THIS KID REALLY...
that lady gave me a hat~ hehe~
PLEASE DON'T SCOLD HIM...
DON'T LOSE IT.
I ACTUALLY FOUND OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THAT LADY FROM EARLIER!
THAT LADY...
HAS A REALLY PRETTY SMILE.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY, INCREDIBLY PRETTY!
"THAT LADY HAS A REALLY PRETTY SMILE."
WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES,
THE MEMORIES OF TODAY RUSH BACK EVEN CLEARER.
THE DAZZLING SCENERY
SHOWN TO ME BY THE PERSON WHO SAID HE HAD NOTHING TO GIVE,
THE HALF- FINISHED STORY HE TOLD ME,
AND THE SWEET CHILD WHO SECRETLY FILLED IT IN AND COMPLETED IT FOR ME.
A HUG,
A BRIGHT SMILE...
MY HEART WAS OVERFLOWING.
AS IF I WERE SUBMERGED IN A BEAUTIFUL ILLUSION
THAT MIGHT SWEEP ME AWAY AND MAKE ME DISAPPEAR.
A PURE SOUL...
UNYIELDING PRIDE AND RIGHTEOUS CONVICTIONS...
BOLD COURAGE...
UNFADING VITALITY...
MERCY, NOBILITY...
...YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH QUALITIES TO BE A PALADIN.
EVERYTHING YOU POSSESS POINTS TOWARD THE SANCTUARY WITHOUT A HINT OF HESITATION.
...FOR SOME REASON, A THICK FOG IS BLOCKING THE WAY, BUT...
BUT...
YOU ARE LONGING FOR SOMETHING...?
I WONDER WHY...
THE SANCTUARY IS SO CLOSE...
WHAT IS MAKING YOU HESITATE...
WHILE GAZING AT THE SOUTHERN SKY...
THE BEING YOU TRULY SERVE IS NOT OUR GOD.
GOD MUST NOT HAVE BEEN UNAWARE OF THIS,
SO WHY DID HE CHOOSE YOU AS A PALADIN?
"WHEN YOU YOURSELF ARE BOUND TO FORSAKE THAT MISSION...!"
IT STILL FEELS LIKE I'M DREAMING.
THE FACT THAT YOU, WHO SEEMED FOREVER UNREACHABLE,
STAYED BY MY SIDE,
AND THAT I DARED
TO HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS.
OH MY, YOUR GRACE...
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE...
THE N-NOVEL I READ ALL NIGHT
W-WAS SO SAD AND TOUCHING...
I'M TOO EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT THAT I CRIED BECAUSE THE WORLD IS SO BEAUTIFUL...
DON'T WORRY, YOUR GRACE.
Slice up some cucumbers soaked in glacial water and get them ready!
Go to Corin and get the Evening Primrose Balsam that works wonders for swelling!!
Yes, Ms. Cecia!
ah... she's so reliable...
THE SPECIAL BALSAMS CORIN MAKES ARE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, SO YOU'LL GET BETTER IN NO TIME.
Even if he lacks in other areas, his skills in his field are the best.
MY EYES FEEL VERY REFRESHED...
PLEASE REST LIKE THIS FOR A BIT. AFTER WE FINISH DRESSING YOU UP, I WILL ESCORT YOU TO THE PROMENADE.
UM... CECIA.
I HAVE SOMETHING I'M CURIOUS ABOUT...
ASK ME ANYTHING, YOUR GRACE.
HOW OLD IS HIS GRACE?
...AH...
WELL... THAT IS A DIFFICULT PIECE OF INFORMATION EVEN FOR ME TO KNOW.
SINCE THERE'S NO REASON FOR A SUBORDINATE TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT THEIR LORD'S AGE.
TH-THAT'S TRUE...
Does age really matter for a man?
Especially if he has the looks, abilities, and character to back it up, like His Grace does.
Y-Yes, of course...
BUT HE...
PUT AN AGE LIMIT ON IT...
SHALL WE HEAD OVER TO THE OFFICIAL RESIDENCE AND SEE HIS GRACE ONCE BEFORE YOUR WALK?
PARDON...?
B-BUT MY EYES ARE...
WITH A F-FACE LIKE THIS...
The swelling will go down quickly if you rest a bit. I will also help you get beautifully dressed up.
...AH...
I-In that case...
Just trust me!
HAVING WATCHED HER CLOSELY, HER GRACE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE RUMORS.
BECAUSE OF THE RUMOR THAT SHE HAD AN UNREQUITED CRUSH ON LORD CASSIUS,
I WAS WORRIED SHE MIGHT PREFER A MATURE MAN WITH A FAIRLY LARGE AGE GAP, BUT...
OUR DUKE ISN'T EXACTLY YOUNG EITHER.
ABOVE ALL, THE MOST HOPEFUL THING IS...
THAT HER GRACE CARES ABOUT HER APPEARANCE IN FRONT OF THE DUKE.
Even though her-eyes-are just slightly swollen.
DON'T YOU THINK SHE'S CONSCIOUS OF THE DUKE AS A MAN?
HMM... THAT IS INDEED A VERY GOOD SIGN.
WHEN IT COMES TO NOTICING FEELINGS, HER GRACE MIGHT BE MUCH MORE RELIABLE THAN HIS GRACE.
EVEN SO, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT INTROVERTED MAN WILL BE ABLE TO EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS.
I WONDER IF THOSE TWO, WHO ARE AS EMOTIONLESS AS STONE STATUES, WILL EVEN BE ABLE TO LIE IN THE SAME BED BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS...
IT SEEMS HIS GRACE IS STILL AS STUBBORN AS EVER.
HE'S SOMEONE WHO STILL SLEEPS ALONE IN A SHABBY ROOM EVEN AFTER INHERITING THE TITLE.
THAT INFLEXIBLE AND STUBBORN NATURE OF HIS
SEEMS TO BE EVEN WORSE WHEN IT COMES TO MATTERS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.
I WOULD NEVER DARE TO ENGAGE IN SUCH AN ACT.
AN ACT WITHOUT LOVE
IS NOTHING MORE THAN BEASTS MATING.
EVEN IF THERE IS NO LOVE, ISN'T THERE RESPECT?
HOW CAN ONE DO SUCH A THING WITH SOMEONE THEY RESPECT?
IT SOUNDS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE AND DISGUSTING.
AH... DEAR GOD...
PLEASE, ONE DAY, THROW THIS MAN INTO A FIERY PIT OF LUST...
THE HIGHEST MARTIAL GROUP THAT PROTECTS THE CONTINENT'S RELIGION, RAENE, ITSELF. THEIR QUALIFICATIONS ARE DETERMINED BY DIVINE REVELATIONS AND THE CONSTELLATION COUNCIL (SUPREME COUNCIL OF PRIESTS), AND THEY ARE APPOINTED AFTER PASSING VERIFICATION BY THE HIGH PRIESTESS. EVEN IF THERE IS A VACANCY, IT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY FILLED, SO IT IS RARE FOR ALL 12 POSITIONS TO BE OCCUPIED. THEY DO NOT SWEAR AN OATH OF LOYALTY TO THE HOLY KING, AND THEY PRACTICALLY HOLD A HIGHER RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY THAN THE DIVINE ROYAL GUARD. THEY CARRY OUT THE CHURCH'S MISSIONS THROUGH INDEPENDENT ACTIVITIES AND CAN COMMAND THE DIVINE ROYAL GUARD IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY. WHETHER THEY HIDE OR REVEAL THEIR IDENTITIES IS DETERMINED BY THEIR OWN WILL AND THE CONSTELLATION COUNCIL.
PALADIN
DIVINE ROYAL GUARD
THE DIRECT ROYAL GUARD UNIT THAT PROTECTS THE HOLY KING AND THE ROYAL FAMILY OF LUCIDORIA. THEIR MISSION INVOLVES THE PHYSICAL DEFENSE OF THE NATION, FIGHTING ON THE FRONTLINES AGAINST HEATHENS, AND DEFENDING THE SANCTUARY, FOR WHICH THEY SWEAR AN OATH OF LOYALTY TO THE HOLY KING. HOWEVER, THEY WITHDREW THEIR OATH OF LOYALTY DURING THE RECENT LUCIDORIA REVOLUTION. NOBLE FAMILIES CONSIDER JOINING THE DIVINE ROYAL GUARD A GREAT HONOR AND PRIDE OF THEIR HOUSE. COMMONERS CAN ALSO JOIN IF THEY POSSESS OUTSTANDING QUALIFICATIONS.
ROCHE NOIR DUCHY AUTONOMOUS DOMAIN OF CARDONIA
HOLY LUCIDORIA AS THE SANCTUARY OF THE CONTINENT'S RELIGION, RAENE, IT HAS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROTECTORATE. AFTER THE ROYAL FAMILY FELL DUE TO THE HOLY KING'S CORRUPTION AND THE REVOLUTION, A REGENT SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
CARDONIA EMPIRE A MASSIVE HEGEMONIC STATE COMPOSED OF A CENTER RULED BY THE EMPEROR AND INDEPENDENT AUTONOMOUS DOMAINS. HOWEVER, IMPERIAL POWER IS GRADUALLY DECLINING, AND THE CENTRAL CONTROL IS WAVERING.
RIEN BELGARDE DE LUCIDORIA THE FOURTH DAUGHTER OF THE FALLEN BELGARDE DYNASTY.
LYSIAN KRAISEN DE ROCHE NOIR THE SECOND SON OF THE ROCHE NOIR DUCAL FAMILY. DIVINE ROYAL GUARD -> PALADIN -> REGENT OF THE DUCHY -> CURRENT DUKE.
Clockwork Lovers Chapter 11 opens with the Duchess waking up with swollen eyes and rushing to get ready before seeing the Duke. Sweet memories of the night fill her heart — the hatted boy's smile and embrace; in the morning she recovers with Cecia's care, wonders about the Duke's age while the servants gossip about their marriage.
