Rubica was worried about her husband as much as he was worried about her. After the doctor concluded she was fine, Ann said she had to have some sleep, but she got up from the bed.

“Their conversation is taking too long…”

“Because they had a lot to discuss, including what to do with Stephen.”

They seemed to be having a discussion in the conference room.

‘He must be trying to take care everything now as he can’t meet people during the daytime because of his curse.’

While the doctor was examining her, he asked why Edgar was suddenly able to walk, and she just said it looked like his legs had been paralyzed for a few hours.

However, she feared they might not be able to keep the secret forever. Edgar had told her briefly about it, but he must have kept a few things to himself in order to not worry her.

“Ann, could you bring Carl here?”

She now needed Carl, the butler who was always concerned about his master. At least he wouldn’t make things sound positive just to avoid worrying her.

He would rather plead with tears, begging her to save Edgar, and describe the situation as tragically as possible.

“Your Grace, do you need anything?”

Although he seemed a little tired, Carl came immediately to Rubica’s summon. Then, she made the others leave the room and went straight to the point.

“I want you to tell me everything you know about Edgar’s curse.”

“Hasn’t he explained it to you himself?”

“He has… but he sounded like he was leaving out everything that I might worry about.”

That sounded possible, considering Edgar’s personality. Carl didn’t say anything for a moment. If he told Rubica what he knew, an enraged Edgar would definitely scold him.

However, would it be right to hide the truth from her? He decided that will be a problem for later, not immediately.

“I will tell you every detail I know.”

Just as Rubica had expected, Carl told her everything she wanted to know about. He even said things she didn’t ask about.

In less than an hour, she knew everything, including how things had been when Edgar was born and the top-secret of Seritos running out of mana stones. In the end, she had to stop Carl’s from talking.

“So, anyway, his curse is still on its course, right?”

“Yes…” the butler put his hands together and replied politely.

Rubica put a hand on her forehead and thought calling Carl had been the right decision. She knew Edgar would have hidden the facts if she had asked him.

“I knew it, it’s not just about the shortage of mana stone.”

“However, in my opinion, there is no need to develop the weapon anymore.”

“Oh, I think so too. We don’t need Stella to fight Ios.”

She shook her head as she thought of the dragon who could be either stupid or naïve, or both.

It would be faster to convince him somehow than to make a big gamble called war.

Even if he wouldn’t let Seritos farm on his Golden Land, if he would only let them go through it and use it as a trade route, the kingdom would be able to survive for some more time.

“Actually, they are talking more about Ios than Sir…”

He almost said ‘Sir Stephen’, just out of habit, but he stopped there.

“That bastard. Everyone is demanding to know how a dragon showed up. For now, the duke has made them promise to keep the secret.”

Ios had been careless enough to show his true self in front of the people, and Rubica put her other hand on her forehead as well.

Edgar’s improvisation could let them keep the secret temporarily, but what would happen from now on was the real problem.

“Edgar must see the king to decide what to do about this, right? I want to be with him.”

“He won’t like it.”

Edgar had already refused the king’s offer to meet her more than once, and she knew it.

“I will have to meet the king one day. If I keep avoiding the audience, I will not be able to do anything. I must explain to him why we cannot make Stella.”

“I agree.”

The king might not trust her or order Edgar to make the weapon nevertheless.

She didn’t want to make Edgar handle it all alone, and Carl was glad to see her so full of courage.

Instead of despairing about the sudden hardships, she always tried to find a solution and move forward.

“Minos said the blue gem in my ring is Iber’s tear.”

“The dragon who’s slumbering in the north mountains?”

“Yes. Do you know anything about it?”

Carl shook his head, but then he stopped.

“The late Duke Claymore met his wife for the first time in there.”

“Really? Why were they there?”

“The duke was there with his men to find mana and dig mana stones, and I don’t know why the late duchess was there.”

Rubica still felt like she was lost floating in the wide ocean, but now she found a few straws. What kind of relationship did the dragon and the nymph have?

It was a problem that was related to a slumbering dragon, but she had a clever goblin and a dragon by her side, although the latter wasn’t particularly helpful.

“Please send a message to Jackal Bank and tell them I want to meet Minos again.”

“I’ll do it right away.”

Carl, who could also see some hope, was a bit too excited.

“But not now, Carl. It’s too late. You can send a message tomorrow. You should go and get some sleep.”

“I cannot sleep when the duke is awake.”

Rubica just smiled and didn’t force him anymore as Carl insisted she was the one who had to sleep.

Her eyelids had been fighting to go down for some time, and it had been bothering him. She hadn’t been able to sleep for almost two days.

However, she was worried about Edgar and said she would wait for him.

“Ann, please bring a chair so that she will be able to rest while she waits.”

Ann read what he meant by it and quickly brought a rocking chair. As soon as Rubica sat on it, she could feel her body relaxing. Its gentle swaying was so comfortable.

“Umm.”

Too late, she realized she had been tricked by the butler and the housekeeper.

However, the sleep was already coming over her and she couldn’t resist it. She couldn’t leave the chair and had no choice but to fall asleep.

***

After a long time spent in tension and tiredness, you cannot rest for long even when you get the time for it. Your body remembers that it should stay tense.

Rubica opened her eyes only a few hours later. She had been moved in the meantime and she was now on the bed.

‘Yes, that chair was a scheme!’

She jumped to her bed. The world was bluish outside, so it had to be early morning. It was quiet, so the meeting must have ended and the people must have gone back.

But sadly, her husband wasn’t with her. He had gone to his office as usual.

‘He must be very tired…’

She was more worried than disappointed. Did the man ever rest?

‘He could have said he was tired and rest here for one day.’

He always had large burdens on him. He deserved to put down everything that stressed him, like his complicated researches and politics, and take a day off.

Of course, there were several people who could come and demand to meet him without caring about his condition, but Rubica was sure she could defeat them with Carl.

She could say she will bring his meals herself and stop the maids from coming into the room. She wanted to be alone with him like that for a whole day, not on a small bed but on her huge and comfortable bed….

She blushed hard at her sudden thought.

“No, no.”

She shook her head and tried to push the thought away. Actually, it was a memory, not a thought.

“I just want Edgar to sleep comfortably.”

She recalled his broad chest, sturdy back, and his strong arms. His deep, blue eyes that were fixed on her face during the whole time.

And his hands that caressed her softly, but sometimes not so gently…

“Beast!”

Rubica didn’t know if she was talking about him or about herself.

She had to spend some time with her head in her hands to calm down. Then, she opened the door to call her maids.

“Your Grace, what is it? Has someone trespassed into your room again?”

Two men took out their swords and yelled as soon as the door was opened. They were wearing armors instead of the uniforms a guard knight usually wore. Rubica was very surprised to see them.

“No, no. I just woke up.”

“I see. We will call your maids for you, so please wait.”

It seemed like security had been improved. However, was it necessary to have armed knights right in front of her door?

Then, she recalled the fact that she had been abducted only two days ago. Still, it seemed like a bit too much, but she just thought they would soon stop doing it.

She, however, didn’t know it was going to happen every day from now on.