Side Story 1 (1/2)

As spring came, green sprouts sprouted in the ground that had been asleep for a long winter.

All of Arlanta has been in a festive mood for some time.

This is because the date of marriage between the crown prince Dice and Rosabella is approaching.

“How does it look like to Hari?”

Rosabella turned to me and asked.

Along with her movements, the hem of a rich chimat dress drew a fascinating current like white foam.

I smiled as I looked at the beautiful Rosabella.

“I see Rosabella in a wedding dress like this first, so I have nothing to apologize for His Highness Dice’s jealousy.”

The people in the dressing room next to us also praised Rosabella.

The benefit of Queen Arabella to design Rosabella Velontia’s wedding dress seem to be high. With the glory of producing, this dress was in full swing.

Rosabella and I moved to a different location after the people from the dressing shop who had been on a business trip to Velontia mansion for the fitting wedding dress left.

In Velontia’s flower garden, beautiful flowers of different colors bloomed in spring.

We sat face to face with the tea table in the middle of us.

“I look forward to the wedding day. Rosabella is probably the prettiest bride in the world.”

The fragrant floral scent and the subtle tea scent behind us.

In a beautiful mixed flower garden, Rosabella smiled beautifully with a clear face.

There was no depth on her face, so I felt at ease. Until last winter, she carefully spoke to me about the burden of her responsibilities in the future.

Furthermore, Rosabella seemed to feel even more skeptical because the involvement of Velontia’s maid during the last hunt.

How did she become the crown princess if she couldn’t even properly crack down on things inside her own mansion?

Furthermore, as the mother of the future, can she embrace Arlanta?

it seemed in her doubt.

By the way, I thought that it was fortunate that Rosabella is now smiling brightly with the appearance of a happy bride-to-be without worries and anxiety.

“Thank you. I’m also looking forward to Hari’s wedding dress.”

At Rosabella’s mischievous response, I laughed haha with a slightly awkward feeling.

“I have no plans to marry right now.”

“But I think it won’t be long?”

Over time, everyone knows about Eugene and my relationship. Our story has already spread openly not only around me, but also outside.

Starting from last fall, neither Eugene nor I was trying to hide that fact, so it was natural if it was leaked.

It didn’t matter much because I had told the people around me anyway, and I thought it would be revealed to the world someday.

As expected, people are like seeing meat with water.

They were excited and gossiped about us, but they quickly changed their stance and started to pretend to be closer to me than before.

Their words and actions showed their inside and out, and my appetite was bitter.

Originally, there were many people who approached me because of my identity within Ernst’s household and my friendship with the future husband and wife of empire.

However, immediately after rumors about Eugene and me swept through the social world, there were noticeably more people who poked like tongues in their mouths in front of me.

Looking at it, the name of the Duchess of Ernst, which can be seen from behind me, seemed to be truly amazing.

Well, of course, I wasn’t the Duchess of Ernst right now, but I honestly thought that the spot would be mine someday.

Oh god. Something is very embarrassing when I say this with my mouth…

Because when I become the Duchess of Ernst, I mean Eugene and I are getting married?

When I think about it, suddenly the fever comes.

So, I quickly drank the tea in front of me. Seeing me like that, Rosabella said spitefully again.

“Oh, are you embarassed and shy? Miss Hari, it’s cute.”

“Rosabella, will you keep making fun of that?”

“Hari’s reaction is fun, so it can’t be helped.”

Anyhow, one good thing is after that, people who asked about Eugene’s marriage in front of me disappeared.

After the breakup with Rosabella, they aimed for an empty seat next to Eugene.

There were often young girls hoping to get it. Sometimes noble ladies came to me and told me the story of their daughter or nephew.

But now that people are all gone, on the one hand, it was cool.

This kind of thought was a little childish, but every time I saw the girls who revealed their dark feelings (?) toward Eugene in front of me, I wasn’t very happy.

Of course, some of them still consider me very decent, but they all took note seriously on Lavender Cordis’ accident and were all quiet.

I just dealt with people who approached me without talking in explicit way.

I didn’t reject them first anyway, because I didn’t have to go out and talk to them, and there was no reason to stay closer than necessary.

Well, of course, I know, behind the scenes, they are still talking about me excitedly.

But in fact, it didn’t matter because the attention of other people wasn’t very important to me.

If the people I care about understand and accept me like I am now, that was enough.

“I’ll see you next time on your wedding day.”

“Thank you for coming to me today. After talking with Hari, I feel very comfortable.”

Ahead of the marriage, Rosabella was very busy, so I didn’t take a long time and left Velontia’s mansion, but I didn’t go straight back to Ernst.

Today, while I was out, I was planning to visit Vastia’s mansion.

“Welcome in Hari.”

“How are you, aunt?”

As soon as I stepped inside, Mrs. Vastia greeted me.

“I’m sorry, what should I do? Louise is taking piano lessons, so I think you’ll have to wait a bit.”

“No, it’s alright, because I was earlier than expected.”

After looking at my face for a while, Mrs. Vastia invited me.

“If it’s okay, why don’t you drink tea with me while waiting for Louise?”

“I’m glad to see you.”

Naturally I did not refusing her favor.

Of course, I already had tea in Velontia, but……

Let’s just go over that.

So she and I stepped toward the drawing room alone.

******

“So, when will you send the wedding invitation?”

Pueup.

In a sudden surprise, I stop and I almost spit out the tea in my mouth.

“Why so surprised? You said you’d skip the engagement ceremony, so the only thing left is marriage.”

But Mrs. Vastia was just staring at me, still looking elegant.

Oh, what day is it today?

Now, like Rosabella, why everyone thinks that my marriage is just a few days left…

No, of course It will happen. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to marry Eugene, but what do they mean?

“I still have a lot to prepare….”

“Really, aren’t you ready to be the hostess?”

Oh, the hostess…..

While I once again lost my words to her straightforward words, Mrs. Vastia put down the teacup she was holding in her hand.

After that she is speaking in a calm voice.

“If that’s the case, you’re ready enough already. I know you’ve been dealing with Ernst’s internal affairs from before. Besides, I’ve been teaching with my own hands.”

She was right.

Actually while I’m living in the Vastia, I received several teachings and advice from her on managing a mansion.

A story like this is a bit bitter, but it’s probably because she implicitly considered me to be Johannes’ mate.

“Yes, I learned a lot from you while I was here.”

I smiled and opened my mouth.

“Now I just don’t think I’m mentally prepared yet.”

A profound scent hovered in the calm air. The liquid accumulated in the mug. There was a slice of lemon marinated in the tea.

Mrs. Vastia is silent for a moment about what she was thinking.

“Hari, this is not empty words, I think of you like a real daughter.”

Then, at her voice piercing my ear, I moved my gaze to the person I faced.

“Of course, I wanted you to be Johan’s mate, but I didn’t intend to force you at first. So, I tried to avoid expressing that premature word so it would not be a burden to you.”

As she said, I had never been unconcerned by them, even while in Vastia, or after that.

It may be the kindness peculiar to Vastia’s people not to insist on or force their opinions or hearts on others.

“I know, I don’t know how I feel about it.”

I have thought many times that maybe my rejection down to Johannes would be a betrayal to them, but even now they are still so kind to me.

“Always, I am grateful.”

I truly appreciate it.

Obviously, just because I want it all, it’s not that everyone can accept me easily.

“Hari, we sincerely wish for your happiness.”

It has been said that her whispering words to me are wholeheartedly.

“So, believe in the path you chose, look ahead and walk. It must be the right path.”

As I listened to her words, my eyes gradually became hot.

Is it because I thought there was no adult next to me to tell me this?

As if a mother was telling her daughter, I felt a little bit of a heart pounding at the softly screaming voice of her.

I smiled at her, holding back the tears that were about to leak out.

“Thank you. I hope you will always have happy things.”

*****

“Are you done talking with my mom?”

As soon as I came out of the parlor, I met Louise.

She apparently heard that I was in the room with her mother.

At other times, she would have just opened the door and came in, but somehow she seemed to be waiting for me to come out from the outside.

Louise, who was squatting in the hall, woke up from her seat when she saw me coming out of the door.

But she looked up at my face for a moment and sighed.

“My mom is usually so good. I’m going to go to play outside because it’s a nice weather today, but why is she making sister Hari cry like this?”

“No, I didn’t cry.”

“Your eyes are red, then what?”

Ugh, it looks like that. I’m not sure because I can’t see the mirror.

While I was with Mrs. Vastia, it seemed that I had become a little sentimental without my knowledge, so I was a little shy.

“Today, let’s just play in my room.”

Saying that, Louise raised her hand, grabbed my hand and dragged me.

I don’t know very well, but it seemed that she had given up on her plan to go out with me.

“Where did you wanna go?”

“Well, if I tell you in advance, it’s not fun, so next time.”

Louise said with a secret smile.

It was still questionable, but she didn’t answer to the end in the end.

After dinner at Vastia, I returned to Ernst.

I heard that both Eugene and Cabel are busy and plan to return home late.

Well, I feel like I need to drink some alcohol today. I took a bottle of wine from the cellar and poured it into a glass.

In the first place, I had no intention of drinking enough to get drunk, and I was really thinking of drinking only one drink.

But is it because I was tired of going out for a long time?

The alcohol being absorbed by my body make my eyes and my lids started to get heavy.

And when I closed my eyes several times and opened it, I felt someone’s touch on my body. I felt a little rejuvenation and opened my closed eyes.

Then, Eugene’s face, stained with the soft light, came into view.

“Brother Eugene.”

“I tried not to wake you up.”

It seems that I forgot and fall asleep.

It looks like I just closed my eyes for a moment, but when did it get dark outside like this?

“What time is it now?”

“10:30. You must be tired, you should lie down on the bed and sleep.”

Looking at me with my eyes open, Eugene took his hand from me. I fell asleep on the couch and he tried to move me to bed. It seemed to be like that.

By the way, it’s 10:30. Then two hours have passed since then?

Ugh, then, it’s not the level of Johan yet, but it seems I’m sleeping well.

I rubbed my tight eyes and looked up at Eugene standing in front of me.

Looking at Eugene’s attire, it seemed that he had just returned to the mansion.

He reached out and arranged my hair.

Even in spring, it was quite chilly at night, so his hand on my forehead was a little cool.

Eugene immediately took his hand away from me when I flinched a little for a moment without knowing it.

“Your hand is cold.”

“Sorry.”

But this time, I grabbed his hand first.

Of course, Eugene would have been able to hold on to the place he touched as long as he wanted, but I still pulled him close to my liking.

However, it seemed that Eugene not have expected that I would hug him.

I dragged my arm around Eugene’s neck as he was approaching. The cool air that Eugene had got from outside was also held in my arms.

“Hari…”

“Let’s do this a little.”

He felt that my behavior was a little sudden, and I felt that his body was stiff, so I touched his back in the sense that saying it was okay.

However, despite my efforts, Eugene’s condition did not improve.

“I’m cold.”

“I didn’t say no?”

Oh, is he trying to let me go because his body is cold?

But I rather felt better while holding him like this.

Eugene is getting warm because of me. That alone made me feel very full inside, so I hugged Eugene and laughed.

Then Eugene tossed a little, as if his throat that my breath reached was itchy.

Of course I don’t care about it. Rather, I gave more strength to my arm and hugged Eugene hard.

Eugene’s head in my arms twisted slightly to the side. Shortly thereafter, a quiet sigh leaked out of his mouth.

“You drank alone.”

Oh, he must have seen the glasses and bottles on the table now. Eugene seemed to think that my current behavior was because I was drunk.

That thought was a misunderstanding anyway, because all I drank only a glass of wine.

Still, as if Eugene gave up, he relaxed his body that was held by me and I liked it.

“You went to Velontia and Vastia today?”

“Hm.”

“Did you have a good time?”

“Yeah, it was a fun time as always.”

We had a small conversation as we lying on the sofa.

Rosabella’s wedding dress was very pretty, drinking tea with Mrs. Vastia, and the story that Louise’s piano skills improved a lot.

Eugene also told me about meeting Dice at the Imperial Palace today and the fact that Mr. Rowengreen is suffering from a headache due to a young nephew he has been in charge of lately.

“You will be tired because you went out for a long time today, so stop this and start sleeping.”

Then Eugene said to me in a quiet voice.

The time soon became 11 o’clock. But as it is right now, It was warm and I didn’t want to move somehow.

So I mumbled a little stubbornly with my face buried in Eugene’s neck.

“Shall I just sleep like this?”

Seeing that I didn’t want to move, he noticed I already washing and getting ready for bed as soon as I came back.

“Let’s just sleep like this here.”

At that moment, for some reason, Eugene groaned for a moment.

“Okay…? Will you be okay?”

Eugene, who had been gently entrusting his body to me, whispered low in my ear.

The next moment, I felt the subtle touch of his touching on my back, and I flinched unconsciously.

Yes…? What is suddenly?

Suddenly, a light suddenly lit up in my head, dulled by danger.

Eugene grabbed my arms around his neck and raised his upper body. Immediately after that, I met his eyes very close.

“There are only the two of us in this room right now, and it’s late at night.”

Every time he uttered a word, a tingling breath touched my face. Eugene’s pupils, who were facing my eyes, slid down.

“In addition, you are wearing pajamas.”

Oh…

Eugene was right.

After returning to the mansion and washing, I was in a state of changing clothes immediately.

This thin silk nightgown was something I loved because it was particularly soft to the touch, but it was somewhat inappropriate to show it to someone else.

Because it was almost underwear-like pajamas where the curves of my body are almost unchanged.

So if I wear pajamas until now when I had to go out of the room for a while, I used to put something on top of it.

But now, wasn’t I in a situation where I was drinking alone in my room and sleeping on the sofa?

So all I was wearing right now was this one piece of thin pajamas.

Only then I seemed to know why he was hardened when I hugged Eugene a while ago.

“But that’s not enough, so you even invited me to sleep together defenselessly….”

A sound that quietly flowed from Eugene’s mouth resonated in my ear.

“It’s not good enough to just leave it, I’m..”

Somehow I couldn’t breathe deeply in the eyes I faced from the front. I felt a little thirsty at the soft whisper in my ear.

“That…”

“Of course you didn’t mean that.”

Eugene ran ahead as if he knew what the excuses would come out of my mouth.

“If I pretend I don’t know and I misunderstand what you want, what would you do?”

His dark eyes, looking down at me, were extremely quiet.

It’s been a while since Eugene and me each other confirmed our hearts and became a lover.

Therefore, this is not the first time that such a strange atmosphere has been created between us.

Of course, in the meantime, Eugene always tried to stop me, but in fact, there were times when it went to a very close situation.

So, now that we’re simply talking to each other in a quiet way, we didn’t know that we didn’t need to be nervous at all.

However, while I was looking into Eugene’s eyes, somehow, my chest started beating slowly and irregularly.

This is because I instinctively sensed it.

If I start something like this, this time Eugene will never stop first.

And it’s obvious that I can’t reject him either….

“Brother! Hari! I’m here!”

So, in a sense, it might be fortunate that Cabel returned to the mansion just in time.

A blasphemous voice has been passed down through the tightly closed door.

Once in the past, he suddenly came in and seeing Eugene and I holding hands together, since then, Cabel used to announce his appearance in this way.

A bloody breath ran out of Eugene’s mouth.

After that, I unconsciously opened my eyes to the lips that were slowly pressed onto my forehead.

That was close.

However, Eugene kissed me briefly and then fell off without leaving any lingering feelings.

When I opened my eyes again, Eugene’s face with a dim smile came into my view.

“Good night.”

After leaving a lowly greeting, he stand up from above me. A little cool air came into my empty arms.

I didn’t move in the chair until Eugene left the door.

“Oh, brother. You’re still in clothes, so you just back right now?”

“Yeah. Now sleep. Lower your voice so she can rest quietly.”

“Hyuk, I see. Did you say that Hari is going to Vastia today? She must have been tired.”

The sound that had been heard from the outside gradually faded away.

I was lying still on the sofa for a while even after the lowered voice and footsteps had completely disappeared.

And only after the bell of the grandfather clock in the hallway rang 12 times, I woke up from my seat blankly.

After a while I lie in bed and I was looking at the ceiling, I dumbly covered.

However, I didn’t think I could fall asleep soon. My heart was still beating, claiming his presence.

Thank God…

I’m glad Cabel gave his attendance in a good way.

It was a little sudden, but at least I had a little more time to prepare my mind….

But when I thought about that far, I stopped for a moment. And after a while I can’t stop struggled in my room on the blanket.

Wait a minute, is my mind ready and preparation of my heart…?!

What kind of woman’s heart is ready?

I buried my face in the bed and patted the pillow with my hand. Not only my face, but my ears were all hot.

It is a night I couldn’t easily fall asleep like today.

“Yum yum yum. Huh? Why is your face like that?”

The next morning, Cabel picked up the bread from the table and asked to me as he chewing it hard.

He was looking at me as he had just stepped inside the restaurant, making a puzzled expression.

“Why is my face?”

“You haven’t seen the mirror? It’s dull as if you left it in the night.”

Gah, second brother. Isn’t that a little too much expression?

Of course I’m looking before I leave my room and I knew that my face was a little sloppy because I saw the dark circle, but it’s a gentleman way to pretend to be unaware of it!

It was, though, that we shouldn’t expect that in the first place as the target is Cabel.

“You didn’t sleep early yesterday? When I came home, my brother said that you are already sleeping.”

What am I doing, I wake up all night like you said.

But how can I say that with my mouth.

“It’s just because I’m tired.”

“Then eat meat! Meat is the best when you’re tired!”

In my words that I was tired, Cabel called the chef out loud, insisting on the “meat panacea.”

Of course I stopped him like that.

It was clear that I wasn’t Cabel, and if I ate meat from the morning, my insides would become bloated.

“My brother should eat a little more properly. Why do you stand and eat without sitting?”

“I have to go out a bit earlier today.”

What happened early in the morning in the Templars today?

No matter how it is, he is standing there like this and chewing and eating bread.

Cabel moved his body in a hurry without getting rid of all the bread he had been eating.

“I’ll come back (I’ll be back then)!”

“Already?”

Really in a hurry, Cabel tried to rush out of the dining hall with a bread in his mouth, an apple in one hand, and a jacket of the Knights Templar in the other.

“Cabel, you’re going out now?”

At that time, Eugene and Cabel met while he just entering the dining hall.

I saw Eugene, who I met for the first time since last night, and I was unwittingly dazzled.

“Yeah, take me off for breakfast and have fun the two of you!”

At Eugene’s question, Cabel, as expected, with the bread in his mouth, spit out a babbling sound.

Still, it wasn’t difficult to understand his words considering how much of bread he had chewed.

Seeing such Cabel, Eugene quietly narrowed his eyebrows.

As for Eugene, he felt uncomfortable when he saw Cabel rushing to work after not having breakfast properly.

“Eat your lunch properly.”

“Okay!”

At the end of his words, Cabel moved away and exited the dining hall.

After that, Eugene stepped in as he replacing Cabel’s vacant seat.

“Let’s sit down.”

“Yes.”

Ugh, if the second brother told me in advance that he was going to work early today, I would have pretended to overslept…

Oh, well. I couldn’t have time to talk to Cabel because I couldn’t even meet him last night.

Ugh.

“Did you have trouble at sleep?”

At that time, Eugene’s gaze crossed my face once.

“You look tired.”

I was hot with his words.

Cabel said it a while ago, but is it so obvious that I couldn’t sleep?

But in fact, it would be harder for someone else to not know what was noticeable even by the most innocent Cabel in our house.

“Oh, no? I did not. I slept very well.”

I couldn’t speak honestly and lie.

This is because if I admitted that I stayed up for some reason, that I was shaken by Eugene’s words, and I felt like I would be caught.

However, as he said calmly, my worries disappeared.

“Is that so? I didn’t sleep well.”

I looked at the face of Eugene, sitting across from me, speechless.

He put one arm on the table and staring at me with his hand squeezed his chin.

While facing his gaze like that, I felt a strangely burning throat.

Soon, the servants who entered the dining hall began to put plates and utensils on the table.

Eugene did not add any other words, and I looked away from him and turned my head as if that had not happened a little while ago.

I drank the water from the cup while maintaining as unattended as possible.

It is still spring, but it is somewhat hot.

“Hubert, then I’ll be back.”

“Please go carefully, my lady.”

That afternoon, I went out with Ethan, being seen off by Hubert.

The destination is a busy street where colorful shops are located, and as it has been year after year, a flower market was scheduled to be held there in spring.

“My lady, your hand.”

Arriving at my destination, I raised my hand to Ethan’s, grab him and got off the wagon.

The streets were already full of fragrant scents of flowers. Just smelling the scent made me feel brighter.

Well, after all, spring is great.

“There are a lot of people.”

“Because it is a flower market that is held once a year.”

I laughed at the words of Ethan, looked around and said as if passing by.

Ethan talks to me more directly than before. Of course, there was still a sense of distance between him and me.

However, I felt good because we seemed to be getting closer as time passed.

I and Ethan headed for the flower market.

The flower market, which is growing in size every year, was crowded with people coming and going just as it was located in the downtown area.

The colorful and beautiful flowers that bloomed covetously deserved to catch the gaze of those passing by.

Suddenly, I remembered what happened when I met Eugene here several years ago.

It was later that I learned of the whereabouts of the peony, which was impulsively struck to Eugene, whom I met by chance that day.

I went to the imperial palace to meet Dice and stopped by the place where Eugene, the affairs department of the palace, was working.

Of course, time has passed since then, and I talked to Eugene several times and got rid of it…

It was quite surprising that he didn’t throw away the flowers I gave him right away, but kept them for so long.

Recalling the memories of that time, I bought a peony and a freesia flower each.

“Do you need anything more?”

“No, it is enough for today, let’s stop going and back to the mansion.”

At other times, I would have traveled a little more and returned home to change my mood, but today the distance was too complicated.

Besides, yesterday’s fatigue was still not resolved, so it was difficult to stay outside for a long time.

I was satisfied with the fresh flowers I wanted, and headed to the place to take the carriage and came back.

“Huh?”

But when I walked a little longer, suddenly some yellow piece of cloth flew in front of me.

I unconsciously reached out and tried to catch it, but before I did that, Ethan moved first.

Suddenly, he stood in front of me and grabbed the flying cloth with amazing wits.

What he held in his hand was a women’s thin shawl with delicate lace embroidery.

Maybe a little while ago, the wind blew and someone seems to have missed it by mistake…

So, won’t the owner come to find it soon?

However, there were so many people around that it seemed difficult to do so.

I looked around for a while, but I did not look the person who seemed to be looking for something.

“What should I do?”

First of all, I asked him because I thought I had to hear Ethan’s opinion first.

Then he turned to me. I looked down and opened my mouth at the yellow cloth Ethan is holding in his hand.

“There is no reason to feel responsible for the lost item. I will leave it.”

Oh, oh? Is he determined?

No, of course it is but……

But I thought I’d ask him to wait a little longer.

“Oh, wait a minute! That’s ours…!”

However, Ethan and I did not have to worry about getting behind the lost items.

Because in front of us at the next moment, someone shouted out loud and approached us.

He gasp in front of Ethan and me as we saw the man who ran and asked.

“Are you looking for this shawl?”

“Hyuk, yes….”

He jumped in a hurry to see as he was out of breath and couldn’t lift his head and took his breath for a while with his knees on.

Looking at his attire, it seemed that he was not a commoner or escort, but a spirit-style noble who grew up well in a straight family.

So, did he accompanying a lady and come to find the lost item for her?

I smiled at him and opened my mouth.

“That’s fortunate because the wind doesn’t fly any further.”

“Ah, thank you. My group missed it by mistake….”

The man also raised his head and replied to see as if he had found a breathe.

But he couldn’t finish talking. The moment our eyes met in the air, the man stiffened with a hook breath.

My image was reflected in his black eyes, wide open as if he was ecstatic. The face, with his lips wide open, was dazzling as if it had fallen out.

Ah.…

This person, he fell in love with me at first sight.

It was a reaction that seemed so honestly outward that I could notice without knowing.

Until now, this experience was not at all never happened and it was not very strange.

I felt a little embarrassed and took a step back. Ethan felt something similar, so he sneaked in between me and the other guys, blocking his gaze.

Um, but is it just because of the mood?

When I look at his face like this, it seems that the day is somewhat ripe…

“Theo!”

At that moment, a thin woman’s voice rang from behind the man. I turned my head inadvertently after the sound.

Soon afterward, I was amazed at the woman’s in my sight, with my eyes wide open.

“I’m sorry for you. You just don’t have to find a shawl… Ah?”

Not knowing that her hair was getting messy, a woman who ran with steps found us and looked surprised, but that’s not exactly because she saw Ethan, It was because she saw the yellow shawl Ethan was holding.

“Ah, hey… Theo, did these people find my shawl?”

She panicked and didn’t know what to do, then quickly whispered to the man next to her.

Then, the man who was looking at me with a blank expression until then, as if he had awakened his mind, made a face that seemed to wake up from a dream.

“Oh… that’s right, these people came to me.”

“Oh, thank you.”

After hearing the man’s answer, the woman greeted us with a bright face.

“Actually, it’s something I care about, so if I lose it, I’d be a little upset. Thank you very much.”

Orange hair blowing in the wind and warm brown eyes. The slightly pale face was now reminded of joy.

“I should have said hello first, I’m sorry. I’m Theodore Kalua. This is my relative..”

“I’m Daisy Temperto.”

Listening to their introduction, I still believe she couldn’t be here, so I opened my mouth.

“I’m Hari Ernst. This is Sir Ethan Bishop, my escort knight.”

When I revealed my name instead, Ethan greeted them with a light silence.

But in fact, before I heard the introduction, I already knew who they were.

When I first saw the man’s face, I couldn’t remember it honestly, but the woman that followed was not, because I could never forget.

She was married to Cabel last life and became my newest sister, Temperto.

It is my future sister-in-law.

“Brother Cabel, are there any women you’ve been meeting these days?”

“What?”

That night, I grabbed Cabel and asked in a subtle tone.

Then Cabel suddenly showed a look as if he was hitting a stick while sleeping.

Oh, because I see that the expression is so vivid that’s answer all. It seems like there is no real woman he’s seeing right now.

When we met before and talked for a while, Daisy Temperto and Theodore Kalua told us that it hasn’t been a few days since they came up to the capital from the outskirts, watery countryside where they originally lived.

I was a little surprised by that unexpected meeting.

It is said that she came here only a few days ago, so of course she haven’t met Cabel yet…

In fact, I didn’t know anything about how Cabel and Daisy met and dated in the last life.

For some reason, It wasn’t polite to wonder about it, so I didn’t even ask.

But honestly, the combination of the two who seem completely opposite like fire and water was very surprising even now.

Well….

Of course, compared to the last life, there was a possibility that their relationship would change as well as the events of this life did not flow in the same way as my memories.

“I only live in the haze every day. Where do I meet a woman?”

“There were some young lady who sometimes comes to see brother.”

“The girls… Those girls… Hyuk, I don’t need them all!”

Huh? But why is his reaction like that?

What part of my words were provoking Cabel, suddenly he screamed out and ran out of the room like the protagonist of a novel.

Uh, huh?

What the hell are they doing that make he’s so sad and crying like that?

I couldn’t understand his words, so I looked at the place where Cabel had left and tilted my head in confusion.

******^^

“Brother, if you have time tomorrow, would you like to go to the party?”

“I don’t need a party… I don’t need it!”

“Oh, wait a minute, brother Cabel!”

No, why is he like that?

As soon as he listened to me, Cabel ran out again, pretending to be the protagonist of a romance book.

I just asked once because Miss Temperto is also attending the party tomorrow.

I mean, when I met her after going to the flower market two days ago, I remembered that Sir Kalua, who was next to her, said as if passing by.

I narrowed my eyes to see where Cabel left. Erich, who was with Penny next to him, asked with an absurd expression.

“Why is your brother doing that again?”

“I don’t know. Does he have any bad memories of the party?”

Or it could have been an extension of the work two days ago, not having a party, but having bad memories of a woman.

But he only live in the haze every day, and Cabel said that with his own mouth, where he would meet woman?

What happened to the young ladies who visited the knights templars?

“Have you ever heard of why your brother is doing that?”

“How do I know that when you don’t even know while you live with him?”

That’s the case, but maybe it’s something he can say to his younger brother even though he’s not talking to his sister, right?

“If you just leave him alone, it will be okay.”

Erich who went home from the academic institute for the weekend looked at me and said with a soft voice.

After meeting Erich after a long time, Penny was excited, panting and waving her tail.

Erich stroked the Penny and laughed at me.

“How long have you been together so far and still haven’t let go of the vain expectation that you will be able to understand your brother?”

No, on the contrary, how long time have he spent together with him, and he still been so harsh to his second brother?

Um, even after time passes, his treatment to our second son in the house is ever unchanged.

I looked at Erich and Penny with a faint gaze for a moment, then sighed.

“While coming home, please contact Louise once. These days, I’m feeling sorry that it’s hard to see your face.”

“What are you talking about? I saw her at the academic institute last week.”

“What? At the Academy?”

I opened my eyes to the first news I heard.

Erich still complained to Penny, whether he heard me or not.

“She suddenly come to me and it’s annoying. I don’t know what she’s doing.”

“Is that so?”

Johannes also graduated early, and now the only person I know at the Academy of Sciences is Erich.

But, having to go there separately…

Isn’t it something meaningful? Moreover, it’s not that close from Vastia to the Academy.

“What’s that look?”

“What is my expression?”

“It’s a strange thinking face.”

“You’re mistaken.”

But Erich crumpled his face as if he didn’t believe me.

“I’ll go to my room, so you play with Penny.”

I left Erich like that and went up the stairs with a big smile.

I thought I’d have to take a look at Louise next time I meet her.

After getting ready to go to the party the next day, I left the room, and Eugene came out at the door.

He stood waiting for me.

“I made a little effort today, how is it? Am I pretty?”

I left him and turned around from my place.

When I asked with a smiling face, Eugene followed me with a small smile and came closer.

“Yes, you’re always pretty, but today you’re especially pretty.”

A light kiss fell on my forehead.

In fact, of course, I asked him knowing he would tell me that I am pretty, but I felt good to hear the praise directly from Eugene’s mouth.

“You look cool today too.”

“That’s good.”

We’re smiling face-to-face while giving and receiving compliments of our attire, and then we stepped in front of the door.

After a while, Erich stood leaning against the landing stairs and caught my eyes.

He shook his head as if he couldn’t understand even when he found us.

“Why are parties always held from late evening to night? Everyone is cheering up.”

“Erich, if you say like that, I’m gonna think you’re old.”

I frowned and laughed at Erich’s words like an old man. He put his arm on the railing and looked at me for a moment with his head on it.

I wondered what he want to say, but he didn’t open his mouth and just looked at me.

So I also stared at him wonderingly.

After a while, Erich took his gaze away from me and said, spit out.

“Bye.”

“I’ll be back. You’re looking at the house with Penny.”

A poignant greeting continued as if he never he showed strange behavior. So I just greeted him face to face and took the steps I had stopped at with Eugene.

Still leaning against the railing of the stairs, just before hitting Erich, Eugene reached out and slammed his back head silently.

Then Erich flinched for a moment, and then quickly looked at it.

I wondered if there was something between the two that only I didn’t know, but since then, there has been no other conversation or action between them.

So I just tilted my head by myself and went down the stairs again with Eugene.

*****

Johannes and Louise, as well as Rosabella, who had just left for wedding ceremony, did not attend this party, so it was somewhat empty.

Still, there were as many people to greet, so I met all kinds of people with Eugene.

Then, it was a moment when each of us was dealing with different people apart for a while.

“Lady Ernst!”

Suddenly, I heard a loud voice calling me from the side.

Oh, was there anyone who would be happy meeting me like this? Who is it?

I felt puzzled and turned my head in the direction of the sound. The voice was so loud that not only me but the other people around me moved their eyes to the side.

It was Theodore Kalua, whom I met at the flower market a while ago.

He had a bright face as if he was very happy. I smiled and greeted him as he approached me.

“Hello, Sir Kalua. Are you here with Miss Temperto?”

“Yes, she’s chatting with other young lady now, so we fell apart for a while.”

Daisy Temperto and Theodore Kalua said they had come up to the capital to celebrate the upcoming marriage of the crown prince Dice.

Of course, they weren’t acquainted with Dice or Rosabella, but the crown prince marriage was certainly something that Arlanteans would bless.

Maybe a little bit later, the society would be more crowded than it is now with people from each region.

So it wasn’t particularly strange that the two had gone a long way because of Dice’s wedding.

However, there was another reason that they did not reveal to me that become their reason to came up to the society.

It was to find Daisy Temperto’s mate.

In my memory, the Temperto family was in debt due to their own continued business failures, and the financial situation was very poor.

However, that did not mean that Viscount Temperto left her with the idea of using her daughter to grab a cloth.

Just in their hometown, rumors that the Temperto clan was on the verge of falling seemed to have never come into a good conversation with Daisy.

Although her personality is rather timid and shy, she hides in the day severely, but Daisy Temperto has a unique feeling of a person who was loved and raised.

In her wedding day with Cabel, her parents actually seemed to care for their daughter a lot.

So, they would have sent her to the capital with a big heart, wanting to mate a little decent person to their daughter.

Because of their great devotion, they asked their relatives, Theodore Kalua, to accompany her, and now he has come to attend the party side by side with Daisy.

Of course, in the past life, there was no major event of the crown prince Dice’s marriage at this time, so the moment they came up to the society was different from now.

However, the fact that the two people came up side by side into the society was the same as my memory.

That’s why I have seen Theodore Kalua a few times before, and the day is known. However, he and I have not had such an exchange in the past life.

In addition, Theodore went back to his hometown after Daisy and Cabel got married, so I’ve forgotten him until now.

But was it a new opportunity that I accidentally grabbed her shawls that was flying in the wind a few days ago?

Theodore Kalua greetly approached me and said, expressing an overt favor, not enough to say hello.

“Actually, I wondered if I could see Lady Ernst again at the party today, and for the past few days, I was hoping for nothing. But, I’m very happy with the wind like this.”

Under the neat blonde hair, shy black eyes stand out.

The expression or look toward me is a young man who confesses his heart to a woman who longs for nothing. It seemed to be like that.

I had to feel speechless for a moment right after I met his eyes.

Whether Theodor Kalua was not good at hiding his feelings, or whether he couldn’t think he had to hide his feelings in front of other people, he showed himself to me with an embarrassingly honest face.

The problem was, I wasn’t the only one here right now.

“Oh my goodness?”

The noble lady and the young lady, whom I had chatted with a while ago, expressed their curiosity at once and lit their eyes.

Seeing their reaction, I got a bit embarrassed.

“Did you say Lady Ernst and Sir Kalua…? Maybe you’ve met separately the other day.”

“I think you said that you were with Miss Temperto, it wasn’t a few days since you came to the society.”

They seemed curious about how I and Theodore Kalua had come to know each other.