If you wish for a married couple's duties (LK adaptation)

Chapter 87: Night Of The Festival (7)

"The kid was very smart, as you've said. He could even memorise the entire road."

Lalisa smiled quietly at Paul's visibly agitated appearance.

It's been around an hour since Jan escaped from this place.

By now, he should have appeared with the Duke as she'd expected, but given that there's still no signs of them, it seems like something has happened.

"It's alright."

But even if Jan hasn't arrived at the ducal castle yet, and even if he hadn't met the duke, it was fine.

After all, the duke will find her eventually.

"T, t-that can't be..."

Paul tried to deny the reality that was right before his eyes, but it didn't work.

He, who was unwilling to continue speaking, shook his head while his chin trembled mercilessly.

In fact, from the moment he heard that the duchy's knights were searching the inns and the area they were staying at, he had a hunch.

He wasn't entirely sure, but it seemed like something had gone wrong.

"You, you..."

A mouse that was forced into a corner would bite a cat.

Without a place to direct Paul's anger, it turned towards the duchess before him.

"Yes, from the very beginning, it was all because of you."

Everything, from being fired from his job, which he was doing just fine in, to losing an arm.

"If it weren't for you, there's no reason that I would be doing this."

There were times that he'd even felt proud and thought of it as an important task.

Lalisa stared at him silently.

"...Don't look at me like that."

Paul became agitated by her gaze, which seemed to be looking at him with pity.

That lowly barbarian lass looked at him with that same gaze as she did during their first meeting.

No, she wasn't the only one that looked at him with a pitying gaze.

So did Sir Nate, so did the Duke of Esbaden, so did his new master.

He was willing to do all kinds of dirty work, but they'd treated him as an unsightly and lowly person.

Yes, in the end, they were the same kind of people.

"D*mn it! Go and di-!"

Just as Paul's eyes became confused, and was about to swing the mace at Lalisa.

"Geughhh!"

With a strange cry, the weapon in Paul's hand fell.

It was because a huge arrow pierced through his knee.

"Ack, arghh!"

Paul grabbed his knee and screamed.

"I was aiming for your head, but I missed."

Lalisa's expression brightened at the voice that she found extremely welcoming.

"Jungkook!"

The Duke, Jungkook, stood in the middle of the side path towards the forest

With a rather fierce look.

* * *

"Catch all those present and drag them here. Check if the goods are here too."