The Final Task of the Forsaken Saint: A Command to Marry the Barbarian Count - Chapter 15

After lunch with Lord Teodoric—err, Dirk—I felt oddly heavy, so I decided to rest. The next time I woke up, the sun was still up, and I was surprised to learn that I had slept through an entire day. Apparently, I had been out cold for that long, and Sarah had been kind enough not to wake me.

“The Lord mentioned it might be due to the lack of spiritual blessings in the area,” Sarah explained. “You were using a lot of magic, and we didn’t want to disturb you. I was just about to call for a doctor.”

Thinking back on it, I had used magic just like I always did, even during the wyvern battle. But without the usual support from the spirits, it had likely drained more of my magic than I had realized.

I was impressed that Lord Teodoric, or Dirk, had such knowledge about magic and its effects. I stretched as I sat up in bed, and Sarah came in, holding a basin of water for washing my face. She seemed tense, standing there with a serious expression.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, noticing her discomfort.

“I’ve heard that you wish to keep me as your attendant. Why would you want someone like me, someone who tried to harm you, by your side?” Sarah asked, her voice full of confusion.

“But you’ve been punished for that, right?” I replied, trying to reassure her.

Sarah nodded silently, but the doubt still lingered on her face. I figured there was no harm in explaining.

“I thought you’d be the type to not fear me, Sarah.”

She blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”

I recalled my time in the royal palace. When I stayed there after returning from the front lines, I was assigned attendants who, while respectful on the surface, often treated me poorly in subtle ways. Some would deliberately tug at my hair painfully while styling it, tighten my corset too much, or suggest ill-fitting dresses that were obviously meant to make me look bad.

“Some servants pretended to be respectful in front of me, but they secretly didn’t like me. They made my life uncomfortable in subtle ways.”

“How could they treat you like that?!” Sarah’s voice was full of indignation. “If that happened here, they’d be dismissed immediately!”

I couldn’t help but smile at her healthy sense of justice. It made me realize that she wasn’t just following orders blindly—she genuinely cared. This was probably why her earlier harsh treatment felt like part of teaching me about Rostock’s ways.

“Yes, yes, but if I made a scene, I’d just end up as the villain and be feared, which would be uncomfortable. But Sarah, I thought you’d be the one person who wouldn’t be afraid of me. That’s why I asked you to stay with me.”

I could tell that Sarah was still processing what I said, but it seemed like she understood. She knelt before me suddenly, her head bowed deeply.

“I sincerely apologize for the offense I caused earlier,” she said, her voice filled with regret.

I was caught off guard by her apology, but before I could speak, she quickly lifted her head. “From now on, I want to see things with my own eyes. Rostock values independence and self-reliance, so I want to make sure I fully understand things myself.”

Her words felt unusually direct and assertive for someone in her position. It was almost the opposite of what I expected from a typical noblewoman’s attendant. But I actually found it refreshing.

“Please, go ahead, Sarah. I want you to call me ‘Lebel’ from now on,” I said, deciding to make things feel more familiar.

“There’s no need for formalities, but if that’s what you wish, I’ll gladly follow suit.”

“Thank you. Now, do you have something from Rostock for me to wear?” I asked, suddenly excited.

Sarah sighed, her face showing a mix of resignation and amusement. “It seems I’ve been too stubborn to see it… but yes, I do have something.”

She pulled out a different set of clothes—a shirt, a dress, and pants, all typical of Rostock’s style. I was thrilled. Finally, something to wear that wasn’t a royal dress!

“I’ll go change now!” I exclaimed, quickly heading to change into the clothes. Sarah politely turned away, giving me privacy.
Once I was dressed, I turned to Sarah, who had a somewhat serious expression on her face.

“Lord Lebel, I believe we should gather the essential items first. You don’t even have the basic living necessities here. Don’t worry though, the Lord has already provided the budget.”
“Wait, what?” I blinked, taken aback by her sudden statement.

She looked at me seriously, and without a moment’s hesitation, she knelt down and began preparing the things I would need.

I couldn’t argue with her persistence. She was clearly trying to make sure I was fully taken care of. The whole process of getting everything I needed took the entire day, and it was exhausting. I didn’t even realize how much time had passed until it was already evening.

Despite the busyness, I found myself oddly calm. It didn’t feel as bad as I thought it would. The life I had in the royal palace, where I was constantly being manipulated and underestimated, was a far cry from this.

For once, I felt like I was in a place where I could truly be myself—no strings attached.