The Forgotten Field Novel - Chapter 166

## THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL) – Chapter 166

He remained staring in silence for a long time at the tip of the pen, which had stopped moving. The ink that had leaked from the tip had formed an ugly smudge on the surface of the letter. He crumpled the paper with indifference and tossed it aside, while the man continued speaking with concern:

—However, it seems that bad rumors are circulating around Her Highness the duchess due to that wolf. And apparently, there is also frequent friction with the subordinates of the ducal house.

Varkas frowned as he opened the drawer to pull out a fresh sheet.

—Friction?

—Ah, it is not a conflict on a serious level. Nonetheless, since that wolf is highly aggressive… it seems the soldiers feel terrified —he replied, scratching the back of his neck in confusion.

Varkas fixed him with a sharp gaze:

—Has that creature inflicted any harm on those around it?

—That has not been the case. I watched it closely during my stay in Kalmore; it limited itself to growling and showing its fangs to intimidate its surroundings —the man denied quickly—. It is a being that possesses formidable protective instincts and a sense of possession toward its owner. It seems to deeply loathe anyone approaching Her Highness the duchess. It remained calm as long as no one drew closer to her than necessary. It follows Her Highness very well and is extremely intelligent; it did not seem like a creature that would attack people at random —the man spoke at length as if defending it, then took a breath and added in a low voice—: However, given its enormous size… the mere fact that it growls makes those around it feel a threat to their lives, and that is the problem.

Varkas looked with reflective eyes at the pile of letters stacked on one side of the desk. He too was aware, to some extent, that inconveniences were beginning to arise because of the Direwolf. Reports had begun to arrive from the subordinates he had stationed to protect her, which contained polite complaints about the wolf.

And his response to them was always the same:

“If any sign of a threat to her safety appears or if it inflicts direct harm on those around it, use force to suppress it. However, as long as it causes no real harm, leave it alone.”

Since that wolf’s head was still attached to its body, it meant it had not attacked anyone, at least until now. Therefore, he had no intention of taking any measures for the time being. He could tolerate the complaints of the priests or the vassals regarding the raising of a mana beast. As long as she was happy, what did it matter if she raised a demon instead of a beast? If only Talia would get well…

In that instant, the image of her crying under the rain flashed in his mind like a burn mark. He shook away those images lingering on his retina and indicated to the man to withdraw with a frigid tone:

—If you are finished with your idle chatter, withdraw. You must leave the valley before nightfall.

—No, if it was you who asked me and then… —the man grumbled in annoyance, then let out a resigned sigh and turned toward the exit. Suddenly he stopped, as if remembering something, and extended an object toward him—: I almost forgot. I came to deliver this.

Varkas narrowed his eyes as he looked at the scroll of parchment in the knight’s hand.

—What is this?

—A dispatch sent by His Highness the crown prince.

He took the scroll with a face devoid of expression. The dispatch contained a direct proposal demanding his participation in the assault battle against Blodar, written in the orderly calligraphy of the secretary. Varkas scanned the words with a cold gaze and paused on the last line:

[“Remember the oath you made”].

He stared intently at the words, then placed the letter over the flame of the candle. He indicated with his chin to Edrick Robon, who was watching him in open-mouthed astonishment:

—It is over, leave now.

The man parted his lips as if he wanted to say something, but left the tent in silence.

Varkas loosened the collar of his official coat, which was suffocating him as if it were a gallows rope. Above the candle flame, the letters on the paper began to contract and move like tiny insects. He watched that for a while, then dipped the dry pen into the inkwell once more.

There would be no siege battle in Amasik. As soon as the emperor proposed negotiations, the Eastern Union would open its gates wide to welcome the imperial army. Nonetheless, to appease the complaining Garis, it was necessary to show some seriousness by mobilizing the troops at least.

Varkas wrote at the end of his letter destined for his subordinates that he intended to return before the conclusion of this year’s summer, and sealed it with wax. By the time this missive reached Laidgo Castle, the course of the war would already have been decided. And he was determined to make it so at any cost.

—

Above a world that had become blurred, a pale light poured out. And toward him, who remained standing and alone at the entrance of a completely white orchard, a woman pale as a ghost extended a white hand through whose skin the veins showed.

—Why do you stand there without moving? Come here quickly.

He raised his gaze toward the black-haired woman who stood with her back to the sun. No, perhaps her hair was not black. He had never seen this woman’s real color. In a world tinged with black and white, he could only distinguish that she was a figure with a highly marked contrast in the shadows.

The woman drew an affable smile on her lips and urged him gently:

—There is no need to worry. This place is safe.

Her tone was that of someone soothing a frightened animal.

He stepped into the orchard slowly. Among the carefully pruned bushes, a marble gazebo appeared. And beneath it, on a divan, sat two young children very close together, who stared at him with wide eyes.

The woman wrapped her hands around the shoulders of the two children and said with pride:

—Say hello. They are my children. To you, they are like younger siblings on your relatives’ side.

He approached the gazebo and looked closely at the two little siblings. Both possessed dark hair and large eyes, but the impression each left was completely different. The boy looked extremely angry about something, while the girl with braids looked as if she were going to burst into tears at any moment.

He looked with a confused face at the girl’s sorrowful countenance. Suddenly, the little one with chubby cheeks burst into a sharp cry.

—Ayla.

The woman hugged her daughter in bewilderment and patted her small back. While he watched that in silence, something sticky struck his body with a thud. He turned his head. The boy, whose face was stained with soot, was throwing pieces of sticky cake from the table at random.

—I hate you! Get out!

—Garis! What are you doing?!

At the woman’s shout, the maids waiting at the side of the orchard rushed over and surrounded the boy to calm him down. He, covered in sticky sugar lumps, waited until the situation, which was nothing short of absolute chaos, subsided.

Finally, when the girl’s crying ceased, the woman handed her over to the maids and approached him.

—I am so sorry, Varkas.

Then, she pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sugar syrup and cream from his face. Her dark eyes shone with tears right in front of his nose.

—Oh, what a mess. I will severely scold Garis.

—… I am fine.

He opened his lips, which he kept firmly shut, because the woman seemed deeply remorseful. At that moment, the woman’s eyes widened in surprise and then curved into a sweet smile. Her reaction was baffling. Why was she so happy?

—Your tongue has finally spoken. I was worried that you were going to remain silent for the rest of your life.

He frowned. He limited himself to keeping quiet simply because he did not feel the need to speak; he did not expect her to believe that he had become mute.

—Come, follow me. I will give you new clothes.

She took his hand and pulled him with a smile so naive on her lips that it was unbelievable she was the empress of the Empire. With every step he took behind her, he saw his small shadow lengthening gradually. And the sound of his light footsteps began to grow heavy little by little.

—

Suddenly, he found himself standing before the door of a spacious bedroom, wearing a “surcoat” robe embroidered with the emblem of the Empire’s knights. He adjusted his clothes and knocked on the door lightly with the back of his hand. Before long, a familiar voice came from inside:

—Come in.

He pulled the doorknob, revealing before him the silhouette of a warm bedroom, decorated with antique wooden furniture and rugs. As he scanned the room while taking a few steps inside, his view stopped at the window.

The woman sitting in front of the balcony was looking outside with a lost gaze, then she turned toward him and drew a pale smile on her lips:

—Thank you for coming.

In that instant, he perceived the scent of death.

—I heard you tried to commit suicide.

The smile disappeared from the woman’s face at his words, which came out as a reproach. He added harshly toward her pale face:

—Why did you do such a thing?

—Why I did it… I don’t know myself —the woman murmured with an absent face—. Everyone says I did it… and to tell the truth, I have no memory. When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying in bed.

Her empty gaze returned toward the window:

—Why would I have done it? Was I expecting that person to repent upon seeing me die? Or did I wish for him to realize my worth when it was already too late? —She murmured as if speaking about someone else’s story, then let out a hollow laugh—: The ladies-in-waiting surrounded me and sobbed loudly… and despite that, I was only searching for his face. Very foolish, isn’t it?

He did not answer anything.

The woman saw a reproach in his silence, so her face became distorted and broke:

—You will never understand me. When I saved you from that place for the first time, I felt so much pity for you. I wished to heal you in any way possible, you, who had stopped feeling anything at all.

—…

—But now… I envy you so much.

Chapter 166

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