Kiana Married Life (Patreon)

Chapter 34: Releasing Inner Emotions

At this moment, Rita and Durandal were gazing at the blissful couple below, who were happily greeting them.

Strangely, they both felt as though they had lost something… as women.

Though Durandal had always seen Kiana as her carefree younger sister, and though Rita regarded Kiana as a simple-minded creature who grew wild under Durandal’s protection, the inexplicable sense of defeat gnawed at them—how could they lose to such a single-celled being?

Now Rita understood why Durandal, despite her composed exterior, had crushed the beer can and bent the metal railing with her grip.

Though it felt like they had lost in some sense, at the very least, they needed to maintain an air of elegance on the surface.

Watching the two figures disappear into the house, Durandal suddenly slumped as though all her energy had drained away.

“….”

“Ah, it’s so frustrating! Why did my silly little sister get to find such a good man first?” Durandal’s frustration seemed to hit its peak as she ranted on.

“She’s still the same goofy Kiana from back in that audio recording, yet how did she get so lucky…”

Rita’s mouth twitched slightly as she opened her mouth, wanting to console her captain.

But when it came to matters of emotions, the maid was equally clueless, so she found herself at a loss for words, like a character from that famous painting The Scream…

“Damn it! Why didn’t I meet him first?” Durandal tossed the empty, crushed beer can over her shoulder, landing it perfectly in the trash bin on the balcony.

“Otherwise, the one drinking alone on the balcony right now would be that idiot Kiana! And the one pregnant… would be me!”

“!!!” Rita’s eyes widened in shock. “Miss Durandal, d-did you hear what kind of nonsense you just said?”

At this moment, Rita felt that the Durandal standing before her, someone she had watched grow up, seemed like a complete stranger.

Could this truly be the same Durandal who was usually cheerful and bright like the sun? Did she really have such a dark side to her?

And what’s more, was this really something Rita could hear without paying for it? The sheer amount of shocking information was overwhelming…

The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

After an indeterminate period of silence, Durandal leaned against the railing, resting her head on her hand.

The position accentuated the perfect curves of her figure, emphasizing her femininity.

However, at that moment, this perfect woman gazed sorrowfully at the bustling city below and said, “Rita, you felt it too, didn’t you… when you saw that man?”

“Miss Durandal… what are you talking about?” Rita’s gaze grew evasive.

But all she received was Durandal’s piercing hawk-like stare. “It’s really strange. At first, I thought Kiana’s weird mental illness had infected me too.”

“I never expected there to be another person even sicker…” Realizing she wasn’t the only one experiencing these feelings, Durandal now regarded Rita with the expression of a fellow patient.

“I noticed it from your behavior during the day.” Durandal spoke calmly.

Rita could only sigh in resignation. “You really are something else, Miss Durandal. Nothing can escape your keen eyes.”

“Don’t praise me too much.” Durandal waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not that capable; it’s just that we’ve grown up together, so I know you too well.”

“Although you always wear a smiling mask on the outside, when it comes to strangers, you always maintain a clear boundary. You keep a line drawn in your heart, never allowing others to easily cross it and reach the real you.”

Durandal’s analysis was precise.

“Even with me and Archbishop Otto, you’ve always had that boundary—though it may be very close to your heart, there’s always a tiny gap remaining.”

“Is that so…” Rita lowered her head and pressed her hand against her chest.

Even through the thick layers of fabric, she could feel her heart pounding fiercely within.

People often say that the one person who doesn’t fully understand you is yourself.

Perhaps only those closest to you can truly see who you are.

Rita murmured softly, “Miss Durandal, this line you speak of…”

“With that ‘Captain,’ you don’t seem to have any defenses at all… especially when you call him ‘Captain.’”

Durandal recalled the moments from the past few days. “When you’re with him in the kitchen, you’re simply Rita, not the perfect maid of Schicksal, not the vice-captain of the Immortal Blades, not the relentless hunter feared by enemies, nor the scythe-wielding reaper.”

Although the last two titles sounded rather ominous, Durandal could indeed sense that Rita, her longtime partner, had transformed into her true self in those moments with Xiang Lai—a real woman, someone without the burdens of titles or labels imposed by others.

Hearing Durandal’s words, Rita fell into deep thought.

Though Durandal outwardly appeared mature, in reality, she was the same age as her silly twin sister, Kiana.

Meanwhile, despite her youthful appearance, Rita was actually in the same generation as their parents, Siegfried and Cecilia.

Taking a deep breath, Rita slowly walked over to stand beside Durandal.

Durandal could feel the tension in Rita gradually dissipate, as though she was finally shedding her masks and armor.

“For once, Miss Durandal, you’re right…” Rita leaned back against the railing.

“Why… didn’t I get to meet that ‘Captain’ first?”

Half-closing her eyes, Rita’s long, narrow pupils gleamed with a faint, dangerous light.

Durandal remained silent but couldn’t help feeling a twinge of unease in her heart.

‘Uh oh… Did I just accidentally unleash a dangerous beast?’