed? If you rest, I can rest too, so please do it for me."

Chaos's blunt words left the Duke speechless. He grumbled and turned away, and Chaos nodded in satisfaction before looking at me.

"Then, Melfiela-sama, I'll leave the rest to you. I'll go check on the Celestial Wolves, so don't worry about the rest."

"Take your time," I said as Chaos left the room, leaving me alone with the Duke. I wasn't sure what to talk about, but the atmosphere wasn't unpleasant. I decided to make some scented tea and let go of the Duke's hand.

"Melphi, stay here."

But my hand was grabbed in return. The Duke was still looking away.

"I was going to make some scented tea."

"Stay here, please."

As I moved closer to the bed, I met the Duke's eyes, which were looking up at me with a pouting face. It was a new perspective since I usually looked up at him.

"Really, you all worry too much."

"Even the citizens take a day off every seven days. The Duke works late into the night and only takes short naps, not proper sleep."

I placed my hand on the Duke's shoulder and pushed him down onto the bed. Normally, I wouldn't be able to move him, but he fell onto the bed with surprising ease. I sat at the edge of the bed.

"Today, I woke you up early because of me. After that, you worked a lot, so it's fine to take a nap."

"Monsters don't consider our schedules. When we go out, the duties of the lord tend to be delayed."

"...I'm not a knight, so I can't help with rough tasks, but I can assist with desk work. To become a proper Duchess, I'll gradually learn."

The Duke turned to look at me. "You are already a fine person," he said, moving his body and placing his head on my lap.

"Can I lie down for a bit? I'll borrow your lap."

The Duke's head was on my lap. Realizing this, my heart started beating rapidly.

"Hey, the pillow is over there!"

"I prefer this side. The warmth of a person is soothing just by being there."

"O-Okay, if it soothes you, that's fine."

The Duke took my hand and guided it to his head, and I instinctively stroked his hair. Seeing him close his eyes in contentment, I gently combed his hair, as he sometimes did for me. The primary duty of a Duchess is to comfort and soothe her husband, the Duke. If the Duke found comfort, I was willing to lend my lap as many times as needed. Besides, the Duke's hair was silky and felt very pleasant to touch.

"Hey, Melphi."

"What is it, Duke?"

"What do you think of Galbreath? You were attacked by monsters soon after arriving, and then again today. This isn't unusual. If you're scared, it's okay to say so."

While stroking the Duke's hair, I spoke honestly about my thoughts.

"I am scared. The thought of the Duke and the knights getting hurt is the most frightening."

"Me?"

"Yes. The thought of the Duke and the knights getting hurt is the most frightening."

"...Then, I can't push myself too hard."

"Yes."

The Duke seemed to be thinking about something and fell silent. After a while, the weight on my lap felt heavier, and I looked at his face.

(Oh, he really fell asleep.)

I pulled the blanket over to cover his large body so he wouldn't get cold. I continued to use my lap as a pillow until Chaos came to call me, looking apologetic.