Chapter 538: Chapter 538- Delicia’s Past (2)

The door closed behind her with a dull thud. Delicia stood there for a moment as if waiting for something or someone, maybe a footstep.

However, nothing. The house was as quiet as it could be. Her husband Karl was not here, his boots were missing by the entrance.

“…Of course,” she murmured and slipped off her boots and entered the house. The exhaustion she had been holding back all day finally seeped into her bones, and she couldn’t help but slump into the couch.

Today, of all days, she had hoped, no, expected him to be here. As usual, he was absent. She had noticed that Karl left home every single day and came back late at night, even later than her.

What’s more, it has been going on for a while. It was not like he had gotten any job, so what was he doing all day?

“Argh.”

Her hand moved to her forehead feeling its temperature. She had told her superior that she wasn’t feeling well and wanted a leave.

It wasn’t a lie. Her body felt heavy, sluggish, as if something inside her refused to settle. But the real reason was still clawing at her chest.

This morning in the training field. The array.

Delicia slowly pushed herself off the couch and walked towards her room. The house was spacious and big, a gift from her commander.

It used to be quite beautiful, clean, and maintained. Karl used to handle all these things since she was always busy with her knightly duties. Yet now, dirt was starting to accumulate around the edges of the house.

Trying not to think too much, she climbed onto the bed to get some rest. However, sleep eluded her. She couldn’t help but stare at the ceiling and recall the scenes of this morning.

The moment the array activated replayed in her mind like a loop. The projection that appeared in front of everyone, the subsequent words of her commander.

“Divine Beast: Void Pupa, Element- Holy, Class- Unknown, Low tier.”

At the time, she had forced herself to remain calm. She even walked back to her station as if nothing big had occurred. However, only she knew how shaken she was.

Those words from commander struck deeper than any blade. Delicia’s fingers dug into her sleeve.

It was a loss, she failed again. Unlike her comrades who had successfully showcased their affinity with powerful beasts, the one summoned was clearly weak, not to mention a failure.

It was also the reason why the commander did not even bother to explain about her beast.

Just like she thought, she was useless.

“I am the weakest member of the squad, I’m holding everyone back.”

At first, she could easily catch up to the progress of Kevin and everyone due to her previous experience as a knight. Yet that edge was slowly starting to disappear as all of them were getting closer to level 6.

Worse, it had been more than half a year since she was healed of her injuries, and during that time, she was barely able to reach level 5. Her previous level seemed like an unsurpassable goal.

There was no mistake; she was reaching the limit of her growth.

“Will I be abandoned once again?”

A droplet of tear streaked down from the edge of her eyes. She was afraid that the people she called comrades would ask her to leave the squad. Afraid that the Commander who had invited her to his order would abandon her.

This was the reason why she worked so hard every single day. Yet even after all that, her worst fear was becoming true. She was starting to fall behind.

At that moment, her vision blurred. Tears she had been holding for so long finally broke free.

While enduring the silent fear, she drifted to sleep at some point in time.

.

.

By the time her sleep was over, it was already late evening. Sky had turned dark, and the streetlights were the only thing illuminating the streets outside.

Just then, the faint sound of the door opening reached her ears.

Delicia got up from her bed and came down. Just as she expected the one to enter was none other than Karl.

The latter after spotting her, froze in his steps near the entrance.

“…Y-You’re home early,” he spoke, his eyes avoiding hers.

Something about him seemed suspicious. His clothes were disheveled, his expression tired and sunken. He looked thinner and intoxicated with the heavy smell of alcohol coming off of him.

Delicia stared at him; it was obvious that he was avoiding her.

“I took a leave.”

Karl nodded stiffly. He then moved toward the inner room and came back out soon after.

“Where are you going?”

Seeing that he was putting back his shoe again after grabbing something from the house, she couldn’t help but question.

“I have some work. Don’t wait for me and go to sleep.” As if that explained everything, he quietly slipped out of the house.

Every day, every night, he would slip out like that without telling her anything. Delicia stood in her place and sighed. At first she thought that he had gotten some job, but his actions later suggested otherwise.

Where was he going so late at night? Although she wanted to follow him, her body wasn’t feeling well. She decided to lie back down again when there was a knock on the door.

The knock came barely a minute after Karl left.

Did he forget something?

She made her way over to the door and peered through the peephole out of habit.

Standing outside was a tall, handsome figure with straight posture, golden hair, and a conspicuous presence.

The person outside was none other than…

“Commander?” For a second, her heart skipped a beat.

Then, feeling happy and relieved in her heart, she straightened her clothes instinctively before opening the door.

Reinhardt stood there, no armor this time, wearing a coat dusted lightly with snow.

In one hand, he held a neatly packed bundle.

“May I come in?”

“O-Of course! Please.” Delicia stepped aside almost too quickly.

Inside, he glanced around once at the quiet interior before placing his eyes on the woman next to him.

“Did you eat anything?” he asked, lifting a large paper bag in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other.

Grrrrrl… Before Delicia could answer, her stomach betrayed her first.

“I… that… I mean…” With face burning crimson, she tried to explain, only to fail miserably.

Looking at her cute antics, Reinhardt smiled warmly. “I’ll take that as a no.”

Together, they moved to the dining room.

“You are a guest in my house, Commander. I should…”

Before she could finish, Reinhardt had already rolled up his sleeves.

“Just sit back and relax. I know my way around the kitchen.” Saying that, he moved past her with practiced ease, unpacking the food, setting plates, pouring water.

Seeing him work, Delicia fell into a daze. At this moment, he did not look like the legendary Divine Paladin, the hero everyone revered. He looked like a simple man living his life.

That said, even in this simplicity, there was something about him that drew others.

Delicia sat there infatuated.

“Delicia?”

At his voice, she jolted back to reality. “Y-Yes?!”

“Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

With that, the two sat near each other and ate in relative peace.

The sounds of cutlery, the pour of wine, and the exchange of talk. Soon, the atmosphere around the room became quite warm and lively.

It was on the second glass of wine that he leaned back in his chair, swirling the crimson liquid. His gaze was no longer on the food, but pinned on her.

“Delicia, you should know that I didn’t come here only for the dinner.”

Delicia’s body stiffened. Scenes from the training today flashed in her mind.

“It’s about this morning, the summoning array.”

Just as she thought, he was here for that. Delicia’s fingers tightened, her nails digging into her palm.

“I know, my summoning was a failure, you said so.”

It took all the courage she had to squeeze out those words. She thought that he was here to criticize her.

Reinhardt arched his brows. “I never said that your summon was a failure. I said it was low tier. However, at that time, I did not explain everything.”

Delicia who had her head slumped down, looked over at him.

“What do you mean?”

Probably used to being too comfortable around him, she was only wearing a thin negligee at this moment. Plus, due to slouching in her chair, the mesmerizing sight below her neckline was completely visible for Reinhardt to enjoy.

“Your summon is not weak, it is restrained.”

He clarified, taking in the view in front of him.

The generous swell of her breasts, the shadowed valley between them that was now completely exposed to him, it was all a mesmerizing sight.

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