The Final Task of the Forsaken Saint: A Command to Marry the Barbarian Count - Chapter 34

“Bring me those letters.”

“Y-yes, of course!”

Marque left in a flurry, only to return quickly with a tray stacked with letters. The bundle was placed on the polished table, and I saw that each envelope was addressed to me. I had no idea why there would be letters for me, so I looked at them and then at Dirk, puzzled.

“These are all thank-you notes from the villages you visited for monster subjugation. Since they were formal letters, I checked them beforehand, and they all express deep gratitude,” Dirk explained.

“What!?”

“Also, several villages have indicated that they wish to send you their local specialties once the harvest season begins. They want you to taste their finest produce.”

I stared in shock, glancing between the stack of letters and Dirk’s gentle eyes. With a slight nod of encouragement from him, I gingerly picked up one letter and opened it. Sure enough, it was from a village I had visited, filled with earnest words of gratitude.

I had only been doing my job, fulfilling my duties without expecting anything in return. To be thanked so sincerely left me bewildered. The handwriting was often clumsy, making it difficult to read at points, but the messages were clear: “Our crops are safe for harvest!” or “My son was saved!” And, as Dirk said, there were promises of, “We will send you our prized produce!”

I didn’t know what to do. My mind spun with the unfamiliar sensation of being genuinely appreciated.

Dirk stood up, surprised by my reaction.

“Lady Rubel? Are you all right?”

“I, um…”

The reason Dirk was blurring before me became clear when I felt a tear roll down my cheek. He kneeled beside my chair, hesitantly placing a comforting hand on my back.

“I don’t know why… I’ve rarely been thanked so openly. It’s overwhelming, I guess.”

“—It must be that you’re happy, aren’t you?”

Happy. It wasn’t just surprise; it was joy. When Dirk’s gentle words clicked into place, a flood of tears came pouring out.

“I-it’s just… so nice…!”

I pulled the letter away from my face to keep it from getting wet, contorting myself awkwardly. But no matter what, the tears wouldn’t stop, falling onto my lap in steady streams. I wished I could stop crying, but Dirk’s warm hand on my back only made the tears flow harder. I wasn’t normally this tearful, so why couldn’t I stop now?

“I’m glad it wasn’t a burden…”

“No one would think that.”

“But… they did! Still, I kept doing it… because I couldn’t stand the thought of people going hungry, so I pushed on!”
“I see. You really are strong.”

“I’m really, really strong… so I don’t cry…!”

Even as I babbled incoherently between sobs like a child, Dirk listened and nodded, continuing to pat my back.

“Yes, I know. But it’s all right to be happy now, isn’t it? You’ve earned it.”

“It is…! It really is…!”

I hadn’t done these things for recognition; I’d done them because it was my duty. But deep down, I realized that being thanked wasn’t something I ever truly disliked. And Dirk, without a hint of impatience, stayed by my side until my tears finally subsided.

When I returned to my room with tear-swollen eyes, Saria took one look at me and gasped.

“What has Lord Dirk done to you?!” She was ready to march in and confront him before I managed to stop her and explain what had happened. When I showed her the letters, she softened, her expression shifting to one of understanding. She even brought me a beautiful box to store them in.

Lying on my bed, I read through the letters again and again. Each word filled me with warmth and joy, making me wish I could do even more to keep those people smiling.

“The apple compote was so good… and they said they wished I could try their freshly squeezed juice too.”

The villagers had been hesitant to offer raw apples, worried about their appearance. But I knew that if spirits visited the villages, even just for a while, the barren lands could start to flourish. The apples from that village were better than the ones I’d tasted from the palace gardens.

Sitting up on impulse, I thought, “Maybe I could invite the spirits… Would that be okay?”

The spirits loved the heart of the Dead Demon’s Forest, where they were free to play. Even if they wouldn’t stay permanently, just a brief visit could make a difference to those struggling lands. But as I swung my legs off the bed, Dirk’s words echoed in my mind.

‘—Preparation is necessary.’

“That’s right. Spirits are no small matter. I should talk to Dirk first.”

No matter how well-intentioned my actions, Dirk was the lord of Rostock. I wanted to do something for him and his people, but it would be foolish if my efforts only caused trouble.

“I don’t want to be like that foolish prince… So everyone, this has to stay secret for now.”

I placed a finger to my lips and whispered to the spirits floating around me. They blinked in agreement, their lights twinkling like stars.

‘Secret!’

‘Fun!’

Satisfied, I tucked the letters back into their box, cradled it against my chest, and lay down. The memory of Dirk’s touch came back to me, and while it made me blush, I couldn’t help but feel comforted.

“Dirk’s hands… were so big.”

Tomorrow, I would talk to Dirk about it. With that thought in mind, I drifted off to sleep, a smile on my face.