My Wife Waited in the Wheat Fields

Chapter 65:

Like any other member of the Seven Great Powers, Ygrett Valentia also grew up in an exceptional environment and demonstrated her talents from a young age.

Born to a father who was a master of the Magic Tower and a mother who was the head of a prestigious magical family, she awakened to mana at the age of five, began studying Circle Magic at the age of seven, and excelled in it by fifteen.

Her innate attribute was fire, and when she delved deeper into it, it was an explosion.

Her nickname, “Flame Ygrett,” was decided at a very young age because of the spectacular blooming flames she conjured.

That’s why she was arrogant.

She was filled with confidence in her own strength, and she believed that no one could surpass her.

She maintained this attitude even after war broke out.

She rose to the ranks of the Seven Great Powers on the continent, boasting terrifying magic that made siege weapons look like children’s toys.

She was perfect in terms of strength.

In terms of appearance, if you set aside her small stature, she was a woman full of unique charm, making her a perfect human being.

But, if there was one flaw she had…

“So, my daughter, when are you getting married?”

Ygrett didn’t know love.

Now well past the appropriate age for marriage, she was still pure, and her parents often wondered if she intended to live the rest of her life as a celibate priestess.

There was one reason for this.

“I want to marry someone better than me. If not, he should at least be at my level.”

As mentioned earlier, Ygrett was an exceptional woman who lacked in nothing—be it strength, power, or appearance. Even if a prince or crown prince from any kingdom was brought before her, none could satisfy her.

Kasha was the man who appeared in the midst of this.

An unknown mercenary, he was a battlefield ghost who wielded a sword simply to die.

The worst calamity brought about by the Western War.

Walking death.

At first, it was personal curiosity.

Just how extraordinary must a person be to earn the title of one of the Seven Great Powers with only their body and a sword in such an era?

How could he annihilate an army of thousands armed with guns and bows all by himself?

“If you’re curious, you should find out. Isn’t that right?”

It so happened that the place where he operated, Chebor, bordered Kalbaran, where Ygrett was stationed.

That’s how Ygrett met Kasha.

“Child, go home instead of staying on the battlefield.”

“Eek!”

She was kicked in the behind.

Even while slaughtering hundreds of elite soldiers at a speed they couldn’t perceive, he nonchalantly knocked her out.

He showed compassion toward her because she appeared childlike.

The surroundings were peaceful, and that day, Ygrett thought to herself, ‘Does this guy like me?’

To reiterate, Ygrett knew nothing about men.

She knew nothing about love and nothing about romance.

Despite the chaos of slaying countless people on the battlefield, she perceived the fact that he spared her life as a sign of affection.

From that day on, Kasha became someone Ygrett couldn’t stop thinking about.

In the midst of her uncertainty, her family egged her on.

“Daughter… at this rate, our family line will end!”

Their pleas to marry soon, without further delay, and their willingness to accept any suitor, only made her think of Kasha more as she pondered potential partners.

‘There’s no one as strong as that guy….’

However, when it came to actually considering him as a marriage partner, her pride got in the way, and so from that day forward, Ygrett began to test Kasha in various ways.

She wanted to be sure of his strength.

The results were astonishing.

“Lady Flame! Kasha blocked a barrage of two thousand arrows with his steel shield and slaughtered the archers!”

He blocked thousands of steel arrows and wiped out a defensive army.

“Lady Flame! Kasha broke through an army of three hundred cavalry, three thousand infantry, a thousand archers, and a hundred musketeers all on his own!”

He single-handedly annihilated an army that could be considered the strength of a small northern kingdom.

“Lady Flame! Kasha cut through a massive destruction spell cast by a brigade of five hundred mages with his sword!”

He cut through magic with his sword.

By then, even Ygrett had to admit it.

‘Hmm, at this point, he’s worth marrying, right?’

To be honest, she wasn’t sure about her personal feelings for Kasha, but his strength was undeniable.

He would be suitable as a marriage partner, and their children would be strong as well.

There would be no rumors of infidelity.

‘That guy likes me, doesn’t he?’

And that wasn’t all.

At that time, there were frequent reports on the battlefield that Kasha spared the lives of child soldiers.

Since he liked children, she thought he would be good at child-rearing as well.

‘Hmm, I’ll accept him, especially.’

Ygrett had made up her mind to accept Kasha’s affection.

Reflecting on it, she felt a sense of relief.

Of course, she didn’t reveal this to anyone around her, because she was embarrassed.

“Hey, let me know when Kasha shows up at the next battlefield. I want to participate.”

“As expected of Lady Flame! To personally step forward for the nation!”

“That’s not… well, does it matter?”

She figured she could explain it later and went on leisurely.

Maybe that was the problem.

“Kasha has gone missing! There’s a report suggesting he might have effectively retired from the battlefield….”

“What the fuuuuuuck?!”

Kasha’s disappearance.

It was news that made Ygrett’s temples throb.

“Find him! Go find him! Hey! Bring that bastard Gold over heeeere!!!”

‘Why did he suddenly disappear?!’

Considering he stayed near minor countries close to Kalbaran where she was, it seemed like he was trying to get her attention.

Did he sulk because she didn’t reciprocate?

Did he want her to come and get him?

Unaware of the circumstances as an elf, she suddenly found herself lost in such thoughts.

There was no other choice.

She’d have to show some compassion and give him a chance to confess, at least once.

With that mindset, she searched for Kasha, and that led her to this day.

Whoosh!

The flames surrounding her subsided.

Ygrett had flown for three days straight and arrived at Wiven.

“Wait for me, you cheeky bastard.”

A smirk curled up on her lips.

* * *

As part of her childhood etiquette classes, Ygrett had memorized which kingdoms and territories were located in different parts of the continent.

Thus, it wasn’t difficult for her to find her way, but there was another issue.

‘Mana exhaustion… Damn it.’

After three days of nonstop accelerated flight, her mana was completely depleted.

To recover, she needed at least a few hours.

Clicking her tongue, Ygrett pulled her red robe over her head.

She then looked around.

“Wow, what a backwater hole.”

It was the kind of place that made one utter such an exclamation, as if drawn on a canvas.

To describe it, one might say it resembled the outer regions of the Empire a hundred years ago, far from the capital.

‘So, he’s hiding out in a place like this.’

She had thought he was just a mindless sword-swinger, but it seemed he knew how to devise a strategy after all.

Indeed, in such a rural area, he would attract little attention.

It would be easy to hide his identity, especially if he was part of a family.

‘The Portman family.’

Edward had definitely mentioned that.

She didn’t know the details, but it was probably a noble family.

Given the scruffy and unkempt appearance he had on the battlefield, there was a high possibility he was doing odd jobs like a coachman or a woodcutter.

She didn’t know what kind of family they were, but they were rather pitiable.

‘Did they know they had a monster who could easily slaughter hundreds or thousands just by picking up a sword?’

For some reason, she felt a sense of duty.

Even though she was a stranger, she felt a duty to rescue the Portman family.

Ygrett’s crimson eyes blazed.

Now, she needed to find out the location of the Portman family.

It happened at that moment.

“Hm? The lady is out alone today.”

“Yeah, usually she’s out with Elric.”

“Elric, you mean the lord now.”

“Well, it’s strange to suddenly change how we address him just because that rascal became the lord.”

The information reached Ygrett’s ears.

Some villagers at the entrance of the village were talking among themselves.

Following their gaze, indeed.

‘Is that woman a Portman?’

A woman draped in a glossy black fur cloak was looking at items in front of a general store.

She was blonde with green eyes.

Ygrett’s first impression of her was simply this:

‘She’s really pretty. Is she even human?’

She was so beautiful that it elicited a small laugh.

Ygrett had met quite a few beautiful women in her life, but this woman’s simplicity felt more captivating than those elaborately adorned women.

‘Or was it mystique? Purity? Sensuality?’

She wasn’t sure.

She thought of several adjectives to describe beauty, but none seemed fitting on its own.

Whoever her husband was, he was truly blessed.

‘Did he capture a demon king in a previous life?’

Even if someone said her husband was the reincarnation of the hero who captured a demon king millennia ago, Ygrett would believe it.

‘No, enough with the admiration.’

Ygrett snapped herself out of her daze and strode forward confidently.

‘So, all I need to do is follow this woman.’

That way, she’d encounter Portman.

And Kasha would be there as well.

“Excuse me.”

Feeling rather cheerful, Ygrett addressed the woman standing before her.

She pulled her robe down deeper over her head.

“Are you Portman’s wife?”

The woman’s gaze turned toward Ygrett.

At that moment, as their eyes met up close.

‘…What is this?’

Why is her heart beating so fast?