30. Hot and Cold and Jealousy

“I’ll go ask Sylph if it knows anything about these gold coins.”

Having had the unpleasant experience of explaining the invisible Sylph to Sir Lucion earlier, I briefly left the place. I could feel Sir Lucion watching me with a strange gaze as I disappeared.

Come on, have some faith in me, will you?

‘I really need to speed up my practice to reach the spirit materialization stage. At this rate, I’ll truly become the Grand Duchess who talks to ghosts alone.’

“Sylph, I have a favor to ask. Is it possible for you to contact Sylphid?”

I don’t know how to generally communicate with the spirit realm. At my words, Sylph tilted its head and made a “wang!” sound once before disappearing. After a little while, it reappeared with a piece of paper in its mouth.

The anti-fraud magic will remain effective for about 1 year after leaving the space. If you want to trade with those gold coins before then, choose a good-hearted trading partner.
— From Sylphid.

“1 year!”

‘When the female lead opened the vault, there was no such restriction! Is this discrimination just because an extra like me opened the vault?’

Well, at least there’s no clause like 100 years or ‘forever’.

If that were the case, all those gold coins would have become purely decorative with no practical use. Then they could only be used as collateral that couldn’t be paid.

I wanted to proudly tell Sir Lucion that I had talked with Sylph, but only Darius remained in the room.

“These gold coins are enchanted with magic left by one of Grand Duke Inkheart’s ancestors after much thought. As you know, it’s a spell that prevents greedy people from even touching them, and the effect lasts for one year after they’re removed from storage.”

“One year. I’ll have to revise the financial plans for the mansion. It seems we’ll have many opportunities to breathe easier in the future.”

Unlike the greedy me, the morally upright and clean-minded Darius was purely delighted. From his mouth poured plans about what areas to renovate and which fields to revitalize with these gold coins a year from now.

“I wanted to develop larger crossbows specifically for great demonic beasts, but research costs were insufficient. Even after replenishing urgent supplies, we’ll have plenty of money left. By next winter, our defense level will be higher.”

While he talked about getting more horses, providing new armor for soldiers, and cultivating farmland, not once did he mention anything for himself.

“Your Highness, your ancestor didn’t just prepare gold coins for the territory’s people. He also prepared gifts for his descendants.”

I pulled out a sword that had been mixed in with the gold coins. It was the magic sword I had been eyeing closely since I first met Sylphid.

“This is……”

Swoosh.

As Darius drew the sword, a bluish sharp energy radiated clearly. Even to me, with no particular knowledge of swords, it was an impressive blade.

How much more so would it appear to Darius, a swordsman? If Sir Lucion had remained here, he too would not have been able to take his eyes off it.

“It’s a very beautiful sword.”

“I knew the moment I saw it. That this sword was meant for Your Highness.”

The male protagonist stood before me holding what was like his alter ego, the sword he carried throughout the story. My heart raced along with his.

“Do you like it? It’s a friend that will accompany Your Highness on the battlefield from now on.”

He looked alternately at the beautiful sword and me, as if entranced.

“Anette.”

The next moment, he suddenly embraced me without warning.

“D-Darius?”

“I want to name this sword. With your name.”

“What?”

His firm shoulder bumped against my nose. His refreshing scent filled my senses.

“I’ll carry this sword you’ve given me to the battlefield. It will share my meals, and always be by my side like my horse. So if I were to name the sword, I can’t imagine any name other than yours.”

Darius’s voice, which had remained calm even when seeing mountains of gold coins, was now elated. He was intoxicated with ecstasy.

Is a sword such a significant existence to a swordsman?

‘Seeing him so happy makes me happy too.’

No, more importantly, my name is not an option!

“My name won’t do!”

“Why?”

Darius gently wrapped his hand around my hair. His eyes showed no doubt that I would refuse.

True to his role as the male protagonist in a romance novel, he’s quick with his hands in these situations.

‘Of course, the male protagonist’s sword is naturally dedicated to the female lead!’

In the original work, this event occurred after three or four battles. After the female lead’s first cold encounter with Darius, her discovery of Grand Duke Inkheart’s treasure vault, and several battles fought together, this mid-story event finally happened.

〈I want to dedicate the honor of this war to you. To express my gratitude for your dedication and hard work, I want to name my sword after you.〉

Even at that point, Darius didn’t fully trust the female lead, and naming the sword was more strongly a gesture of gratitude for her dedication, so why does he want to name it after me at this point?

This event is significant because he names the sword he always carries after the female lead, and from then on, he keeps thinking of her whenever he looks at the sword! That’s when the camaraderie and trust built up until then transformed into affection!

“My name is too pretty to be given to a sword.”

“Then I’ll use the masculine form. What’s the masculine form of Anette?”

“I don’t know! And the masculine form won’t do either!”

“Why not?”

Darius rarely showed such stubbornness.

“The owner of the name doesn’t like it.”

“Tell me why you don’t like it so I can at least understand.”

Because you’ll be flirting with another woman later using that name, that’s why!

How can he name a sword he’ll carry for life after me?

How will he carry that sword in front of the female lead after divorcing me? I don’t want to be the cause of a love quarrel between the female lead and Darius. Men. They just don’t understand women’s hearts.

〈Darius, is that sword named after your ex-wife?〉

〈Ah, Anette you mean. ……It has no particular meaning, but if it bothers you, I’ll call it by your name from now on.〉

〈Well, I’m upset you didn’t name it after me from the beginning, but please call it by my name from now on! Shout my name the loudest on the battlefield!〉

〈You don’t need to be so jealous, the only person I love is you. Ha, ex-wife? I regret getting married before knowing you. I’m glad we separated quickly.〉

〈Hohoho.〉

〈Hahaha.〉

While they’ll have such sickeningly sweet conversations.

I had absolutely no intention of having my name immortalized in the romance scene between the female lead and male lead.

Darius looked quite disappointed as he gazed at me.

“Is it really not possible?”

“No.”

Darius touched the sword with dejected-looking hands.

“Then I won’t name it. No other name would have meaning.”

“You’ll realize later that there’s a more fitting name.”

Like the female lead’s pretty name.

I don’t know why my eyes turn triangular whenever I think about this.

“A name without your intention has no meaning. I’ll wait. Until you allow me to name this sword after you, or until you name this sword yourself. Until then, it remains nameless.”

Darius whispered to me subtly.

“This is a first. I’ve never asked someone to name my sword before.”

Yeah, I’ve seen you name it after the female lead in the novel.

‘You don’t just do this with me, do you? You’d use someone’s name as soon as you get a little close to them?’

“This sword would be perfect for Sir Lucion.”

I ignored Darius’s spring breeze-like gentle attitude and pulled out another sword from the pile of treasures.

Though it didn’t have special abilities like Darius’s magic sword, it was certainly worthy of being called a fine blade.

With its long blade, it seemed perfect for Sir Lucion with his long limbs.

But at my words, Darius’s eyebrows trembled.

“That sword must not be given to Lucion.”

“What? Why?”

Swords were Darius’s expertise. Wondering if there was some flaw I didn’t know about, I turned to look at him.

“Because the scabbard is red, and red doesn’t suit Lucion.”

“That’s the reason?”

“He’s in the Black Knight Order. Maintaining color uniformity is important.”

“If that’s the problem, we can change this red scabbard to black and give it to him? Let’s gift him a new scabbard along with the sword.”

One of Darius’s eyebrows twitched as if displeased.

“No, it won’t do.”

“Why? Is there a custom in the North that gifting a new scabbard instead of the original one means the recipient will see blood?”

Darius took the sword from my hand almost forcefully and exclaimed.

“It’s too good a sword to waste on Lucion. I’ll take this one too.”

Have I ever seen someone so brazen!

“I already gave you one, Your Highness!”

“I have two hands, so I’ll use dual swords. That’s why I need it.”

“Fine, then a shield.”

“Sometimes I might fight with a shield after using dual swords, so you can’t give that away either.”

Darius quickly snatched away the mirror-like silver shield.

“Then boots……”

“Lucion bought new boots a few days ago. There’s no need to give him more.”

I finally exploded in anger.

“Fine, fine! How petty, really! Take all these, Grand Duke! I’ll have new ones made at the blacksmith. I’ll have a full armor set custom-made for Sir Lucion!”