Chapter 123-124 – Agnes' True Feelings
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The day after I spent the night with Kiella, I was supposed to return to the barracks first thing in the morning. But I ended up delaying my departure.
The villagers held a small farewell party to thank their former lord for all her help. It was unexpected and a bit embarrassing, but I couldn't turn down their kind gesture. I enjoyed a delicious meal and only set out for the castle later that night.
Of course, I traveled alone.
Kiella needed more time to wrap up her duties as lord before joining me at the castle. Still, once she returned, she would hold significant influence as the Supreme Court Justice—a position with real power inside the royal palace.
"Whew…"
As soon as I stepped into my room at the barracks, I took a deep breath.
Though it was still just an old corner in the basement, it felt like home. I hadn't been here in a while, and just being back gave me a sense of peace.
'I should take a shower… no, not yet.'
Instead of washing up, I left my room. Since I had to report my return anyway, I decided to use the opportunity to visit Agnes.
The hallways were quiet. It was late at night, and the barracks were silent.
My footsteps were light as I headed toward the leader's room. I felt strangely excited at the thought of seeing her after so long.
Still, I didn't want to wake anyone, so I moved quietly through the halls.
'How will she react when she sees me?'
Maybe, just like last time, she would be eager to release all her sexual frustration she had built up.
It had only been three days back then. But this time, I'd been gone nearly three months. She might be even more desperate now.
Before I knew it, I was standing in front of her door.
I knocked, part curious and part hopeful.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
"Agnes, it's been a while."
"Dayke?!"
Her eyes widened when she saw me walk in. But her surprise faded quickly, and she composed herself, clearing her throat and sitting down.
"Thank you for being away from the barracks for such a long time."
Her tone was more reserved than I expected.
"Yes. I won't have to go back to that village anymore."
"So… the situation with Kiella is resolved?"
"That's right."
"I see. You've worked hard."
This time, Agnes spoke calmly. There was no sign of the surprise or eagerness I had anticipated. I thought she might be thrilled to see me or ask for everything we had missed. But her reaction was strangely subdued.
'Did something happen while I was away? Or maybe today's training had worn her out.'
"By the way, I brought you something."
"Hm? What is it?"
I handed her a turquoise hair tie. It had a brighter, cuter design than the ones she usually wore.
"This is…??"
There was no special meaning behind it. I found it while browsing the shops in Lake Village and remembered that Agnes often tied up her hair.
She usually wore plain ones, but I thought this would suit her. With her beautiful face, a more decorative accessory would complement her look.
"I just thought it would look nice on you."
"Thank you. I'll use it well."
She stared at the hair tie, clearly surprised by the unexpected gift. I hoped it would cheer her up a bit, but after a moment, her expression returned to its usual blankness.
"I'm planning to patrol the forest tomorrow. Will you be joining? If you're tired, it's okay to rest."
"No, I'm fine. I can go with you."
"Alright. Understood. Then go back and rest."
"Huh? I'm really leaving?"
"Yes. Get plenty of rest for tomorrow."
I was taken aback. Things hadn't gone at all the way I imagined.
Still, there was something firm and unshakable in Agnes' demeanor. That quiet strength left me feeling strangely intimidated, and in the end, I had no choice but to return to my room, still puzzled by it all.
.........
.........
The next day, as Agnes had mentioned the night before, the knights left the barracks to patrol the forest.
While I'd been away, there had been two goblin sightings. But it hadn't turned into a serious problem.
Thanks to my efforts, the guards now had enough information about goblins and experience dealing with them. They managed to handle it without the knights needing to intervene.
Of course, things would be very different if an ogre showed up. In that case, we'd need to be far more careful to avoid a repeat of what happened last time.
'Still, how do they keep showing up?'
According to the app, goblins and ogres were demons from another world. They shouldn't even exist here in the Kingdom of Elora.
No matter how much I thought about it, the way they crossed into this world remained a complete mystery.
But right now, something else was puzzling me more than the appearance of demons.
It was Agnes—who was paired with me for the patrol.
"…"
The girl walking beside me hadn't said a word, but her mood was obvious.
Her brows were furrowed. Her cheeks were slightly puffed, and her lips were tightly pressed together.
Just like yesterday, she didn't seem to be in a good mood today either.
'I thought she was fine when we were talking with the other knights earlier… So why is she like this now?'
Realistically, I had no reason to care about how Agnes felt.
She had committed a serious sin against me and became obedient to pay for it. In simple terms, she wasn't much different from a slave now.
And yet, maybe because we'd grown closer during our time together, I couldn't ignore her sour expression.
'Is she mad at me? Did I do something wrong?'
For some reason, her mood kept nagging at me—like a husband who forgot his wedding anniversary.
'But she came out wearing the hair tie I gave her yesterday… So maybe it's not because of me?'
Still, I knew I wouldn't get any answers just by wondering.
So I decided to speak up.
"…Agnes, listen."
"Say it."
"Did something happen? You've seemed really upset since yesterday."
"It's nothing."
Her response was quick and sharp. Then silence followed again.
After a while, she finally spoke.
"Even if there is a problem, it's something I need to figure out and solve on my own. You don't need to worry about it, Dayke."
So she was admitting that something was bothering her. But since she said it so firmly, it was hard to keep pressing for details.
Honestly, there were ways I could force the answer out of her.
Agnes couldn't disobey me. If I really wanted to, I could make her talk.
But even if she had been someone like Kiella, I wouldn't want to do that to her.
"…"
In the end, a strange silence hung between us for the rest of the day.
And even after we finished our patrol, I still had no idea what was troubling her.
.........
.........
[POV Change]
"Ha…"
After her shower, Agnes let out a long sigh, still undressed and standing quietly.
'Why did I act like that… like a fool?'
She was regretting how she had spoken during the patrol earlier that day.
Back when Dayke was still Alvin, she had condemned him for his prejudice against elves—and ultimately played a part in his death. She knew she was now in a position to pay for that sin, yet she still felt guilty for treating him so coldly.
'But when I see his face, I just can't help it…'
What she felt was disappointment.
It hurt to think that Dayke had been away for three months without sending a single word to her.
Of course, logically, she understood.
To Dayke, she was just one of many tools in his plan for revenge.
She was a sinner and a slave. Someone who had no right to complain about how her master treated her.
'I know it shouldn't matter. I know that…'
She had once said that just three days apart from him would leave her burning up with desire. But now, after months of being alone while he carried on as if nothing had changed, her heart felt heavier than ever.
Yet, even as those emotions weighed her down, her longing to be embraced by him only grew more overwhelming.
"Dayke…"
She stepped over to the mirror and picked up the hair tie she had left on the table after her shower.
It was the first gift she had ever received from him—something that had filled her with happiness and gratitude.
She had hoped it might lift her spirits, but instead, it brought back memories of the long, lonely nights she had spent waiting.
"Ugh…♥"
At the same time, the heat in her lower abdomen refused to go away.
As always happened when she waited for Dayke, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight without easing that desire herself.
Climbing into bed, she settled into a familiar position. Her right hand moved between her legs, while her left held tightly onto the headband—the only thing that made her feel even slightly closer to him.
.........
.........
[MC Change]
I lay in bed, unable to sleep, replaying the conversation I had with Agnes earlier that day.
'I can't ignore this. I'll have to ask again what's really bothering her… Wait!'
A sudden idea struck me, and I sat up to turn on my phone.
'I can just check the app.'
One feature of the app, called Corruption Status, not only shows an elf's corruption level but also provides additional details about their condition.
If something unusual happened to Agnes, this function would reveal it.
'Of course there's something.'
I carefully read the information about Agnes's current state.
It was painful to realize I had neglected Agnes. From Agnes's point of view, it was understandable to feel hurt. Yet, she seemed to just pretend nothing happened and keep going.
'So this is what's been going on…'
Neglect was definitely the right word for the situation.
When I decided to stay longer in Lake Village, I had only asked Kiella to send a letter to the Queen. I hadn't contacted Agnes at all.
'Still, this is surprising.'
Despite Agnes's usual gentle and mature image, this side of her was unexpected.
But it didn't feel unpleasant.
Seeing this new, honest side of Agnes was bittersweet. It meant she was still following me, even through disappointment.
'I should have checked the app a long time ago.'
Worrying without realizing such a simple solution had been pointless. Now that I understood what Agnes was feeling, I needed to go and comfort her.
After all, managing a slave's emotions was part of a master's responsibilities.
I got out of bed and headed straight to Agnes's room.