《Everything Was a Mistake》
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Trantor : nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
The ballroom is always cramped. My clothes and the people¡¯s gaze on me are so heavy that sometimes it weighed me down.
This was especially the case today.
As soon as I entered the ballroom without anyone notice my presence, I opened the curtains of the terrace. The moment I stepped there and the outside aires in direct contact with my skin, I felt better.
It would be reckless to wait for the ball to end at this rate. It¡¯s obvious that the chilly weather would make the ball stays a little longer than usual. It¡¯s about the dignity of the nobility.
At the moment, I was in a good mood. I closed my eyes.
Then the light pouring out onto the dark terrace.
It was rude to enter the terrace when the curtains were closed, and it¡¯s obvious who wouldmit such a discourteous act.
¡°Nocton?¡±
How did you know I was here?
An unexpected face greeted me when I turned over.
She has a long brown hair. A woman with a stunningly white dress came in and closed the curtains tightly.
¡°It wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Roa. I wanted to be polite, but I need to talk to you.¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on, Alice?¡±
It¡¯s Alice Limorand. A friend of mine for ten years. She¡¯s the heroine of a novel, the precious Duke¡¯s daughter who used to be a Baron¡¯s, who will be betrothed to my childhood friend, Nocton Edgar.
I didn¡¯t mean it as metaphor. It was an unbelievable story, but I was reborn in a book¡¯s world and she is the main character.
Her beautiful angelic face, good personality, and the dramatic changes in her background were proving Alice¡¯s status. I have no doubt that she is the heroine.
Why would Alicee to me with such a hesitant face?
All I could think of was a funny guess, and Iughed dimly. I don¡¯t love Nocton but there are too many people in the world who are mistaken. It¡¯s sad to hear that even my precious friend is one of them.
We¡¯ve been together for a dozen years, and I¡¯ve been trying hard enough to get close to him, so no one really believed me when I deny it.
¡°Alice, I¡¯m telling you, I¡ª¡±
But what came out from Alice¡¯s lips is not something that I expected. It was not an apology that said I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help it.
¡°I know it sounds crazy, but actually I have a foresight.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
What are you talking about?
Before I can proceed what she had said, she eximed with a determined look.
¡°Duke Edgar is a terrible viin!¡±
Uh, wh¡ªwhat? What?
??????
When did I realize that I was reborn in the book¡¯s world?
I don¡¯t remember exactly but it doesn¡¯t seem to take a long time.
It is thanks to my fondness for reading romance novels. The vague memories of my previous life has made me doubt myself.
Maybe I was born into a novel.
The beginning of the doubt was when I grew up and looked into my own reflection in the mirror.
Rose-like crimson curls, dim-colored eyes like the leaves of a rose, and¡ª
¡°Carol.¡±
¡°Yes, mydy.¡±
¡°I look very mean.¡±
¡ª a pair of sharp eyes, no matter who sees them.
¡°I look worse than the witch¡¯s illustration in the novel.¡±
¡°Umh¡ª it¡¯s good, you look charismatic¡.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±
It waste to say it¡¯s pretty, because my eyes were surprisingly fierce. Of course, It was not a lie that I was as lovely as a kitten. However, the others in my family have gentle eyes. It¡¯s unusual for me to have haughty eyes.
Somehow the mere sight of myself made me shudder. From there I began to feel something like deja vu. My appearance reminds me of a typical viin character.
Although I med myself for thinking too much, I began to feel ufortable whenever I looked into the mirror.
But until then, I was only a little concerned.
Then, the moment I saw a boy at the party I attended with my parents, that deja vu feelings wereing back.
¡®Oh my god, it¡¯s Duke Edgar!¡¯
The boy¡¯s beauty, who was only ten years old, was alreadypleted. ck hair with graceful curls, a beautiful face like a porcin doll, and a pair of light purple eyes; he created a night-like atmosphere.
Even if he¡¯s not a Duke¡¯s sessor, his appearance was enough to draw attention.
While admiring the ghastly good-looking face, somehow I felt familiar with his ck hair.
In one of the novels I read before my death, there¡¯s a male character whose name was Edgar. Although the contents were a bit blurry, but the column with a ck haired man embracing a woman with a brown hair vividly depicted in my memory.
Even then, I still couldught at my delusion, thinking I don¡¯t think it¡¯s really like that.
But eventually the reality hits me.
It¡¯s the day when I travelled to a secluded estate for rxation.
¡°Are you a nobleman?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
It was the moment when I saw that girl; the daughter of a poor baron¡ªwhose brighter and more beautiful than anyone else in this world.
¡°Your face looks like someone I used to know, what is your name?¡±
It was the moment when I saw her brown hair.
¡°It¡¯s Alice Momont, miss.¡±
It was the moment when I knew her name is Alice.
¡®Oh my god.¡¯
The vague contents of the book became clear and enlightenment came like a lightning.
As I suspected, I was born in a book¡¯s world.
It was an undeserved sense of awareness.
In fact, from what I remember, it was not a very special novel.
The heroine¡¯s childhood was a little different.
The main character, Alice, grew up as the daughter of Baron Momont. She was an illegitimate child so she wasn¡¯t treated well.
She grew up with all kinds of humiliation, yet she still had a bright personality and kind heart.
Soon, when she became an adult, it was revealed that her background was false.
Alice, who was known as the illegitimate child of the baron, actually was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Limorand.
The story goes like this.
Baron Momont was a knight of the Duke. He joined the Duke¡¯s knight when the Duchess already had two children, and the moment he saw her, he fell in love at first sight. He lives under the delusion that she loves him too, and bes angry when the Duchess was pregnant with Alice, the Duke¡¯s third child. He thought the Duchess betrayed him.
¡°I will make you regret for betraying me!¡± The line was something like this.
The funny thing was, at that time, the baron was already married and father of two children, but he paid no attention to his family.
The baron, who intoxicated with his emotions, makes an ugly n. When Alice, the Duke¡¯s third child, was born, he kidnapped her.
He took advantage of the midwife¡¯s weakness, changed the child to a stillborn baby, and brought the real baby to his house as an illegitimate child.
As a child brought for revenge, there is no way for Alice to be properly raised and treated well.
She was going to end her life by living an unhappy life and being sold into an unhappy marriage.
She did.
But two decadester, Alice¡¯s misfortunese to an end by the midwife, who was silenced by the baron¡¯s threat.
It¡¯s because of the truth that the midwife, who was dying from severe illness, confessed in her will.
Her grand birth revealed and she bes the Duke¡¯s treasure. She went through many things, left the Baron¡¯s family, loved by her new family and found her love.
That¡¯s what the flow of the story was like, so I realized that even if I was born in a book¡¯s world, nothing would change.
Unless I be the third-rate viin who stand in the main character¡¯s way, the story will flow regardless of me.
Although I didn¡¯t read the bookpletely, I read it until the mid-second half so I knew the name of the important characters. And there¡¯s only a small part of the viin¡
¡ wait a minute.
I pulled out a mirror to the sudden rise of facts.
My face, which is not different from usual, was reflected in the mirror.
Rose-colored hair, round forehead, thick eyebrows, and upraised eyes. I couldn¡¯t judge a man¡¯s character based on his looks, but my eyes looked as bad as always.
Looking at the familiar nce, the contents of the book slipped into my mind.
Wasn¡¯t this the image of the viiness who was executed for harassing the heroine?
¡°¡ªRose red at Alice with a blurry look. The sharpness in her eyes were still there, but the usual hazy eyes¡ª¡±
I didn¡¯t remember exactly what happened before and after that, but I think there was such a phrase.
Perhaps due to the author¡¯s limited vocabry, I remember about a dozen more lines with the description of her eyes.
It¡¯s a typical Cindere Story; not only the protagonist, but the viin was also cliche.
For God¡¯s sake. My name was Roa Valrose. A redhead with sharp eyes. And simr surname with the viiness.
??????
I realized that I was born in a book¡¯s world as the viiness who bullied the heroine. It¡¯s a predictable story so what the viin would do is really obvious.
She starts with trivial things such as insulting the heroine, spraying water, finding fault with her etiquette, andter carries out the assassination of the protagonist.
Of course, the male lead does not close his eyes.
In fact, Edgar¡¯s character rakes out the sins that the viiness hadmitted and puts her in the fire.
I remember a little bit of what it was described in.
¡°She was eaten by a me that more red than her hair.¡±
Is it okay for an all-year-old novel?
I thought it was cool when I read it, but it was apletely different matter when it became myself.
Of course, I didn¡¯t have the confidence to do so even if I was told that I could live viciously.
Sometimes I get irritated and angry, but at amon level.
The only things that are notmon are my mean cat-like eyes.
Although I can live as rationally as an adult, but my child¡¯s body is a default setting.
However, no one can be sure what the future would be like.
Maybe the original story is based on fate and I would act like a girl crazy in love and try to kill Alice.
In the beginning, being reincarnated in a book was something I couldn¡¯t possibly expect, how can I be sure that there will only bemon sense since then?
It made me feel ufortable to think of such a thing. I thought that if I had a close rtionship with him, I would be able to avoid the burn.
To be honest, I had to rely on the protagonist.
Although the hero¡¯s love story was not particrly memorable, but by the nature of the romance genre, the male lead would be the most perfect man in the novel. Appearance, background, abilities, and love.
Maybe I can take away the lead role.
With that kind of ambitious desire, I decided to approach Nocton Edgar.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
The first time I saw the boy was a year ago, but at that time, I wasn¡¯t really interested in him.
I was just admiring his good looks and feeling strange. Of course I wouldn¡¯t deny that Nocton Edgar¡¯s appearance is overly aggressive, but I didn¡¯t miss the attention.
Although his appearance and background were enough to make him stand out, he was also famous for his obscenity.
There was a suspicion that Nocton Edgar, who was recognized as the Duke¡¯s hair due to his outstanding abilities even though he¡¯s the third son and still young , was born of the Duchess¡¯ infidelity.
Whether it was true or false, people have merrily criticized Edgar¡¯s mistake and having rejoiced over his misjudgement.
There was, of course, a shallow premise that the boy would be dragged down from his position as the sessor. It wasn¡¯t easy to believe that a young boy could be an heir just by his abilities.
Therefore, despite his beautiful appearance and exceptional talent, only a few people approached him.
Rather, his looks became aughingstock and his excellent talent was devalued because of his appearance.
Later, people would try to gain his favor, but for now ¡ this is not the case.
So it was an opportunity for me.
Wouldn¡¯t there be a hope if I approached him when he was lonely and in his difficult time?
It was a selfish and opportunistic idea, but I couldn¡¯t afford to question my conscience or anything at all because I thought I might get burned.
So, a yearter, I approached Nocton Edgar at a party.
The boy was leaning his head as if he was thinking about something.
¡°Hello?¡±
The boy raised his head in amazement, for he had no idea I was approaching. Even from a distance, his impressive face was quite shocking.
I wasn¡¯t exaggerating. It¡¯s to the point that I doubt whether he was a human or a devil.
¡°Um ¡ You¡¯re Nocton Edgar, right? Do you know me? I went to the same partyst year.¡±
¡°You are the second child of Marquis Valrose. I remember.¡±
¡°How do you know that when I haven¡¯t even introduced myself? You have a really good memory.¡± Iughed at the reply, but the awkwardness gave me goosebumps.
Why do you use such honorifics? The noble children of his age speak up well from the beginning, but the Duke of Edgar¡¯s educational policy is quite something.
I¡¯m a little bit discontented by the overly adult way of talking.
At that time, the boy¡¯s eyes widened as if he had noticed my negative thoughts.
¡°Excuse me, youngdy, but you do you have any magical items?¡±
It was a sudden question, colorless of a moment¡¯s hesitation.
In this situation, all of a sudden, magical items? I shook my head a bit.
¡°Well, I want to ask, do we have to use honorifics? If you were tenst year, you¡¯d be older than me, and if you weren¡¯t, we¡¯re not grown up yet, are we? It¡¯s a little distant. I don¡¯t have anything to say if it¡¯s convenient for you¡ª¡±
¡°All right, if you want to.¡±
It¡¯s pretty, so I¡¯ll watch it.
Seems like I was talking too much about Nocton Edgar¡¯s face, but I can¡¯t help but be influenced by his appearance in a state of almost no good. Every aspect of his face is pretty.
My cheeks glowed hot.
¡°I¡¯d like to have a little more talk with you, Roa Valrose.¡±
I don¡¯t mean to be a mind reader but ¡ he knew I was fascinated by his looks.
Nocton Edgar gently bent his eyes.
I don¡¯t know if he just smiled, or used his good looks, but it was enough to exclude myself from my intention.
¡°I want you toe to the mansion after the party, Valrose.¡±
Without thinking, I nodded freely.
In the real sense, that was my first encounter with Nocton.
??????
Nocton Edgar was sensitive to the feelings of others ever since he was born.
When he was young, he could feel how others felt about him, and when he was growing up, he knew how people felt about others.
It was possible because he was a natural ck wizard.
In ck magic and professional books, this particr power, called ultra-microscopic magic, is sensitive to human emotions and especially negative emotions among others. It was the only power that could interfere with the minds of others.
To be born as a natural wizard, you needed a special circumstance. But to carry this magic that runs from usual orbit, you needed more than any other magic.
A natural ck wizard is born with parental hatred.
The feelings of either the mother of father were enough, but it was clear he needed to feel ashamed of himself as if he were a devil.
It¡¯s a magic that a child only can conceived while superfine mana is actively moving with excess emotion.
That¡¯s why, in this age, there was only one natural ck wizard and it¡¯s Nocton Edgar.
The only power was to distract the boy from his childhood and even though he had been knocked down, Edgar did not believe in people ¡ and he had just turned 11 years old.
He stood in the middle of the party and listened to the flowing story.
Because of his natural magic, he was more sensitive than others so he could hear even the tiny noises.
Thanks to his special ability, it wasn¡¯t just the sound of silk.
He could feel all kinds of filthy feelings toward him, such as ridicule and malice, which were full of the Duchess¡¯ stigma.
¡ªIt¡¯s the next Duke. He¡¯s only 11 years old and he¡¯s the heir to the dukedom, beating his brothers¡.
¡ªHe was five years old when he became the sessor. I heard he¡¯s very talented. Is it possible to talk about something that you¡¯re capable of at that age? Although he has a beautiful face.
¡ªThat¡¯s ridiculous. Is it because of the talent to put an illegitimate son on the Duke¡¯s seat? we don¡¯t even know who is his biological father. His Grace is still in his senses. He¡¯s not that stupid so even if he do a crazy thing right now, he¡¯s going to go back to where things are.
¡ªBut who is the real father? His Excellency was not able to visit the Duchess, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s an affair.
¡°Hello?¡±
The sound of the stuffy cried was swallowed by a nearby noise.
In a little surprise, Nocton raised his head.
Red hair and dark-green eyes, as if they had drawn the color of a rose. The gorgeous girl was looking at him with a shy smile.
It¡¯s seems like she was approaching him when he¡¯s busy listening to the flowing conversation.
He never spoke to her, but Nocton knew at once who his opponent was. It would be hard not to know.
As soon as Roa Valrose appeared with her parents at the party, many of the aristocrats were excited.
¡®Oh, you¡¯re the second daughter of Marquis Valrose, are you?¡¯
¡®Oh my God, she¡¯s so cute. She looks like a cat!¡¯
¡®The eyes are a bit weird but¡.¡¯
¡®It goes well with the hair color.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t pretend he didn¡¯t hear the loud chattering of the noise.
Not only adults, but also children were busy huddling the redhead girl.
Of course, there must have been virtue that the child is the treasure of a powerful man named Valrose.
No matter how beautiful and shiny they are, there is a wall that can not be ovee by appearance only in the society. Whether it¡¯s a bit dull or natural, the parties seemed irrelevant.
For Nocton, that was the first time he realized that not everyone would be ridiculed because of their beauty.
¡°Um ¡ You¡¯re Nocton Edgar, right? Do you know me? I went to the same partyst year.¡±
¡°You are the second child of Marquis Valrose. I remember.¡±
¡°How do you know that when I haven¡¯t even introduced myself? You have a really good memory.¡±
Strangely, sheughed. She has a small dimple on her left cheek.
The Valrose¡¯s Marquis said that he had not yet begun formal education for his second daughter, which is probably true.
On the outside, he smiled politely, but Nocton found himself being sarcastic inside.
He thinks she¡¯s very excited because she was shy, what is¡ª
When he was thinking about it, he suddenly realized that he had a different feeling.
Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel Roa Valrose¡¯s mind.
Someone who was talking to him, how they feels about him, could be vivid as his own mind.
Since he was born, it was very natural to Nocton. Like moving your hands or feet, or smelling them. It was a natural thing, as if you were looking at it with your eyes and hearing it.
He felt frustrated by his unreadable opponent.
The colorful painting seemed to have not painted a single color.
Therefore, he had no choice but to ask the girl who was not interested in what to say.
¡°Excuse me, youngdy, but you do you have any magical items?¡±
¡°Huh? No.¡±
¡°Then, why¡ª oh, excuse me.¡±
¡°Well, I want to ask, do we have to use honorifics? If you were tenst year, you¡¯d be older than me, and if you weren¡¯t, we¡¯re not grown up yet, are we? It¡¯s a little distant. I don¡¯t have anything to say if it¡¯s convenient for you¡ª¡±
¡°All right, if you want to.¡±
It¡¯s not a big deal, but it was annoying to keep talking so Nocton stopped. It was rude, but the child with her eyes wide open and checks flushed seemed not to think so.
He can¡¯t read her mind even though her face is so frank.
It¡¯s a good thing she doesn¡¯t know.
Nevertheless, it was quite interesting and exciting to have to guess the feeling of the other person through facial expression, voice, and gesture.
On a rather spontaneous note, Nocton though he wanted to talk more with Roa Valrose.
However, if she were to be lured by words, it wouldn¡¯t work like he wants.
Undeniably, many people were reluctant to see the Duke.
If she says she¡¯s going to hang out with him, he¡¯s sure the Marquis will scold her andin about how filthy he is.
Then the child, who had been fascinated by his beautiful appearance, would soon changed her mind, then criticizing and mocking him.
It happened many times, and he knew exactly how it was going to go.
So this time, just sweet words were not enough.
Magic flowed out of Nocton¡¯s eyes. It was a simple hypnotic magic that made her listen to him.
In the past, the other¡¯s person mind felt abnormally sudden change, so he could immediately know whether or not the hypnosis was done ¡ but this time, he couldn¡¯t do that.
This doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t work.
¡°I¡¯d like to have a little more talk with you, Roa Valrose.¡±
Nocton curled his eyes gently.
It was not difficult.
His father was the sweetest person in the world and he knew the best how much it mistook him.
¡°I want you toe to the mansion after the party, Valrose.¡±
As soon as the red-haired Valrose nodded, Nocton was convinced that his hypnosis had worked.
??????
Attracted by Nocton¡¯s invitation, I started to go in and out of the Duke¡¯s mansion, even at my parents¡¯ dissuasion.
Only three monthster, I gave up the role of the heroine.
I swear to God, I¡¯ve never seen such a cheap baby.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
The character of Nocton Edgar was unusual, for someone would say he wasn¡¯t the main character.
I went to think of a little boy whose face was blushed by a small favor, who had no words and couldn¡¯t express emotions well.
At first, I didn¡¯t even realize his personality was bad because he smiled mildly with a pretty face.
Strictly speaking, he was ignoring his true nature.
¡°Oh, you fell down.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you just let go of your hand on purpose?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been losing my griptely. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
It¡¯s either.
¡°Will you hold that for me?¡±
¡°You¡¯re not talking about that pile of books with fifteen copies of the suit tied up, are you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re looking. I¡¯m not feeling well, so I asked you.¡±
It¡¯s either.
¡°You want me to get you a what?¡±
¡°The 9 centimeters mantis in the window frame. I want to go and see it.¡±
¡°¡.I¡¯d rather catch the trolls.¡±
Even though the same thing happened frequently, I was charmed by his smiling face and didn¡¯t even realize I was yed.
And Nocton Edgar was so noble that even the word ¡°go out¡± is also an elegant twist.
I didn¡¯t get it.
After a few months, he showed his true colors.
It was his birthday so I worked hard to pick a gift for him¡ªLater, it turned out it wasn¡¯t his birthday. I was fooled by the suggestion his family would not give him a birthday party.
I didn¡¯t know what he would like, but I thought of the empty sleeves of his outfit, so I prepared a cuff button.
It was a button with a ck diamond in it.
I saw a smoky silver lining inside when the magic treatment was done. There was a lotus blossom inside and it was pretty like an aurora in the night sky. I was thinking about whether to have it myself or gave it to him.
¡°It¡¯ll go well with you, Nocton!¡±
After watching the cuff I had brought for him, Nocton had a strange expression on his face.
It was originally difficult to the read the boy¡¯s emotions, but his expression was unrecognizable that day.
But considering what¡¯s going to happen next, Nocton Edgar may be very clever and Roa Valrose might have thought he was uninterested.
The smiling Nocton lifted up the cuff I gave him.
¡°Sorry, my hand slipped.¡±
He dropped it into theke in the garden.
What happened just now?
I was not immediately aware of the absurdity of the hard-won cuff button sinking into theke.
I¡¯m just looking at Nocton with a nk face because there¡¯s too much gap between the Nocton Edgar in my head and his behavior right now.
Then, he smiled to me, ¡°Will you pick it up?¡±
It¡¯s foolish to think of it a few times, but it was only then the smile looked like a smile of the devil, not the angel.
I was deeply mistaken about Nocton Edgar, the first impression of good was broken and the truth came to me.
??????
Ever since inviting Roa Valrose, Nocton¡¯s feelings have been ted.
It was mysterious that he couldn¡¯t feel the child¡¯s feelings, so he started calling her to his mansion.
Then, the iron walls of his heart were shattered and the initial purpose was forgotten.
The fact that she is a child, not an adult, and she is honest enough to show her emotions through her facial expressions also loosened his guard.
The days ofughing wholeheartedly went on, and when he realized it, Nocton thought her mind had be a little bit mere dangerous.
Close to man, much less a hypnotic, whoes to the mansion.
Hypnosis, yes ¡ hypnosis.
Roa Valrose did not go in and out of the mansion everyday because she cared about him.
Clearly hypnotized, she¡¯s just doing what he says.
He woke up as if he had been covered in cold water.
He could not understand it himself, but he had an unfair sense of betrayal.
He began to subtly mix malice into his behavior.
He knocked over his cup of tea, asked too much, and ruined her clothes. How far can his hypnosis endure?
However, she was constantly hypnotized and stupid.
With a smile on her face, without a hint of hate, she didn¡¯t lose her patience.
Although he knew it was only because of his hypnosis that Valrosee to him, he became overwhelmed with emotion.
Eventually, he decided to tell Valrose to stop visiting the mansion.
Even though it didn¡¯t work out.
¡°Next week, don¡¯te to the mansion.¡±
¡°Nocton? Why? What¡¯s going on next week?¡±
¡°Not just next week¡.¡±
He, who was going to tell her not toe for the rest of her life, could not finish his speech when he saw her crying face.
The cunning tongue betrayed its master and uttered a different word.
¡°It¡¯s my birthday.¡±
¡°Really? Congrattions, Nocton! But why I can¡¯te? Don¡¯t tell me ¡ you¡¯re ashamed of me?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just ¡ yeah, Valrose, you know the story. That I am a child born of Mother¡¯s affair. It¡¯s a ridiculous rumor, but there are people who are stupid enough to believe it.¡±
He kept on talking like an excuse.
¡°The people of the Duke¡¯s family don¡¯t like me either.¡±
¡°That¡¯s too much¡.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it right now because I¡¯m undermining Edgar¡¯s reputation. In other words, it¡¯s the same as Edgar. After some time, I¡¯ll admit it and ept it. But I don¡¯t want to draw attention until that day.¡±
Can you understand that, Valrose? Nocton smiled affectionately as usual. Just like his father did, curled his eyes and put warmth in there, as it sees the person he loves the most in this world.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nocton! Just trust me!¡±
But Valrose rushed out without even looking at Nocton¡¯s smile.
Somehow, an ominous premonition came to him.
And one day of the following week.
¡°I had a hard time saving it.¡±
Laughing triumphantly, Valrose presented him with a ck box.
It seemed so strange to see her small palm opening a little bit, he was startled but couldn¡¯t doubt her heart.
Inside the box was a cuff button.
ck diamond. In the inside, light purple smoke like Nocton¡¯s eyes was floating like an aurora borealis.
¡°Maybe because it looks like your eyes, it¡¯s the prettiest cuff I¡¯ve ever seen! It¡¯ll go well with you, Nocton!¡±
His heart fluttered. It felt strange, as if there are no soup for the meal.
At that moment, his feelings were not clear enough.
But when his heart beats, he felt so upset, it¡¯s his first time feeling something like this.
He was angry.
Yeah, well, why don¡¯t you bring me a light purple cuff?
Valrose really had no idea.
The purple color was the color he hates the most.
However, he could not hid his feelings, and he could feel them.
It¡¯s really dangerous now.
He received the cuff button and thanked Valrose.
Then, with a fake smile, he dropped the button into theke.
Today the gate was met at the unexpected news of the arrival of Roa Valrose, but it was a good thing now.
Dropping it into theke rather than the carpet will hurt her more.
Valrose¡¯s face was pale and his heart was not good either.
But an 11-years-old boy couldugh under any circumstances.
¡°Will you pick it up?¡±
Valrose¡¯s face was distorted when she heard his gentle voice.
He has never seen her like this before.
She¡¯s going to cry.
Roa Valrose alwaysughed and didn¡¯t get angry. The eyes were bright and sometimes silly, even though they were fierce.
Even if he can¡¯t feel her mind, he can imagine how a person will react to such a situation.
It would be a little grievous to see her tears, but it was better.
It took a shock to break the hypnosis, and perhaps the hypnosis was gone. But even if you look at it now, Nocton couldn¡¯t get closer to Valrose.
Because caring for someone was like a poison to him.
But now it¡¯s over.
With or without hypnosis, she willpletely out of it and will never see the Duke of Edgar again.
The time they spent together would be overshadowed with hatred and anger, but even that will be forgotten in time.
He can feel the emptiness inside his heart.
It¡¯s all right. It¡¯ll be alright. Everything is¡ª
¡°Yes, I can¡¯t believe you dropped it.¡±
At the cold voice of the moment, Nocton¡¯s mouth widened.
What?
The gentle child has gone and the voice and facial expression of Roa Valrose were icy.
The eyes, which was wet after being told not toe next week, is now dry without a bite.
While Nocton became perplexed, Valrose took off her outer garment.
And as soon as he realized it, he heard the sound of water and she fell into theke.
¡°Wait¡ª!¡±
Thete sound was buried in the sound of water sshing.
The paled Nocton unwrapped his shoes without even thinking of calling the employees.
Taking off his shoes as though he had been torn apart after a few futile attempts, he rushed to the shore of theke.
But before he can throw himself at the water, something popped out of theke.
A red haired girl with water all over her body.
It was a chilly day, but the sun was still strong so the wet face of Roa Valrose was shining brightly.
Her thick hair is wet, her body is dripping with water, and her green eyes are burning with rage.
Even before jumping into theke, her whole body was already wet, but Nocton only stared nkly, unable to say anyints.
He had a strange feeling that was beyond description.
Then Valrose, who came out off theke, smiled.
¡°I picked it up, take it.¡±
The girl threw the cuff button into Nocton¡¯s chest. The button was thrown out of force against the body, and it went down to theke road, clearly not worth the effort.
The only thing she did while getting wet was to make Nocton Edgar like a wet mouse.
Nevertheless, her face was full of satisfaction.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, too, my hands have slipped.¡±
Valrose walked away from the mansion with a grand step.
Since then, Nocton has learned several facts.
He didn¡¯t know about Valrose as much as she didn¡¯t know about him, and Valrose, who seemed innocent, actually has a personality that needs to give back what she had received.
And he realized what the real intention behind his obsessive heart when he tried to push Valrose away.
Despite all of this, the moment Valrose reappeared, perhaps from that moment ¡ Nocton hoped that the hypnosis on the name of Roa Valrose wouldn¡¯t smoked straps that might left or disappeared.
??????
Nevertheless, the reality has not changed.
I was trying to get acquainted with him not just because I wanted to get closer to a pretty gently boy.
Although, I had given up on having Nocton neatly, his personality confirmed that I need to build a superficial rtionship.
I really, really felt like he was going to burn me to death if something happened.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
For my survival friendship, I was sadly attached to him.
It would have been too much to try to get away from him.
¡®You gave me the time to fall, right?¡®
Nocton called me to his mansion everyday as he said, ¡°Come again, Valrose.¡± That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard the most from him.
Well, that¡¯s a consequential story.
To be more honest, I crossed my mind at that time.
I never intended to see the Duke again.
I realized I was in a book, and I had a little time, and even though most of them were superficial rtionships that only umted by letters, my rtionship with Alice¡ªthe heroine¡ªwas getting stronger.
I didn¡¯t think there was any reason to live up with Nocton.
In the first ce, dropping the present in front of the people who gave it would only have that meaning.
¡®Get out of my sight.¡¯
If it wasn¡¯t for the party that was held a few dayster, maybe that would have been the end of my rtionship with Nocton.
I know it¡¯s not an permanent end, but it¡¯s not because Alice and I are friends.
There was another party at the family house where I first saw Nocton.
Usually, children were not respected, so I attended the party in the hands of my mother, with no gratification in refusing to do.
As soon as I entered the party, I found the boy who stood out the most.
ck hair, a face delicately painted on a white skin like a flour.
Because some time has passed, his arms and legs are longer than before, and his good physique makes the ck suit wrapped around his body nicely.
He was as beautiful as ever, but as I found out his true personality, he didn¡¯t look so sweet anymore.
That¡¯s not fair.
I turned my head before our eyes met.
It seemed like I could feel a deep look in the back of my head, but it was probably the illusion of being conscious of him.
Even though I turned my head, my ears were focused on his sound.
But Nocton Edgar remained silent, and only the murmur of the person next to him was heard.
¡°So this time, I¡¯ll¡.¡±
It was Sheryl Bornaine.
The second daughter of the Marquess of Bornaine, who I didn¡¯t like much for some reason.
The first is that they divided families and treat each other differently, and the second is that they know their family is well-known so they try to hit the person who is out of standard.
And the most crucial reason was that I¡¯ve heard her mob talks.
¡®The Duke Edgar¡¯s sessor, his face is pretty. I don¡¯t know anyone who¡¯s willing to talk to him, but if you acted nice, wouldn¡¯t you be able to y with him?¡¯
¡®But Sheryl, no matter how much, It¡¯s Edgar¡ª¡¯
¡®Have you ever seen the Duke¡¯s eyes before? My father told me that the Duchess¡¯ parents also said they have that purple color before, but there¡¯s nothing more. There¡¯s a saying that even the employees of the family secretly ignored him.¡¯
¡®Oh my God, that would be true if the employees did it!¡¯
¡®Yes, he will be soon in a miserable condition. Why are you afraid of a mouse living in a big house?¡¯
The giggle was clear without knowing I was on the back terrace.
It seems that it was a little bitter when Edgar began to move in and out of the Duke¡¯s house.
I was furious at the word of mocking directed to Nocton. I tried to open the curtain and leave at once, but I couldn¡¯t do it at the thought of the moment.
For different purposes, Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s way of thinking was the same as mine.
It was me who approached him first, thinking that it might be a good opportunity when he¡¯s lonely.
I had a good reason, but from the standpoint of Nocton, there would be no difference between them.
Thinking that way, I couldn¡¯t stand up for it, so I rationalized by saying it¡¯s no good for Nocton if amotion broke out.
I¡¯ve forgotten.
A bted guilty conscience pricked my heart and I turned my head to Nocton unknowingly.
And at that moment, my eyes met with his.
So the look that seemed to cling to my back was not an illusion, and now he was staring at me as if he had no idea what I was thinking.
It was a heavy stare because I couldn¡¯t lose.
But he was the one who turned his head first, so he might not have thought of the same thing.
He pretended not to see me from the start and spoke a few words to Sheryl Bornaine.
Nocton was smiling a usual, and my heart fluttered at the sight of his smile that beautiful like a silver plum.
¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to y with someone if I¡¯m good at them.¡¯
Will Bornaine stillugh at Nocton?
Does he know what Sheryl Bornaine said?
The girl¡¯s cheeks were red, and Nocton was smiling softly like he always did.
Maybe Nocton¡¯s nature is not bad, but he changed his attitude in the light of what I approached.
I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s original or burned, but the fact that I approached him for another purpose¡.
He may have noticed.
I didn¡¯t see it, but it wouldn¡¯t be too strange if there were a few more hyenas who were willing to get something to eat. If the same thing had been repeated, my shallow water would have looked white.
That made me feel guilty, and my heart ached at the way he looked so friendly to Sheryl Bornaine.
Perhaps even Bornaine¡¯s innermost thoughts could have been known, but I¡¯m not sure.
However, I could not hold onto him in that moment and say what Cheryl Bornaine had said. It¡¯ll only look like a hepatic, and if he really doesn¡¯t know, he will get hurt.
It¡¯s a feeling of guilt and sympathy that doesn¡¯t know the object.
Knowing that, I could not let it go, so I finally headed back to the Duke¡¯s mansion a few dayster.
¡°Um ¡ Hi, Nocton.¡±
The boy looked very surprised, but he didn¡¯t kick me out.
To be honest, it was the most amazing thing.
He must have been reading a book on the chair by theke before I came; as soon as I came inside, I saw a book lying in his chair.
It was a book that seemed difficult just by the cover.
¡°What are you reading?¡±
¡°¡.just old books.¡±
¡°Uh ¡ looks very expensive.¡±
¡°I tried hard to save it.¡±
In away, it was a cold tone, but I was stuck by the impression that Nocton was feeling rather awkward.
As a result, I became awkward and could only dream of my fingertips on my head, too.
I asked the question to break the silence, but that must made he thinks I interested in the book, and Nocton handed me the book.
I didn¡¯t want to read a single letter of this kind, but there was no other way to shake off the awkwardness, so I read the book as if it were 5 cm thick.
I¡¯m sure I¡¯m reading letters, but I can¡¯t get through the whole page because there¡¯s nothinge to my brain.
Is this another suggestion that I should have return to my home immediately?
In the confusion of all sorts of thought, something wriggling caught my sight.
That¡¯s it. It was a caterpir attached to the book.
¡°Ahhh!¡±
I even forgot to look at Nocton and threw the book out in surprise.
The book flew straight to theke.
Reflectively, I reached out to pick up the book ¡ and fell into theke.
Step, byuur¡.
I med my own stupidity for being drowned in by a series of sounds.
How long has passed to explore theke again? I didn¡¯t know but I must have missed thiske.
Due to the sudden fluctuations in my field of vision, I closed my eyes and struggled with my arms and legs.
Even if I have entered it once, there is a wide gap between being prepared and not.
The sound was deafening, as if someone had blocked my ears, and the water backflowed inside made me feel sick.
But not long after that, I came out of the water.
To be exact, I was pulled out to the ground.
I could feel his hands tapping my back while I was coughing violently.
I was still in agony, and only the warmth that touched my back was clear.
Nocton helped me.
Both the guilt and the awkwardness suddenly disappeared.
My mind was refreshed as if theplex emotions had melted into theke.
Just as the sound of my breath went evenly, Nocton took out his hand away from my back and talked awkwardly.
¡°Is it your hobby to fall into theke of another¡¯s house?¡±
¡°Oh ¡ thank you¡ª¡±
He, who had dropped the cuff button in theke, spoke in a sweet tone. At the moment, the tenderness in his tone was unfamiliar.
But it didn¡¯t feel like it was a metaphor because it looked surprisingly good together.
I raised my head in a daze to leave a thank you, and at the moment, I saw the soaked boy.
He was everything but dry, and the ck hair was dripping.
The reflection of the sunlight and the gleamingness of his appearance made him stand out even more, but somehow there was a strangleugh at the sigh of Nocton, who swept away his wet hair and distorted his expression.
Although he did not look funny at all, he was so different from what I had seen before.
The way he still speaks in elegant way, when he looked like a wet puppy in the rain, is really, really out of ce.
I couldn¡¯t stand the tickle from my chest, so Iughed loudly.
¡°¡.shut up.¡±
The boy, whose eyes were round for a moment, spoke coldly at once, but his ears were red as an apple, forcing me tough even more.
??????
¡°Listen to me, Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter.¡±
After Roa Valrose fell into theke and left the mansion like someone who would never return, he said so to the Sheryl Bornaine, whom he came across.
He did not feel guilty while hypnotizing.
After all, she was the one who wanted to y with him.
Bornaine tried to shake his heart, so it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to be caught.
He stared indifferently at the girl whose eyes were clouded.
Whether hypnotized or brainwashed, the beginning of mind magic was the title of the subject.
When the title changes, the magic will shake, and if it was a weak hypnosis, it can be broken by itself.
In order to continue the magic, it¡¯s better to maintain a consistent title of the target, not to induce intense emotions, and also to limit the ce and time of meeting.
The best way is to ovep the magic, but it has to be avoided because it can damage the target¡¯s mind.
If he had done something wrong, his magic could be found.
Even though the days of being executed only by the existence of ck magic are over, the perception of ck magic is still bad.
Furthermore, as a man of many enemies, he liked to hide his weapons.
Therefore, Nocton was especially careful about his opponent¡¯s title when he used magic.
In fact, it was better to call them by their first name than their surname, but he did not bother to spell the name of others after he made a mistake on Valrose.
It was the same for Sheryl Bornaine.
¡°Yes, Duke Edgar.¡±
Nocton hypnotized Bornaine because he wanted to confirm something.
After Roa Valrose left his mansion, he was very agitated.
He has been reminded of the past several times, so much that he want to turn back time, even though he¡¯s the one who did it.
Why he is so shaken?
He was so confused and wanted to pinpoint the cause.
Maybe it¡¯s because the person who¡¯s always around him has disappeared and he became lonely.
¡®Maybe it¡¯s because Roa Valrose is gone.¡¯
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
Thus, Nocton Edgar hypnotized Sheryl Bornaine, who was about the same age as Valrose, and the result was she fell in love with the boy she was trying to mock.
Nocton spent a few days with Bornaine. But to put it to the conclusion, he wasn¡¯t happy at all.
He felt like he was looking at a doll that was making him feel remorse.
¡®What am I doing now?¡¯
He sent Sheryl Bornaine back, and stared down at theke.
Originally, it¡¯s a ce that has no meaning, but since Roa Valrose leave that ce, Nocton found himself stared at theke repeatedly.
He felt so lonely that he get even more confused.
As he watched the flow of the water, he suddenly felt as if he had seen a soft purple light, and he reached out his hand.
But there was nothing in the grasp of his hand that came out of the water.
Nocton Edgar turned away, frowned on his feelings. He bit his lips again and jumped into theke impulsively.
He only realized that he didn¡¯t take off his shoes when the sound of the cavalry came out, but it¡¯s still a good thing.
He has never been able to swim properly, but it was not difficult.
The water was strange. His eyes didn¡¯t open properly and the ears were eaten by the water.
It wasn¡¯t very pleasant, but something urred to him.
Valrose was watching this same scene at the time.
As soon as he activated his Mana, his senses were much clearer, but there was a difference outside the water.
When he wandered about in the water, Nocton suddenly stopped.
Theke was not very big and not very deep. But it was a small size bigger than a pool of water. Since it¡¯s not the sea, the water flows rather slowly, so it still remained there.
Strangely enough, a cuff button came into his eyes.
A lotus-purple cuff lying on the floor.
The dark, lonely, abandoned cuff button looked like him.
It¡¯s funny.
He was the one who threw it out, and now he¡¯s drunk with self-pity.
He could not stay underwater just because he had better physical abilities than others, and he started to run out of breath.
Nocton hesitated for a moment, but soon reached out and grabbed the button.
¡®Why did you pick this up?¡¯
He came out of the water andughed in vain, but nevertheless he carefully wiped the water from the cuff button and put it in the box he had previously picked up.
The thing seemed more meaningful at that time, as he thought he would never be able to get close to her again.
Then, at a party a few dayster, he had an eye-to-eye encounter with Roa Valrose.
And another few dayster, the day after that, Roa Valrose visited the Duke again.
¡°Umh ¡ Hi, Nocton.¡±
Maybe the hypnosis hasn¡¯t gone yet, if it¡¯s not¡.
However, it was quite strange.
Even after that incident, Valrose still came back, and even though his attempt to drive Valrose away failed, he was not angry.
Even though Valrose dropped his hard-earned old book into theke, he didn¡¯t care a bit.
He was more worried about Valrose drowning than a mere book.
And when Valroseughed after she saw he was drenched in water, he is not angry even though his mouth was clenched and he is not aware of the fact that he was involved in the whole thing with Valrose.
It was full of strange things, as if he was the one who¡¯s under hypnosis.
??????
That happened, but it turned out that Nocton had no favorable opinion of Sheryl Bornaine.
I¡¯m an idiot for that formal smile.
But the incident made us more honest.
I believed that I had be a closer friend. Whether Nocton knew or didn¡¯t know I was approached him for a purpose, I thought so.
But my feelings for Nocton never flowed so smoothly, I met the reef again.
The ill-fated process was directed at the same time.
There was a day when Nocton said he wanted to drink the tea I make on my own, and I was charmed by his smile, then saying I¡¯m willing to do so.
Nocton kept me upied by the tea ceremony for nearly a month.
Then after a few life-or-death hardship, I managed to make a perfect tea.
¡°You¡¯ve be very skilled.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right!¡±
¡°I think the tea will taste very delicious, but Valrose, if you don¡¯t mind ¡ I think I¡¯m not worthy enough to enjoy this nice tea.¡±
He said something like this with a smile.
¡°I want to give it to my servant.¡±
He always looked at me as if I were getting out of the blue, and declined several times.
In the end, he drank the tea in haste and ran out his tongue.
My heart was filled with joy, with the thought that he had treated me like a friend in his heart, even though he had a fault in his character.
Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but emotionally ¡ there was a big crack.
It¡¯s because after the cuff button incident, the illusion that he and I are truly getting closer has been shattered.
Since then, I¡¯ve never been able to like Noctonpletely.
No one would be happy with the unrequited kindness.
Perhaps my subconscious has figured out what our rtionship will be, and I prepared to get away from it.
??????
Nocton Edgar¡¯s talent was outstanding at a young age, but as he grew older, he grew even more refined.
Upward, there were two older brother, but the gap between brothers widened day by day.
Even those whoughed at him for being the sessor, who were tricked by his appearance, were wary of what he said or did, and his position became stronger and stronger.
Was he impatient or does he feel less guilty when he grows up a little?
His mother, Patricia Edgar, who was hoping for Nocton¡¯s fall more than anyone else, began to use her own hands.
Suddenly an agitated horse overturned the carriage, and when he stood by the window, someone fell over and pushed his back.
The ivory fell, and the wild animals brought in from abroad were released from their cages.
It was a difficult time without magic, even though he could feel the hostility of others and his physical talent was outstanding.
At that time when he became increasingly sensitive to ck magic, Roa Valrose visited the mansion as usual.
When he saw the face that resembled a little cat, he exhaled.
His mother¡¯s attack used to vanishpletely when a guest arrived because she¡¯s trying to save her face.
No matter how he got killed, at least Nocton¡¯s death should have been the form of an ident.
Whether or not she know the tension in Nocton has eased, Valrose entered the study and began her chatter as usual.
¡°So I had to make a tea for Terrops and he didn¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t know why, but he frowned upon a tea made by a 12 years old. Alloy must be blind. When I be an adult¡.¡±
Roa Valrose was telling him about how she made a tea for the first time in her life, for her sister¡¯s prospective fiance. He brought a good tea leaf as a gift, but her sister¡¯s hand was hurt, and she took it out on her as an excuse.
As he listened to the story, he quietly closed his book.
¡°I¡¯d like to try your tea, too.¡±
As he said that with the smile she liked the most, the girl who bit her face paused for a moment, and then nodded her head.
On the day, Roa Valrose brought the tea leaves. They used the tea pot and tea cup owned by Duke Edgar.
But¡.
Nocton stared down at the tea, which was almost colorless.
¡°¡.How can we get on the tea leaves?¡±
¡°What¡ª Don¡¯t be so picky about the temperature! This is the right temperature where people tastes their tea. Or, is it a cat tongue?¡±
¡°It¡¯s human tongue. It¡¯s not even about the temperature. What the hell do you do¡.¡±
No, it¡¯s his fault. He asked her to get him the tea.
It¡¯s a good thing he got in the tea the other day. Nocton sighed and now tried to say he was fine.
But whether his wild sigh irritated her or provoked a misunderstanding, Valrose took the tea leaves she had brought and jumped up.
¡°All right, I¡¯ll try again! We can try again! You had a lot of requirements, and you¡¯re the one who asked me to do this.¡±
If he refused, she would beining. Nocton nodded reluctantly, and a few dayster, Valrose came back with the tea leaves.
Nocton stared down at the red colored tea before him.
¡°The tea leaves ¡ I think they¡¯re rotten.¡±
¡°What? Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±
¡°But it smells strange. Don¡¯t you smell it?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t your nose rotten? I¡¯ll take it. Give it to me¡ well, umh¡ it doesn¡¯t smell so great! The smell of the tea is like this!¡±
¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Valrose. It was a perfect insult to tea culture. I know Marquis Valrose enjoys his tea, but I will give your opinion to him if I have to.¡±
¡°My father is fine. If it¡¯s not just my mother¡ª no, but it¡¯s really mean! I couldn¡¯t make it like that? Okay, I¡¯ll make it again! Again!¡±
¡°No, now¡ª¡±
You don¡¯t have to get the tea.
Stimting or not, Nocton wanted to say so, but Valrose had already stomped out of the study.
In the meantime, the tea leaves were taken as well.
Do you think I¡¯m rotten even by myself?
Although the smell left on the tip on his nose was not pleasant, the funny look made Nocton shrugged his mouth several times.
It has been so many times since then.
Valrose was doing all sorts of weird thing at first, andter on, she knew how to make a decent tea. But at the point, he changed his mind to refuse it.
It¡¯s a little fun to look at her angry face, and it seemed like her tea wasn¡¯t that dangerous anymore.
And finally.
¡°Everything is perfect today.¡±
With a determined face that she can ovee no matter how he finds fault with it, Valrose found Nocton.
He was so nervous that even though he brought along the right refreshments, he broke the cups when he was looking for them.
Fortunately, the teapot was safe and Valrose hade out with a new cup, so she could have tea.
She put the leaves inside, cooled the boiling water a little, and poured them into the leaves.
After a few minutes and a few seconds, Valrose tilted the teapot.
¡°Dazling, it¡¯s the finest finding leaf of Mount Romeran. As you¡¯ve just seen, it¡¯s exactly 85 degrees of water, and the find leaves are a little less than quantified, as you like.¡±
The color of the cup even looked bright.
The clean, reddish ck tea might not be as good as the usual user¡¯s, but Nocton was slightly overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
He smiled unconsciously as he looked at Valrose, who was pushing his cup with a high air of triumph.
Nocton¡¯s hand headed for the teacup.
But just before he could pull the handle of the cup, he felt an intense tension.
It can¡¯t be Valrose, but it¡¯s not his.
The smile on his mouth lifted, and the lotus-purple eyes rolled slowly toward the servant.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
Bello Leopard.
He is Nocton¡¯s personal attendant for many years who was brought to the house by Patricia Edgar.
He was lowering his gaze with an expressionless face as if nothing had happened.
¡°I¡¯ve never seen this cup, Bello.¡±
¡°Yes, this is a new one from the East.¡±
The appearance of the cup was well matching with the color of the reddish-ck tea.
But it¡¯s not a silver cup. There was no deciphering magic on it.
Only then Nocton did realize.
The employee never taste the tea whenever she came.
Patricia Edgar, of course, didn¡¯t do anything when Nocton greeted his guest.
Nocton knew it, but he was always careful.
You couldn¡¯t expect your opponent to behave the same way forever.
However, he did not want to loosen the tension, and instead did his best to remain calm.
In front of her, in front of Roa Valrose.
The fact that he¡¯s only realized this right now makes his heart distorted.
It was even worse for him to see Valrose smiling proudly.
The aroma of the rose tea tickled Nocton¡¯s nose, even though he did not hold the cup in his hand.
Even if he tried to pretend he didn¡¯t know, there was a subtle intrusive smell mixed between the calm scent of the tea.
No, it¡¯s weird to pretend not to know.
It¡¯s a matter of what to do.
He looked down at the cup in front of him with sunken eyes.
¡°You¡¯ve be very skilled.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right!¡±
¡°I think the tea will taste very delicious, but Valrose, if you don¡¯t mind ¡ I think I¡¯m not worthy enough to enjoy this nice tea.¡±
She frowned, as if she couldn¡¯t understand him.
Nocton smiled at her.
It¡¯s hard to manage his facial expression when his feeling was a mess, but he forced his eyes to open.
Fortunately, it didn¡¯t look like there was anything wrong on the outside.
¡°I want to give it to my servant.¡±
¡°My lord¡.?¡±
¡°Bello is like my hand and feet. It¡¯s been six years since he¡¯s been around and taking care of me. It won¡¯t be any difference if I drink or Bello.¡±
Nocton, speaking in a gentle voice, looked at Bello.
Other emotions begin to mix with the intense tension felt by the servant.
Suspicion, anxiety, fear.
The expression of the servant, which had remained firm, was also shattered and began to show his true emotions.
¡°It¡¯s all right. Lady Roa made it in person¡ª¡±
¡°Bello.¡±
Drink.
¡°You¡¯re not trying to disrespect my sincerity, are you? Are you trying to shame me in front of the Lady?¡±
It¡¯s your own poison, so put it in your mouth.
The words of honor were greeted with trembling hands. The teacup was tilted for a moment. But soon the cup returned to its original state, and the tea in the cup did not disappear at all.
Nocton¡¯s eyebrows have tilted slightly.
¡°Why don¡¯t you drink it? It looks like you¡¯re disregarding your sincere devotion.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not it! I¡¯m just, uh, it¡¯s a little hot¡.¡±
¡°Drink it all. Don¡¯t shame your master, Bello Leopard.¡±
Even though Nocton said so, he did not raise the cup.
The way he rolled his eyes toward Valrose was somehow a form of begging for help.
It¡¯s stupid, Valrose doesn¡¯t even understand what¡¯s going on.
You¡¯d just think, my childhood friend was just as bad-tempered as ever.
Even if you understand, what difference will it make?
Where in the world is a nobleman sides with a servant who tried to poison his master?
In the meantime, Roa Valrose seemed too shallow.
That thought set fire to Nocton¡¯s heart.
The boy finally decided to help the servant who had no intention of taking the tea with his own hands.
His fingertips flickered, and ck mana was absorbed like a smoke.
The secret magic that no one has ever seen created a visible change.
Bello¡¯s hand ignored his will and dipped the tea into his mouth.
¡°Whoop, urgh!¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid the tea doesn¡¯t taste good, Valrose.¡±
¡°¡.yeah. Should I apologize?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to do that to my servant. Do you know what the tea is?¡±
Nocton shook his hand,ughing at the man whose face was blue.
When the magic that held his servant¡¯s hand was gone, Bello ran out of the room as if he had waited.
¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sorry. I think I¡¯ve caused you so much trouble, so you can go back.¡±
What does Valrose have in mind? She stared at Nocton with her subdued eyes.
There was no me for him, but her face was clearly marked with indignation.
Without saying anything out of her mouth, the girl looked at him and soon rose.
Without a world of greeting, Valrose left the study.
He felt strange to see the back of her head like that for the first time.
Like someone who¡¯s nevering back, like someone who¡¯s never going to meet him again¡ª
No, it¡¯s a big deal, isn¡¯t it?
Nocton muzzled his mouth, and ended up saying what he had always said.
¡°¡.Come again, Valrose.¡±
Valrose looked back at Nocton for a moment, and soon resumed her steps.
The quiet footsteps gradually faded away.
He was upset. He can not do it.
But he can¡¯t drink a poisoned tea.
He can¡¯t exin that the Duchess is trying to kill him¡.
Thinking so, the boy shook his head, thinking that he seemed to make an excuse for himself.
It¡¯s a little more of a caution to see Patricia Edgar came out more directly.
But it¡¯s not important.
It¡¯s just like any other day, as usual routine.
Nothing¡¯s changed, and¡.
However, Nocton¡¯s feeling grew worse when he thought about it, but thoughts were not something that could stop at his will.
Nocton was no exception.
And that day, Nocton Edgar has been thinking the same thing all day.
Roa Valrose never get him a tea after that.
It was an extraordinary change.
??????
As time went by, he¡¯s been around me a little bit, but my self-esteem was so low that Nocton constantly tried to test me.
I was still passed even if I failed once or twice, even though he looked a little upset.
So, I once thought that his way of testing me was to attract my attention, because I was more special than anyone else.
It seemed like I was the only one who knew Nocton¡¯s true character, and because of that, I was intoxicated with a slight sense of superiority.
But as those things piled up, I realized that my thoughts were all delusions, and I lost confidence in him for the second time.
The test itself meant that he did not believe in me, and it didn¡¯t matter what answer I gave.
I knew he was watching my reaction carefully, but sometimes it seemed like he was doing it for fun.
For example, it was about Sheryl Bornaine, who provoked my guilt.
¡°Do you dislike the Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter?¡±
A couple of months after my reconciliation with Nocton, he suddenly asked.
Do I dislike Bornaine?
I¡¯m sure it¡¯s hard to understand why I always say such outrageous things whenever I run into her.
Although it was a big of drag to answer that you hated someone, it certainly wasn¡¯t a good feeling.
Whatever her initial intention was, it seemed she really liked Noctonter on, but I couldn¡¯t forget what she said the other day.
I was possessed by a somewhat obsessive hatred, due to guilt and kindness towards Nocton.
¡°I can¡¯t say I like her.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡.¡±
I heard she said she¡¯s going to y with you like a toy.
The reason was obvious, but I couldn¡¯t say that.
Whether Nocton knew or didn¡¯t know the intention of Sheryl Bornaine, it wasn¡¯t something to put in my mouth.
He¡¯ll just be offended if I say it for nothing. I could hurt his pride.
Perhaps there were so many such people around Nocton that I knew, but I couldn¡¯t.
I came up with a new topic, so I hurriedly opened my mouth.
¡°It just doesn¡¯t fit me. That¡¯s right, I heard you need a partner for this party. We¡¯re not even adults, so we don¡¯t have to attend, but all the aristocrats of our age will be there. Can you be my partner?¡±
Nocton looked at me with a strange nce and shrugged his shoulders.
¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±
And it¡¯s the party day.
Since there was no answer to that day, I made Alloy¡¯s friend as my partner.
He has a fiancee, but he seems to have turned a blind eye to it because of the age gap.
Since the story was brought up to turn around, I did not feel sorry that Nocton had not been my partner.
But the moment I saw Nocton¡¯s partner, I feel like I was hit in the back of my head.
His partner was Sheryl Bornaine.
I thought of many things when I saw Nocton greeting me calmly.
You really don¡¯t know that Bornaine has been talking behind your back? You asked me if I don¡¯t like her, and what¡¯s this?
Even though I didn¡¯t like her usual behavior, the decisive reason for hating her was because of him, which made me feel more stupid.
The conversation I had with him in the mansion the day after the party made me more bewildered.
Why did you take her as your partner?
I was keeping my mouth shut because it seemed some to ask, but Nocton asked me the question.
¡°After my fake birthday, before youe again to the mansion. You went to the party, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡.As if you¡¯re checking. You went, too.¡±
¡°Then I saw you staring at Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter. Maybe that¡¯s why you came back.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying that I¡ªyou suspected that I was trying to get close to you because I wanted to anger her?¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing like that.¡±
¡°If you have anything you want to say, say it straight.¡±
¡°Even if I did that, I wanted to make sure that Valrose woulde to the mansion.¡±
He looked strangely satisfied with the way he said it.
My stomach twisted this time when I saw him.
You wanted to make sure?
You wanted to make sure if I¡¯ming to the mansion, even if you hang out with someone I hate?
You wanted to know how much I¡¯ve been ying around?
So now that you¡¯ve checked, are you happy with my reaction? Is that funny?
In anger, I poured out my cold tea on his feet, and left the study.
All my efforts to hate Sheryl Bornaine seemed pointless, and from that day I had thrown away the hatred that was not mine.
Even afterwards, my feelings did not get better.
Yeah, Valrose, that reminds me.
He didn¡¯t even call my name.
Although Iined about it a few times, he insisted on the name Valrose.
I endured that distanceful name, and it finally exploded.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
It was a rainy summer day.
On the day when the sky was cloudy and the atmosphere was gloomy, I was reading next to Nocton when I visited him as usual.
In fact, it was more appropriate to say that I was just looking at things than reading.
By then, I waspletely distracted by the other side.
¡°Can you stop calling me Valrose now?¡±
When I think about it, I was a little over confident.
It was a time when I knew enough about Nocton and I was under the impression that he had special feelings for me.
There was a test at the time, but I thought it was an evidence that I was special.
That¡¯s why I was unhappy that Nocton didn¡¯t call me in friendly way.
¡°You are Valrose.¡±
¡°My name is Roa. That is my family name.¡±
¡°Why do you make such a fuss? There¡¯s a lot more work to be called the Marquis Valrose¡¯s daughter.¡±
¡°Is that the same?¡±
¡°Well, does that matter?¡±
¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t mind calling you Edgar, either.¡±
I might have been childish and I wanted to say it, but the reply left me to forget my embarrassment.
¡°It¡¯s difficult.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°There are two Edgars above me.¡±
¡°Alloy is also a Valrose¡ª¡±
As soon as I raised my head in a sh, my eyes met his.
The smiling face was not different than usual, but from the way he looked at me, not at the book, I could clearly read it.
Don¡¯t test me.
Nocton was saying so.
It¡¯s funny in retrospect.
I can¡¯t do that, it was a selfish thing for a kid to say, but I couldn¡¯t say anything.
Remembering past life doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that mental age follows.
Come to think of it, there were so many sincere and humorous decisions.
I was skeptical that I should live like this, realizing the limits of my patience, but the conclusion was the same for other reasons.
Growing up, I realized that I had nopulsion of fate, but I still had a chance.
I was d to see the rise of status next to a powerful man whom even the Emperor could not afford to offend, however I could not help but wonder that he would regard me as special.
As we spent a long time together, various kinds of emotions were piled up.
Unlike when I was a child, I could not help but feel the pain in my heart, and if I felt a little excitement, Nocton would test me again with his bad habit.
Will you still stay by my side?
He was the one who promised to meet again each time.
Every time he did that, I would recall.
That¡¯s what I mean for Nocton.
I am not a dear friend he care about, but a better entertainment than anyone else, who have spent many years together.
No one would want to test a person who is precious and doesn¡¯t want to leave.
I felt offended and frustrated many times.
As that time went on, the emotion toward Nocton turned into something subtle, neither here nor there.
Not love, and not hate.
Although it was affectionate, but it didn¡¯t feel precious.
I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been stuck with my pride even though I¡¯ve been treated like that, but I guess Nocton Edgar must have thought I was in love with him.
The rtionships were getting sick.
When I realized, I didn¡¯t bother to get away from it.
It¡¯s because I¡¯mzy, rather than because I was concerned about Nocton.
The long-established rtionship had stability in itself and I didn¡¯t want to give it away even if it wasn¡¯t worth caring for.
Like not throwing away an old, useless doll.
Thezy, dull thought changed not long after my debutant ball.
¡°By the way, when is youngdy¡¯s engagement?¡±
I wouldn¡¯t care if it were the Marquis of Bornaine, the Count of Elford, the gossip lover, or someone who hated me.
It wasn¡¯t just Nocton Edgar who believed I was in love with him.
They were all wondering why I would approach such andmine. But after Nocton¡¯s recognition, our rtionship was treated differently by everyone.
I¡¯m someone who holds up a person who doesn¡¯t like me and seeks his love, and Nocton can¡¯t refuse me because of his childhood affection.
Many were so interested in other people¡¯s business that they often asked when we would marry for the purpose of filling their curiosity or mocking me.
But this time, it wasn¡¯t that kind of person who asked when my engagement was.
Even for those who do not enjoy gossips and do not intend to mock me, that¡¯s what I and Nocton now look like.
I would haveughed at the former, but this was different, so I only said that I¡¯m a friend of Nocton.
I¡¯m not making excuses. The high-rankingdy listened with a nod.
¡°I see. But it¡¯s not a good idea for a friend to postpone your engagement too much. Both of you are old enough to have a fianc¨¦.¡±
When I saw the unbreakable belief a few words could not break, I shut my mouth.
Then a lot of things came to my eyes.
After making my debut, there was no talk about getting a fianc¨¦. And no one asked me to dance when I went to the ballroom.
At that point, I felt the seriousness of the problem.
The parties have no intention of doing so, but the misunderstanding had spread like a wild fire, perhaps because it has been too long.
The Duke of Edgar was a very specialpared to other dukedoms, and yet marriage seemed toe in quite a bit.
Valrose, an ordinary marquis, has only blown dust.
I was only trying to survive by doing some weird things, but my shot was blocked.
Not getting married won¡¯t ruin my life.
However, because I have an older sister, I cannot inherit the Marquis¡¯ title.
She¡¯s about to get married, so if I stay at home, I¡¯ll live like a widow.
Thinking about it, my future seemed so grim.
By then, the Valrose house had its first marriage.
Like my, my father had aplicated mind, and he brought in many personal connection.
My father, as well as my mother, said, ¡®You should marry too.¡¯
I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I had a mind of my own.
Even the man who came into the marriage talk surprised me even more.
Aaron ymore.
He was a sub character who fell in love with Alice in the original story.
Since the name of the lead character was ambiguous for me, there is no way I remember the name of the supporting character.
However, the image of a white-blond knight in the story was quite clear to me.
He had a great background and his appearance was as good as Nocton. As soon as I saw him, I was sure of who he was.
Anyway.
Although I approached Nocton, I never thought I¡¯d end up next to a male supporting character.
In fact, I never met him expect for a moment or two at the ballroom.
When I first saw him, I gasped in admiration. But his presence had faded because he hadn¡¯t been in society for years, perhaps because of the knight¡¯s practice.
It was an unexpected proposal, but honestly, it was still very sweet.
His appearance was as white as radiant light, and really suitable for a knight. The man whose eyes were bright red like the sun was rumored to be good in character, even though he was not speak very often.
Although there was a huge disadvantage that he might have loved another woman, he was charming enough to take into ount.
Due to the fact that Roa Valrose was changed, it was a big temptation to think that the world doesn¡¯t necessarily flow with the original story.
Maybe this person loves me, not Alice.
He¡¯s not a male lead, just supporting role, but it¡¯ll be easier than Nocton.
It wasn¡¯t without any worries, but I epted the marriage proposal and got engaged.
When I was preparing for my engagement, I realized that nothing was going on my way, but let¡¯s put it off first.
Alice rose to the capital unscrupulously and became a part of Duke Limorand¡¯s family¡ªalthough it was hard to pretend to be amazed at an immature act.
I don¡¯t know what happened in the middle, but we¡¯re on the verge of her engagement with Nocton.
Based on the original, all that remains is the burning of Roa Valrose, Aaron ymore falls in love with Alice somehow, and the marriage of Alice and Nocton.
I didn¡¯t think I was going to be burned now, and I¡¯m not sure Aaron ymore was going to fall in love with Alice because there was something wrong with him, but one thing was for sure.
Nocton and Alice will soon be engaged.
Well, I¡¯m sure the engagement of the two main characters ising soon.
In other words, the rest of story is now a foregone conclusion.
I¡¯m sure it is, I¡¯m sure it should be¡.
.
¡°A foresight dream ¡ I¡¯ve seen it ¡ That¡¯s why Nocton is a viin¡.¡±
At this point in time, what is this nonsense?
I¡¯ve passed through the epic of Roa Valrose in my head, but I don¡¯t even have a clue.
If the main character of the original story had this kind of ability, I wouldn¡¯t know it in the first ce¡.
Well, I¡¯m not sure about this, but it¡¯s hard to believe Alice¡¯s words, apart from my inability to trust my memory.
That¡¯s why I doubted the other side.
Alice¡¯s alcohol tolerance was stronger than she looks, but the best suspect at this point was drunk.
I carefully opened my mouth, looking at herplexion.
¡°Alice, did you drink that champagne before? How many¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯m not drunk.¡±
Well, a drunk person never says he¡¯s drunk.
¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t even drink a ss.¡±
Alice tly denied how she knew what had not been taken out.
¡°I know you won¡¯t believe it up front. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t been able to tell you this before.¡±
¡°So you mean ¡ are you serious?¡±
¡°A littleter, Duke Edgar will be looking for you. Don¡¯t be sensitive about it. He¡¯s not calm so he might do something serious.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s a very fable-like advice.¡±
I looked over the railing for a moment as I couldn¡¯t figure out what to say.
¡°I don¡¯t really believe it. Nocton has never lost his reason. I don¡¯t know if being calm means anything else.¡±
¡°Even if you think so, Roa¡ª¡±
¡°Even if he came to terrace, he would being to see you, not me. It¡¯s only natural when you¡¯re about to announce your engagement.¡±
¡°Ah¡.¡±
¡°I thought you were here to talk about your engagement.¡±
I tried to keep it secret until Alice spoke first, but her resolution crossed the fence so easily.
Even though I waited for her, I didn¡¯t think she would ever talk about her engagement.
As if I¡¯m the only one who thinks they should tell Roa Valrose about their engagement.
A wailing heart burst out.
¡°Even if I had a heart for Nocton, I wouldn¡¯t have had any regrets when I was already engaged to another man. In the first ce, I¡¯ve said many times that I didn¡¯t love him. Why did you have¡ª¡±
Didn¡¯t you¡¯re going to tell me that you and Nocton were having a marriage talk?
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
The words stopped at my throat when I saw Alice¡¯s eyes trembling.
It was a shame that she said she was my best friend and didn¡¯t even tell me about her engagement.
Moreover, I knew her well. I always wondered if the shocking news would surprise me.
The reason for the concealment was guessable.
Alice was also a kind who believed there was something between me and Nocton.
Even more so, I wanted to hear it from the parties concerned.
Had I mistaken for loving Nocton, I would have thought that the news of his engagement with Alice would hurt me.
Instead of avoiding being afraid of wounds, I hoped they would tell me before their feelings turned into love.
I wanted Alice, if not Nocton, to tell me directly.
Like I told her first about my engagement when I didn¡¯t tell Nocton.
I could barely keep my mind going and I felt like I¡¯d get emotional if I said more here.
The tongue that speaks in the face of a storm will hurt anyone.
¡°Anyway, Alice, I want to be alone now. I¡¯ve only managed to turn people¡¯s eyes around, but I can¡¯t stop looking at my back when I see you.¡±
¡°¡.I¡¯m sorry. I was too hasty.¡±
¡°So can we talk about it next time? I¡¯ll send a letter to Limorand. A little quiet.¡±
¡°I will wait.¡±
When she answered with a voice smaller than the first, Alice gave strength to her thick lips.
I thought she was going to go back, but she stopped in front of the curtain and looked at me again.
The small mouth opened with a firmly determined face.
¡°You know, Roa. I didn¡¯t mean to hide my engagement. In the first ce¡ª¡±
The curtains on the terrace rumbled up.
The sudden event surprised me and my head quickly turned.
My eyes made contact with light purple eyes whose belong to someone higher than me.
¡°Did I interrupt the secret meeting?¡±
Nocton Edgar.
The young man¡¯s mouth has curled.
It¡¯s a smile that doesn¡¯t seem to be pleasant.
I breathed a sign of relief.
Meanwhile, Nocton actually entered the terrace.
Instead of pulling the curtain right away, he lowered his head and looking down at Alice, whose face had grown weary.
¡°Duke Limorand¡¯s daughter, would you excuse us for a moment? I have a lot of things to talk with Valrose.¡±
It¡¯s not the way of talking to a frightened fiancee.
I was taken aback by the unruly scoffs, and I examined Alice¡¯splexion.
But Alice did not seem as surprised as I, a third party.
Biting her lower lip, she struggled to face Nocton in the eye, and soon left the terrace without any answer.
It was not a pleasant atmosphere.
Both of them had a long ties with me, but I¡¯ve never seen them together.
However, given the rtionship of the novel and the situation on the verge of engagement, I thought they would be in love with each other.
But rather than love¡.
¡°That¡¯s amazing, Valrose. You lost in other thoughts in front of me.¡±
¡°Nocton!¡±
I was surprised by the face in front of my nose. As I walked backwards, I tripped over my skirt and almost fell.
Nocton¡¯s tight arms held my back, so there was no disaster.
It was not a matter of romance.
His eyes were bent, as if they wereughing at me within breath¡¯s reach.
¡°You have to be careful.¡±
¡°¡.you scared me. All right, let go of me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡±
The young man stepped aside and leaned over his shoulder.
Being this close made the difference in our eye level even more apparent.
When we first met, I certainly added the extra.
When did it get so different?
His physique was simr. Even though he doesn¡¯t really enjoy sports, his arms, which were wide enough to hold two Alice, stirred up a strange impression.
¡°What did you talk to Limorand about?¡±
¡°It¡¯s like a time-honored story for friends. You¡¯re worried I¡¯ve been gossiping about you?¡±
¡°Well, you always gossip.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t deny it, but I don¡¯t do it to Alice. She¡¯s your fiancee. We¡¯ll be together for the rest of our lives so there¡¯s nothing good about talking bad.¡±
Alice is a dear friend for me, too.
It was so long as an excuse that I swallowed thest word that I was about to say.
Nevertheless, in Nocton¡¯s eyes, I thought I might look awful.
I never told him I liked him, but I never said I didn¡¯t like him.
He seems to believe that I loved him, so no matter what I say, it sounds like an excuse for him.
I think Nocton¡¯s face isughing at me.
I didn¡¯t want to see such a face, but I couldn¡¯t avoid it, so I looked up and my eyes met him.
Unexpectedly, there was not even a smile on his face.
Despite the long time we had together, there was a low look of tant cold eyes.
There was little difference in behavior, but the atmosphere was strange.
No, it¡¯s a little bit earlier than that¡.
It was from some time.
¡°I¡¯m getting engaged next month. Will youe?¡±
¡°¡.I will send you the gift. You know it¡¯s impossible for me to attend. If I were to attend your engagement, I¡¯d hear all the nonsense.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no such sad thing, Valrose. My most precious friend won¡¯te to my engagement party. People¡¯s eyes don¡¯t mean much, you know?¡±
It¡¯s not fair to be a precious friend. I almostughed out loud.
¡°Are you drunk, or crazy?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nice to hear.¡±
¡°It¡¯s only to those who knew its true. Anyway, I¡¯m not going there, because not only you, but Aaron too, are going to get caught up in the scandal.¡±
¡°Call me friendly, it¡¯s been a while since I met you.¡±
It¡¯s all a big deal.
I changed my mind about leaving the terrace. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s upset about what happened somewhere, and there seemed to be nothing better to drag on.
As soon as I walked past Nocton, my body was pulled back.
I was hardened by the warmth that filled my whole body.
There were many things like this, but this is the first time I¡¯ve embraced him.
No, it wasn¡¯t the first time and not the second.
My heart pounded with embarrassment.
I can¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on and my mind turned nk.
Then, there was a lowugh.
The cracking of making fun of my embarrassment.
The cold energy flows on my back and then the emotion subsided.
¡°Does Aaron ymore important to you?¡±
Yes, Nocton was originally this kind of man.
The whispering voice contained the test after a long time.
A low-key test that has been around since I got a little closer to him.
¡°More than I¡¯ve been with you for a dozen years?¡±
Still, this is the first time I¡¯ve been asked in such a direct way.
Nocton¡¯s method was more indirect. He also used to create situations in which I had no choice but to choose by action rather than by mouth.
This level is not just a matter of getting bored.
A long fingers tickled the tip of my head. The tickling touch started at the tip of the head spreads into the back of my neck.
That¡¯s what I thought.
If I really loved Nocton, it would have been a lot harder.
¡°Aaron calls me Roa.¡±
The fingertips touching my hair stopped.
I pushed his arms around me, and came out of Nocton¡¯s arms.
¡°That¡¯s a difference between a friend and a fianc¨¦. I¡¯ll call you when you¡¯re calm.¡±
I didn¡¯t want to see Nocton¡¯s face, so I opened the curtains and left the terrace.
I felt sick to hang out with him anymore, so I¡¯d rather be bitten by people.
??????
Valrose who threw his arms away, walked out of the terrace.
Nocton reached reflexively, but thete hand couldn¡¯t catch a strand of hair, let alone her arm.
His hands came down empty in the air.
The warmth that he held in his arms for a moment was gone.
Nocton looked at the curtain of the terrace with a sunken face.
This way, as Roa Valrose going to the bright spot, beyond the terrace, could be seen in his eyes.
He didn¡¯t mean to say that.
No, he didn¡¯t mean to say anything.
The sight of Alice Limorand and Roa Valrose together raised an ominous feeling.
Meanwhile, he knew, Valrose only tries to tell the story that he knows.
He was forced to repeat the old habit once again.
But this time, he couldn¡¯t get the answer he wanted.
¡°Valrose.¡±
After a seemingly small sound rolled out of his mouth, Nocton nervously swept up his hair.
He grabbed the railing of the terrace, to calm down the seething emotion, but the railing broke and copsed without meaning.
This only makes him angry at the railing.
Chilled, he covered his face with his hands.
A dry sigh was given for some time, then the expression of Nocton Edgar returned to its original form.
However, his eyes looked colder than usual, and he felt as if he was about to do something.
The young man went out on the terrace with a clear step that showed no agitation.
??????
As soon as I stepped out of the dark terrace, the ray of light pierced my eyes.
I couldn¡¯t help but frown for a moment.
Brightly decorated like a fairytale, brightly lit ballroom with magic lights turned on everywhere, dresses and robes that are fashionably fancy.
At one point, the nce made my heart tighten.
I approached the servant with the tray and took over a ss of champagne, then I poured the yellow liquid into my mouth that was bubbling as it was.
I didn¡¯t eat anything because of stress, and I felt the champagne flowing on the empty stomach.
It was a very ironic thing to be stuck like this and so empty.
A minute has passed since I returned the empty ss to the tray.
The hyenas in the crowd began to shine their eyes.
In the midst of false rumor that Roa Valrose loved Nocton Edgar fervently, they must have thought of my face first when they heard that Nocton was getting engaged to someone else.
The society has always loved gossip, and the higher the object of gossip, the happier the gossiping has been.
Yeah, I must have missed you. Look how much it cost.
As I grunted inside, I tightened my eyes.
Atst, a few came by my side.
¡°Oh, Lady Roa Valrose, why are you still? You don¡¯t seem to enjoy the ball.¡±
¡°Why do you stand alone? Your partner, the Duke ¡ he¡¯s not your partner today.¡±
Beginning with the Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter, four men and women surrounded me.
It was a grudgingly familiar group.
I only recognized Sheryl Bornaine, and Roziks Elford as well.
¡°I forgotten that he¡¯s about to get engaged. I¡¯m sorry if it¡¯s rude.¡±
¡°But if it¡¯s not him, who¡¯s your partner, Lady Roa?¡±
Even if I don¡¯t answer, there is no end to this mocking.
It was obvious what they wanted me to say.
¡®I came here alone today because I don¡¯t have a partner.¡¯
They will be waiting for the same kind of pathetic answer.
However, I¡¯m sorry to hear that it¡¯s a false expectation.
I wanted to speak with them as much as I could, but right now, I need some crude weapons.
I grinned, to make it look as unlucky as I could.
¡°My partner today is my fianc¨¦.¡±
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
¡°Unfortunately, something happened so he dropped me off and left right away.¡±
¡°An engagement¡ª?¡±
¡°I got engaged exactly half a year ago. It¡¯s only three months earlier than the day when Duke Edgar met his prospective fianc¨¦e.¡±
That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t kick it.
In fact, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m getting dumped, but it¡¯s not a good thing.
No matter how hard the exnation is, it would be meaningless for people who frequently say we¡¯re lovers.
¡°It¡¯s not really hidden, but I guess it didn¡¯te into your ears. That¡¯s weird, His Grace. His engagement¡¯s gone before, and you all know it.¡±
¡°I guess¡ª¡±
¡°But it¡¯s pity for the youngdy of Bornaine. I heard the Marquis sent a marriage proposal to His Grace in the name of his youngest daughter. The result is ¡ well, it¡¯s like this.¡±
¡°What are you talking about!¡±
Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s face turned red in a sh.
Her face turns redder than the dress she¡¯s wearing, just like a girl of her age.
I can¡¯t believe there was a time when she tried to mock Nocton.
Her flock was staring to each other, perhaps new to the story.
In fact, an offer of marriage must have been secret between families.
No one would know it unless they were Bornaine and Edgar.
In that sense, I didn¡¯t say anything lightly, but I can¡¯t afford to be merciful to my enemy because she¡¯s the one who started arguing with me.
We live in a world where you¡¯ll be eaten if you show any weakness.
It¡¯s wrong to pick up on someone by mentioning Nocton Edgar and try to get off the hook.
Of course no one knew if I was with Nocton a while ago, except Alice.
I don¡¯t know about my situation, but I don¡¯t have any reason to think about your situation.
Hiding my smile, I opened my fan and covered with mouth.
¡°Is not right? The Duke himself told me because he was my friend, I¡¯m sorry if it¡¯s wrong. But, His Grace did¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough! Stop talking about it!¡±
Her voice rose in a stiff tone.
There was a loud noise in the midst of what many people had seen, and not it¡¯s hard not to stare at Bornaine.
I would have been the today¡¯s main character as nned, but at the moment, it was another person.
Unable to bear the sight of the crowd, Bornaine turned around and ran away.
The bewildered crowd finally grasped the situation and followed her.
For once Sheryl Bornaine was defeated, but what¡¯s next.
Not everyone who wanted to mock me had talked to Nocton.
If I don¡¯t have any weapons to fight back in such a situation, I¡¯ll lose a face and humiliating myself.
It would be better to go back before finishing anything.
I didn¡¯t want to hear that I was running away do I came here, but after a few words with Nocton, my patience has been running out.
¡°Roa.¡±
When I was absorbed in thought, someone called me.
I thought I heard it wrong, but when I turned around, it was Aaron ymore.
¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had a job?¡±
¡°I dealt with it in a hurry. I thought I shouldn¡¯t let you do anything alone.¡±
That¡¯s very sweet of him. It¡¯s like a fruit that I shouldn¡¯t eat.
He may not have mean it, but I was really touched because no one ever said something like that to me.
¡°Thank you, anyway. I just wanted to go back.¡±
Though he was just here and I asked to go back as soon as I saw him, his face brightened a little. He, too, likes to avoid the ball.
Anyway, just before I go back, thanks to Aaron for his personal appearance, I might be able to escape from the image of being chained to Nocton.
If Aaron is attached, there¡¯s no one else to rush in.
Aaron ymore, if not as good as Nocton, was also the top prey in the marriage mart.
It was a mockery for a fianc¨¦¡¯s level to sink from top to bottom, but there was not much scandal if the statuses were only a little different.
Besides, this looks pretty much like a good couple.
However, I had to endure the outpouring of attention as many times as when I was alone.
Some of them were not enough to just whimper, and a youngdy from Count Erlin¡¯s house, who had never said a word to me, approached.
¡°Lady Roa Valrose! Was it Sir ymore that you were engaged to?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°That can¡¯t be¡.! Sir ymore definitely said he doesn¡¯t want to get married!¡±
Oh, you¡¯ve been talking openly?
¡°It¡¯s a story when he doesn¡¯t know love.¡±
¡°But!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Erlin, but I¡¯m so tired. I¡¯d like you to postpone your story with Aaron until next time.¡±
I was forced to be rude because I¡¯m not in the spirit to understand and step down.
Now I was so tired, and I felt worse than that.
It¡¯s not a situation where I can be considerate of others.
Using honorifics with a smiling face was the result of myst patience.
The youngdy¡¯s face was red, perhaps offended, but frankly it didn¡¯t bother me.
If there was no longer any chance of seeing Nocton or Alice, the number of enemies did not matter.
***
I met both of the best men in the novel, but the more impactful moment was my first meeting with Aaron.
It may be a little ambiguous to be called the first meeting since I saw him face to face before then.
But, the first time he was left alone in the drawing room, he was on his knees.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Roa Valrose, but please do not marry me.¡±
I haven¡¯t done anything, but I¡¯m getting dumped already.
Rather than being shocked, I simply blinked because I didn¡¯t understand his sudden behavior.
¡°Uh ¡ why?¡±
There¡¯s no return answer.
¡°You don¡¯t like me?¡±
I asked again, but Aaron ymore still did not open his mouth.
Arge man is looking down at the floor with his knees bent.
It was a bit burdensome, but it wasn¡¯t enough to tell him to get up.
I didn¡¯t ask him to get on his knees in the first ce, so what about it.
If his bones hurt, he¡¯ll stand up, answer, or take care of himself.
It¡¯s not me whomitted the offense, but the other side.
Putting a marriage into the family line was a simply matter of second thought.
Although they will only be married after a formal engagement, but the rtionship was no different from an already established one.
It has passed the stage in which people can say that they do not like the partner¡¯s looks it personality.
No, it¡¯s even more shocking to think so.
I¡¯ve barely said hello and he doesn¡¯t know my personality ¡ he doesn¡¯t like my face that much?
I was quite proud with my beauty so I was shocked.
My eyes are fierce so I hate this face at first, but I feel better every time I look in the mirror.
For a moment when I thought differently and turned a blind eye to reality, I soon became bored with the situation itself.
How long will he be like that?
Just kneeling down without telling me the reasons doesn¡¯t make things better.
The vague affinity for the opponent has been reduced and thetter has blossomed.
Perhaps Nocton¡¯s bad temper shifted to me.
Dozens of minutes have passed since then.
Just then he did understand that silence alone would not solve anything, and a bted voice filled the drawing room.
¡°There is a person I love.¡±
I came close to counting the tea leaves.
Already?
I tried not to, but my shoulder sank unknowingly.
I knew this guy might end up liking Alice one day, but she didn¡¯t even meet Nocton yet.
When did that happen?
Although I have been constantly exchanging letters with Alice, the recent developments are only filled with the activity of the Duke of Limorand.
She was so busy receiving the love from her family after she came to the capital. She hardly ever walked out of the mansion.
How could he have fallen in love?
But even if I tried to guess, there was not much I could do.
Even though I came into the book¡¯s world, there wasn¡¯t much I could remember.
The male lead was described under a simr name to Ed, Alice¡¯s family background, and the viinous female character along with the well-mannered and tough male supporting character.
I remembered the small event Alice had when she made her social debut as a Limorand, and the fact that Nocton took over the Duke¡¯s seat as soon as he became an adult, but it was a shame to say I knew the future.
It was inevitable.
I read too many books, and the background was about the same. Moreover, I read a pile of simr books even after I was reborn.
Even on the day I died, it was just a pretty old book that I read, and I had to praise myself just for recognizing that I was reborn in a book.
Let¡¯s leave the useless excuses at this point.
I was confronted with a feeling of rejection.
¡°Do I have to refuse the marriage if Sir ymore wants to marry that person?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not it. She can¡¯t get married.¡±
¡°Why is that?¡±
I¡¯ve been talking a little bit but it¡¯s silent again.
I was suffocated by the frustrating atmosphere.
Not only the male lead, but the male¡¯s supporting character also has a fatal w. Alice was pitiful.
¡°Hey, Sir ymore. It has been half an hour, but what you said is only ten words. If you have something you want to say, don¡¯t mumble like a child and speak straight. If you have nothing to say, please go back.¡±
Of course, if you go back, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility.
If you¡¯re going to say that in the first ce, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here.
I wanted to leave the room first, but with the least amount ofmunication, I simply pointed at the door with minimal sophistication.
Shivering astonishedly, Aaron ymore slowly got up.
I didn¡¯t realize it when I came in, but since I was close to him, his body looked so big.
His broad shoulders and strong physique, no doubt he¡¯s a knight.
Aaron ymore, who had exhausted himself, bowed deeply.
The appearance of his tinum hair was simr to the sand swept away at noon.
¡°I have been very rude. Lady Roa Valrose.¡±
Then the man, who was supposed to leave, opened his mouth slowly.
¡°I came looking for Valrose with the intention of repudiation because my decision was not recognized.¡±
¡°Are you talking about the adults of ymore?¡±
¡°Yes. I¡¯ve told them a few times that I have no desire to get married, but my parents didn¡¯t approve. It¡¯s a shame but I didn¡¯t even know it hade this far until today. It¡¯s something I should have made clear, but I¡¯m sorry to have unintentionally offended you, youngdy.¡±
¡°Are your parents against marrying her?¡±
¡°No, they don¡¯t even know it exists. As I said before, she can¡¯t get married. But I don¡¯t want to marry anyone else. I know it¡¯s just my ego, but I can¡¯t ept it with my heart.¡±
Alice Limorand, with whom you unable to marry¡.?
Something was wrong.
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
In this story, the difference in status came to the foremost if a person could not marry, but now Alice was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Limorand.
The Duke of Limorand even has a higher family position than The Marquis of ymore.
That¡¯s why.
Is there a reason why marriage itself is impossible, other than a difference in status?
Either your partner is already married, is of the same sex, is the child of an enemy ¡ neither one of them is right.
So it¡¯s not Alice, but someone else?
It¡¯s not umon for a supporting character had a first love.
I tried to recollect that something seemed to ur, but nothing really urred to me.
If I knew this would happen, I¡¯d read harder.
I folded up my meaningless past recollections and shrugged my shoulders.
¡°You¡¯re a very strange person.¡±
¡°Just like you said.¡±
ymoreughed bitterly.
¡°If this thing goes by, we¡¯ll keep getting married. You¡¯re quite a popr groom.¡±
¡°I know. I¡¯m going to speak properly to my family tonight.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know you very well, Sir ymore, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve spoken very well before. If you¡¯re forced to have the next engagement, can you refuse then? I mean, mine alone is going to ruin ymore¡¯s reputation, and next time?¡±
Perhaps it¡¯s because I feel bad enough that I have to give uppletely, my words keep getting longer.
It wasn¡¯t that there was a feeling of attraction in a short period of time, aside from being a bit frustrating, I still had nothing to do with him.
I was a woman of this age and an aristocrat, even if I had the memories of my past life.
Love was incentive in the first ce, and there was a universal sense of values to make people and families that were right in terms.
There is a saying that if a person doesn¡¯t have a soulmate, he or she will give up marriage, but it¡¯s not something I want to be particrly proud to do.
You may have loved Alice and you may not have feeling for her forever, being born in a novel doesn¡¯t mean you want a destined mate, which is a manageable risk.
If you¡¯re going to marry someone else, that¡¯s okay for me.
I thought so, but it seems to be wrong.
Aaron ymore¡¯s expression was indescribable.
I¡¯m just thinking of getting old and dying single.
Yeah, I¡¯ll let you go.
¡°It was rude. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°No, because what Lady Roa said is true. In fact, the next candidate is already determined. I can¡¯t tell you.¡±
Oh, no.
¡°¡.Alice Limorand?¡±
I was just going to think about it, but the name popped out.
Aaron ymore¡¯s eyes widened.
I seemed to have hit the right mark.
Oh my, how did you get in the way of that?
Are you engaged to Alice? Or are you denied your engagement?
I¡¯m so tired that I can¡¯t remember anything.
I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll know until we get on with it.
¡°How did you know that? By any chance¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m not talking about the society. Alice is a coveted bride ¡ who deserves to dream of such a miracle once in a marriageable family. ymore, for sure, can be a reality and not a miracle.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not going to be a reality. I don¡¯t want to marry anyone.¡±
¡°I see your intention ¡ but isn¡¯t it in the wrong order? I think she should rank higher than me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ¡ that¡¯s¡.¡±
Why are you so embarrassed?
Aaron ymore¡¯s expression has been quite frank all along, but it was the first time he was as embarrassed as he is now.
¡°I thought it was a little strange, Lady Roa ¡ but, may I ask?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s convenient.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t youe out with the intention of turning me down? As far as I know, the Duke of Edgar¡ª¡±
¡°No, not at all. Not a bit.¡±
It was so absurd that he was really embarrassed that I had to take a deep breath for a while.
Even at this point, I can¡¯t believe Nocton wille out.
¡°If I really ¡ If I had been in a rtionship with Lord Nocton, I wouldn¡¯t have considered this engagement seriously.¡±
¡°I thought you were having a fight. Otherwise, there is a misunderstanding.¡±
¡°Wait a minute. You decided to propose me because you think I¡¯m going to refuse?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
Since ancient times, silence has been a positive answer.
He had kneeled down without saying anything, because he thought I was willing to refuse¡.
I don¡¯t think anyone would know anything about rumors.
It¡¯s really frightening to see how far rumors have spread that Nocton and I are lovers.
I left it alone, but it won¡¯t work anymore.
It was awful to think how much the image of Roa Valrose would be ruined if Nocton and Alice are formed without quelling this rumor.
In the worst-case scenario, a day when such misunderstanding spread and even be framed, it could really burn me to death.
I didn¡¯t want to be so delusional, but it was clear that it was something I had to deal with.
I looked straight at the man with a white face.
¡°In reverse. Will you be engaged to me?¡±
¡°Lady Roa, I¡¯m sorry to have made a mistake, but I¡¯m¡.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a marriage, it¡¯s an engagement.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Looking at the bewildered man, I pressed my heart into every word.
There¡¯s nothing more like other man to get rid of rumors with man.
That was the idea.
¡°I¡¯m just in need of an engagement.¡±
***
Come to think of it, I managed to make that ridiculous proposal work.
Is Aaron really in a hurry?
I was reminded of my first meeting with Aaron.
Outside the ballroom, ymore¡¯s carriage was waiting for him.
I was on my way home in his carriage because it would take quite some time to call my family¡¯s carriage.
I was tired and sensitive, so I closed my eyes.
I wanted to sleep a little, but I couldn¡¯t sleep until I wasfortable with my partner.
A ck world covered with eyelids, a rocking carriage, the sound of wheels rolling, and the cool night air.
The body bes heavier and the fatigue bes more vivid.
I want to sleep.
For a while, I struggled with the meaningless wind. I couldn¡¯t help but waking up.
My eyes met Aaron, as if I had been waiting for him.
The hot-colored pupils shook a little.
He averted his gaze as if he had been stabbed by something, then opened his mouth with a sigh of uneasiness.
¡°¡.it was a lie that there was a work.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
There¡¯s nothing to say, I nodded.
He imed that something had suddenly happened, but the tone of his excuse was too rigid so I guessed right away.
A man who can¡¯t act can lie.
¡°You knew.¡±
¡°You¡¯re telling me why, aren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a great reason. I just didn¡¯t want to be there.¡±
¡°Oh, you hated escorting me so much.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that¡.!¡±
The face, not knowing what to say, is full of embarrassment.
Obviously, he¡¯s like a ten years old boy even though he¡¯s four years older than me.
¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised, it¡¯s a joke. You¡¯re too serious.¡±
¡°I just didn¡¯t want to bump into the youngdy of Limorand.¡±
¡°You were afraid to meet someone who could have been your wife.¡±
¡°¡.that¡¯s another reason.¡±
¡°Oh, I know what you¡¯re going to say next. I can¡¯t tell you why, right?¡±
Anyway, it¡¯s a problematic way to talk about.
You make people wonder for nothing.
In fact, I already knew Aaron was secretly avoiding Alice.
It¡¯s been half a year since Alice came to the capital, and that¡¯s how long it has been since I was engaged to Aaron.
As Alice entered the Limorand, I could meet her more often than ever.
Starting with Alice¡¯s rather rushed debutante ball, she was at a tea party and ballroom, I came to the Duke¡¯s house, and she visited my house.
Aaron, too, had many days to meet at the moment of his engagement¡¯s recess, and the two of them I met often strangely had no encounter.
At first, I suspected that it was the original story and fate, butter I learned that Aaron was especially avoiding Alice¡¯s presence.
It would be too much to say that he avoids the rtionship that could have been next to him by marriage, and Aaron would not run into her.
What¡¯s the reason?
It¡¯s an unknown thing to know if I can¡¯t get Aaron¡¯s mind out of it, but maybe¡.
¡®There¡¯s someone I love.¡¯
There maybe some reason why he can¡¯t get married, and why I haven¡¯t guessed yet.
I¡¯ll me you for delusions if others heat about it.
Actually, Aaron¡¯s expression became dim again when I thought it was a pity not to create a meaning for the people who were not yet rted.
I just asked him why he didn¡¯t want to run into Alice, but I can¡¯t do it if he looks like that.
How can I not doubt it?
I turned my head over the window.
¡°It¡¯s been half a year. In the traditional way, you have to fill your engagement for two years full, will the ymore¡¯s elders follow the tradition? Aren¡¯t there any pressure to get married?¡±
¡°That¡¯s alright. They don¡¯t even mention marriage.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t mind, but you¡¯ll be waiting a lot. Since you keep refusing, you¡¯re only getting engaged. And you¡¯re worried that things might go wrong. Well, how do you feel? It¡¯s not something to feel guilty about. It¡¯s not a bad thing if you don¡¯t want to marry yourself.¡±
¡°¡.thank you.¡±
¡°If you feel like you¡¯re having a hard time holding on, just tell me. I¡¯ll prepare myself to be the viin of the show.¡±
¡°As I said before, Roa, you have to take responsibility¡ª¡±
Duk. The moving carriage stopped.
I heard a soothing sound and opened the carriage¡¯s door.
Outside the door, you can see the Marquis Valrose¡¯s house.
Aaron seemed to want to say something more, but I didn¡¯t want to hear it because it was obvious.
¡°Thank you for picking me up, Aaron. Be careful in the night.¡±
I kissed him on the cheek and shut his mouth, then I got off from the carriage.
***
In front of the mansion, the old butler came to greet me with a hazy face.
Mossi has the affection for the youngdy and her fianc¨¦ ¡ it would look like that.
I felt a little guilty because it was an engagement that I would break someday.
¡°Have you been good, mdy.¡±
¡°Yes, well ¡ what about the others?¡±
¡°The Lord and Madam has not returned yet. He said he was going to bete. And the olderdy went to bed first.¡±
¡°You said you had a cold.¡±
Yeah, I¡¯m gonna have to figure out how to go horseback riding.
It¡¯s winter now after fall, it¡¯s the day I usually started to ride a horse all day along.
Without saying anything, I took off my outer coat and left it to him.
¡°The guest is waiting in the drawing room.¡±
¡°Guest? At this hour?¡±
¡°Yes? She said you made a promise. It¡¯s the youngdy Limorand¡.¡±
What?
¡°Alice is here?¡±
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
I didn¡¯t expect to see the person I met at dusk again before the next sun rises.
Although she was not being kicked out, it¡¯s true that she wasn¡¯t happy.
With my face grimaced, I opened the drawing room door.
¡°Hello, Alice. See you again.¡±
¡°Roa¡ª¡±
¡°But didn¡¯t I tell you I¡¯d call you? I think you said you would wait?¡±
Alice¡¯s eyes dropped.
It was clouded, so I thought it wouldn¡¯t be weird to have tears rolling down.
She didn¡¯t cry.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought I had to tell you as soon as possible.¡±
I looked at Alice¡¯s clothes.
Like in the ballroom, she was wearing an evening dress with her shoulders and arms exposed.
It was chilly, but there was no shawl, and the material from the neck down to the chest was translucent, making it look very cold.
I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean toe here in such poor clothes.
With every sigh, I loosened the shawl on my shoulder and threw it into Alice¡¯sp.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine¡ª¡±
¡°I was fine, too.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°I meant earlier. You asked me to be careful of Nocton.¡±
It was strange, but it wasn¡¯t much different. The only thing that made Nocton more special than any other day was that he made me more angry.
¡°Even though you¡¯re not there, it¡¯s not that different¡ª¡±
¡°He hugged you from behind, didn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Does Aaron ymore important to you? More than I¡¯ve been with you for a dozen years?¡±
¡®Does Aaron ymore important to you?¡¯
¡®More than I¡¯ve been with you for a dozen years?¡¯
Alice¡¯s words echoed what Nocton had said.
How do you know that?
He hugged me from behind and whispered, so she wouldn¡¯t have heard him in the dark.
My mouth was open as I could hardly believe what was going on.
¡°Didn¡¯t you leave the terrace?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t hide and eavesdrop. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have a chance to talk to you, either. I left the ball. I thought I¡¯d wait for your call, but I¡¯m here because I thought I¡¯d have to talk to you before he gets in the way. Ask the butler and you¡¯ll see if I¡¯m here during the ball.¡±
¡°¡.then how do you know?¡±
¡°I told you earlier, Roa.¡±
I have a foresight dream.
Did you really mean it?
I¡¯m tired of losing my head in embarrassment. I knew Alice is the heroine of the novel, but I didn¡¯t know this ability.
A foresight dream. Is that the setting she had from the beginning?
Or is it not in the original story and Alice changed because of me?
Questions that have be more serious than before have been raised in my head.
I opened my mouth several times because I think I should say something, but I couldn¡¯t say anything.
I forced myself to swallow the tea in front of me, so I could bring out some proper words.
¡°So you say ¡ you know everything about the future?¡±
¡°Not everything. Dreaming is a very fragmentary situation, and I don¡¯t even know about you.¡±
What are you talking about?
As if my innermost feeling revealed on my face, Alice added an exnation.
¡°Everyone else acts the way I¡¯ve seen in my dreams. I knew he would hug you and say something like that, but I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to say to His Grace. It doesn¡¯t even sound like foggy when you¡¯re talking or acting.¡±
It was strange of me to be an exception. I was reminded of the thought I had.
In the first ce, there was only one Roa Valrose who didn¡¯t act as a given character in the novel, so I wondered if it had something to do with it.
¡°His Grace embraced you and whispered those words, and the next moment, he¡¯s angry and broke the railing. I asked you to be careful because I can¡¯t see you in my dream, so I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re there or not. If you¡¯re angry with me, I don¡¯t know what to do after my dream is over.¡±
¡°Oh my God, Nocton broke the railing? That¡¯s really ridiculous¡ª¡±
It sounded like a crazy to hear, but I couodn¡¯t hold my tongue firmly.
I cannot be sure in my experience because I have already heard the evidence. But I was notpletely convinced.
Nocton broke the railing? In reality, it¡¯s not impossible.
Although it was well-known that he learned a little swordsmanship from abroad, but his focus was on the other side.
I didn¡¯t hear directly from Nocton¡¯s mouth, but the few things I remember obviously included the fact that he was a wizard.
It was not a big setting.
Usually, it¡¯s easy to find that the main character of this genre is outstanding in terms of magic or sword.
But it didn¡¯t make any sense that Nocton had done such a thing after leaving the impossible that was possible.
Even if he was angry, he never openly showed any changes in his emotions.
It was a little different when he was alone with me, but the ballroom terrace was not isted from the human eye.
In the first ce, Nocton would never be so angry.
Because I didn¡¯t do what he wanted? I didn¡¯t acted as he expected? That¡¯s too much nonsense.
To Nocton, Roa Valrose is like a bright doll.
A little better than a toy that doesn¡¯t go so far as a friend.
¡°Aren¡¯t you mistaken? It¡¯s a little unclear what the original memories are. What¡¯s more, if you¡¯ve ever been in a dream¡ª¡±
¡°The ordinary dream would be the same, but I vividly remember what I saw in my foresight dream. I can tell you another story if you want, Roa. He dropped the cuff button you gave him into theke, did he? He gave the tea you made for him to a servant. Aaron ymore breaking up the engagement¡.¡±
¡°You did a background check on me? Wait, and that¡¯s not a foresight dream, it¡¯s a thing of the past.¡±
¡°¡.I¡¯ve been having this dreams since I was very young. I¡¯ve dreamt of meeting you. Even then, I couldn¡¯t see you, but I heard you call my name in my dreams ¡ and I knew it was you, Roa. Believe me, I¡¯m not lying.¡±
Alice desperately held my hand.
It didn¡¯t look like a lie. There¡¯s nothing to be gained by lying like that.
Even if you did a background check, you wouldn¡¯t know it.
Aaron was a great knight, he was sensitive to other¡¯s presence, and he could have known if someone had been listening closely.
Not only Aaron, but Nocton as well.
There was no one near when Nocton openly conducted an indecent act.
Edgar¡¯s direct line, much less his servant, was unable to see his character right away.
So, there was just one exception, Roa Valrose.
I¡¯m not sure either way.
While looking at Alice¡¯s face, I looked down at the teacup, then I closed my eyes and turned my head, even the body acted restlessly.
The hand holding the teacup was trembling.
I took a sip of tea, two sips, but the thirst did not go away even though the cup was bottomed out.
At that point it urred to me what Alice had said at the ball.
Nocton Edgar is a terrible viin.
That¡¯s what she said. It wasn¡¯t a new thing to me, but Alice¡¯s face was serious when she said it.
So it¡¯s like I¡¯m talking about the devil beyond the level of mischievousness that says Nocton¡¯s personality is great, and that I¡¯m hurting and feeling it.
I bit my lips so hard that it went white, and I managed to scrape the words out of my throat.
¡°What do you mean Nocton is a viin?¡±
¡°His Grace ¡ do you know how can he inherited the title when he became an adult?¡±
¡°I think the Duke is sick of power. He appointed Nocton as his sessor because of his discrepancy in abilities, and the two other Edgars were forced to ept it and went to the countryside. No, I even heard it myself. They definitely telling me to take care of Nocton¡ª¡±
¡°Because he was brainwashed.¡±
My words were cut off.
I was defending Nocton before I knew it, but Alice was too cold.
¡°Everyone in Duke Edgar¡¯s household is brainwashed by Nocton Edgar.¡±
My mouth was frozen.
***
¡°Why are you so out of your mind, Roa?¡±
¡°No, nothing¡.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not a big deal. Why didn¡¯t you tell your sister about what happened with Sir ymore?¡±7
¡°You seem to have a bad cold, Alroy. Don¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s love affairs and just care about your own marriage.¡±
Alroy¡¯sment had been irritating as usual, but then I raised my head in a rush.
Come to think of it, we weren¡¯t the only ones eating now.
My parents were a marquis couple and a high-ranking official of the Imperial Family, so it was rare to have breakfast together.
In one slip of mind, I managed to catch their attention.
Unsurprisingly, my mother folded the newspaper she had read.
¡°Roa.¡±
¡°Yes, mother.¡±
I put my hands together and prepared myself.
But the words from my mother¡¯s lips were not about the consequences of my reckless remarks to my sister.
¡°You¡¯d be better not to attend the Imperial ball for the time being. Nheless, it won¡¯t even open.¡±
¡°The ball?¡±
¡°Well, the terrace railing have copsed. I think the architecture is wrong.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a scolding, but I could not wee it.
My heart shook when I heard that the railing had copsed.
I held my trembling hands and tried to look calm.
Fortunately, no one seemed to notice that my mood was strange.
¡°Which reminds me, Roa, I heard you went to the ball yesterday, too. Is everything alright? Did you get hurt?¡±
¡°No ¡ I¡¯m fine. Is is true the railing copsed? Which terrace?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know that. Fortunately, Lord Edgat found it first and informed us. People would have been in the terrace all the time and when it copsed, it would have been a disaster.¡±
¡°Nocton ¡ did?¡±
Broken railing, discovered by Nocton Edgar.
It¡¯s the same as what Alice said yesterday.
I felt my blood drain out.
I can¡¯t manage my facial expression that I¡¯ve been struggling with for a whole. I wonder how my mother interpreted it.
¡°Yes, Lord Nocton Edgar, the Duke. Your high sovereign friend, who¡¯s about to get engaged to the Limorand¡¯s esteemed-daughter.¡±
¡°No, why does it came out of the blue?¡±
¡°Why not. I thought he was going to be your mate. You¡¯ve been together for years, and you¡¯ve lost all the precious times and split out.¡±
¡°I have Sir ymore, mother.¡±
¡°I know, but I¡¯m upset.¡±
Father, who didn¡¯t like Nocton Edgar very much, shook his head at me as if he told me not to pay any attention.
Even though I was more concerned about the other side of my mother¡¯s words.
¡°Roa and him looked so good together.¡±
However, my mother¡¯sst word were somewhat bitter, and I felt a sigh.
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
There is a potion called the Memoria Siltarae.
The liquid named after Memo Ria, a schr who established the concept of memory, had an amazing effect of organizing memory just by drinking it.
It brings back fading memories and organizes them in the right order. Therefore, it was a potion equivalent to holy water for those with memory-rted diseases.
Because it¡¯s a famous magic potion, I also knew its existence since childhood.
I once thought about obtaining one because I was reincarnated in a book¡¯s world. Nevertheless, I gave up the idea of getting the potion for number of reasons.
First, I was not sure if the function of the potion would be applied to the memory of my previous life. The past life story was considered crazy here, too.
Second, I can¡¯t bring back memories that I don¡¯t have at all¡ªsuch as the unread part of a book¡ªand it didn¡¯t seem to be of much help to remember the details of a love story.
And third, the most crucial reason is that the potion is too expensive.
As the second daughter of a Marquis, my personal fortune is quite huge, but I had to give up half of my assets to get a Memoria Siltarae.
The potion was really bitter.
I would rather be Nocton¡¯s dog than pay the money for that thing.
Thinking that way, I forgot about the potion, but under the present circumstances I had no choice.
¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? Mydy? It¡¯s presumptous of me to say, but the price of the potion is really¡.¡±
¡°Just get it for me, it¡¯s alright. And please keep it a secret from my parents. Alroy, too.¡±
¡°But littledy¡.¡±
The old butler, Duvel, drew the words with a dubious look.
But if you do not know the reason, it was a request for too much money.
Even if it¡¯s not the Marquisate¡¯s property but my own personal, it¡¯s still from the family of his master. It is normal for a servant to stop his master from buying a potion by shaking off half of her assets.
Because that¡¯s what I expected, I brought up the reason I had prepared in advance.
¡°Only you know this, Duvel. Actually, I drank a little at the ballroomst time. Aaron took me there and went to work. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯de back.¡±
¡°What? Then don¡¯t tell me¡.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, I think I made a mistake, but I can¡¯t remember.¡±
A sigh cane out from the depths of the lungs. Needless to say, this was a serious matter.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal. The littledy was fine when I greeted you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s ¡ I fell asleep in the carriage. But when I woke up, Aaron¡¯s face was blue and I couldn¡¯t remember anything. I need to know what¡¯s going on in order to handle it, but I can¡¯t even ask the person involved.¡±
It was easy to make Aaron as an excuse.
The old butler was a supporter of the youngestdy of the mansion and the white knight together for a smooth marriage.
¡°Please, Duvel. If my parents found out, I would be in a lot of trouble. I don¡¯t even know what I did before I got married. Keep it a secret. Can you do that?¡±
I held Duvel¡¯s hand, whose face was shaking, and said with an earnest look.
I¡¯ve seen him since I was a baby, and he was very weak with me and Alroy.
Momentster, Duvel nodded with a grim expression and left the room.
The next time Valrose¡¯s loyal butler shows up, he¡¯ll somehow obtain the Memories Siltarae.
Solving my pitiful expression, I let out a sigh once more.
¡°Oh, that¡¯s a waste of money.¡±
But now that I¡¯ve heard it from Alice, it¡¯s what I have to do.
I buried myself on the couch and looked out the window.
In the blue-drenched sky, the dense clouds were crawling slowly.
It waste at night, and Alice¡¯s words about Nocton Edgar were too shocking to hear.
Howe Alice¡¯s dreams know so much about Nocton? Since when she can do it and what else did she knows?
It would have been the same for anyone, not just me. Although I was aware that I was born in a novel, but if the main character is a viin, it¡¯s shocking enough to change the genre.
I didn¡¯t entirely believe Alice. However, Nocton¡¯s impression is not entirely the same as before.
I¡¯ve been agonizing over what¡¯s going on, but I got no results. In the end, I had to search my memory properly for a possible answer.
Perhaps the worst thing that would happen is that it costs a lot of money and no oue.
But I¡¯m sure it means something to try.
I had many things to do.
It wasn¡¯t about Memoria Siltarae, but I had to go visit Alice again ¡ and Nocton, too.
I felt heavy with fatigue.
??????
¡°Nocton.¡±
On the rainy day, Nocton was in his study as usual.
The firece was lit with firewood, and sometimes the fire red up like a star.
On the couch made of buffalo-leather, Nocton was reading a thick book in an upright posture with no disarray. Although he might have heard it, it was only until the end of the book that Nocton approached me.
¡°Hello, Valrose.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to my birthday party? You told me you¡¯de.¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember saying that.¡±
¡°But I¡¯m sure¡ª!¡±
¡°I told you I¡¯d think about it. I didn¡¯t say I was going, Valrose.¡±
Yeah, I knew you¡¯d say that.
I knew from the time I asked if he woulde on my birthday, from the moment he answered that he would think about it, or before I actually gave him an invitation.
I must be a fool if I didn¡¯t know.
Because this wasn¡¯t the first time it¡¯s happening.
The fire spread through my heart even though I was expecting it, so I stared at him with all my might.
¡°Nothing happened. You can¡¯te to the party, you can¡¯t contact me back ¡ there¡¯s nothing special happened, right?¡±
¡°Special ¡ if it were yesterday, there was nothing special about it other than your birthday.¡±
¡°Yes. I thought so.¡±
¡°You know why.¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s not surprising. I must look very strange to you.¡±
It¡¯s the same every year that you didn¡¯te to my birthday anyway, and you never invited me to your birthday.
It wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t remember thest year that I did the same thing every year.
It was a year ago, but it might be different this year
I thought we were a little closer, I felt a little friendlier, but when I asked him more, he widened the distance.
Yeah, it¡¯s not that hard to figure out.
Because the way he called me was still revealing his distance.
¡°Valrose?¡±
Yeah, that¡¯s the good-natured Valrose.
Even the person who I met two or three times calls me Roa, but Nocton calls me with myst name.
I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s trying to distance himself, or thinking that the one he¡¯s dealing with is the second daughter of Marquis Valrose, not Roa.
The heat in my eyes gave me strength to re at Nocton.
¡°Not just that. When you need a partner in a ballroom where you¡¯re supposed to attend, unless it¡¯s time to look good in the face of friendly rtions, not even once! When I say I need a partner, I¡¯m not even interested asking someone else for a partner!¡±
Nocton Edgar looked at me with a rare, rather absent-minded expression.
My pride was hurt and I never cried, and that must be embarrassing of me.
Whether it wasughing or crying, I always thought I¡¯d turn the face inside out with an ugly look, but there was an unexpected human aspect.
And I¡¯m annoyed.
¡°If I didn¡¯te to the Edgar¡¯s mansion, we won¡¯t have to run into each other. I knew it¡¯s toote, Nocton, but you¡¯ve nevere to my house before.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°I thought you were a friend.¡±
¡°So ¡ what do you want me to say?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want you to say anything. It¡¯s just¡.¡±
As the tears began to fall, I rubbed my eyes roughly with the back of my hand.
¡°Fuck you.¡±
??????
Crash!
I must have fallen asleep.
The sudden sound of thunder caused me to stir up my body.
I swept my swollen chest and looked out of the window.
As in the dream, the rain poured down like a waterfall, the yellow lights shed through the raindrops, and soon a loud thunderbolt followed.
The weather was the same as that day.
Maybe that¡¯s why I had a dream about it.
It was not pleasant to think of something I had forgotten. It¡¯s not a big deal now, but I was very angry at the time.
That¡¯s because it¡¯s the end of the delusion that Nocton considers me special.
There were many times when I wished and expected.
Now. I don¡¯t expect anything from him.
I sighed and found myself still buried on the couch.
I¡¯m in this position? Who¡¯s seen it? I didn¡¯t want to pay much attention to other people¡¯s eyes, but my parents were so noble that I would hear another scolding if the story went on.
Fortunately, nothing was very unusual except for the slightly distorted appearance.
However, I felt stiff because my body is weak.
With a long sigh, I stretched around and cleaned up my messy outfit.
Then, there was a knock.
Come to think of it, it¡¯s lunchtime, the time when Sadie, my personal maid, usuallye.
¡°Come in, Sadie.¡±
I spoke without a thought, looking out the window and heard the door open.
Crash! It thundered again.
The rainy season is almost over, but it¡¯s raucous, I got worried about my parents who went outside again today.
They won¡¯t get struck by lightning, right?
It was an useless concern, and the thought of it raises my anxiety.
Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one with all the escorts or anything. It¡¯s not gonna hurt to get some rain if there¡¯s no storm, but the emotions won over the reasoning.
¡°Sadie, when did the two say they would be back?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s not Sadie.¡±
Surprised by the voice from behind, I turned my head away. The low sound was certainly not the voice of my personal maid, yet it was a familiar voice.
¡°Hello, Valrose. You don¡¯t hate to see me, do you?¡±
Why did I realize now, if it was Sadie who really came in, she wouldn¡¯t be waiting for my response without saying anything.
It used to be a stunning familiar face, but has be surprisingly unfamiliartely.
I had no choice but to stare at a face I had never seen before in the Marquis Valrose¡¯s residence.
Next to the door, Nocton Edgar stood smiling.
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
It urred to me that I had not woken up yet from my dream.
But it was not a dream.
Compared to the boy in my dream, the young man in front of me was too grown up. He had curly ck hair, and a ssical face with decadent energy that had never existed in his childhood.
As if waiting for me toe to my senses, Nocton leaned sideways at the door and stared at me still.
¡°How did you get here¡.¡±
I never invited him or heard that he asked for a visit. No matter how high Duke Edgar¡¯s position is, he cannot enter a house without the owner¡¯s permission.
I looked at Nocton with trembling eyes and found the girl standing next to him.
The child with scarlet hair, freckles, and maid outfit was Sadie.
¡°What kind of tea shall I bring you, mydy?¡±
I wonder what¡¯s so important about tea now, but Sadie¡¯s ridiculous words didn¡¯te to my ears.
Her face was not her usual face. Her expression is nk and her eyes are blurred. On the other hand, the voice that came out of her mouth was polite and articte, which made me confused.
I didn¡¯t want to hear it, but I tried to squeeze the words out.
¡°¡.two cups of Darjeeling, the one from Mount Romeran. One at 85 degrees and don¡¯t put in too many tea leaves.¡±
¡°Yes, mydy. I¡¯ll bring it soon.¡± Politely, she bowed down and left with a quiet step.
There was no hint of my reflection in that look. Like someone who doesn¡¯t even know something¡¯s wrong.
Sadie was timid and shy, but she was a fundamentalist. She will not bring a guest without her master¡¯s permission.
¡®Everyone in Duke Edgar¡¯s household is brainwashed by Nocton Edgar.¡¯
It¡¯s too heavy to dismiss lightly, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve let Alice¡¯s words slip too far nheless.
A chill ran down my spine. Whether the person in front of me is a childhood friend who has been with me for so long, or someone who has been able to attach a tender, irritating, but vaguely affection.
My whole body felt dizzy at the moment. I gulped down my dry saliva as if to press my embarrassment.
¡°I came as soon as you told me, but I didn¡¯t expect toe to your room. Do you want to go to the drawing room?¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s talk here.¡±
I wanted to take a deep breath, but I had to settle for a thin breath. I pretended as much as I could.
No, don¡¯t doubt it already. There¡¯s nothing I can be sure of yet.
Perhaps, indeed, perhaps all these recent stories were wrong. Alice certainly did some things that only I would know, but it was a single story.
Only one exception was enough to prove that the assumption might be wrong. Maybe it¡¯s a misunderstanding between the characters inside the novel.
I may be turning a blind eye to reality. One, this level of mindset was the best I could have.
There is no love, and it¡¯s kind of a halfway. Even so, I had known Nocton Edgar since childhood and was close by, so I thought he wasn¡¯t that bad. I wanted to believe so.
Thanks to my desperate efforts, I could find a level of peace, even if not perfect.
In the meantime, whatever he¡¯s thinking, Nocton said nothing at all. Maybe he thinks I¡¯m angry, because he ignored what I said at the ball.
How long has it been, Sadie came back with the tea. I felt a little calmer as I stay.
¡°What¡¯s the matter, Nocton. You¡¯ve never been here before.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t hear from you, so I realized it btedly.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I apologize for speaking ill of your fianc¨¦, Valrose. Surely, like you said, a fianc¨¦ and a friend can¡¯t be the same. It¡¯s natural for you to get angry.¡±
The words was slow and clear, but I couldn¡¯t quite understand what Nocton said.
Most of Nocton Edgar¡¯s apologies were matched with ridicule or pretense. To hear such a simple apology from Nocton, I forgot about how cool my mind was until and while ago, and openly doubt it.
¡°Apology? You?¡±
¡°That¡¯s a bad reaction.¡±
¡°Would you believe it if you were me? Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not a day or two that you¡¯ve been speaking ill of people.¡±
¡°It¡¯s generous of you to forgive me so easily.¡±
Yes, it¡¯s more of a Nocton Edgar over here.
I felt the situation was no different from usual as I spoke a few words. I felt relieved and my stiffened shoulders became light.
The assumption that it might be a vain hope was gaining strength. The power of the word as usual was so strong.
Sadly, however, today is not the usual day.
As if tough at me with relief, Nocton¡¯s eyes turned strange. He tilted his tea cup gracefully and changed his voice a little. In a lower, whispery voice.
¡°The new you who didn¡¯te to see me has gotten more kind.¡±
¡°What are you talking about.¡±
¡°A little while ago. I thought you¡¯d say something else. ¡®How did you get here¡¯, not the same thing, for instance ¡ ¡®Why did you bring Nocton Edgar without permission?¡¯. Your maid did something wrong. But you¡¯re so kind. You sent it back without saying a word.¡±
Like someone who knows it¡¯s not her fault.
The words that didn¡¯t evene out of Nocton¡¯s mouth passed the cut like an auditory hallucination.
Obviously, Nocton wasughing at me.
Crash! I didn¡¯t know if the thundering soundes first, or if my heart starts pumping again.
My heart was pounding.
His calmness is like a lie.
Why would he says that?
With the broken relief, I felt uneasy, scared, and sad. My lips trembled.
¡°It¡¯s not strange if I don¡¯t punish my servant in front of a guest.¡±
While answering that, I recalled once again the look in the eyes of the maid who had stood beside him.
Did Sadie really get hurt by something, such as Nocton Edgar¡¯s magic, brainwashed, and brought him here without asking my permission?
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say you were strange, Valrose. I¡¯m just admiring your kindness.¡±
Then why, Nocton Edgar.
Why did my bad childhood friende to my room in Marquis Valrose¡¯s residence?
And why did hee into my room without visiting normally?
To make sure if I know something?
It can¡¯t be. It was because of her dream that Alice could talk about Nocton. No matter how powerful Nocton is, he will not be able to look into other people¡¯s dreams.
But if not, why did Nocton choose to visit like this, as if he were testing me?
Why did Nocton Edgar, who had never set a foot in Valrose¡¯s mansion,e this way at this time of year?
If he wants to confirm something, what then?
If he¡¯s sure I know about his secret, what¡¯s next?
¡°Listen, you met Limorand¡¯s daughter at the night of the ball?¡±
¡°You¡¯re crazy, you put someone on it?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. The watchman is a cuterk. I¡¯m so worried about what¡¯s going to happen with the engagement just around the corner.¡±
¡°Nocton Edgar!¡±
¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t share my gossip, Valrose. What did you talk about that day?¡±
There was a glimmer of light in his eyes.
I thought I was getting used to it, but my mouth dried up like a frog in front of a snake.
Decade of years seemed meaningless as if they were swept away by waves.
How far do we know?
Maybe he came here to check on Alice because he found out she knew something.
To see how much Alice knows, how much I know.
And after I¡¯ve figured it out.
What are you thinking?
The guess in my mind went wild and came to a conclusion that I didn¡¯t want to assume.
Holding the cup with a cold fingertip, I swallowed my tea.
¡°Don¡¯t intimidated me, Nocton. I¡¯m not obligated to tell a third party what I said to my friend.¡±
A heavy silence fell.
If I could, I wanted to open his head to see what Nocton Edgar was thinking.
Did Nocton Edgar reallye to kill someone who found out about his secret?
There was a question that I couldn¡¯t ask straight down my throat.
Nocton dropped his cup on the table.
There was a dull sound and my eyes met with the slow rising gaze.
Nocton ¡ was frowning.
¡°A third party, you say that to your friend.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re not the one I¡¯m talking to, you¡¯re the same as anyone else.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to intimidate you. By all means, Valrose, you¡¯re my most precious person. If you don¡¯t want to talk, yes, I¡¯ll stop asking. I don¡¯t want to be suspected of being a paranoid.¡±
He put his hands in his arms, even though his body hardened, without pretending to be.
A thin gold foiled white envelope was ced on the table.
¡°I¡¯m going to throw a light tea party next week. I wish you woulde.¡±
¡°¡.remember what I said at the ball?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t want to get caught up in rumors. You¡¯ll contact me when I¡¯m calm. Don¡¯t worry about that, Valrose. I invited your fianc¨¦, too. Since Limorand¡¯s daughter is also going to be there, it would be better to put the old story in order.¡±
Like a y actor who reads the script, Nocton didn¡¯t even have the sight of smiling while talking like a machine. Still, with a wry frown, his face sank.
With a strange look on his face, Nocton rose.
I stood up following his move, and looked alternately at the invitation on the table and his strange expression.
Is he going back, like this?
In such a hectic situation that I can¡¯t even remember what I said, Nocton¡¯s sudden return made my mind even more confused.
The invitation of tea party was a foreign object to think that he had juste to see me.
Nocton cleaned up his messy outfit and smiled as usual.
Still, the line drawn around his mouth could not be said the same as usual. It¡¯s disparate and artificial.
I couldn¡¯t help but feel that way.
¡°You don¡¯t have to punish your maid. I entered the mansion as the guest of Alroy Valrose.¡±
¡°What? Alroy?¡±
¡°So, don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t doubt it, Valrose.¡±
In the chain of words that could not be rified, I couldn¡¯t say anything and kept my mouth shut.
Looking down at me in a different sense than before, Nocton bent his back.
Up on my shoulder, next to my face. A thin breath tickled my hair like a wind.
I tried to back off reflexively, but I couldn¡¯t because the table behind me.
¡°Valrose.¡±
¡°What are you doing!¡±
¡°Valrose.¡±
¡°If you have something to say¡.¡±
¡°Actually, I don¡¯t like Valrose so much.¡±
What do you mean by this.
The strange words drained the strength of his hand as I pushed him away.
¡°You probably don¡¯t know for the rest of your life.¡±
Nocton, who bent over toward me, slowly straightened his posture.
Only then did I realize that I had a ne made of amethyst around my neck.
Congrattions on your engagement, for now.
Leaving behind the sound of words, Nocton walked out of the room.
Indeed, it was a strange behavior.
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Trantor: nevermoorian
_______________________________________________________________
Shortly after Nocton¡¯s return, I headed straight for Alroy¡¯s office.
I went it without knocking, but as if she had guessed my visit, she was not surprised at all.
¡°Why did Lord Edgar ask you?¡±
Alroy put down the fountain pen that she had in her hand.
¡°That¡¯s strange. Hees to me for a favor.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t picking on me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not, he helped me first.¡±
Help, what?
As I frowned in silence, Alroy tilted her head agonizingly and opened her mouth.
¡°I have to talk to you anyway.¡±
She muttered to me, or to herself, and straightened herself up.
¡°Terrops, it was presumptuous of him.¡±
¡°Terrops Andate?¡±
¡°Yes, my fianc¨¦, cute and terrible, scheduled to marry me next month.¡±
¡°He ¡ what did Lord Andate do?¡±
¡°He¡¯s nning to marry me and seduce you.¡±
I¡¯m a fool to take it seriously.
The sound was so absurd that I barely managed my expression.
¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
¡°I wish I could just talk nonsense. He wanted to marry the first daughter who was in power, but he loved the second daughter who was the most beautiful woman of the Empire. He was even talking about it to his mistress. Maybe he resents me.¡±
Alroy twirled her fingers next to my head.
Aside from the absurd remark that I was the most beautiful woman in the Empire, she would have blown up this much if she were joking.
Don¡¯t tell me that crazy thing is true?
ording to Alroy¡¯s insistence that they should know each other for a long time, she has been engaged for seven years at the age of twenty. I didn¡¯t even know she was going to have time to get married.
I can¡¯t believe he wasted all that long, hard time by doing such a stupid thing a month before the wedding.
I wonder whether I should admire Terrops Andate¡¯s grand ambition, or to be impressed by Alroy¡¯s eyes.
He has been hiding his dark inner thoughts with an easy-to-use and innocent face. If I hadn¡¯t been next to the damn n, I would have appreciated it.
Even though I couldn¡¯t make it over with my sweet face, my heart was so ufortable that I had to look at Alroy¡¯s eyes.
¡°Unfortunately, the long-cherished n ruined and he was forced out of the house.¡±
¡°¡.Are you alright, Alroy?¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to tell our parents, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. I think it¡¯s a relief. I chose my fianc¨¦ because of his family and his proper condition, but his face is not my cup of tea.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to do with him. You know?¡±
¡°Well, if anything had happened, Terrops Andate would have died already.¡±
With a brutal truth, Alroy raised herself.
A warm kiss touched my forehead.
A subtle sense of insecurity and useless guilt melted down in one fell swoop.
¡°There¡¯s no doubt, Ruru.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t call me by nickname.¡±
As I lowered my eyes in a quizzical way, Alroy burst intoughter.
With only five years apart at the most, Alroy was too adult-like.
I¡¯d be much older if I counted my past life.
Out of shame, I returned the topic of the conversation to the direct matter of visiting Alroy¡¯s office.
¡°What did Nocton help you?¡±
¡°I usually throw away groundless rumors, but His Grace does not. He said he¡¯s been looking into Andate¡¯s second son because there were some bad rumors about him. In fact, His Grace doesn¡¯t need to, but he¡¯s angry.¡±
Nocton did a direct investigation of Terrops Andate?
For what reason?
Various ideas passed through my mind.
Alice¡¯s words that the Duke was brainwashed, a strange-looking Sadie, and Nocton¡¯s sudden visit.
It would have been a good thing if he had used Terrops Andate simply to enter Valrose¡¯s mansion.
But what if Terrops Andate¡¯s rumors are false?
If he did that by Nocton¡¯s trick¡?
I shook my head as I continued to think.
That¡¯s stupid.
It was an excessive doubt.
Even if Nocton Edgar really was such a person, there was no reason to break Alroy¡¯s engagement off.
I learned so much in the short term that my mind was biased by doubts.
How did this happen?
I felt ufortable as if I had a thorn that could not be pulled out.
¡°Roa.¡±
¡°Uh, yes.¡±
¡°Does Sir ymore treat you well?¡±
¡°Suddenly, Aaron pops out.¡±
¡°Do you love Sir ymore?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not trying to date Aaron. If you¡¯re asking if the love you¡¯re talking about meets the external condition, it will be different.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll respect you for your choice, but you don¡¯t have to care about the family or the condition. If you¡¯re going to calcte such thing, you can do it. My dear little sister, I wish you choose to be the happiest.¡±
A gentle stream of words constrain my mind.
Do I love Aaron, it was as absurd as the question whether I love Nocton or not.
I was the one who made a deal with the person who was going through the marriage talk with me, and Aaron agreed that it was a proposal that I was going to break from the beginning.
He wants to avoid marriage for the time being. If possible, he said that he was hurt by me, so that he could make a cause to refuse another engagement.
And I¡¯m worried about the congestion caused by Nocton. I need a distance from Nocton Edgar. To avoid the unseemly sympathy and ridicule I would eventually be received if Nocton and Alice fell in love.
That¡¯s what happened. That¡¯s the way it was.
I thought that the fate of being burned could be avoided, but the conclusion that Nocton and Alice were in love was inevitable, so I didn¡¯t want to y a role of betrayed by love.
But when I think about it now, I wonder what I can gain from my engagement to Aaron.
Is Nocton the protagonist or the viin?
Will Nocton and Alice fall in love nheless?
What does Nocton think of me?
My mouth is drying up.
I could not answer my sister¡¯s question right away, so I avoided Alroy¡¯s eyes.
¡°¡.Thank you, but that¡¯s not about Nocton, is it?¡±
In spite of what I said to avoid answering, Alroyughed silently.
***
¡°I¡¯m sorry, mydy. I really don¡¯t know why I did it.¡±
¡°He¡¯s here as a guest of Alroy.¡±
¡°But I¡¯m the personal maid of Lady Roa¡.¡±
Even though I said it was fine, Sadie bit her lip with a look that she couldn¡¯t understand herself.
Yes, Sadie¡¯s personality was so stubborn that the difference between the day before was clearer.
The maid, who might have been mentally disturbed by Nocton, bowed again with a guilty face.
¡°I will never do that again.¡±
I felt ufortable because of her determined expression.
The more Sadie med herself, the more odd Nocton got.
No, not only this, but the people¡¯s words, the way things are going, and Nocton¡¯s behavior ¡ everything convinced me that he had a secret.
Maybe, like I didn¡¯t even have to buy a Memoria Siltarae.
¡°And there was a reply from Sir ymore. Here.¡±
Sadie gave me a ck envelope. It¡¯s a letter inscribed with ymore¡¯s seal.
The answer to the question of whether Nocton invited him to a tea party was written on the inside.
¡®As you said, I have been asked to attend the tea party by Duke Edgar.
I haven¡¯t sent a reply yet, but the Duke¡¯s emissary is staying at the post until he receives a reply.
I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be easy to dy my reply for a long time.
If you wish me not to attend the party, I¡¯ll be waiting for you to write before midnight. If you don¡¯t send me a letter, I¡¯ll be at the tea party¡.¡¯
When I cut the front and back greetings, the content was this.
If Aaron would not attend the tea party, I would also use him as an excuse, but he didn¡¯t show any reluctance.
I thought I¡¯d get an I wanted to avoid Alice as his answer.
Doesn¡¯t he know she¡¯sing, too?
Come to think of it, I was in a hurry to write and forgot to mention Alice.
Now, it¡¯s strange to ask if he¡¯s going to go where Alice ising.
I finally have to go to that strange ce.
I reached out for the next letter from Sadie, but all she had left on her arm was my favorite shawl.
I¡¯m sure I sent a letter to Alice, too, right?
¡°What did you put in Limorand?¡±
¡°It¡¯s ¡ uh, I think Lady Alice Limorand is not feeling well. She¡¯s been taking a rest in Ernhardt for a while.¡±
¡°Ernhardt?¡±
Ernhardt was a former estate where Alice lived before she was identified as Limorand.
As soon as I thought of it, ¡®Why is she there?¡¯ came under my tongue, but I managed to swallow it.
Even if the partner wasn¡¯t a maid, Alice¡¯s childhood was a secret to everyone.
Not only did the knight steal the baby and the nanny lie about the baby being stillborn, but also because Alice spent her childhood as Baron Momont¡¯s illegitimate daughter.
It¡¯s only natural. None of the words were free to talk about.
The Limorand thought their youngest daughter was dead, and now they didn¡¯t want her to be swept away of the scandals.
Alice was introduced as a daughter who was ill and recuperating in the country, and was barely show up after she had recovered.
Although it was a somewhat unreasonable im, the people of Limorand family itself were not revealed much, and no one openly doubted it because the Duke had prepared so thoroughly.
That¡¯s why, the story of her once living in Ernhardt as Alice Momont was something I only knew, except for a few people from Limorand and Momont.
So it was all the more iprehensible that Alice was headed Ernhardt at this point.
It¡¯s only been half a year since Alice came to the capital with Limorand. There may be people who recognize her, why would she go to Ernhardt?
Despite the constant silence that seemed odd, Sadie¡¯s face lit up.
Breaking it, I opened my mouth.
¡°It¡¯s pretty far. It¡¯s hard toe and go.¡±
¡°She used a magic scroll to the middle point. Thedy¡¯s destination is a secret, so she told me to tell you privately. I think that¡¯s what Lady Alice ordered before she left.¡±
Secret, then she went in disguise.
Alice¡¯s unruly behavior was a little more thatplemented, but I still can¡¯t be entirely convinced.
She doesn¡¯t want me toe to Ernhardt. She can¡¯t tell me in the capital where there¡¯s Nocton? No, it¡¯s too much thinking¡ª
My head was throbbing.
¡°And I brought this because she asked me to return the shawl you lent her.¡±
At the bted mark, I remembered that the shawl in Sadie¡¯s arm was the one I lent to Alice.
I thought she was holding it in case I was cold.
Just now, I felt cold from the headache, so I took the shawl. I intended to cover my bare shoulders.
But, my hand stopped before I opened one shawl.
The innermost folds were thin and angled.
Paper?
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Trantor: nevermoorian
---------------------------------------------------------------
It¡¯s a note.
I slowly turned my eyes to nce at Sadie, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice anything inside because she had folded the shawl several times.
¡°Alright, you can leave now.¡±
¡°Yes, mydy.¡±
Sadie left the room with a more cautious attitude than usual. The sound of small steps buried away in the carpet.
One, two, three, four, five.
It wasn¡¯t until I counted up to five in my mind that I unfolded the shawl. As expected, a beautiful note was folded neatly.
When I read it, it was in Alice¡¯s handwriting.
¡®Don¡¯t go to the tea party.¡¯
She was telling me what to do.
??????
Dagh. Dagh¡.
The sound of a horse regrly running. A clear, tinum-colored sky, the only thing that soared is a small manor.
The mountainous area, which is rich in scale but surrounded by monster, was named Ernhardt¡ªthe name of the ce no one covets.
Alice was looking out the carriage window when they¡¯re slowly approaching Ernhardt.
Half a year has passed, she thought it would have been a long time before she woulde again to thisnd of love and hatred.
¡°I didn¡¯t want toe.¡±
A lot of effort was put into the hands that lifted her hem.
Alice Limorand¡¯s childhood seemed to have embodied the misery of a fairytale.
The hot tempered baroness, who openly abused her, was understandable.
She could also ept the conduct of her two sisters who only gave her their old things and the maids¡¯ clothes.
The bitterness towards them was erased because there had been a deep interlude in the future.
But the man who made her most miserable, she couldn¡¯t forgive him no matter what.
Baron Momont, once known as her father, was the culprit of her misfortunes.
After Alice¡¯s true birth was revealed, the man escaped faster than anyone else, and no one knows his whereabouts.
A father who sometimes saw Alice with loving eyes, sometimes with hateful eyes, and sometimes with greedy eyes.
She used to think it was an eye for illegitimate children, but when she knew the truth, she realized it was the eye for the seed of a woman he loved.
It became more loathsome to know.
It was a fact that everyone knows Alice was an illegitimate child because she had no resemnce to the baron couple, and was not a year apart from her older sister.
The baron was the one whomitted adultery, he betrayed the faith of a husband and wife, but all the sins fell upon Alice.
There has never been a happy moment in Alice Momont¡¯s life until at some point.
The main character in the fairytale used to be friendly with mice and wild cats to hide her sadness, but Alice Momont did not.
The mouse got goosebumps just by hearing her footsteps, and it was a rare for a wild cat to stand by a person.
She keeps smiling because only then she can be less hated and people can be more sympathetic of her.
The extremely calcted goodness was rather cunning.
That¡¯s how Alice lived.
Until the day she met Roa.
The day when she got kicked out in the morning because she broke a vase, she went for a walk to forget her hunger.
A carriage stopped next to Alice, as if bewitched by something.
The four horses were unparalleled and imposingpared to the Momont¡¯s horses. The girl who got off the carriage was also different from the people here.
¡°Is this Ernhardt? It¡¯s better than I thought.¡±
At first nce, it¡¯s obvious she was not from this area.
The curled hair was flowing with a voracious gloss and the small face was as cute as kitten.
But it wasn¡¯t Roa¡¯s appearance that attracted Alice¡¯s attention.
High quality clothes that are priceless, an unprecedented attitude of someone who had never been bowed to anyone, and the maids also knights who are standing behind the child with confidence.
All those were new to her, but it also looked familiar at the same time.
Alice had seen this sight before.
Not in reality, but in her dream.
Her dreams of Ernhardt have always been grim, perhaps because similiar things always happen. The daily routine of being abused, despised, and giving courteous smile for small favors.
Three days before, as in reality, something new happened in a very dreary dream.
A fancy carriage approaching her who was standing absent-mindedly, the door opens and someone gets off.
She could remember the maids who came down with her and the knight who followed her on a horse, but she couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s face or hear her voice. Even when she looked at her and saw what she herself answered.
At some point, Alice realized that there was a particrly vivid dream among her everyday dreams.
And that vivid dream repeats itself in reality.
She avoided some difficulties and made some unexpected gains because of them, but she didn¡¯t think much of them. Nothing big happened.
But this time, Alice was waiting for her dream toe true.
¡®I have a chance to be happy!¡¯
Atst the desired moment came, but Alice didn¡¯t know what to do.
She didn¡¯t know what this person in her dream said, but she remembered what she herself said. However, the answer didn¡¯t help because it was only foolishly ¡°Yes, no.¡±.
So, when the opponent, who looked at Alice with a strange expression, asked her, she had no choice but to stutter as she did in her dream.
Even though she knew it already, she has a big fault.
To Alice, who has low self-esteem, it cannot be easy to deal with a high-ranking noble child, even at a nce. For Alice, it was best to stretch out her crumpled shoulder.
¡°Are you a nobleman?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Since it¡¯s Ernhardt ¡ there¡¯s only one noble family. Who was the Lord here, Carol?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Baron Momont, youngdy.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this family before. Your face looks like someone I used to know, what is your name? I¡¯m Roa Valrose, I came from the capital.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡.! It¡¯s Alice Momont, miss.¡±
¡°Alice ¡ Momont?¡±
Roa Valrose, who frowned as if something was unclear, titled her head and sank in thought.
¡®What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡¯
¡®Does she know that I¡¯m an illegitimate child? What if it¡¯s different from my dream?¡®
Her heart pounded and Alice¡¯s mind becameplicated.
Whether she realized it or not, Roa mumbled in surprise after pondering for a few seconds.
¡°This is crazy.¡±
¡°We have arrived, mydy.¡±
Alice, who was lost in her thought, came to her senses at the horseman¡¯s words. The carriage door opened and Alice stepped down with the help of the knight.
In front of a tinum-gold wheat field, a cool breeze blowing along the road.
Alicended on the road where she first met Roa Valrose.
The girl, who looked at the carriage with a stupid face in the past, now steps down from a carriage bigger than it was then.
It was a novelty that she had never expected, but Alice would notugh bitterly.
She fled from Ernhardt atst, but this ce was the first came to mind when she thought she should escape from the Duke¡¯s eyes.
It¡¯s unbelievable.
The wind blew her ck hair. It was a wig that was designed to keep others out of sight. In addition, arge, veiled hat covered Alice¡¯s face, and even an artifact that obscured people¡¯s perceptives was hung in her ears.
Even if the runaway Baron Momont came back and saw her, he wouldn¡¯t notice Alice Limorand.
It was true that she had to travel far to avoid being dragged to the tea party by Nocton Edgar, but it was not necessary to be Ernhardt.
Nevertheless, Alice came here.
More than the hatred for the Momonts, more than the rejection of her childhood.
Besides meeting Roa Valrose, she have only one good memory here.
¡®I want to meet you, Ed.¡¯
Alice closed her eyes, reminiscent of a young man with ck hair.
??????
Longer time spent with someone means you¡¯ll know a lot about your opponent, whether you want it or not.
As a mere fianc¨¦e, I couldn¡¯t get to know Aaron¡¯s innermost thoughts, but his superficial parts were too well known.
He is a very regr man.
Meal time, education time, training time, even wake up and bedtime are set in minutes.
Aaron¡¯s time in ordinary circumstances was always chivalrous, although it changed little by little when a separate exception was made.
So, as far as I know, Aaron is now on his way back to the main building of his mansion after training.
I know it, but I can¡¯t help getting nervous.
I¡¯m waiting for Aaron in the first drawing room of Marquis ymore¡¯s mansion. My heart has not called down since I read Alice¡¯s note.
For some time, a second flowed like a year, and the door to the drawing room finally opened.
I stood up screaming his name.
¡°Aaron!¡±
¡°Roa? What are you doing here¡ª¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t responded yet, have you? You didn¡¯t say you were going, did you? Why aren¡¯t you answering me?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s a reply¡ªyou mean, the tea party? I haven¡¯t done it yet.¡±
I breathed a sigh of relief only then.
The people of ymore were so strict with principles that they didn¡¯t answer my question about whether Edgar was still waiting for a reply. It was only natural, but the silence sounded like a denial, and my heart was no longer can take it.
Finally, I was able to calm down.
I ignored the bewildered servants and greeted him with bted courtesy.
Aaron greeted back with a grim face, then he sent out the servants.
It¡¯s almost time for dinner, so I denied tea and the conversation began immediately.
¡°If I had not received a reply from you by the end of the day, I would have answered tomorrow ¡ didn¡¯t I write it to you? Did something happen?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just worried for no reason.¡±
Alice¡¯s warning against Nocton was the same in the ballroom, but the weight of the words was different from then and now.
I shouldn¡¯t go to the tea party, which makes me anxious.
It¡¯s even worse because Alice has never said so strongly.
I was swayed by her note for a reason, and as time passed, my doubts about Nocton seemed to grow endlessly.
Even if I don¡¯t find a problem with Nocton in the Memoria Siltarae, I may not even believe him now.
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Trantor: nevermoorian
¡°Oh, you asked me what happened. Something did happen. As you often say, I can¡¯t tell you why.¡±
¡°Roa.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not joking, and I¡¯m not trying to make fun of you. I don¡¯t even know the reason.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s it! It¡¯s the feeling I felt everytime you shut your mouth.¡±
Aaron¡¯s face was subtly distorted, but on the contrary, I felt refreshed.
I didn¡¯t make it obvious, but I was very frustrated because of Aaron¡¯s first love, which he couldn¡¯t marry and tell my why.
Who the hell is that woman who reces Alice?
With a shrug, I got up from my seat. I came in person instead of sending someone because I was in such a hurry, but after hearing the answer, I thought I came for no reason. It¡¯s like I¡¯m here in the evening to interrupt someone¡¯s dinner.
¡°Please reply that you will not be attending. No, it might be better not to send a reply until the day.¡±
¡°Why would you¡ª If I asked, you wouldn¡¯t answer. But isn¡¯t that disrespectful to His Grace?¡±
¡°What¡¯s so important about courtesy? Maybe.¡±
Maybe it¡¯s my life on the line. Iughed bitterly, swallowing the words.
¡°You know, Aaron. This may sound strange, but be careful of him. Just in sense.¡±
If the gossip lovers hear it, they¡¯ll think it¡¯s a story of being betrayed by an unrequited love. Fortunately, Aaron nodded seriously.
If he doesn¡¯t agree, he¡¯ll be in danger, so it¡¯s good in many ways.
I raised my hands to clear up my wrinkled skirt and say goodbye.
¡°Then, I¡¯ll go back¡ª¡±
¡°Roa.¡±
Aaron came up with an unexpected suggestion.
¡°A good drink came in, would you like to stay for a while?¡±
***
The Marquis ymore and his wife vacated the mansion on a knighthood basic, and Aaron had no other brothers, so it was only me and him who headed for the dining room.
Although we were engaged, it would be awkward for me to have a meal with a man alone. Because it was the first time, except for my father and Nocton. That doesn¡¯t mean I want the Marquis couple to apany us.
Still, I was relieved by dividing the wine ss a few times and the atmosphere was about as usual.
No, it may have been a little loose than usual.
At least I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much difference, but the man¡¯s eyes in front of me were uncanny. Aaron blinked his eyes out of focus.
Maybe it¡¯s because I don¡¯t usually enjoy drinking. It was a good drink, as he said, and it wasn¡¯t too strong, but Aaron was unexpectedly drunk.
¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask.¡±
In the meantime, it¡¯s kind or cool that nothing get twisted.
When I looked into Aaron¡¯s eyes without any particr answer, the question followed.
¡°Roa, will you ept my proposal if I ask you to marry me?¡±
He¡¯s gone, he¡¯s gone.
I tried to think about it, but I was pretty shaken up, probably because I was a little tipsy.
His eyes are round by the cold response.
He looks like a rabbit with red eyes like that. The strange thought made me smile.
¡°Aaron, do you know what I¡¯ve grown the most since I¡¯ve been with Nocton?¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s my hunch.¡±
As I spoke, I was thirsty again and reached out to my ss. Strangely, the ss kept slipping away and I couldn¡¯t judge the ss until after three attempts.
Maybe because it¡¯s a ss, it¡¯s too slippery.
¡°Don¡¯t ask me if I want this when you don¡¯t intend to. It¡¯s a bad way of speaking.¡±
I shook my head, recalling the face of a scary childhood friend.
Thanks to being attached to Nocton, I learned like a ghost how others feel.
Ironically, I don¡¯t know a bit about the feelings of Nocton Edgar.
In my time with Nocton, I¡¯vemitted too many misgivings. I felt like I¡¯ve be his special person, the arrogance that he regards me as a friend, that I know enough about him.
I know almost everything about his favorite tea, favorite color, favorite food, disliked behaviour, disliked sses, and disliked food. I thought I knew about him.
If you share a long time together, you¡¯ll find out a lot about the other person, whether you want it or not.
But not everything.
The secret that the other person has hidden, the treasures that he really cherishes, under the pale flesh, under the beating heart, may not be known no matter how much time we spend together.
Recently, I¡¯ve been realizing it again.
All I know is a shell that can be peeled off at any time.
In just a few days, I was suspecting that Nocton might be someone out of the frame of society.
The time I have spent is meaningless and the emotions I¡¯ve built are full of pain. My empty heart filled with unprovoked sorrow.
No, let¡¯s not make a conclusion. I can¡¯t be sure of anything until the goods arrive.
Even though I thought it was a meaningless denial, I shook my head, holding on to the feelings of regret or failure.
My trembling hands turn back to the ss. I could clearly deep a puffy and cold liquid going over my neck and sinking into my stomach.
¡°I¡¯m not asking without thinking. Roa, you¡¯re a good person and you really don¡¯t seem to be in a rtionship with His Grace. I thought I wouldn¡¯t at least be unhappy if I married you.¡±
¡°You must be unhappy now.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not happy. The reason¡ª¡±
¡°You can¡¯t tell me?¡±
At my sarcastic remarks, Aaron burst intoughter.
Surprised by the first sound of hisughter, I felt a little woken up.
Am I drunk?
It seemed to me that my eyes were spinning somewhere. As I pressed my eyes firmly, I heard anotherugh.
That¡¯s really a weirdugh. I straightened my face when I saw his cheerful smile.
¡°You can¡¯t tell me.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m going to tell you today.¡±
¡°Umh ¡ did you just speak today? Right?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot.¡±
¡°You pretend you don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°To tell you the truth, having a broken engagement with you is already a secret. I wondered if it would make a difference if I added one more.¡±
Though I don¡¯t like him saying the opposite and pretending not to know, I liked his point, so I decided to forgive Aaron.
¡°That¡¯s a perfectly desirable attitude.¡±
¡°Is that so? Haha.¡±
¡°So what¡¯s the secret?¡±
¡°There¡¯s someone I love. A person who I can¡¯t even think of marrying.¡±
¡°That¡¯s already¡ª¡±
¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±
A chill ran down my spine, as if suddenly it was winter.
The one he loves died?
I knew no one would joke with these words, but I took another look at Aaron¡¯s face. His expression was serious.
Aaron continued his words with calm face.
¡°I met her on my knight trial before. As you may know, if you want to be a knight, you have to leave for a mission after you finished your training. I had to be knighted to my father, so I had to catch the monster as he said. He told me not toe back until I catch 150 drakes.¡±
¡°¡.It¡¯s moreplicated than I thought.¡±
¡°Yes. It was a test of sorts, so there¡¯s no family support, and I had to solve everything myself. Even with the help of anotherpany, it was difficult. That¡¯s why I did a little bit of disguise, but anyone who knew me would recognize me. Even if I wore artifacts, they can tell by the aura or the way I speak.¡±
That¡¯s true.
I nodded in sympathy. Not many people have acted so fiercely even if they¡¯re from a knight family.
¡°And there, I met her. When I was selling monsters or animal skins for living, I encountered her often in the market. I thought she was amoner at first because of her rough hands and poor clothes, but I knew she was a noble after I spoke to her.¡±
¡°Did she give you her name?¡±
¡°No, she never told me herst name. But I could tell from her posture. I pretended I didn¡¯t care, but I knew who she was then. Coincidentally, there was only one noble family in thend.¡±
¡°It was a small territory.¡±
¡°Yes. We were getting closer and closer, and I was going to confess when the trial was over. That day, I would have done so if my grandfather had not passed away and I didn¡¯t need to rush up to the capital.¡±
Aaron¡¯s words reminded me of something not long after.
Come to think of it, it has been less than a year since ymore¡¯s title was inherited by the current Marquis. The previous Marquis died of a sudden illness and his title was handed over the next generation.
Looking at the timing, I held my breathe.
However, I¡¯m not sure yet.
As if to take a breath, Aaron stopped talking, reaching out to his ss. The ss was empty, so I poured him wine.
He expressed his gratitude with gesture.
¡°I attended the funeral and headed back there, but she wasn¡¯t in the market. I waited for a few days, but she didn¡¯t show up for months. That¡¯s why I went directly to her family, not to be a coward. I didn¡¯t say my name either. And¡.¡±
¡°Did you hear the news of ¡ her death?¡±
¡°When I said I couldn¡¯t believe it, a man of her family guided me. To hear tombstone.¡±
Aaron¡¯s face was distorted. He spoke again, with a look of anguish as if his heart had broken.
¡°Alice¡¯s tombstone.¡±
I didn¡¯t hear him wrong, did I?
I felt like I was out of my drink.
Aaron might have been drunk and said the wrong name, but there is no way he could have said that name unless it was on the tip of his tongue.
It was hard to think that she was of the same name as Alice I knew.
Aaron is a supporting character who falls in love with Alice in the original story, but isn¡¯t it too fast to say that his first love¡¯s name is Alice?
Now I wasn¡¯t sure what the original story was about.
He didn¡¯t see the body even if he saw the tombstone.
If the Limorand has taken action, it would be no wonder.
Of course, it was hasty to confirm that Aaron¡¯s first love was Alice.
Even though she was expected to be discussed as his marriage partner, he changed his partner to me and avoided her.
I¡¯ve heard that Alice wore a disguise and asionally escaped from the baron, but she couldn¡¯t use magic items due to her poor situation.
And they must have recognized each other after she came up to the capital.
However, there is a reason why one should avoid his or her loved ones without revealing their circumstances.
I¡¯ve always suspected it, so I had a strange conviction in my mind.
But my head still couldn¡¯t ept it.
One thing, if Aaron¡¯s first love is Alice, then they spent time together when they were under their disguises.
The two of them had that kind of story.
Is Aaron ymore really a simple supporting character?
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
The protagonist I saw on the cover of the novel was obviously dark-haired, but now I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m certain of my memories.
Despite this belief, there was nothing clear about the idea. In the end, I have no choice but to ask directly.
At the end of thest words, I looked at Aaron, who was silent, and carefully opened my mouth.
Aaron, um ¡ I¡¯m just curious. Can you tell me where you went?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°I know it¡¯s rude. But it seems like a ce I knew, and just in case ¡ is it Ernhardt?¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Sir?¡±
Aaron¡¯s body, which was sitting in a daze, copsed. Come to think of it, we were in the middle of a chat, but it¡¯s been quiet for a while¡.
¡°Wait a minute, Aaron, are you sleeping?¡±
Sleep? How much did you drink? No, no, wake up, please!
As I was speaking more loudly demanding him to answer me, I began to hear footsteps. The butler who guided me to the drawing room was approaching with a tray. Huh, why is the butler carrying a tray?
It was strange, but it seemed to be understandable when I think of my own butler. He must havee to see his master¡¯s love story.
I shut my mouth and leaned back against the table.
This was not Valrose mansion, but I still could not show my distress to others.
¡°I¡¯m apologized, the preparation is longer than I expected ¡ my lord?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I think it¡¯s toote. Aaron must be a little weak at drinking.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, mydy! The lord is having a hard time in training today, so that must be why the alcohol.¡¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m sorry about.¡±
He must apologize for throwing the bomb and running away.
I tried to answer gracefully, enduring my sigh.
¡°If Aaron wakes up, please tell him I¡¯d like to see him again soon.¡±
Living as a aristocrat is tiring.
***
¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s hard to hear what he did for the knight training. It is a very sacred ritual, if not as much as in the old days when they were on the battlefield, and the ymore family in particr is strict in that respect.¡±
¡°I know, Sadie.¡±
¡°My brother is a knight, so I picked up a little. ¡°
It turned out that Sadie¡¯s sister is a knight, a member of the Imperial 3rd Order. I¡¯m sure she heard it from her brother.
When Aaron wakes up, I thought I¡¯d ask him again, but I can¡¯t tell him why I¡¯m asking. Perhaps the reason why he told the secret in the first ce was because he was drunk and loosened his tongue.
Rather than answering the question, it just became more and more entangled, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt frustrated.
¡°If he¡¯s going to keep it secret, keep it secret until the end, or what else will he spill with alcohol?¡±
¡°Did Sir ymore do that?¡±
¡°Yeah, Aaron¡¯s drinking habit was the worst I¡¯ve ever been through. Oh, you can¡¯t tell that to anyone, I¡¯m joking.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t.¡±
Aaron, Alice, and Nocton are doing good job in haunting me with questions, and there¡¯s no contact.
Of course if I get a call from Nocton, I will run.
Why is my rtionship like this? Is there something wrong with me?
¡°And mydy, I asked for an an appointment with the Radiant Boutique. If you don¡¯t want to go in person, I will go there.¡±
¡°Haven¡¯t I bought a new dress just recently?¡±
¡°You¡¯re going to a tea party soon. Have you forgotten?¡±
¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. I¡¯m not going, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±
¡°What? Ah ¡ yes, mydy. Then I¡¯ll send a letter of rejection to Duke Edgar today. ¡°
¡°Don¡¯t do that, either.¡±
Even if I refuse to go to the tea party, Nocton will not simply step down.
Rather, if I send a reply of rejection, wouldn¡¯t hee to my house right away?
There is nothing that has be clear about his identity or purpose, and there is no need for me to call him first. Even if it was just a simple buy of time, it was better.
Of course, it¡¯s rude not to show up on the day without a reply, but as I told Aaron, the minor rudeness in this situation was not important.
If Alice was mistaken, and Nocton Edgar was in fact an innocent person, then I¡¯d apologize. Since my engagement with Aaron in the first ce was to distance myself from Nocton, there would be no need for me to go further.
Sadie seemed unconvinced by what I said, but she nodded. She left the room, and soon Duvel knocked on the door as if he had made a recement.
Valrose¡¯s loyal butler seemed more proud than ever.
¡°Do you have any good news, Duvel?¡±
¡°Yes, Lady! It was much sooner that I thought.¡±
¡°You got the ¡ no way.¡±
Duvel put the ss bottle down in front of me.
Inside the tightly-capped ss bottle was a light purple liquid.
¡°It¡¯s the Memoria¡¯s Seal!¡±
***
Edgar¡¯s mansion is busy.
The arrangement, which used to be neat and monotonous ording to the owner¡¯s taste, turns into a bright color. In addition to the chandelier in the hall, the window was illuminated with a magtern, and the carpet of colored rugs were installed on the floor. A ss table is engraved with colorful patterns, and a rose vine is wrapped in the frame of the window.
At the fingertips of people dressed in ck and white, a tea party was created to perfectly match one¡¯s taste.
Strangely, all of these moving people in the mansion have a bright face and dim eyes.
As if drunk in a dream, theck of expression made them look like dolls, not people.
It was only their master, the young lord, whose eyes were clear.
At the back, Nocton Edgar was watching the progress of the work with indifference.
¡°I hope you¡¯ll like it.¡±
The master said something, but none of them responded.
Nocton also took it for granted.
Instead of these meaningless and worthless people, he smirked as he thought of someone.
¡°You must be happy and cheerful enough, so that you can endure sad things.¡±
The light purple eyes rolled back to the sky.
¡°You think so too, don¡¯t you?¡±
Alice Limorand.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Alice jumped out of her bed.
Her heart was pounding.
Her body was in there, but her mind was gripped by the sight she had seen a little while ago. Like a man still wandering in a dream, Alice holds herself in a sitting position.
She tried to step back, but the headboard touched her back, and she crumpled the sheets.
Nevertheless, fear paralyzes her reasoning and she didn¡¯t even realize what she was doing.
Alice closed her eyes tightly and crouched. The sound of her beating heart gave her anxiety.
¡®Eyes, his eyes ¡ I¡¯m finished.¡¯
It¡¯s a dream, only a dream. There¡¯s nothing to worry about, what happened a little while ago was a simple dream.
She was sure.
Because she¡¯s already given me a simr dream beforeing to Ernhardt, and she never had the same foresight dream before. The dream a little was an illusion brought up by Alice¡¯s fear.
Not surprisingly, in the real foresight, she didn¡¯t even make eye contact with the Duke.
It was worth closing her eyes, the trembling slowly subsided.
But even that¡¯s just a sh of relief.
Nothing has been sorted out yet. It¡¯s been quite a long time since she had a foresight dream since she was young.
Alice never told anyone her secret. The same was true for Roa, her precious friend.
She didn¡¯t want to look strange to others, and she thought the secret could be her weakness.
Alice knew how painful it was to be branded as a strange person. In addition, there was a calction that it would be more profitable not to inform anyone. If she knew what was going to happen in the future, whether it was beneficial or harmful, it would be of great help to her.
Still, it was because of Nocton Edgar that Alice told Roa about the existence of her foresight dream.
Because she figured out what was going to happen at the tea party he invited.
¡°From the very beginning, we weren¡¯t supposed to meet¡.¡±
The day she didn¡¯t know what kind of man Nocton was. when she only caught a single glimpse of him in her dream through her dream about Roa, Alice wanted to go back to that day when she didn¡¯t know anything.
She wished she said no when Nocton Edgar approached her.
¡°Greeting, youngdy Limorand.¡±
¡°Your Grace? Nice to meet you, my lord. My name is Alice Limorand.¡±
¡°I know, you¡¯re Valrose¡¯s best friend, right? I¡¯d like to hear about your story with her. Can you spare me some time?¡±
A cry finally burst and Alice buried her face in herp.
At the tea party she saw in her dream, Alice Limorand was murdered along with Aaron ymore.
***
¡°Thank you for your precious time,dy.¡±
The young man who entered the drawing room in Limorand mansion said with a smile. His purple eyes shone brightly.
He was certainly a beautiful person.
Even though he was not a knight, his height and physique were as finely carved. The snow-white face looked a little lifeless, but thebination of the light purple eyes created a strange atmosphere in itself.
A ck hair like gold, graceful nose, and elegantly colored lips, he looks like a living art.
Even the teacup seemed to have gleamed from his fingers.
Just like the first time she saw Roa in the less crowded Ernhardt, perhaps more than that, Nocton¡¯s appearance had a provocative look.
That didn¡¯t mean she was taken away. Alice clearly already had someone she loved.
Even though she couldn¡¯t meet him again as Alice Momont since the moment she became a Limorand.
When she recalled that she didn¡¯t know his real face or voice because of the artefact, a bitter smile formed in her face.
Alice knew him for about three years, but because of the anti-recognition magic, all Alice knew was his way of speaking and walking.
Even his restrained posture is somon because it¡¯s a characteristic of knights.
Even if she met him again, she had no confidence to recognize him.
His name also must be an alias.
That¡¯s the story Alice¡¯s first love, who had been buried in the past.
As soon as the young man met her eyes, she smiled again.
It was familiar to conceal her feeling and just smile.
¡°Valrose is engaged. Did thedy know that?¡°
¡°Didn¡¯t Roa tell you beforehand, my lord?¡±
¡°It¡¯s sad, but I only knew it after she got engaged.¡±
Really?
Bewildered by the unexpected remark, Alice blinked.
Because she has been dreaming about Roa for a long time, she knew that those two were not always friendly and tender to each other.
But even so, they were definitely friends.
Why did a close friend tell you the their engagement news only afer it became official?
¡°I went to my estate because of work, and when I came back, she told me she was engaged.¡±
¡°You¡¯re away! You might not have known that. She was engaged in a bit of a hurry, because she made up her mind almost as soon as the marriage offer came in¡.¡±
¡°Marriage ¡ I¡¯m surprised I could stille in.¡±
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
There was something strange about his words, like he was talking to himself, and Alice was returned by a smile of disbelief.
Somehow, Nocton Edgar¡¯s mouth twisted with a face full of displeasure.
¡°Suddenly engaged, that means she¡¯s not in love with Sir ymore.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure, until now¡ª¡±
¡°Thedy is quite close with Valrose. You must have heard something about Aaron ymore.¡±
¡°Did Roa really tell you nothing?¡±
¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s the case. So, I want to know what she told you.¡±
Isn¡¯t it a little too far?
Alice sweetened her lips.
As she knew that the Duke Edgar and Roa were childhood friends, she invited him to her drawing roomfortably. She even brought up the story of Roa without much thought.
But the Duke¡¯s leisurely smiling words seemed rather tenacious.
Perhaps there is a special reason why Roa didn¡¯t tell him about her engagement.
She didn¡¯t hear much from her about the Duke, but she didn¡¯t tell Roa about everything either.
Anyone can have unspeakable circumstances. It¡¯s a mistake to talk to this person now.
In that thought, Alice tried to close the conversation with a proper excuse. It hasn¡¯t been long since she invited him, but she thought she should end their meeting right now.
As she was just opening her mouth, their eyes met.
¡°If my request is troubling you, you don¡¯t have to tell me. I didn¡¯t mean to push you, Lady.¡±
The moment she looked into his eyes, Alice felt that she had just gone too far.
¡°Ah ¡ No. It¡¯s not a big story.¡±
¡°If so, can I hear the story?¡±
¡°As much as you want.¡±
Everyone knows that the Duke of Edgar is a friend of Roa, and she herself called him a friend.
Just a little talk about her won¡¯t cause any trouble.
Alice¡¯s mouth opened without resistance. She felt it would be fine, Alice felt obliged to speak.
¡°Roa said she didn¡¯t love Sir ymore. She just epted the marriage because she liked the external conditions.¡±
¡°What external conditions?
¡°Things like appearance, voice, and personality. The family, there¡¯s nothing wrong with him, so it¡¯s not a matter of liking or not.¡±
¡°Is that so, I don¡¯t think it was that big of a deal.¡±
The opponent¡¯s eyes sank. Alice was staring nkly at the figure.
¡°Thank you for telling me. Next time, if Valrose says something else, please let me know immediately.¡±
¡°Anytime ¡ I get it, you can go ahead.¡±
¡°Thanks for that. Just one more thing. Are you the friend who sent letters to Valrose since she was young?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±
¡°I thought thedy¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t well so you need to recuperate in the secluded ce. I wonder how did you get acquainted with Valrose.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡.¡±
She didn¡¯t want to talk about Ernhardt.
A sense of defiance rose up and shook Alice¡¯s heart. Unlike a little while ago, her mouth was not open.
She didn¡¯t mean to reject it. Nocton Edgar¡¯s eyes narrowed a little.
Soon afterward, he said soothingly, as if he was genuinely curious.
¡°It¡¯s all right, Lady Alice. I already know that you are a dear friend of Valrose, and there¡¯s no way I asked something to harm her. You shouldn¡¯t doubt how much I care for Valrose. If I have bad intention, I would have asked someone to investigate it instead of asking it directly to thedy. But you still don¡¯t believe me?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just like what you said, Your Grace. I met Roa when¡ª¡±
By the time Alice continued her words, she was stopped by a knock.
It was Alice¡¯s brother, Arhan Limorand, who rushed into the drawing room without a word of permission.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I interrupted your conversation, Duke. There was an urgent situation, so I had to be rude. Alice has a ce to go.¡±
Hearing the familiar voice, the light returned to Alice¡¯s dimmed eyes.
What, what just happened?
Despite what she was doing, Alice¡¯s face hardened without understanding the course of her emotions.
Noctonughed like a sigh as he nced through her brother¡¯s face, sliced with embarrassment.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Lord Limorand. What¡¯s the reason behind you came in here so suddenly?¡±
¡°I apologized. I can¡¯t tell you because it¡¯s a family affair. I know I¡¯m being rude, but I¡¯d like you to make a promise to meet me next time.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a situation where we can talk.¡±
At the end of his words, he stared at Alice and smiled softly.
¡°Because we have a lot of time. I wish I could see you again next time, youngdy.¡±
It was from that day that the precognition dream of Duke Edgar mingled with Alice¡¯s dream.
Dreaming in Duke Edgar¡¯s perspective, not of the eyes of Roa, she vividly realized how different the Duke was from the Duke in Roa¡¯s eyes.
***
The light purple liquid moved slowly, sticking to the side whenever I tilted the ss bottle.
It must be a little viscous, but just looking at it was giving me unpleasant feeling.
The Memoria¡¯s Seal. A rare potion that restores a vague memory and corrects twisted memory.
The thing that costed half of my fortune was right in front of me.
I asked Duvel for help, but I didn¡¯t expect to see him in a day. I thought it would be difficult to obtain as much as it was expensive.
Perhaps they have a lot of stock or the demand for the liquid have dropped.
Even though I got the potion quickly, I felt more nervous than happy when I actually face it.
I wondered if it would have a side effect, and the words Duvel left behind while giving the potion was disturbing.
Passing the Memoria¡¯s Seal, he told me; depending on how much memory you have, you may lose consciousness for hours or weeks.
Usually it¡¯s about nap time, but once you drink the potion, you can¡¯t do anything about it if the effect is stronger.
I lifted and let go of the bottle several times, until I finally took a deep breath and opened the lid.
I am not sure either way.
Whether Nocton Edgar is a good or bad, whether he¡¯s a viin or a hero as I remember him, or what is the actual role of Aaron ymore.
I was not even sure if I could believe the results, if I could get the truth, or anything, even if my memory gave me a definite answer.
Hopefully, I wanted to make sure that Nocton Edgar wasn¡¯t that kind of person.
I wanted to be sure that even if I didn¡¯t believe the result that the man who I had seen for decades was only a little bit bad and twisted.
The bottle lid was set aside and the ss bottle was tilted.
Liquid flowed into my mouth. It feels like drinking sticky water.
Soon after such an impression, the world began to spin.
The whole world is drawn into a circle. I feel nauseous and dizzy as if I¡¯m drunk.
And the next moment, my memories began to flow upside down.
The feeling of my memory being settled was strange. It felt like I was suddenly awakened from my dream, like I was suddenly sober.
To bring out something inmon, the mind became painfully clear.
Starting with what happened most recently, my memory set up the disordered things straight as it reversed time.
Even the moment I was just born. Even before I was born again. Even before I died in my previous life.
It was a good thing because I was worried that it would not have any effect on the memories of my previous life, but I was fortunate that the potion could recognize it.
As if I was being swept away by a tidal wave, I had no choice but to look at it.
Finally, the potion reached the original novel, which I wanted to know the most.
The title was He and Alice, a novel that I read three years before my death.
In a three-volume novel, I read up to two books, and the cover is the main characters.
I managed to match only somebody¡¯s hair color.
Instead of embracing the brown haired woman, the ck-haired man stood on his back watching her.
His long hair almost covered his face, but his side eyes that looked at the woman glowed red.
The brte woman, even though it was depicted as a picture, was quite simr to the real Alice.
This is why it was easy for me to recognize her.
The story begins with the revtion of Alice¡¯s birth.
She headed to capital as the youngest daughter of Limorand and she met Nocton Edgar and Aaron ymore on several asions.
As she makes her debut in the society, wears good clothes she has never worn, makes friends and enemies, Alice keeps encountering these two men.
She didn¡¯t fall in love with them.
Because Alice already had someone she loved.
When she was in Ernhardt, it was about a year after she became an adult.
Baron Momont was eager to somehow sell Alice at a high price.
A sick lunatic, an old man who seeks beauty , someone who likes to enjoy abusing women. None of the marriage candidates was normal.
In the case of the first marriage, it is a tradition of the empire for the couple to remain engaged for two years and then marry.
No matter how good she was, there was no one who could save Alice from the pit.
Tha¡¯s why she sought a way to escape from Momont.
After being punished and locked up in the room, Alice dressed up in a way to kill her beautiful appearance and began to walk outside the castle.
She can sneak out and sell her family¡¯s jewelry. Thanks to Alice¡¯s good behavior, she has never been suspected. She also made money by helping small job.
She couldn¡¯t save a lot of money, but if she collected little by little, she was able to raise money for her escape n.
In the meantime, Alice met a knight.
A young man with dark hair and a strangely blurred impression that he must have used a magic item.
Strictly speaking, he wasn¡¯t a knight yet, because it seemed he was on training, but it was obvious that he would soon be a knight.
Although he didn¡¯t say it himself, Alice was sure because of his ent and manner.
Even the alias was amon name for a young man whose face and voice could not be remembered at all after parting.
His name was Ed.
She only stumbled across him, but they will spend a long time together afterwards.
Their personality clicked and both of them enjoyed being together.
As Alice, who had never made friends, had no choice but to love the kind and precious young man.
Because it was Alice¡¯s point of view, Ed¡¯s inner voice did note out, but it was clear that he felt the same way.
The two, who had met each other under disguise, fell in love, but they were not able to meet again when Alice went up to the capital.
The shocking truth that the knight who loved the duchess stole the baby, if it was revealed, it can hurt Alice and Limorand¡¯s honor.
Beyond losing their reputations, it was clear that all kinds of scandalous rumors would be tagged along.
For Alice looks so much like her mother that rumors will be more vicious.
Still, she can¡¯t just abandon Ed, so Alice decided to trust him and tilt the whole truth.
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
But every day when she went to the ce where she usually met him, even when she left a letter in a ce that only the two of them knew, even when she asked an aunt who was familiar to him to convey the word, Ed didn¡¯te.
Unfortunately, a few days before Alice went up to the capital, Ed had already disappeared.
The knight¡¯s training is something that everyone keeps secret, so it will not be possible for her to find him now.
Alice gave up andpletely buried Alice Momont of Ernhardt.
Nevertheless, the heart of human doesn¡¯t have to be exactly the same, Alice got along with the two men and sometimes think of Ed in blues.
When she saw Nocton Edgar¡¯s ck hair, and Aaron ymore¡¯s knightly words and manners, sepia-colored memories came from the past.
Because subtle expressions about the two men were written along with Alice¡¯s heart, the readers have been convinced that Ed is the real protagonist of and he¡¯s one of the two male characters.
Although Nocton Edgar wasn¡¯t a knight, he had been away for years and there was no statement that Ed was carrying out the knight training himself.
Most of the readers were convinced that Ed would be Nocton, given that his position was higher and Roa Valrose, the viiness who was bullying Alice because of jealousy, loved him.
After the story progressed a bit, Alice became engaged to Nocton Edgar.
In fact, it was ymore who was the first to be her marriage candidate, but Aaron refused to be engaged, while Nocton sessfully proposed after he defeated Roa Valrose, who was trying to assassinate Alice.
However, the moment they finally got engaged was the moment when Nocton Edgar, who watched the burning of Roa Valrose and consoled Alice, was left alone.
The truth is revealed.
< He and Alice > Episode 51.
¡. Alice Limorand was a very tender-hearted person.
He can¡¯t believe she cried so much because he killed someone who tormented her and tried to assassinate her just because she was blinded by jealousy,
What was so scary, my fiancee?
Afterforting Alice, Edgar returned to his mansion and buried himself deep in the sofa.
His right hand was bandaged.
It was a wound caused by stopping Valrose, who was trying to stab Alice with a knife.
The stabbed hand must be painful, but he casually held the cup with his bandaged hand.
The wine in cup was tinted in red. The color reminded him of a woman with the same hair color.
Roa Valrose, the woman who loved him, the woman who disappeared into the mes redder than her hair.
And thest conversation he had with her also came to mind.
With a smile on his lips, Nocton recalled the past.
¡°I think I should marry Alice Limorand.¡±
¡°Your Grace, Lord Edgar¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m trying to brainwash the Emperor, but the Duke of Limorand keeps interrupting me. It¡¯s not long before he dies, so why do he keeps picking up a new official? So, if I want to get my hands on the Duke, I will have to win her favor first.¡±
The Duke of Limorand had an ominious feeling about Nocton Edgar.
But there was no evidence that he was evil, and the Duke did not absolutely trust his intuition against Nocton without proof.
If the youngest daughter, who finally came back to him, says she wants to marry Nocton, the Duke won¡¯t be able to refuse it.
So, all he needs to do is get Alice Limorand¡¯s heart¡.
¡°What¡¯s the fastest way?¡±
¡°Your Grace, Your Grace¡.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve be aplete fool.¡±
Edgar shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Valrose who repeated the same words.
The brainwashing went too far, and now this woman can¡¯t do anything on her own without hismand.
She became nothing more than a living doll.
Not only Roa Valrose, but soon everyone will be like this.
¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±
There may be other ways, but there was only one thought that came to his mind right now.
Like the story of Alice Limorand¡¯s birth, it was amon cliche.
To create a painful situation for her and reaching out to help, he likes the simplest way of doing things like this.
It¡¯s a fairy tale story about saving someone who is in danger of dying, injuring himself instead, and finally killing the enemy.
¡°I¡¯m sorry for you.¡±
The next step will be easy if he can get even a small favor.
Because it was Edgar¡¯s specialty to inte other people¡¯s feelings.
¡°Will you die for me?¡±
He gently stroked the woman¡¯s hair and smiled.
¡°Roa.¡±
That was the truth.
The 51st episode, which made me sick when I read it.
My memory gave me a definite answer, as opposed to my previous thought that taking the potion would not give me certainty.
Memoria¡¯s seal was telling me.
Nocton Edgar, my tough, bad-tempered childhood friend wasn¡¯t actually my friend who had been with me for decades.
I got close to someone I should never get close to.
With a miserable and terrifying realization, I lost consciousness.
***
Duke Edgar, in the hall of the pavilion.
Nocton Edgar was standing in the middle of a well decorated tea party.
Until the dark night falls on the outside of the window wreathed with rose vines.
¡°Yeah, in the end¡.¡±
Valrose chose the other side.
As he lifted the ss from the table, the servant poured the wine.
The reddish liquid reminded him of someone, but only Nocton Edgar was reflected.
Roa Valrose had changed.
It was a subtle change that he couldn¡¯t help but wonder when, but he was certain of it.
The time they spent together was gradually fell apart and the unfathomable mind of Valrose seemed to gradually widen its distance.
When Valrose announced her engagement, the distance became clear.
Since then, she stopped visiting the Duke.
Even if he suspects that the hypnosis is being lifted, the quirky feeling will only eat itself up.
He doesn¡¯t even know it is still there, but even if the hypnosis is gone, Nocton could do nothing.
He could neither cast the spells again nor admit that the magic had faded.
What¡¯s wrong?
What was the problem?
Alice Limorand? Aaron ymore?
If not him.
Nocton nced over the empty party hall and brought the wine ss closer to his mouth.
Then, an attendant, dressed in a street clothes, approached.
It¡¯s the person he sent to Valrose.
¡°What did Valrose say?¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t meet Lady Roa Valrose.¡±
You don¡¯t even meet her?
The obvious rejection twisted his mouth.
It was clear that the master was upset, but the attendant had to look nk.
He said what he had to say.
¡°She hasn¡¯t been feeling well, so she¡¯s been resting for days. I personally confirmed that some priests are actually in residence. I apologized, Your Grace.¡±
The ss slipped of his hand.
The debris sttered and there was a loud noise, but neither the master nor the attendant cared.
However, a low voice sounded in contrast to the sound of the ss breaking.
¡°She is sick?¡±
***
¡°¡ªLady Roa!¡±
The sound that used to be like paper being eaten by water gradually bes clearer.
¡°Lady, mydy!¡±
I frowned as I heard a crying voice.
My eyes were heavy and I couldn¡¯t open it well.
When I pushed my eyelids somewhat painfully, the outline of a person came into my eyes.
The color looked as if it was a smeared watercolor, but I could tell who was standing in front of my face with only the scarlet hair.
¡°Oh my god, mydy, are you awake?¡±
¡°Sadie?¡±
¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I thought you were going to¡!¡±
The weeping sound increased.
After blinking my eyes several times, Sadie¡¯s face, which appeared to be two, fell into one.
I have a sore throat, no strength, and my physical condition is not good.
After drinking Memoria¡¯s Seal, I wonder if I have been asleep for a while.
I tried to console her, but I was thirsty, so I had no power to speak for long.
I tapped Sadie¡¯s arm and spoke out.
¡°Water¡.¡±
¡°Yes, yourdy! Wait a minute!¡±
It was strange that Sadie understood my words and poured the water urgently.
When the water touched my throat, which I thought was just dry, I felt a sore prickly pain and choked,
Cough! Cough!
As I held my neck in a sharp pain, the door of the room burst open.
¡°Goodness, Ruru!¡±
The surprised face of my mother, my father¡¯s eyes wide open, and Alroy sighed in relief.
Looking at my family¡¯s faces, I didn¡¯t think I lost consciousness for hours.
***
¡°I¡¯ve heard everything from Duvel, Roa. You swallowed the Memoria¡¯s Seal.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. Duvel couldn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m the one who asked him to keep it a secret.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I¡¯m sure both you and Duvel are responsible. You¡¯re making a bad judgment, but it doesn¡¯t make sense for the butler to follow you.¡±
¡°¡Alroy.¡±
Alroy¡¯s face is rarely cold.
I have several more words to defend Duvel, but under the circumstances it seemed to be an excuse.
¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I never thought I¡¯d be asleep for so long.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a serious problem to lose consciousness even for nine minutes, dear.¡±
¡°I thought you were drunk, so I saved him. I was more surprised when I heard why you copsed. What¡¯s the matter? I don¡¯t see anyone who¡¯s never seen a loose image in their life.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s¡ª¡±
¡°I told you, Roa. You just have to live happily. Don¡¯t think about family honor or prestige.¡±
The reason why I asked for the potion was different, but I couldn¡¯t exin it.
Who can say that they realized they were being born in a book and need to confirm it because their memory and reality are different?
If I say it, they will think it¡¯s a side effect of the Memoria¡¯s Seal.
When I saw the furious Alroy, I curled my head a little more.
Duvel, I¡¯m sorry.
Aaron, I¡¯m sorry too.
There¡¯s nothing I can do other than mumble inaudible words.
¡°Even if you drank and did the world¡¯s number one crazy thing, it wasn¡¯t worth drinking anything like that dangerous. Does Aaron ymore notice it? Did he make you feel bad about yourself? If that¡¯s the case, tell me right away.¡±
¡°Not like that! It was just, I felt ufortable, Aaron didn¡¯t say much, and I¡ª¡±
¡°If you are that ufortable, break off your marriage.¡±
¡°Father!¡±
I cried out, but I was the only one in the family who was surprised by my father¡¯s words.
No, a broken engagement.
How can it became like this?
I didn¡¯t intend to get married from the beginning, but it was difficult to break up my engagement now.
If it¡¯s not because of the potion, I would have been eternally brainwashed.
But not now.
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
ces of my family, who were happy that I woke up, are now full of anxiety and worry.
Did I take the potion too hastily? I thought I¡¯d fall asleep for hours at best.
If I had not been conscious for nine days, my family¡¯s behavior was understandable.
I would have reacted the same way if someone ate something wrong and didn¡¯t wake up for 9 days.
Frankly, however, I felt it was toote to drink Memoria¡¯s Seal now.
The moment I realized I was born in a book, I wish I had managed to save it.
I wish I knew everything before I got close to Nocton Edgar.
I kept silent because there was nothing I could say with my mouth.
Soon, Alroy sighed.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I yelled at you, Ruru. And Roa ¡ I¡¯m not forcing you. But seriously, put everything down and think about it again. Are you going to marry Sir ymore because of your honor as a Valrose, or because you really like him?¡±
Having said that, Alroy rose from her seat.
***
The consequence of my deed was probation.
I was told not to go out for a month and just stay in my bedroom. I was unconscious and not really sick, but I was forced to rest and I couldn¡¯t leave my bedroom.
If anyonees, it¡¯ll be a different story.
Yeah, it¡¯s rather good.
I didn¡¯t want to go out because of my headache, and I had to organize my thoughts.
If I use probation as an excuse, I will be able to avoid a troubling call.
I spent a peaceful day drinking the tea Sadie had given me.
First of all, I wrote a reply to a letter from ymore asking about my well-being, and btedly checked the calendar when someone said that Edgar hade.
Yesterday was the day of the tea party.
I didn¡¯t write back about I wasn¡¯t going to attend to buy time, but now that I think about it, I did a good job.
Even though I was probated, I got a good excuse for being sick.
Perhaps because the tea party date was yesterday, Alice said she had not yet returned to Limorand.
In the letter from ymore, there was also a story about the tea party.
He did not attend, but it was too rude to omit the reply when the Duke¡¯s emissary was still there, so he wrote a letter rejecting the invitation.
I expected it because he was such a role model of a knight, but it was fortunate that Nocton didn¡¯t do anything.
And¡.
Thinking about it again made me shudder.
Aaron ymore.
Alice Limorand.
Nocton Edgar.
and Roa Valrose.
Looking into the memory properly, I can see how I was mistaken.
It was partly because the original plot of the novel itself was developed by hiding the main character, and I also mistook a volume as the whole book.
It¡¯s been so long since I read it, that¡¯s why my memory was tangled.
Once I knew, it was ironic.
At first, I tried to get close to Nocton in order to avoid being burned, but the person who would drive Roa Valrose to the stake was actually Nocton Edgar.
Of course, the reality that I live in did not flow exactly like the novel.
There was a mention of Nocton Edgar knew Roa Valrose as a child, but there was no mention that she was friends with Alice, and unlike the book, Nocton called me ¡°Valrose¡±.
ymore¡¯s proposal to Limorand and Aaron¡¯s refusal didn¡¯t happen, and I¡¯m the one who betrothed to Aaron instead.
It¡¯s a matter of course.
Because Roa Valrose was a different person.
However, the fundamental part has not changed.
Aaron loves Alice, for example, and Nocton Edgar is a viin.
The conclusion was clear. I had to cut off my ties with Nocton.
And I need someone to stand up to get him.
A man¡¯s face came to mind.
Aaron ymore, my fiance with tinum hair and red eyes.
The real protagonist of < He and Alice >.
I was confident since it was simple.
His love must be Alice Limorand.
Unlike the original heroine, Alice has power that can save her, but Alice¡¯s disguise and wandering outside the castle was something that happened in reality.
I didn¡¯t hear about Ed from her, but I knew Alice had a secret.
I also have no intention ofining about the original story, as I will keep it as an eternal secret.
But I still don¡¯t know why Aaron is reluctant to tell Alice and doesn¡¯t reveal his identity to her.
Even though I thought it was because of the sacredness of the knight training, I wasn¡¯t sure.
If that¡¯s the only reason why he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity, why did he refuse to even send his marriage proposal to Limorand? And why did he reject the marriage proposal from his family in the original story?
Those who have considered it, it was a problem that could not be known unless it was the person himself.
Actually, it wasn¡¯t an important matter for me right now.
The part I had to worry about was the future action.
What should I do?
Because Alice loves Aaron and Aaron loves Alice, I should break our engagement and untangle the misunderstanding between the two.
Perhaps it¡¯s right to help them form a bond.
But ¡ I can¡¯t do that.
Even though I felt I was cowardly, I couldn¡¯t help two people with a good solution.
Nocton Edgar, who I was mistaken for the protagonist, was actually a viin, and used Roa Valrose to approach Alice in order to turn the Emperor into his puppet.
But at a time when Nocton was not the main character, it had already been concluded what his n would be.
His n will be blocked. Perhaps by Aaron ymore.
In other words, no one else could stop Nocton unless it was Aaron.
Alice was also the main character, but there was no special ability of her described in the novel, and unlike the book, the real Alice has a special ability in form of precognitive dreams, but she was also helpless.
Aaron¡¯s sword will be the only thing that can stop Nocton¡¯s magic.
I have no regrets about letting Aaron go.
But if I bring two people who love each other together, I¡¯ll be left alone.
Even so, I don¡¯t think Aaron will let go of me if I¡¯m in danger.
However, there must be a difference between the position of a fiancee and the position of a friend.
It was different from the time when they were able to stay close to each other.
Even though I was a coward, I want to live.
I want to increase the probability of my survival even a little bit.
Despite the fact that I spent years of friendship with him, I have no trust to believe that the Nocton in the book is different from the Nocton in the real world.
A few words of Alice shook me quickly, and after checking my memory, I waspletely crushed.
The subtle affection and hatred, the hope that it wouldn¡¯t be bad even if it wasn¡¯t precious, perhaps even the heart that believed he was my friend is gone now.
It¡¯s only fear that recing the empty position of those feelings.
A reasonable fear that Nocton Edgar might one day lead me to the stake.
That¡¯s why I feel guilty and remorse, but I couldn¡¯t help Alice and Aaron.
Only a foreign substance that interferes with the love of the main characters can survive.
It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to live like that all my life.
I¡¯m not sure, but someday Nocton ¡ will die.
Aaron or anyone else will punish him.
It was strange to think so, but until the day came, I¡.
What did I do wrong?
Why did I make such a huge mistake that I even worried about someone I believed to be my friend is going to be killed?
I wish I hadn¡¯t approached him in the first ce.
I wish I had remembered everything properly.
If that was the case, I would not have been burned for his personal use, which would make me a fool ¡ Hold on.
Why did I go to Nocton?
Because I thought he was the main character.
I thought building friendship with him would help me avoid the fire.
I¡¯ve been fascinated by the perfect Nocton Edgar.
When I realized I couldn¡¯t have him, I overheard Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s story and sympathized with him, feeling guilty.
When I realized that the original story was not forced, I came to see something.
I¡¯m attached.
I felt superior because he considered me special.
I knew he didn¡¯t take any particr interest in me.
Even when I was suspicious that he was treating me like a toy, I wondered why I still went to the Duke¡¯s house.
Because I¡¯mzy, I¡¯m already used to it and I like afortable rtionship.
Was that really the only reason?
Was it purely my feeling that I went to the Duke every day and endured being tested and wounded?
In the original story, Roa Valrose was acquainted with Nocton since childhood.
She loves Nocton, so she does something bad to Alice, andter she is brainwashed, tried to assassinate Alice and burned to death.
How different is the original Roa Valrose from the current Roa Valrose?
Have I really never been brainwashed by Nocton Edgar?
A chill ran down my spine.
The hair all over my body bristled up.
Then, someone knocked on the door.
As soon as I thought of something, I happened to hear a knock.
I slowly turned my head towards the door.
¡®Hello, Valrose. You don¡¯t hate to see me, do you?¡¯
For no particr reason, I remembered the words I had heard before.
Nocton Edgar, who suddenly appeared and spoke to me in a low, soft voice.
Knock, knock.
When I didn¡¯t answer, it knocked again.
Thump, thump, my heart was beating fast.
I even hold my breath and stared silently at the door.
The moment after any rational thought simply waits.
¡°Aren¡¯t you in the bedroom, mydy?¡±
Oh. Fortunately, the familiar voice soothed me.
I slowly let go of my breath.
My skirt was wrinkled because I grabbed the hem without knowing it.
¡°Mydy?¡±
¡°Come in, Sadie.¡±
The door opened.
Not surprisingly, Sadie, the owner of the voice, stood beyond the door.
¡°You didn¡¯t answer, so I thought you were somewhere else. You have plenty of time to sleep.¡±
¡°No, I didn¡¯t hear it because I was thinking about something else.¡±
¡°Something else?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±
With a awkward smile, I shook my head.
How many times have my intuition been right, there was no sign of Nocton showing up.
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
Nocton appeared without notice before, but at the time there was a justification for apologizing.
I thought he was actually here to make sure I didn¡¯t know anything about him.
¡°So what¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Mydy has a guest.¡±
¡°Guest?¡±
Aaron? Alice?
There are only two faces thate to my mind immeditealy. All of sudden, I was saddened by my narrow personal rtionship.
How did I only end up with so many enemies?
It¡¯s impossible to say that Alice is back right away, so it must be Aaron.
Come to think of it, by now was enough time for the reply I sent to arrive.
When I was about to ask if it was Aaron, Sadie casually dropped the bomb.
¡°His Grace, Duke Edgar, came here to send his regards.¡±
***
Aaron ymore¡¯s daily routine was usually similiar, but there was a small difference when he had a special schedule like today.
He stopped his private training and returned to his room. Aaron changed from the ck top he wore for training to a neat shirt.
He put the engagement ring he had removed back in his hand and took the box he had put on the shelf. Inside the box was an orgel that was truly magical.
It has been ten days since his fianc¨¦e, Roa Valrose, visited his mansion.
He did not go to her house because she asked him to refrain from visiting, it would be fine for a day or two, but he is more worried than willing to keep his courtesy if he has not been contacted for 10 days.
Fortunately, a reply arrived from Roa a little while ago.
It started with the words that she was not feeling well and was sorry for not being able to say hello.
She thanked him for following her advice that he shouldn¡¯t go to the tea party and be careful of his health followed, and the postscript said, ¡°Be careful of Nocton Edgar.¡±
It was a bit awkward, but after reading the postscript, Aaron could only believe that it was Roa who wrote the letter.
The words to watch out for Nocton Edgar, the tea party of Nocton Edgar was scheduled for yesterday, and she lost consciousness after saying she would not attend the tea party.
Although it was oversuspicious in conclusion, Aaron y was wondering if there was any connection between the two events.
Aaron ymore didn¡¯t think of it without any grounds.
At first, like everyone else, he believed in rumors that Nocton Edgar and Roa Valrose were in a rtionship and would soon get married.
He didn¡¯t go to parties oftenly, but every time he showed up in society, he saw the Duke and Roa together.
Furthermore, they always looked friendly and close.
When he heard the denial of the rtionship between the two, he did not fully believe it.
He thought maybe there was a misunderstanding or quarrel, and it was a short term problem.
What kind of man is there in the world that blocks other person¡¯s marriage?
It¡¯s not as if he was on the old days, it¡¯s not such a big w to remain unmarried these days.
Buttely, he hase to suspect that he was mistaken about their rtionship.
This is because Roa¡¯s expression, which used to be slightly softened everytime she talked about Nocton Edgar, suddenly changed.
These days, when she talks about Nocton Edgar¡..
¡®It was like she was afraid.¡¯
He was a definite knight, and it was only natural to protect the weak.
Even more so if the weak is a friend who he¡¯s quite fond of.
So even though he got a reply, Aaron ymore decided to go to the Marquis Valrose¡¯s residence.
He couldn¡¯t be sure that nothing was going on until he saw her face and talked to her in person.
Aaron ymore did not feel a romantic attraction to Roa Valrose.
Rather, he thought she was like his little sister.
For him, who grew up as an only child and had a fantasy about having a sibling, it was pleasant to meet Roa.
Roa Valrose looked less like kittens as she grew up, but so her personality is similiar.
Though she has sharp eyes and sometimes blunt, she doesn¡¯t really say harsh things.
It seems like she¡¯s giving back what she has suffered, but she doesn¡¯t seem to sincerely hate people¡.
And he was a little inexperienced in his emotions. It was also a reason that Aaron shared Roa¡¯s feelings toward Nocton.
Unlike the saying that she is not kind, she has more affection than others.
That was kind of cute.
To the point where he would be sad to go back as a stranger by the time they end this engagement.
No, perhaps they¡¯ve be friends by that time.
With a light smile, Aaron tried to leave the room.
He had to leave now if he want to arrive at Valrose¡¯s residence in time.
As he was about to leave, his cloak dragged the object from the shelf.
As soon as Aaron¡¯s head turned to the floor, his face hardened.
It was a pocket watch that fell to the ground.
It wasn¡¯t such a poor quality item, but it wasn¡¯t good enough for him to use privately.
The item he received in return for saving someone from falling off the ridge was sold for a small sum in the market.
Nevertheless, the pocket watch was Aaron¡¯s most treasured possession.
¡®Maybe I took it out the room and forgot to put it back.¡®
After a short pause, Aaron almost turned on watch.
The pocket watch was turned on quite a bit, but it looked like a toy in Aaron¡¯s hand.
His red eyes were stained with longing.
It was Alice who presented him with a pocket watch.
Alice Momont, a person who did not reveal herst name when she met him in Ernhardt, but did not use an alias.
Maybe she thought it¡¯s fine because Alice is amon name.
If that¡¯s the reason, Aaron could thank someone who¡¯s made Alice¡¯s name somon.
He was a person he couldn¡¯t meet now, and he couldn¡¯t even talk to her in person.
Though he was not quite capable in the past, she had not seen his face properly because he disguised himself.
That¡¯s why Aaron was grateful just for having her real name in hand.
There were only three things Aaron knew about Alice.
Alice¡¯s voice, her real name, and a few words of her true heart.
The words he heard before passed through his mind again.
¡®I hate Ernhardt.¡¯
¡°I know.¡±
Aaron shut his mouth and said again.
¡°I know, Alice.¡±
That you hate Ernhardt.
That you wanted to bury everything with that tombstone.
He doesn¡¯t really want to paint Ernhardt¡¯s Alice this pathetic.
It¡¯s a shame because she doesn¡¯t know. If she knew, she would have taken it as a mockery.
Even so, he couldn¡¯t help but do it.
With a bitter smile, Aaron clutched desperately at his watch.
***
Actually, I wanted to refuse to meet Nocton whether he came to the mansion or not.
There was a great excuse ready.
I wasn¡¯t feeling well that I couldn¡¯t go to the tea party, and I¡¯m not well enough yet, so please go back.
Nevertheless, it seemed meaningless that I had no choice but toe down to the drawing room.
I thought I might get a call from Nocton Edgar one day, but I didn¡¯t know he¡¯de to the mansion in a rush.
He only came to Marquis Valrose¡¯s mansion once.
At a time when I had a clumsy trust in Nocton, he didn¡¯t listen no matter how desperate my invitation to visit my house.
As if something terrible would happen when hees to the Marquis¡¯ house, he said, ¡®I¡¯ll think about it.¡¯ ¡®Fine.¡¯ He said fine, such as ¡®when I have time,¡¯ but he never actually did it.
It was like that, but only at the point where I didn¡¯t want him toe, he came without a call.
Sadie¡¯s eyes, telling me of Nocton¡¯s visit, were not as cloudy as before, and her expression was not as dictated as before, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about what happened then.
Even if I refuse, if I use a means of not knowing whether it¡¯s magic or brainwashing, what good will the condition be?
In self-help, I opened the door to the drawing room.
Nocton Edgar, the ck-haired young man, was sitting cross-legged on the sofa in the drawing room.
Behind him stood a knight with a hazy look.
Braman Duff.
Nocton¡¯s escort knight not only I knew by the name, but we also spoke a few times during my childhood.
Since when did his eyes be blurred?
Though he sometimes looked down upon myself clinging to Nocton, his eyes were as clear as any knight.
¡®Everyone in Duke Edgar¡¯s household is brainwashed by Nocton Edgar.¡¯
As soon as I remembered it, I had a bitter taste in my mouth.
I had no intention of doubting Alice¡¯s words, but only now I realized it really was.
I made a brief eye contact with Nocton, who looked at me without a word, even though the master of the mansion had entered.
The light purple eyes, which I can¡¯t guess what they were thinking, were somewhat subdued than usual.
Maybe it was thest day I saw him when he gave me an invitation to his tea party.
But I was skeptical then, and now I¡¯m sure.
I looked at the face I¡¯ve always seen, but my mind was definitely different.
Unable to keep facing each other, I slowly approached Nocturne, quietly avoiding his gaze.
As I approached him as if I had tied the pendulum to my feet, my steps became heavier.
I walked and sat across from him as if I was punished,
Only then did Nocton¡¯s mouth open.
¡°You¡¯re skinny.¡±
¡°Is that so? Well ¡ I did.¡±
The silence is broken, but the tension does not disappear.
I tried to speak as usual, but the sound of my heart beating grew louder and louder.
Since he¡¯s not a knight, but a wizard, I have no choice but to believe that he won¡¯t hear it.
He looked at me with no smile.
¡°What¡¯s the problem? Suddenly you¡¯re not go out for a few days.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sick. Are you here to check that?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve had at drink at Marquis ymore¡¯s¡ª¡±
His crushed gaze was quietly down, scattering the misty steam that bloomed from the ck tea.
His long finger gently touched the handle of the ss.
His delicate hand touched the handle as if ying a joke, and his nails sometimes hit the cup.
¡°I don¡¯t think it wasn¡¯t because you met him.¡±
I held my breath and looked at the sight moving slower than usual.
He knew I had a drink with Aaron.
What this meant was obvious.
At least one family, Valrose or ymore, had eyes nted by Nocton.
It was natural and predictable that Alice wasn¡¯t the only one being watched.
If Nocton had the same goal as in < He and Alice >, he¡¯d have to keep an eye on the trends of those in power.
But I couldn¡¯t predict how far Nocturne Edgar was looking.
Is he only monitoring the people entering and leaving the mansion, or is he nting people inside the mansion?
No, if his abilities were as I knew it, he had nothing to nt.
If brainwashing someone like Sadie was such a simple thing for Nocton.
¡°I didn¡¯t spy on you again this time, Valrose.¡±
¡°¡that means if it wasn¡¯t me, you¡¯re spying on Aaron. Is there a reason for that?¡±
¡°Well¡.¡±
Nocton¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment.
His face was a little hardened, like a man who failed tough.
It was better to put the words down than to heavy silence, so I asked again.
Tension and anxiety ignited impatience.
¡°Why did you invite me to the tea party?¡±
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°It¡¯s not about trying to clear up the story, not the reason you told me before, but the real reason.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t even mean to ept the invitation. Lady Alice Limorand disappeared as soon as she handed over the invitation, and Lord ymore sent a reply of refusal. And you didn¡¯te.¡±
¡°Is that my fault?¡±
¡°I feel guilty for inviting you. You don¡¯t even have to pretend to be sick if I don¡¯t invite you, do you? That¡¯s what I came here thinking, but I¡¯m embarrassed that you really didn¡¯t look well .¡±
As he said so, Nocton frowned his forehead and moved his fingertips.
Maybe he really thinks it¡¯s an excuse.
I guess it sounds naive to say that on the day we were invited to a tea party of someone we want to avaid, we couldn¡¯t go out because we¡¯re not well.
But now it didn¡¯t matter what he thought.
Nocton Edgar¡¯s suspicion is inescapable.
If he hadn¡¯t suspected me, he wouldn¡¯t havee to the Marquis and hypnotize Sadie.
However, I was facing Nocton, it was difficult for me to endurse this conversation while my heart was pounding,
Like a lie that had existed for most of our time in his study, I was afraid just to be in the same room with him.
It was the limit.
I jumped out of my seat and turned my head away from Nocton.
¡°Do as you please, whether you think I¡¯m a freak or not, and I¡¯m not feeling well yet, so I¡¯d like you to go back.¡±
¡°Braman.¡±
Without a reply in my words, he called the name of the knight that came with him.
The big knight took out the box he had put down on the floor, put it on the table, and took out the contents.
I looked alternately at the knight and the box with a nk look on my face, my request for him to return was ignored.
Arge bottle of light blue liquid and a small ss.
What is that?
Without a leak, Nocton went to the bottle and opened the lid. He filled the small ss with the blue liquid.
Nocton tilted the ss and gulped it.
I couldn¡¯t understand the sudden situation, so I made a straight face.
¡°You¡¯re not here drinking, are you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s holy water.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve just seen it, you know it¡¯s not poisoned. ¡°
Why don¡¯t we have another drink? The feeling of reality was wiped out even more by that calm voice.
I can¡¯t understand the situation that he opened the box and took out the holy water from nowhere and confirmed that there was no poison there.
My confused mind was reflected in my speech.
¡°No, what are you ¡ that big thing is holy water? Why would you want me to¡ª¡±
I stammered foolishly in my own thoughts.
Nocton, unable to ignore my words, put on his mouth a beaming smile and opened the lid.
One step, two steps, three steps.
Only when the sound of footsteps neared and the shadow of the tall man hung over me did I look up at Nocton¡¯s face.
¡°You¡¯re such a nuisance.¡±
Nocton reached out.
Right in front of my face hardened by embarrassment.
It was touching, and not.
At an obscure distance, my disheveled hair wound around his finger and passed behind my ear.
The fluff has bristled up.
His shadowy face from the backlight looked darker than usual, and his light purple eyes were softer than usual.
¡°I wish I could do as I wish.¡±
Nocton Edgar¡¯s voice was shattered.
The fear melted and the mes zed out of my head.
For a moment, I forgot my fear and clenched my teeth.
Fear-stricken, the past Roa Valrose, who believed that Nocton Edgar was not evil, probably her friend, popped out of me.
With all the affection left behind, with nothing but hatred, injustice and anger.
¡°You¡¯re saying that now?¡±
What do you mean you want it to work out as you wish.
Whether the original story was true or not, even though I recall what had actually happened, I could not say such a thing.
It shouldn¡¯t havee out.
It was unknown whether was brainwashed or not, but I headed to the Duke¡¯s residence like his toy.
I was tested, ridiculed even though I thought he was my friend, and he widened our distance everytime I tried to get a little closer.
Even if not every moment, I have lived under Nocton.
No matter how many times I¡¯ve been rejected and hurt, I visited him and stayed with him, and I didn¡¯t know if it was because of the brainwashing or not.
Everything was done ording to Nocton¡¯s will, to his wish.
¡°If anyone hears you, they will think you lived by me. I don¡¯t think you have any memories of the old days with that smart head of yours. Or did you erase it because it was nothing?¡±
I¡¯ve been doing whatever you wish for a long time.
To the point where I can¡¯t even say I¡¯m your friend, to the point where I¡¯m ashamed to call you that.
What I couldn¡¯t say out of my mouth continued only in my head.
Even when my anger was boiling over, I didn¡¯t want to say it myself.
Nocton Edgar looked down at me with a pleased smile for the first time today.
Heaven forbid that I should be happy because my stomach is turned upside down and I¡¯m upset because it was such a Nocton¡¯s smile.
¡°As you say. You were the one who matched it.¡±
¡°Is that my fault?¡¯
¡°How could it be your fault, my dear Valrose, it was wrong from the start. Everything.¡±
He whispered in a cracked voice and lifted his bowed waist.
Then, he turned away.
From earlier on, Nocton Edgar has been selfish.
He just said what he wanted to say and didn¡¯t even listen to me.
It used to be that way, but it has been more and more these days, and today he even ignored my anger.
Having cut off the conversation, Norton calmly walked as if he had not brought up such a topic from the beginning.
The sound of his feet rang as if half eaten on the carpet.
I red hard at his back.
Whether or not Nocton knew it, Nocton took over the robe that was hanging over the knight¡¯s arm.
It seemed that he was about to return, but because of that, his intention was further unknown.
I opened my mouth to vent my broken anger.
But a little earlier than that.
¡°I don¡¯t know if I can reach Alice Limorand, but I wasn¡¯t thinking about getting engaged from the start. It¡¯s also good for her toe to the capital. However, If she wants to stay in Ernhardt, I don¡¯t mind her staying there for the rest of her life.¡±
Nocton¡¯s words sshed cold water to me again.
Does he know Alice is in Ernhardt?
The fact that Alice was under surveince was a clear fact that I had heard it myself from his own mouth.
Unfortunately, after warning me about Nocton, Alice headed to Ernhardt, so I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth.
However, I couldn¡¯t imagine that Alice, who had spoken about Nocton so frightened, had neglected her vignce as she headed for Ernhardt.
Since Duke Limorand was a thorough person, he must have prepared the journey to Ernhardt much more secretive than usual so that bad news about his daughter wouldn¡¯te out.
Although they have informed me of Alice¡¯s whereabouts, it is because I know her since childhood.
Maybe there is someone nted by Nocton in Limorand.
If it¡¯s not¡.
No,e to think of it, there was someone by my side who knew Alice¡¯s whereabouts.
¡®I think Lady Alice Limorand is not feeling well. She¡¯s been taking a rest in Ernhardt for a while.¡¯
¡®Thedy¡¯s destination is a secret, so she told me to tell you privately. I think that¡¯s what Lady Alice ordered before she left.¡¯
No way.
I stared nkly at Nocton, who was ready to go back.
¡°Then, Valrose.¡±
¡°How did you know Alice was there?¡±
My vacant mouth threw a question without realizing it.
However, it was obvious that he would not answer with these words.
I pressed the reason that I should not let out the fact that I knew, and I asked again.
¡°You, Sadie, you brainwashed my maid?¡±
Silence weighed down the air heavier than ever.
In a quiet space where the sound of the movement could be heard clearly, the sigh of the young man also reverberated louder than ever.
A sigh, vomited in the air, coldly clings to my flesh.
I want to miss the reason, who came back btedly, but I couldn¡¯t turn back the time.
Nocton¡¯s head, which was headed for the door, returned to me.
His face was not a bit bright.
¡°It¡¯s different from brainwashing. It¡¯s a long-term concept, so it would be better to say hypnosis.¡±
¡°That means¡.¡±
¡°You know that, right? That day, the day you were terrified. You didn¡¯t shiver for no reason, Valrose.¡±
That¡¯s as straightforward as I say.
My head was nk as if I had been beaten.
I wasn¡¯t as angry as I was a while ago, nor was I as scared as I was before.
I don¡¯t know what Nocton is thinking, and I don¡¯t know what to say.
Is it because I heard an unexpected answer or did I not want to recognize the situation?
The moments when I was worried, suspicious, and afraid of him, but still tried to believe in Nocton copsed in vain.
The moment I knew what kind of novel < He and Alice > was, it might not be a big deal, because a decade had copsed.
Now I can¡¯t even understand why I was talking to Nocton.
I don¡¯t even know what he¡¯s trying to do with me.
If Nocton was convinced that I knew his secret, why didn¡¯t he do anything to me?
I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anything.
My head was nk and I didn¡¯t even have the energy to think.
¡°But it was only then. You wouldn¡¯t believe what I said, but I¡¯ll say it again anyway.¡±
He grimaced his eyes and covered his face with his hands.
The neck moved as if it were holding something back.
The image reminded me of the item that Nocton had brought, and I turned to the table.
On it was still a bottle with a tight lid.
A ss bottle of blue holy water. A huge gift that would have been considered a favor if someone else had brought it.
Something that confuses me.
¡°I never spied on you. And in the future¡.¡±
At that time, the sound knocking on the drawing room¡¯s door interrupted Nocton¡¯s words.
The door opened.
¡°Mydy, I apologize foring in during the talk. Another guest is looking for you.¡±
It was Carissa, in charge of the butler¡¯s job on behalf of Duvel, who is probating like me.
The unexpected guest, and Carissa¡¯s troubled look at Nocton.
Somehow I had an ominous premonition.
¡°Who is it?¡±
¡°Sir ymore is here, mydy.¡±
As if a bomb exploded in my head that seemed to have been beaten, my mind became painfully clear.
Are you kidding?
Hence, in this situation?
I was hoping that Carissa would do a crazyugh, saying it was a joke, even though it couldn¡¯t be, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t happen.
The protagonist and the viin of < He and Alice >.
The man who put the surveince and the one who¡¯s under surveince.
The two men who will confront Alice.
No matter how I defined the rtionship between the two, it wasn¡¯t a good feeling.
This was partly because I got to know the contents of the original story properly, but I also thought the whole real situation was the same.
From the moment I got engaged to Aaron and informed Nocton, he didn¡¯t show any good feelings for Aaron ymore.
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
I¡¯m not trying to say that he¡¯s jealous of Aaron.
I wasn¡¯t sure what Nocton thinks of me, but it¡¯s not a warm feeling like love or dearness.
However, Nocton didn¡¯t seem to be happy that I had done something for the first time without seeking his opinion.
I¡¯ve never chosen Nocton on his stupid test.
If he wanted to brainwash me with the intention of using me, Aaron must have been the one who¡¯s keeping him from doing that.
As I thought about Nocton, my gaze naturally turned to him.
Andter, I realized that he had already been dressed up. I was too worried.
Nocton has alreadypleted his preparation to return and Aaron will be waiting outside the house. If you tell Carissa to lead Aaron to another drawing room, the two will never run into each other.
In fact, even if they meet, nothing will happen.
So far, there have been several times when the two have encountered each other.
I remember Alice said that I should never go to his tea party, and I did a little shoot, but it was too hasty to call this situation the worst because I still didn¡¯t know the reason for the remark.
I felt embarrassed for a moment, but after a few deep breaths my mind calmed down.
I turned my head to Carissa, who¡¯s still waiting for an answer with a troubled expression.
¡°Yes, then can you show Aaron to the other drawing room first? His Grace is just about to go, so soon¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Valrose, but I changed my mind.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I want to talk to you a little more. Yeah, if you don¡¯t want your fianc¨¦ to wait, you can bring him here. It¡¯s a shame Lady Alice Limorand isn¡¯t present, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to think of it as a different type of tea party.¡±
As soon as I rationalized that I would be fine at best, Nocton ruined my calm mind.
No, don¡¯t get caught up in it.
My cheeks trembled for a moment, but I soon hardened my face and said in a strong tone.
¡°Carissa, I¡¯m the owner of this mansion. Do as I say.¡±
¡°Mydy, it¡¯s¡ª¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
¡°As soon as Sir ymore came, it started raining, so I thought it was difficult to stay outside. So, first of all ¡ I decided it was urgent to inform thedy.¡±
What does that mean?
It rained as soon as Aaron came, so she could not leave the guest outside.
That means¡..
Carissa is now starting to sweat.
But I couldn¡¯t worry about her feelings because my back was cold.
¡°I think it¡¯s toote for another drawing room, Roa.¡±
When I saw Aaron walking in from behind Carissa, I realized that the ominous premonition was not wrong.
Whether or not he knew my inner self, Aaron walked slowly and stopped right in front of me.
¡°Pleased to meet you, Lord Edgar.¡±
***
¡°His Grace, Duke Limorand, said he has ced the knights in the middle point. You can use the teleport scroll in Elfort.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the same as when I came.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll tell you as soon as we¡¯re ready to leave, so take a rest, mydy.¡±
¡®Thank you, Sir Mevie.¡±
The door closed, Alice sat on the bed and sighed.
It has been more than ten days since she fled to Ernhardt.
She was good at hiding her innermost thoughts, so she didn¡¯t reveal them to others, but by the time she came, Alice was in terror.
As she felt full of wanting to run away, she naturally remembered a person she missed, that¡¯s why she headed to Ernhardt.
A hell where she had to beg for sympathy from others until she met Roa, and a paradise filled with dreamy and hypocritical people after meeting Roa.
For Alice, Ernhardt was such a ce, but when she came, she didn¡¯t appreciate it.
Perhaps after only half a year, Alice Momont and Alice Limorand have bepletely different people.
Arriving in Ernhart, Alice cried with horror, trembled with fear, tormented by countless nightmares and buried herself under nkets.
Looking at the ces where Ed often appeared from a distance seemed to improve her condition a little, but at some times, longing was harsher than fear, so she stopped depending on people she would never meet again.
Fear grew more and more rampant.
She felt like Nocton Edgar would show up at any time and drag her to the tea party.
Right, the tea party.
That¡¯s what Alice has been up totely.
Precognitive dreams were originally clearer than other dreams, but the dreams of that day were even clearer because she was reminded by her nightmares many times.
In her dreams, Alice epts Nocton¡¯s invitation and head to Duke, even though she is afraid.
Roa Valrose and Aaron ymore were also invited to the mansion.
Although the shape of Roa was covered like a mist and could not be seen directly, it was certain that Aaron ymore called her name.
However, there were only four people. Due to the nature of the tea party, it was true that many guests could not be invited, but inviting such a small number of people like this was only happen when they had considerable acquaintances or had a purpose.
And in this case, whoever sees it, the aim of the Duke Edgar was thetter.
The only one who¡¯s close to him is Roa Valrose.
Excessive fear makes people run, but fear that cannot be pushed beyond its limits binds them.
After having a bizarre conversation with Nocton, Alice tried to avoid him, but when she encountered him, she couldn¡¯t refuse his offer and only nodded her head.
It was in that context that she headed for the tea party.
However, when Alice entered the Duke¡¯s house with tension, her first feeling was skepticism and alienation rather than fear or dread.
Nocton Edgar invited three people, but he only spoke to Roa.
At the time of this dream, she had never spoken to Ria about her foresight dream or about Nocton Edgar¡¯s true identity.
But, recently, Roa did not seem to enjoy hispany, perhaps because she wanted to keep her distance from Nocton.
Had the conversation been active, a teacup without its owner in her dream would not have tilted so often.
Roa¡¯s fiance, Aaron ymore, interrupted the Duke once in a while as if he was trying to help her.
When the three people were busy teasing talking and Alice was drinking her tea, the maid standing by the side made a mistake.
As she tripped over the chair, she threw ymore and Alice¡¯s cups aside.
Fortunately, the tea in the cup was cold, but the two became like rats in the rain.
The maid bows and apologizes, and the two in trouble leave for a while, following the butler who said he would prepare other clothes for them to wear.
If the precognitive dream was a story that only goes on at Alice¡¯s point of view, she wouldn¡¯t have known what would have happened next.
However, because it was not so, Alice could see the two people in her dreams, although she only saw one person in her sight.
Perhaps someone was waiting for the moment when only two were left, the atmosphere changed.
And perhaps that someone is Roa.
The Duke¡¯s face looked a little embarrassed.
She didn¡¯t even know what Roa was thinking because she didn¡¯t know what Roa said.
Did she think it was frustrating to see ymore protect her and has her back?
Or perhaps she thinks that she would have to cut off Nocton Edgar from herpany.
Alice couldn¡¯t tell, but from then on a strange thing happened.
The blurry and crushed spaces, where Roa is supposed to be, started breaking.
It caused a sensation in her back as if rain had fallen on the water¡¯s edge.
And she began to hear a voice that she had never heard before.
[ ¡ married ¡ and ¡ yeah ¡ he is ¡ call me ¡ I think it¡¯s better.]
[ Valrose, ]
The voice of Roa Valrose, a familiar sound to Alice.
It was blurred in some ces like wet paper, but the voice became clearer and the disconnection disappeared.
[ Of course, Al¡ª cut off contact ¡ It¡¯s not like that. But ¡ friends of same-sex and opposite sex ¡ it feels different. Me too ¡ I¡¯m sick of being caught in the controversy. ]
A few more words followed, and a little timeter, Alice could hear Roa¡¯s voices clearly.
She meant to distance herself.
The Duke said that he could not understand her in an euphemistic tone, but Roa¡¯s intention was not broken.
In the end, the atmosphere of Nocton Edgar changed.
His darkly distorted eyes contained obvious anger.
He was so angry that he suddenly lost his temper.
Duke Edgar asked back in a low voice as if to suppress his feelings.
[ You want to cut me off? ]
[ That¡¯s good. For both of us. ]
[ It¡¯s not up to you to decide whether it¡¯s good for me. ]
[ Then what¡¯s the point for you to keep in touch with me, Nocton. Isn¡¯t it too easy not to contact me? You think I¡¯m important? Do you want me to cherish you? It¡¯s not all of them. ]
She answered the questions before he can, but Edgar didn¡¯t correct it, for he only stared at her in silence.
It must have been a vain idea.
There was a hollowugh.
[ Nocton, before this. You asked me if Aaron ymore is important to me. ]
[ Don¡¯t tell me because I don¡¯t want to hear it. ]
[ Just like you said, Nocton. Aaron is more important to me than you are. No, beyond that, my rtionship with you is not important for me anymore. ]
Finally, in Roa¡¯s mouth, a word for ending their rtionship took ce.
I don¡¯t need you anymore, just like you.
[ So let¡¯s stop ying friends. ]
All the expressions disappeared from Nocton Edgar¡¯s face.
It was such a good timing that Aaron and Alice, who had changed into different clothes, returned to the tea party.
[ Ah, I understand. He¡¯s so important, ]
When he saw two peopleing in, the Duke¡¯s mouth twisted.
And the next moment, Aaron ymore, whose eyes were blurred, drew his sword.
The blue de pierced Alice¡¯s chest before anyone can realize it.
The de, which is reddened by Alice Limorand¡¯s blood, is pulled out with a twist, headed towards Aaron ymore¡¯s own neck without a scream.
[ Then you don¡¯t even have to put up with him anymore. Unfortunately. ]
A shocking situation, the dream is over with Roa¡¯s screams/
It was a very, very vivid dream.
Her hands were still shaking when she thought about it, so Alice took a deep breath, holding her hands together.
Only after the dream did Alice realize.
Once fear is dragged through, tragedy will happen.
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
It was difficult, but she confided her biggest secret to her friend.
The presence of her precognitive dreams, the true nature of Nocton Edgar, and she also added the advice not to provoke him.
Actually she wanted to tell Roa everything that she learned before Nocton Edgar noticed it, but she needed time to ept it.
Seeing Roa¡¯s face full of confusion, Alice stepped back.
She wouldn¡¯t have stepped down like that if she knew she would get an invitation to the tea party right after that.
Even if it¡¯s a precognitive dream, it¡¯s just show the appearance and the season, and Alice doesn¡¯t know exactly when and under what circumstances it happens.
That¡¯s why she was flustered when she received the invitation.
It was Alice¡¯s best to lie and run to Ernhardt because she couldn¡¯t refuse him while looking at his face.
Still, after days of being scared, crying, and trembling, she felt a little bit better.
Maybe she didn¡¯t even have enough left, and now she thinks it¡¯s time to go.
It may be that the stigma has blossomed, or the anger that was overwhelmed by fear threw its head out.
¡°Mydy, everything is ready.¡±
¡°Yes, wait a minute. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡±
Answering what was heard over the door, Alice slowly raised herself up.
In fact, she was afraid to go back now.
Even though she was a little out of fear, Nocton Edgar was still a fearful opponent.
She only knew that Duke Edgar was using ck magic, and she wasn¡¯t sure why he approached her or why he was obsessed with Roa.
That¡¯s why Alice was hoping to have a new precognitive dream before returning.
Knowing what¡¯s going to happen in the future is a great weapon.
Although her precognition did not show a distant future, it was limited to show what would happen in a month at most, but that alone would be helpful.
Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t get it. It was too vague to wait for a dream toe by chance.
Therefore, Alice took other measures instead of waiting for her precognitive dreams.
Alice opened the lock on the drawer and took something out of it.
How many times she wrote and read, it was a notebook with tattered paper.
It was filled with the information of Nocton Edgar, whom Alice saw in her dreams.
If he continues to go on as he is, he will not be suspected everytime he killed someone.
Even if it wasn¡¯t his magic, it didn¡¯t matter what happened.
She avoided the immediate tea party, but the second, third, could happen at any time.
Alice wanted to save the lives of her friend and her own.
The days of executions for just using ck magic have passed, so she will not be able to borrow the power of the Empire until Nocton Edgarmited a great sin.
But at least personally, she can avoid the hypnosis and brainwashing.
Alice touched the white crystal around her neck.
It was just a simple ne with a tinum string on it.
On the surface, it may seem only a simple jewelry, but in reality it was a relic that could protect the wearer from the magic of a ck wizard.
It was expensive and difficult to get, and she had to get not one, but three. However, it was worth the money.
Alice Limorand¡¯sing to Ernhardt wasn¡¯t just to escape.
Being stuck in a mansion like a hibernating wild animal wasn¡¯t because she believed that time would solve everything.
Alice was preparing to fight Nocton Edgar in her own way; seeking holy artifacts and reading many books on ck magic.
She threw her notebook into the firece in the bedroom.
The mes devoured the notebook greedily.
In front of the firece was a pile of information that had previously been swallowed up by fire.
Alice nced at the burning traces of her fear and turned away.
It was time to leave Ernhardt.
***
Alice told me not to go to the tea party, but by this point, the tea party came to me.
Although she didn¡¯t think so, I think it would be okay if there were only three of us.
I looked alternately at the two men sitting at the table in the drawing room and sighed.
¡°It¡¯s quite a coincidence that you¡¯re sitting down with the two people you wanted to invite the next day after the tea party¡¯s broken. By the way.¡±
Perhaps he thought the same thing as mine, Nocton narrowed his eyes.
¡°Didn¡¯t Sir ymore say he wasn¡¯t feeling well?¡±
Did you lie, not just saying you¡¯re absent?
It¡¯s an unbelievable excuse of him for not feeling well. If you were dealing with mana, you wouldn¡¯t be sick if you weren¡¯t hurt.
It is a lie that even a three-year-old would not believe.
Nevertheless, Aaron seemed to have no qualms.
¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling well until the day. That¡¯s why even though my fiancee is sick, I wasn¡¯t able to show up before today.¡±
Is it okay for a knight to lie so well?
Aaron ymore was definitely the most knightly man I¡¯ve ever seen¡..
His unexpected side embarrassed me, but I couldn¡¯t show it in front of Nocton, so I just sipped the tea in front of me.
¡°But what brings Your Grace to Valrose¡¯s mansion?¡±
¡°Well, do I need any particr reason?¡±
¡°It might have been unnecessary before, but now it¡¯s different. In the first ce, it¡¯s rude to visit without reason, no matter how close you are. And even as a childhood friend, it¡¯s not good to meet an engaged woman privately.¡±
¡°It¡¯s none of your concern.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to be married soon.¡±
Who? Me?
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
I was just embarrassed by the story that was not agreed upon, but I couldn¡¯t enjoy such a light emotion after checking out Nocton¡¯s expression.
His eyes had sunk cold.
Though I had seen this expression a little while ago when there was only two of us, the atmosphere was somewhat different.
Unlike the moment when I only became aware of my anger visually, the air around him was also sullen.
I felt a murderous intention in Nocton, in other words.
The fear that was driven into anger and emptiness, it returned even though I thought it was gone.
The steady heartbeat went wild and I lowered my gaze.
My hands trembled aimlessly.
Then, the hand from the side held my hand firmly.
Therge hand was a little rough, but it was definitely warm, perhaps because of its long grip on the sword.
The warmth somehow reminded me of Alroy.
I can¡¯t say that fear ispletely gone.
However, it was a little different from when I was overwhelmed with fear.
The moment when I had to endure fear alone and the moment when I had someone supporting me were clearly different.
Although it was a little ironic that I felt the feelings I had in my family with Aaron.
I slowly raised my eyes.
Even though it would have been hidden by the table, Nocton¡¯s eyes were directed at my hand, which Aaron was holding.
Looking at the frighteningly cold eyes, I recalled the words I heard from him.
¡®Does Aaron ymore important to you?¡®
¡®More than me, who have been with you for ten years?¡¯
It¡¯s a novelty.
Just a moment ago, I couldn¡¯t guess what Nocton wanted or what I had to do, but just having someone by my side made me realize at least one thing.
There¡¯s something that Roa Valrose should do.
¡°Nocton, do you remember what you asked on the terrace before?¡±
Nocton didn¡¯t answer, but just by not asking back, I could see that he had remembered the same thing.
My heart was pounding, so I took a deep breath without a sound.
¡°Just like you said, Nocton. Aaron is important to me.¡±
All I had to do was cut him off.
¡°So I have no choice but to distance myself from you.¡±
I could feel Aaron looking at me astonishment, either because of the word important, or because I said I want to keep the distance while trembling.
My face was still looking straight ahead, so I could only glimpses with my side eyes, but I felt a little shy when I saw him.
However, there was never a lie.
I had an engagement for a purpose, and it would have been nothing after we broke up, but I¡¯vee to regard Aaron, who is kind and reliable, as a friend for a little while.
Nocton¡¯s expression hasn¡¯t changed since he heard me.
A face sunken coldly. This time he was looking at me with a straight face that was neither displeased nor offended.
I said it with courage.
Nevertheless, the silence is heavy.
¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
He gave a short answer to the added heavy silence.
Even though it was a short answer, I felt that his voice was cracked and rough.
It was a little too much to think that his voice had subsided.
The strange change made me even more nervous.
¡°Yes, I will keep my distance. How much.¡±
¡°Did I tell you how much? Let¡¯s not see each other anymore.¡±
¡°¡.I¡¯m curious. Valrose, can you do that? Can you cut me off?¡±
The words carried on slowly.
Nocton¡¯s fingers touched the handle of the teacup in front of him. As if to drink tea, he pushed the handle and turned it back, rubbing the handle and the surface of the cup with his thumb.
Like a child who was always busy, he couldn¡¯t leave the teacup alone.
Like someone who is nervous or holding something back.
I didn¡¯t like his words that seemed to deny my decision, but rather, I felt strange that his expression had not changed for a while.
My stomach is turned upside down.
It might be called intuition, he felt the blue energy of his whole body and stood up.
Aaron also seemed nervous as if he felt something strange. His hand that held my hand fell off.
He couldn¡¯t bring a sword when visiting his fianc¨¦e, but I noticed that his hands were habitually groping his waist.
A knight without a sword and a wizard without a sword.
The protagonist and the viin.
Nocton, too, has a position and purpose, so he won¡¯t be doing anything back and forth.
But if he has the confidence to take care of everything, or if he¡¯s angry enough that it doesn¡¯t matter, can Aaron stop him?
Their roles gave Aaron a clear fact that one day he would win against Nocton.
However, I can¡¯t help but to doubt whether that will be possible now, when Alice is not next to him¡.
I habitually arranged the positions of the two and bit my lips out of impatience.
That wasn¡¯t it.
This moment was not a confrontation between Nocton and Aaron.
Aaron is just helping me, because I was the one who confronted Nocton.
If it weren¡¯t for me, Aaron wouldn¡¯t even be sitting face to face with Nocton, who had little interest in Alice.
Therefore, I should not hide behind others while trembling.
It was a situation that I should not reconsider the power of my friend and the enemy.
¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡±
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
My hands shook and my voice trembled.
It must have sounded unworthy.
¡°It¡¯s strange, really. I¡¯ve been doing that for a long time. Nocton, I¡¯m nothing to you. There¡¯s nothing to be regrettable about if I disappear, and it¡¯s nothing special. Even if you call me a friend in words, you¡¯ve never thought about me that way.¡±
¡°¡.Valrose.¡±
¡°Let me ask. I was vaguely guessing, but I couldn¡¯t be sure because my pride was hurt.¡±
Starting from what I heard from Alice, the fear of Nocton grew day by day.
I may have been soothed myself by saying that I shouldn¡¯t be suspicious in advance until I confirmed it with Memoria¡¯s Seal, but my suspicions have grown over time.
Compared to the years I¡¯ve umted, my trust in Nocton is so great that I think I should be afraid of him unconsciously.
I have to keep avoiding, I have to be afraid, that¡¯s how I can avoid danger.
But ironically, at a time when the fear of Nocton Edgar was confirmed, I tried to think differently.
You don¡¯t have to be scared, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.
Nothing will happen.
If I don¡¯t repeat that lie, I won¡¯t be able to see him in the eye.
¡°Nocton, do you think I love you?¡±
It was really shaky self-indoctrination, but it wasn¡¯t meaningless though, I was able to gradually unravel the thoughts in my mind step by step.
Perhaps, with too much fear, my reason is paralyzed and my mouth is yammering.
¡°If you don¡¯t think so, I don¡¯t understand every word you say. You¡¯re testing me, then you¡¯re making me feel special. And when you see me choosing other person, you act like a twisted person.¡±
¡°What the hell are you talking about¡ª¡±
¡°Did you think that I love you? So no matter what you do, I¡¯m still stuck next to you and get a little angry and a little irritated, and if you talked to me soothingly, I will let it go and be your toy forever?¡±
¡°Stop it, Valrose.¡±
¡°Butter, I didn¡¯t understand that either. I just thought you were ying with me, but 10 years is enough.¡±
Ignoring many times the request of Nocton to cut off the words I told a self-destructive story.
Perhaps because of the nervousness, the words became increasingly strange, and it became impossible to know whether I was simply trying not to hide behind Aaron or to unravel the deep resentment.
¡°If I¡¯m losing my pride, not you¡ª¡±
¡°I wish it was that important!¡±
The edge of the table that Nocton was grabbing was torn apart as if he were holding back his anger.
The sound was so loud that I paused and jumped up.
Did he just ¡ use magic?
No, there was no such sign.
It wasn¡¯t a matter for me, a total stranger to magic, to judge perfectly, but there wouldn¡¯t be an idiot who uses strength-enhancing magic to tear the table off.
How can you tear a table with your bare hands when you are not skilled enough to handle swords as a hobby or properly received the training to get a knighthood?¡±
When I got up, Aaron, who stood up in unison, looked at him with a hard face.
As if to protect me, Aaron turned me around behind his back.
Nocton was also contemting, and his eyes were widened with uneasiness.
Soon, however, the surprise disappeared and cold anger lurked in his face.
His jaw was tightly closed, as if he had bitten his teeth.
¡°Everything should have ended before, Valrose.¡±
Speaking in a suppressed voice, he breathed his breath thinly and slowly.
Even though there was some distance, it felt like the heat mixed with his breath reached here.
¡°Did I mistake you for loving me? It can¡¯t be true.¡±
Looking at us still standing up, Nocton raised himself slowly.
The backlit shape lengthens long.
Aaron ymore was quite tall, perhaps because of his physical fitness from an early age, but Nocton¡¯s head was also in a simr position.
The physique was also simr, so it visually stimted the tension.
Nocton Edgarughed as if he had no intention of hiding his twisted inner thoughts.
¡°It can¡¯t be, Valrose. Valrose, damn Valrose.¡±
¡°Stand back, Lord Edgar.¡±
¡°Aaron ymore is important to you? How precious is your fianc¨¦ who loves another woman, seriously?¡±
Aaron¡¯s expression hardened at the words he vomited over the warning.
I was also confused.
Aaron and I were the only ones who knew that Aaron ymore had a loved one.
Don¡¯t tell me he knows this person is Alice.
There was a question, but now I can¡¯t confirm the answer.
I swallowed a dry saliva to keep myposure.
¡°I¡¯m going to tell Roa¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t pretend to tell me something great, I know.¡±
¡°You know?¡±
¡°Yeah, don¡¯t be mistaken that love for a lover is the only precious feeling, Nocton. I didn¡¯t mean that when I said Aaron is important. And even so, you know best how devoted I can be to an unrequited love. Right?¡±
Perhaps because of theing that I don¡¯t want to lose in fear, I said more sarcastically than usual.
Maybe that was something wrong, the expression disappeared from Nocton¡¯s face.
Oh, really?
It was a small voice that didn¡¯t know if I was talking to myself or asking me.
I couldn¡¯t see the sound in color, but if possible, it was clear that the white would be unmixed ck.
¡°It¡¯s precious ¡ for Aaron ymore, you¡¯re going to keep your distance.¡±
¡°The direct trigger for the decision is Aaron, but I¡¯ve been thinking about it before. Nocton, I¡¯m now¡ª¡±
I¡¯m tired of your test.
I tried to put thest word I wanted to say to him, Nocton seemed to have heard nothing.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that. You shouldn¡¯t have said you¡¯d abandon me for love, not because of your will, but because of someone else.¡±
¡°Nocton¡..?¡±
¡°I get upset when I hear those words.¡±
I didn¡¯t know untilte because I was only looking at his expression.
There was no reason in the light purple eyes.
There is a short silence like a white silence before the tsunamies.
The atmosphere has changed.
So far, I thought it was a harsh enough atmosphere, but the current air was different.
I was an ordinary person who didn¡¯t know magic and didn¡¯t know what mana was, but I felt the air flowing heavy and strangely.
Aaron¡¯s shoulders, which stood guard against me, were clearly tense.
And the next moment.
Nocton vomited blood.
Something¡¯s happened right now.
There was no sense of reality in the sight in front of me.
His pale face, whoseplexion wasn¡¯t better than others, had dark red blood flowing under his sharp chin.
Nocton¡¯s face is so white, and his fingers covering his mouth are so white that the blood looks darker and redder¡.
¡°Nocton!¡±
I had no choice but to shout like a scream.
My head was killing me.
Aaron¡¯s voice calling for me, I released myself from his grasp and ran to Nocton.
¡°Why, why bleed ¡ why your blood¡.¡¯
But as I approached, I could not figure out what to say or where to look at.
I couldn¡¯t understand.
Just a moment ago, he talked with a fine face, talking, threatening, and considering everything he could do as a viin, but why is he bleeding now?
I was anxious and I couldn¡¯t bear it, even though I thought there was nothing but hatred and fear left about the Nocton Edgar.
It was more surprising than I thought to see a childhood friend bleeding close.
Even in this situation where I learned his secret and are afraid of the threats, I still approached him to look at his safety.
From every corner of his body where blood was flowing, my heart was beating strongly as it was dropped.
The reason I was able to take care of my reason btedly was when I felt a rather tenacious gaze.
Nocton was looking at me.
Our eyes met.
I tried to backtrack in a moment of embarrassment, but I couldn¡¯t because my arms were held.
His left hand was grasping my arm, while his main right hand is covering his mouth.
It was not painful, but it was quite strong so that it could not be easily taken out.
Is he sick? It must be painful.
I could not help but feel the urge to do something, even with my fear of avoiding him.
¡°I thought I¡¯d let you go. It must be hard.¡±
¡°What¡.?¡±
¡°Of course, the greedy blood cannot go anywhere.¡±
I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about.
I couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of the weak sound.
Nocton pulled closer to my arm he was holding.
With my weak legs, I was dragged as he pulled.
¡°Let me give you a word of advice, Valrose.¡±
I turned my head at his angle and Nocton whispered in my ear.
Don¡¯t make it obvious that you¡¯re scared.
¡°Roa!¡±
Aaron called me by my name, perhaps it seemed to be a threat to me that he came near.
I was nervous about another confrontation, but Nocton fell off me unexpectedly easily.
Nevertheless, Aaron wrapped me around him, as if he were wary of Nocton.
With a step back, Nocton moved his gaze.
The bloody sleeves, the hands that covered the mouth, the blood that fell on the floor, and the table that had been destroyed.
Nocton¡¯s eyes shone like ss beads.
The silver-colored eyes rolled one after another, and finally turned to Aaron and the me he was shielding.
With an unreadable face, he looked at us for a moment and swept up his bloody hair.
¡°It¡¯s so pathetic.¡±
And the next moment, Nocton disappeared.
Not only that. All the tables, chairs, and carpets were clean, just as the bloodstains left by Nokton Edgar had never been there before.
In addition, Nocton¡¯s escort knight, who existed, but had a dim presence, were not seen.
Strictly speaking, I wasn¡¯t sure that this one had just disappeared.
Neither I nor Aaron could do what had happened, so I slowly blinked.
I asked rather sourly, as if I had vomited what had been strangling my throat.
¡°¡.is it a teleport?¡±
¡°I think so. I didn¡¯t know it was a magic that could be used simply like this¡ª¡±
As his words stopped, Aaron hurriedly lowered his head.
A wail, red blood poured out.
¡°Aaron!¡±
It was a little better than before, but in the same way I called his name like a scream.
What, is today vomiting blood day?
As I approached, Aaron smiled awkwardly, as if in trouble and embarrassment.
A smiling face with blood on its mouth won¡¯t make you look okay.
¡°It¡¯s all right, Roa. I¡¯m just feeling a little sick.¡±
¡°Who do you think you¡¯re fooling? If you¡¯re not feeling well, you throw up your food, not your blood.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. I only got some internal injuries. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±
From a normal person¡¯s point of view, I couldn¡¯t understand why vomiting blood wasn¡¯t such a big deal.
However, Aaron seemed genuinely, only embarrassed, not sick or distressed.
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°I just thought it was weird that Nocton suddenly bled out, did you do something that ordinary people don¡¯t know about?¡±
¡°Um ¡. No, I¡¯m ashamed to say that I was unterally beaten. It seems like I wascking in training.¡±
¡°Youcked in training, but you¡¯re training daily.¡±
¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a little ck. I had to calm myself down, but as you know, I haven¡¯t been able to rxtely. I know that¡¯s an excuse.¡±
There was something harsh about Aaron¡¯s words, which he said to himself, not to anyone else. His reflective eyes became ambiguous in both rebuttal and constion.
As I was looking for something to talk about, I frowned on the parts I couldn¡¯t understand.
¡°Then, why is Nocton bleeding?¡±
¡°Well, maybe he has never been feeling well. At least not because of me. Unfortunately.¡±
¡°The question of whether you vomited blood was over a while ago. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s self-reflection or self-condemnation, but in moderation¡ª¡±
As soon as I spoke a little harshly, Aaron vomited blood again.
Is it my fault?
My heart became nervous at Aaron¡¯s painfully throwing up the red liquid, so I jumped up.
This was not the time to argue who was to me.
¡°Please wait, I¡¯ll call a priest, or even a wizard!¡±
I didn¡¯t know what should I say as an excuse, but he got an internal injury while training, and he was worried about his fianc¨¦e, so he had to visit her before the hospital.
As I was about to run out of the room, I was caught off guard by the shelft. When Aaron entered the drawing room, Sadie put it away from the disy.
Above it is a bottle of blue liquid, the liquid Nocton called holy water. God¡¯s gifts that have excellent effects on trauma, internal injuries, diseases, and even severed bodies.
¡°What a holy water. I¡¯ve never seen such a big bottle.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s real, it¡¯s good to get you treated right away, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s genuine. It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s from Nocton. It¡¯s not real, is it?¡±
¡°If you allow me, I¡¯ll check.¡±
¡°Is there a way? I was thinking of throwing it away anyway, so you can try it if you have a way.¡±
¡°Then excuse me for a moment.¡±
Aaron staggered a little and headed for the shelf.
The lid of arge bottle opened and the bottle tilted immediately.
¡°Aaron!¡±
A few drops of blue liquid went into his mouth.
¡°You, are you crazy? Why do you drink that?¡±
¡°I was just going to check a little bit, but I failed to adjust. I¡¯m sorry to waste your precious resources.¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s not ¡ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not, but I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s a waste!¡±
While talking with Nocton, there was no special gibberish about the logic of everything that came out of the mouth.
But the more I say it, when I heard that the holy water was so precious that I felt like I hit Aaron, I felt as if I had a cold sweat on my hands.
Then, Aaron burst intoughter.
Only then I realized that I had been teased.
God, I didn¡¯t expect Aaron ymore to tease me.
When I sighed in relief, my legs rxed and fell.
Surprised Aaron stretched out his hand to hold me, but he was the same with no strength, so there were only two people copsing.
What is this.
Aaron and I giggled for a long time because it was funny to see us sitting there like a newborn baby giraffe.
Like a lie, what happened a while ago was light and funny.
By the time theughter had gone by, we sat down, leaning appropriately back on the legs and chairs of the table.
A little silence flowed, and Aaron devoured theughter with a light sigh.
¡°Actually, Roa, I owe you an apology.¡±
¡°The one you failed to catch?¡±
¡°About Duke Edgar.¡±
I also lost myughter at the words that came out of his mouth. It was ominous just to hear that there was something to apologize for Nocton.
¡°I didn¡¯t fully believe what you said. It¡¯s changed a bittely when I think you¡¯re afraid of him. I¡¯m sorry for distorting your words, Roa.¡±
¡°Oh, if it¡¯s like that, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s great. I¡¯m sorry too, so you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡±
¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry I used you as a shield.¡±
Aaron blinked slowly, as if asking what I meant.
¡°I encouraged myself because I thought it was something I need to resolve, but in the end, I trusted Aaron and made a scene. I couldn¡¯t say anything when it was just the two of us. I only hurt you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not because of you that I was injured. Like I said earlier, it¡¯s because ofck of training. I wouldn¡¯t have vomited that much blood by the time I finished my knight training.¡±
¡°If you weren¡¯t involved in my problem, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt, whether you have enough training or not.¡±
¡°I just wanted to protect you.¡±
Aaron breathed lightly and spoke.
¡°And not only today but also in the future. I want to protect you. I wasn¡¯t reliable at all a little while ago, so it¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t believe it.¡±
¡°You will continue to ¡ protect me? Forever? That sounds very ¡ like a proposal.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
I asked myself because I was embarrassed, but when I saw the embarrassment in the man¡¯s eyes, a sense of yfulness rose.
I bent up and smiled yfully.
¡°Then will you marry me? Marry me and keep me safe for the rest of my life, Aaron.¡±
Aaron¡¯s eyes widened.
What an honest reaction.
Looking at that surprised face, Iughed and tried to confess that it was a joke.
But soon.
¡°If you want to.¡±
Aaron put down an unexpected answer.
At the moment, I doubted my ears. I couldn¡¯t help but doubt it. The answer to the lightly thrown joke was likewise too serious to dismiss as a joke. There was no yfulness or embarrassment, and there was even a glimpse of will in his eyes.
With eyes so clear that I don¡¯t know where the embarrassment just went, I avoided my eyes without realizing it.
¡°Well, it¡¯s been only half a year since we got engaged. ording to the tradition, it¡¯s only a year and a half left¡.¡±
¡°Tradition is not aw. It doesn¡¯t have to be followed.¡±
¡°Sir, you have someone else you love. It¡¯s an engagement that I promised to break up, and I¡¯m not writing a contract, of course.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
¡°You know, I know it¡¯s a crazy sound of excessive self-consciousness, but do you like me? Do you like it?¡±
It was strange to say this to someone who proposed, but it was impossible to do. The someone was my fiance, who said he couldn¡¯t get married for life because his loved one was dead.
He was able to share his engagement ring only when I said I would break up the marriageter.
But suddenly he¡¯s saying he will marry me¡.
It¡¯s probably one of those things that¡¯s drunk or crazy person do that make him changed his mind, but all he drank was the holy water and his eyes were too clear for a madman.
I thought it couldn¡¯t be the case with my head, so I said it downwards, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous inside.
I thought it was a very natural reaction, but Aaron opened his eyes wide and answered soon, as if my reaction was unexpected.
¡°I like it. As a friend.¡±
The pulse came to a halt.
Then it is, what were you thinking.
As I rxed my stiff shoulders, I sighed for a long time.
¡°Your joke is so weird, Aaron. I knew about your first love, so I let it go, but if you make such a joke to otherdy, you¡¯ll be sued for proposing.¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not joking.¡±
¡°¡.I¡¯m just kidding, I¡¯m talking about everything that¡¯s not true.¡±
¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±
Is this also a joke?
I couldn¡¯t believe it, so I looked up and stared at Aaron.
But instead of making eye contact with me, he was still looking ahead.
No, it wasn¡¯t looking ahead. Aaron was recalling the past.
His eyes were sunken with emotions that were not known exactly whether it was a memory or a longing.
Even looking at him, I couldn¡¯t dismiss Aaron¡¯s words as jokes.
I turned my head at his side face.
¡°It seems like the day before yesterday that I came back after seeing the tombstone of my beloved, but half a year has passed already. I¡¯m ashamed, but at the time I felt like I was dying. I couldn¡¯t think of having an engagement with someone else, nor would I ept it. Roa, this may not be understandable to you, but I thought marriage was the final form of love. ¡°
It¡¯s been half a year since Alice came to Limorand. It was a little bit earlier than when I met Aaron.
¡°I couldn¡¯t love anyone else. Therefore, I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t confess my love as a lover to you. Even if I try and try, it may be impossible for a lifetime. However, it¡¯s probably also possible.¡±
There was a sudden rustling sound in the space where only his words could be heard.
It was the sound of Aaron, who was sitting leaning back, changing his posture.
I sat leaning against the table legs, and Aaron, who was next to me, was now in front of me.
A tinum-haired knight stood at one knee and stared at me.
Aaron, who is taller than me and has a bigger physique, was kneeling but he can¡¯t seem smaller than me sitting down.
But Aaron¡¯s consideration, with his back and shoulders lowered, made him feel no less threatening.
There were bloodstains around his mouth and no swords in hisy waist, but the man on his knees seemed more reverent than anyone else.
¡°Roa, I¡¯m absolutely serious that I want to protect you. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d feel that way again, even though I thought it would be impossible all my life.¡±
¡°Love as a lover ¡ I don¡¯t need it. My parents were also married through a political marriage. But they respect each other, care for each other, and love each other as a family. I¡¯ve never thought that love between friends is inferior to lover¡¯s love, it¡¯s harder to protect if it¡¯s such a true love.¡±
Yes, it¡¯s not a situation that can be treated as a joke.
I sighed for a long time, hoping that the stuffy energy that had gathered inside would go away, but the lump in my chest remained.
¡°I don¡¯t intend to make that kind of love, but I do. Even if you are engaged in a political marriage, you can always be a precious partner in life if you¡¯re okay with the other person.¡±
¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll ept it?¡±
¡°But, Aaron, I have a story to tell you before I answer.¡±
It is not something to be dismissed as a joke, nor something to be ignored.
To endure the unreasonable fear of being killed by Nocton, I need someone to protect me.
I need Aaron ymore. At least until thest minute of Nocton.
That¡¯s why I wanted to bury Alice and Aaron¡¯s story.
Aaron¡¯s desperate situation, even if I know in detail Alice¡¯s secret love, I had toe to the same conclusion, and I would only inte my guilt.
However, after hearing such words from Aaron ymore, I can¡¯t bury even the most cowardly person.
Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
It would be better if I didn¡¯t know, but now I have the knowledge that the other party is Alice and that she may still have Ed in her heart. I couldn¡¯t bear the guilt over the cowardly subject, so I had a bitter smile around my mouth.
¡°The day we drank together, you¡¯ve been thinking about her name, haven¡¯t you? It doesn¡¯t seem like you said it on purpose, but it doesn¡¯t seem like a really thoughtless mistake.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡.¡±
¡°Because you miss her. You want to ask me something.¡±
If you think about it, it¡¯s a little odd that Aaron, a great knight, had his tongue loosened because he was drunk.
However, I didn¡¯t think he had purposely put Alice¡¯s name in his mouth.
All he can gain by saying ¡°Alice¡¯s tombstone¡± to me is the confusion of Roa Valrose.
Furthermore, Aaron would have been more straightforward if he wanted to tell me about Alice. He was not a cowardly and uncourageous person who spoke with a grain of salt, hoping that his opponent would notice what he wanted.
So maybe, he¡¯s been thinking about it.
The story of Alice and her close friend, me. Perhaps I am aware of Alice¡¯s circumstances.
Like that.
Well, this is all a guess.
Whether I was drunk with the atmosphere or with my mood, I felt like the thoughts I made were facts.
But, as if denying me, Aaron had a hard face like never before. Perhaps with a face that shuts my heart more tightly than when I was confronting Nocton a little while ago.
¡°It was a mistake. My alcohol tolerance isn¡¯t high. But even if it wasn¡¯t a mistake, what does it mean? Whatever the name of the dead person, it¡¯s¡ª¡±
¡°Alice. Alice Limorand.¡±
¡°¡ªit¡¯s a different person. She only has the same name, I even saw her tombstone. What nonsense are you talking about, a dead personing back to life and bing the daughter of Duke Limorand?¡±
¡°I thought it was weird that you were avoiding her. You¡¯ve been avoiding her like you¡¯re afraid to meet her beyond just being shy. It wasn¡¯t just because she was mentioned as a marriage partner, I heard it through your mouth. Then why did you avoid her?¡±
¡°Not without a reason, at least not for that. Roa, just by having the same name¡ª¡±
¡°You¡¯re sure, Aaron.¡±
There was still a piece of puzzle in my head that didn¡¯t fit perfectly.
But in my heart, I was already convinced that Aaron¡¯s person was Alice.
Seeing his red eyes refuting me mixed with strange feelings, I became even more convinced.
The impulse pushed me back and I grabbed Aaron¡¯s shirt cor, pulled him in the face and whispered.
¡°She¡¯s the woman you love.¡±
Being so close as to breathe, it was also evident that his pupils were shaking greatly.
That was Aaron¡¯s answer and Aaron¡¯s true intention.
As I expected, he was not a fool who mistook his person for someone else, even though she had the same face and same name.
However, the only honest thing is the beautiful red eyes.
He politely took my hand off the cor, clearly revealing his agitation.
¡°I don¡¯t need another story, Roa. The only answer to the proposal is yes or no.¡±
Like a camouge to hide his inner self, he spoke in a more determined voice with a firmer face. The words sounded unintentionally sincere. The voice did not tremble, and the agitated eyes stopped firmly.
What should I say after seeing Aaron like that?
Deep down in my heart began to tickle.
I¡¯ve done enough.
I even brought up her name, but Aaron denied it.
He said that she wasn¡¯t Alice, and that the person he loved was dead.
In fact, there was nothing more to do.
Maybe Aaron won¡¯t be tied up with Alice.
In < He and Alice >, it was almost certain that Alice and Aaron would continue their love story, but since many things have already changed, there is nothing to be sure of now.
If I say I won¡¯t marry him, and then he¡¯s married to another woman, neither I nor Alice, I would definitely regret it.
It will be painful.
Even without such minor jealousy, there was an important purpose in thinking that I would not be able to let him go, whether or not he was bound up with Alice.
Nocton Edgar. The viin of < He and Alice > who burned Roa Valrose at the stake after he used her.
My childhood friend.
The idea that I need him to be safe from Nocton remains the same.
He said he will protect me, he said he will marry me.
I can¡¯t argue that it¡¯s right for someone who doesn¡¯t, and I can¡¯t just talk about Alice¡¯s situation.
I couldn¡¯t even exin that I knew the story of Alice and Ed since I couldn¡¯t mention the original novel.
At this point, the minimum standards for self-justification are over.
¡°I think it¡¯s this way to bring up the proposal first, Aaron. Okay, I¡¯ll answer.¡±
I really wanted to nod my head.
I was afraid of the Nocton, afraid of being killed, and afraid that my end would be the same as the original.
Nevertheless, fear wasn¡¯t the only kind of emotion I had to choose from.
I had a guilty conscience, like anyone else, I had love for my friend, I had a nervousness that I didn¡¯t want to disappoint, and I had a reflection on my misjudgment.
¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you the unfortunate news, you were dumped.¡±
I had self-pride enough not to steal other person¡¯s man.
¡°But¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk anymore. It¡¯s a waste of letting you go while I¡¯m talking, and I feel stupid. It looks like there¡¯s not too much to revert in 10 seconds. No, I¡¯m not asking you to persuade me.¡±
¡°Roa.¡±
¡°But thank you for saying you¡¯ll marry me. I¡¯m sorry I tried to joke around with those words, and¡.¡±
I breathed a long sigh.
How many times have I been sighing?
Still, unlike a while ago, the coarseness of my heart came out in my breath. I felt much better.
¡°It¡¯s my fault, Aaron.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your fault. No, it is my part that I have to apologize, I have changed my mind and proposed to you without a love confession.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not about being right or wrong. You don¡¯t have to put words behind you. I was happy. And it¡¯s nice to hear that you¡¯re going to protect me. I feel like I have a very strong ¡ brother.¡±
I might add that he was like Alroy, but I kept my mouth shut because I thought he might feel strange. It may sound weird to say that he¡¯s like an older sister.
Let¡¯s save our talk before we get closer.
¡°Once again, I wasn¡¯t joking.¡±
¡°I know, but what can I do. It was your order. If you wanted to say that in the first ce, you should¡¯ve told me when we first met, I had a lot of desire to marry you back then. ¡°
¡°Is it different now?¡±
¡°I can only feel like we¡¯re brother and sister.¡±
Aaron, who had a stiff face all the time, burst intoughter. I couldn¡¯t understand what was funny, but theughter was loud and high.
Dyed in a sad, dejected color.
Hearing theugh, I was sure I made a choice.
¡°By the way, is that about half a year ago? So ¡. you saw the tombstone right before you got engaged to me. No wonder you bent your knee and it doesn¡¯t look normal. ¡°
¡°That¡¯s an undeniable story.¡±
¡°So did time heal you?¡±
¡°My mind healed me.¡±
He seems rxed enough to joke around.
I pulled my knees in my arms and leaned my face on them.
¡°Why do you pretend you don¡¯t know Alice?¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s not her. ¡°
¡°Why did you choose my side of the marriage?¡±
¡°I told you, I thought you¡¯d say no.¡±
¡°If you keep pretending you don¡¯t know, Aaron.¡±
I remembered that Nocton said he would not be engaged to Alice, but he only told me anyway. A story that neither Aaron nor Alice knows, only me.
¡°She may be Nocton¡¯s bride.¡±
So this was a lie, but what about it. It¡¯s not just about making fun of Aaron, it¡¯s a white lie.
Iughed when I saw Aaron¡¯s eyes shaking with a hardened face.
Aaron¡¯s face, which immediately changed, was just funny as he portrayed the devil of the century as Nocton, the most wanted bachelor of the Empire.
Without trying to hold back myughter, Iughed out loud.
¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you or what happened, but think about it. That¡¯s a really serious problem.¡±
¡°¡.Roa, as I said a little while ago.¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s a different person. I heard it because I have ears too. But Aaron, even if it¡¯s not that person, Alice is my friend. You may not be interested in her because she has nothing to do with you. No matter what happens to her when she marries Nocton, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not concerned because you have nothing to do with it. No, but isn¡¯t it too much to say that to your fianc¨¦e¡¯s best friend?¡±
¡°That, Roa ¡ I¡¯ve never said that¡.¡±
He couldn¡¯t say anything, but his lips were burning. His face, neck, and fingertips were scarlet, perhaps because of his embarrassment.
Yeah, just because Aaron is straightforward doesn¡¯t mean I have to act in direct manner.
I gave up making Aaron confess that Alice is his first love by his own mouth.
Instead, I decided to introduce my friend to Aaron.
¡°Aaron is my fianc¨¦. So please be nice to my friend. Not to your first love, but to my friend Alice. Don¡¯t go around so much because you don¡¯t want to see her. ¡°
¡°When did I say that? I¡¯m just¡ª¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°¡.I understand.¡±
It¡¯s not that Aaron¡¯s approval is the only way to make the two meet. I just opened my mouth spontaneously, but it seemed the best way to say it.
Well, once the matter with Nocton is done, I can make an arrangement.
Iughed at Aaron sighing.
And Aaron¡¯s acting as if he¡¯s in trouble, pretending his troublesome sigh, but the corners of his mouth are in a huddle¡.
Oh, I was going to tease him, but he covered his mouth.
He turned his head, still covering his mouth with his big hand.
You don¡¯t even know the exposed nape of your neck is dyed red, my foolish friend.
¡°¡±Roa, this may sound very strange.¡±
¡°Tell me, Aaron.¡±
¡°If I hadn¡¯t met Alice, I would have loved you.¡±
¡°Oh ¡. that¡¯s a greatpliment. As expected, you are caught in prejudice. I fear that someone is an old-fashioned knight.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I said a little while ago?¡±
I wanted to get my face back, but it was too much for a friend to do, so I just looked straight ahead and said.
¡°I love you, as a friend.¡±
The sound of holding one¡¯s breath, a moment¡¯s silence, the sound of a needle spinning.
And.
¡°Yes, Roa.¡±
A simple answer.
It was a satisfying moment.
Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
Edgar¡¯s residence, the Duke¡¯s room, was dark without a lit light.
Unless its owner, no one could enter the room and never thought of doing so.
Therefore, the figure that suddenly appeared was Nocton Edgar. With the aftereffect of using magic in a bad condition, Nocton arrived in his room.
He immediately vomited blood one more time. His hands were trembling and his breath was rough andcking energy.
Even when he tried to wipe the blood off his mouth, his hands don¡¯t move properly.
He strained his legs, which seemed to break at any moment, and managed to walk to the sofa. Only by burying himself deeply on the sofa could Nocton breathe a little.
It¡¯s really a mess.
Noctonughed at himself because it was funny.
There¡¯s a degree of rity, he knew he¡¯s in bad shape, but his ankles got stuck when he heard Aaron ymore was there.
That was one of the rarest stupid things Nocton Edgar had ever done.
He was obviously Valrose¡¯s fiance.
Even if it¡¯s not that day, the two will be together for many days.
He didn¡¯t even see them together today, I just heard he was there, so why¡.
As if Aaron ymore was hiding in the silence, he gazed into the dark darkness with his sunken eyes.
A little whileter, when his breath was cleared, he twitched his hand to turn on the light and rang the bell. Immediately one attendant opened the door and appeared.
With a blurry face that makes no sense, the boy approached and bowed his head.
He was waiting for Nocton¡¯s words, without any agitation for the bloody appearance of the master.
¡°Bring the troll¡¯s blood.¡±
¡°Yes, my lord.¡±
Nocton also did not regard him as strange. He watched the attendant go out and turned his mouth on.
A ck mansion with hundreds of people inhabited, and nheless, it was only their owner, Nocton Edgar, who was still properly alive.
The butlers, maids, attendants, and knights are all just living dolls. So there was always no warmth in the mansion.
Since when did this start?
It was obviously Nocton Edgar that made them into dolls, but it wasn¡¯t because of his magic that the mansion felt dead.
They were no different even before they lost their senses. They were indifferent to Nocton Edgar, had no respect, and oftenughed at whatever he ordered.
Until the use of force eventually.
Nevertheless, Nocton was consciously or unconsciously recalling the old days.
Even though the people whoughed at him before couldn¡¯t do that now, why he wants to bury himself in the past so much?
Why, why, why.
In fact, he already knew the answer.
¡°Just like you said, Nocton. Aaron is important to me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m nothing to you. There¡¯s nothing to be regrettable about if I disappear, and it¡¯s nothing special. Even if you call me a friend in words, you¡¯ve never thought about me that way.¡±
¡°You¡¯re testing me, then you¡¯re making me feel special.¡±
¡°So no matter what you do, I¡¯m still stuck next to you and get a little angry and a little irritated, and if you talked to me soothingly, I will let it go and be your toy forever?¡±
¡°10 years is enough.¡±
¡°So I have no choice but to distance myself from you.¡±
After all, it was Roa Valrose.
Nocton jumped up.
His gait wasn¡¯t straight, but without stumbling, he headed to the drawer on the side.
The drawer opened as mana flowed in the pattern of the drawer locked with a magic device.
Inside the drawer was a ck velvet box.
The box hasn¡¯t been opened yet, but Nocton already knew what was in it.
He could paint the shape, the touch, and everything vividly.
It was a cuff inside the box. A button with a light purple mist floating in a ck diamond. The light purple thing he hates the most.
Nocton looked down at the box with tired eyes and habitually reached out his hand.
But before reaching the box, his right hand stopped in the air.
He looked down at his hands, but there was blood everywhere, whether it was his right or left hand.
After returning to the mansion, his left hand must have been bleeding too.
The hand, which had been almost in the air, crouched holding nothing.
Nocton closed the drawer again and went back to the sofa. He buried himself like he was falling apart and covered his eyes with the back of his bloodstained hand. The front of his eyes was terribly ck, and his hands smelled of iron.
Everything in the world felt bothersome and annoying.
He was buried in a world where there was no light.
He had to wait for the attendant to bring the troll¡¯s blood, but he didn¡¯t feel it was worth it.
Roa Valrose.
Valrose.
Valrose.
Hepleted the same name several times.
Then, soon again, with a sound that is thinner than the breath.
¡°Roa.¡±
Disappointed, his consciousness is sinking to the base.
Nocton Edgar fell asleep in the dark.
***
We had a good time when we spoke, butte in the day, we were so ashamed that we were silent for a moment.
As if to break the ice, Aaron opened his mouth.
¡°His Grace Edgar, he¡¯s originally like that¡.¡±
¡°Savage? Well.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve had a rough time.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never been scared before. I got a lot of knowledge ¡ although it wasn¡¯t reliable.¡±
If Nocton hadn¡¯t tested and measured me like that, I could have trusted him a little more.
It was a meaningless assumption.
Still, I got up because my legs gave me strength after I rested a little. The crumpled skirt was roughly straightened and dusted out.
¡°Oh, so is the holy water real? you said you could check.¡±
¡°Yes, in the case of real holy water, there is a reaction that pushes mana, so it cannot be manipted. The purity is high and even that amount, so it is impossible to know how much it will be worth.¡±
¡°Is it that great?¡±
¡°At least many times more than the one in the ymore mansion.¡±
When I was suspicious of the authenticity of the holy water, I felt more ufortable when I heard that it was more authentic than I had expected.
Why did Nocton give me something like this?
It was too much for me to ept it as a gift, and I also worried because the person who gave it was Nocton.
Beyond the burden, I had no choice but to doubt.
What the hell is he thinking?
Then Aaron rose from his seat. The legs, which had been a little weak earlier, stood upright.
¡°Then I will now¡.¡±
It was when he had just opened his mouth.
There was a knock on the door of the drawing room.
Somehow, I think most of the knock I heard recently was a harbinger of something ominous.
I¡¯m nervous about the unpleasant sound, but there¡¯s no way Nocton ise again.
Fortunately, it was Carissa who made a sound beyond the door.
¡°Mydy, it¡¯s Carissa. I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you twice, but Lady Alice Limorand is here. I already took her to the second reception room. Should I tell her to go home?¡±
It was the same in that it was announcing the sudden visit of a guest, but Carissa¡¯s voice was much calmer than before.
It was understandable.
It was a serious situation to think that she had to guide my fiance Aaron when I was alone with my opposite-sex friend, Nocton Edgar, even if I ruled out Nocton as a viin.
I can imagine the level ofplexity in her head as she guided Aaron inside because it rained.
If Carissa had a little more experience, she would have taken him to a different drawing room from the start, but it¡¯s praiseworthy that she didn¡¯t make the same mistake twice.
Because Valrose isn¡¯t strict about one mistake.
First, I¡¯ll send Aaron off and talk to Alice.
With that thought, I looked back at Aaron and found his face hardened.
His reaction was not new, but his bloodshot face was certainly new.
Come to think of it, there was no Nocton Edgar.
Although quite a few people would know that he entered the drawing rooom, he disappeared in a bizarre way called magic, and the attempt became a strange situation.
How do I fix this?
A sigh came up to my chin, and I took a thin breath.
¡°¡.please wait a moment, Carissa. I¡¯ll call you back.¡±
¡°Alright, mydy.¡±
I tried to speak in a calm voice and I looked back calmly at Aaron.
¡°What should I do, Aaron.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay to talk to her. His Grace has gone, so I¡¯ll leave. There¡¯s no Nocton.¡±
Fortunately, he didn¡¯t forget to take Braman Duff, and he cleaned up the bloodstains before he left, but it doesn¡¯t seem usual that a whole person disappeared.
Only then did Aaron realize the absence of Nocton and put on a troubled look.
¡°If you say something urgent happened and he teleported ¡ no one knows that His Grace is a wizard. But wouldn¡¯t it be alright to say that he used magic tools? Maybe he¡¯s really using the tools.¡±
¡°Even if you¡¯re just going to go back, look at your face. If one person disappeared and you got that much blood on you, they would know that two people fought.¡±
¡°Wipe ¡ If you have something to wipe my face.¡±
At Aaron¡¯s words, I nced around the drawing room.
The carpet on the floor, the teacups that fell into the carpet spilling the tea , fortunately, did not break.¡ªand the front part of the table that has been torn apart and copsed¡.
Oh, my God. I forgot this, too.
¡°First of all, it¡¯s you who made that table like that.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°I think it would be better to have the table torn apart because you¡¯re so embarrassed. Okay, that sounds reasonable.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense at all.¡±
I ignored Aaron¡¯s words and looked around again.
A clock, a chandelier, and a shelf with a bottle of blue liquid.
I nodded.
¡°Okay, the time hase for me to show you that I don¡¯t care for holy water.¡±
¡°¡..what are you talking about?¡±
¡°I just happened to see something there to wipe your blood.¡±
¡°Roa! Wiping my face with holy water, how could you¡.¡±
¡°You are more religious than I thought.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. If you don¡¯t know the value, you can¡¯t do that without knowing how precious it is.¡±
Rarely, Aaron¡¯s face turned blue.
No matter how rich Aaron ymore is, he seemed afraid of using money like water.
There was another knock at the door of the drawing room.
¡°Mydy, I apologize, but Lady Alice is here again. She said she¡¯ll go back and contact youter if it seems to be longer. What should I do?¡±
I blinked at Aaron.
The face that had been slightly loosened was hardened again. It¡¯s an easy response.
I wanted to get things under control, but I couldn¡¯t ask her to wait.
I can¡¯t go back like this.
I thought it would be better to talk to Alice as soon as possible, so I decided to give up the unsolved arrangements and send Aaron back.
What, I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯ll have to make sure to break off one¡¯s engagement.
Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°Take care of the blood, Aaron.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay toe in, Alice.¡±
¡°Wa ¡ Roa!¡±
Aaron shoutedte, but the door to the drawing room was already moving.
The door opened.
And in that ce, a dark brown haired, good-looking woman looked this way.
Somehow, Alice seems to have a hardened face too.
¡°Hi, Alice.¡±
I nced at Aaron¡¯s face and swallowed a sigh.
¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in ages.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry I left without saying anything. But Sir ymore.¡¡±
Seeing Aaron¡¯s face, Alice clouded her words.
I hit Aaron¡¯s side with my elbow. He was frozen.
I hope he will make a good excuse.
Aaron¡¯s shoulders leaped. He couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with Alice and looked away.
¡°Oh, that ¡ mana. My mana was twisted during the training.¡±
¡°¡.Does such thing cause you to vomit blood?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a very rare case.¡±
Aaron¡¯s face began to blush, as if nothing had happened in front of me, but it¡¯s different in front of his first love.
Starting from the neck, the hot energy rose. He secretly raised his hand, covered his mouth, and turned his head.
He¡¯s cuter than I thought.
Looking at Aaron, Alice¡¯s expression was subtly stained. It was like she was feeling sympathy or seeing someone who was a little bit weak.
After all, Aaron is the only one who knows the other person¡¯s identity.
When I saw Carissa who was standing behind Alice also stiffened, I put a finger in my mouth.
Protect Aaron¡¯s honor.
Carissa nodded her head in a restrained manner, as if she understood what I said by gesture only.
Soon the door of the drawing-room was closed.
Fortunately, the butler, full of sense of duty, didn¡¯t seem to notice that Nocton had disappeared.
She¡¯s an innocent person.
As soon as the door waspletely closed, Aaron opened his mouth. It was still a bit of a mumble because he was still covering his mouth with his hand.
¡°Well, I¡¯m going to leave. See youter.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine for you to go, Aaron, but can you really go with that face?¡±
¡°Face¡.¡±
I made an excuse somehow, but I guess I couldn¡¯t find a way to deal with it.
Now I felt like it was someone else¡¯s business, not mine, but with all my heart I looked at the holy water again and Aaron shook his head loudly.
Then Alice took something out of her bag. It was a ck patterned handkerchief.
¡°Use this.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°You have a handkerchief. Thank you, Alice. What do I do with the cleaning? Should I call someone to get me some water?¡±
¡°Yes, but it seems to be difficult when more people see it¡.¡±
Alice dragged her words and put her hand in the bag again. The next moment, it was a small bottle in her hand.
¡°Roa, I originally brought this perfume for you, but it looks like Sir ymore needs it more right now.¡±
¡°Uh ¡ I¡¯m fine, but wouldn¡¯t the perfume smell a little smelly?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t like strong scents, it¡¯s almost as fresh as breeze, so it will be fine.¡±
Alice opened the bottle of perfume and soaked the liquid in her handkerchief. As she said, the fragrance was not too strong even though the perfume was poured out.
Aaron couldn¡¯t say a word, and soon got a handkerchief from Alice.
There was a strange feeling in his eyes.
It¡¯s not possible to know exactly unless you¡¯re the person involved, but it lookedplicated.
¡°Thank you¡.¡±
Aaron wiped his face carefully. His hands were as delicate as those who treated something very precious, and he seemed to value the wet handkerchief more than his face.
¡°But perfume won¡¯t be good for your skin, so make sure you wash your face when you return to your mansion.¡±
¡°I will. Thank you, Lady Alice.¡±
¡°And one more thing.¡±
After hearing the somewhat locked thanks, Alice put her hand back in her bag.
At this point, I¡¯m wondering how wide that small bag is.
Without knowing my useless thoughts, the item Alice took out this time was a ne. A ne of tinum strings with a white crystal.
Unlike a little while ago, Aaron and I blinked in embarrassment at the object that could hardly be understood.
Looking at us, Alice was smiling brightly.
***
After wiping his face in moderation, Aaron got on the carriage back to ymore.
He came to visit his sick fiancee with a rather light mind, but now his body and mind are worn out.
He confirmed the true nature of Nocton Edgar, threw up blood, his proposal was rejected, and¡.
¡°It¡¯s an engagement present. It¡¯ste, but congrattions on your engagement, both of you.¡±
A sharp remark was made with a bright smile.
As a friend of Roa Valrose, it was a very natural and kind-hearted congrattions.
Nevertheless, for Aaron, the words were like a de that went deep into his heart.
He wanted to open his mouth right away and make excuses.
Roa and I are not in love, we¡¯re only friends.
It won¡¯t even lead to marriage.
He wanted to say that, though pathetic.
However, he couldn¡¯t.
It was only a while ago that Roa rejected his marriage proposal.
It was obviously sincere and he would love her as a friend.
His sincere proposal was genuinely refused.
To tell Alice, it was also rude to Roa Valrose to say he wasn¡¯t going to marry her.
Furthermore, Aaron¡¯s excuse would not be of any interest to Alice.
Maybe she has already heard from Roa that this engagement is a fake y.
But nothing changes even if she doesn¡¯t know.
The same is true even after the nned breakup with Roa.
Aaron ymore couldn¡¯t say he was Ed to Alice.
It was not only because of a vow made by himself, but also because he was afraid of Alice¡¯s reaction.
The moment he said Ed, It was unbearable to imagine a cold-eyed person, who would me him.
Yeah, it¡¯s hard to put it in the right way, because in the end, he¡¯s a coward.
He distorted his expression in anguish and covered his face with both hands.
A self-pity, a sense of shame, he med his cowardice and regretted his oath. Many emotions were infested with ckness.
He only had a few short words with Alice, but he didn¡¯t know his feelings would be like this.
He couldn¡¯t foresee a thing.
Aaron¡¯s hand touched the ne around his neck.
The white crystal was as white as snow, but his heart is ridiculously ck.
¡°Aaron is my fianc¨¦. So please be nice to my friend. Not to your first love, but to my friend Alice.¡±
The moment he heard that, the moment he responded to Roa¡¯s words, Aaron ymore¡¯s heart overflowed with ck desire more than anyone else.
That was a rather harsh remark.
If I give up being Ed,
If I give up all the memories I¡¯ve made with you as Ed,
Then may I approach you as a friend of Roa?
Indeed, he wondered if he can use such an expedient.
Knowing everything and pretending not to know it was a deception, but even though he knew how much Alice hated it, the wind kept blowing in his heart.
Ah, it¡¯s a ridiculous and funny thing.
Even if he approached Alice as a friend of Roa, there is no guarantee that she will share his feelings, but he was tempted that a family could be everything.
Aaron bit his lips and bowed his head.
Don¡¯t be shaken, don¡¯t deceive Alice, keep your own oath.
But his determination was not as firm as before.
¡°She may be Nocton¡¯s bride.¡±
The words Roa had nted firmly weighed Aaron¡¯s determination.
He repeated and repeated his oath to keep his mind together.
Nevertheless, it smelled of iron as if the blood that he threw up earlier was collected inside his throat.
***
¡°This ne will shield me from Nocton¡¯s brainwashing?¡±
I rotated the ne Alice gave me back and forth. It¡¯s pretty when it¡¯s lit, but it doesn¡¯t look that special.
In an apparent show of doubt, Alice nodded her head gently, as if not offended.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s a relic that protects the body from ck magic.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think the price will be light just by listening.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t intend to get paid by Roa, so don¡¯t worry.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what makes my hands tremble, Alice.¡±
Alice red at me with sulky eyes.
Still, her drooping eyes didn¡¯t look fierce, they just looked cute. Well, even if a person¡¯s impression is fierce, what¡¯s so scary about it? A small word, even a word wrapped in favor, can cut a person¡¯s heart.
For a moment, Iughed bitterly, recalling Aaron, who seemed to have drained his blood.
How is he going to pretend he doesn¡¯t know Alice.
He¡¯s acting like a dead man just by hearing that one word.
I didn¡¯t know exactly what was going on with Aaron, but I felt more sorry because his love was clear.
¡°I was surprised before. For saying it was an engagement gift. We¡¯ve been engaged for half a year.¡±
¡°But you can¡¯t just give a gift to someone you¡¯ve never spoken to. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve spoken to him, so it¡¯s a reasonable excuse.¡±
¡°Does Aaron need protection from Nocton?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t told you yet, indeed.¡±
The question was unintentionally, but after speaking out of my mouth, I felt anxious all over again.
Come to think of it, why does Aaron need the ne?
I think I¡¯ve be a fool because so many situations suddenlye in.
Alice¡¯s darkened face heightened my anxiety.
Aaron ymore was definitely the main character of < He and Alice >.
So it¡¯s the only role I can y against the viin, Nocton Edgar, and I should.
Were they originally going to deal with the sacred object with it?
Alice paused and breathed a long sigh.
¡°And I heard Lord Edgar was here, but he¡¯s gone?¡±
¡°The first person toe was Nocton. I had a lot of guests today, oh, that¡¯s why you had a stiff face when you came in.¡±
¡°Somehow, except for me, the situation is simr. We¡¯ll talk about this a littleter, and first¡ ¡is he really gone?¡±
¡°Yes, he did. He went back by magic, so no one knows.¡±
Alice muttered a little, frowning around her eyes, like someone who wasn¡¯t sure.
Roa Valrose, Aaron ymore, and Nocton Edgar¡.
Our names were listed in solitude.
What does that mean?
It was an act of inting anxiety and curiosity, but I waited silently for Alice to speak.
¡°Then is it because of him that Sir ymore vomited blood?¡±
¡°You certainly didn¡¯t believe that strange excuse. Yes, it¡¯s because of Nocton. Conversely, Nocton also vomited blood. But, this is not because of Aaron.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Alice¡¯s eyes widened.
Her face was full of confusion, like someone who had heard something unheard of.
An unknown expression deepened my anxiety, even though I tried to hold on my patience, I couldn¡¯t keep listening.
¡°So what¡¯s going on, Alice?¡±
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more question, Roa. By any chance. Did you say to the Duke, ¡®Aaron is more imporant than you.¡¯, ¡®You¡¯re not imporant.¡¯, ¡®Let¡¯s stop being friends.¡¯ What, did you say something like that?¡±
Thump, it seemed like a big stone fell in my heart.
It was a feeling I had felt before.
The moment Alice caught the conversation I had on the terrace of the ballroom, the moment I heard that Nocton broke the railing.
However, the second experience was not less gruesome.
Is there a reason why Alice came to Valrose immediately before returning to the Duke¡¯s house?
Maybe there¡¯s a very urgent and very important business.
As a prey to spection, my anxiety has grown once again and my heart beats have elerated. There was thunder outside as if to inte nervousness. Earlier, the small sound of the rain started hitting the window hard.
¡°Did today¡¯s conversatione out in your dreams?¡±
¡°No, that was what you just said at the tea party. The tea party hosted by Duke Edgar.¡±
¡°Wait a minute, Alice, so ¡ you¡¯re saying the same thing happened in the tea party dream you saw? Yeah, well, everyone else except you, so it¡¯s the same. But then why did you told me not to go to the tea party? For vomiting blood?¡±
¡°To be precise ¡ it¡¯s not the same. At the tea party, after you say that, His Grace hypnotizes Sir ymore.¡±
Nocton can hypnotize Aaron?
As soon as I heard what she said, I immediately opened my mouth in a sense of defiance.
But Alice¡¯s words are not yet finished.
¡°And he hypnotizes Sir ymore to kill me and kill himself.¡±
¡°Suicide ¡ what?¡±
¡°The form is, but it¡¯s actually been murdered by His Grace.¡±
¡°How did you know he was hypnotized?¡±
¡°Because all of a sudden his eyes were blurred. I can tell by looking at it a few times.¡±
Alice¡¯s face, who said so, was filled with conviction.
Yes, if Aaron¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t blurred, I would have thought the same thing if I had given such a dream.
Aaron wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would suddenly go crazy and stab Alice and kill himself. Moreover, it was even more ridiculous if the opponent was Alice.
But I was more perplexed because I epted her words.
Aaron can be hypnotized, too, so the assumptions I drew in the first ce werepletely absurd.
Based on the roles of the two in the original book, I thought Aaron¡¯s power was stronger than Nocton.
That way, he¡¯ll end Nocton in some way and be happy with Alice.
It was difficult to think of it as a development that he was defeated using a holy object.
If there was a difference in power enough to be killed in a sh, it would be meaningless to wear a few relics.
There¡¯s no way < He and Alice > has a bad ending, right?
No, it couldn¡¯t have been. In the author¡¯s review, there was a mention that the ending of the story was a clear happy ending.
So, did Nocton surrender by knowledge, not power?
That looks more difficult. If that¡¯s true anyway, I¡¯ve beenpletely mistaken this time again.
It was meaningless either to continue his engagement with Aaron or to be shaken by his proposal.
If it¡¯s impossible to stop Nocton with Aaron¡¯s power¡ª
Well, he said it himself, that it was unterally.
That is why I wasted my mind on something really useless.
So, could he have just been murdered?
Aaron and ¡ maybe even me?
I was shivering at the thought of a chill in my spine, and then I raised my head at a sudden thought.
¡°That¡¯s a little weird, Alice.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve stayed still at the tea party anyway, so I understand that the same situation can be recreated without me. But¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s too, your dream. You said you didn¡¯t know what I said. How did you know that I said that this time?¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s ¡ I thought it was a little weird, too. I¡¯ve never done that before, but in that dream, I suddenly started hearing your voice. I still couldn¡¯t see your face.¡±
Alice¡¯s expression seemed urgent, perhaps because she thought I was suspicious. She grabbed my hands.
¡°But trust me, Roa. I¡¯m sure. That dream is also a foresight. Otherwise, how would I have known what you were going to say?¡±
¡°¡.It¡¯s not t that I doubt you, Alice. I just thought about why your dream changed. I trust you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±
In soothing her, I was lost in thought for a moment.
Thanks to Memoria¡¯s Seal, I remembered the contents of the original work more vividly, but I couldn¡¯t believe it because there were many changes from reality.
A fact that can never be changed, a secret of Alice¡¯s birth, I can use it as a clue.
That¡¯s why I used Alice¡¯s foresight dreams as an indicator, but it¡¯s no wonder that her dreams have changed.
What¡¯s more, if the part that has changed is Roa Valrose, and it¡¯s me.
I don¡¯t like to use my brain so much, why should I be in this situation? My head hurt when I wasn¡¯t sure of anything.
¡°What was different?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. What is it that His Grace can bleed to?¡±
¡°Well, when he came, I distanced myself. It¡¯s not a measure. I wouldn¡¯t have known if Nocton had been ill from the start ¡ no, I can¡¯t guarantee this any more. But it¡¯s strange that he came to visit me in that condition.¡±
¡°Then can you tell me what happened in the meantime? We might know something if you take it step by step.¡±
¡°You¡¯re like a detective, Alice.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, Ruru!¡±
Alice eximed with a blushing face. It didn¡¯t suit the situation, but it was cute and Iughed out loud.
Then, before Alice made a protest, I hurriedly opened my mouth.
The story started from the fact that I couldn¡¯t participate in the tea party because I was unconscious. I originally nned to be absent, but I pretended I couldn¡¯t go because I was asleep. The reason for swallowing Memoriah¡¯s Seal couldn¡¯t be said in detail, so I confessed that it was just to reflect on what I had with Nocton Edgar in moderation.
Then on the day of the tea party, Nocton sent someone to find out that I was sick.
Later, Nocton came to visit me with holy water, and he suddenly drank a ss of it to confirm that there was no poison over the holy water ¡ that¡¯s what I said.
At this point, Alice¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Drinking holy water? Nocton Edgar?¡±
It¡¯s fresh to hear Nocton Edgar without honorific title.
The joke rose under my tongue, but Alice¡¯s temper was so serious that I swallowed the words.
¡°Aaron proved it, the holy water is real. You can see that in the disy shelf over there, I¡¯ve never seen it that big¡ª¡±
¡°That can¡¯t be true, Roa!¡±
It sounds strange to me, too, but Alice¡¯s reaction was more intense than I thought. As if something had happened that shouldn¡¯t have happened.
But what came out of Alice¡¯s mouth was, in fact, a story that would make someone react that way.
¡°For a ck wizard, holy water is like poison!¡±
What?
¡°A poison, what ¡ so it¡¯s not holy water? He drank it himself, I didn¡¯t even tell him to try it first. I didn¡¯t even know it was holy water until he drank it¡.¡±
That¡¯s absurd.
The holy water that cures people, the holy water that can perform miracles depending on its purity can be poisonous to someone.
And that someone is Nocton Edgar.
It¡¯s iprehensible.
If that¡¯s true, Nocton would have never drunk it himself.
It¡¯s strange, even if he didn¡¯t know that holy water was poison to him.
At least, he knew the moment it went into his mouth.
He can¡¯t do that, unless he enjoy hurting himself.
¡°Roa, did Sir ymore say he was sure?¡±
¡°What did he say, in the case of real holy water, there is a reaction with mana, so it can¡¯t be manipted. He told me clearly. So, it¡¯s that why Nocton vomited blood? It¡¯s really weird.¡±
¡°He was trying to prove to you that he¡¯s not a ck wizard¡.¡±
¡°I also found out today he uses ck magic. Of course I didn¡¯t know that holy water was poison to ck wizard. And even so, it¡¯s too, too abnormal.¡±
If that were the intention, if he was trying to tell me that he¡¯s not a ck wizard, he wouldn¡¯t have even confessed to brainwash Sadie in front of me in the first ce.
So it doesn¡¯t add up at all.
Why did Nocton Edgar need to drink holy water in front of me?
My stomach is stuffy.
Like me, Alice sighed.
¡°I don¡¯t know, I only found out about it because I went to Ernhart and read several books about ck magic.¡±
¡°Then what, really.¡±
Things that I can¡¯t say for sure have been going on all these years, but the most iprehensible moment was now.
The thread in my head unravels a little, and then slips out arger, moreplicated knot. It was so frustrating that I felt like I was getting ck and blue inside.
¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for him to have brought holy water in the first ce, but with what thought¡.¡±
¡°Holy water ¡ maybe, Roa. Maybe Lord Edgar¡.¡±
¡°Maybe?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯m a little sure.¡±
Maybe Aaron¡¯s way of speaking has been transferred. Although it seems a little different.
Being nervous about Alice¡¯s words, I sighed.
¡°If you have any ideas, tell me now. I need a good guess.¡±
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s a little too vague. Maybe my thoughts are too stupid. I just ¡. thought about why he¡¯s doing that.¡±
¡°So?¡±
¡°When youe to think about it in a simple way, without anyplicated thought, maybe His Grace is ¡ in love with you. That¡¯s why he brought holy water when you said you were sick, and because he knew you¡¯re suspicious of him¡ª¡±
I¡¯m a fool to expect.
My pulse suddenly eased. It was the least likely conjecture among possible reasons.
¡°That was a good joke, Alice.¡±
¡°Roa!¡±
¡°From now on, I¡¯ll tell you why this can¡¯t be the case. Number 1. Nocton doesn¡¯t even call me by name. Number 2. Nocton has only been here twice, although I invited him to visit my mansion for many times before. After I heard about his story from you, and after I didn¡¯te to the tea party a while ago. Number 3. Nocton tested me whenever he had time.¡±
As I lifted my finger one by one, I could not help but notice that the expression on Alice¡¯s face faded away.
¡°And number 4. Who would treat their loved one like that, Alice. The only thing that¡¯s okay to love that way is a child.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just ¡ I¡¯m just assuming. Why he¡¯s so obsessed with you, it¡¯s the simplest reason. If you say no, then it¡¯s not.¡±
¡°It¡¯s really not that, Alice. I could swear.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need an oath for such a useless thing.¡±
Even as a joke, Alice shook her head right away.
It¡¯s not a knight¡¯s oath anyway, and it wouldn¡¯t mean much, but I was adamant.
Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°Because today I¡¯m here to give you the ne, I¡¯ll go back for now. I¡¯m a little tired from justing back to the capital, and I¡¯ll be back tomorrow ¡ would that be alright for you?¡±
¡°Yes, I can¡¯t even go out because I¡¯m on probation anyway.¡±
¡°You¡¯re on probation? Why ¡ no, let¡¯s talk about this tomorrow.¡±
She sighed, giving her head. The appearance ofining of a headache was like looking in a mirror, and I also sighed.
Alice raised herself with a bag that was much lighter than when she first came. The tinum string around her neck glistened through her cor.
The ne she gave Aaron. The ne she gave me. The ne on Alice¡¯s neck. All were the same ne.
For me, who had once been relieved of Aaron ymore¡¯s feelings, I couldn¡¯t help but have a strange impression. More or less impulsively, I called Alice as she headed for the door.
¡°Alice, I told you I saw in a dream what kind of rtionship I had with Aaron.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but you¡¯re engaged with the intention to end it ¡ Why? What happened?¡±
¡°What if I marry Aaron?¡± I asked in a serious voice.
It was an assumption drawn by Aaron¡¯s proposal. I wanted to know how Alice would take it that might have be a reality.
Aaron ymore knew who Alice was, and still loved her. Still, he doesn¡¯t approach Alice and even hides the fact that he knows it.
Then what about Alice?
Does she know who Aaron is or does she recognize Ed?
Frankly, it was not something that was open to others.
But if one does not push the other, the two may not be able to speak to each other.
Honestly, I was guilty of thinking that I would intercept Aaron for a while, and I was doing things with reflection on myself, but I sincerely hoped that the two would be united.
A lot of things have changed because I acted differently from the original, but the love of the protagonist has not changed, as can be seen through Aaron.
So would Alice.
I hoped that Alice¡¯s face would be hardened or whitened, or anyway, the expression I had when I knew Nocton¡¯s identity, but her face was rather bright.
Her bright eyes were wide open and her flushed cheeks seemed to be filled with joy.
¡°Oh my god, is it real? You were going to break up your engagement ¡ but you fell in love? How romantic! It¡¯s like a novel!¡±
Congrattions!
When I saw Alice¡¯s face, I couldn¡¯t think she was hiding her innermost thoughts.
I¡¯m sure she really doesn¡¯t know.
I swallowed a sigh, recalling Aaron¡¯s face.
At least take off the anti-recognition artifacts.
There¡¯s no one in that country town who¡¯s going to recognize me, but he always wore it and made thingsplicated.
I¡¯ve decided to keep things up and put off my case for Aaronter.
¡°No, I¡¯m talking about ¡®what if¡®. I¡¯m just thinking about what it would be like to get married.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t the imagination itself creating a mind?¡±
¡°Not at all. I¡¯m rather ufortable because I feel like he is my brother.¡±
¡°Well ¡ that¡¯s not fun.¡±
Alice¡¯s face turned dark. Somehow I wanted to tell Aaron about the current conversation.
After hearing the story, can he affirms that Alice is not the woman?
¡°Anyway, if you fall in love, I will be cheering for you, unless the other person is Lord Edgar.¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t say anything unlucky.¡±
My face trembled in a series of absurd noises.
However, the smile on Alice¡¯s face was also sincere.
What was I thinking about this girl?
I was going to steal Alice¡¯s man, not someone else¡¯s. That was absolutely preposterous.
¡°The same goes for me, Alice. I will cheer you up when you fall in love.¡±
¡°Uh¡? Yes, thank you.¡±
¡°I can cheer for your love even if the person is Nocton.¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t say such a bad thing.¡±
The smile on Alice¡¯s face disappeared in a sh.
After a long time, I burst intoughter at her earnestness.
Alice also began tough loudly.
***
It was spring, a little after Nocton threw the cuff button into theke.
The rtionship between Nocton Edgar and Roa Valrose had turned a little like a bad friend.
Valrose visited the mansion every day, and Nocton said ¡°Come again, Valrose day to day.
On that day, too, the two were reading in the study.
A flying bug flew over to the side of Nocton.
The boy¡¯s eyes, who couldn¡¯t concentrate very much, turned to the bug. Likewise, Roa Valrose, who was so engrossed in the morning of spring, unexpectedly screamed.
¡°Don¡¯t kill it, Nocton!¡±
¡°What?¡±
Nocton blinked at the sudden noise. However, soon realizing the object of the words, he pointed to the beetle in front of him.
¡°Do you like this?¡±
¡°No, not at all. Not a bit. I don¡¯t like anything flying except butterfly. I want to die just by looking at it when it¡¯s flying around.¡±
¡°Then why don¡¯t you kill it? I had no n to do so in the first ce.¡±
Though added as an excuse, the look of doubt didn¡¯t go away.
He doen¡¯t have to listen to people who say they wouldn¡¯t believe him.
The irritated boy raised his hand to kill the bug.
¡°I think killing life is the worst of the worst.¡±
But at the words of Valrose, he pretended not to raise his hand.
¡°¡.it¡¯s a bug.¡±
¡°To you, humans are the same as bugs.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, Valrose.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a joke, but seriously. Killing bugs, killing cats, killing orphans, killing people. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve seen in the book.¡±
¡°It¡¯s an overinterpretation. What¡¯s the title of the book you saw?¡±
¡°The mystery of life.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this book.¡±
¡°The author is Roa Valrose.¡±
This was bullshit from somewhere else.
Unbelievable, Noctonughed, but Valrose was still serious.
¡°Anyway, don¡¯t kill it, Nocton. I hate that kind of thing. Don¡¯t kill something no matter how bad you were. Besides, it¡¯s terrible to burn people. A burn ¡ people are not moths who are attracted to me¡.¡±
¡°Why is the burning out of nowhere?¡±
¡°Well ¡ that came from a book I saw. And¡.¡±
¡°Okay, I¡¯m sure the author will do it anyway.¡±
Nocton could not understand why she was moving from the story of a bug to the story of a person being burned, but he didn¡¯t think the right answer woulde from talking to each other.
He looked at the bug, ignoring the ring Valrose. His mana faded in his eyes, and the bug that was standing in front of him took his wings.
The little flying bug, which had no sense of presence, flew out of the window without life.
Valrose smiled, pping her hands.
¡°Oh, it looks scary when I stare. It went out, went out!¡±
¡°Be quiet, Valrose. Before I bring it back.¡±
¡°How are you going to get the bug that¡¯s already gone back?¡±
Nocton shut his mouth because he had nothing to say. No matter how upset he was, he couldn¡¯t talk about ck magic.
¡°Well done, Nocton. In the future ¡ please never kill a life. Let¡¯s make a promise.¡±
He can¡¯t believe he made a promise about what he did because he was annoyed. Eventually, he opened his mouth to reject, but he couldn¡¯t.
This was because Valrose, who was smiling brightly, forcibly took his hand and put her own little finger on it.
Then she put their thumbs together and nodded satisfactorily.
¡°Never kill anything. Understand? It¡¯s a promise!¡°
With thest words, the dream was over and Nocton woke up.
Was he sleeping all day, or maybe for more than a day¡.
When he woke up, he frowned at the stiffness of his whole body.
He lifted his eyelids.
As soon as he did, the first thing he came into sight was a blue de flying into his face.
¡®It¡¯s a great morning greeting.¡¯
Nocton stretched out his right hand with a flying excitement.
The de eased the palm and sprinkled blood. It wasn¡¯t painless, but he immediately grabbed the opponent¡¯s counterattack with his left hand and threw it at a low level.
Tuk, keugh.
It seems that he is not dead because he¡¯s groaning.
In the midst of his stiffness, his palms were pierced and he even used strength, so the creaking sound from his whole body intensified.
Frowning, Nocton rose from his seat. Blinking his eyes a couple of times, he turned his eyes to the sideways.
There was a servant carrying the troll¡¯s blood that he asked, not knowing how long.
He still had a clear face and glimpses of his eyes.
It hasn¡¯t been four days since he didn¡¯t roll to death.
Nocton twisted the knife in his left hand and threw it to the floor. The good quality carpet swallowed the sound of the knife falling.
His torn hand healed in an instant, and the stiff body got better.
He turned his mana around to check his condition, and then turned his head to the intruder who tried to assassinate him.
Perhaps his shoulder dislocated as he fell to the ground, but a middle-aged man grabbed his shoulder with the other hand was crawling away.
¡°Oh, how¡.! You were clearly unconscious!¡±
¡°In a new way.¡±
Laughing lightly, Nocton approached the intruder.
The sound of footsteps eaten on the carpet was a bit dull, but the silent footsteps rather stimted fear.
¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t know, Braman Duff? I¡¯m disappointed if you really thought so.¡±
¡°Save me, save me! I just did it because it was an order. Lady Patricia asked me to do it, so I couldn¡¯t really¡ª¡±
¡°Yes, I knew that, too. I thought my mother is still quite well, thanks to you. Sometimes whenever I wondered about her well-being, I solved my curiosity through you.¡±
Nocton Edgar also had the ability to shed memories through others¡¯ dreams.
He¡¯s been ying Braman Duff with bad feelings ever since he was a kid, he had to return even when he was in a bad condition because of the fact.
She sent someone to spy on Nocton, but she wouldn¡¯t have thought that she would be watched in reverse.
Actually, Braman Duff listened to Nocton and didn¡¯t know what he meant, he only blinked his eyes.
Still, the acting was praiseworthy.
He thought he was just a man of no power, but he could not get rid of the blinding glow of his eyes.
He would have seen the light if he went to the extreme.
Nocton approached the corner of Braman Duff, rolled his eyes and looked down.
A feverish pupil showed a middle-aged man wriggling in pain.
It looks like a bug.
Yeah, just like she said.
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
To him, these humans seemed to be just bugs. A greedy, ignorant flying bug.
A beautiful dirty object which he¡¯d like to burn.
The young man¡¯s lips twisted with disgust.
At that moment, the body of Braman Duff, who was crawling on the floor, sprang up. The folding knife, which was hidden in the sleeve, straightened and immediately poked straight into Nocton¡¯s neck.
However, it was a knife he noticed even when he was sleeping, so it was absurd to get caught when he waspletely awake.
When Nocton¡¯s eyes shone brightly, a dark fog formed.
The fog went into Brahman Duff¡¯s mouth as he ran toward Nocton and squeezed him inside.
Braman missed the knife and fell to the floor. The man¡¯s body was distorted by a fit of seizures.
¡®Never kill anything. Understand? It¡¯s a promise!¡®
¡°That¡¯s a good thing. I drank holy water that day. I almost killed him.¡±
¡°Ahhhh! Please spare my life, please! Please! I¡¯m sorry, Your Grace, Duke Edgar!¡±
¡°Yes, I shouldn¡¯t kill people, Valrose.¡±
Braman Duff¡¯s pleas were not heard, and Nocton recalled an imaginary face.
He bent his mouth tough, but he did notugh.
¡°But, as long as I don¡¯t kill.¡±
Morality beyond that was already an area that Nocton abandoned, so he had no choice but to rationalize it.
***
The weather has turned cold quickly.
The leaves stained with autumn colors crumbled with the chill, and when it was hot, the sky that had poured out rain stalks became quite dry. The sole became even thicker, and the outer garment was covered with rich fur.
I was quite fond of this season¡¯s attire.
If they were buried in a bundle of rich, fluffy fur, I might find even the lousy aristocrats cute.
Nevertheless, today is not all that sweet.
¡°Mydy, why don¡¯t you change your ne, too? The ne looks modestpared to the De Les.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t do it because it¡¯s matched up with Aaron.¡±
I shrugged my shoulders at the white crystal ne decorated around my chest.
This kind of ne certainly goes well with a clear and clean image. Like Alice or Aaron.
Sadly, however, today¡¯s Alice will note with the white crystal around her neck.
Well, there¡¯s no need to overturn the crazy rumors of a love triangle.
I¡¯m just going to dress appropriately.
She was so afraid of Nocton that she wouldn¡¯t leave the crystal behind to go to a ce where she might meet him.
¡°It¡¯s a pity because more colorful looks suit mydy better. Oh, I¡¯m sorry for the careless words.¡±
¡°No, I thought so, too.¡±
It was a ne with a purpose, but I couldn¡¯t tell her, so the ne became a couple items with Aaron. Though it seemed unworthy in Sadie¡¯s eyes.
It would have been a little unpleasant if other maids were interfering in my outfits, but Sadie has my heart because of the years she had umted in my side.
¡°I¡¯ll refer to your opinion when I get married, Sadie. ¡°
Of course, the match for the marriage won¡¯t be Aaron. As of today, the probability will be 0%.
Nevertheless, Sadie smiled dly as if she wasforted by the remark.
¡°Thank you,dy. I¡¯ll be up when Sir ymorees.¡±
¡°Yes, thank you.¡±
Sadie left the dressing room and I looked in the mirror again.
I¡¯ve been a little thin since I¡¯ve been involved in a lot of other things, the power of makeup didn¡¯t make me show much.
Rather, I think it¡¯s gotten prettier.
Today, I wore a green satin dress with my shoulders exposed. As the frills andce patterns were colorful, the upper part of the chest looked a little empty.
Usually, when this happens, I put a ne to distract the eyes, but the ne of white crystal looked rather in.
I even thought of wearing clothes that matched the ne, but I can¡¯t because it doesn¡¯t suit me.
It doesn¡¯t matter if the ne is simple or fancy.
It¡¯s my face that¡¯s really gorgeous.
I thought I¡¯dugh if someone else heard it, but I was serious.
Anyway, what matters was not how beautiful I looked at the ballroom. Some time has passed since the bizarre meeting, in which two of the three vomited blood, and it has be a peaceful winter.
At that time, I knew a lot of things so suddenly, it seemed like something would happen right away.
The day after Alice returned from Ernhardt, I greeted Alice with a thank you letter from Aaron.
And I heard a lot of stories from her. The story of Nocton and the ck magic itself that Alice saw in her foresight.
This time I listened steadily without interrupting her.
Nocton Edgar is a ck wizard. For him, holy water is like poison, and the divine power that gives blessing to others is like a de.
It sounded like a monster story, but an innate wizard said that it was because of the different mana traits from others.
It was said that the white crystal ne would protect the body to some extent from Nocton¡¯s brainwashing, hypnosis, and any possible curse magic.
Even Alice didn¡¯t know exactly how far his power was, but at least he wouldn¡¯t be using the power to break the crystal with the eye to see.
¡®So please don¡¯t provoke him. If you¡¯re not confident, you can avoid him.¡¯
¡®I thought that was only applicable on the terrace.¡¯
¡®Yeah, I guess I said that in a way. I¡¯ll be clear this time. Absolutely, no matter what happens, do not provoke that person, it¡¯s a lifetime request.¡¯
Umh ¡.until I knew the true identity of Nocton, I had said a lot worse than that, so I didn¡¯t really understand it. But Alice looked so desperate that I had to promise to avoid Nocton.
Although he may not be someone who can be avoided.
Back to the point.
The types of ck magic were as diverse as any other magic, perhaps more than that, and I didn¡¯t know how far Nocton¡¯s powers could reach. He did not seem to be able to use only ck magic, and his physical abilities were also excellent.
This was a story that I knew.
I saw the table copsed. Unfortunately, Aaron was med for the table and had to pay for it. Although I reimbursed him with my own money.
The ballroom¡¯s railing wasn¡¯t magic either.
Unfortunately, though, despite the fact that Nocton Edgar was so active, there was not much action to be done on my side. The days of punishing people just because they were learning ck magic under the Imperial Law has passed. It is said to have been abolished due to the movement of schrs who advocated magical freedom.
In order to borrow the power of the empire, we had to look at otherws, and even among them, to touch something in position like Duke Edgar, the sin had to be a genocide or treason.
When I think about the reason why Nocton approached Alice in the original, it was close to treason, but the existence of the original story was meaningless because I was the only one who knew and could not prove it.
It was also unreasonable to punish him with genocide.
It sounds crazy, but Alice said that Nocton never killed anyone.
¡®I can¡¯t be sure, but I think so. The disagreeable employees, his brothers, and the former Duke couple are all alive. All of the immediate blood rtives were sent to the Duchy.¡¯
¡®So they can be on his palm without having to kill them? Or can he use them somehow?¡¯
¡®Oh, I¡¯ve heard that in my dream. He said that can¡¯t kill anyone and cursed.¡¯
¡®I think I¡¯m right. I doubt if he really didn¡¯t. You said you and Aaron were killed in your dreams.¡®
¡®That¡¯s ¡ I don¡¯t know.¡®
When she said so, Alice¡¯s face was nk, perhaps because she was agonizing over it.
I didn¡¯t tell her, but I think it¡¯s a mistake that he doesn¡¯t kill people either.
However, if Nocton¡¯s murder is so rare or absent that he can¡¯t be caught even in a foresight, it would be unreasonable for him to be caught by genocide anyway.
After such talk, we gathered our opinions.
It was the worst conclusion that Nocton could not be dragged down in an official way until he hadmitted a crime, nor could he be killed in an impotent way.
Well, Alice glowed her eyes to see if there¡¯s another one.
I was not going to speak again, but when I asked, she answered.
¡®Then we can set a trap.¡¯
It seemed so absurd that I ignored it.
I also thought about why Nocton Edgar did such a thing.
If he were obsessed with Alice, I would ept it as his way to try brainwash Duke Limorand and get his hands on the Emperor, but unlike the original, it¡¯s me that Nocton was obsessed with.
Did Nocton be obsessed with me because of the test he gave me?
Would he be angry at the momentary bacsh against my resistance?
To be honest, neither side touches.
It was a poor conjecture, entirely unfounded.
The most inextricable of all was the one-sided love theory raised by Alice. Even now I still canugh when I think of the story.
I¡¯ve heard a lot about Alice¡¯s precognitive dreams, about why he does it, how far his abilities are and what¡¯s different from the original, but I¡¯m not sure of either.
And now, instead of being frustrated, I¡¯ve be exhausted.
Alice will keep dreaming, so maybe one day she¡¯ll know.
However, if we waited until the moment when Noctonmitted the crime, we thought we would be the victims of the crime, so we prepared some additional countermeasures.
Of course, the best way to do this is not to meet Nocton.
Maybe that¡¯s possible.
Nocton said he had no intention of getting engaged to Alice from the start and indeed, the engagement between Limorand and Edgar was broken.
Aaron, who learned the truth, looked at me as if I had betrayed him when he couldn¡¯t even tell the truth about Alice.
He¡¯s such a naive person.
And Nocton Edgar, the other party, remained silent throughout.
He invited me to a tea party, visited me the day after I woke up, and gave me the holy water. The holy water that he consumed himself to prove there¡¯s no poison.
After that , he tried to kill Aaron, vomited blood, and¡.
After hearing what was going to happen at the tea party from Alice, I got even more goosebumps, but Nocton was strangely quiet.
I wonder if the aftereffects of the holy waterst a long time, or if he is trying to find another excuse.
It is said that no news is good news, but in this case, the caln before the storm seemed rather fitting.
It would be nice if the time passed like this without anything happening.
Unfortunately, there was quite a big event today.
It was none other than the third birthday party of a direct descendant of the imperial family.
Thanks to the current Emperor¡¯s age at 78, the child turning three today was the Emperor¡¯s great-granddaughter.
It was a bit of a delicate position as the emperor upied the throne until his old age, but if his dysnaty continues, he was the child who would be the ruler of the Empire after the third generation.
That¡¯s why, I had to attend the party.
Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
It was an inevitable duty as a nobleman unless they had a funeral, suffered a serious illness, couldn¡¯t attend due to imperial affairs, or their family name was not Edgar.
It was not a legally documented obligation, but it¡¯s still a must.
My parents and Alroy could have used the third reason to get out, somehow.
I was hoping that Nocton, who had the right to absent, would not show up.
So that even today, I can go through it safely.
Of course, I couldn¡¯t expect much.
After a month of nothing going on, I felt rxed and came back to my usual self like before things happened, but now my heart was pounding as if I was waiting for the right time when I was about to meet Nocton.
I held the white crystal ne on my chest and sighed for a long time.
Then, there was a knocking sound.
¡°Lady Roa, Sir ymore has arrived.¡±
I had to take steps as if being dragged into hell.
***
¡°Very cool, Aaron.¡±
As soon as I left the mansion, I admired the man who just showed up and pped my hands.
For someone who was the main character of the novel, everything from head to toe was perfect. He preferred ck uniforms to white ones, but Aaron ymore¡¯s current tailcoat with gold patterns was the best fit for him.
The color of the tinum blond hair, the color of the skin, and the mood in the outfit were all dyed, so Aaron¡¯s red eyes looked more like the sun.
No, it wasn¡¯t just his eyes that were red. The tips of Aaron¡¯s ears were slowly heating up again, even though he tried to pretend to be calm.
¡°Don¡¯t tease me, Roa.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t tease you, I meant it. You look like ¡ well, a pegasus ¡ no, that¡¯s not quite right ¡ you look like a¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯d like you topare me to humans, not an animal.¡±
¡°Okay, you¡¯re like a unicorn. I¡¯m honored to be a partner of such a handsome man.¡±
¡°¡.an unicorn is not a man.¡±
He¡¯s human or not, he¡¯s just handsome.
Iughed lightly and raised my hands in the air to be escorted. Aaron btedly extended his arm.
Even though he was wearing a suit, I could see that his arm felt more refined than before.
Maybe he increased his training time after the incident with Nocton.
Without showing any sign of hurting my pride, I opened my eyes thinly.
¡°I¡¯m dressed up this well, but it¡¯s a shame that it¡¯s thest day of my engagement.¡±
¡°Think of it as your first day as a real friend.¡±
¡°What? I thought I¡¯d been friends with Aaron for a while, but¡.¡±
¡°It¡¯s also the first day I learned of your thought.¡±
When did he grow so sly?
Iughed out loud again.
¡°Let¡¯s go, Roa.¡±
***
At any time, there were many people at the imperial ball, but today there were especially much more than usual because of the mixture of duties.
When there are too many people, it feels like the reality is gone. As soon as we started to nudge towards this side, we¡¯re brought back to reality.
After we heard our name announced, we entered the ballroom.
I could feel the different kinds of gaze from all over the ce. A ring gaze, a greedy gaze, and a gaze full of curiosity.
I thought I knew what those people were thinking when they stared at me.
They¡¯re guessing that I¡¯m the one to me for the broken engagement between Nocton Edgar and Alice Limorand.
No, rather than guessing, the word wish would be appropriate.
Because they always loved gossip.
It was onlyter that I found out, but the engagement of the two began with a rumor.
While Nocton came to Alice to pry into my story, rumors spread that the two were lovers. Alice, who btedly learned of the rumor, tried to correct the rumor, but failed to do so due to Nocton¡¯s ignorance.
In the meantime, the people of Limorand also began to misunderstand their rtionship, and they were really close to getting engaged.
It was a story that began with gossip and ended with gossip, as it was said that Nocton had no intention of getting engaged from the beginning.
The society may not be curious about such an absurd situation.
As I felt the eyes of the nobles, I straightened my waist and gave myself more strength. It was something I usually do when Ie to the ballroom.
¡°Are you okay, Roa?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°It looks like something is not good.¡±
Oh, because of the strength in my eyes?
¡°I do this every time Ie to the ballroom. Otherwise, they¡¯re going to bite me. The follower Number 1 of Nocton Edgar, follower Number 2, follower Number 3, gossip-loving Number 4, follower Number 5, Number 6¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡±
¡°You¡¯re rarely seen in the ballroom, so you don¡¯t know this, but you have to know if you want to be a gentleman well versed in Society. You shouldn¡¯t show what¡¯s inside. It¡¯s a bad joke, so don¡¯t take it so hard.¡±
I¡¯m just saying what¡¯sing out of my mouth, but I¡¯m picking up something like this.
I raised my escorted hand and tapped his shoulder.
Alice was seen in the distance.
Since her engagement with Nocton was broken, her partner had been changed from Nocton to Arhan Limorand. He doesn¡¯t usually show up at the ballroom, but after all, it¡¯s the Imperial birthday party.
No, perhaps it¡¯s because Alice¡¯s engagement was canceled.
I whispered ¡®Look a little behind you,¡® and turned around for Aaron, whose expression hardened when he saw Alice.
¡°Oh, Roa. I forgot to tell you earlier.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°You are very beautiful today, too.¡±
It seemed to be sincere, but rather thanplimenting the sexual attraction, it was a inpliment, as if talking about art or natural scenery.
I blinked my eyes a couple of times in an unfamiliar mood andughed.
¡°I know.¡±
After saying goodbye to Aaron, I strode across the ballroom. It was better to join Alice before anyone could stick to her.
But to my regret, I was already in someone¡¯s sight.
¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you, Lady Roa.¡±
It¡¯s the Number 1 follower of Nocton, Sheryl Bornaine.
Three men and women walked toward me, led by the daughter of Marquis Bornaine,
What if I pretended I hadn¡¯t seen them and ran away, I thought that, but it seemed meaningless because the eyes began to gather secretly.
I had no choice but to turn towards my opponent.
¡°Oh ¡ Lady Sheryl. It¡¯s been a while. So what¡¯s going on today?¡±
¡°You make it sounds like there must be something happens between us to talk.¡±
Come to think of it, this person was the one was disgraced and ran away for being rejected by Duke Edgar thest time. It¡¯s only been a little over a month, but her resilience is good.
¡°If it¡¯s between us ¡ who are misunderstood as the person who was refused and the person who was rejected?¡±
¡°Until when are you going to talk about marriage, marriage, and all that boring stuff?¡±
¡°You seem to enjoy the story thest time I saw you, so I thought I¡¯d entertain thedy. If not, that¡¯s fine.¡±
I shrugged my shoulders.
Lady Sheryl Bornaine shook her shoulders angrily, but soon unfolded her fan and covered her distorted face.
¡°Well, in a big way, it¡¯s about you. I don¡¯t mean gossip. His Grace Duke Edgar, his engagement to Lady Alice Limorand has been canceled this time, right?¡±
¡°I heard so, but I don¡¯t know why you ask me.¡±
¡°What do you mean, Lady Roa, you have been flirting with him. The Duke himself considers Lady Roa a friend. Of course, His Grace is a very kind person, so he¡¯s just letting you getting along with him.¡±
After all, Sheryl Bornaine was a predictable problem.
What¡¯s so unique about her insult. I tried to be sarcastic as Sheryl Bornaine did, but I hesitated.
Although she did not raise her voice, many of the high-ranking aristocrats were paying attention to us, perhaps because everyone who gathered around me was someone from a family with high status.
Why don¡¯t I take advantage of this opportunity to nail that I have nothing to do with Nocton?
I now want to distance myself from Nocton Edgar, and I didn¡¯t want to hear the insulting words of sticking to him or pretending to be his friend.
I¡¯m not a person who likes Nocton, so would this be helpful?
¡°Hey, Lady¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry for the sudden interruption, but that¡¯s wrong.¡±
A sudden voice filled my back.
They¡¯re frozen.
¡°I¡¯m not the one who tolerate the other person, it¡¯s Valrose. The daughter of Marquis Bornaine.¡±
Right behind me, there stood Nocton Edgar.
¡°Your, Your Grace¡.¡±
The face of Sheryl Bornaine turned white. I don¡¯t know, but my face would have been paler than hers.
After being positively charged for a while, it seemed like my heart would break through the flesh.
I expected to meet him today and prepared my heart.
But it¡¯s too much to say that, it¡¯s just been a while since I joined the ballroom.
And because I¡¯m in the middle of argument with Sheryl Bornaine, I¡¯m relieved of my tension.
As I thought, I wanted to get out of the way while Nocton and Sheryl were talking. It would have been the case if there were only a few eyes on this side.
¡°If I say this, I know you would think I¡¯m covering for her. But isn¡¯t it even more strange to cover up for someone who¡¯s not close?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say that. It¡¯s just ¡ it¡¯s just¡!¡±
¡°Tell me, youngdy of Marquis Bornaine.¡±
Sheryl Bornaine was silent, biting her lips.
It would be nice if she had a dispute with only me, but the part that this woman touched this time was Nocton¡¯s engagement.
Even if she has something to say, she will not be able to open her mouth as long as the Duke of Edgar¡¯s honor is at stake.
In front of hundreds of people, it was unfortunate that she paid the price for making fun of others, but on the other hand, it was fortunate.
If she¡¯s humiliated herself like this, her feelings for Nocton will disappear.
Knowing the true identity of the Nocton Edgar, I was afraid to imagine that there was a woman who liked him.
I feel like I¡¯m seeing someone who loves serial killers, even though he may not have actuallymitted murder.
¡°If you have nothing to say, I don¡¯t want my name mentioned in the same matter from now on. Sheryl¡ª¡±
Nocton slowly caught his words.
I was a bit perplexed, as he never mentioned the name of Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter even as a full name.
And more than me, Sheryl Bornaine seemed even more surprised.
She was originally a person with big eyes, but the feelings of astonishment were contained in her wide-open eyes.
¡°¡ªyoungdy of Marquis Bornaine.¡±
As if that signaled, the youngdy of Bornaine made a strange sound.
Her upper body was convulsed and her breathing was strange as if she were hyperventting. And the next moment, she fell.
Elford, who was secretly staring at Nocton from the back, was startled and approached her.
¡°Sheryl!¡±
The ballroom began to roar at the sudden turn of events.
The two youngdy, who stood behind Sheryl like sentries, were bewildered and wondering what to do, and Count Elford looked around as if asking for help, embracing the fallendy.
And I was frozen in a different sense, watching Nocton.
Sheryl Bornaine always looked healthy and I had never heard of anything wrong with her body.
But the timing was so bad that she fell down with a seizure at the same time as Nocton called her name.
In a situation that I cannot help but suspect, Nocton approached the youngdy with a rather serious face.
However, in reality, he did not seem to find the situation surprising.
Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
Is it that Nocton is not surprised because the subject of the situation is Sheryl Bornaine, or is it because the situation itself was created by him?
I watched, breathlessly, as he lowered himself to look at the fallendy.
¡°Does the youngdy usually have chronic diseases?¡±
¡°That, like that, she wouldn¡¯t have anything like that! Why all of a sudden¡!¡±
¡°Calm down, Lord Elford.¡±
He calmed the man with a voice that was clearly contrast with Elford, then Nocton reached out to Sheryl Bornaine.
Then he put his palm right in front of her eyes, as if to cover her blurry eyes.
Even so, the rough and tigh breath slowly calmed down, and after a while, the body of Sheryl Bornaine was dropped.
¡°Sheryl!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just put her to sleep with the magic items I had. You can bring her to the priest who lives in the castle.¡±
¡°Ah ¡ thank you, thank you.¡±
Roziks Elford rose with Sheryl Bornaine in his arms.
He stumbled once because he¡¯s not that strong enough, but he seemed to never let go of the hand that held thedy firmly.
Don¡¯t tell me she has his heart.
Nocton, who was watching two people in silence, called Roziks Elford by name.
Young lord, Count Elford.
¡°I¡¯m on the receiving end, so I believe I won¡¯t touch it anymore.¡±
In words of unknown meaning, Elford nodded heavily.
Soon after, the Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter disappeared, and the eyes of those who were watching spread toward the door of the ballroom.
I took advantage of the situation and crept my feet. It would be a good to run away at such a messy time.
But even before my steps had fallen, a shadow fell on me.
¡°Would you spare me a moment, Valrose?¡±
A face that doesn¡¯t seem angry, but doesn¡¯t even smile.
The expressionless him looked cold due to his white skin colorparable to snow, and his purple eyes was trapping me in.
In words, it was an invitation, but emotionally, it was a coercion. I couldn¡¯t help but nod my head.
As I walked along Nocton, I saw Alice in the direction I was heading. Even at a nce, her face doesn¡¯t look good. While observing the situation, she must have thought the same thing as me.
She hesitated and seemed to be approaching me, but I shook my head quietly.
No matter how powerful Nocton Edgar is, he won¡¯t do anything at the Imperial Ball.
He need to hypnotize the guests one by one, and here to make it possible, he need to do that for hundreds of people.
If he had intended to hurt me, he would have chosen a quieter ce and a more private time.
In fact, if that¡¯s the intention, even if Alicees, there will only be two victims, and nothing will change.
Alice mouthed something to me in silence, but there was only one word I could understand from this distance.
Be careful.
I feel like I¡¯m performing a y by a secret order.
I swallowed my dry saliva and followed Nocton to the terrace.
Unfortunately, the terrace we headed for was where Nocton broke the railingst time. All other ces were already curtained. It¡¯s been only a month now, but the railing is already fixed. The Imperial birthday party was just around the corner, so it seemed to have been handled in a hurry.
Nocton Edgar really bothers many people. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a bad construction.
¡°It¡¯s been a while, Valrose.¡±
I tried to turn away from reality with different thoughts, but my thoughts copsed at Nocton¡¯s greeting.
Of all things, he looked more radiant with his backlit back against the moon.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I felt like a fool trying to greet him.
¡°Why did you ask to see me?¡±
¡°Yeah, I have something I must say now. Between you and me.¡±
What is between me and you?
Once again, my tongue flinched at the words that irritated me, but I managed to shut my mouth. For nearly a month, Alice was asking me not to irritate Nocton, which has given me a little patience.
I don¡¯t even know what it¡¯s like to provoke him in the first ce.
I looked at Nocton without responding, as if urging him to continue.
I think I deserve to get used to it now, but my heart was running hard after a month of absence.
Nocton made eye contact with me, but heid his eyes down as if avoiding my gaze. The drooping eyshes looked beautiful in the middle of the whole thing.
¡°You¡¯re not curious? Why did the youngdy of Bornaine suddenly fall? Would Nocton Edgar have anything to do with it?¡±
Although the words from his mouth were not at all beautiful.
¡°I didn¡¯t push, I reverted what I did.¡±
¡°You said you reverted it?¡±
¡°Because Sheryl Bornaine was brainwashed by me.¡±
He¡¯s speaking very openly now.
It doesn¡¯t seem like a good sign. I took a half step.
The only thing Nocton had behind the curtain was a railing, but I wanted to spread the distance.
¡°¡.the eyes were different.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t act so bad that her brain ruined. I only hypnotized her once, twice three times¡? At the time of hypnosis, there must have been no big difference in eyes or anything, but over time, it seems to have weakened quite a bit.¡±
¡°Are you saying that the reason Lady Sheryl Bornaine is so hostile towards me is because of your brainwashing?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to brainwash her into being hostile to you. Yeah, I told her to love me, to be exact.¡±
¡°Crazy¡.¡±
The mad conversation made me swear. Thinking of Alice, I managed to suppress it, and I exhaled thinly.
He brainwashed her to love him, since when?
For Nocton Edgar, a person¡¯s heart is that light?
I stopped making a sharp sound, but I couldn¡¯t stand it.
¡°Is a person¡¯s heart that simple for you?¡±
¡°In my defense, it was her who made fun of me first. When I was young. They liked my appearance, but since my family didn¡¯t treat me well, there were many children who tried to win over me and enjoy their superiority. Some of them went further to make a mockery of it.¡±
¡°What¡.?¡±
¡°The hypnosis was then too. She came to mock me, so I thought it was self-defense to take her mind. There was something I wanted to check.¡±
The calm voice contains a wretched story.
The moment I heard that, I realized I had forgotten what had passed.
I knew that Sheryl Bornaine tried to mock Nocton. It was a story I overheard not long after I got close to him, the conversation that made me hate her on my childhood.
The words that aroused my guilt, the words that I swallowed up in the past because I told myself it would hurt him, came out of his mouth today.
He knew that.
After the session process stabilized, he gained strength and was quick-witted, so I thought he would find outter.
Nevertheless, my heart agitated whether I was hoping he didn¡¯t know.
So did he, too, notice that I was approached him for another purpose?
Maybe I¡¯m the only one who knows¡.
I had aplicated mind. When I heard that he hypnotized Sheryl Bornaine, I became more and less suspicious that Nocton might have hypnotized me.
I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be safe because I was someone very close to him, on the other hand, I was skeptical because he didn¡¯t even need to hypnotize me if he had noticed my intentions,
But what makes me even more troubled than such doubts was that Nocton knew the truth.
I felt so vague that I couldn¡¯t define what I was feeling.
It was neither sad nor cool.
Perhaps Nocton¡¯s voice is overly calm that it¡¯s confusing me.
I couldn¡¯t say anything.
Just for no apparent reason, my heart was in anguish.
Even though the person concerned said calmly, I felt as if I had found a wound in the words.
Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been silent at that time ¡. or maybe I shouldn¡¯t have thought like that from the beginning.
The fear in my heart has been crushed under other emotions.
However, I wasn¡¯t happy that the fear had died down.
¡°¡.Why are you telling me that.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about it since we talked in the Marquis¡¯ drawing room before.¡±
Nocton Edgar came a step closer to me.
Reflexively, I also took a step back, but he didn¡¯t take another step after me.
I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking, he was looking at me with eyes as vague as my own.
¡°You told me that. I don¡¯t care about you specially. I think of you as a toy. So you¡¯re going to distance yourself from me. Honestly, it was shocking, Valrose. I really ¡ that¡¯s not true.¡±
¡°What ¡ I¡¯m special to you, are you trying to say that now?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, so I want to apologize to you.¡±
For a moment, I was speechless at the unexpected words.
That I¡¯m special and he wants to apologize.
The words that I wished for in my childhood flow so lightly.
Perhaps, Nocton Edgar had been struggling in his own pains and finally came up with the words.
Just like I found a subtle wound in Nocton¡¯s words a while ago, this time, too, it¡¯s a little moreplicated, and there may be some emotions behind it.
But I didn¡¯t know how to think so deeply about the matter that touched my feelings.
I couldn¡¯t make any reasonable and rational assumptions unless I heard directly about his deed.
In fact, it may be because I have already heard an apology from Nocton. On the day he apologized for his careless talk about Aaron, he extended me an invitation to the tea party.
An invitation to the tea party that, if it wasn¡¯t cancelled, would have killed Aaron and Alice.
My heart is twisted.
His apology cannot be trusted.
¡°Are you going to invite me, Alice, and Aaron to the tea party again?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve stopped doing that. I¡¯ll apologize properly, Valrose. Not in my way, but in your way. Not what I want to do, but what you want. Yeah¡.¡±
Nocton took a breath and spoke in a stronger tone.
¡°I will do whatever you want.¡±
As if waiting for an answer, or as if waiting for a disposition, he paused.
I also didn¡¯t open my mouth immediately, so only the sound of the cold breeze between us filled the silence.
A winter night with the crescent moon, a cool breeze, and Nocton Edgar standing before my eyes.
Everything makes my heart cold.
I started to have a headache. As if I was hitting a hammer on the inside of the left eyebrow bone, I felt a throbbing ringing.
¡°What are you apologizing for? For testing me? For never came to Valrose¡¯s mansion even when you asked me to visit Edgar every day? For never came to my birthday party?¡±
No, it¡¯s not that big of a deal, actually.
I took a breath for a while, I wanted to get rid of my headache.
Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°Your test wasn¡¯t a big deal, you know. Sometimes it got worse, but then you apologized as a formality. Usually when I say I like something, you¡¯d ask for it. If I say I don¡¯t like someone, you will stick around and talk to them. It was such a stupid, childish thing to do.¡±
¡°¡. Valrose.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not apologizing for that, are you? Then what. For spying on Alice? For keeping an eye on Aaron? No, that¡¯s not something you need to apologize to me. Nocton, what do you want to apologize to me for? What do you want in return?¡±
He couldn¡¯t answer my words, but as if he was frustrated, Nocton came a step further with a frown.
I tried to take two steps back, but the railing hit my back.
The distance from Nocton has rather be closer. It seems that I have stepped back many more than I was conscious of.
And my heart, too, was farther away from Nocton than I was conscious of.
I never imagined it in my childhood. That there will be a day when I¡¯ll feel ufortable just being in a same ce as him.
I have never imagined that I would be afraid of Nocton, pity him, and feel distant.
But I didn¡¯t expect it, it wasn¡¯t the days that won¡¯te because I didn¡¯t want to.
Maybe it was supposed to be like this a long time ago. From the moment I mistook the role of Nocton Edgar.
In an unknown sense of loss, I grasped the railing right behind me.
Then, there was a strange sound came from the railing. As if it was cracked from the inside, it seemed to be broken anytime soon.
Seriously, it was bad construction?
I was taken aback by the railing.
¡°It¡¯s dangerous, so move away from the railing.¡±
Nocton reached out, as if to pull me in.
In a series of unexpected moments, I was just looking at the approaching hand, with my body stiffened.
And the moment his fingertips touched my arm, the ne shone and a white light sshed ferociously.
To exaggerate, it seemed like a little lightning bolt.
This ¡ is this attacking just by a touch?
Confused, I looked down at the ne around my neck.
As if to show off that it had done such a thing a while ago, there was a white spark in the crystal.
It didn¡¯t mean any harm to my flesh, but ¡ Alice, what the hell did you give me!
I wanted to scream because it looked so loud that anyone could see it. I hope this is a quiet terrace, if it¡¯s happened at the ballroom ¡ it was horrible just to imagine.
¡°What is this.¡±
What awakened my confused and helpless mind was a subdued voice.
Although he didn¡¯t look happy a little while ago, Nocton Edgar¡¯s expression was as dark as that day in the drawing room now.
I once again recalled Alice¡¯s words not to provoke Alice.
However, it¡¯s absurd not to provoke him when I wore a ne that sparked just by touch.
Even if it wasn¡¯t for the ne, in the first ce, I didn¡¯t know how to deal with Nocton Edgar in a gentle manner
Even if he did not raise his voice or speak sarcastically, sometimes he reacted wrongly.
Rather, the white ne might have offended him.
Everyone is sensitive to pain.
It wasn¡¯t serious, but Nocton¡¯s palms were a little red¡.
Thinking so, the way back was taken away.
The fear that was suppressed by other emotions raised itself with a single word.
Even that reminded me that our rtionship has changed.
¡°I told you. I didn¡¯t spy on you, I will never spy on you.¡±
¡°Why are you suddenly talking about it?¡±
¡°Did you think I would hurt you?¡±
Even if it didn¡¯t actually happen, he put a de in Alice and Aaron, so there¡¯s no way I was going to be safe.
And it¡¯s a verycent idea to believe that the Roa Valrose will be safe, even if I recall the original story, which has be a little out of ce.
Still, Nocton seemed deeply offended by my preparation.
Maybe he wants to be swayed by influence.
I wanted to be sarcastic, but I held it in.
I¡¯m wearing this ne because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll hurt me.
It would be really provocative for anyone to say so.
¡°What is this? It is as you can see.¡±
¡°Valrose.¡±
¡°It¡¯s just a ne on my neck that I paired with Aaron. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re overreacting.¡±
I can¡¯t stand it.
Even though I didn¡¯t intend it, wordsing from my mouth sounded like a lot of mockery of Nocton.
I thought I hadn¡¯t adapted to fear, but at least my mouth seemed to have ovee the life-threatening crisis finely.
Nocton¡¯s eyes were distorted.
He closed his eyes for a moment as if he were holding back his anger, then raised his eyelids back with a quivering breath.
Nevertheless, his eyes did not seem to have calmed at all.
¡°¡.yes, if it makes youfortable, do as you please.¡±
The voice from his mouth was foreignly calm.
The voice aroused my anxiety, and the anxiety hastened to break the stillness.
I thought I had to say something, so I hastily opened my mouth.
¡°I¡¯m doing as I please even if you don¡¯t tell me. You said you¡¯re sorry, but you don¡¯t know what to apologize for, then I¡¯ll ask you something else.¡±
I looked straight into Nocton Edgar¡¯s eyes and asked.
¡°Why are you doing this to me? I was a little better than your toy, no matter who saw it. It¡¯s not my imagination. As Lady Sheryl Bornaine said, there were many people who thought you were close to me because you felt sorry for me. But now that I¡¯m trying to end our rtionship, you said that I¡¯m special and you will do whatever I want.¡±
¡°Does that matter what other people think?¡±
¡°Then what do you think of me, Nocton? What do you think our rtionship is?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Yeah, I knew you wouldn¡¯t tell. But Nocton, if you don¡¯t tell me that, you didn¡¯t expect me to take you seriously, did you? If you¡¯re done talking, get out of here, or should I leave?¡±
That¡¯s what I said. I wanted to walk past Nocton and get out of the terrace, but his expression was broken.
His chin was strained by a tight bite of his teeth.
When I saw him, I was forced to shrink back.
¡°Valrose, what am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do? What the hell Alice Limorand told you, you wouldn¡¯t listen to me, no matter what I say. I¡¯ll do what you want, I¡¯m asking you to tell me!¡±
For the first time today, Nocton¡¯s voice rose.
On the dark night, the lotus eyes shone ferociously, like the eyes of a bird of prey.
I shrugged and shut my mouth.
The sound of my heart beating was loud.
Even if the fear is overwhelmed by other emotions, my heart beats again at a word, and even if I try to control my fear and say something, my lips tremble when the situation changes a little.
It was not a normal rtionship, no matter what you think.
I couldn¡¯t even say we were friends.
I¡¯m already afraid of him, whether he¡¯s trying to frighten me or not.
My self-confidence overflowed and I pushed out the shame.
He¡¯s like this. What did he say to me?
Don¡¯t make it obvious that you¡¯re scared.
He said so.
¡°You told me not to make it obvious that I¡¯m scared, how can I do that?¡±
A dejectedugh came out of me.
¡°I¡¯m scared of you. Where you¡¯re not around, I might think the same way. You¡¯re my childhood friend, and I can think I¡¯m not scared. I was surprised when you vomited blood. I was worried that you weren¡¯t feeling well. But Nocton, what¡¯s the use of all that?¡±
¡°What.¡¡±
¡°Now I¡¯m so scared at these moments, when I meet you, make eye contact, and have conversations with you.¡±
I covered my face with both hands and took a short breath. I felt a vivid trembling from the breath that touched my palm.
Scary. I¡¯m afraid.
I wanted to give up everything and run away.
¡°You know, I can¡¯t act. Even if I brag and raise my pride in front of people I hate, how much is that. How can I hide that I¡¯m scared? My hands are shaking like this.¡±
I tried to remove the hand that covered my face, and I untied my ne with my open hand.
The ne that protected me for a moment from the Nocton¡¯s contact ascended onto the railing.
Throwing my only defense on my own, I reached out to Nocton.
His fingertips shook as soon in spite of the unexpected action, but I grabbed it without care.
I put Nocton¡¯s hand on my neck.
To let the pulses sway through fear, dread, and anxiety.
I showed all my fears in protest against him who told me not to show that I¡¯m scared.
Nocton, who was startled enough, pulled out his hand.
His face, as he looked up, is white as if all the pigment had gone out.
What did you feel?
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what Alice said. The point is, whatever she said, I¡¯vee to doubt you.¡±
¡°That, what do you mean.¡±
¡°If you had told me the same thing about Alice, I would have trusted Alice. ¡°
Alice, I¡¯m sorry, you told me so many times not to provoke him, but I don¡¯t know how to solve all this without provoking Nocton.
¡°I would have trusted Aaron even if you said dirty things about him. But when Alice or Aaron says something about you, I can¡¯t trust you, Nocton. How can I trust you? There¡¯s no trust between us. You made it that way.¡±
His eyes trembled greatly.
The clearly agitated face make him looked like a wounded man.
¡°I don¡¯t know even now. Why did you bring me to your mansion, why did you have to y with me so much. What was that time, and what do you think of me the past years? Why are you ¡ now I really have no idea why you¡¯re acting like this, Nocton.¡±
It was hard to look at his face, so I turned my head deliberately.
Beyond the railing, the crescent moon dimly floating in the distant sky. The outline was not clear, but it was enough to set my gaze.
¡°So let¡¯s stop. You can¡¯t tell me the reason and I don¡¯t want to hear it, because even if I hear the reason, we can¡¯t go back to the past.¡±
As my words continued, the wind blew strongly. The wind is strong enough to shake my body.
I grabbed the rail to support myself, and the railing copsed from the inside.
I was so afraid of Nocton that I backed away, and the wind pushed my body back slowly against the railing.
My hand, who was in the air, grabbed the ne that had been put on the railing.
However, the ne, which protects my body from ck magic, was of no use in this situation.
With a firm grip on what I had grasped in my hand, I closed my eyes tightly.
My feet rose and my body almost fell over the railing.
And the next moment, a hard arm snatched my waist and pulled me back
Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
There was a huge spark, a loud noise, and a strange smell.
The moment I opened my eyes shut with embarrassment, I was confronted with a pair of eyes filled with pain.
¡°Nocton, your arm¡.¡±
¡°If I could convince you with words, I wouldn¡¯t havee this far.¡±
With his teeth clenched as if to endure the pain, Nocton pulled me into the safe side of the terrace.
Only then did his hand fall off.
It must be hard to bear, but I think it¡¯s the same in my side, the ne was shattered at the same time.
However, between the torn palms and the white crystal ne, I was more concerned with his trembling hands, so I couldn¡¯t say anything and just looked at Nocton.
¡°What do I think of you? What kind of feelings do I have? There¡¯s no way I can answer that question. If I tell you that, you¡¯ll try to run away from me more than you do now.¡±
A cold sweat dripped down on his forehead.
I don¡¯t know.
His crestfallen face, I felt strangely desperate because the way he pulled me through the pain was like the truth.
I couldn¡¯t press the momentary agitation.
I grabbed Nocton who was about to release me and step back by his cor.
Thanks to his face, Nocton¡¯s agitation was clear.
Without blinking, I stared into his eyes. Ipletely opened the half-open Pandora¡¯s box.
Nevertheless, it was what I wanted to believe.
Because what I knew was a lie, because I felt unfair to believe in Alice and not give Nocton a single chance.
Like pleading to let me believe him, it was a question of that meaning.
¡°At the tea party, in the drawing room ¡ were you trying to kill Aaron?¡±
Silence, silence, and silence again.
The cowardly and heavy answer revealed the cruel reality.
My little expectation died down in an instant.
A few secondster, the answer came from Nocton¡¯s mouth, which sank like a washing sound.
¡°¡.No.¡±
Even though he¡¯s not very good at lying, strangely, Nocton¡¯s lie is so obvious now.
¡°I don¡¯t kill people. Yes, Valrose. If ymore and Limorand are so imporant to you, I won¡¯t touch them.¡±
I know, as expected, trust is not so light that it can be gained overnight.
It was such a dream that trust, which had not been built for decades, could be created in a moment.
¡°See you again ¡ Valrose.¡±
I just stared nkly at the back of Nocton leaving the terrace as if he was running away.
It was vain and empty. It doesn¡¯t sound like the sound of a heart beating so fiercely.
A littleter, until Alice, who became blue, entered the terrace, I only looked at the closed curtains like an insane person.
¡°Roa, Roa! Are you okay? What happened?¡±
Alice, who entered the terrace alone without Arhan Limorand, repeated the same words several times as if to check my condition.
When I saw the face full of rage, my legs were somehow rxed, and I fell on the floor.
¡°Roa!¡±
Alice¡¯s scream resonates.
The extent of trust is too smallpared to the years we spent together.
And yet, I still want to believe in something.
I wanted to trust him, I wanted to believe him.
No matter how hard he treated me, despite the fact that I¡¯m scared and terrified of him, even though I suspect he might kill my friend, I still wanted to.
When I was conscious of that, tears were pouring out of my heated eyes.
Alice, who leaned down after me, called my name in perplexity, but I had no room to answer.
I hugged Alice and she held me in her arms.
In my friend¡¯s warmth, I cried.
I felt like I had lost my whole childhood.
***
Away from Roa, Aaron approached the Marquis and Marchioness of ymore.
The Marquis was the head of the Imperial 1st Order and the Marchioness was the head of the Imperial 3rd Order, so they were in the Imperial Pce since the morning.
When he was greeted by his son, the Marchioness looked up and down at Aaron.
¡°You¡¯re literally a swallow.¡±
¡°Is that apliment?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not apliment, wife. If it¡¯s apliment, you should put on a more usible animal. Yeah, Aaron. You¡¯re dressed very nicely like a Pegasus.¡±
The way of analogy was the same as Roa.
When he saw her, he sometimes felt like she was his younger sister, and he didn¡¯t know why.
Aaron smiled awkwardly at his parents¡¯ praise, which was immature but full of pride.
Aaron was pleased with the family time he had after a long time, as he only talked to them during session sses and only about important matters these days.
There were some people who tried to talk to them, but the couple¡¯s sharp eyes made it easy to defeat them.
How much we talked about, until the chaotic atmosphere flowed into Aaron.
As he turned his head, he saw Roa in the middle of the ballroom.
Three men and women were standing in front of her, led by the Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter, and behind her was Nocton Edgar.
Aaron¡¯s face hardened as soon as he found the face of the young man.
He bowed his head, cut off his conversation with his parents, and turned around without hesitation.
But Aaron couldn¡¯t take his steps as Marquis ymore grabbed his shoulder and held him back.
¡°Don¡¯t, Aaron.¡±
¡°She¡¯s my fiancee, Father.¡±
¡°Strictly speaking, she¡¯s your fiancee until today. Do you think it would be good for her if youe forward and help her in the presence of Duke Edgar?¡±
¡°What do you mean.¡±
¡°If you are going to end the engagement, you shouldn¡¯t get involved anymore. Think not of your honor, but of the honor of Lady Roa. Apart from anything else, you¡¯re not in a situation where you can help. Chivalry doesn¡¯t mean that you can get involved in all kinds of verbal fights.¡±
That¡¯s what you can say when you don¡¯t know the Duke.
The momentary bacsh soared and Aaron wanted to say so.
However, he cannot speak without foundation. Even when he vomited blood because of Duke Edgar, Aaron said he suffered internal injuries due tock of training.
The fact that Nocton Edgar was a wizard wasn¡¯t even known, and to prove this, he need to talk about the Duke¡¯s obsession with Roa and their sh.
After seeing Aaron turned his head when he failed to refute but also can¡¯t ept it, Lady ymore was speechless.
Soon after she followed Aaron¡¯s gaze at the ballroom, she frowned.
¡°You¡¯re really a man who doesn¡¯t know how to love.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Aaron asked back at the unknown words, but the Marquis¡¯ wife did not answer.
Sheryl Bornaine suddenly had a seizure and Roziks Elford walked out of the ball while carrying her.
It¡¯s a series of unknown events.
Aaron hesitated, but the moment he saw Nocton and Roa pulled themselves out onto the terrace, his face hardened more than before.
It was dangerous for Roa¡¯s safety if the two of them to be alone on the terrace.
¡°Now that they¡¯ve gone to terrace, it¡¯s must be okay now. No one would dare to open the curtains on the terrace.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Atst, everyone fixed their attention on the Marquis Bornaine¡¯sdy who was not feeling well.¡±
¡°Aaron ymore.¡±
¡°She¡¯s my friend.¡±
¡°If you were going to act like a friend, you shouldn¡¯t have been engaged from the start.¡±
¡°If I had, we wouldn¡¯t even be friends now.¡±
He politely removed his father¡¯s hand, who was still holding his shoulder.
¡°And as a friend, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a nuisance to help her.¡±
Aaron bowed his head roughly, and headed for the terrace with a small step.
The Marchioness frowned at his son¡¯s rebellion, the first of its kind since the marriage.
¡°That kid, if he¡¯s going to fall in love after the engagement was broken¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that the case. I think it¡¯s different from falling in love.¡±
¡°Do you know anything about Lady Roa¡¯s side, wife?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the sense of a knight. It¡¯s a hassle, so stop prying.¡±
It wasn¡¯t good enough, but it seemed like her son grew up a little.
Looking at his urgent-looking back, the Marchioness smiled lightly.
***
Freed from the Marquis couple, Aaron hurried to the terrace.
It¡¯s a shame that he can¡¯t run as the ce is a pce.
He recalled the past.
When he, Roa, and Duke Edgar were talking in the Marquis Valrose¡¯s drawing room.
Although Roa¡¯s words were a bit harsh, it was due to the Duke¡¯s reckless opening of the conversation.
While the conversation could have been more than enough, the Duke was almost ready to kill him¡.
¡®Wait.¡¯
His steps stopped.
Come to think of it, it was strange.
He suffered an internal wound and vomited blood because he couldn¡¯t stop the Duke Edgar.
If the Duke hadn¡¯t been in a strange state, he probably wouldn¡¯t have stopped there.
However, it was only Nocton Edgar and himself who vomited blood.
As he remembered vividly, Roa copsed from exhaustion, but she didn¡¯t get hurt at all, not even the tip of her hair.
To his shame, Roa Valrose was safe even though he failed to properly protect her.
He seemed extremely angry, but he must have controlled his strenght even in that situation.
Or, perhaps from the start, the reason why he stopped the attack and vomited blood was because Aaron stood too close to Roa Valrose.
He lost his grip because he was trying to attack him without hurting her¡.
¡°No way.¡±
As soon as a speck of suspicion came to Aaron¡¯s face, someone headed to the terrace before him.
The woman with long brown hair was Alice Limorand.
When Alice was about to enter the terrace, Aaron¡¯s eyes widened.
The reason he wanted to suspect until a moment ago was still in his mind.
He quickly put her name in his mouth to stop Alice.
Fortunately or unfortunately, however, the curtain on the terrace opened, before the name appeared in Aaron¡¯s mouth.
ck hair, pale skin, the man with nightime appearance was Nocton Edgar.
The eyes of the man and woman seemed to have met each other. Not long ago, even though the story of the engagement hade and gone,, it only seemed to be bloody because of his heart.
It might be dangerous.
Even though this was the Imperial ballroom, Aaron had such absurd thoughts.
His heart thundered.
Holding his breath, he groped his waistline unconsciously, and realized that he had left his sword behind again.
It¡¯s impossible.
Being armed without permission for Imperial events was a crime equivalent to treason.
Alice red at Duke Edgar with a frightened face, but the Duke just brushed past her. As if he didn¡¯t even acknowledge Alice¡¯s presence.
The walk without any hesitation leads to the outside of the ballroom.
Aaron worried for a moment whether he could just leave the ballroom even though the royal family hadn¡¯t arrived yet.
Alice looked at his back with a bewildered look, as if it was for the Duke to ignored her, but soon she went into the terrace.
He has no idea what¡¯s currently going on.
Obviously, what he was concerned about didn¡¯t happen¡.
Aaron sighed heavily as he alternated between the terrace and Nocton Edgar, not knowing what to do.
Soon, the knight¡¯s steps followed the Duke outside.
Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
He didn¡¯t know what kind of consciousness he was struggling with.
Nocton left the terrace and just walked in a straight line.
He didn¡¯t know where he was and where he¡¯s heading, he¡¯s not aware of anything while moving.
The face that was originally pale is as white as if all his blood was drained from the body, and the always rxed expression was distorted by agitation.
But without having the time to care about what hia expression was like, his mind was constantly rewinding what was a little while ago.
A red hair that was blown by the wind, a whitened face, whenever he said something, she just walked backwards and avoided eye contact¡.
¡°What do you want to apologize to me for? What do you want in return?¡±
¡°I¡¯m scared of you.¡±
¡°But when Alice or Aaron says something about you, I can¡¯t trust you, Nocton. How can I trust you? There¡¯s no trust between us. You made it that way.¡±
He remembered Valrose¡¯s hand, who was holding his hand. Even on cold winter days when the breath was frozen, it wasn¡¯t that cold. She wasn¡¯t shaking that much.
The moment she took Nocton¡¯s hand and took it to her own neck, he felt an indescribable fear. As if the fear of Roa Valrose was literally transmitted, or as amplified as it was.
The shaking in her hand was too strong, her neck was too thin on his hand.
It was so thin that a little more force would make it break, which inted Nocton Edgar¡¯s fear.
If he does something wrong, if he does something a little wrong, she will die ¡ damn it.
¡°At the tea party, in the drawing room ¡ were you trying to kill Aaron?¡±
¡°Were you trying to kill Aaron?¡±
¡®Were you trying to kill someone?¡®
The voice of Roa Valrose lingered in his head.
It wasn¡¯t just a repetition.
The voices of his childhood were moving around his mind and gradually changed.
In a more sly and maniptive tone.
A sound that is heavier and sharper.
And¡.
¡®You sure are a devil bastard.¡¯
¡®There is no child who would not be scared if they knew what you really were.¡¯
¡®Before you destroy Aemon, you must first¡ª¡¯
¡°Nocton Edgar!¡±
A loud noise suddenly awoke him.
Surprised Nocton turned his head. Immediately, he saw a familiar figure right behind him.
A tinum-haired tall who shined brightly even after sunset, Aaron ymore.
¡°You didn¡¯t even listen when I called you, now you look back.¡±
The stiff-faced man approached and frowned.
His gaze flowed down from Nocton¡¯s pale face to the his torn palms.
Only after seeing the movement of his gaze, Nocton realized the pain that was not mild.
¡°What happened to your arm?¡±
He has good eyes, most of his body are covered by clothes, and because he was walking, it¡¯s hard to see his palms. No, in this case, it¡¯s better than just good.
In the midst of his poor condition, he met an unwee person.
He¡¯s not in a pleasant mood.
Nocton ignored ymore¡¯s words and was just about to pass by, but he stopped when he looked at the man¡¯s cor.
It was hidden by cravat, but he felt the unique energy.
The energy guards against ck magic, prevents Aaron ymore¡¯s feelings from leaking out.
Yes, it¡¯s the same kind that Valrose had.
¡°It¡¯s just a ne on my neck that I paired with Aaron.¡±
He felt the divine power quite a bit, but it was not that greatpared to Nocton¡¯s ability, so he didn¡¯t care much when he found it on Valrose.
No, it¡¯s a lie.
From the moment he entered the ballroom, he was constantly paying attention to the ne around Valrose¡¯s neck.
The day Alice Limorand headed to Marquis Valrose¡¯s residence to see what had happened, she found out that he was a ck wizard.
The day they met after a month, she came with a holy relic around her neck, and he couldn¡¯t help but bother.
But he wasn¡¯t in a position to argue about it, there¡¯s something that¡¯s more important than that, so he ignored it because it would only be used to avoid brainwashing and curses without any low cost.
He realized the moment he touched Valrose.
The holy relic contains more power than he can feel.
The divine power, that was revealed momentarily, was so powerful that it could be preserved as a treasure of the temple.
The immense power that doesn¡¯t even allow the wearer to be pulled
If it weren¡¯t for a priest, it would be difficult to find it privately, so where did she get such thing?
Three of those.
Nocton Edgar slowly raised his gaze from Aaron¡¯s neck and red into his eyes.
ymore¡¯s ne must have the same power.
However, it didn¡¯t matter if the opponent wasn¡¯t Roa Valrose.
It was too simple to break the ne if he wasn¡¯t worried about hurting his opponent.
Actually, while he was pulling Valrose from the broken railing, the ne couldn¡¯t bear his power and it was shattered¡.
¡®Ah.¡¯
In a bted rush, Nocton¡¯s eyes shook.
Did he get angry?
Aaron ymore breathed a long sigh, he gave up on the answers after the silence continued.
¡°Because you are a Duke, I believe that you will treat your hands on your own. You went to the terrace with my fianc¨¦e, I¡¯d like to know what happened.¡±
After a bad situation and bad opponent, ymore¡¯s words are even more upsetting.
It was an unrivaled and outspoken question even if he believed in the ne.
Still, he thought he had been patient since he was an adult, but Aaron ymore gradually triggered Nocton¡¯s murderous intent.
His fingertips twitch nervously.
However, it was the same before, and even in the future, he was in no position to be reckless in using his hands.
What had happened a month ago and the words that had been lingering in his head were once again engraved in his mind.
In the first ce, he should have endured it in the drawing room as well.
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any of your concern.¡±
Although it would look like he was running way, Nocton turned away because he was too exhausted to pay attention to that. But again, ymore spoke.
¡°How can I not be concerned? Roa and I are clearly engaged. I can¡¯t help but notice you¡¯re alone with her on the terrace.¡±
¡°Now, are you doubting Valrose?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. What I suspect is Your Grace. I can¡¯t help but worry about what Your Grace has done. It¡¯s only been a month and you¡¯ve already forgotten what happened?¡±
¡°Sir ymore.¡±
He¡¯s just trying to let it go, but it¡¯s still stratching his inside.
Nocton turned his body back to ymore.
The strong-willed eyes irritated him.
Yeah, Aaron ymore wouldn¡¯t know, but he couldn¡¯t touch him.
However, it didn¡¯t mean that he had to still ept the dispute that didn¡¯t work.
The young man twisted his mouth andughed.
¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the Limorand¡¯s youngdy when you have time to ask that? Maybe something happened to her.¡±
The man¡¯s face was frozen. In front of Valrose the other day, it was the same face he made when he mentioned his other love.
Aaron ymore had many things that bothered him, but the most disgusting thing was that part.
He pretended to be a noble knight and did all kinds of good things, but he carried out his engagement with someone else in his heart.
Although he was doing well to keep others from noticing, Nocton, whose abilities had grown, could clearly see where ymore¡¯s heart was headed.
He didn¡¯t know how it happened. He wasn¡¯t even curious about the process.
However, Nocton did not like those who were different on the outside. Everyone would, but he was especially so.
Because he was able to vividly feel the disparity in someone¡¯s mind and appearance.
It was also amazing that the person was Alice Limorand.
Not as much as Aaron ymore, but she was also annoying.
Seeing ymore¡¯s face hardened makes him feel a little better.
For a while.
The pleasantly closed mouth opened again.
¡°Your Grace seems to have poor eyesight.¡±
¡°¡.What does it mean.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you juste out on the terrace and run into each other? I¡¯m sure I saw Lady Alice Limorand walking past Your Grace unharmed, you¡¯re saying something embarrassing.¡±
He ran into Alice Limorand?
Nocton searched his memory at the unfamiliar story. However, it was meaningless to trace back memories since it was nothing but nk when he came out from the terrace.
He just met the person he brought up in his attempt to bite ymore, what a bad luck.
Even in his own thoughts, Nocton burst intoughter.
¡°Yeah, I guess I didn¡¯t realize it because her existence is too small. So what.¡±
The mes, which had been patient all along, came to the limit. The boundary that Aaron ymore should not be killed remained, but Nocton¡¯s eyes changed nheless.
The air around them cooled down at once.
¡°Don¡¯t you understand? As the Imperial family has not arrived yet, the aristocrats who have arrived are waiting in the ballroom. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s allowed toe out, it¡¯s just you who shouldn¡¯t. There¡¯s no eye in the Imperal garden, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason for me to suppress my anger.¡±
At the moment Aaron looked strange, nervous about the sudden change of heart.
Nocton clearly recognized the change in the man¡¯s face, but he didn¡¯t care.
The important thing in this situation was to drive Aaron ymore out before his patience ran out.
¡°I think it¡¯s a wise decision to go back when I¡¯m still patient. So, what do you think, Sir?¡±
¡°What happens if you don¡¯t hold back?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Can Your Grace hurt me?¡±
He must have misheard what he said, Nocton frowned.
Aaron ymore spoke once again, with a firmer voice.
¡°Try it if you can.¡±
***
How much time has passed, tears that seemed unlikely to dry out ran out, and there was a chill in my skin, which I didn¡¯t even know was that cold.
It was only now that I realized Alice¡¯s dress was covered with tears because I cried with my face buried in her arms.
After crying for a long time, my heart was relieved, but I was embarrassed when the sorrow disappeared.
God, what have I done.
Did I cry?
In Alice¡¯s arms?
Not at a mansion, but at a fancy ballroom full of aristocrats?
I can¡¯t go right back to the mansion, and when the Imperial family arrives, I have to return to the ballroom?
I recalled my face with a broken make-up and clearly swollen eyes.
It was an imagination that I didn¡¯t want to look in the mirror.
Wait,e to think of it, maybe someone saw me going to the terrace with Nocton¡.!
The idea of going back to the ballroom made me feel like I¡¯m losing all my blood.
I turned my head to the copsed railing of the terrace.
Let¡¯s jump.
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°Are you alright now?¡±
¡°Uh? Uh-huh, thanks to you.¡±
No, if I jump out of here and get caught, the situation will be no longer manageable.
If there¡¯s a rumor that I was dumped by Nocton and attempted suicide, my life is over.
I smiled awkwardly and nced face to face with Alice, then turned my head quietly.
Alice¡¯s unbearable smile leaked out.
¡°Don¡¯tugh¡.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m trying. Would you like a handkerchief?¡±
¡°No, I have one, hold on for a second.¡±
I sighed, took out my handkerchief and paused. I forgot, but when I opened my hand, something shattered in my hand.
As I turned my head unknowingly, I made eye contact with Alice.
The clear blue eyes rolled toward my palm.
¡°Alice ¡ I have a confession to make.¡±
Alice smiled silently at the bted confession.
That day, I knew for the first time that smiling with a beautiful face could be so scary.
I cupped my used hand back and took it back.
¡°It¡¯s nothing, maybe.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re going to sneak, you should have done it right.¡±
She sighed.
¡°It¡¯s okay. Rather than that ¡ I¡¯m disappointed it didn¡¯t seem to be as helpful as I thought. I had a hard time finding it, but I didn¡¯t know it would break apart once you met him. What happened?¡±
¡°I was just talking to him ¡ I didn¡¯t mean to provoke him. I was holding it in as much as I could, but the railing made a strange noise. It must have been fixed a little urgently. Anyway, because of that, Nocton grabbed me to pull me in, but the white crystal lit up and it attacked him. It¡¯s over. It would be impossible even for a saint to have a calm conversation in that situation.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to me you, so you don¡¯t have to make excuses. And it attacked him just because of a touch?¡±
¡°Yes, it wasn¡¯t then that it was fragmented, and after a little argument, I forgot that the railing broke down and I must have crawled away. So when I was about to fall, Nocton caught me ¡ and I gave it.¡±
¡°What? Hold on, Roa. Are you hurt?¡±
¡°I told you, Nocton caught me. That¡¯s why his arm seems to be a bit of a mess, but that¡¯s when the crystal was fragmented.¡±
Even though I said so, Alice looked up at my arm, lifted my hair, and searched for where I was hurt.
I was worried for no reason, but I felt a little better.
¡°I¡¯m really not hurt, I am.¡±
¡°I think so. There are times when His Grace can be helpful.¡±
¡°You know how to be so sarcastic¡.¡±
¡°The white crystal is a bit strange. I¡¯ve never heard of attacking with only the touch. I¡¯ve only heard that it can defend the wearer against mental magic, like curses and brainwashing. ¡°
¡°What? No wonder, it was weird when you gave me something like that when you told me not to provoke him.¡±
Then why did the white crystal attack Nocton?
Having experienced the copse of the newly repaired railing, I was the first to wonder if the repair was faulty. I heard from Alice that it¡¯s usually not expensive, but if it¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it a fraud?
As I was continuing my thoughts, a human shadow was reflected in the curtain. Whether someone wasing to the balcony, the shadows gradually grew.
I pulled the curtains, why are youing over here?
I looked at the broken railing in an uncertain, perplexed look. Actually, I realized that the sound of broken railing was quite loud.
Even though there was the sound of music and loud talking at the ballroom, it was a loud enough roar to hear if someone was near the balcony.
Are youing to check the sound?
¡°Roa, handkerchief!¡±
Alice, who was as flustered as I was, hurriedly handed out her handkerchief. Only then did I realize that my face was still wet.
I was trying to get my handkerchief out, but I moved on to the crystal story.
I snatched the handkerchief in a hurry and pressed my face firmly.
What about my make-up? I¡¯m sure it fell apart.
No, being with Alice is also a problem.
The in Roa Valrose in front of a friend whose engagement was broken, it would have been a pretty good picture if the fiance wasn¡¯t Nocton Edgar, but I was with Alice.
Nowadays, I can imagine all sorts of things just by being in the same ce as Alice or Nocton.
The fact that Nocton took my side and criticized Bornaine, it¡¯s going to blow up.
In the meantime, I¡¯m already afraid of how creative the rumors will be, as Bornaine even fell.
All right, let¡¯s just give it all up.
The situation is already beyond repair.
Yes, let¡¯s try to befortable without worrying about the gossips.
I gave up half way and sighed.
Then, finally, the one who came near the balcony called me.
¡°This is Aaron ymore, Roa. May Ie in?¡±
***
Nocton Edgar, 15 years old.
By the age of fifteen, Nocton Edgar was still alive and still remained the sessor to the Edgar dukedom.
Now there were more people who admired his abilities than those who mocked the boy.
As long as there were no major surprises, the next Duke of Edgar would have been confirmed.
Nevertheless, Nocton felt a sense of istion.
It was because the hands, which were increasingly overtly strangling him, suddenly stopped.
Patricia Edgar was too quiet.
Although the light handiwork continued like today, it was not even within the touch of the Duchess. It was the work of her people, loyal to Patricia Edgar, wagging their tails to be loved somehow.
Even though he fell of horse and wound his foot, the actual injury is just a little bit flesh.
Therefore, he never expected the Duchess to call him for this.
Entering the Duchess¡¯ office, the boy gave a brief greeting and looked at this mother. The ck-haired woman who was organizing her papers, somehow, put down her fountain pen within a minute after Nocton entered her office.
Even though she wasn¡¯t smiling, her face was bright.
She wouldn¡¯t be so happy to have fallen from her horse. Nocton¡¯s eyes zed over, she opened her mouth.
¡°I heard you fell off a horse while riding today. You sprained your ankle.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a day or two that something like this happens.¡±
¡°It¡¯s because your equestrian skills arecking. Neither Floyd nor Dansha ever fell off the horse.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know. Floyd was kicked in the back by a horse, and Dansha fell off the horse when he first learned to ride, so he didn¡¯t even get near the stable.¡±
Patricia Edgar flicked her eyebrows.
The innermost thoughts that have not been brought out of the mouth are vividly conveyed to Nocton.
A bit of annoyance and a bit of pity.
She certainly hated Nocton, but that didn¡¯t mean she loved another child.
There is no single affection, the only thing that exists is to me why she couldn¡¯t beat Nocton Edgar. In the first ce, he doesn¡¯t even know if this woman has feelings for love.
¡°So why did you call me?¡±
¡°Pour it on your wound.¡±
The Duchess pushed the ss bottle on the desk to the front Nocton.
A blue liquid sparkles brightly in a finger-length bottle. The beautiful color raised the ominous feeling in the boy.
It was not poison, nor was it a potion containing a curse.
The familiar energy in the liquid resembled the sacredness and divine power of the priests who asionaly visited the mansion, but this one was much more pure than their power.
Patricia Edgar smiled gracefully, as if to put an end to Nocton¡¯s anxious prediction.
¡°It¡¯s holy water, the swelling will heal right away.¡±
¡°Holy water cannot be used for this. If I don¡¯t get better today, I¡¯d rather call a priest.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to bother a busy person. Besides, it¡¯s obvious that this one here have better performance than a great priest. There¡¯s nothing to feel burdened about. Aren¡¯t you the Edgar¡¯s heir? Nothing in the world is more precious than your body.¡±
To that extent, there is no cause for him to refuse.
Nocton eventually picked up the ss bottle.
Even though it was blocked by ayer of ss, his fingertips tickled unpleasantly as if he had dipped his hands in the liquid.
Divine power, it¡¯s obvious that touching holy water will be painful.
After having established a certain position, Nocton went to the Imperial library and read some magic books, but he was already aware of them even before reading them.
Like a beast fearing fire, like a demon running away from the priest.
What will happen if he pours this on his swollen ankle, the amount of pain cannot be possible.
Since he had never been through it, the prediction was like a nk paper.
A vague ignorance arouses fear. Nocton¡¯s hand grasped the bottle, the burning eyes looking down at the bottle and causing the colored pupils shake.
Still, for a fifteen-year-old boy, he was controlling his emotions admirably, but nobody praised him.
Patricia Edgar suddenly startedughing like a madman.
Unrefined, the loud, harshughter was so grotesque and perceptive.
The boy¡¯s face hardened.
¡®I got caught in ck magic.¡¯
Nocton¡¯s mind was all over the ce.
He was cautious and careful, but how did he get caught?
Hundreds of spections rose in his head and sank. He thought he¡¯d be caught one day, but it wasn¡¯t this moment.
At least after he has gotten better at his magic, more powerful, more¡.
Tuk, as suddenly as it began, theughter suddenly stopped.
Patricia Edgar had a very pleasant smile on her face.
¡°I thought it was really, really weird. I didn¡¯t intend to teach you swords, but you weren¡¯t that interested, were you? Not only the sword, you also loathed the knight. Anyway, even if you¡¯re naturally talented, you¡¯re not very good at protecting yourself, but you¡¯re so tough ¡ like a bug that doesn¡¯t go away even if it¡¯s burned.¡±
The Duchess rose from the chair and approached.
Her hand stroked Nocton¡¯s head affectionately.
Out of habit, he brushed off his mother¡¯s hand without a little hesitation.
Nevertheless, Patricia Edgar was still smiling happily.
With a joyful face, she took the bottle from Nocton¡¯s hand and opened the stopper.
¡°I like it, dear. I really like the fact that your talent is so lowly and dirty, that your talent is ck magic that no one can love.¡±
Her hand tilted without a moment¡¯s hesitation.
The holy blue liquid fell on Nocton¡¯s feet. Most of it flowed over the shoes into the carpet, but some soaked the boy¡¯s socks and touched the flesh inside.
The skin in contact with the liquid was boiling hot.
Even if he tried to be patient and calm, he can¡¯t do that.
With one¡¯s hands clenched so that the fingernails would stick to the flesh, Nocton endured the pain with a gritted jaw.
Looking at him, Patricia Edgar burst intoughter once again.
The terrible pain andughter seemed to be in the bnce and his eyes shook with dizziness.
¡°You sure are a devil bastard.¡±
¡°¡.¡±
¡°Did you lure the daughter of Marquis Valrose with that talent?¡±
Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
Instantly, the boy forgot all his pain and confusion.
There was a glimmer of light in the eyes of Nocton, who fell to the floor. He had no choice but to be patient, but he did not endure because he had no confidence to ovee the opponent in front of him.
The hand that he clenched his fist to dig into his palm slowly unfolded.
¡°I asked you something obvious. There is no child who would not be scared if they knew what you really were. If she wasn¡¯t lured by that dirty trick, she won¡¯t be around.¡±
Putting the empty ss bottle on the desk, the Duchess slowly walked to the window. When she opened the window, a maple tree that grew outside of the office¡¯s window revealed its leaves. With the blue sky as the background, it looked very beautiful when the sunlight shot thinly through the leaves of the maple leaves.
¡°She¡¯s such a pretty girl. She has bright hair and her face is a little fierce, but she¡¯s as cute as a little animal. Valrose is a great Marquis house. Just in time, Floyd needs a good match.¡±
Nocton Edgar¡¯s head slowly lifted.
His eyes fixed on his mother¡¯s back, standing against him by the window. The eyes that were soaked in pain are sunken with fear.
¡°She¡¯s still not old enough. But if we wait for about four years, she will be an adult.¡±
The boy¡¯s fingertips were dyed ck.
For Nocton Edgar, magic was easy. As easy as moving his hands and feet, as easy as blinking his eyes.
It was ridiculously easy to hurt others just by lifting his hands without much calction.
Patricia Edgar was so good at swords that she can even be ordained as a knight. There were nearly to ten guards hidden around her, so even though she knew that Nocton was a wizard, she was not wary.
The boy was confident.
Even if not ten, but twenty, it is not in the least difficult to grasp Patricia¡¯s mind, and even a hundred guards won¡¯t notice it.
But that abilityes today, it was not the power that suddenly bloomed at this moment.
¡°In the future ¡ please never kill a life.¡±
It¡¯s too easy to hurt someone.
It¡¯s too easy to manipte a person to run his way.
Nocton knew for a long time.
But even when he was younger than now, when he was less patient than he is now, he never killed a single life.
The reason was simple.
¡°Never kill anything. Understand? It¡¯s a promise!¡°
Although it was one-sided, it was a promise with Roa Valrose.
As long as he doesn¡¯t kill someone, such a perverse heart rises.
But Valrose¡¯s words never kill didn¡¯t mean that he really doesn¡¯t have to kill. In that word, the promise was implicit in the morality of life.
She¡¯s a real go-getter, but she has a higher moral opinion than the universal standard. Therefore, it may be fine for a simple hypnosis, but it would not be eptable to destroy other people¡¯s minds. She will not tolerate it.
¡°You don¡¯t have to look so eagerly. I¡¯m just taking the path that is good for everyone. Be mature, my dear child.¡±
So even if the smiling Duchess put a dagger in Nocton¡¯s heart, he could not move his fingertips in the end.
¡°Before you destroy her, you should let her go.¡±
***
From that day on, Duchess Edgar began to do strange things at mealtime.
After eating with her family, she poured something other than alcohol into the ss.
¡°These days, there seems to be a group of people trying to put a curse on the Empire and manipte other people¡¯s minds. I think it¡¯s better be careful, but it¡¯s hard to call a priest every day, so I prepared it myself.¡±
The thinly-drenched blue liquid in the ss, obviously, was holy water.
Patricia Edgar smiled gently and raised her ss.
¡°For the glorious future of the Duke of Edgar.¡±
Floyd and Dansha¡¯s expressions were distorted, as if wondering if their mother was crazy, and Geranium Edgar inhaled the liquid with a face he didn¡¯t know what she was thinking.
And also, Nocton Edgar tilted his ss with a calm face. The holy liquid was locked in his throat.
Every day since then, the Duchess has done the same thing at the end of dinner. As if the value of holy water is not precious enough to waste it like that.
Patricia Edgar¡¯s face, which was bing increasingly impatient, is now fully rxed.
The Duchess acted as if she could finish Nocton whenever she wished.
However, Nocton was an even more brilliant wizard than Patricia Edgar could possibly be, his life was not at risk, because he only drank a few drops of holy water every day.
It was obviously a painful time, but ironically in the process he was developing a tolerance to divine power. Later, he easily adapted to his tragedy, so that he could think of something else while putting holy water in his mouth.
When Patricia Edgar had herposure, Nocton earned his ownposure as well.
As the assassination attempt died down, he had time to find out how the Duchess knew his magic.
The answer was Bello Leopard. It¡¯s all because of the stupid servant who poisoned his cup and then put it in his own mouth due to the ck magic.
Bello did not lose his life even though he took the poison he was trying to give to Nocton instead. Bello, who ran out of the study, vomited immediately, and Nocton took the potion immediately after Valrose returned.
The servant who had been with him for years had been scratching his inside, but he couldn¡¯t forsake his promise and let him die. Instead, Bello Leopard lost his voice due to the aftereffects of the poison and was kicked out of the mansion for disobeying his master.
The maid and servant were nobles, even if they had no title or from a low rank family, so he nevertheless had a ce to go. After that, Bello Leopard went to Patricia Edgar because he was afraid of being dealt with by the Duchess even though he had failed to poison him. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t even see the shadows.
He learned the details of the event from the Duchess¡¯ butler. He was an ardent follower of Patricia Edgar who hated Nocton, but in the face of ck magic, neither respect nor disgust was meaningful.
Now that he¡¯s been caught, Nocton didn¡¯t have to be careful anymore.
Sadly, the Duchess underestimates the boy¡¯s ability to not touch her, he didn¡¯t expect she would blow the whole thing up.
However, as time went by, the boy¡¯s distant appearance was bothering her, and the amount of holy water began to increase day by day. Even his two brothers, his father, and even some servants gave a strange look at Patricia¡¯s action. but the Duchess was absolutely powerful, so no one could dissuade her.
Nocton¡¯s physical condition got worse day by day, and he fell ill for the first time in his life.
His body was like a fireball, as if the heat of drinking holy water had spread all over his body, and his clothes were soaked in cold sweat and sticking to the skin.
With an unpleasant and irritating sensation, hey alone in bed, letting out all his servants.
It was a good opportunity to kill him no matter who sees it, but Nocton was safer than ever. He cast a spell on the bedroom door. It¡¯s a hypnotic magic that makes you do not want to open the door.
When someone tries to enter Nocton¡¯s bedroom, the subject will return from the door without being aware that they were under the spell.
Once the door was opened, it would be meaningless, but he knew it will work well because he had tested it before on the Duchess.
In case something was going to happen while he wasn¡¯t there, he had also told Valrose not toe for a while.
She can¡¯t get engaged until she bes an adult anyway, so it would be fine for her to stay in her house.
Thinking so, Nocton sank into a deep, thin sleep.
Meanwhile, something suddenly touched his forehead.
Nocton leaped up. He grabbed the wrist that touched his forehead and pushed the opponent toward the headboard.
He suddenly woke up and moved his body, making his eyes dizzy and nauseous.
A reddish hue was seen in the wobbly vision. Red hair like petals, a look of surprise¡.
¡°¡Valrose?¡±
A cracked voice rings badly.
Nocton put his hand on his neck and made a straight face. Even if he thought he might have seen it wrong due to his physical condition, it was clear that Roa Valrose was caught in a clearer view.
¡°Why are you here? I told you not toe for a while. Besides, I can¡¯t believe you came into my room without permission.¡±
¡°Umh ¡ I¡¯m sorry, Nocton. I was told that it was okay to go up to your room, so I just walked in. I came to get the book I had lost in the Duke¡¯s residence and return it to you. But because you¡¯re sick, I wanted to take a look at your condition for a second¡ª¡±
A book that fell to the side of the bed caught his eye. Certainly, it was an old book that Valrose had read several years ago and dropped it on the shore of theke.
She came to the mansion with this bait.
He knew what Patricia Edgar is going to do, and he¡¯s just¡..
Perhaps because his body is sick, his mind reacts more sensitively than usual. A sharp sound opened Nocton¡¯s mouth.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I came here when you must be sensitive. Don¡¯t be so nervous, it¡¯s my fault.¡±
That¡¯s an inarticte sound. When he tried to ask again what nonsense it was, Valrose¡¯s gaze turned to her wrist. It was only then that Nocton realized he was still grasping Valrose¡¯s wrist, and that his hands were shaking.
Maybe because of a fever in his body, he rxed his hand in embarrassment.
But the embarrassment grew stronger when he saw a handprint on her white wrist.
He stupidly thought for a moment that the heat might have spread and turned her wrist red, but it couldn¡¯t be. He must have failed to control his strength properly because his mental state was bad.
Nocton opened his mouth. Valrose shrugged her shoulders andughed at the embarrassed face.
¡°It¡¯s my fault, so I¡¯ll let this go.¡±
Then, Valrose hugged Nocton.
No, technically it was not a hug.
She just adjusted his pillow and gently pushed his shoulders to put him back on bed.
Nevertheless, the degree of body contact was not much different from hugging, so Nocton held his breath for no reason.
Strangely, his fingertips flinched and the inside of his chest tickled.
When he looked up at the hem of her clothes, there was a strange sense of heat, as if there was red water in the area where Valrose¡¯s hands touched.
With the boy, who wasn¡¯t able to resist, in bed, Valrose pulled his nket up to his chin.
The look was rather funny because he just poked his face out of the nket.
When he saw Valrose¡¯s mouth shaking withughter, Nocton opened his mouth to say something, but a small hand blocked his mouth. With the mouth closed, Nocton was more surprised than necessary
Whatever she thought she was, Valrose smiled yfully and put the other index finger around his mouth.
¡°Now that your voice is cracked, no more annoyance.¡±
His heart throbbed.
He hasn¡¯t eaten anything, but there¡¯s a weird feeling in his stomach.
Although he had never known it before, he wondered if people feel this way when they are sick.
The feeling of tickling even on his lips began to move, so Nocton closed his mouth, which was sweet.
Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby to bother sick people, so I¡¯ll go now.¡±
Valrose got up out of bed and turned around. A straight step leads to the door of the bedroom.
Looking at the distant appearance of the back, Nocton opened his mouth without realizing it.
But before the boy¡¯s words could be heard, there¡¯s a knock on the door. A strange premonition flowed down his spine. His anxiety rose, and the door opened.
The woman with short ck hair who gracefully entered the room with an elegant smile was the Duchess. His heart was pounding, and Nocton quickly raised his upper body.
Valrose broke the magic when she opened the door, that¡¯s why the Duchess could enter his room now.
He wanted to know how did Roa Valrose broke his magic and opened the door, but he couldn¡¯t afford to think deeply about it right now.
¡°I saw you a little while ago, Valrose¡¯s youngdy. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve forgotten something.¡±
¡°A little while ago ¡ what is it?¡±
¡°Oh, even before I came up to your room, Her Grace asked me to drink tea with her. While we were talking, the butler called and Her Grace went to her office.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve taken care of the urgent matter. That reminds me. I haven¡¯t visited this sick child today. I¡¯m not happy about it.¡±
The serpent-like eyes rolled and fell into the bed.
¡°You look very sick, my dear.¡±
She tried to approach Nocton with a sad expression, but Valrose blocked the path in front Patricia Edgar.
¡°Valrose¡¯s youngdy?¡±
¡°Uh ¡ I think Nocton is not feeling very well. It would be better to let him sleep, in my opinion. When you¡¯re sick ¡ you be sensitive.¡±
Duchess Edgar¡¯s eyes glistened like ss beads. Her expressionless face and shining eyes seemed sharp, and yet Valrose only seemed embarrassed, she had no intention of stepping back.
¡°¡.right, when the body is sick, the mind bes sensitive. Still, it¡¯s rude for him to just lie in bed when there¡¯s a guest in front of him.¡±
¡°Since I was going to go back now, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s regrettable to send you back so soon. As I said earlier, I do not mean to be impolite, but there¡¯s something I want to say thedy. Valrose¡¯s youngdy. It isrgely a matter of the family, but I¡¯d like to hear thedy¡¯s opinion. It¡¯s no other than my dear Floyd¡ª¡±
¡°Mother.¡±
No sooner had the name of Floyde out than Nocton opened his mouth. His voice was heavy and his expression was cool, but the shaking eyes could not be hidden.
He was on edge.
¡°I have something to tell Valrose. Please leave. ¡°
¡°You asked me to leave ¡ You¡¯re being cruel, dear. To this mother who has prepared holy water for you.¡±
What?
Nocton stiffened at the surprising remark, and the knight who stood behind the Duchess came forward. There was a ss of blue liquid in his hand. He can feel the intense white energy that makes him wonder why he didn¡¯t notice it before.
¡°Alright, I don¡¯t want to bother a sick child either. I can talk about it next time. If I just see you drinking this, I¡¯ll leave right away, so drink it.¡±
The Duchess smiled, shaking the ss full of blue liquid.
Nocton¡¯s heart began to beat faster.
No, it can¡¯t be safe to drink that in his current condition. He couldn¡¯t guarantee that he would survive.
Perhaps he becamecent just because the Duchess was so rxed.
He didn¡¯t know she would try to kill him with Valrose, an outsider, right in front of him.
How on earth are you going to handle this¡.
If I drink holy water and die, then Valrose¡.
Nocton unknowingly looks at Valrose¡¯s countenance. The girl, with curiousty in her face, was staring at the blue liquid.
The innocent eyes made his heart sank.
What would she think of him if he drank holy water and reacted like that?
¡°You sure are a devil bastard.¡±
The words that have passed came back and bloomed in his heart.
Nocton¡¯s hands trembled.
His eyes, his feet, his heart, his whole body trembled.
Valrose was hypnotized, so the uneasy expectation that he would be okay could not calm him down.
There is no way.
Seeing the boy who stared at her without an answer, the Duchess narrowed her mouth.
¡°You don¡¯t even have the strenght to lift your ss.¡±
¡°Next time¡ª¡±
¡°No, you should drink it right away when you are sick. It¡¯s not something to put off. Then ¡ Valrose¡¯s youngdy? I wish thedy can help.¡±
¡°Yes? How can I help?¡±
¡°Feed this to him.¡±
Valrose¡¯s face looked troubled, but he couldn¡¯t be relieved. The Duchess, whose eyes were shining with joy, seemed to have no intention of backing down.
¡°I don¡¯t need it, Valrose.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not something that a sick person judges, dear. Do you want me to be here forever? If not, do you want me to feed you myself? I¡¯ve never done it before.¡±
¡°¡.Mother.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t do that. If it¡¯s not me, it¡¯s her, or you yourself. So, with whose hands you want to drink the holy water.¡±
That¡¯s all you can choose. That¡¯s what Patricia Edgar¡¯s eyes said.
It¡¯s a cliff with no way to retreat. Whether he¡¯s going to push your back or jump on his own, that¡¯s all he can choose from.
While he was speechless due to the vague emotions, Valrose, who was pushed by the situation, received the ss.
Finally, eventually, atst. A cruel smile appeared on the Duchess¡¯s face.
And by that time, Nocton couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.
¡°Mother.¡±
ck fog flowed from the wriggling fingertips. The fog went invisible, and permeated into the smilling Duchess¡¯ nose.
Patricia Edgar, who was pushing Valrose¡¯s back, stopped. Soon, her eyes were strangely blurred.
¡°You can¡¯t use holy water for this.¡±
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Please take it back. You have some work to do.¡±
¡°Alright. Valrose¡¯s youngdy, please return the holy water to me.¡±
¡°Uh ¡ yes? Yes.¡±
After an abnormal change of behavior, the Duchess immediately left the bedroom. Valrose looked at the door with a strange look at the iprehensible change.
And Nocton Edgar was shaking even harder than before.
There is no turning back now.
Unlike Bello Leopard, which ended in a one-time perfomance, the Duchess couldn¡¯t be finished on a single hypnotism.
She¡¯ll try to kill him as soon as she gets out of the hypnosis.
The prey that is a threat and the prey that is not a threat are different. The Duchess will do her best to hunt him when she finds out that he can touch her mind.
Even if there is a rumor, even if the question arises that Nocton¡¯s death wasn¡¯t an ident, but an assassination, she will do her best with all her power.
Therefore, if he doesn¡¯t want to die, he has to destroy the Duchess¡¯ spirit.
He can¡¯t find another way anymore. Morality, which had been built up by others, copsed in an instant.
Valrose¡¯s words, the promise, and the moral shackles seemed to be greater than he thought. He felt like there¡¯s a storm in his mind.
Whether it¡¯s shame, guilt, resentment or hatred. Even for Nocton, who feels other people¡¯s feelings as if they were his own, his unfamiliar feelings were tangled up in a mess.
However, it is clear that the color of the emotion is not bright, he couldn¡¯t get the word worst out of his head.
Nocton squeezed his upper body and went back into the nket.
¡°¡.go back.¡±
Please go back.
His voice was so hoarse that he couldn¡¯t say any more, but Nocton thought so inside. Shivering under the covers, he closed his eyes tightly. It was dark all over his eyes, but it wasn¡¯t as dark as his heart.
He shuddered and shivered, not even able to gather even the crumbs of his mind.
Then suddenly, Nocton felt that his bedroom was too quiet.
He didn¡¯t feel any sign of her presence, perhaps because his body has be sluggish, or that he didn¡¯t hear it because his mind was in a weird state.
Did she go, like he said? Is she gone along with what he said?
He wondered if she wille back after this.
He was the one who told Valrose to go, but the dark silence aroused his anxiety.
Even when his heart is overwhelmed by other emotions, it¡¯s hard to tell exactly what he¡¯s feeling because he was confused.
And in the meantime, he thought it would be thest time he told her to go back. he couldn¡¯t stand the nervousness that Valrose would nevere back.
In the end, it was the moment when Nocton tried to pull the nket and chase after Valrose.
The side of the bed pped in.
He didn¡¯t touch her skin, but he felt the warmth.
He breathed in unconsciously.
Still, the warm words fell down over Nocton, covered with nkets.
¡°I¡¯ll stay here.¡±
¡°What¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be right here, Nocton. I¡¯ll stay until you fall asleep.¡±
He could feel my body leaning against the headboard. With a nket between them, Nocton opened his eyes. A shadow of a person can be seen moving over the nket.
Leaning on the headboard, the small girl, Roa Valrose, opened the book she had brought.
She said that she didn¡¯t like old books and imed that she could sleep just by looking at the alphabet.
¡°Even if you try to drive me out, it will be useless. It¡¯s okay if youe back in.¡±
¡°Valrose.¡±
¡°If you want to chase me away, you should be healthy andpletely cured, and then tell me to get out. Then ¡ umh ¡ I¡¯ll think about it then.¡±
He felt strange.
Really, it¡¯s too weird, too unpredictable, too good, too bad, he doesn¡¯t know if he¡¯s d or dislike it. He can¡¯t say for sure either.
The tremor has gone off. His painfully pounding heart became quiet and his throat was locked.
¡°Don¡¯t think. It¡¯s annoying when you think and talk.¡±
¡°¡.you¡¯re really. Hey! You¡¯re sick, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Without an answer, Nocton buried his face in the pillow.
¡°Well done, Nocton. In the future ¡ please never kill a life. Let¡¯s make a promise.¡±
¡°Never kill anything. Understand? It¡¯s a promise!¡±
He wasn¡¯t stupid, and he knows that doesn¡¯t really mean killing.
However, if he takes it that way, if he takes Valrose¡¯s words in such a broad sense, the promise has already been shattered.
It¡¯s not a big deal, it¡¯s a one-sided promise, but it was unclear whether Baloz would remember it, though.
¡®Yes, I won¡¯t kill anyone.¡¯
If he doesn¡¯t kill them, he might be able to find a room for excuses.
If he¡¯d rather be a moron, if he¡¯d just take the words as it is, he would be a douchebag.
Even in that way, Nocton did not wish to forsake Valrose¡¯s words.
Perhaps because of the pain in his body or the heat, his eyes became hot.
He didn¡¯t want to be seen by anyone.
Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t want to tell Valrose, who is only behind the nket, to go back.
After he told her toe again, he didn¡¯t even want to send her back, and hoping for the next one.
Rather, Nocton ¡
Valrose.
Valrose.
Valrose.
He repeated the name for no reason.
Like a person who wants something toe.
Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
It was none other than Aaron who came to the terrace.
While I was sweeping down my chest with relief, he brought up a little surprising news.
¡°The ball has been stopped because of the rapid deterioration in the Emperor¡¯s condition.¡±
No wonder the Imperial family were toote. Because I was crying, Alice was so busy trying to soothe me that she had no idea what was going on outside.
So, there¡¯s less room to worry.
Only then I was able to care for Aaron who was agonizing over my face.
I¡¯d rather ask straight away.
¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but I was crying. But why are you looking so miserable? My face, is that so inspiring?¡±
¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it ¡. may I ask what happened with Duke Edgar?¡±
¡°We didn¡¯t use violence, threats, or hurl insults. I¡¯m just overwhelmed with my feelings ¡ can we just stop talking about this?¡±
¡°Excuse me.¡±
I heard Alice¡¯sugh and red at her with my side eyes, butughter on her face didn¡¯t go away at all.
When did she be so strong?
¡°How did you know I was on the terrace?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve seen it since the beginning of themotion. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯te right away.¡±
¡°Thank you for noting. If Aaron was in that situation, the second drawing room incident would have happened. It¡¯s embarrassing to shed tears because the ball has been stopped, but I can recover from the damage. However, if you bleed, there¡¯s no way.¡±
¡°Roa, please¡.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just saying it to relieve you of your remorse.¡±
Aaron sighed, but he wasn¡¯t too embarrassed because he was quite used to it. He soon changed his expression and became conscious of Alice. It seems that he has something to say.
Soon after.
¡°I have something to tell you, Roa, about the matter that I¡¯m supposed to end today.¡±
¡°The breakup story. Alice knows it, so you don¡¯t have to pay attention to her. I¡¯m sorry I told her without discussing it with you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir ymore. I think something happened to you, I asked Roa first.¡±
¡°¡that¡¯s all right, but I hope you¡¯ll tell me in order next time. I don¡¯t think my heart will survive.¡±
¡°It¡¯s also training your heart as a prosecutor. So what do you want to tell me?¡±
The puzzled light was erased from Aaron¡¯s face. He spoke seriously.
¡°It would be better to postpone the breakup a little, Roa.¡±
It was an unexpected and sudden remark.
Like when he asked me to break up with him.
I couldn¡¯t answer the questions in advance, so I came back to what happened a few days ago.
***
About two weeks after the drawing room incident, Aaron came to see me.
Then, it was a great pain.
¡°Break up? So, just a moment ¡ breaking up?¡±
I repeated what I heard like a parrot.
Let¡¯s break up, all of a sudden?
Did I do something wrong? Did I ever hurt his feelings? I¡¯ve been teasing him a lot, but¡.
When I fumbled in my head, I remembered the memory of teasing Aaron not long ago.
¡°She may be Nocton¡¯s bride.¡±
Soon after, the news spread that Edgar and Limorand¡¯s engagement had been broken.
Afterwards, the expression when I met Aaron was still vivid.
Hiding in a cabin at best and holding his breath, he looked like a rabbit when he found out that thendlord and the hunter were in the same team.
Iughed for a long time, but now that I think about it ¡ even now, this is not the time.
¡°Is it because I didn¡¯t tell me that Alice and Nocton¡¯s engagement was broken? Are you angry?¡±
¡°It¡¯s shocking that I looked so narrow-minded.¡±
¡°No, then why are you asking for break up all of a sudden¡.¡±
I protested reflexively and btedly realized that my situation had changed.
Oh, now I¡¯m letting him go.
I was able to distance myself from Nocton somehow, I felt guilty with my n to stop Nocton with Aaron, and even though I had no reason to be proud of myself, now I have decided to help Alice and Aaron.
It¡¯s not surprising to hear of a breakup. I shrugged my shoulders, weing the freedom to return.
¡°Well, there¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t.¡±
¡°It¡¯s certainly not because of that. As I said before, the youngdy of Limorand has nothing to do with the Alice from my story.¡±
¡°Oh, I see.¡±
¡°Please pretend to believe me sincerely.¡±
¡°This is my limit. I can¡¯t act except when I¡¯m bluffing.¡±
Aaron sighed long. The more I see this man, the more he sighs.
¡°Looking back, I can feel how sloppy my words were. I didn¡¯t even know the marriage talk was going that far, at the time, I thought I meant it, but it was an excuse.¡±
¡°It was a hectic situation back then. You saw the tombstone¡ª¡±
¡°No, I had to be firm.¡±
He cut me off with a firm voice, and he sighed deeply.
¡°Even though I said that I will not marry, I will be confronted with fierce opposition, and it is logically reasonable to say that I should take the responsibility of the future descendants. I¡¯ve already expressed my intention, so they¡¯ll ept it as time goes by, and I¡¯m just being childish and evasive.¡±
I didn¡¯t know Aaron would say this. To his unexpected self-introspection, I listened to him instead of adding words like this.
¡°I want to be honest now. I don¡¯t need the tricks to cover the elders¡¯ eyes. I had to carry out my opinion from the beginning, but I want to make it right now.¡±
¡°But if they still don¡¯t ept it¡.¡±
¡°If necessary, I will step down from my position as ymore¡¯s sessor.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s the reason for the breakup.¡±
I nced at Aaron. His eyes were clear and his expression was serious, but he looked nervous.
How beautiful a man¡¯s will is, his red eyes were shining like never before.
To the guy who looked at me, I had a big smile on my face.
¡°I support you, Aaron.¡±
The nervous light melted down on the man¡¯s face, and soon he smiled.
¡°Thank you, but Roa, I still say I will protect you until you are safe.¡±
¡°Oh ¡ you mean you¡¯re going to pray for my safety?¡±
¡°Even a friend, not a fiance, can protect the person he¡¯s close to.¡±
It was physically possible, but¡.
¡°I¡¯d like to make a suggestion about this. Even after we broke up, please make me your partner until we are sure that you are safe from Duke Edgar.¡±
¡°That¡¯s kind of hard. If I still go around with Aaron after the breakup, there will be a lot of talk. There¡¯s still a lingering feeling left, and if that¡¯s the case, why did we break up¡.¡±
¡°Why do you care so much about other people¡¯s eyes?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to criticize you. However, I thought you care more about the gossip than you need for a long time. It sometimes seems exhausting.¡±
¡°Me? Well, there¡¯s a lot of gossip¡.¡±
I inadvertently spoke, but I blurted the end of the sentence.
Yeah, that wasn¡¯t wrong, if I think about it.
The eyes, the talks, and the gossip of others. I kept being conscious of those things.
If they talk to me face-to-face, whatever they do, whether sarcastic or mocking, I will end up angry.
However, I was sometimes suffocated by what they said behind my back.
This may apply to everyone, but I think it was more unusual for me. I didn¡¯t like to be noisy even in my childhood, but as I grew up, I was afraid beyond my preference. While constantly conscious of other people¡¯s eyes and feeling tired, my fear reached the point where I am afraid of being talked about, so I straighten my shoulders and raise my back.
The moment when I became aware of the fear that I did not realize before, it was not difficult to determine the cause.
¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Why do I care so much? There¡¯s only one reason to think about it. Even indirect experience can make people feel intimidated.¡±
¡°That means¡.¡±
¡°Nocton Edgar.¡±
A bitter smile came up, and I lowered my eyes for a moment.
¡°I¡¯ve talked a lot since I was a child. I didn¡¯t care when I was still a little girl, but when I got close to Nocton, I became concerned with the gossip that people say about him.¡±
Beyond worrying if Nocton would be hurt, I felt as if I had been attacked when I was asked why I was hanging out with him.
¡°I don¡¯t know what he really feels, it wasn¡¯t obvious, but I¡¯m getting more and more concerned about what people say¡.¡±
Even though I was worried about Nocton, one day I thought all the des would pour out to me for no reason.
Maybe it¡¯s because I stayed right next to him for too long.
There was no logic in the words of gossip about him. Even though they didn¡¯t see it in person, they talked a lot about Nocton on the premise of the Duchess¡¯s affair.
Even though he was an Edgar, no matter how much he was talked about, the vulgar story poured out casually.
It was upsetting, but it scared me.
They didn¡¯t have a reason to hate Nocton, so I could be like that at any time.
Even so, after Nocton took his ce, and the gossip was reduced, when I heard the gossip about me hanging on him, it didn¡¯t hurt my heart that much.
I didn¡¯t care about it because it was gone now, but the traces of that time seem to have remained. Despite the fact that I finally realized that the feelings I felt at the time were fear.
¡°At first, it was empathy, but I went overboard and it turned out that way too much.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been a dear friend.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t to that extent. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever told you about Nocton properly, but he wasn¡¯t a good guy even before we started falling apart.¡±
Treating as if I was a friend, he would continue to test, question, do things I didn¡¯t like on purpose and ruin things I liked.
¡°Even if I tried to be a little affectionate, my emotions quickly became thinner and farther away.¡±
Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t get things straight, so we just stayed together without being friends or others.
Taking Alice¡¯s precognitive dream as the starting point, I finally got ready to be a stranger, but it was never the way I wished it to be.
I breathed a long sigh, repelling myplicated mind.
¡°Even if nothing had happened recently, he and I might not have even been friends. Deep down, I thought Nocton didn¡¯t consider me a friend.¡±
¡°Roa, you are.¡±
Aaron, who was listening quietly, spoke to me.
¡°Did you consider His Grace a friend?¡±
¡°Is that important?¡±
¡°If you didn¡¯t consider him a friend, if he really wasn¡¯t precious to you, I¡¯d help you to be a stranger.¡±
¡°What does my feelings mean when the other person doesn¡¯t cherish me.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the other person¡¯s feelings are. The important thing is your feelings. What matters to me is not His Grace, but a friend¡¯s heart.¡±
¡°Oh, I almost felt a little fluttering right now. With a brotherly feeling.. It feels like my sister.¡±
¡°Sister¡.?¡±
¡°Never mind, it¡¯s apliment. What I felt was ¡ I don¡¯t know that either. I don¡¯t know how to define it because I have so many mixed feelings.¡±
I pressed my mouth shut.
Strangely, Nocton¡¯s face, which came to mind, looked blurred.
¡°I don¡¯t know, Aaron. I don¡¯t know what did I think of Nocton.¡±
Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions
¡°Roa?¡±
I was surprised by the voice that was calling my name.
Aaron was looking at me.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was thinking about something else.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a small thing to be distracted during a conversation, so I coughed.
¡°Anyway, I¡¯d like to hear why you want to postpone breaking off our engagement, you¡¯re not going to say ¡®I can¡¯t tell you why¡®, are you?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t tell you why?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Aaron¡¯s habit of speaking. It¡¯s meaningful, but he cuts it off before I can ask.¡±
I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t tell you why. I can¡¯t answer even if you ask in detail. That¡¯s not it. I can¡¯t tell you the details of the situation.
¡°Hahaha, what¡¯s that? That¡¯s really¡. ¡°
Alice burst intoughter at Aaron¡¯s words, but then her expression hardened. The sudden change in reaction was strange, so I looked around to see if someone appeared or made a strange sound, but nothing changed.
¡°Alice?¡±
¡°Nothing. I just remembered a person with a simr habit.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t say that anymore, so please forget about it.¡±
¡°Oh. This time, ¡®I¡¯m going to say it today¡®. Am I right?
¡°Roa¡¡±
Aaron sighed my name.
What, I am what. He said everything by his own mouth.
When I shamelessly held on without a trace of shrinkage, he resigned himself to the point.
¡°I just met Lord Edgar.¡±
Alice, who was watching the situation as if she was observing, and I, who was excited to make fun of Aaron, hardened our expressions at once.
Who did you meet?
¡°You mean, you saw him passing through the ballroom, or you exchanged greetings, right?¡±
¡°No, I got into a fight.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been training a lot since thest time ¡ Well, did you have any great enlightenment? Maybe you can swing the sword once and cut the mountain.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve done it with my own calctions, so please don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m crazy.¡±
I hope it¡¯s too much for me.
¡°Nothing really happened. There was something I wanted to test about His Grace, and I got hopeful possibilities. But I¡¯m not at the stage yet, so I can only tell you the details once I¡¯vee to a conclusion.¡±
¡°So, even if you say you will tell me someday, it¡¯s like ¡®I can¡¯t tell you why¡® right now, right?¡±
¡°¡sorry.¡±
¡°You see, you haven¡¯t changed a bit. I¡¯m a fool to believe.¡±
Aaron smiled somewhat awkwardly as I sighed out loud. Nevertheless, his mouth didn¡¯t open further, he wasn¡¯t trying to make fun of me, but he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of telling the truth either.
There¡¯s something he wants to test on Nocton, it sounds dangerous.
I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a lot better than me, but considering Alice¡¯s words and the incident in the drawing room, the difference is whether he will be killed in one second or two seconds.
To be honest, I want to stop him. He doesn¡¯t tell me the details because he can guess what I¡¯m thinking. It¡¯s hard not to know that Aaron ymore is an incredibly stubborn man.
It was true. There was no chance to stop him.
¡°What does the matter have to do with the breakup?¡±
¡°I think we need to keep our engagement to get more effective results.¡±
Why does that sound like he¡¯s trying to test Nocton¡¯s patience to the limit¡.
Maybe he¡¯lle back as a corpse.
I have a stronger desire to stop him, but Aaron may have an idea. He¡¯s the one who started the fight, so he must be confident that he will not die ¡ right?
¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but don¡¯t let me regret what happened today.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±
¡°And no matter how many times I say it, it¡¯s not enough, but please take care of yourself. Maybe in the drawing room.¡¡±
You could have been murdered. I swallowed the aftertaste with a sigh.
If he asked what was the basis for thinking so, I might not be able to answer. ¡®I saw you killed in a precognitive dream.¡¯ I can¡¯t say that crazy thing.
Aaron looked at me in wonder, but I shook my head silently. Alice nced at him, then she approached me and whispered.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t you tell him, Roa?¡±
¡°What? In the drawing room, what was about to happen at a tea party?¡±
¡°No, but that Lord Edgar is¡.¡±
She covered her mouth with her other hand and only moved her mouth.
ck magic.
I read the word and nodded my head. Yeah, that should be fine. If he knows it, it would be good to be wary.
If Aaron asked me how did I know he was a ck wizard, I didn¡¯t have anything to say, but¡.
Ah, I don¡¯t know.
Aaron is not the only one who can be silent about the reason.
¡°If you want to check on Nocton Edgar, you need to know something before that, Aaron.¡±
¡°Please tell me.¡±
¡°Nocton is a ck wizard.¡±
***
Fortunately, Aaron nodded her head without asking why.
Perhaps he knew I wouldn¡¯t answer. After parting ways with Aaron who had more work to do, Alice and I headed to our mansions. I got on the Limorand¡¯s carriage because it was in the same direction until the middle, and there was something we need to talk about.
The topic to talk about was the white crystal, who was broken in vain.
¡°Of the relics that could be obtained personally, that was the best. Most of those are kept in the exhibition. Maybe I should try to get holy water.¡±
¡°Um, holy water, you know.¡±
¡°You said he drank a ss of holy water and vomited blood. Wouldn¡¯t that be possible?¡±
¡°I mean, I still don¡¯t understand why he drank the holy water.¡±
Althought Nocton said he did that to confirm there was no poison, I couldn¡¯t believe it.
¡°Anyway, don¡¯t be too hasty. Everything was fine. It¡¯s just a little ¡ I just saw it. Of course, Aaron vomited blood, but it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±
¡°Thank you forforting me, but Roa, you can say that because you haven¡¯t seen my dream. I want to find a solution as soon as possible. I don¡¯t want to be killed in vain.¡±
Alice was tantly nervous.
I didn¡¯t notice it on the balcony, but I think she was greatly shocked by the broken crystal.
In fact, her position itself is different from mine.
Now I had no intention of iming that Nocton Edgar is innocent, but I never felt the threat of life directly. There was no clear reality, even thoughI was scared and I imagined that I would be killed sometimes.
I don¡¯t know why, but he did not touch me despite the fact that he was obsessed with me. On the contrary, when the railing of the balcony copsed, he saved me even though it hurt himself.
But Alice will be different. Even if it was a dream, since she witnessed herself being murdered, she would be dozens or hundreds of times more afraid than I painted vaguely.
Why was Alice murdered in the first ce? ording to the original story, Nocton would rather have to save Alice.
Since I drank the Memoria¡¯s Seal, I have learned the original, but the confusion has not gone away.
A lot was going awry.
Nocton broke his engagement with Alice, and he didn¡¯t seem to be particrly interested in power.
He¡¯s just unexpectedly obsessed with me.
If so, was it because of me that Nocton killed Alice in her dream?
If Alice wasn¡¯t next to me, she wouldn¡¯t have had to go through this. She didn¡¯t have to be afraid of being killed.
I wanted to appease myself with excessive spection, but what I said was another word.
¡°Sorry.¡±
¡°Huh? Oh, no. I know you didn¡¯t take this lightly, but you tried tofort me. I did it because I was a little sensitive, I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I said. It¡¯s just¡.¡±
I think this all happened because of me.
Not just the thoughts, Aaron was actually hurt by me.
Considering that what happened in the drawing room was a transformed tea party, then Alice would have been killed for the same reason. Although my thoughts kept getting gloomy, I didn¡¯t want to talk about the change of emotion myself.
I shook my head silently at Alice who looked at me suspiciously.
For a moment of silence, Alice sighed.
¡°I¡¯ve never been so eager for dreams as I am these days.¡±
She leaned against the wall of the carriage and stretched her shoulders. Her body shook along the asional rattling carriage.
¡°I wish the foresight would show his weakness. If I had that dream only once, everything would be fine.¡±
¡°Well, that would be great. It would be possible if you¡¯re lucky.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been there so far. If there¡¯s anything I need, if there¡¯s a risk I should avoid, I definitely dreamt about it. So it¡¯lle out again this time. I can¡¯t wait to dream.¡±
¡°Even if it¡¯s not a dream, you¡¯ll find a good way.¡±
Maybe nothing will happen.
I mumbled something in my mouth because it was contradicted by Alice a little while ago.
In fact, I didn¡¯t think that anything would happen.
As long as Nocton is the viin of < He and Alice >, as long as he is obsessed with me, as long as Alice is my friend.
My intuition doesn¡¯t fit well, so I wish I¡¯d be wrong this time.
Both of us lost in our own thoughts, and we were in silence for a while.
Looking outside, it seemed that the carriage was almost at a crossroads. It¡¯s time to transfer to Valrose¡¯s carriage.
Thinking so, Alice called me.
¡°Roa, you¡¯ve seen a lot of knights, right?¡±
¡°Huh? Knight?¡±
¡°I¡¯m a little unfamiliar to them because I¡¯ve only been in the capital for less than a year, but the way the knights speak is ¡ is it as hard as Sir ymore?¡±
¡°Aaron? It¡¯s simr, but Aaron is a little more polite, and he¡¯s quite sensible But why?¡±
Why are you asking me about Aaron all of a sudden?
I looked up to the expectations, but Alice¡¯s expression was no different than usual. With a slight tilt of the head, she only looked like someone with light curiosity.
¡°No, anyway, he¡¯s engaged to you, and you he looks pretty friendly, but he talks like that. When you look at the knights on Limorand, they¡¯re really fun to be around and have fun.¡±
¡°Well, he can¡¯t do it because he is a ymore.¡±
¡°Is that so? Oh, right, Roa. You¡¯re not going to the tea party hosted by Marquis Bornaine¡¯s daughter, right?¡±
At Alice¡¯s words, I recalled a schedule I had forgotten for a while. Not long before today¡¯s ball was held, an invitation to a tea party came from Sheryl Bornaine.
It was the first invitation that flew in as soon as the news spread that the engagement between Nocton and Alice had been broken, I didn¡¯t reply because I could see what was the intention.
She just sent me an invitation to scratch my insides, and she wouldn¡¯t have really expected me toe.
But.
¡°I was nning not to go, but I¡¯m going.¡±
¡°What? I¡¯ve already refused.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t go. You don¡¯t have to go because you¡¯re the person of the rumor.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the same for Roa¡.¡±
¡°Sheryl Bornaine, she was brainwashed by Nocton.¡±
Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
Alice stopped talking and looked at me in surprise.
Yes, I should have told her this earlier, but I was so absorbed in other things that I forgot. We already know that Nocton Edgar is messing with people¡¯s minds, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if there was another victim named Sheryl Bornaine.
As for me, who had been at odds with her for year and mocked her for being rejected by Nocton, I couldn¡¯t take it lightly.
¡°I heard it directly from Nocton Edgar. I think I have to go because it bothers me.¡±
When I said that with a bitter smile, Alice patted me on the shoulder without a word.
***
The next day, a gift arrived from Nocton.
There was arge white crystal in the box. It¡¯s bigger than the one Alice gave me, and it¡¯s got a higher purity.
I was surprised to see the contents, and my heart sank as I spected what was his reason for sending this.
To me, the white crystal seemed to be an expression of confidence. Nocton Edgar¡¯s confidence that whatever relics I prepare, it will not work on him
Additionally, I¡¯m sure that Nocton¡¯s obsession with me is not over.
I wasn¡¯t afraid. After confessing my fears directly to him, my heart became rather calm. Now, just thinking of his face did not make my heart pound, nor my hands tremble.
Maybe I felt that I had been assured of my safety because I was saved by him even after scratching his guts so far.
I still couldn¡¯t understand Nocton.
Why are you obsessed with me, why do you say I¡¯m special now?
Why did you approach Alice and why did your engagement fall apart so easily?
What are you nning and what future you are drawing?
A long line of questions still remains unsolved. Maybe the day when the knot will be untied will note forever.
Nevertheless, I was no longer curious about those things.
As soon as he admitted that he tried to kill Aaron, Alice¡¯s dream was given unparalleled authority, and our friendship that stuck to whether it was a memory or a lingering memory fell down there.
I nced at the relic and called Sadie.
¡°Sadie.¡±
¡°Yes, mydy.¡±
¡°Take all this away.¡±
The holy water he brought the day after the tea party, the relic that had juste, and the few items that I had previously received from him or brought, were all put in arge box and removed from my sight.
Perhaps, there will never be a day to open those meaningless items again.
***
The carriage stopped silently in front of the enormous and quaint Duke Edgar¡¯s residence, the secondrgest residence in the capital after the Imperial Pce.
The family¡¯s emblem were not engraved and there were no distinctive features, but it was quite a luxurious carriage.
The door opened and a tall man got off. He approached the guards staring straight at him with cloudy eyes.
¡°It¡¯s Aaron ymore. I made an appointment with the Duke Edgar, so open the gate.¡±
¡°Let me check.¡±
Aaron took a deep breath, recalling what had happened a while ago.
It happened at the canceled Imperial ball, when he followed Nocton Edgar from the balcony. Aaron told Duke Edgar, who has been threatening him, to try it if he can.
Then he said,
¡°Try it if I can¡?¡±
Surprisingly stunned, Duke Edgar repeated what he heard.
Aaron was so nervous to the point his fingertips went numb, but thanks to his recent concentration on training, Aaron was able to pretend to be calm.
Aaron ymore was aware that he was doing something dangerous.
Even though he had focused on training for a month, the difference in skills wasn¡¯t enough to fill in that time.
However, he wanted to test the Duke even if he took risks.
When he vomited blood in the drawing room, was it really the Duke¡¯s intention to keep Roa safe? If so, how does Nocton Edgar truly think of Roa?
At that time, he could see with his eyes that the Duke was obsessed with Roa, but it had to be clear whether it was as a precious person or an obsession in the possessive sense.
When they talked about Nocton Edgar, Roa Valrose, his friend¡¯s expression looked so forlorn.
¡°I don¡¯t understand why you believe in such a thing. You must have gotten a character that would appear in a heroic novel.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe in swords. I believe in Roa.¡±
The Duke¡¯s face sank at the provocative words.
It wasn¡¯t a good look, but it¡¯s also a trick to see that he can be more brutal over there.
To ease the tension, Aaron deliberately took it lightly. Nevertheless, his fingertips moved unknowingly looking for his sword.
He spoke again before the Duke¡¯s patience reached its limit.
¡°Just in case, If I were killed here and found dead, who would the suspect be?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°The day we met at the Marquis Valrose¡¯s residence, I know Your Grace even had the intention of killing me when you threatened me.¡±
And maybe, if you hadn¡¯t vomited blood for some sort of thing, you might have ended my life.
¡°You didn¡¯t mean to do it. You¡¯ve had the chance to kill me since then, but I¡¯m still alive. You were provoked by Roa¡¯s words and acted impulsively.¡±
¡°Is that what you believe? Because I was looking at Valrose, you don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to touch even the tip of your hair?¡±
His eyes, which were looking at him, turned downward. Because the gaze was facing the floor, half of the pupils were covered with darkshes.
Nocton Edgar seemed to be worried about something.
Aaron may not have the ability to look into other people¡¯s minds, but it was clear that the worries contained in those dimly lit eyes woulde to life.
Aaron¡¯s cor rose and fell quietly.
¡°It¡¯s not pleasant, but it¡¯s a good cheap guess. Even so, it is only right for a person who has revealed his weaknesses like you to take care of himself.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the same that you can¡¯t touch the daughter of Duke Limorand.¡±
¡°Now you don¡¯t have the intention to hide that name.¡±
¡°If you can¡¯t do anything to me, it will be the same for the Duke¡¯s daughter. No, it would be harder to touch her.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure, isn¡¯t that what you want to believe, Sir?¡±
The Duke twisted his lips as if he wereughing at Aaron, pretending not to be nervous and calm.
¡°As you said, the thing I did in the drawing room was a mistake. But I didn¡¯t let you live because you were special or engaged to Valrose. I haven¡¯t killed anyone so far, and I¡¯m nning to continue doing so.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±
¡°But, Sir ymore, there¡¯s always a method that is even more lethal than death. Please don¡¯t be relieved. There are endless kinds of misfortunes.¡±
Having said that, the Duke of Edgar bit himself.
The words were harsh and his eyes glowed, but nothing happened, unlike in the drawing room. Despite all the provocation and rasping, the only thing that Nocton Edgar had done was ying cold.
Aaron didn¡¯t get hurt a finger.
Because there¡¯s a ballroom right in front of them? Because there¡¯s a lot of aristocrats at the ballroom? Because the Imperial family is about to enter?
Inmon sense, the answer would be one of them, but Aaron ymore was convinced that there was another reason for the Duke to spare his life.
Roa Valrose, the answer was her.
If he cherished Roa as a possession, Aaron himself would have been held responsible for scratching the inside of the Duke in any way.
But nothing happened.
Evidently, Nocton Edgar was looking at Roa.
He doesn¡¯t know yet if he should say it¡¯s a good thing.
¡°I will see Your Grace soon at your residence.¡±
¡°Maybe a blizzard night will be nice. I will allow you to share your sympathy in front of the gate.¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t like the engagement between me and Roa, you¡¯d better open the gate. I¡ª¡±
¡°What subject you put in your mouth, your engagement with her?¡±
Aaron fell down with a silent scream. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the naked eye, but he felt a burning pain in his right hand.
He was soaked with cold sweat. But the pain that made him even think was a moment.
From the crystal stuck in his neck, a fresh force came out and flocked to Aaron¡¯s right hand. White magic devoured ck pain and brought Aaron¡¯s spirit back from hell to reality.
In his head that stopped white, his thoughts continued again.
¡®Is this a curse¡.? The ne seems to have driven away the magic, but the ne Alice gave me is¡¡¯
Just barely breathing, while Aaron groaned, Nocton Edgar approached.
¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken, Sir ymore. You don¡¯t have a choice.¡±
He stomped on Aaron¡¯s right hand without hesitation with his feet. It wasn¡¯t enough to break the bones of his hand, but it was enough to bruise.
Aaron¡¯s face was distorted by the sensation of his own flesh.
¡°Roa ¡ do you know why she¡¯s engaged to me?¡±
Aaron clenched his teeth, grabbed the Duke¡¯s ankle with his left hand and pushed him. The young man narrowed his eyes, retreating more easily than he thought.
The pain was alleviated thanks to the unknown crystal, but the hellish pain was too intense for a moment. Aaron¡¯s body was still trembling. Because of that, he got up with some difficulty.
¡°You speak as if there is any special reason, I know that it¡¯s because the conditions were right¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s because of Your Grace.¡±
Immediately afterward, he swung his fist at the Duke¡¯s face. The young man¡¯s head turned when his fist, which had been crushed by his feet, struck his pale chin.
The Duke smiled in vain, with blood all around his mouth.
¡°Yeah ¡ there was that ne, indeed.¡±
While Nocton Edgar was talking to himself, Aaron took a step back and stood guard.
He thought he would attack again immediately, but the Duke only wiped the blood with the back of his hand and looked calmer than before.
Is he not being sensitive to pain?
Aaron shook his numb hands and opened his mouth again.
¡°I will tell you the details in the Duke¡¯s residence.¡±
¡°Who told you I¡¯d let you in?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll tell you one thing first, I don¡¯t have any regrets about my engagement. But, if Your Grace ask me to break it, I¡¯ll do it. Of course, without anyone being hurt.¡±
He was going to announce the breakup today, but Aaron had the gall to say as if he were prating Roa¡¯s inner thoughts.
In fact, it wasn¡¯t even a lie, as she agreed to break the engagement without much bacsh.
The young Duke raised his eyebrows slightly, and red at the white crystal in Aaron¡¯s neck, discontented with something.
After a brief confrontation, he breathed a sigh.
Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
It meant consent.
¡°I understand.¡±
He has only taken one step.
Aaron thought so, but the Duke approached him. Aaron looked at him with his eyes slightly drawn, as he did not seem to change his words very soon, and there was no sign of bloodshed.
Then, by the time the distance was narrowed by one step, the Duke suddenly kicked Aaron¡¯s stomach.
Kugh, grabbing his stomach, Aaron bent his back.
¡°This is, what¡.¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m in a bad mood.¡±
Even though he was only beaten by one.
Rather than feeling painful to be hit, Aaron looked up because he was dumbfounded, but the Duke had already lost interest in him and turned away.
Aaron had no brothers, but what to say, at that moment, Nocton Edgar looked like an immature younger brother.
He¡¯d rather not have such a scary brother.
Still, he was a little less nervous now because he saw such a human aspect.
As he took a long sigh while organizing his thoughts, the guard who went inside came out.
¡°His Grace has given his permission.¡±
Soon the gate of the mansion opened.
***
The Eastern Duchy of the Empire, Faust.
The wealthiestnd in the Empire has been Edgar¡¯s since its founding. It was such an oldnd, and the Duke Castle built on it has been there for a long time.
As is the case with castles that have passed many masters, the Duke Castle in Faust also had many secret spaces.
Patricia Edgar, who set up an office in one of those room, was getting a report from Yusis, who came to thend together with her.
¡°Braman¡¯s been attacked.¡±
¡°It¡¯s toote to notice. I¡¯m sorry, Lady Patricia.¡±
¡°We knew he¡¯s going to be caught anyway. It¡¯s rather amazing that he¡¯s endured it so far. Is Terrops Andante still missing?¡±
¡°Yes, he left the Count¡¯s residence and disappeared.¡±
¡°If so, then he must be grasping him. I was wondering if he could figure out anything.¡±
Patricia Edgar pped andughed. She couldn¡¯t stand it because it was so pleasant. She did not check it with her own eyes, but she was delighted with the assurance that things were going her way.
¡°Do you know when people are at their brightest moment, Yusis?¡±
After asking the question, she answered without the sight of listening to him.
¡°It was when they grew up less. When they think they¡¯re all grown up, everything seems funny. When they do not know how many, and they think that they have found out all the tricks of others just by finding it.¡±
That way, even though it¡¯s a young kid in the eyes of others.
Stretchingly, she grabbed the cup on her desk. The water floating on the white grain shook the cup as it tilted. Taking a sip, Patricia beckoned. It was a signal to continue the report.
¡°I¡¯m finished with the preparations you mentioned and we¡¯re ready to move to the capital. Now, if we just solve the brainwashing of the Duke¡ª¡±
¡°Floyd and Dansha? Why do we need to solve the problem already? You¡¯ll only get caught if you take them. Leave them behind.¡±
¡°¡.Alright.¡±
It sounded cruel, but Yusis lowered his head without saying much.
Losing interest in him, Patricia began to think about the Nocton Edgar.
When his ck magic was discovered, he trembled as if he was driven to the edge of the cliff. but soon afterward, he took the mind of everyone in the Duke¡¯s mansion.
After being hypnotized while trying to hand over the holy water, Patricia was unable to escape from the brainwashing. Had her not been assisted by a ck wizard, she would never have been able to regain her reason.
Even after the brainwashing on her was broken, most of the others were brainwashed, so it was unreasonable to fight back.
Patricia pretended to be brainwashed, and the moment Nocton decided to send Edgar¡¯s direct line to Faust, it was best to seek the future n on thisnd.
Tilting the cup, Patricia murmured to herself.
¡°It¡¯s about time.¡±
Having already had a record, she knew that the current Duke could not be overpowered by force.
Therefore, Patricia was preparing a more reliable way.
Yes, for example, taking Nocton Edgar¡¯s opposite, Roa Valros as hostage.
It would have been nice if she weren¡¯t the second daughter of Valrose House, she briefly bit her tongue, recalling the face of the beloved child.
Valrose was never an easy family.
They¡¯ve been in power for a long time, even though not as long as Edgar¡¯s, and they have held the post of the prime minister twice.
She doesn¡¯t know what Nocton Edgar was whispering about, but there are dozens of secret escorts attached to the child when she leaves the mansion.
At least now, Patricia couldn¡¯t take the Valrose¡¯s youngest daughter away.
Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t watching her now.
Now, he¡¯s trying to pretend she¡¯s not precious to him. A treasure should be put in his arms and kept, but the young Duke was terrified and trembled.
So even though it¡¯s a bit tricky, it wasn¡¯t something that Patricia couldn¡¯t handle at all.
¡°Didn¡¯t Daaz say anything?¡±
¡°Nothing was said. As always, I just said that the sun was going to fall.¡±
The sun, it¡¯s an undeserved term for a helpless scarecrow.
Nevertheless, when she was in a good mood like now, she couldugh at the mere words. She lifted the cup she was ying with, like champagne.
¡°For the Emperor¡¯s unscathed death and the glory of Edgar.¡±
Patricia Edgar smiled cheerfully.
Even so, the burning emotion in her eyes was neither joy nor pleasure, but hatred.
***
It¡¯s been a while since I went to a tea party.
Ever since I was invited by Nocton, I haven¡¯t felt so good everytime I heard the word tea party.
I was surprised at my return to tea party activities, but there was someone in front of me who was more surprised at the appearance of Roa Valrose than anyone else.
It was Sheryl Bornaine.
Rather than a hostess weing the guests, the youngdy of Bornaine greeted me with a sour face, like a master who met a beggar.
¡°I never thought you would reallye. Lady Roa, do you have any thoughts? No, is it too much shock that you¡¯ve broken your head?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t know you would wee me that far. Thank you very much, Lady Sheryl. Oh, of course, you invited me to this tea party.¡±
¡°Have you forgotten the Imperialnguage?¡±
¡°My head is fine. How sweet of you to worry about myfort.¡±
With an impassive face to the stunned Bornaine, I shrugged my shoulders, and I headed to the table with my name on it. I sent a reply saying that I would attend, but I sent it a bit urgently and she didn¡¯t even think that I would reallye, so my cement was not very sincere.
A youngdy that I¡¯ve never even spoken to¡ªthe look with her head down looked like she wasn¡¯t happy with her current arrangement, and the young lord of Elford, and¡.
¡°Lady Sheryl was sitting next to me.¡±
¡°How splendid.¡±
Sheryl Bornaine sat next to me and grumbled.
¡°Are you feeling better?¡±
¡°Yes, you came tough at me who fell down in the middle of the ballroom.¡±
¡°Lady Sheryl. I knowdy¡¯s personality is unsightly twisted, but isn¡¯t it too much. Nobody pays me if Iugh at you, so why should I do that at someone else¡¯s tea party? Look at the world a little nicely.¡±
¡°You¡¯re speaking without dignity. How can I take a nice look at Lady Roa?¡±
¡°Because I was close to Nocton? Do you still like Nocton?¡±
¡°Lady Roa¡ª¡±
As Sheryl Bornaine tried to get up from her seat, a clear bell rang. It was a bell to announce that all the invited people had arrived. In other words, it was time for the organizer to start the tea party.
It wasn¡¯t necessary for the host of a small tea party to have a grand procedure. Sheryl Bornaine rose, hiding her angry expression.
She thanked everyone who attended, introduced the tea that was served to the party, and ordered the servants to prepare refreshments. The process seemed very skillful.
If my memory serves me right, she was one of the nobles who held tea parties the most.
While I was eating the cookies, Bornaine sat down on my side after finishing her duty.
Just as there was no process of getting up in the middle, the words we were sharing just now naturally continued.
¡°You have be very confident because His Grace openly sided with you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not because of him that I¡¯m confident. Rather, I was going to say something else on the spot.¡±
¡°Something else?¡±
¡°Congrattions, I¡¯m no longer a friend of Nocton Edgar. ¡°
¡°¡.Are you having a marriage talk with His Grace?¡±
I almost spat out my tea.
¡°Oh, please. Can¡¯t you stop saying that? In a literal sense. Now I¡¯m going to clean up my rtionship with Nocton Edgar!¡±
¡°You still call him by his name.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a good point. I used the honorific title in front of others as much as possible, I couldn¡¯t tell the difference. And if Duke Edgar is to be dismissed in the future, it¡¯s not going to be a big deal.¡±
¡°Are you serious about this?¡±
¡°If you¡¯re going to ask me for the truth, just skip the nonsense.¡±
¡°Then that day, His Grace spoke for someone he had nothing to do with?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve caused confusion to Lady Sheryl because I didn¡¯t tell you the details. To be exact, I¡¯m the one who decided to clean up our rtionship, and he might have different opinions. Not yet.¡±
Out of breath from the prolonged conversation, I stopped talking for a moment.
Then, before Sheryl Bornaine can make sarcastic remarks, I hurried to the points.
¡°How long will itst, though, as Lady Sheryl has been saying, this rtionship isn¡¯t that precious to him.¡±
After an easy hit, there was a moment of silence.
Sheryl Bornaine opened her eyes wide as if she was trying to see through my inner thoughts.
She looked like a detective.
I had nothing to be bothered about, so I shrugged my shoulders and tilted my cup as if it were obvious. The ck tea is so thick, I don¡¯t like strong tea either.
¡°Looks like Sir ymore became the cause.¡±
¡°It has nothing to do with Aaron. Aaron is ¡ I¡¯ll ask you again, Lady Sheryl. Nocton ¡ do you like His Grace Duke Edgar?¡±
¡°What a peculiar long title.¡±
She just corrected my mistake of using the title, but it¡¯s too much.
She fixed her eyes, contemting the answer, then suddenly she looked up.
¡°Why should I tell Lady Roa about that?¡±
¡°You noticed! That¡¯s an incredibly urate point.¡±
¡°And I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s important to like and not like anyone in this world.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I mean. I thought some of you who often talk to me didn¡¯t think so¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me!¡±
Sheryl Bornaine shouted loudly, but she didn¡¯t look hurt. Every asional encounter with Bornaine, she always raised her voice, but her heart was clear.
With Nocton as the topic, she scratched me for not knowing the topic and bit me if there was anything to attack, and she was angry and distressed enough to go too far if I used Nocton to counterattack.
It was an intense and obvious love that was only seen in novels and ys.
But that love is¡.
¡®To be precise, he told you to love him.¡¯
Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
The story I heard from Nocton came up.
He said he took away the brainwash on her. Yeah, Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s love was created by magic. By magic, you could even control a person¡¯s mind. I could see why they punished people who learned ck magic in the past.
¡°Now you don¡¯t have a heart for him anymore.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±
¡°Did you have a heart when you approached His Grace?¡±
¡°Hey, Lady Roa.¡±
¡°His face is pretty, but he looks lonely without a person approaching him, so if you act nice a little, you would be able to y him. That¡¯s what you said.¡±
¡°When did that happen¡ª! Who said that? Katie? Everance? Don¡¯t tell me, is it Roziks?¡±
¡°You¡¯re the one who said it, Lady Sheryl. I was just resting on the balcony and I picked up an unexpectedly scary words.¡±
¡°Balcony ¡ yes. I didn¡¯t look around when I was a kid. His Grace¡ªdid you tell him?¡±
He knew it even if I didn¡¯t tell him.
I didn¡¯t have to add the story, so I shook my head. Her face was already turned pale.
¡°Is that so. Well done. It was a childhood thing. It was an immature nonsense. That¡¯s what everyone does. Speak immoral words and bluff ¡ I didn¡¯t really think of putting it into practice¡.¡±
As she uttered gibberish, Sheryl¡¯s voice grew higher and louder. It was difficult because I was whispering so that people at the same table could not hear our conversation.
I quietly nced at the other two at the table, the Viscount¡¯s daughter and Lord Elford, to evoke Sheryl Bornaine of her surroundings.
Oops, she breathed in for a moment.
¡°So, was that why you got close to him?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to approach him! On my way back from the party, my mother went to the Duchess for work and I had no choice but to follow her. It¡¯s been weird since then that I started liking him¡.¡±
To say that Sheryl Bornaine liked her Nocton was nothing new, but she bit her lips as if admitting her feelings irritated her.
¡°Yes, I like him, I liked him, to be precise. That¡¯s possible. His appearance and conditions are not bad. I¡¯m not saying I like him now, but I used to.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±
¡°I know I¡¯ll look ridiculous to you, but I really don¡¯t like him anymore. Something that was once so good about him on my mind was gone like a lie¡..¡±
Sheryl bit her lips. Fear was shed on her whitened face. I felt familiar with her expression of fear. This is the face I saw from Alice.
Fear, dread, and anxiety spread by Nocton Edgar.
Looking at her face, I felt a sense of unity and, oddly enough, I felt guilty.
What he did had nothing to do with me, I didn¡¯t even know, but it caused a subtle guilt that I had been close to him at that time and I had him in mind as a friend until recently.
It may be because of the long time I spent with Nocton. Just as the rumorc against Nocton became my fear, I may be mistaken that his sins have my share.
Even though I thought so rationally, I opened my mouth, unable to suppress the bloated guilt.
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°¡.for questioning Lady Sheryl, I¡¯m trying to pry into your heart.¡±
¡°Lady Roa, you have a knack for making people weird. I¡¯ve also pressed and used you, but I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong. Don¡¯t try to make me feel guilty.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s not that, don¡¯t speak in that way. Do as you always do. Be sarcastic, don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve be so weak.¡±
Sheryl Bornaine stared at me with an ufortable face. I didn¡¯t intend to bother her, so I purposely raised the tone of my voice a little.
¡°I¡¯m not trying to be weak, I¡¯m asking for reconciliation. The reason we don¡¯t get along is because of one person.¡±
Then I took out the box I brought and handed it over to her.
¡°You don¡¯t like him anymore, and I¡¯m thinking of getting rid of him. What, I don¡¯t mean to be friends, you don¡¯t have to be so appalled.¡±
The object I brought as a gift was a famous cookie made by Robolt. Due to theck of quantity to make and the strict storage method, it was a snack that was hard to taste unless you go directly to Robolt. I didn¡¯t really like it because it was salty.
Seeing the box I brought out, Sheryl Bornaine raised her eyebrows and smiled.
¡°I go to Robolt every year at the end of the year. I ate this cookie so often that I had enough. It¡¯s a gift, so I¡¯ll take it.¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s an honor to ept it. But the end of every year? The party that we recalled earlier was in early January.¡±
¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s Count Alfei¡¯s birthday party. It was mid-December.¡±
¡°¡.I remember it as a party to celebrate the Viscount¡¯s remarriage.¡±
¡°Your memory must be wrong. You think a Duke¡¯s heir will go to a Viscount¡¯s remarriage party?¡±
¡°Did you say His Grace was there?¡±
¡°Certainly, I can¡¯t believe I mocked someone who wasn¡¯t even there. What nonsense are you talking about, you have been attached to His Grace since that party.¡±
The party when I first spoke to Nocton was held in December, and the party when I heard of Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s gossip was held in January. I drank the Memoria¡¯s Seal recently, so I have a clear memory.
However, ording to Bornaine, the day I spoke to Nocton was the same day she spoke ill of him.
And right after I approached Nocton, I heard Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s words, ¡®How can she insulted my friend¡¯, I got angry and thought ¡®But my way of thinking is the same.¡¯. In the end, I felt guilty.
That¡¯s how much affection I¡¯ve built up in just a few hours?
¡°Nheless, I need to go around the table. As the tea party organizer, it¡¯s a very undignified thing to have a chat only with you.¡±
While I was in confusion, Sheryl Bornaine stood up.
This person must have mistaken something.
I went on a trip a littlete that year¡.
Something was unclear, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal, so I just nodded.
As soon as she left, someone immediately knocked on the table.
It was Roziks Elford, a skinny tall man with blue hair, an eternal loyal dog to Sheryl Bornaine. Since before, he had been ncing over here in a fit of impatience to interfere, so I expected this to happen.
¡°What did you say to Bornaine¡¯s youngdy?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t call her Sheryl anymore.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t y with words.¡±
Pretending to be calm, he cut off my words, but a fiery heat rose on his face. I have no idea whether he is shy or angry.
Both.
I gazed at his face with the intention of teasing Roziks Elford.
Because of Nocton, Aaron, and Alroy¡ªit¡¯s strange to say Alroy too, but Alroy was better known for being handsome than pretty. I was so used to the handsome faces that I was not impressed by it anymore, but he looked fine. Fine enough to go along with Sheryl Bornaine, who is quite a beauty.
I thought he was close to Bornaine because their dirty personality matched well. I haven¡¯t really thought about it seriously. However, judging by the way he acted when she copsed, and now, it seems that acting like a puppy with upright hair is not just based on a pure friendship.
¡°I don¡¯t think what I said to the Bornaine¡¯s youngdy is something I¡¯d have to tell the young lord of Elford about.¡±
¡°What is it.¡±
¡°You, you like her. The Bornaine¡¯s youngdy¡ª¡±
Roziks Elford pped like a carp that had just been picked up.
Though he did not side the cup, but the water in the teacup spattered everywhere.
His reaction, it¡¯s really fun.
The Viscount¡¯s esteemed daughter, who sat next to him and didn¡¯t open her mouth once before, got up from her seat, shouting to call her maid. She seems to have wanted to get out of this position quite a bit.
¡°¡ªthe tea you prepared. I¡¯m so surprised.¡±
¡°Eek¡ª¡±
¡°Wow, you must have helped the Bornaine¡¯s youngdy over the matters of Nocton with jealousy. Like a pushover, you have to be a saint.¡±
¡°Valrose¡¯s youngdy!¡±
¡°I¡¯m talking to myself, talking to myself.¡±
¡°I¡¯m really not, really¡ª! Listen when a person speaks!¡±
Listen when you speak, is that what you¡¯re going to say?
When he said he didn¡¯t like Nocton, Roziks Elford needs to reflect on what he said.
Near my mouth I mumbled to myself, not holding back myughter.
¡°You are.¡±
¡°Valrose¡¯s youngdy!¡±
***
Attending Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s tea party was due toplex emotions.
She had suffered frombrainwashing for a long time, so can she have any serious aftereffects? It bothered me so I wanted to make sure it was really what Nocton Edgar said.
As a result, what he said was true, and she seemed safe. She doesn¡¯t seem to have lost her mind and she seems a little afraid of Nocturne, so she won¡¯t even try to approach him further.
That¡¯s why I don¡¯t have to worry about Bornaine¡¯s safety.
I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m worried about this. I¡¯m not close to Sheryl Bornaine, I didn¡¯t encourage him to brainwash her, and I¡¯m thinking of cutting my ties with Nocton Edgar now.
I shook my head a couple of times, shaking off my thoughts, and I could feel a nce at me.
It was Alroy.
¡°Are you listening, Ruru?¡±
¡°Ah, I¡¯m listening, Alroy. So you decided to burn Terrops Andante?¡±
¡°I¡¯d love to, mentally, but the only thing that was legally seeded was the breakup. Regrettably, you couldn¡¯t hear what I said by mouth, and only listening to what I said with my heart.¡±
¡°All I have to do is listen to something. Now, should we look for a new fianc¨¦ candidate?¡±
¡°To my surprise, I mentioned that a little while ago. The second son of Count Elford, Roziks Elford.¡±
¡°Ah, Roziks Elford.¡±
In any manner, the Count is extremely fond of his second son. I nodded my head insincerely and I popped the soup with a breath.
Wait a minute, what?
¡°Roziks Elford?¡±
¡°Yes, I don¡¯t like it that much this time, but he¡¯s better than Tertops. At least in terms of appearance, he¡¯s pretty good. I don¡¯t know what my appearance will be like as a partner.¡±
¡°Hold on, seriously? You¡¯re engaged to Roziks Elford? I have to be a family with a dog?¡±
¡°Has there ever been a turbulence between you and him? Have a rtionship or something¡ª¡±
¡°Do not joke!¡±
As I screamed at a terrible joke, I choked, and I hurriedly grabbed the ss next to me.
However, it was champagne. My throat was sore and it got worse.
Aside from the pain, it¡¯s disgraceful to drink champagne while talking about Roziks Elford.
Clicked her tongue, Alroy gave me a ss.
I inadvertently tried to drink it again, and when I found out that what was inside was the same as I had drank a little while ago¡ªchampagne¡ªI crushed Alroy¡¯s feet.
Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
¡°Ok, you¡¯re healthy today.¡±
¡°Alroy, is collectingndmines your hobby? While searching for a fianc¨¦, what kind of ws are there this time?¡±
¡°I did some background check this time, but nothing came out.¡±
¡°Nothing¡¯sing up? That can¡¯t be right? Roziks Elford¡.!¡±
I was going to shout the subject in high spirits and talk about his ws one after another, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything. He is a tough talker, a follower of Sheryl Bornaine, taunts and sneers at those who he doesn¡¯t even know well, and he makes a false rumor.
He¡¯s noisy.
There are a lot of personality ws, but there are no serious problems.
For example, as Terrops Andante did, cheating on her or revealing that he likes another woman¡.
Oh, liking a woman, a woman.
¡°The esteemed son of Count Elford likes someone else. Are you going to marry a guy who likes another girl?¡±
¡°What ¡ I didn¡¯t expect that toe out of your mouth, Roa.¡±
I shuddered at her shrugging shoulders. I have nothing to say about that.
Aaron also likes other woman.
But I was thinking of breaking our engagement before the marriage, and I¡¯m still going to end it, and it was only a little dyed¡.
And Alroy doesn¡¯t know that Aaron likes anyone else, does she?
A series of excuses that Alroy could not hear flowed into my mind.
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, but I have to pay attention. Elford is fine.¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine? What in the world are the standards?¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s not a greedy family, and Count Elford is a wise person. If the other person doesn¡¯t reject it, I¡¯m not interested in whoever he likes. But if they meet again after marriage, it will be a problem.¡±
As long as he has the ability to make offspring, it¡¯s fine.
I couldn¡¯tugh at all at the natural joke.
¡°Still, Alroy!¡±
¡°I know he said a lot of mean things to you.¡±
¡°You know¡.¡±
¡°In fact, that¡¯s why I put him on the top list of potential candidates.¡±
Alroy smiled affectionately. It was a strange dark smile.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll educate him well.¡±
Aside from whether educate is a good word for a fiance, it at least matched well as if it were a pair with Alroy¡¯s smile.
***
Aaron headed to where Edgar¡¯s butler guided him.
He thought he would head to the parlor of the main building, but the ce where his footstep was heading was an annex, deep inside the mansion. It was as neat and antique as any other ce in the mansion, but the more he went, the atmosphere became dreary and deste.
As he walked, he fidgeted with his sword in his waist.
Aaron did not fully believe Nocton Edgar, but he came to his mansion. To know the Duke¡¯s true intentions and to mediate between Roa and the Duke.
Roa, it was clear that even if she denied it, she still had feelings for the Duke.
It must be deeper than mere affection.
Otherwise, she would not have been so afraid to talk to him face to face, approached him when he vomited blood, looked after his safety, talked on the balcony, then cried her eyes out.
Although Roa¡¯s most intense feelings for the Duke are fear, nothing else can be ignored.
That¡¯s not the way it should be.
¡°I don¡¯t know, Aaron. I don¡¯t know what did I think of Nocton.¡±
On the day Aaron proposed their separation, she said she didn¡¯t know her heart, but Aaron was able to get a glimpse into it. Roa was vaguely sad when she thought Nocton Edgar was just a viin, if he really cherishes her, there will be a way to turn back even if the path is rough.
Even though he knew it was too much, Aaron thought so. Because he had a light heart to do something for her.
An image of someone came to his mind.
Alice Limorand. A friend of Roa Valrose¡.
¡°Ed, you know who I am, right? You know, you notice.¡±
¡°Alice, I am.¡±
¡°But pretend you don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know who you are and it¡¯s unfair that only you know me. Please do that, if you can¡¯t, I can¡¯t meet you anymore.¡±
The person that Aaron loves.
¡°If I may, I¡¯ll swear it as a knight¡¯s oath.¡±
Aaronughed bitterly, recalling what he had said in Ernhardt. He regretted his oath at that time. He regretted it hundreds and thousands of times.
However, even if he turn back time, Aaron will be forced to make the same choice. If he sees Alice on that day, that moment. If he looks at the terrible emotions in the face of Alice Momont.
Therefore, even when he came up to the capital and found Alice, he remained silent, he avoided her without telling of his existence, he had endured without even putting her as his match on marriage talk.
He intended to do so all his life.
But at the first slip of his tongue, Roa Valrose noticed all the circumstances and urged him to get close to Alice.
Aaron endured the intense temptation, but in the process of courting Roa, the temptation got stronger as he exchanged a few words with Alice. He felt ashamed of himself and felt guilty toward Alice, but the truth was that he got more greedy for love.
As time went by, the lights toward Roa piled up.
If it weren¡¯t for Roa, he would say goodbye to his beloved, whom he could never have met in his life.
Thus, while he stood up for Roa Valrose, in reality, Aaron was acting for himself. In order to relieve his guilt and debt, as if this gave him a justification to approach Alice.
He realized his cowardice and desperation, but it wasn¡¯t new.
Aaron fiddled with the sword again andughed bitterly.
Then suddenly, he realized that the Duke¡¯s servants did not show much interest in his sword. Far from being annoying and unpleasant, they didn¡¯t even look at it as if it were a problem.
That wasn¡¯t the only weird thing.
It was natural to behave and speak, but each person he encountered had a blurry look and expressionless.
The moment he noticed an abnormality in the scene he had seen calmly until a while ago, the horror came to his thought.
What on earth is this mansion? What is Nocton Edgar doing here?
As suspicions grew in his mind, the butler finally stopped walking. It was not known how many doors he had passed, but thest door opened and the owner of the mansion stood inside.
Knowing that Aaron wasing, the Duke of Edgar saw him without a hint of agitation.
¡°You¡¯re here just in time.¡±
The contrast between his ck hair and pale skin was seen more clearly in the dark. Perhaps due to the people who he had seen before he arrived at this room, Nocton Edgar¡¯s face looked dim like a fog.
Aaron looked across his colored eyes, and soon he discovered that there was another person behind the Duke. The room was dark, but it wasn¡¯t hard to identify the figure because it wasn¡¯t without fire.
Like the servants of the mansion, someone was sitting on a chair with a cloudy look and misty eyes. Even though the hands and feet weren¡¯t bound and there was only a Nocton Edgar in front of him, he was like a man tied to a chair.
With the gap between rigid form and hazy expression, Aaron gulped his dry saliva.
The figure Duke Edgar was looking furiously¡.
¡°Can this person be?¡±
¡°This is Terrops Andante. He is the poor second son who is now on the verge of being expelled from House Andate.¡±
¡°He is the ex-fianc¨¦ of Marquis Valrose¡¯s heir.¡±
¡°I guess you know roughly. The reason why this man was dismissed is because of his conduct.¡±
The Duke¡¯s voice was dry as a dry branch.
¡°A man who¡¯s greedy for women. He was engaged to the Marquis¡¯ heir, but he wanted to know if he liked Valrose¡¯s appearance. And there was another woman. Eventually, he was caught by the Marquis¡¯s heir. The engagement was over and he was kicked out of his family.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on¡ª¡±
¡°This is a superficial reason, and in fact, what Terrops Andante really did was he had Valrose in mind. Before that, he touched a few lives, but left no evidence.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°As greedy as he is, he¡¯s scared, so he¡¯s a person who covets Baloz but can¡¯t put it into practice.¡±
The Duke continued to speak with an insensitive voice, as if it was an obligation to tell this story.
¡°Even though the insides were dirty, but he wouldn¡¯t do it on foot. He didn¡¯t even look at Valrose, and he lived like a good and sincere man, such a crooked life.¡±
Then for the first time, Nocton Edgar raised his head.
¡°But do you know why this man could have done such a thing?¡±
The Duke¡¯s eyes were so dim that he could not notice them if he did not look closely.
He smiled sideways as much as the color of his eyes.
¡°Because he is hypnotized.¡±
¡°Nocton is a ck wizard.¡±
Aaron muttered a word that came to mind without realizing it.
¡°ck magic¡ª¡±
¡°You know it well. Did Valrose tell you?¡±
¡°Did you do that?¡±
¡°Well, usually in this situation, everybody would think so.¡±
¡°It¡¯s strange to induce them to think so. And I don¡¯t know much about ck magic, but it¡¯s not your magic, is it? There is no prejudice.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a new answer, but it doesn¡¯t matter whether you have prejudice or not.¡±
¡°You were worried that Roa might be prejudiced.¡±
His elegantly outstretched eyebrows tilted. The face, which was foggy, was overshadowed by a human¡¯s expression.
The change in expression was not significant, but the atmosphere changed, making Aaron less nervous.
However, it was only for a short time that his tension was relieved.
¡°You¡¯re mistaken for what I said, Sir ymore. I¡¯m the one who made him behave like that.¡±
¡°¡.why did you do that?¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s necessary.¡±
Looking down at the man¡¯s hand groping the sword again, Duke Edgar curled his mouth.
It was a ridicule.
¡°If you¡¯re scared, you can take out your sword. I can¡¯t guarantee that iron will help.¡±
¡°Did you allow me to visit, in order to kill me?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know how that makes you so self-conscious. It¡¯s the same reason why I called on you, Sir. Because it¡¯s necessary.¡±
¡°Because of the engagement ¡ you allowed me to visit?¡±
¡°It didn¡¯t have to be you. But, thanks to you, I didn¡¯t have much trouble. It¡¯s kind of bothersome to find someone who¡¯s willing to stand for me without hypnosis.¡±
Speaking of unknown words, he turned his eyes to Terrops Andate.
¡°I knew the engagement was over. It¡¯s ridiculous to sit at the bargaining table with a throw-out card.¡±
When he mentioned engagement with Roa, he seemed genuinely angry.
Was everything a mistake?
Aaron looked suspiciously at the man in front of him, but there was nothing he could tell by his expression.
¡°Terrops Andate is a fairly decent man on the surface. What does his real nature matter? No matter how rotten his inside is, if he doesn¡¯t act, he doesn¡¯t need to be recognized as the new bad guy.¡±
As if taking a breath or controlling his emotions, the Duke slowly closed and opened his eyes.
¡°But then he would have married the Marquis¡¯ heir and worked with them.¡±
Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
¡°Even before I hypnotized him, he was already brainwashed. The difference was that his condition was due to a magic potion, not because of dark magic.¡±
¡°What ¡ you¡¯re trying to do that.¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s no evidence, only my spections, but if you want to hear it, I¡¯ll tell you. Of course, in order to do so, I need to hear your vow to help me with my work and make sure that you¡¯re worthy.¡±
¡°Apart from the vow, what do you want to confirm?¡±
Sir Aaron ymore.
Nocton Edgar almost reached for his hand.
The fingers, which were exceptionally white in darkness,, headed toward the neck of Terrops Andante, a man who sat without any resistance. The flesh goes right down the chin silently. Right now, he¡¯s just pressing the skin, but it was obvious that the bones in his neck would break right away if the grip was tightened.
His mouth was dry and Aaron swallowed his saliva. Without looking at him, the Duke asked in a quiet voice.
¡°Can you kill a man, Sir?¡±
It was a weighty remark. Aaron¡¯s neck was slowly rising and falling.
¡°Did you ask me to do a murder?¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, I would have called a professional. I do not intend tomit indirect murder. It¡¯s difficult to face an opponent with the constraint that I can¡¯t kill them, so I just need it in case of an emergency.¡±
¡°A sword that can kill a man.¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can go back. It would be good for you not to talk about what happened today.¡±
¡°I can kill. A knight is a sword in the end, if you say appropriately.¡±
But,
¡°I can¡¯t trust you. If you want me to take a vow, I need an additional exnation.¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s the same here that I can¡¯t be trusted. I have nothing more to say.¡±
Aaron frowned and stared at the Duke, but the silence flowed heavily, and Nocton Edgar said nothing.
He alternated between Terrops Andante, the man who had been brainwashed by potion, and the Duke, then gave a long sigh.
He just came to find out the Duke¡¯s intentions, but he was bound by something unexpected.
Since the person who brainwashed the young man targeted the heir of Marquis Valrose, it would be hard for Roa to be unrted.
¡°Is this rted to Roa¡¯s safety?¡±
¡°I would have said no more. And in the midst of breaking off the engagement, why is her name constantly being mentioned?¡±
¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here?¡±
¡°It must be because of Alice Limorand¡¯s safety. After hearing that I¡¯m a ck wizard, you wondered if you could dig something out of me. If you want to do it, feel free to search after you¡¯ve taken your vow.¡±
¡°Once again, I¡¯m aware that Your Grace can¡¯t touch the esteemed daughter of Limorand.¡±
Speaking of it, Aaron thought he was a man who didn¡¯t trust others.
¡°I¡¯m here not to catch your weaknesses, but because there¡¯s something I want to understand. I would like to confirm something.¡±
¡°Confirm?¡±
¡°Do you love Roa?¡±
For the first time, his face, which had been insensitive throughout, changed. His twisted face, filled with unpleasant look, was more humane.
¡°No matter what I think of her, there is no reason for me to tell you, Sir.¡±
¡°Your Grace have no reason to tell me, but I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have the courage to tell Roa. If you are sincere, I would like to try mediate between the two of you.¡±
¡°Mediate? How do you mediate? If you persuade her to love me and soothe her, would she change her mind?¡±
The Dukeughed at him in a cold voice.
¡°Don¡¯t be cheeky, Sir. It¡¯s not a light quarrel that can be turned back in a few words.¡±
¡°Then, can you give up like this? with Roa, the rtionship you have with Roa.¡±
¡°You keep on making excuses for her, but you should be honest. It¡¯s not really about Valrose.¡±
This time, Aaron¡¯s eyes shook greatly. The Duke turned his back on Terrops Andante and approached Aaron.
¡°For Valrose, you¡¯re approaching her and waving your tail to see if you can get a piece of your heart around Alice Limorand, why are you talking so grand.¡±
Nocton Edgar moved. Before he could even react, his hand stretched out and tore off the white crystal ne on Aaron¡¯s neck. Aaron was embarrassed and tried to hit the hand, but somehow he couldn¡¯t move his body for a moment.
The Duke looked down at the white crystal of the ne he had torn off.
¡°It must be the same ne, but I can touch it.¡±
Only then was he able to move her body, Aaron twisted his face.
¡°What is this, please return it!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to steal it, so don¡¯t be a nuisance. It was just annoying that I couldn¡¯t feel your feelings.¡±
¡°What do you mean feelings?¡±
¡°Sir, really, do you think of Valrose as a friend?¡±
He took his ne out of nowhere, and the subject they shared a little while ago was brought back.
Does he think of Roa as a friend?
Reflexively, Aaron thought of a woman with rosy hair.
Roa Valrose, his friend, his beloved friend. The face of the person who made him here by the light of heart.
But the thoughts were fleeting, and Aaron¡¯s mind quickly returned to reality. Not even thinking of answering, he red at the ne in the other person¡¯s hand with a heavy gaze.
All he could think about was that he should get that one back.
Soon, the Duke¡¯s eyes thinned with smile.
¡°What an ugly heart. But surprisingly, you didn¡¯t lie.¡±
Before he could even ask what he meant, the young man threw the ne at Aaron with a sign of loss of interest. He grabbed the ne in a hurry, in case it got damaged.
When he saw the Duke¡¯s mouth twisted, the displeasure crossed his heart.
¡°You didn¡¯t answer anything.¡±
¡°It¡¯s rather unbelievable to talk about. I don¡¯t think you want to deceive her, so yes, I¡¯ll answer. Valrose¡¯s safety is at stake.¡±
¡°Did you mean that they were trying to send him into that house for Roa?¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to be a long story, so I¡¯ll put it off untilter. Sir, I have kindly answered your additional question, so you must also give me an answer.¡±
Nocton Edgar tapped his fingertips. At the same time, a ck chain-like figure emerged around Aaron¡¯s neck. It was a magic that he saw for the first time, but the mana he felt from the chain alone was so sinister that Aaron immediately realized it was a curse.
Looking at Aaron like that, Nocton slowly stretched his lips.
¡°Would you take a vow to help me, or would you be cursed to silence?¡±
***
About three weeks have passed since the Imperial Ball was canceled. I had no motivation and no energy, but I lived a busy life in my own way.
Mostly ¡ trying to stop Alroy.
I hated the idea of being a family with Roziks Elford.
As time went by, I was getting far from marriage.
Since unmarried aristocrats, who aren¡¯t the heir apparent, lives in their home without a special position, I am also more likely to sit down with Alroy¡¯s sessor.
But what a terrible future is that Roziks Elford will be in the same mansion.
But since Alroy didn¡¯t care no matter how hard I protested, I went after tea parties, evening parties, and exhibitions where Bornaine or Elford appeared, and stabbed them hard.
Don¡¯t attach Roziks to our Alroy, please just see each other!
Although the results were insignificant, it did yield fruit in other fields.
¡°Yeah, I know for sure. It is clear that Lady Roa, the estemeed daughter of Marquis Valrose, did not pursue Lord Edgar. Just like a flower nt next to the Duke, you¡¯re just as fine as a decoration. If you were really after him, you¡¯d have been sued or assassinated. I apologize for saying that then. So, please stop showing your face!¡±
Sheryl Bornaine apologized to me, it was an unthinkable achievement.
But what I wanted to say was¡.
¡°Roziks? I don¡¯t have any interest in Roziks, so you can take him, it doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s you or the Marquis Valrose¡¯s heir. Don¡¯t bother me with such a thing!¡±
It was too much, I didn¡¯t want to have him at all.
Fortunately, Roziks Elford wasn¡¯t there, but it seemed like a backfire, so I decided to memorize it a little.
Only then did I realize that I hadn¡¯t seen Aaron and Alice in a while.
When I sent a letter, I received a reply, but they only briefly delivered a message, and there was no time to talk properly.
Given that there¡¯s no word that Aaron showed up at social events such as tea parties, it seems that he is in his mansion, but is he looking for a way to check on Nocton?
I was beginning to worry.
¡°Hi, Roa.¡±
Only today was Alice showing her face. She looked a little gaunt.
¡°What happened, Alice?¡±
¡°I was on probation. I¡¯m ashamed to say this, but I couldn¡¯t send a letter until it was reviewed by Kantana or Arhan.¡±
¡°Examine, no, it was reviewed? Um, I think I know what I look like to the people of Limorand. It must be the same as a bunch of evil who condemns their good kid¡.¡±
¡°I solved the misunderstanding somehow.¡±
It must have been real. I was slightly hurt.
It¡¯s not like I have a bad personality just because my eyes are sharp, and it¡¯s not as bad-looking as it was when I was a kid!
¡°I tried to get some holy water, but it was only a little. I couldn¡¯t find a better holy relic, and I was thinking about what to do, then I heard that there¡¯s a treasure in Limorand.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing special for a Duke.¡±
¡°I thought it would help, so I begged Kantana to see it, but I was refused because there were a lot of dangerous things. So ¡ I sneaked in.¡±
¡°Sneaked in? How?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no security if you go through the magic device. There are also magical items in the safe that ease the pain, which are used when giving birth. Thus, a trusted nanny could pass by. While I was trying to bring Arhan¡¯s nanny, I found out that if I have the blood of the direct line, it will pass right away, so I just went in.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a strange system. Did you get caught trying to take the nanny down?¡±
¡°Exactly, but it got a little bigger.¡±
Alice sighed and lowered her voice.
¡°The spider mirror is gone.¡±
¡°Oh my goodness, spider mirror?¡±
I widened my eyes and opened my mouth.
It looked like it couldn¡¯t be more surprising, but Alice simply said, ¡®Don¡¯t pretend to be surprised.¡¯.
She¡¯s not fooled.
¡°What is that?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know too well, but it¡¯s a mirror where a spider that predicts the future lives.¡±
¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve never heard of, but it¡¯s just be the most coveted item.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been a while since it disappeared, so I wasn¡¯t suspected, but I was put on probation for entering a dangerous ce.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a big deal. You¡¯ve never been in trouble, Alice.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a treasure of the devil. It¡¯s said that everyone who used it bes unhappy. I think they¡¯re very sensitive because of the seriousness of the words.¡±
It was iprehensible to be unhappy with showing the future. Is it because you¡¯ve had an unfortunate fate from the beginning?
When I thought about that, I was reminded of the original Roa Valrose. I felt a little bit overwhelmed.
I¡¯m not going to get burned in the end, right?
To shake off the sinister thoughts, I shook my head greatly.
¡°Old treasure has a ghost story in it. The owner of a ne dies within 7 years, something like that. It must have been invented to prevent thieves.¡±
¡°I think so, too. Anyway, there was nothing in the safe that could help. It was only symbolic, so I was scolded for nothing. That¡¯s why.¡±
Alice, who smiled, quietly pointed to something.
Entering the drawing room, it was a pile of books that her escort brought.
Chapter 48
Chapter 48
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
She picked up the book at the top and held it out to me. It was a thick hardcover book, and this was written as the title.
¡°The Magic Potion of the Great Sage Parmanya. The first volume ¡ ?¡±
¡°There was a lot of magic in the magic potion. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to counter ck magic with this?¡±
¡°You¡¯re so passionate, but ¡ why you gave this to me?¡±
¡°Since my probation, I¡¯m not free even in the mansion. They would find it suspicious if I keep reading books about magic. They thought I was possessed by a spider.¡±
The Limorand¡¯s reaction is more serious than I expected. It seems that the spider mirror wasn¡¯t as light as I thought.
¡°I¡¯m secretly reading books, but that¡¯s limited, so it¡¯ll be more efficient if we find them together.¡±
¡°By any chance, that spider, it¡¯s not hiding in this book, right? In the y, this is a foreshadow.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been looking at it once. And at the same time¡ª¡±
With her fingertips, Alice flipped the books under the potion book.
¡°I¡¯ve also brought you some ck magic books that I¡¯ve finished reading. I didn¡¯t notice anything, but you might be able to recognize something from your side, so read it with a light heart.¡±
Of course , I¡¯m not forcing you to.
As Alice said so, she smiled with overwhelming pressure. I have been to the family library or the Imperial library several times during my free time, but I have not seen useful books on ck magic. How did she get all of this?
Obviously, Alice seemed to be ahead of me. I knew that she had mastered essential studies that she hadn¡¯t learned properly in Momont within half a year, so I¡¯ve always known that she¡¯s smart.
I looked down at the book with a rather shaky mind and sighed. Yeah,e to think of it, it wasn¡¯t a matter of helping Alice with her work. Alice had handed out the sacred relics, but I just thanked her and worried her.
I was too rxed, even though the problem with Nocton Edgar wasn¡¯tpletely finished yet. I don¡¯t know when it¡¯s going to bepletely resolved, or if it¡¯s even possible.
¡°Yeah, well¡ªif it¡¯s about Duke Edgar, it¡¯s not just your problem, so I¡¯ll have to try too.¡±
¡°Duke Edgar?¡±
¡°Oh, I decided to call him that after I went to the tea party.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be too provocative? So ¡ it¡¯s like you¡¯re scratching his insides on purpose.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think it would be that much. In any case, I used honorifics in public. The situation in public space is more favorable.¡±
¡°Umh, it¡¯s your choice, so I¡¯ll respect it, but Roa, I hope you don¡¯t have to meet him as much as possible.¡±
¡°I hope so, too.¡±
As the Emperor¡¯s health seems to have deteriorated, there will be no mandatory Imperial event for the time being. Then, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to be relieved for at least a few months?
In the meantime, if Nocton Edgar can erase the feelings he may have for me, whether it¡¯s obsession or regret, that would be the best.
¡°That¡¯s right, I forgot to tell you, but I had another foresight in my dream. Maybe, there seems to be someone who hasn¡¯t been brainwashed by His Grace.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ¡ a lot. Right now, it¡¯s also you and I.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not it, it¡¯s from Edgar¡¯s insider. It was a short precognitive dream, and ¡ umh, I might be mistaken about this, so I¡¯ll check first. Roa, you¡¯re acquainted with the former Duchess, Lady Patricia, right? Short ck hair, green eyes. A middle-aged woman with a long neck and a rather cold impression.¡±
As soon as I heard Alice describe it, I could clearly recall the former Duchess¡¯s face.
Since I was young, I had been in and out of the Duke Edgar¡¯s residence, so I naturally encountered the others living in Edgar. Not only the employees, but also Nocton¡¯s family.
The most difficult of them was Patricia Edgar, Nocton¡¯s mother and the former Duchess, who was surrounded by controversy that she had birthed an illegitimate child. She seeded her title at a young age, although not as young as Nocton now, and was a very ambitious and perfectionist person. In addition to her leadership, she also achieved high academic achievement, and was also appointed as a knight.
Whatever she did, she was quicker than others, and she was neverte, so people were so enthusiastic about her faults.
She was always busy, and even considering that, she was a cold-hearted person to her family. She used sweet titles such as ¡°Dear¡± and ¡°My love,¡± but her eyes on her family were cold. Among them, her coldest look was given to Nocton Edgar.
Nocton denied it, but as I looked in her eyes, I knew that the story was true.
If it¡¯s not that, then she was a cold-blooded person.
When she rolled her eyes with an expressionless face and made eye contact, sometimes her green eyes appeared as a reptile, not a human. It was too much for people, but it was ominous and ufortable stare.
She liked me for some reason, so at some point she sat me in front of her and poured me a tea. To be honest, the taste was terrible. In the end, it was not at allfortable, she¡¯s a person who I cannot befortable with forever.
I¡¯ve always thought so.
¡°¡.right, did she appear?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. Yeah, I¡¯ve seen her for a while before, but I felt like she was hypnotized like everyone else back then. But it was different in this dream. This is what she said.¡±
[ We need to get Edgar out of Nocton¡¯s hands. ]
[ I know what he¡¯s going to do if we keep going like this. ]
[ Everything will be better if the work I prepared is done well. ]
¡°She said that? Did she say Nocton clearly?¡±
¡°Huh? Yes, mothers can be different. Is there something strange about it?¡±
Alice nced at me and expressed her doubts, but I shook my head silently.
I could have been mistaken.
In fact, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. As far as I know, the former Duchess has never called Nocton¡¯s name.
Nevertheless, somehow, my heart felt uneasy.
Alice, who had no idea of her, had her eyes twinkling as she had a hint of wonder.
¡°Maybe the legal punishment is unreasonable, but isn¡¯t it possible to change the regime within Edgar? It will be much better if we take Edgar¡¯s power away from him.¡±
¡°You want to help her?¡±
¡°That¡¯s ¡ a little difficult. First of all, I don¡¯t have the confidence to persuade adults, and it might be a really hard fight to win. I¡¯m just going to keep waiting for my precognitive dream for now.¡±
¡°Umh, you never know when you¡¯ll be able to have the dream again. I¡¯m a little cautious to say this, but don¡¯t rely too much on your dreams.¡±
¡°But the only thing that can make a breakthrough right now is my dream. Don¡¯t worry, my dream has never lied. It¡¯ll fix the situation again.¡±
What Alice was saying with solid faith sounded somewhat dangerous.
What to say, I squeezed my lips, but soon swallowed the words.
Certainly, even though I was suspicious, she had never been wrong with her precognitive dream. At least Alice knows better about her dreams than me.
I felt ufortable in many ways, but all I could do was nodding my head. After a while, Alice returned, and I moved all the books she had given me to my room. It was because I didn¡¯t think I would turn over the cover if I took it to the library.
It was the magic potion book that Alice asked me to read, but it wasn¡¯t the first book I wanted to open because it was too thick.
I began to read in moderation with thin, readable ck magic book in my hand. There were many things that seemed important among them, but I couldn¡¯t understand what it meant, so I felt like I was a child who just started learning letters.
This is how I felt when I forced myself to read Nocton¡¯s ancient books.
I tried to read the bookpletely, but my eyes were getting blurry.
¡¸ It was 81 years when it was discovered that the human mind is alsoposed of mana. Now, by interfering with the micro-mana that embodies human minds, and deconstructs the negative arrangement that has no benefit ¡ Introduced in Logmilliwan¡¯s 8th order array¡. ¡¹
Most people will have no choice but to give up after reading such articles.
I ended up covering the book I read.
How did Alice read these books? Is she really understand what is this about?
There was a difference in knowledge between her and me.
Feeling ashamed, I rushed through other books, but I found out that the majority of the books were simr.
Finally, as I opened the book at the bottom, I wondered what to say the next time I see Alice.
Fortunately, however, this one book was written in letters that were somehow readable. But it wasn¡¯t that interesting.
I hulled down the letters in a sour light, and at some point I straightened my back and began to concentrate. It was because I found something in the book.
¡¸ There are many different kinds of mental magic, but among them, hypnosis is the mostmon. This is because unlike other magic, it requires a response from the target. When a specific title is given, it is difficult to start magic without the target knowing that the title refers to themselves.
¡..
Therefore, you can maintain the magic only by using the title you used when you first cast the magic. If the title is different, the probability of breaking the magic is high. Once the mental magic is over, the opponent can be resistant, and after that, the magic may fail.
It is not impossible if you are confident in your magic power, but because it can destroy the mind of the target, it is rmended to be used with caution.
¡.. ¡¹
A title.
You must keep using the same title to maintain your magic. If you change the title, the magic is more likely to be broken¡..
In the middle part of the article that I read quickly, I looked up again and read the same section over and over again.
¡°Valrose.¡±
¡°Valrose.¡±
¡°Actually, I don¡¯t like Valrose so much.¡±
Nocton doesn¡¯t call my name.
Even if I asked him to change the distant title, he insisted on that unfriendly title.
¡°Can you stop calling me Valrose now?¡±
¡°Well, does that matter?¡±
Nocton hypnotized me.
I recalled all the thoughts that once ran through my head.
When I visited Nocton, though I was hurt and offended, somehow I found myself still headed for the Duke¡¯s mansion.
How different is the original Roa Valrose from the current Roa Valrose?
And then,
¡°Come again, Valrose.¡±
Will I be free from Nocton¡¯s brainwashing?
Even though I thought there was nothing left to be surprised about now, my hands were shaking and my stomach felt horrible.
I had to press my hand to cover my mouth and hold my breath for a while.
I was not angry.
There was neither fear nor the sense betrayal. I have found the evidence of his betrayal, but those feelings had already gone through me once and disappeared.
The only emotion left was emptiness.
Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
Strangely, my whole body was shaking and I can¡¯t manage it as I wished, and that¡¯s all I had in mind.
Is my body overreacting, or is my heart concealing something from its owner?
My stomach wasn¡¯t calming down, so I skipped meals and locked myself in my room. I read the ck magic book I read earlier, and the books that I had skimmed over because it was difficult for my brain to understand were also reopened.
I couldn¡¯t achieve much sess.
The text in the book is for the wizard, not for the subject of the spell. At the moment, there was no single way to see if I had been brainwashed or hypnotized.
Even if I went through those many books one by one ¡ how do I solve the magic that might remain? Should I go to the temple and receive a blessing? Should I get holy water and drink it? Or should I carry the same relic that Alice gave me all day long?
Mechanically, I wrote down the solutions I hade up with on a piece of paper. These were ways that seemed usible.
Nevertheless, I just stared nkly at the letters I had just written. Even though they were all things I could do right away, I didn¡¯t have the motivation to do anything.
I just kept feeling nauseous. I felt dizzy right before my eyes, so I closed my eyes tightly before I finally raised my eyelids.
Then, another book came into my eyes. A magic potion book that Alice gave along with the ck magic book that revealed the truth to me. Alice asked me to take a look at that book.
I forsook the actions I ought to take now, and I put my hands on it without thinking.
The moment I tried to turn over the cover, the door opened without a knock. The one who opened the door was Duvel, the old butler who had just gotten out of probation.
The deep blue sky looked unusually gloomy today.
My mind, which had been soaked in helplessness a while ago, was stained with anxiety and embarrassment, and I slowly rose up.
¡°What¡¯s the matter, Duvel?¡±
¡°There¡¯s a big problem, mydy. His Majesty the Emperor has passed away.¡±
Again, it was unexpected news.
***
The Emperor¡¯s death was sudden, but the faces of those who attended the funeral were clearly calm.
Even though he was constantly calling the priest and receiving treatment, the age of 78 was old, and the curse he received during th battle for the throne on his younger days remained. Most aristocrats must have guessed that the Emperor would be reced soon.
Most of them, except me.
Under the ck veil, I bowed my head as if I were mourning the dead, but I was embarrassed and chewed my lips without knowing what to do.
Why did the Emperor die already? Based on the original book, < He and Alice >, the current Emperor was not destined to die yet. After spring, Alice Limorand arrived in the capital and a yearter, Roa Valrose was burned. Since the ultimate purpose of putting Durua Baloz to the stake was to remove the obstacle named Duke Limorand and make the Emperor a puppet, of course the emperor was still alive then.
Though time has passed since I swallowed Memoria¡¯s Seal, I still have clear memories.
So, my memory wouldn¡¯t be wrong, but now it was winter that didn¡¯t even smell spring.
Why did it change? Why did it go wrong? Maybe this time too ¡ maybe it¡¯s the work of Nocton Edgar.
While my mind was gettingplicated, the funeral proceedings were carried out without dy. A blessing from the Pope¡¯s hand wrapped around the body of the dead, and soon the casket was covered. It was a quiet funeral with no one crying.
¡°What are you thinking?¡±
As I looked up at the whispering little noise, Aaron approached me. There must be only people in ck clothes here, but how did he find me?
I couldn¡¯t even smile even thought I felt d to see his face after a long time. Maybe I was a little tired.
Fortunately, Aaron didn¡¯t seem to notice my abnormalities because my face was covered by the veil.
¡°I think you¡¯ve been thinking about something else, Roa.¡±
¡°I prayed for the safe return of thete Emperor to the arms of God. What else do I need to think about?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t something really happen?¡±
¡°Something happened, but it wasn¡¯t on me. I just remembered the book I read before. It¡¯s nothing important.¡±
¡°A book?¡±
The book of the mind magic title and the original book < He and Alice > were long books, and both confused me.
The weight was a little different.
I wanted to talk to him in moderation, but Aaron¡¯s eyes seemed somewhat persistent, he didn¡¯t seem to want to let go before hearing the answer.
Well, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t tell you.
I spoke without much thought, not to be a lie, but to the point where his interest diminished.
¡°It¡¯s a novel. A love story. You¡¯re not interested in that, right?¡±
¡°I read that much, too. Not now, but I also had a romance novel that I liked when I was young. It was everybody¡¯s favorite at the time, but there was something to be gained.¡±
¡°Yes¡? Gained? My goodness, you¡¯re not studying love with romance novels, are you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like that! It¡¯s just for a name or something like that.¡±
¡°Umh, so it¡¯s for the Sir¡¯s children who may be born in the future.¡±
¡°¡No, it¡¯s for a pseudonym. It was helpful to create a pseudonym.¡±
While talking without much thought, I suddenly felt awake.
It¡¯s a pseudonym? What kind of pseudonym is used? Is he referring to the name ¡°Ed¡± he used in He and Alice?
Ha, it was amon name. To the extent that any novel book would write that name in at least one volume.
My lips tickled to ask, but I scratched my lower lip because it was something I could not dig out.
¡°Huh ¡ you might need it if you¡¯re a knight. It¡¯s like ¡ for an undercover mission.¡±
Aaronughed awkwardly at my random words.
***
After the funeral, the mourning period continued. For the former Emperor who returned to God¡¯s arms, the temple was scheduled to continue praying for dozens of days in the future.
However, apart from the mourning for the dead, the throne cannot be empty.
The moment the former owner gave up his seat to death, the empty seat had a new owner. With no twist, it was the Crown Prince.
The emperor has changed, but there has been no significant change. The new Emperor was greedy for the throne, but that was all. Because of his conservative and passive nature, he wasn¡¯t the one who would attempt major reforms.
In the Empire, there was a ceremony held when the new Emperor ascended the throne, so the Imperial family made a grand ceremony for the first tme in decades.
It was a ritual that held a huntingpetition and offered the greatest prey caught in thepetition to the gods.
Due to the saying that the more hunting caught in thepetition, the more likely it is to expect the Emperor¡¯s reign, the hunt caught in the forest became more splendid. In order to raise the status of the new Emperor, there have been many imports of strange animals from abroad.
Therefore I had to attend a huntingpetition that wasn¡¯t much fun.
I was supposed to stay dead in the mansion for the time being, but nothing went as I intended.
I reached the forest edge under Aaron¡¯s edge.
¡°What will be the sacrifice of this generation?¡±
¡°Thest generation was said to have been a silver lion. This time, I¡¯m sure it must be a moderately divine-looking beast.¡±
¡°It would be nice if they didn¡¯t let the beast loose because of the sun.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen, but even if it¡¯s, it¡¯ll be fine. There are so many priests prepared.¡±
In a rare cynical remark, Aaron shrugged his shoulders.
As he said, dozens of priests, close to one hundred, had arrived, led by six high priests.
Just imagining how much the donation will be sent to the temple is making my mouth water.
Those who can step into the forest are all high-ranking nobles, except for the musicians and the servants, so they must be worried that there will be some injured people.
In the central vacant lot where priests were gathered, seats were left for those who would not attend thepetition and would wait.
Among them, a golden chair for the Emperor to sit on was prepared in the middle, and next to it, a ck chair with almost no difference in height destroyed the cheering atmosphere.
It is obvious that it¡¯s the seat for the Duke of Edgar.
Although the seat was yet to be upied, I turned to Aaron again because I was ufortable just looking at it.
I only looked away for a moment, but his mood was different from when we had just arrived. His eyes were colder than usual, and the atmosphere around him was somewhat dark.
Still, is he nervous because he¡¯s about to have apetition, or is he always like that when he¡¯s holding a sword?
A man who grew up in a prestigious knight family and made a name for himself as a rare genius in ymore, he was my fianc¨¦ of the engagement that I¡¯m going to break, but I had never seen him touch his sword.
Even after being appointed as a knight, he had dyed his entry into the knights¡¯ order, and when he came as a guest, he didn¡¯t even bring a sword for the sake of politeness.
The strange air was so awkward that I decided to swallow my dry saliva and refresh the atmosphere.
Suddenly, as if surprised, I opened my eyes wide and pointed to one ce.
¡°Oh, there is Alice¡!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie, Roa.¡±
¡°I¡¯m serious. Oh,e this way.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t be fooled. The estemeed daughter of Limorand is over there, not there.¡±
Ah, really?
I turned my head reflexively at Aaron¡¯s words, but there¡¯s only a rabbit in the spot he pointed at.
I lost my words for a moment and opened my mouth.
¡°Oh my god, I¡¯m going to be fooled by Aaron.¡±
¡°Please stop using the estemeed daughter of Limorand as a bait.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s because Aaron didn¡¯t keep his promise. It¡¯s been almost two months since you promised to be nice to my friend, but you¡¯ve been avoiding her, and you¡¯ve barely said hello.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ¡ it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been a bit busy.¡±
¡°Now you¡¯re lying!¡±
¡°Roa¡ª¡±
As he called my name with a troubled face, Aaron¡¯s gaze was fixed in one ce. The deep blue atmosphere melted in an instant, and his eyes shook finely.
From such a reaction, it was obvious who was at the end of Aaron¡¯s gaze.
Indeed, I could see Alice from far away.
Alice arrived with the Duke and Duchess of Limorand. She got off the carriage, kissed both of the ducal couple¡¯s cheeks then waved her hand.
To save face and fairness, those who served in positions of authority or were over 30 were not allowed to attendpetitions.
Thus, the Duke and Duchess had to drop their daughter off and go upstairs.
When I saw the Duke and Duchess. Limorand sitting next to the Valrose family, I thought it was a rather umon ironic appearance.
As if she noticed my eyes, I ignored Alroy¡¯s yful wave and turned my head to Alice again.
Just in time, Alice smiled brightly as she had found us.
And at that moment, a carriage that she didn¡¯t realize was approaching, stopped right in front of her.
Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Tranted by cabinfourtrantions.
Therge, ck carriage was not shy, but it was antique, elegantly decorated, and had familiar and ominous patterns engraved on it. Around that time, I started to tease Aaron with my small steps, without telling him to go with me.
As I hurried toward Alice, the horse pulling the carriage stoppedpletely and the door opened.
¡°Alice!¡±
As if it were a sign of misfortune, I ran a little while calling her name.
The man who got off the carriage was Nocton Edgar.
With a somewhatmanding expression, I pulled Alice¡¯s stiff arm and put myself in front of her to block the sight.
We¡¯re in a hunting ground with many high-ranking nobles, a sacred ce where rituals were held after the ession. Nocton Edgar wouldn¡¯t do his trick in a ce like this.
Knowing him, I had no choice but to block Alice¡¯s path. How can I not do that? It¡¯s already been confirmed that he tried to kill Aaron.
I found out he was brainwashing me.
¡°Ro-Roa.¡±
The bewildered Alice tugged at my sleeve, as if to dissuade me and remind me not to provoke Duke Edgar. However, I didn¡¯t even look at her.
Nocton¡¯s eyes rolled slowly from the ground and made eye contact with me. He wasn¡¯t surprised, but he didn¡¯t seem happy with the situation. His once beautiful-looking, soft-purple eyes moved toward Alice with pure coldness.
My frame wasn¡¯t that big, but I still managed to push Alice one step away and blocked her sight more tightly.
Nocton¡¯s mouth twisted.
¡°You don¡¯t have to block her like that, I don¡¯t do anything.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m just here to say hello because I¡¯m d to see Alice.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to see yet.¡±
¡°Even so, I should be fair. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve been talking rashly. An esteemed noble daughter who doesn¡¯t have a position cannot speak to Your Grace at an official ceremony.¡±
As Nocton grimaced and his mouth opened, a loud noise interrupted his words.
The sound of horses¡¯ hooves and loud trumpets.
When I turned my head, I saw that themanders of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Order of Knights were all on their horses and leading a golden carriage.
Someone stepped down from the Imperial family¡¯s carriage inscribed with the symbol of the bright sun.
The new Emperor, who only showed his face several times as the crown prince and once at the coronation ceremony as the Emperor. He was the new master of the Empire.
This time I had to say that the timing was good. Because Nocton Edgar cut off his words before he got even a single word.
All the nobles who gathered in the forest bowed their heads to show respect to the master of the Empire, but one of them, Nocton Edgar, did not.
I also couldn¡¯t see his expression because I lowered my head, but I could tell with my head down that neither his waist nor his neck was bent at all.
I couldn¡¯t confirm it, but it seemed like a heavy gaze poured over my head.
I wondered how long was he doing that before his steps slowly moved.
After the musician¡¯s song was over, the aristocrats¡¯ heads returned to their original seats.
As soon as Aaron came closer and asked how I was doing, I nodded.
¡°Alice, are you okay?¡±
¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t said a word. And you ended up using honorifics to him.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the surest way to keep a distance. And it was technically the rules in an official event like this.¡±
¡°Roa, are you okay? I mean ¡ you were so scared.¡±
At the lowered words, I felt a ripple in my heart. However, it was not strong enough to be a fear.
I slowly rewinded the feeling I felt a while ago, but I was certainly very different from before.
It was just full of embarrassment and vignce.
Though I had realized it several weeks ago, I could no longer feel fear, anger or sadness.
Perhaps what happened at the Imperial ball has changed something inside me.
I looked at Alice who was concerned about me, chose a word, and just said it calmly.
¡°I know. I don¡¯t think much.¡±
There was nothing else I could say.
While we were whispering, the Emperor arrived at the upper seat, taking a dignified posture, giving greetings and marking the beginning of the ceremony.
Right next to the Emperor, Nocton sat with an open smile. He didn¡¯t look happy even though he was smiling.
Not only Nocton, but the aristocrats who had titles listened to the Emperor¡¯s words with interest. Only those who do not sit in the prepared seats have the conditions to enter thepetition. The young men under the age of thirty without title.
There were a lot of people who weren¡¯t physically trained, so not everyone will attend. I was also powerless and not interested in hunting beasts, so at first I thought I was just going to stand there.
However, due to Nocton Edgar¡¯s gaze on me, which had been pouring since the Emperor¡¯s greeting, I changed my mind.
If I stayed here, I felt like I¡¯d eventually talk to him.
Even if I had ovee my fear, it didn¡¯t mean that talking with him wasn¡¯t burdensome. Rather, my desire to stay away from him grew stronger.
Even if we don¡¯t see each other for the rest of our lives, I won¡¯t miss him a bit.
¡°Aaron, will it be a nuisance if I go with you?¡±
¡°You mean you¡¯re going to enter thepetition?¡±
¡°I know it¡¯s also difficult. I just thought if I stay here, I¡¯ll talk to him in some way.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ¡ I suppose so.¡±
¡°Anyway, I said it without much expectation, so don¡¯t mind. It won¡¯t be a big deal if I stay in a crowded ce.¡±
¡°No, I haven¡¯t said it¡¯s difficult yet. It¡¯s a huntingpetition, but it doesn¡¯t mean that they released a dangerous beast. However, the reason is¡.¡±
Aaron dragged the words a little hesitantly, then turned his eyes.
His gaze fell on Alice.
¡°Would you like to go with the estemeed daughter of Limorand?¡±
***
Thepetition started quickly, and more people participated than I expected. As far as I know, those without any abilities came into the woods by sticking to the knight¡¯s side.
Based on the talks, I think they¡¯re going to show us the rare beasts, but this ceremony was a much safer form than I imagined. You need to do it first to truly know something.
Well, even though the size of the sacrifice determines the reign, there will be only pure beasts in the forest. A pure beast without a mana is not a threat to a man who handles mana.
Even if it¡¯s apanied by an object to protect, it won¡¯t matter.
¡°Is that a bat? The wings look like birds.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a unicorn. The horn is slightly tilted to the left.¡±
¡°It must have mutated the bones of the orbit.¡±
¡°Wow, it is a peacock. I¡¯ve only seen a peacock in the book. They really brought all the top animals.¡±
¡°That one is red. The ones I know are in ck, blue, and gold.¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking about the animal, right, Roa? Not about Edgar, Bluepam, or Limorand?¡±
This ce was near the capital and far from the habitat of the beast, I had been to this forest before, but all kinds of strange animals pushed out the natives and took their ce now. I felt like I was in a trip rather than apetition, so I¡¯ve been expressing my impressions one by one.
Even though I asked to be brought here, I was nervous without realizing it, but now I quietly rxed my shoulders.
¡°Aaron, can you just not catch anything like this?¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine. At the end of the day, I¡¯ll pick up a suitable beast. It¡¯s already decided who will catch the biggest beast anyway.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a candidate?¡±
Oh, is there such a thing even in apetition like this?
I looked back at Alice to share my curiousty, but she had a knowing look on her face.
¡°In the ceremony of the throne, it is important to know which beast is captured, but who caught the offering is also important for the Emperor¡¯s image.¡±
¡°There¡¯s such a thing. Do you know who they are?¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s Kantana.¡±
Kantana Limorand?
I was a little surprised at what Alice replied after intercepting Aaron¡¯s words.
Kantana Limorand was one of the sessors of Limorand. Kantana and Arhan were born twins and had simr levels of talent, so I heard that Limnd is still in trouble over its sessor.
But if Kantana Limorand are going to present the sacrificial beast, wouldn¡¯t it be the end of the sessorpetition?
As if she had noticed my thoughts, Alice nodded her head.
¡°Arhan was not present today. For the time being, only Kantana will show her face at the Imperial event.¡±
¡°Huh, it must be because she wasn¡¯t an inferior sessor. Then it is necessary for the sacrifice to be caught by a Duke¡¯s heir.¡±
¡°Yes, the Duke of Bluefam is already over 30, and His Grace Edgar has already seeded to the title, so unintentionally, the decision to choose the sessor has been rushed. That¡¯s why ¡ I¡¯m a little embarrassed to say this is apetition.¡±
It was a matter that could be said that the winner has already been decided.
It¡¯s no other than the Emperor¡¯s ession to the throne, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.
I didn¡¯t know because I wasn¡¯t interested in winning the championship, but the influential figures must have been told in their own words as everyone who could step into the forest is a high-ranking noble. Whether it¡¯s a reason not to be offended, or not to try hard hunting a great prey because the winner has already been decided.
Nevertheless, Alice looked at Aaron as if she was worried. She opened her mouth to say something, but Aaron was faster.
¡°Don¡¯t bother, Princess Limorand. In any case, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an honor.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nice to be honest, but Aaron, please remember that the winner is Alice¡¯s sister.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s not what I mean. I just¡.!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make fun of Sir ymore, Roa. The same is true for Kantana who didn¡¯t feelfortable with this.¡±
It was quite pleasant to see Aaron panicked, but Alice¡¯s calm words quickly ended my bluff.
I didn¡¯t mean to make fun of him. In any case, the prestige of the Imperial family is meaningless.
I just shrugged my shoulder towards Aaron, who alternated between Alice and me.
¡°Ah, it¡¯s raining¡.¡±
At that time, Alice touched her nose and looked up. All of a sudden, there were ck clouds all over the sky.
I thought it was sunny a while ago, but perhaps I was mistaken.
As I looked at the dark forest, I suddenly smelled something strange. The smell itself was faint, but it smelled unpleasant, like something rotten.
¡°We need to shelter ourselves from the rain for now. I know there¡¯s an unused temple in the middle of the forest.¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to be a little difficult to get there. It would be better if we seek shelter in the nearest ce.¡±
Aaron¡¯s firm face gave me a slight embarrassment so I just nodded.
Beyond simply being panicked by the rain, his expression was too heavy.
I don¡¯t know, will something happen?
Chapter 51
Chapter 51
Nervously, Duroa followed Aaron¡¯s lead.
Fortunately, there was a small cave nearby.
Although the cave was shallow enough that the inside could be seen from the entrance, it was obscured by leaves and bushes, and it wasrge enough for three people to enter.
¡°I think something happened. Both of you, please stay here for a bit.¡±
¡°All of a sudden?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have to go for a while. Luckily, the nearby beast¡ª¡±
Aaron said vaguely, putting his hands on his waist.
Following that ominous movement, something huge jumped out of the bushes.
The ck figure, which was over two meters tall, looked like a scorpion.
However, before they could properly recognize the strange appearance, the bright blue de sparked red.
What was supposed to be the neck of the beast fell down and blood sttered everywhere.
Aaron¡¯s tinum blonde hair was now covered in red.
The red liquid flowing down his face along with the rain looked eerie, and he took a deep breath.
It was the first time Duroa saw that cold expression on his face.
Aaron wiped off the blood from his sword and continued from where he was interrupted.
¡°That was the only one, so it¡¯ll be fine. The beasts are going wild and the other animals won¡¯te out, but even if they do, the entrance is covered in bushes so you¡¯ll be fine.¡±
¡°A beast? Sir ymore, what do you mean? Are you saying there¡¯s beasts in this forest?¡±
Without saying a word, he pulled the vines over the entrance of the cave, hiding it even more.
He looked to be in such a hurry that Duroa didn¡¯t even think of catching up to him.
A bizzare beast appeared in the forest suddenly.
Moreover, judging from Aaron¡¯s words, it didn¡¯t seem like there was only one or two.
Duroa wondered, who did this?
Was it the enemy of the current emperor or someone with a different n?
The rain was getting stronger.
There was no thunder, but the sound of the raindrops crashing onto the leaves was deafening.
Even at the hour when the sun was at its brightest, the forest was so dark that it seemed as if a huge shadow had been cast over it.
It was already cold because it was winter, but when the rain poured down like a waterfall, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble.
In addition, the unpleasant stench from earlier grew stronger and stronger that even someone with a bad sense of smell could tell that the current situation was ominous.
It was bad in many ways.
Duroa was very anxious, but Alice looked more nervous than her.
Duroa didn¡¯t know what to do. Her hands were shaking and her eyes couldn¡¯t focus on anything.
And eventually.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Duroa. I¡¯ll go out for a while.¡±
Alice¡¯s eyes showed her determination.
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°Kantana is in the forest. We¡¯re not like the ymore¡¯s. Kantana is an ordinary person who¡¯s never been knighted.¡±
¡°The Emperor must¡¯ve attached a secret escort or something. And your sister said she can wield swords before¡ª.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t rely on such uncertain spections!¡±
¡°But¡ª.¡±
¡°I learned a little bit about magical beasts while looking for ck magic. Those beasts weren¡¯t low-level that a regr knight could deal with.¡±
¡°What would change if you go?!¡±
She tried to soothe Alice as calmly as she could, but being in a sensitive state Duroa unconsciously raised her voice.
Instead of answering the question, Alice opened her robe and showed what she was carrying.
There were dozens of magic scrolls attached to her robe, including her amethyst ne.
There were also some Duroa had seen before.
Attack magic that burns the opponent and defense magic that reflects curses.
As she opened her mouth, thinking of how Alice could afford a mansion with that money, Alice said in a cold voice.
¡°The beast won¡¯t be able to touch me.¡±
¡°¡Alice, You.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Duroa. I¡¯ll leave this behind. I won¡¯t be able to sense you around those high-level beasts. It hides your presence from creatures that use ck magic.¡±
Alice wrapped the object around Duroa¡¯s wrist.
It was a bracelet with blue jewels.
ording to Alice¡¯s words, it must have been an artifact.
¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, I¡¯ll return as soon as I make sure Kantana is okay.¡±
¡°Alice!¡±
She called out her name toote as Alice had already run out through the rain.
Watching the back of her robe flutter, Duroa had no choice but to hold onto the bracelet Alice left for her.
With a loud noise, it finally started thundering.
***
¡®Kantana, Kantana!¡¯
As Alice ran out of the cave, her head was filled with the name of a single person.
Kantana Limorand.
Her family, who took Alice in when she was struggling from the first day she came to the capital, taught her about feelings that Ernhardt didn¡¯t.
They showed Alice love that Ernhardt never did.
If she could save Kantana from this crisis, it didn¡¯t matter what happened to all the magical tools they¡¯d collected.
It didn¡¯t matter if it was all used up or burned out, they would still be defenseless in front of Nocton Edgar.
As long as she was safe.
Fortunately, Alice knew where Kantana was.
For the dramatic effect of her ritual, she said she would catch the beast in a small temple in the middle of the forest.
It was her first time being in the forest while it was raining, and it was difficult to urately pinpoint the temple¡¯s location.
But the forest wasn¡¯t that big so if she headed deeper into the very middle of it, she would find Kantana somehow.
Immersed in irrational thoughts, Alice kept walking.
As she headed further into the forest, the number of demonic beasts increased, but there were more items simr to the stealth artifact she gave to Duroa, so they couldn¡¯t see her.
However, from time to time, she tripped on a stone and fell into the mud, scratching her skin on the tree branches.
Even so, Alice, as if possessed by something, ignored her breathlessness and ran endlessly.
Although she didn¡¯t know the way, whether it was a feeling or she just got lucky, Alice finally arrived at the small temple in the middle of the forest.
She was told it was a sanctuary for the Old Gods.
The building made of white wood hadn¡¯t been maintained for a long time, so it was covered with moss and vines.
It was built in a rainforest, so it looked eerie.
It was a bit of a terrifying sight, but Alice looked around intently instead of being distracted by the temple.
¡®This way, it must be somewhere around here.¡¯
She grabbed her pounding heart and called out Kantana¡¯s name loudly, but the scream was quickly drowned out by the heavy rain.
Alice stopped crying and held her breath to hear the sounds around her. But that was meaningless, all she could hear was the sound of her breathing, the sound of the rain, and the sound of branches breaking and leaves crumbling as she walked.
She couldn¡¯t see a single trace of Kantana.
¡®Where is Kantana? Is she hiding? Has she moved to a safe ce? Or, as Duroa said, the emperor must¡¯ve already sent an escort knight¡¡¯
As the tension faded and she rxed, Alice saw something strange in the corner of her eye.
Something could be seen behind the temple.
It looked like purple fire.
There couldn¡¯t have been a fire because it was raining so hard.
What was that?
Alice approached it involuntarily, reaching out to the suspicious phenomenon.
Just before her fingertips touched the fire.
¡°Alice!¡±
Someone grabbed Alice¡¯s arm and dragged her away.
Her body was pulled back in the man¡¯s tight embrace.
Her mind, which had been somewhat dazed, was awakened by the sudden movement.
¡®Why did I try to touch that?¡¯
She blinked her eyes in embarrassment at her previous actions, but a momentter, Alice realized that she was in the arms of a man she didn¡¯t know and at the same time, she felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.
Alice¡¯s eyes widened.
She had encountered a simr situation before.
¡°Are you okay?¡±
It was around the time she was in Ernhardt, beforeing to the capital.
As she climbed the ridge behind her to admire the scenery, she inadvertently leaned over it more to try and take a closer look, but when she almost fell, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her in their embrace.
The scent and firm body brushed against the tip of her nose, and the urgent and friendly hands were so rough that Alice could remember the moment as vividly as if she had fixed it with a nail in her mind.
What might have been nothing special was so clear because the person who held Alice¡¯s arm and the person who saved her was Alice¡¯s first love.
Someone¡¯s name rolled off the tip of her tongue.
¡®Ed?¡¯
But before she could speak the familiar name, Alice¡¯s body spun around.
The man who had rescued her was now holding her by the shoulders.
Red eyes glowing.
A bright red color that does not dim even in the dark and gloomy atmosphere of the raining forest.
The beautiful color seemed to be mixed with a desperate feeling.
¡°Calm down, you¡¯ll get caught!¡±
¡°¡Sir ymore?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, Lady Limorand.¡±
With a long sigh, Aaron ymore released his hold on Alice.
She blinked and slowly lifted her head.
Alice Limorand knew nothing about Ed, clearly.
Because of the anti-recognition magic tool, Alice couldn¡¯t remember his face, voice or physique.
However, she clearly remembered his very knightly tone, the tone which was rare in Ernhardt.
That¡¯s why she has asked Duroa, too.
¡®Do knights always speak so¡ stiff like Sir ymore?¡¯
Contrary to what she expected when she was in Ernhardt, that the tone of all knights would be the same, when she arrived in the capital, such a tone was notmon.
¡°Lady Limorand? Is there something wrong?¡±
¡°Oh, no. How the hell did this happen? That purple smoke¡¡±
¡°Perhaps it is the source of where that beast suddenly appeared. Someone opened the gate connected to the beast¡¯sir.¡±
Alice dropped her shoulders in surprise, looking at the smoke.
She said she wasn¡¯t a wizard, but she studied magic so she knew a little bit about the gates.
Suddenly, she threw herself back.
Alice trembled as she felt a chill run down her spine.
But if that¡¯s a gate connected to the beast¡¯sir, shouldn¡¯t it be left alone?
If they make a mistake, beasts can even go to a ce where people are¡
¡°Huh?¡±
Chapter 52
Chapter 52
¡°It seems to be getting smaller!¡±
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s an artificially connected gate, so it won¡¯tst long. If it¡¯s this small, no more magical beasts will appear and it¡¯ll disappear within 30 minutes.¡±
In response to Alice¡¯s words, Aaron took a deep breath.
Aaron seemed relieved to see the gate disappear.
Then, he turned to Alice.
¡°Other than that, why is Lady Limorand here?¡±
Although he didn¡¯t raise his voice, Aaron was clearly holding back his anger.
Alice shrugged her shoulders, as Aaron had nothing else to say even though he was openly upset.
¡°I¡¯m trying to find Kantana¡ She said she¡¯ll catch the biggest prey in the middle of the forest¡¡±
¡°If you¡¯re talking about the Young* Lady then I saw her a while ago under the guidance of the Imperial Knights, and she returned safely.¡±
(pr/n: when it says ¡°Young¡± it¡¯s an honorific because Kantana is one of the sessors for the Duke)
¡°Ah¡¡±
¡°But the same goes for Lady Limorand. Even if your sister was here, what the hell were you thinkinging after her?¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t leave Kantana alone.¡±
¡°It wouldn¡¯t help if ordinary, unarmed people woulde here! Rather-¡±
¡°I know that much! I didn¡¯t juste¡ without thinking.¡±
Alice opened her coat, showing the scrolls.
Even convincing Duroa was hard, Alice thought.
However, even after checking the scrolls, Aaron¡¯s expression did not brighten at all.
¡°What are you doing with those?¡±
¡ªThose were magical items.
¡°Pardon? Well, the beasts¡¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t have time to rip the scrolls, you¡¯ll lose in a physical fight.¡±
¡°There are some artifacts that make me invisible to the beast, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±
¡°If you lose those artifacts, there¡¯s no point.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no end to this. Anyway, I¡¯m here because I was desperate, and I had my own backup n.¡±
¡°There aren¡¯t only beasts in this forest.¡±
Alice¡¯s eyes widened at his words.
It was true that Alice was so obsessed with the idea there was a beast that she had forgotten about the demons.
Alice¡¯s feelings could be read on her face, as if she couldn¡¯t stand the frustration.
With that, Aaron stepped closer.
¡°It means there are many beasts who can swallow and rip apart a human who doesn¡¯t have any mana.¡±
Alice lowered her gaze, looking like an angry child.
¡°You may not know because you only saw bats and gentle animals, like horses, but there are bears, lions, wolves. Even if you ran away from the beasts, there are still certain animals left. If you didn¡¯t have time to tear up the scrolls, those predators would attack you.¡±
¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s a frivolous move. Believing in such a piece of paper, it¡¯s just¡¡±
Aaron clenched his teeth and took a small breath.
He had an angry expression.
It was too muching from her friend¡¯s fiancee, but Alice felt a certain way because of Aaron¡¯s words.
She felt sorry and an unknown longing again.
¡®He seems to care about me.¡¯
Maybe Alice was mistaken, but she certainly felt like Aaron ymore was very concerned about her.
It went beyond the concern a knight felt when protecting the weak, and maybe beyond that, to a very special degree.
ymore brushed his face a couple of times, trying to calm himself as Alice stared nkly at him.
¡°First of all, it seems like no more demons cane out of the gate, so it¡¯s better to go back.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m sorry. I made you worry.¡±
As Alice turned around, she spoke without realizing it, but when the words slipped out of her lips, Alice shuddered.
It wasn¡¯t something Alice would say to someone she had only talked to a few times.
She felt self-conscious.
Alice bit the inside of her cheek as she felt her face turn red.
But Aaron took Alice¡¯s words more naturally.
¡°No. I¡¯m¡ sorry for getting angry.¡±
Alice¡¯s eyes trembled slightly as her expression turned from angry to regretful.
Aaron¡¯s fists clenched, it was as if his awkwardness was spreading.
Unable to bear the silence, Alice hurriedly opened her mouth.
¡°I really didn¡¯t think about the animals¡¡±
She spoke, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, but Alice¡¯s eyes widened soon after.
Wait, animals?
¡°Duroa! I have to go back to her!¡±
***
The thunder was so loud.
Duroa paced around in the cave where she was left alone, wondering if Alice woulde back soon, but it was pointless.
Eventually, exhausted, Duroa crouched down on the cave¡¯s floor.
Yes, it¡¯ll be fine. Nothing will happen.
Since there were so many scrolls, it would be difficult to get hurt.
Rather, the beasts should be concerned about their safety.
Thinking that way, Duroa tried tofort herself, but it was in vain. Suddenly, she remembered the white crystal Nocton Edgar gave her.
A white crystal that was bigger than the one prepared by Alice.
Would it have helped if I brought it along?
Duroa thought about it for a moment, but then she shook her head.
If the person who gave her the ne didn¡¯t believe in it, how could she believe in it instead?
Even if she got it from someone else, Duroa wouldn¡¯t be able to use it if she felt ufortable.
So this is the only thing I can trust right now.
Duroa sighed as she touched the bracelet Alice had given her.
The temperature was dropping.
The Empire¡¯s weather was rtively warm despite the four seasons, but even so, it was now midwinter.
Moreover, Duroa was in a forest and it was pouring outside.
It had been a while since her coat gotpletely soaked from the rain, and Duroa had no idea how to make a fire in the wild.
The beasts didn¡¯t even appear, but if they did, she would be in danger because of hypothermia.
It seemed as if Duroa knew that there was nothing she could do about it.
As she was crouched down, brushing her hands against her cold arms, Duroa heard a strange noise.
It sounded like a low howl. Is there a beast nearby?
Duroa¡¯s heart started pounding.
She bit her lips to not make a sound and closed her eyes.
The entrance to the cave was covered with bushes by Aaron and the sound of rain would bury the sound of Duroa¡¯s breath.
There had been a strange smell that Duroa couldn¡¯t recognise.
However, ording to Alice¡¯s words, it was clear that the beast wouldn¡¯t notice Duroa if she was wearing the bracelet.
There were several thoughts running through her head wanting to make sure she was safe.
Still, because of the low howls, Duroa¡¯s heart wasn¡¯tpletely at ease so her heartbeat only grew louder.
Duroa heard a rustling sound as if the beast was right in front of her.
The beast was slow, but it was moving away.
After waiting for a while, the fearful sound waspletely gone.
It left.
Just as Duroa reassured herself, something flew her way.
The object hit through the bushes at the entrance and hit the wall of the shallow cave before falling onto the floor.
It was a stone, wet from the rain.
There was no room for doubt as to why it was thrown her way.
The howls were loud.
Enough to show off its presence, the sounds pierced through the rain.
Duroa held her breath and slowly raised her head.
The bushes blocking the front of the cave were quickly removed.
A few raindrops from the bushes sshed on Duroa¡¯s face and the thunder rumbled loudly.
A ck shadow showed up right in front of her.
It was a bear.
As proof it was a rare animal brought from outside, there was a third eye on its forehead. It was certainly not a beast.
Duroa stood up reflexively, but there was nowhere to run.
The bear bleeding from its shoulder looked very ferocious, and frightened or angry.
Her figure was urately reflected in its fiercely shining eyes.
¡®It won¡¯t be able to see you because it¡¯s an artifact that hides your presence from creatures who use ck magic.¡¯
Duroa remembered.
As Alice said, the only creature that could not see Duroa was the beast, and this creature in front of her wasn¡¯t a beast, it was an animal without mana that could endanger her.
Incredible.
I came to the forest because I didn¡¯t want to talk to Nocton Edgar, but now, being torn to death by a bear will be my end?
Can I say it¡¯s better than being burned at the stake?
Prior to the fear, she found it unfair, but the bear in front of Duroa didn¡¯t seem to be willing to listen to herints.
The bear raised itsrge front paws, wet from the rain.
Oddly enough, it didn¡¯t feel real, and Duroa didn¡¯t even close her eyes, she just stared nkly at the bear.
And then.
¡°Close your eyes.¡±
Duroa heard a soft voice and something covered her eyes.
Judging by the feel, it was probably a hand.
Cold fingers, wet from the rain.
At the same time, there was a strange sound, as if something cracked, a cry and then a loud roar.
The hand that was covering Duroa¡¯s eyed didn¡¯t budge, but the unusual sounds continued to make her feel even more anxious.
Unable to bear the anxiety, Duroa raised her hand and fumbled with the fingers covering her eyes.
It seemed as if those cold fingers twitched for a moment.
¡°¡Nocton?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±
The hand covering Duroa¡¯s eyes was stronger.
Then, there was a gurgling sound, as if something was flowing.
The heavy and unpleasant sound disappeared under the sound of the rain before Nocton pulled away his hand.
There was nothing in front of Duroa.
No rough and round paws, no bear, not even the bear¡¯s corpse, nothing.
Duroa never saw Nocton wield a sword before, so why did he bring it when he wasn¡¯t even participating in the contest?
While looking at Nocton in wonder, Duroa btedly confirmed that his gaze was directed towards what she was holding.
It was the bracelet Alice left behind.
As soon as Duroa noticed the direction of his gaze, she came to her senses as if she was thrown in a coldke.
Right.
The person in front of me is none other than Nocton Edgar.
¡°I couldn¡¯t find you right away so you¡¯re holding onto something strange again. Why the hell are you here?¡±
¡°I should¡ be the one asking questions. Why are the beasts here and how did you get here? What¡¯s with that sword?¡±
¡°Stop using those obnoxious honorifics.¡±
(pr/n: she¡¯s using formal speech and calling him Duke Edgar to distance herself from him)
¡°That doesn¡¯t matter now!¡±
Duroa shouted in a moment of soaring irritation, then reflexively took a step back.
Again, it wasn¡¯t because she was afraid. After the ball, Duroa wasn¡¯t afraid of Nocton.
It was just a habit Duroa was used to.
The habit of being suspicious and fearing Nocton.
And yet, after she shouted like that, that frightened step back seemed ridiculous.
Although Nocton did not find it funny at all.
Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Duroa exhaled, unsure if it was out of relief.
Was it because it was raining so much, the situation was tooplicated or was it because Nocton Edgar was standing in front of her?
Her head soon started throbbing in pain.
It was a bad headache, it felt like it was pounding against her forehead.
¡°Before I say thank you for saving me, let me ask one thing. Was this your fault?¡±
¡°Yeah, I thought you¡¯d be suspicious of me if I came here. You seem to think that all the bad things in the world happen because of me.¡±
¡°So you, who didn¡¯t even attend the contest, happened to appear when I was in danger.¡±
¡°The people outside of the forest know that the beast appeared. There¡¯s already a mess out there. The timing was just right.¡±
Nocton might think it¡¯s unfair, but the straight-forward answer aroused suspicion.
¡°I want to ask you, Valrose. What do you think would be the benefit of releasing the beast on the hunting ground during the contest?¡±
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time you¡¯ve done something you¡¯re unaware of.¡±
Nocton has done more things that Duroa couldn¡¯t understand than the ones she could.
¡°Giving me holy water when I was sick, brainwashing Sheryl Bornaine, spying on Alice and trying to kill Aaron were all done for your own gain, right?¡±
Duroa wanted to ask whether or not he actually brainwashed her as well between those many questions, but she stopped because she didn¡¯t want to bother more than that.
Even if she asked, she wouldn¡¯t get a proper answer.
That was what she found out in theirst few quarrels.
But what she was currently doing was no different from interrogating him either.
Nocton twisted his lips because of whatever he was thinking.
Was it unpleasant or was it pleasant? It was difficult for Duroa to figure out his emotions.
¡°It¡¯s not that strange. It¡¯s a bit excessive to bring holy water to a friend, but it can be done in hopes of better health.¡±
¡°It¡¯s strange to drink a ss of holy water in front of that friend to confirm it¡¯s not poisonous. A ck magic magician would be poisoned just by touching holy water, right?¡±
¡°You were suspicious of me anyway so I just removed any doubts in advance. I wanted to simply do a test on Sheryl Bornaine, and the same goes for trying to take advantage of each other. It was smart.¡±
Nocton interrupted himself for a moment to catch his breath, and then continued his speech.
¡°Spying¡ Well, among powerful families, there are a few families that don¡¯t care about the behaviour of others. Even Alroy Valrose, whom you love so much, and your parents have eyes everywhere.¡±
¡°Nocton Edgar.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to insult you, but it¡¯s true that you don¡¯t know a lot since you grew up like a flower in the aristocratic society. What¡¯s left, Aaron ymore? ¡Yeah, I was angry and willing to kill him.¡±
All this negativity tarnished his reputation, clearly.
But that wasn¡¯t the case before today.
Nocton spoke bluntly and Duroa wasn¡¯t surprised at all.
Even saying that Nocton tried to kill someone, it seemed natural for Duroa.
Maybe he didn¡¯t kill anyone.
But Alice told her otherwise.
¡°But I didn¡¯t kill anyone, Valrose.¡±
¡°Your doctor didn¡¯t stop you.¡±
¡°I drank the holy water that weakened my physical condition in front of my doctor. What¡¯s the difference?¡±
¡°What terrible logic.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if youugh at my logic, but I didn¡¯t just pursue things that benefit me.¡±
With the blink of an eye, Nocton took a step closer to Duroa.
It was only a step, but the light that shined faintly on his back waspletely swallowed up by the shadow of the cave.
In the midst of the darkness, his pale purple eyes glimmered strangely.
Nocton wasn¡¯t frowning, he strangely seemed excited.
¡°You¡¯ve been friends with Alice Limorand since childhood, haven¡¯t you? Why did you befriend that woman? Why did you hide it from me? Aaron ymore decided to break off the engagement, but why did you want to postpone it? Why did you get engaged to him in the first ce?¡±
¡°¡How do you know about breaking off the engagement?¡±
¡°If you decided to break off your engagement within a year, it¡¯s clear that you don¡¯t have deep feelings for him. He¡¯s a man who only has that kind of emotions¡¡±
Without even thinking of answering Duroa¡¯s question, Nocton continued.
¡°I didn¡¯t kill him, I almost killed him, so why are you so angry? Why are you so scared? I didn¡¯t mean to harm you, so why are you trying to abandon me?¡±
¡°Abandoning? What?¡±
Duroa stopped even if she wanted to protest against something so absurd because Nocton¡¯s expression looked strange.
She took a step back in fear, but Nocton followed her.
The cave wasn¡¯t deep in the first ce, so there were not many ces to retreat to.
Nocton¡¯s step was wider than hers, so their faces were closer than before.
¡°The Valrose family thought the same. Even Alice Limorand, who¡¯s been building up a lot of time, has been forced to understand that.¡±
Nocton¡¯s eyes glistened. Duroa couldn¡¯t understand him, but she felt overwhelmed by the moment and swallowed down the growing lump in her throat.
¡°But not Aaron ymore. He¡¯s not true to you, he doesn¡¯t love you and if you break up, sooner orter you¡¯ll be a stranger to him. But what is he doing? Why do you value him so much?¡±
¡°Why are you suddenly talking about that? It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with what we were talking about.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what I want to say. It doesn¡¯t matter at all. What did I do?¡±
As if determined to follow Duroa, Nocton watched her closely.
She took a step backwards for some space but she tripped on a stone sticking out from the bottom of the cave.
Duroa almost fell, but she was able to grab onto the wall of the cave before she did so.
However, the reliefsted for a few seconds.
Nocton grabbed her hand from against the wall, lifting her up and bringing her closer.
Now, the distance between their faces was closer than before.
¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±
As if in a whisper, a small voice rang in the dark, breaking the silence of the cave.
It was a sound that made her skin crawl more than the beast¡¯s cry.
Nocton slowly pulled Duroa up and spoke again.
Goosebumps rose as his cold breath touched her skin.
¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, Valrose.¡±
Valrose.
Duroa was taken aback by that name.
It was then that she realised she was nervous.
The sound of the heavy rain became more clear, as if Duroa had suddenly pulled her head out of the water.
The sound of the rain hitting the leaves on the ground, the sound of the leaves hitting each other, the sound of the person in front of her breathing.
A strange smell, the smell of rain and the smell of wet soil.
Light colored eyes right in front of her.
¡°You didn¡¯t do anything to Valrose.¡±
Duroa looked at Nocton without averting her eyes and muttered as if talking to herself.
Even though the sound of the rain was strong, Nocton heard her words clearly because of how close they were.
Nocton¡¯s eyebrows tilted slightly.
But even looking at him, Duroa didn¡¯t pay much attention to the change in his expressions anymore.
The rest of his emotions, to say the least, were just boring.
¡°How many times have I raised my voice at you already?¡±
As the senses once blurred by the tension became clearer, even the headache was more obvious.
The throbbing pain intensified and Duroa leaned her head back for a moment, pressing her face against the wall of the cave.
It felt good, the cold air rushing through her cheeks.
What Duroa thought was a headache felt more like a fever.
Let¡¯s just talk and go back.
¡°I tried to move on, but it seems difficult.¡±
¡°What¡ do you mean?¡±
¡°Are you obsessed with me, Nocton?¡±
Duroa pushed her body off from against the wall with the hand that Nocton wasn¡¯t holding on to. The distance between their faces was restored as he let go of her arm naturally.
¡°At this point, I understand that you didn¡¯t do anything for a while just to get a reaction.¡±
¡°I told you, you are special.¡±
¡°And I said that I can¡¯t believe it.¡±
¡°¡Wait, you seem to have a fever.¡±
After he spoke, Nocton extended his hand towards her.
Duroa felt annoyed at his hand trying to touch her forehead, so she pped it off.
Nocton¡¯s eyes trembled faintly.
He tried to back away, but she grabbed a hold of his cor and pushed him away instead.
The headache was severe. Duroa¡¯s mind was clouded, her body was cold, tired and exhausted.
I want to stop pouring out my emotions while raising my voice like this.
After all that has been said, there isn¡¯t much left on my mind.
Why do we keep talking about our regrets in this empty ce?
It was now clear to her that no matter what she said to Nocton, Duroa couldn¡¯t draw any hopeful conclusions.
Still, she wanted to ask him again.
Did you do this, too?
Even if Nocton answered Duroa, she wouldn¡¯t believe it anyway.
Duroa suspected it was his fault, but she wanted to hear that Nocton didn¡¯t do it anyway.
I¡¯m sick of it, saying it¡¯s hard now is like I brought it upon myself.
In the end, it was obvious that she also had regrets.
A feeling that was hard to shake even when it came to this kind of situation.
So, she could never be free without talking about the perfect ending, without finishing it properly.
Because of Nocton Edgar, because of the ¡®maybe¡¯, which tormented Duroa along with those damned regrets.
¡°Since you¡¯re killing people, of course I¡¯m going to catch a fever when talking about such things. Why are you doing this to me, Your Highness, Duke Edgar?¡±
(tl/n: this is like a korean idiom or word y. like how you get hot and it seems like you have a fever when you¡¯re angry.)
¡°Stop ying around with those unnecessary titles, Valrose.¡±
¡°Yeah, Valrose. It¡¯s always Valrose. Then if you¡¯re calling me Valrose, I¡¯ll call you Edgar.¡±
What am I talking about?
Perhaps it was because Duroa felt a bit hazy that her words didn¡¯te out as she wanted them to.
¡°No, I¡¯m not doing this to seek some childish revenge, but I¡¯m thinking about the past. You hated it when I called you Duke Edgar and yet you insist on calling me by myst name.¡±
Nocton opened his mouth to speak, but Duroa quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
It was because her head was still pounding from pain that she didn¡¯t have the confidence to express herself while listening to the other person¡¯s side of the story.
Duroa was no longer afraid of Nocton after what happened and it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal in the current situation.
¡°Listen. You just need to listen.¡±
My mind is messed up.
She removed the hand that covered Nocton¡¯s mouth and took a deep breath of cold air, exhaling soon after.
Just like how a deted balloon shrinks, that was how the air left her lungs.
Then, she felt more confident.
¡°But, unfortunately, I found out the reason a few days ago. Nocton, Nocton?¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
¡°Call me ¡®Duroa¡¯.¡±
Nocton¡¯s eyes seemed to tremble.
No, I may have imagined it because my vision is blurred.
¡°This isn¡¯t something I¡¯m asking just to be friendly with you. It¡¯s not like that anymore. I¡¯ve read a book about it. It¡¯s hard to find books on ck magic, but I found something.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Oh, is that so? It¡¯s hard to find so you thought I¡¯d never figure it out. Why didn¡¯t youe up with a usible reason for insisting on using the name ¡®Valrose, Valrose¡¯?¡±
¡°You. What did you say?¡±
¡°In mind controlling magic, titles are important.¡±
Chapter 56
Chapter 56
¡°Well, of course¡ª¡±
¡°I hope you don¡¯t lie to me, because I can find out.¡±
¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean to lie! If we are to bless someone, of course we should put Duke Edgar first. In the Empire, you are second only to the Emperor.¡±
¡°Then, Your Majesty.¡±
Nocton turned his head.
When he looked at the Emperor sitting on the throne, their eyes met.
The Emperor¡¯s face hardened with embarrassment.
¡°Have you been blessed?¡±
¡°¡No, I wasn¡¯t.¡±
¡°These are some extremely rude people. How dare you put the subjects before the Emperor? No matter how much you say you¡¯re in the arms of God, it is too much to insult the honor of the Imperial family.¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s not¡ That¡¯s not it!¡±
¡°I¡¯m Gervello Gerve of the Great Shrine. I¡¯m sorry, but if you excuse me, Duke Edgar.¡±
Pushing the contemtive priest aside, another priest came forward.
He was one of the six high priests who came to perform the ceremony, a rare young man.
There was a strong will written on his face.
¡°We found traces of the use of ck magic to summon the beasts. The gate is now closed, but there is a high possibility that someone here has opened the gate.¡±
When ck magic came up, Nocton just listened quietly without even raising an eyebrow.
¡°They were using ck magic to ruin the ceremony. So, through God¡¯s blessing, I want to confirm whether or not you¡¯re a dark magician.¡±
¡°Then, I¡¯m asking. Is anyone here going to get the same confirmation? Or is it just me?¡±
¡°To be honest, there was an anonymous tip saying that you are a dark magician and about what you¡¯ll do at the ceremony.¡±
An anonymous tip, unexpectedly tant.
Worrying about the traces of ck magic, Nocton used the minimum and also a sword, but in the end it was pointless.
Still, if he wanted to refuse, he could.
In the Empire, Edgar was special.
The family was known as the founding family, but in reality, Edgar had been located in thisnd before that.
Those who allowed Karantena, the founding Emperor, to take over thend were also the Edgar family.
As a result, Edgar was promised eternal authority at the time of the founding of the empire and the oath continued as the bloodline of the first Emperor was passed down to this day.
Over the generations, Edgar was obviously the oldest and most powerful ruler in thisnd, as several times the Imperial family had been trying to change.
So Nocton didn¡¯t have to take that rude test.
There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone who doubted that Nocton summoned the beast.
¡°You know that even if I decline here, there won¡¯t be a problem.¡±
¡°Yes. But to clear any suspicions¡ª¡±
There were a lot of suspicions from people who didn¡¯t want to be suspected, so it was meaningless.
However.
Nocton nced briefly at the young and capable High Priest.
The energy felt was quite clean, so it seemed to be usable.
Coincidentally, it was the time when a priest was needed.
¡°If you promise me one thing, I will ept your blessing.¡±
¡°I do not ept unreasonable requests.¡±
¡°Then, isn¡¯t it unreasonable to suspect that I am the culprit without evidence?¡±
¡°Anonymous¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s something that can only be done from the temple¡¯s point of view. How can I believe it? Whether or not there was an anonymous informant. Maybe, you¡¯re trying to harm me under the influence of someone else?¡±
¡°¡If you say that, I understand. Please, tell me about your request.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. If there¡¯s nothing wrong with my blessing, you have to stay at Edgar for a year.¡±
It wasn¡¯t unusual for a priest to receive a huge patronage and stay with a particr family.
However, it could be regarded as an insult because a high-ranking priest would only asionally stay with the Imperial family in case of an emergency.
But Gerve was quite sure of his suspicions, so he just nodded.
Then, a pure white light poured down from his hand and towards Nocton.
Nocton¡¯s lips twisted.
The light of blessing from a priest was usually green, but the white light was an attack magic above the divine one.
If blessed, even if the opponent was a dark magician, they would only feel a little nauseous, but with attack magic it was different.
If it were for ordinary people, divine magic wouldn¡¯t hurt, but the change in words was certainly¡ It was cute.
¡°Ge-Gerve!¡±
The other high priests screamed his name.
Nocton took a slow, deep breath to soothe his messy, twisted stomach.
Even before he became an adult, he drank holy water with an innocent face, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to pretend to be calm even in a situation like this.
It was a magic trick that wouldn¡¯t have made him suffer if dealt with properly, so Nocton was annoyed.
Whether the priest was convinced that Nocton was responsible after a single report, the priest¡¯s face changed to look good.
¡°No way!¡±
¡°It¡¯s good that the priest is strong and works hard, but you have to look up and down.¡±
t/n: by that i think nocton means that the priest should have investigated the anonymous tip abt nocton.
Nocton swallowed the blood flowing in his mouth and let out a sigh that went from frustration to mocking.
¡°You seem to have picked up some strange words from somewhere, but even if I was a dark magician, can I attack before it proves that I¡¯m the one who opened the gate?¡±
¡°D-Duke, this is¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m already looking forward to seeing how your innocent illusion and aggressive honesty will change the temple.¡±
¡°This is a procedure that was unavoidable for the honor of the Imperial family! Retaliation against the temple is¡ª!¡±
¡°I did not say that I would retaliate. However, the donations to the temple were purely out of favor, so it would be too much to say that it¡¯s retaliation to collect them.¡±
¡°Duke!¡±
¡°Other than that, I hope you keep your promise. If you treasure what you have.¡±
Nocton walked past the other priests whose faces turned blue.
There was a hand that tried to hold him back, but Nocton mercilessly pped it off.
Nocton ignored even the handkerchieves of the imperial servants and walked straight to his carriage.
The escort knight, whose eyes were blurred, held out a towel to Nocton and he roughly wiped away the moisture from the rain.
Then, there was a low-pitched voice.
It was Duroa¡¯s voice. Perhaps she had returned while Nocton was arguing with the officials.
Focusing on his keen hearing, he raised his head.
Alice Limorand was looking after Duroa to see if there was anything wrong and then apologized.
Duroa suddenly changed her tone, as if she was exhausted from saying she was fine.
¡°No, I¡¯m fine, Alice. Although the bear hit the sixth rib bone on the left.¡±
¡°What? You¡¯re hurt? Oh, my God! You need to be treated right now! Where is it? Here?¡±
¡°Oh, I was mistaken. Come to think of it, it¡¯s the third, not the sixth.¡±
¡°Third? Where¡¯s the third rib? Where are you, Sir ymore?¡±
¡°¡it¡¯s this way for now.¡±
¡°And here? Does it hurt here, Duroa?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not the left, it¡¯s the right.¡±
¡°Right? Then here?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that the third one?¡±
¡°¡Duroa, are you kidding me? You¡¯re fine!¡±
¡°You finally figured it out, Alice! I thought it would take another half hour!¡±
Pretending to be moved, with an exaggerated expression, Duroa hugged Alice.
Alice tried to push Duroa away, but eventually they burst intoughter together.
It was a very friendly, happy smile.
Watching them, Nocton remembered the past.
¡®No, it really doesn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s been more than two weeks since I got over my cold!¡¯
¡®Who said that? Your throat isn¡¯t well and you sound weird and noisy. Be quiet.¡¯
¡®Wow, such nice words. If you¡¯re going to pretend to be like that, then get rid of these cups. No matter how good it is for a cold, how many cups are there? One, two, three, four, five. If I drink five cups of tea, I¡¯ll catch another disease.¡¯
¡®It¡¯s surprising in many ways that you have to count them one by one to know there¡¯s five cups. Are you still sick?¡¯
¡®Sarcasm¡ Oh! My hand¡! It¡ slipped.¡¯
¡®Oops. You failed to topple the cup pretending your hand slipped.¡¯
¡®Sometimes I get annoyed because you¡¯re so quick.¡¯
¡®Clearly. Alright, now drink.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m better, really. Do you want to see my throat? Ah¡¡¯
¡®You want me to pour it down your throat?¡¯
¡®¡You can drink it, bastard.¡¯
After that, Duroa probably burned the roof of her mouth from drinking the hot tea and then made a fuss.
Noctonughed involuntarily since the memory of her ming him for it was still vivid.
Yeah, it was.
There was a moment like that.
There were moments like those.
But now, there won¡¯t be anymore.
Nocton spit blood on the towel, pretending to dry himself.
He thought maybe he¡¯d miss calling her Valrose.
***
¡°Have some tea, Miss. It¡¯s good for your cold.¡±
¡°Thank you, Sadie.¡±
On top of the tea that Sadie put down, a woman with a nk expression reflected in it.
Her face was hot and her eyes were tired, apparently she caught a cold.
Duroa thought she had a strong health, not as much as a knight or a magician, but she couldn¡¯t stand being in the rain during the winter in a forest.
I had a headache all of a sudden and I think I already caught a cold while talking to Nocton Edgar.
Sadie sighed, covering Duroa¡¯s shoulders with a thick nket.
¡°Really, why did it suddenly start raining?¡±
Duroa barely managed to not flinch at that remark.
She was suspicious of the sudden musty smell, but not the rain. Both the rain and the smell were artificial magical clues.
They said that the reason the beast appeared was because someone created a gate that connected the beast¡¯sir and the forest.
The beast had a unique smell and the rain was pouring down with magic to cover it up.
It was never revealed who did it or what its purpose was.
For that reason, the Imperial family was being extremely sensitive.
However, it was said there was a report announcing that there might be a problem with thepetition in advance.
Thanks to that, they were able to gather a lot of priests and all three knights of the Imperial family were present, so there were no casualties, but there were wounded.
The reason why so many priests came was because the new Emperor was timid. Duroa had no choice but to reflect on that thought.
I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty¡
Well, I heard it all from Alice.
No one else knew, but Duroa still had to tell the inside story to Kantana Limorand, the prospective winner.
She would tell Duroa¡¯s sister everything if it wasn¡¯t dangerous, so Kantana could know the full story.
The other people only heard that there was an ident and the beast appeared then it was severely punished.
Chapter 54
Nocton showed no reaction, but his chest, which had slowly been moving up and down, stopped.
It was clear that he was holding his breath.
With his indirect consent, Duroa let out a deep breath in the opposite direction.
I want to end it now.
No doubt, no anxiety, no fear, no regrets, I wanted to put an end to all my time with Nocton Edgar.
¡°My name is Duroa Valrose, Nocton. It¡¯s Duroa, not Valrose.¡±
¡°If I call your name¡ do you think everything will be okay?¡±
¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to try it.¡±
Nocton licked his lips as if he were about to call her name at any moment, but no matter how long Duroa waited, those five letters didn¡¯te out of his mouth.
You¡¯re not saying anything. I knew it.
Duroa scoffed and pushed Nocton away.
The arms that were twice as big as hers were pushed away so easily.
What should I do now? I can¡¯t stay here.
It wasn¡¯t confirmed that the beast was dealt with yet. Should I just wait for Aaron?
Duroa didn¡¯t know for how long Nocton was going to stick around, but she couldn¡¯t leave anyway.
She felt exhausted, as if her entire body was bruised.
It was as if she was falling out of consciousness quickly.
Now, even if a bear appeared in front of them, Duroa was confident she wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish it properly.
I don¡¯t think I have any energy left to be surprised.
Duroa nced outside for a quick second and then turned around immediately when she saw the rain clouds.
No matter how much she hated being alone in the cave with Nocton Edgar, Duroa wasn¡¯t sure she could make it through the rain.
And there was no guarantee that the beasts were dealt with.
As Duroa was ying with her foot in the dried leaves meaninglessly, she looked up when she heard something.
¡°¡Duroa.¡±
It was a small sound, like an ant crawling.
But Duroa was a little surprised by it and turned around slowly.
Nocton Edgar was looking at her with a helpless face, like a lost child.
¡°Duroa.¡±
He called Duroa by her name again, but louder this time.
He called me by my name.
Duroa was surprised and embarrassed by the sudden situation, but she instantly felt sad. At one time, it was something she desperately wanted to hear.
When Duroa thought of Nocton as a friend, when she liked him and felt special feelings for him, her heart wished that he could call her name.
Is it because I¡¯m sick?
Or is it because I already abandoned my old feelings and let them return to dust?
Is it because my feelings for him have already been ruined?
Duroa heard her nameing out of Nocton¡¯s mouth, but nothing changed for her.
It didn¡¯t feel special, and nothing special happened either.
With that, she thought that maybe she wasn¡¯t brainwashed.
Duroa thought about Sheryl Bornaine, she suddenly copsed as if she was shocked by something, but when Duroa saw there was nothing wrong with her, brainwashing was¡
¡°¡Duroa?¡±
But what does that have to do with anything?
She didn¡¯t really care if the thought that Nocton brainwashed her was only an assumption.
Duroa was not pleased at all.
Nocton Edgar couldn¡¯t be anything to her. A friend or an acquaintance, even just as someone to have around.
Duroa was rather saddened by the feeling of gaining such confidence.
And she still couldn¡¯t believe Nocton.
Although the title, which was thought to be evidence of his betrayal, was refuted head-on, trust did not return.
Maybe that was why.
If it wasn¡¯t for that reason, if it wasn¡¯t for the hypnosis and the brainwashing, why didn¡¯t he call Duroa by her name for so long?
Why, all this time, when it was a name that came out so easily right now?
Duroa held her breath and ced a hand over her forehead.
Three times. Nocton, who called out her name, said nothing for a moment.
Nothing changed in her, as if Duroa knew things weren¡¯t any better.
The sound of the rain had diminished.
That deafening sound was now as small as a scratch on the ear.
The thunder had stopped and the leaves weren¡¯t dancing loudly anymore.
The light, which wasn¡¯t bright but wasn¡¯t dark either, was shining through the forest.
But my childhood did note back.
Duroa struggled to speak.
¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d call me that. From the looks of it, you didn¡¯t brainwash me. Or, it was already broken.¡±
¡°You¡¯re still the same as before.¡±
¡°¡Nocton.¡±
¡°Not having any intention of going back to how we were in the past, trying to stay away from me, not trusting me at all. Yeah, calling your name isn¡¯t going to solve everything. Actually, I knew it.¡±
Nocton kept quiet for a while and continued soon after.
¡°It¡¯s all a meaningless obsession and there¡¯s no way it¡¯s going to be better. It¡¯s already over, but even though I knew that, I still hoped¡¡±
Nocton was saying things that Duroa couldn¡¯t understand, but she didn¡¯t want to pry either.
Duroa just watched Nocton speak to himself in a trembling voice.
Despite this rare appearance, he still had no emotions and his heart was empty as if all the feelings he had were ripped out.
Suddenly, Duroa opened her mouth.
¡°Now, I guess we really don¡¯t get along.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Thanks for saving me, by the way.¡±
In a strange mood, Duroa yed with the dried leaves on the ground and looked at him.
The embarrassment slowly faded from Nocton¡¯s face.
Soon, the expressionpletely disappeared.
The raindrops on Duroa¡¯s ck eyshes looked strangely like tears so she blinked them away.
But even if they were actual tears, nothing would¡¯ve changed.
¡°Let¡¯s not see each other anymore.¡±
She didn¡¯t mean to, but Duroa¡¯s voice came out quiet.
Still, Nocton heard her anyway.
¡°I was going to say it properly before, but you vomited blood and went crazy, so I was a mess. Actually, I had to say it at the Imperial ball, but back then I was¡ I guess I was so scared that you could turn me back.¡±
Come to think of it, it was.
¡°Maybe it was all an illusion and it¡¯s a situation that can be fixed. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re trying to kill Aaron even though nothing great happened.¡±
If Duroa was really afraid of Nocton, if she was really afraid he would hurt her, she could hide in the mansion even by pretending to be sick.
On the pretext of not feeling well, Duroa was able to escape as the Marquis of Valrose representative.
Even if Duroa was obligated to attend, if sheined about being sick or having a hard time, her parents would ept it and somehow manage to correct her immature behaviour.
But she didn¡¯t run away and she didn¡¯t refuse to talk to Nocton at the Imperial ball.
Duroa thought that seeing his face would be better than to have a bad reputation in society or embarrass her parents.
She must¡¯ve had a strange idea that Nocton wouldn¡¯t hurt her even though she was trembling with fear.
With hope, with regret.
But when she was told that Nocton was going to kill Aaron, she couldn¡¯t keep it in any longer.
¡°When you say this, it sounds like you¡¯re breaking up with me. Do you think I¡¯m exaggerating again?¡±
Duroaughed, but Nocton didn¡¯t.
There was not even a brief answer and there was no change in his expression either.
¡°Well, nothing surprising. After you and I get married, no matter how friendly we are, we¡¯ll see each other more often than before.¡±
Friends¡
¡°We¡¯re friends, right? Were we ever friends, though? You really didn¡¯t think of me as a toy or an old doll to have around? You said I was special, you know.¡±
Nocton had no answer, but Duroa shifted her gaze from the floor of the cave, to the sky outside and then stared at the forest, talking to herself.
She knew she had to end it, but she didn¡¯t want to.
And suddenly, Duroa thought she shouldn¡¯t do it.
¡°Hey, whatever I was, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±
The rain, which had poured like there was a hole in the sky, stopped altogether.
The strange smell was gone, as well.
Was it the smell of the train or something rted to magic?
Asking herself meaningless questions about the situations, Duroa slowly took a step forward. Taking the first step was hard, then the next one was easy.
One step, two steps and past Nocton, then she was out of the cave.
But at that moment¡
¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡±
Duroa¡¯s arm was grabbed and her body turned around into Nocton¡¯s arms.
It was simr to what happened the night before, when she had heard about the precognitive dream from Alice, but unlike then, this time it was a face-to-face hug.
She was btedly surprised but stayed still because she felt Nocton¡¯s arms clinging tightly to her back.
Duroa thought she could pull away if she wanted to, but she just followed Nocton¡¯s wishes instead.
It was thest one.
¡°It wasn¡¯t that meaningless.¡±
¡°Nocton.¡±
¡°If you leave¡ It¡¯s horrible just thinking about it, and you were special. I¡¯m sorry I tested you. It wasn¡¯t you that I tried to test, it wasn¡¯t you, it was me¡ I thought you couldn¡¯t be by my side so¡ you¡¯re not a toy. If I was going to just y with you, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you to stay that long. You couldn¡¯t have been this mad at Aaron ymore.¡±
¡°Nocton.¡±
Even after calling his name over and over again, he didn¡¯t answer and continued making excuses.
¡°No, I¡¯m not angry. It¡¯s all a lie. Neither at him, nor at your friend. I wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone around you. I¡ Duroa. I-I wanted to call your name. Since a long time ago, I¡¯ve always wanted to.¡±
The hands that hugged Duroa were shaking.
It was a mystery.
His desperate embrace felt as if he were saying it was really special.
Every single one of his actions wasn¡¯t like him, and Duroa¡¯s unwavering heart was no longer hers.
It felt as if everything was breaking.
¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you. I didn¡¯t want to. Your maid¡¯s work was brief, too. I just wanted to know if you knew about ck magic, so I thought I would do anything to know.¡±
¡°You should¡¯ve told me sooner.¡±
¡°I¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m a little surprised. You were the one who could say that. You¡¯re the one who can show your true feelings that way and also someone who could hide something in the midst of that.¡±
¡°Duroa.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no turning back now, so stop making meaningless excuses.¡±
Even though it came out of her lips, it felt as if someone borrowed Duroa¡¯s body to speak in her stead.
She had no intention of hurting him because it was already the end for them, but the words that came out of her mouth were sharp.
Duroa tried to get out of Nocton¡¯s arms, but he held on tighter.
So that she couldn¡¯t resist.
She could feel his heartbeat because of the closeness between them.
Only the beat could be heard.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything. I have something to say, Duroa.¡±
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Still, the ritual was somehowpleted.
Because the chosen beast was a winged white horse, the conclusion was that the mythical creature drove out the demons and sacrificed itself to return to the arms of God.
I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good thing.
¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d you just caught a cold. I heard there were so many scary animals and you went in there.¡±
¡°Aaron took good care of me. And I wasn¡¯t the only one who went in. People who didn¡¯t know anything about swords or magic joined to watch.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why all the people who got hurt are normal.¡±
If you say so. I have nothing to say.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn;t mean to be presumptuous. However¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t go in next time.¡±
Even if Duroa had the opportunity to talk to Nocton¡¯s mother instead of Nocton himself, she wouldn¡¯t have to enter the forest.
Only then did Sadie leave the room happily, nodding her head.
The door closed and Duroa looked down at the cup Sadie gave her.
It was a tea good for colds, so Nocton was the first thing that came to her mind.
It wasn¡¯t just about the cup.
A side effect of being together for a long time was that most objects had stories rted to Nocton.
Everywhere Duroa looked, she would see his face.
Even if it hurt, she still remembered everything.
Nocton¡¯s face seemed to be reflected on top of the tea.
Several things passed through Duroa¡¯s mind.
Nocton suddenly came to the Marquis of Valrose and gave her an invitation to his tea party, ran into Aaron in the drawing room, caught her at the imperial ball, and what happened at the hunting contest.
Sincest fall, Duroa had been suspecting him after what Alice said, but the real change had already happened before then.
For a long time, Duroa was building up the confidence to stay away from Nocton so she wouldn¡¯t be caught.
Duroa felt empty, as if there was a big hole in her chest.
She wasn¡¯t sure, but it was probably a hole that wasn¡¯t going to be filled anytime soon.
If Duroa wasn¡¯t going to see Nocton¡¯s face for a while, she would recover quickly. However, it was hard to look forward to that when she remembered hisst words before he left.
¡®See you again, Duroa.¡¯
Was that the end?
Could it be that was the end of her brainwashing with the name of Valrose?
Nocton admitted that he had brainwashed Duroa, but nothing happened when the magic was released.
If the brainwash disappeared, as he said, when did it happen?
Maybe, around the time Duroa was thinking of leaving Nocton? Was it around that time?
Was that the reason Duroa thought she should leave him?
As she tilted the teacup in frustration, she suddenly remembered something and nced to the side.
Duroa could see the books that Alice had given her.
Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t read a book about magic potions.
With the sudden death of the Emperor, the funeral, the coronation, and the hunting contest, Duroa was busy being dragged around.
Why did the Emperor die?
Duroa was so immersed in her emotions that she didn¡¯t think deeply about the original story, but the gap between the original and the reality grew while she wasn¡¯t paying attention.
Now, what does it matter how much of the original story is reproduced?
She closed her eyes for a moment because of the sudden dizziness.
As her vision went ck, she thought:
Do I really have to run away now?
Shall I go to the Marquisate?
It seemed that it was toote to keep the marriageable age anyway, and she didn¡¯t have a partner.
Duroa had only broken up with Aaron, and frankly, she didn¡¯t even want to get married.
Later on, even if Duroa went back to the capital, she wanted to forget everything and go down to the estate and rest for a while.
It was an impulsive thought, but there was no reason to correct it. So she decided to bring it up when her parents returned.
Before that, there was nothing for her to do so she opened the magic potions book.
Duroa didn¡¯t want to take those damned Nocton Edgar exclusive books to the estate.
That was because, despite Alice¡¯s sincerity when giving her those books, Duroa couldn¡¯t stand looking at them.
It was terrifyingly thick.
Fortunately, it was easier to read than the ck magic books.
First of all, there were many paintings and the sentences were easy and concise.
Duroa felt it while she was looking for the Thread of Memories before, but there were many novel types of magic potions.
When she was young, Duroa thought magic was simply put in a potion, but there were many things that couldn¡¯t be solved with magic, but it could be solved with a potion.
I wonder if the Thread of Memories is also written here?
After turning the pages, a familiar name came up.
[The Thread of Memories.]
Of course, it¡¯s a famous potion so it would be there.
Duroa smiled but then stopped at the sight of a nearly white, purple liquid.
Why is the color so light?
As far as Duroa could remember, it was darker than Nocton¡¯s eyes, but does it differ depending on the manufacturing method?
Or was it just less colored?
Feeling somewhat suspicious, Duroa slowly read the exnation below.
[The Thread of Memories.
Basically a white liquid.
It may have a faint purple or pink color, but the lighter the color, the better the potion.
It should be as thin as water, look like milk, and be sweet like honey.]
The liquid was supposed to be colored, but the exnation was different.
Duroa recalled the texture as rather sticky and tasteless.
It felt like drinking sticky water, but it was actually like honey-voured milk.
The content could have been different because it was simply made incorrectly, but the line ¡°If the color is darker than the flowers, it will not have any effect¡± caught her eye.
If she really drank the incorrectly made Thread of Memories then it shouldn¡¯t have had any effect.
A sudden idea came to mind, and she quickly started turning the pages.
There was only one thing Duroa was looking for.
A light, purple and viscous liquid like the one she drank.
It may have been an exaggeration, but Duroa was convinced.
The moment she turned the third tost page, she found what she was looking for.
[Imperfectio.
Violet, purple liquid.
It is slightly viscous and has no odor or taste.
¡ ¡]
Duroa¡¯s eyes quickly read through the letters and as soon as she finally reached the end of the page, she rang the bell next to her bed.
¡°Call Duvel, quickly!¡±
[¡ ¡ In 136, it was developed by Zerodial, a dark magician, causing great damage to the eastern part of the continent.
It cannot be recorded in detail because it is a taboo elixir in the empire, but it is a potion that maniptes memory, so strict treatment is needed.]
***
¡°A trustworthy man! He¡¯s a trader who deals with Valrose on a regr basis, and the potion has been swapped! I-I¡¯m sure I did a poison test before giving it to you. Even then, there was nothing wrong.¡±
¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not poison, it¡¯s not definite, at least. Can you get in touch with him?¡±
¡°He said he would go back to his hometown when the trade was over. He said it would be difficult to see him again.¡±
¡°Was there anything strange about him? Was he covering his face or something?¡±
¡°I could clearly see his face, but his voice¡ it was a little rough. I thought it was because he had a cold¡¡±
As he spoke, the butler¡¯s face turned blue as if he realized something strange.
Yes, he even changed his face.
Then Duroa wouldn¡¯t me Duvel for not noticing.
Although he had be quite experienced working as a butler for a long time, he was nheless a naive man.
He made sure it wasn¡¯t poisonous, so he thought everything was safe.
Actually, so did Duroa.
She was worried that it was going to cost her a lot of money, but never did she think what she bought was fake.
The probability that the potion Duroa drank was Imperfectio, not the Thread of Memories, increased.
A potion that maniptes memory, though it didn¡¯t really hit her.
To what extent was Duroa¡¯s memory manipted and who changed the potions?
Was it Nocton¡¯s fault again? If not¡
Her mind was tangled in a mess.
¡°I thought I was lucky enough to get the Thread of Memories in a day, but it wasn¡¯t out of luck¡. I¡¯ll find him! I¡¯ll find him somehow and learn the truth!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t do that, Duvel. I think the person who came to trade with you was reced. How would you find him if he already fled?¡±
¡°Believe me, Young Lady! I would never do that on purpose! I-I have been loyal to the Valroses for decades, I wouldn¡¯t do that!¡±
Duvel shouted desperately, his face turning red and the veins on his neck were prominent.
¡°I¡¯ll find him somehow. Even if he¡¯s dead, I¡¯ll find his body, my Lady.¡±
Duroa shook her head without a word.
There was no way Duvel could find the trader, and it was meaningless to look for him.
After all, the fake trader was just an errand boy.
¡°Trust me, Duvel.¡±
¡°Young Lady¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m not joking, I¡¯m serious. If you had deliberately swapped potions, you wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡±
Duroa didn¡¯t even want to me him.
If he had been given a different potion as soon as he found the Thread of Memories, the item would have had to be ready from the beginning.
Even if Duvel didn¡¯t find the Thread of Memories, it would have made its way in Duroa¡¯s mouth one way or another.
Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t poison so it would be easy to pass the poison test, so it could¡¯ve been put in Duroa¡¯s cup anytime.
The possibility would be lower than swapping potions, but Duroa wouldn¡¯t have been too careful in any situation if she was never prepared for the danger of assassination.
Because of that, Duroa thought for a moment that she was immature, but the headache from the cold only got worse so she couldn¡¯t think about it any longer.
Let¡¯s clean up now and learn more after the cold is over.
Pointing at her throbbing head, she turned to Duvel who was contemting.
¡°Let¡¯s keep it a secret from my family for now¡ª¡±
¡°No, I can¡¯t do that!¡±
¡°Duvel, this is no easy task. If you don¡¯t do well, being fired won¡¯t be the only thing that will happen. This is really¡ maybe it¡¯s another potion!¡±
¡°It¡¯s just as Lady Duroa said. I don¡¯t know what the potion was reced with, but if it was the wrong one, the Young Lady could¡¯ve been seriously injured. If something had gone wrong, even your life¡¡±
Duroa tried to talk back, but she lost her words at the sight of the old man covering his face with trembling hands.
¡°Lady Alloy was right. I¡¯ve done things I shouldn¡¯t have done as a butler. Still, the disposition was only a few months of probation and I avoided doing anything wrong. I can¡¯t do that. I have to take responsibility.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡!¡±
At that moment, a knock on the door cut her off.
It was Sadie.
¡°Sadie, I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re talking about something important.¡±
¡°Young Lady. Duke Edgar hase apanied by his knights.¡±
Chapter 55
¡°I have nothing more to say.¡±
¡°Maybe all of this is due to a misunderstanding, like you said, maybe it¡¯s all an illusion. Everything is¡ you don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s reversible.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±
It sounded cold, even to Duroa, although the words wereing out of her mouth. So what was it like for Nocton to hear?
It wasn¡¯t a hard guess.
Duroa¡¯s body shuddered in his arms, but soon rxed.
¡°¡Yes¡±
She finally took a step back, pulling out of Nocton¡¯s embrace.
Nocton¡¯s face was as white as snow.
It was originally pale, but now it had no pigment at all.
¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t talk it out now. Whatever you say, we can¡¯t do that. What¡¯s the point of all this if you¡¯ve already been caught? It¡¯s toote now. No, it was toote from the beginning.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just hisplexion, his mood also changed.
His face, which seemed embarrassed like a little boy who lost control, was now cold.
Seeing him, Duroa¡¯s hair stood up.
Noctonughed as if frustrated.
His voice still echoing through the cave.
¡°That¡¯s right, I brainwashed you. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing since I first met you. I guess the magic is gone now. I didn¡¯t want it to be broken so I kept calling you ¡®Valrose¡¯.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not surprised at all. You¡¯ve been pretty sure.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Now I¡¯ll give up being forgiven by you. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m giving up on everything.¡±
Duroa, Duroa, my Duroa.
Nocton reached out to touch her face.
Without giving her a chance to escape, his long fingers tucked Duroa¡¯s hair behind her ear and brushed gently past the soft skin of her cheek.
¡°What do you¡ mean?¡±
Nocton¡¯s behaviour changed a little, as Duroa had suspected, but that¡¯s why she was confused.
His face was cold and his eyes were shining like that of a snake, but his hands were still shaking.
The gap between what was seen and what was felt was too great.
However, there would be no reason for him to pretend his hands were shaking, so Nocton¡¯s true intention lie in his trembling hands rather than his cold expression.
As Duroa thought about it, she suddenly remembered something she heard before.
¡®Maybe he¡ Maybe he loves you?¡¯
The words Alice said to her, the words that she cut off at once because it was such an absurd idea.
The words that she couldn¡¯t think of when he hugged her and apologised came to mind in this situation.
Nocton was obsessed with her. He said Duroa was special.
But she was looking for a reason for that obsession and a reason for being so special to him.
Because they spent a long time together, she was the one who Nocton felt right next to.
No, honestly, I¡¯ve never thought much about him.
Maybe, just maybe, the specialness that Nocton Edgar talks about, the way he feels about me¡
As if it was a lie that Duroa¡¯s mind was ignoring until a little while ago, a wild ripple began to waver in her heart.
Nocton twisted his lips as if trying to awaken her.
It was a smile that sent shivers through her body.
¡°If you can¡¯t forgive me and if you can¡¯t let it go, then don¡¯t. I can do other things if I give up on being forgiven.¡±
¡°What do you mean? If you mess with the people around me¡!¡±
¡°I won¡¯t do that because I keep my promises, but if it was anyone other than me, there would be no reason to do so.¡±
Either way, it was a threat.
As she opened her mouth in bewilderment, Duroa heard footsteps in the quiet forest since the rain had stopped.
It was as if they were running, the quick sound of footsteps being heard through the mud and grass. Soon, two people appeared.
It was Aaron and Alice.
Duroa looked at Nocton¡¯s face reflexively because of what he said a moment ago, but he didn¡¯t seem surprised.
Moreover, it didn¡¯t seem like he was threatening them.
¡°Duroa, it¡¯s okay¡¡±
Aaron, who was hurriedly approaching her, stopped suddenly. His blue eyes fixed on Nocton Edgar.
Nobody would¡¯ve expected Nocton to be there.
Nobles with titles would never enter the forest in the first ce.
Even if a beast came out of the forest suddenly, Nocton noting here would bemon sense.
So it was only natural to be suspicious.
Duroa approached Nocton with caution, but Alice blocked her way.
It was the exact opposite from before. A few hours ago, Duroa had blocked Alice¡¯s way too.
Duroa almostughed at the memory, but her lips were closed shut.
Instead, she grabbed Alice¡¯s hand and shook her head without a word.
Nocton¡¯s gaze that seemed to be on Alice moved to Aaron.
Their eyes met.
Maybe I should protect Aaron from Nocton, not have Alice protect me.
Nocton¡¯s sensitive reaction to Aaron made his shoulders stiffen.
Surprisingly, however, there was no tension between them that was about to burst.
Aaron¡¯s expression was a bit strange.
It was weird to say that he was flustered by the unexpected appearance of Nocton, and it seemed like he was looking into Nocton¡¯s eyes.
Am I mistaken?
As he narrowed his eyes and tried to take a closer look at Aaron, Nocton¡¯s lips curled up.
It wasn¡¯t mockery, but he didn¡¯tugh either.
He turned his head, looked at Duroa and raised the corners of his lips even more.
¡°It¡¯s not a threat, it¡¯s advice. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±
¡°Nocton¡¡±
¡°See you again, Duroa.¡±
After saying that, Nocton walked away.
Even though he called her ¡®Duroa¡¯, she still told him to end it. She took all of her feelings and confronted them, but the result was the same as before.
Nocton was still not listening to her and the only thing that changed was ¡®See you, Valrose.¡¯. It was just that.
That¡¯s all, she thought.
***
The rain stopped, but traces of it remained.
Every path Duroa took was covered with mud, making herpare it to her own heart.
¡®Let¡¯s not look.¡¯
As Duroa thought, it was a subtle deration of istion between friends, but Nocton couldn¡¯t ridicule her for being excessive.
The meaning was different, but in the end, Duroa was right.
Nocton did not consider Duroa to be his friend.
They might have been friends for a brief moment when they were young, but when love bloomed in his heart full of loneliness, emotions dyed their hearts with the same color.
For now, it was not clear when Nocton saw Duroa Valrose as a friend, or if he ever did.
Why did the boy who was so negative towards love grow up like this?
Maybe it was in his blood.
Love, obsession.
Nocton let out an annoyed sigh and stopped.
Today, he was expecting something to happen.
It was expected from the time when the former Emperor¡¯s health deteriorated rapidly.
That was how everyone thought the Emperor died, but truthfully, he was killed by a curse.
Because the curse that the Emperor received during the battle for the throne in the past had been rampant again.
It was the work of a dark magician who worked for Patricia Edgar.
Nobody suspected that the Emperor was ill anyway and no one benefited from the Emperor¡¯s death, but Nocton, who was sensitive to ck magic, could feel its traces from his coffin.
From then on, Nocton had no choice but to feel nervous.
The ceremony was a sacred event that Duroa¡¯s secret escort couldn¡¯t attend and in other words, it was a good day to target her.
The spection that the Emperor was murdered only to target Duroa can be considered a grand delusion.
But Patricia Edgar knew that Nocton was morbidly obsessed with Duroa.
Patricia already lost everything to Nocton, so she couldn¡¯t fight him with force.
So, it was only natural to target Duroa, Nocton¡¯s weakness.
It was expected from the moment he sent Patricia and all of her remaining forces to Faust, but nevertheless it was inevitable Nocton would regret it.
I should¡¯ve pretended I didn¡¯t know Patricia Edgar¡¯s brainwashing was lifted.
Even if you turn back time, Nocton would do the same thing over and over again.
In fact, Nocton was more concerned about the side of Patricia¡¯s vassal force, who did not like the ession of an illegitimate child.
The promise he had with Duroa to not take a life.
Moreover, the opponent was his mother.
Nocton clearly knew how killing his mother generally felt.
In fact, while he sympathized with Patricia¡¯s derogatoryments who deemed him as a demon spawn, he didn¡¯t want to appear that way to Duroa.
Therefore, the punishment he had for Patricia was postponed with the pretext of removing her remaining forces.
And then it happened.
Nocton recalled a previous incident.
When he had just found Duroa, a bear appeared in front of the cave.
If left alone, nothing would have happened, but someone suddenly appeared and threw a stone into the cave.
Their intention was obvious.
While Nocton blocked Duroa and killed the bear, the person who threw the stone left quickly.
With the tracking magic on their shadow, it wouldn¡¯t have been hard to find them, but by the time Nocton caught the person, there was a good chance that they would already be dead.
But it was obvious who did it.
Patricia Edgar.
I guess you¡¯re ready, afterall.
Until now, the person who had been hiding even if she had an opportunity, began to act.
That meant she was ready to take Edgar back from Nocton.
Duroa was in danger for a moment, but it was good news in a way.
Finally, I can get rid of Patricia and her remnants.
Now, it was enough to figure out Patricia¡¯s ns.
Until she was gone, Nocton would have to pay special attention to Duroa¡¯s safety, but because their rtionship was over, it was rather easy.
The trust between Duroa and Nocton was gone.
Nocton¡¯s chance to protect Duroa by persuading her with words and the opportunity to restore their rtionship was gone as well.
So from then on, without worrying about falling apart, without having to worry that he would be hated, all he had to do was focus entirely on Duroa¡¯s safety.
The immorality that he had killed with his mother could be easily blocked from reaching Duroa¡¯s ears.
So, everything was better.
Putting an end to his bitter thoughts, Nocton finally left the forest.
¡°Oh, Duke Edgar! You¡¯ve arrived safely!¡±
There were a lot of priests gathered in front of the forest.
They greeted each other even before thepetition started, but the atmosphere was different now.
Their expressions were tense and anxious.
¡°You¡¯vee at the right time. It¡¯s a ceremony to offer sacrifices to the Gods, but unfortunately it was interrupted by the beast, so I was going to bless everyone who participated.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°Yes¡? But, there is a myth that you¡¯ll be unlucky for a month if you run into a beast.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a priest, so¡ Wait a second.¡±
It was strange to see a priest so flustered.
Nocton squinted his eyes and looked around.
¡°Have any of the nobles here been blessed besides me?¡±
Chapter 58
Chapter 58
¡°The conversation between the families is already over. His Majesty¡¯s permission had just been issued, and the Duke is engaged to the young Lady¡¡±
¡°¡What are you talking about? I¡¯m still engaged to Aaron.¡±
¡°Sir ymore asked me to tell you that the legal cancetion of the engagement is over.¡±
The sudden news that came to Duroa like a hit on the head made her jump from her seat.
Duroa couldn¡¯t understand anything. Nocton¡¯s arrival, the knights, the engagement or the cancetion. Nothing.
It all sounded unrealistic, like a dream.
Maybe it was that she had already gotten used to epting sudden and embarrassing news. As she headed towards the door, her body trembled.
With shaky hands, Duroa hurriedly opened the door.
Sadie was there.
The maid, with red and teary eyes, was gripping at the hem of Duroa¡¯s clothes, not knowing what to do.
¡°He wants to take you with him. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but the atmosphere is rough.¡±
¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s going to take me, the engagement cancetion¡ No, you probably heard wrong. I¡¯m going down. Nocton is in the drawing room?¡±
Coming to her senses, Duroa shook her head and walked past Sadie. Before she could even take a single step, Sadie grabbed her arm and blocked her path.
¡°No, Miss.¡±
¡°Get out of the way, Sadie. I need to know what¡¯s going on. Nothing¡¯s going to happen. This is Valrose, and even if it¡¯s an Edgar, they won¡¯t¡!¡±
¡°You must run.¡±
What?
¡°The Lord, your mother, and even the eldest are not here. If Lord Edgar mentions the legal engagement, then the knights of Valrose won¡¯t be able to act on your behalf since you have no right to session.¡±
¡°But Sadie!¡±
¡°I know the young Lady is right, but the world doesn¡¯t always work the right way!¡±
Sadie¡¯s desperate cries left Duroa speechless for a moment. Then, as if to appease Duroa, Sadie continued speaking.
¡°Run away ande backter. Whether it¡¯s the Lord or your mother, when there¡¯s someone who can protect you.¡±
¡°I think it will be for the best to follow Sadie¡¯s words.¡±
¡°What do you mean, Duvel?¡±
¡°I know all the secret passages in the mansion. There¡¯s also one in your room, I¡¯ll show it to you. Sadie, go downstairs and tell him that the young Lady is gone, go!¡±
What is this? What the hell is going on?
It was a normal day, what is this?
Not only her actions, but also her mind became clouded, and her thoughts were all over the ce.
Not knowing whether to go down to the drawing room or follow Duvel¡¯s words, Duroa just took a deep breath.
¡°I forgot to say the first thing I should¡¯ve said. I¡¯m sorry that I dared to offer you a dangerous item, young Lady. On the day we meet again, I will apologize properly.¡±
The old butler grabbed Duroa¡¯s arm and pulled her into the room without giving her a chance to react.
Then, he pushed Sadie back and grabbed the doorknob to close the door.
However, even when he pulled on the door as hard as he could, it didn¡¯t budge.
¡°Should I call it tearful loyalty, or not?¡±
Duvel clenched his teeth and tried to close the door, but the door swung open.
Sadie shuddered in front of Duroa.
¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe I should call it stupidity.¡±
¡°¡Nocton.¡±
¡°Hello, Duroa.¡±
This time, there wasn¡¯t even the knocking sound that made it ominous.
¡°I¡¯m here to get you.¡±
Unfortunately, however, it came suddenly and devoured her.
Nocton Edgar smiled brightly.
Nocton Edgar, 18 years old.
By imperialw, he was recognized as an adult from the age of 18. The age at which you could be in any kind of legal rtionship, whether engagement or marriage. And today, Nocton Edgar turned 18. He became an adult, and at the same time, the Duke of Edgar.
¡°It¡¯s a happy day. To inherit the title without anyone¡¯s opposition, even if I have two brothers.¡±
There were no opponents. It was far from opposition, since there were few people left in the mansion who could still express their opinions. The same went for Nocton¡¯s immediate lineage as an Edgar.
¡°I was worried because Usis is such a talented butler, but he works differently. Please, take me to Faust with you.¡±
¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡±
¡°I¡¯m grateful to Prelude for giving up his title to his younger brother.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t do it because I¡¯m not good enough.¡±
¡°You¡¯d do a good job, Nocton.¡±
There was no warmth in their words if you listened carefully to what they said.
What kind of third-rateedy is this?
Unable to stand it any longer, Nocton burst outughing.
Patricia Edgar, Geranium Edgar, Prelude Edgar, and Danza Edgar. Among them, the only ones with clear eyes were Geranium and Nocton¡¯s father.
Geranium Edgar didn¡¯t even need to be brainwashed. He hoped for a long time that Nocton Edgar would be the next Duke.
He was the only person who tried to protect Nocton in the midst of multiple assassination attempts. The reason was entirely because of his boss.
Nocton looked at his father with a grin.
¡°I thought you would be smiling, but you¡¯re not.¡±
¡°I am very happy that you became the Duke.¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s something I wished for a long time. I¡¯ll visit Faust asionally. I didn¡¯t really want to, but now it¡¯s mine, and in case you need anything¡¡±
The young Duke nced at Patricia Edgar. Her expression didn¡¯t falter a bit. It was a perfect performance, just like a truly hypnotized person.
I already know you¡¯ve been released from your hypnosis. There are plenty of ways to tie you down, even if I can¡¯t kill you.
Either way, Nocton¡¯s reluctance to send Patricia Edgar to Faust was to wipe out her power. The Capital wasn¡¯t the problem.
The other nobles were only interested in ¡®The Duke of Edgar¡¯anyway, so there was no reason to reach out to Patricia, who had been deprived of her title. Since Nocton had his eyes on the Capital, he was able to deal with it before doing anything.
It was fine because the people of the mansion and other major suites had already been brainwashed. But the estate was different.
The Duchy of Faust had many family members who had served Edgar for generations, and many of them were unhappy with Nocton who was born an illegitimate child.
There were too many heads to brainwash, and it was difficult to manage their brainwashing as they lived in the Capital.
I¡¯ll swallow them all this time.
As Patricia Edgar secretly assembled her forces, it became clear who Nocton¡¯s enemy was without anyone suffering. It was no longer worthy of his attention once he got his hands on the title and became untouchable.
Nocton Edgar was an adult, and he didn¡¯t have to worry about being killed anymore. The devil who lost his weakness smiledpassionately and leisurely.
¡°Then, everyone, be careful on your way back.¡±
***
The new Duke of Edgar entered his new office.
It was a ce he came to from time to time when he was called by Patricia Edgar, and when he was educated for his session. However, going in as its master was different from entering it as a guest.
The tiresome, heavy and painful atmosphere that once filled the office waspletely gone. Now, sitting at his desk, Nocton looked at the piles of papers.
Since he did not own any public office in the Imperial Family, or the supreme court, the estate was running without any problems and those countless documents had nothing to do with public affairs.
All that was written on those papers were just conversations.
From marriage talks to the human affairs of the aristocrats who were targeting Duroa Valrose as prey.
Since Nocton had just be an adult, Duroa Valrose would be an adult in about a year as well. There were a lot of people waiting for that year toe. Therefore, even before the marriage talk began, preparations had to be held.
¡°Reject all my proposals, and stop Valrose from getting married.¡±
His aide, who followed Nocton, nodded his head without the slightest hint of doubt.
When his aid carried the pile of documents, the desk waspletely empty. A teacup reced them. It was ck tea.
Nocton didn¡¯t enjoy tea, but he drank it almost every day. He tilted the cup, immersed in thoughts. It¡¯s been a long time since he heard his heart beating.
Valrose became special to him all of a sudden and there was no one who could rece her. However, when Nocton realised it, his heart was very pure probably because he was young.
He didn¡¯t know if it was pure by the standards of others, but it waspared to Nocton as an adult.
Nocton wasn¡¯t sure if his brainwashing was still working so he tested Valrose endlessly, hoping she wouldn¡¯t leave him.
To make sure his brainwashing was working, to make sure Valrose would stay by his side.
Will she still be there for me?
No, it looked like a test, but in reality Nocton was begging her to stay.
Unable to peer into Nocton¡¯s heart¡ªeven if she did, she wouldn¡¯t be pleased¡ª, Valrose looked displeased, but after a moment of brief anger, she always went back by his side.
That alone was satisfying and a good feeling.
However, as time passed, his greed only grew and his heart filled with darkness.
Nocton didn¡¯t know what to call that feeling, but when someone approached him, he was on the edge and wanted to hold his breath when they showed him any kind of affection.
He wasn¡¯t so surprised when he fully realized that Valrose¡¯s specialness was his love for her because there were many such moments.
It didn¡¯t feel awful that he was in love. Maybe it would¡¯ve felt weird when he was young.
Though Nocton¡¯s heart was stained with raw emotions, he tried to respect Duroa.
Nocton was the one who was testing her, but it was his heart that had been swayed. Usually one would want to be hated by their loved one. There might be some who did, but Nocton wasn¡¯t one of them.
The reason for stopping her from getting married was simple. If there was nobody else, Duroa would stand next to him.
If Valrose was a romanticist, thinking about marrying her beloved, Nocton would be a little more hopeful, but she had been a realist since childhood.
¡®If their family, conditions and personality is good, I¡¯ll marry anyone. Being born as the daughter of a high-ranking aristocrat made me live peacefully without any obligations as a sessor and that is enough. I don¡¯t believe in fateful love.¡¯
That was what Valrose expected.
Nocton thought if he was an Edgar, maybe there was a possibility. Of course, he wasn¡¯t delusional to think that his personality was good. But he had the confidence it would look like it was.
In fact, he managed to look like a good person to others who didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. He was just used to spending time with Valrose, so he kept showing his true feelings.
Slowly changing and camouging it would¡¯ve made it possible. Living as if there was no darkness or twisted thoughts, as if it was just an immature thing.
Nocton didn¡¯t show her the real dark side of him in the first ce.
The problem was Valrose.
Chapter 56
¡°Well, of course¡ª¡±
¡°I hope you don¡¯t lie to me, because I can find out.¡±
¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean to lie! If we are to bless someone, of course we should put Duke Edgar first. In the Empire, you are second only to the Emperor.¡±
¡°Then, Your Majesty.¡±
Nocton turned his head.
When he looked at the Emperor sitting on the throne, their eyes met.
The Emperor¡¯s face hardened with embarrassment.
¡°Have you been blessed?¡±
¡°¡No, I wasn¡¯t.¡±
¡°These are some extremely rude people. How dare you put the subjects before the Emperor? No matter how much you say you¡¯re in the arms of God, it is too much to insult the honor of the Imperial family.¡±
¡°T-That¡¯s not¡ That¡¯s not it!¡±
¡°I¡¯m Gervello Gerve of the Great Shrine. I¡¯m sorry, but if you excuse me, Duke Edgar.¡±
Pushing the contemtive priest aside, another priest came forward.
He was one of the six high priests who came to perform the ceremony, a rare young man.
There was a strong will written on his face.
¡°We found traces of the use of ck magic to summon the beasts. The gate is now closed, but there is a high possibility that someone here has opened the gate.¡±
When ck magic came up, Nocton just listened quietly without even raising an eyebrow.
¡°They were using ck magic to ruin the ceremony. So, through God¡¯s blessing, I want to confirm whether or not you¡¯re a dark magician.¡±
¡°Then, I¡¯m asking. Is anyone here going to get the same confirmation? Or is it just me?¡±
¡°To be honest, there was an anonymous tip saying that you are a dark magician and about what you¡¯ll do at the ceremony.¡±
An anonymous tip, unexpectedly tant.
Worrying about the traces of ck magic, Nocton used the minimum and also a sword, but in the end it was pointless.
Still, if he wanted to refuse, he could.
In the Empire, Edgar was special.
The family was known as the founding family, but in reality, Edgar had been located in thisnd before that.
Those who allowed Karantena, the founding Emperor, to take over thend were also the Edgar family.
As a result, Edgar was promised eternal authority at the time of the founding of the empire and the oath continued as the bloodline of the first Emperor was passed down to this day.
Over the generations, Edgar was obviously the oldest and most powerful ruler in thisnd, as several times the Imperial family had been trying to change.
So Nocton didn¡¯t have to take that rude test.
There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone who doubted that Nocton summoned the beast.
¡°You know that even if I decline here, there won¡¯t be a problem.¡±
¡°Yes. But to clear any suspicions¡ª¡±
There were a lot of suspicions from people who didn¡¯t want to be suspected, so it was meaningless.
However.
Nocton nced briefly at the young and capable High Priest.
The energy felt was quite clean, so it seemed to be usable.
Coincidentally, it was the time when a priest was needed.
¡°If you promise me one thing, I will ept your blessing.¡±
¡°I do not ept unreasonable requests.¡±
¡°Then, isn¡¯t it unreasonable to suspect that I am the culprit without evidence?¡±
¡°Anonymous¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s something that can only be done from the temple¡¯s point of view. How can I believe it? Whether or not there was an anonymous informant. Maybe, you¡¯re trying to harm me under the influence of someone else?¡±
¡°¡If you say that, I understand. Please, tell me about your request.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. If there¡¯s nothing wrong with my blessing, you have to stay at Edgar for a year.¡±
It wasn¡¯t unusual for a priest to receive a huge patronage and stay with a particr family.
However, it could be regarded as an insult because a high-ranking priest would only asionally stay with the Imperial family in case of an emergency.
But Gerve was quite sure of his suspicions, so he just nodded.
Then, a pure white light poured down from his hand and towards Nocton.
Nocton¡¯s lips twisted.
The light of blessing from a priest was usually green, but the white light was an attack magic above the divine one.
If blessed, even if the opponent was a dark magician, they would only feel a little nauseous, but with attack magic it was different.
If it were for ordinary people, divine magic wouldn¡¯t hurt, but the change in words was certainly¡ It was cute.
¡°Ge-Gerve!¡±
The other high priests screamed his name.
Nocton took a slow, deep breath to soothe his messy, twisted stomach.
Even before he became an adult, he drank holy water with an innocent face, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to pretend to be calm even in a situation like this.
It was a magic trick that wouldn¡¯t have made him suffer if dealt with properly, so Nocton was annoyed.
Whether the priest was convinced that Nocton was responsible after a single report, the priest¡¯s face changed to look good.
¡°No way!¡±
¡°It¡¯s good that the priest is strong and works hard, but you have to look up and down.¡±
t/n: by that i think nocton means that the priest should have investigated the anonymous tip abt nocton.
Nocton swallowed the blood flowing in his mouth and let out a sigh that went from frustration to mocking.
¡°You seem to have picked up some strange words from somewhere, but even if I was a dark magician, can I attack before it proves that I¡¯m the one who opened the gate?¡±
¡°D-Duke, this is¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m already looking forward to seeing how your innocent illusion and aggressive honesty will change the temple.¡±
¡°This is a procedure that was unavoidable for the honor of the Imperial family! Retaliation against the temple is¡ª!¡±
¡°I did not say that I would retaliate. However, the donations to the temple were purely out of favor, so it would be too much to say that it¡¯s retaliation to collect them.¡±
¡°Duke!¡±
¡°Other than that, I hope you keep your promise. If you treasure what you have.¡±
Nocton walked past the other priests whose faces turned blue.
There was a hand that tried to hold him back, but Nocton mercilessly pped it off.
Nocton ignored even the handkerchieves of the imperial servants and walked straight to his carriage.
The escort knight, whose eyes were blurred, held out a towel to Nocton and he roughly wiped away the moisture from the rain.
Then, there was a low-pitched voice.
It was Duroa¡¯s voice. Perhaps she had returned while Nocton was arguing with the officials.
Focusing on his keen hearing, he raised his head.
Alice Limorand was looking after Duroa to see if there was anything wrong and then apologized.
Duroa suddenly changed her tone, as if she was exhausted from saying she was fine.
¡°No, I¡¯m fine, Alice. Although the bear hit the sixth rib bone on the left.¡±
¡°What? You¡¯re hurt? Oh, my God! You need to be treated right now! Where is it? Here?¡±
¡°Oh, I was mistaken. Come to think of it, it¡¯s the third, not the sixth.¡±
¡°Third? Where¡¯s the third rib? Where are you, Sir ymore?¡±
¡°¡it¡¯s this way for now.¡±
¡°And here? Does it hurt here, Duroa?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not the left, it¡¯s the right.¡±
¡°Right? Then here?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that the third one?¡±
¡°¡Duroa, are you kidding me? You¡¯re fine!¡±
¡°You finally figured it out, Alice! I thought it would take another half hour!¡±
Pretending to be moved, with an exaggerated expression, Duroa hugged Alice.
Alice tried to push Duroa away, but eventually they burst intoughter together.
It was a very friendly, happy smile.
Watching them, Nocton remembered the past.
¡®No, it really doesn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s been more than two weeks since I got over my cold!¡¯
¡®Who said that? Your throat isn¡¯t well and you sound weird and noisy. Be quiet.¡¯
¡®Wow, such nice words. If you¡¯re going to pretend to be like that, then get rid of these cups. No matter how good it is for a cold, how many cups are there? One, two, three, four, five. If I drink five cups of tea, I¡¯ll catch another disease.¡¯
¡®It¡¯s surprising in many ways that you have to count them one by one to know there¡¯s five cups. Are you still sick?¡¯
¡®Sarcasm¡ Oh! My hand¡! It¡ slipped.¡¯
¡®Oops. You failed to topple the cup pretending your hand slipped.¡¯
¡®Sometimes I get annoyed because you¡¯re so quick.¡¯
¡®Clearly. Alright, now drink.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m better, really. Do you want to see my throat? Ah¡¡¯
¡®You want me to pour it down your throat?¡¯
¡®¡You can drink it, bastard.¡¯
After that, Duroa probably burned the roof of her mouth from drinking the hot tea and then made a fuss.
Noctonughed involuntarily since the memory of her ming him for it was still vivid.
Yeah, it was.
There was a moment like that.
There were moments like those.
But now, there won¡¯t be anymore.
Nocton spit blood on the towel, pretending to dry himself.
He thought maybe he¡¯d miss calling her Valrose.
***
¡°Have some tea, Miss. It¡¯s good for your cold.¡±
¡°Thank you, Sadie.¡±
On top of the tea that Sadie put down, a woman with a nk expression reflected in it.
Her face was hot and her eyes were tired, apparently she caught a cold.
Duroa thought she had a strong health, not as much as a knight or a magician, but she couldn¡¯t stand being in the rain during the winter in a forest.
I had a headache all of a sudden and I think I already caught a cold while talking to Nocton Edgar.
Sadie sighed, covering Duroa¡¯s shoulders with a thick nket.
¡°Really, why did it suddenly start raining?¡±
Duroa barely managed to not flinch at that remark.
She was suspicious of the sudden musty smell, but not the rain. Both the rain and the smell were artificial magical clues.
They said that the reason the beast appeared was because someone created a gate that connected the beast¡¯sir and the forest.
The beast had a unique smell and the rain was pouring down with magic to cover it up.
It was never revealed who did it or what its purpose was.
For that reason, the Imperial family was being extremely sensitive.
However, it was said there was a report announcing that there might be a problem with thepetition in advance.
Thanks to that, they were able to gather a lot of priests and all three knights of the Imperial family were present, so there were no casualties, but there were wounded.
The reason why so many priests came was because the new Emperor was timid. Duroa had no choice but to reflect on that thought.
I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty¡
Well, I heard it all from Alice.
No one else knew, but Duroa still had to tell the inside story to Kantana Limorand, the prospective winner.
She would tell Duroa¡¯s sister everything if it wasn¡¯t dangerous, so Kantana could know the full story.
The other people only heard that there was an ident and the beast appeared then it was severely punished.
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
It might have been an illusion. Actually, Nocton thought it was indeed an illusion, but at some point he felt Valrose trying to distance herself.
While theyughed and chatted, Valrose asionally had a cold expression and uttered cold words. It wasn¡¯t something that happened often, but whenever Valrose, who was so sweet and yful, did it asionally, Nocton felt as if he had been stabbed with an awl in the chest.
As a result, when Valrose¡¯s words and actions changed, Nocton stopped testing her and became more careful due to his cowardice. He tried to hide his ck magic, his immoral deeds, and even his impure birth.
Those who were brainwashed were told to not reveal themselves in front of Valrose by keeping their heads bowed and acting in a hurry to avoid suspicions.
It was easy for Nocton to keep Valrose in the dark while Nocton¡¯s position solidified and the servants seemed to be more wary of him.
Possibly not, but just in case she doubted Nocton, he even put Patricia and Geranium Edgar into y by making them say they were giving up their seats as head of the duchy before leaving for Faust.
Fortunately, Valrose seemed to believe it.
¡®Valrose, Valrose.¡¯
As he gradually fell deep in thoughts, Nocton began tapping his fingers against his desk.
There was one more factor that made Valrose feel uneasy about Nocton.
Compared to the cold words and actions that have emerged in recent years, Valrose had much older secrets.
On the surface, they were insignificant.
There was a rumour that Valrose had a friend outside of the capital, and that friend, who Nocton didn¡¯t know the gender, name or appearance of, had a longer rtionship with Valrose than him.
However, knowing nothing stimted infinite imagination. So that was what Nocton thought: Valrose¡¯s friend from outside the capital might have be her lover at some point.
It would¡¯ve been easy to find out by doing a background check, but Nocton couldn¡¯t do that.
Nocton was confident that nobody would find out, but he couldn¡¯t act immoral in regards with Valrose since she had been brainwashed.
¡°It¡¯s funny, even if it was deception from the start, anyway.¡±
Mumbling to himself, Nocton closed his eyes.
***
Duroa Valrose arrived at the Duke¡¯s mansion. It was a verymon routine, but for Nocton it was something precious. Duroa smiled brightly as she held a bouquet of flowers that she had brought with the intention of teasing Nocton.
It was a bouquet of purple tulips.
¡°You¡¯ve finally be the Duke, congrattions!¡±
¡°You must really like mauve. Everytime you bring me something, it has this color.¡±
Feeling criticised, Duroa handed the bouquet of flowers to Nocton. A sweet scent filling his nostrils.
Although Duroa was disappointed with Nocton¡¯s dull reaction, she shrugged her shoulders as if she wasn¡¯t expecting much from the beginning.
¡°Should I call you Duke now?¡±
¡°You should do that in public ces.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t roll off my tongue that well. Nocton, Duke of Edgar, it¡¯s too long.¡±
¡°¡®Nocton¡¯ and ¡®Your Grace¡¯ have a difference of two letters.¡±
tl/n: doesn¡¯t make sense in english, does it?
¡°If it¡¯s the first time I call you that, it will have to be honest and sincere.¡±
Saying that, Valrose buried herself in the sofa in Nocton¡¯s study.
She lookedfortable, as if it was her home even though they both knew it wasn¡¯t.
Nocton smiled lightly at the sight and sat across from Valrose.
¡°I was surprised. As soon as you became an adult, her Excellency handed the title to you. It usually takes until you¡¯re in your thirties, at the earliest, until you can take over the position. She must have been tired.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what she said. She said she was tired of power and left for Faust, and she certainly seemed weak for a while. There¡¯s no such thing as an easy job.¡±
¡°She said the tea didn¡¯t taste good, right?¡±
¡°Umm¡ I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s right. What did you do to make it so sticky?¡±
Valrose added hastily after replying without much thought right after.
¡°I¡¯m not insulting you, you know that, right? I¡¯ve always drank your tea with gratitude. It¡¯s great to talk to you and enjoy a cup of tea¡ Well, even if it¡¯s a little awkward, it¡¯s fun. Really fun-¡±
¡°Valrose.¡±
While Valrose was rambling in embarrassment, Nocton stretched out his hand. Her rosy hair was a mess from when she sat down on the sofa.
Valrose smiled softly and ruffled his hair too.
¡°Now your Grace is like me.¡±
Their faces weren¡¯t close because he reached towards her from a reasonable distance.
However, Nocton¡¯s fingertips touched Valrose¡¯s ear, transmitting his warmth, and even his heartbeat.
From the corner of his eye, Nocton noticed Valrose gripping at the edge of the sofa. Only then did Nocton slowly remove his hand. If he got too close, she might¡¯ve run away.
Nocton liked Valrose¡¯s hair because no matter how well she maintained her elegantly wavy hair, it got messy quickly when it rained or when sheid down on the sofa.
It was Nocton¡¯s pleasure to tidy up her messy hair.
¡°You¡¯re going on a trip.¡±
¡°Wha-What did you say?¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°Huh? No, uh¡ I heard, I heard it wrong¡¡±
Even if Valrose pretended to be calm, her face quickly turned red. Nocton found it cute to see her shaking her head with a blushing face.
Valrose knew that her face had heated up too, so she put the back of her hand on her own cheek to cool it off, trying to speak calmly.
¡°Ah, trip? Yes, I¡¯m going on a trip. I haven¡¯t been there in a long time.¡±
¡°Are you going to see an old friend?¡±
¡°No, I only have friends outside of the Capital.¡±
¡°¡Well, that¡¯s good, but I think you can leave out ¡®outside of the Capital¡¯, Valrose.¡±
¡°What? Then, you didn¡¯t even think that we were friends? No, it¡¯s not even surprising.¡±
Seeing Valrose frown slightly, Nocton pressed his lips together.
¡®Friends. You and I are friends?¡¯
He consciously loosened his hardened expression and smiled.
¡®If you were just a friend, I wouldn¡¯t only be looking at your lips.¡¯
Contrary to his thoughts, his smile seemed very natural.
¡°No way. I meant that it would be better to put ¡®other than you¡¯ instead of ¡®outside of the Capital¡¯.¡±
¡°Because I don¡¯t have any friends other than you¡? What are you saying? You¡¯re the same.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re the only one for me. So where are you going?¡±
¡°What? Ah, the trip. I¡¯m just going anywhere outside of the capital, wherever I can go.¡±
¡°Did the Marquis of Valrose allow such a frivolous n?¡±
¡°My father is okay with it, but mother is the problem. However, she allowed it because I go there often. Anyway, the escort knights will always be with me.¡±
¡®She goes there¡often.¡¯
Nocton thought maybe it just meant that Duroa travels often, but it sounded more like she often visited the same ce. Perhaps, she was going to meet an old friend who Nocton didn¡¯t know.
Exceeding the level of concern, Nocton nodded. He pretended to be rxed, although he was nervous as if his heart was a burning candle. He still couldn¡¯t ask her because he got that answer back when he asked the question before.
¡®I don¡¯t have to tell you everything.¡¯
Nocton vividly remembered a cold face he had never seen before. After that, Valrose returned to her usual self, but the afterimage of her bitter expression remained imprinted in Nocton¡¯s mind and he didn¡¯t persistently question her anymore.
¡°So, when are you leaving?¡±
¡°You¡¯re very interested in my trip.¡±
¡°I¡¯m always interested in everything about you.¡±
¡°Yes, you are. Your words are smoother than the main character in the y I saw yesterday. I will leave for my trip next month.¡±
Nocton wasn¡¯t conscious of his words before. But if he thought that if he could seduce her with words, he would¡¯ve done so more sweetly. What Nocton said to Valrose was more of a habit that he wasn¡¯t aware of.
¡°You went to see the y again?¡±
¡°Yeah, it was fun. It was the original novel.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t the finale still out these days? The one of the novel you¡¯ve read before.¡±
After speaking without much thought, Nocton regretted it.
¡°You pretended not to be interested, but you also wanted to know the end of the novel.¡±
Instead ofughing at him, Valrose only tilted her head but Nocton could see a grin.
¡°I¡¯ve seen one or two things before. What are you talking about?¡±
¡°There¡¯s only one thing you¡¯ve been particrly passionate about. What was the title? The¡¡±
¡°The?¡±
¡°¡Nevermind. I look like a fool because I¡¯m the only one who remembers.¡±
¡°I just don¡¯t remember, silly Nocton.¡±
Ignoring the childish remarks, Nocton stared down at Valrose¡¯s feet, narrowing his eyes.
¡°Even though you like it so much, youpletely forgot it as time went by.¡±
¡°It¡¯s strange, but I feel betrayed. It seems you liked the things I liked, not me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just worried about your forgetfulness. If you don¡¯t see me for a few days, maybe you¡¯ll forget me.¡±
¡°You think I¡¯m a goldfish!¡±
Duroa raised her voice with a guilty expression on her face.
¡°I might forget you in a few years instead of a few days, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to be away from you for a few years.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Even if you¡¯re a friend, you¡¯re a man, and the one I¡¯ll marry would turn against you. We won¡¯t be able to meet everyday.¡±
¡°¡Valrose.¡±
¡°Nocton, will you marry me?¡±
The words came out in a casual tone, but for a moment, Nocton was so surprised that he couldn¡¯t even speak.
It was the first time he was ever speechless.
As she watched Nocton with his mouth wide open, Valrose pouted, wondering what he was thinking about.
¡°Is it something to be that surprised about? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you like this. That¡¯s too much. Well, if you marry me, you can¡¯t call me ¡®Valrose¡¯ anymore.¡±
¡°You said that so suddenly¡ how wouldn¡¯t I be surprised?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t even have the intention of marrying the person you love. Come to think of it, there are only a few people who meet the conditions and also have good looks.¡±
Then, Duroa started folding a few of her fingers as if she were counting.
¡°I didn¡¯t realize it because we¡¯re together every day, but your house is a high-ranking family.¡±
Nocton took a short breath at her exaggerated words.
¡°Are you going to get married already?¡±
¡°Not yet. Alroy got engaged two years after she became an adult, and I¡¯ll be an adult soon so after a year, they¡¯lle one after the other.¡±
¡°Well¡¡±
¡®That can¡¯t happen.¡¯
Gulping the lump in his throat, Nocton chuckled. Still, it was he who felt bad.
Duroa said those words without thinking, but Nocton was determined to stop her marriage letters even more.
¡°I don¡¯t want to think about that, I just want to stay here. There are times when it feels more like home because I¡¯m here so often. It¡¯sfortable, familiar, and the food is good and I don¡¯t think anyone would notice if I took one or two luxury and expensive ornaments.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe you, Valrose.¡±
¡°And you know what?¡±
Closing her eyes as she buried herself on the couch, Valrose reached out her hand. She touched Nocton¡¯s head.
Nocton couldn¡¯t understand her gestures, but he gave up and let Valrose¡¯s hand touch his ck hair. Her hand lightly ruffled his hair before pulling it away.
¡°You¡¯re here too.¡±
Nocton¡¯s expression hardened once again, but Valrose¡¯s eyes were closed and she was unable to see him. She looked like she was getting sleepy.
¡°I can see all your expressions even when I close my eyes, Nocton. I don¡¯t want to marry you, so don¡¯t worry. You and I getting married was just a joke.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s a pity that we won¡¯t be able to visit each other once one of us gets engaged.¡±
¡°¡Valrose.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m getting sleepy because I closed my eyes. I¡¯ll sleep for a bit.¡±
With thosest words, Valrose¡¯s breath became heavier.
However, her words fell heavily on Nocton¡¯s chest, and he just looked at the sleeping Duroa for a long time.
Chapter 57
Still, the ritual was somehowpleted.
Because the chosen beast was a winged white horse, the conclusion was that the mythical creature drove out the demons and sacrificed itself to return to the arms of God.
I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good thing.
¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d you just caught a cold. I heard there were so many scary animals and you went in there.¡±
¡°Aaron took good care of me. And I wasn¡¯t the only one who went in. People who didn¡¯t know anything about swords or magic joined to watch.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why all the people who got hurt are normal.¡±
If you say so. I have nothing to say.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn;t mean to be presumptuous. However¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t go in next time.¡±
Even if Duroa had the opportunity to talk to Nocton¡¯s mother instead of Nocton himself, she wouldn¡¯t have to enter the forest.
Only then did Sadie leave the room happily, nodding her head.
The door closed and Duroa looked down at the cup Sadie gave her.
It was a tea good for colds, so Nocton was the first thing that came to her mind.
It wasn¡¯t just about the cup.
A side effect of being together for a long time was that most objects had stories rted to Nocton.
Everywhere Duroa looked, she would see his face.
Even if it hurt, she still remembered everything.
Nocton¡¯s face seemed to be reflected on top of the tea.
Several things passed through Duroa¡¯s mind.
Nocton suddenly came to the Marquis of Valrose and gave her an invitation to his tea party, ran into Aaron in the drawing room, caught her at the imperial ball, and what happened at the hunting contest.
Sincest fall, Duroa had been suspecting him after what Alice said, but the real change had already happened before then.
For a long time, Duroa was building up the confidence to stay away from Nocton so she wouldn¡¯t be caught.
Duroa felt empty, as if there was a big hole in her chest.
She wasn¡¯t sure, but it was probably a hole that wasn¡¯t going to be filled anytime soon.
If Duroa wasn¡¯t going to see Nocton¡¯s face for a while, she would recover quickly. However, it was hard to look forward to that when she remembered hisst words before he left.
¡®See you again, Duroa.¡¯
Was that the end?
Could it be that was the end of her brainwashing with the name of Valrose?
Nocton admitted that he had brainwashed Duroa, but nothing happened when the magic was released.
If the brainwash disappeared, as he said, when did it happen?
Maybe, around the time Duroa was thinking of leaving Nocton? Was it around that time?
Was that the reason Duroa thought she should leave him?
As she tilted the teacup in frustration, she suddenly remembered something and nced to the side.
Duroa could see the books that Alice had given her.
Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t read a book about magic potions.
With the sudden death of the Emperor, the funeral, the coronation, and the hunting contest, Duroa was busy being dragged around.
Why did the Emperor die?
Duroa was so immersed in her emotions that she didn¡¯t think deeply about the original story, but the gap between the original and the reality grew while she wasn¡¯t paying attention.
Now, what does it matter how much of the original story is reproduced?
She closed her eyes for a moment because of the sudden dizziness.
As her vision went ck, she thought:
Do I really have to run away now?
Shall I go to the Marquisate?
It seemed that it was toote to keep the marriageable age anyway, and she didn¡¯t have a partner.
Duroa had only broken up with Aaron, and frankly, she didn¡¯t even want to get married.
Later on, even if Duroa went back to the capital, she wanted to forget everything and go down to the estate and rest for a while.
It was an impulsive thought, but there was no reason to correct it. So she decided to bring it up when her parents returned.
Before that, there was nothing for her to do so she opened the magic potions book.
Duroa didn¡¯t want to take those damned Nocton Edgar exclusive books to the estate.
That was because, despite Alice¡¯s sincerity when giving her those books, Duroa couldn¡¯t stand looking at them.
It was terrifyingly thick.
Fortunately, it was easier to read than the ck magic books.
First of all, there were many paintings and the sentences were easy and concise.
Duroa felt it while she was looking for the Thread of Memories before, but there were many novel types of magic potions.
When she was young, Duroa thought magic was simply put in a potion, but there were many things that couldn¡¯t be solved with magic, but it could be solved with a potion.
I wonder if the Thread of Memories is also written here?
After turning the pages, a familiar name came up.
[The Thread of Memories.]
Of course, it¡¯s a famous potion so it would be there.
Duroa smiled but then stopped at the sight of a nearly white, purple liquid.
Why is the color so light?
As far as Duroa could remember, it was darker than Nocton¡¯s eyes, but does it differ depending on the manufacturing method?
Or was it just less colored?
Feeling somewhat suspicious, Duroa slowly read the exnation below.
[The Thread of Memories.
Basically a white liquid.
It may have a faint purple or pink color, but the lighter the color, the better the potion.
It should be as thin as water, look like milk, and be sweet like honey.]
The liquid was supposed to be colored, but the exnation was different.
Duroa recalled the texture as rather sticky and tasteless.
It felt like drinking sticky water, but it was actually like honey-voured milk.
The content could have been different because it was simply made incorrectly, but the line ¡°If the color is darker than the flowers, it will not have any effect¡± caught her eye.
If she really drank the incorrectly made Thread of Memories then it shouldn¡¯t have had any effect.
A sudden idea came to mind, and she quickly started turning the pages.
There was only one thing Duroa was looking for.
A light, purple and viscous liquid like the one she drank.
It may have been an exaggeration, but Duroa was convinced.
The moment she turned the third tost page, she found what she was looking for.
[Imperfectio.
Violet, purple liquid.
It is slightly viscous and has no odor or taste.
¡ ¡]
Duroa¡¯s eyes quickly read through the letters and as soon as she finally reached the end of the page, she rang the bell next to her bed.
¡°Call Duvel, quickly!¡±
[¡ ¡ In 136, it was developed by Zerodial, a dark magician, causing great damage to the eastern part of the continent.
It cannot be recorded in detail because it is a taboo elixir in the empire, but it is a potion that maniptes memory, so strict treatment is needed.]
***
¡°A trustworthy man! He¡¯s a trader who deals with Valrose on a regr basis, and the potion has been swapped! I-I¡¯m sure I did a poison test before giving it to you. Even then, there was nothing wrong.¡±
¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not poison, it¡¯s not definite, at least. Can you get in touch with him?¡±
¡°He said he would go back to his hometown when the trade was over. He said it would be difficult to see him again.¡±
¡°Was there anything strange about him? Was he covering his face or something?¡±
¡°I could clearly see his face, but his voice¡ it was a little rough. I thought it was because he had a cold¡¡±
As he spoke, the butler¡¯s face turned blue as if he realized something strange.
Yes, he even changed his face.
Then Duroa wouldn¡¯t me Duvel for not noticing.
Although he had be quite experienced working as a butler for a long time, he was nheless a naive man.
He made sure it wasn¡¯t poisonous, so he thought everything was safe.
Actually, so did Duroa.
She was worried that it was going to cost her a lot of money, but never did she think what she bought was fake.
The probability that the potion Duroa drank was Imperfectio, not the Thread of Memories, increased.
A potion that maniptes memory, though it didn¡¯t really hit her.
To what extent was Duroa¡¯s memory manipted and who changed the potions?
Was it Nocton¡¯s fault again? If not¡
Her mind was tangled in a mess.
¡°I thought I was lucky enough to get the Thread of Memories in a day, but it wasn¡¯t out of luck¡. I¡¯ll find him! I¡¯ll find him somehow and learn the truth!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t do that, Duvel. I think the person who came to trade with you was reced. How would you find him if he already fled?¡±
¡°Believe me, Young Lady! I would never do that on purpose! I-I have been loyal to the Valroses for decades, I wouldn¡¯t do that!¡±
Duvel shouted desperately, his face turning red and the veins on his neck were prominent.
¡°I¡¯ll find him somehow. Even if he¡¯s dead, I¡¯ll find his body, my Lady.¡±
Duroa shook her head without a word.
There was no way Duvel could find the trader, and it was meaningless to look for him.
After all, the fake trader was just an errand boy.
¡°Trust me, Duvel.¡±
¡°Young Lady¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m not joking, I¡¯m serious. If you had deliberately swapped potions, you wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡±
Duroa didn¡¯t even want to me him.
If he had been given a different potion as soon as he found the Thread of Memories, the item would have had to be ready from the beginning.
Even if Duvel didn¡¯t find the Thread of Memories, it would have made its way in Duroa¡¯s mouth one way or another.
Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t poison so it would be easy to pass the poison test, so it could¡¯ve been put in Duroa¡¯s cup anytime.
The possibility would be lower than swapping potions, but Duroa wouldn¡¯t have been too careful in any situation if she was never prepared for the danger of assassination.
Because of that, Duroa thought for a moment that she was immature, but the headache from the cold only got worse so she couldn¡¯t think about it any longer.
Let¡¯s clean up now and learn more after the cold is over.
Pointing at her throbbing head, she turned to Duvel who was contemting.
¡°Let¡¯s keep it a secret from my family for now¡ª¡±
¡°No, I can¡¯t do that!¡±
¡°Duvel, this is no easy task. If you don¡¯t do well, being fired won¡¯t be the only thing that will happen. This is really¡ maybe it¡¯s another potion!¡±
¡°It¡¯s just as Lady Duroa said. I don¡¯t know what the potion was reced with, but if it was the wrong one, the Young Lady could¡¯ve been seriously injured. If something had gone wrong, even your life¡¡±
Duroa tried to talk back, but she lost her words at the sight of the old man covering his face with trembling hands.
¡°Lady Alloy was right. I¡¯ve done things I shouldn¡¯t have done as a butler. Still, the disposition was only a few months of probation and I avoided doing anything wrong. I can¡¯t do that. I have to take responsibility.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡!¡±
At that moment, a knock on the door cut her off.
It was Sadie.
¡°Sadie, I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re talking about something important.¡±
¡°Young Lady. Duke Edgar hase apanied by his knights.¡±
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