132 – promise once again
After showing Sonia the fish that roam the pond, they return to the castle and realize that the sun has set quite a bit before they know it.
Thanks to Yulken’s suggestion to put aside work for a while and spend some leisurely time today as a welcome guest has arrived, Ariel was able to soak in the warm water Shuri prepared in advance without heading back to her office.
“Sigh… Now I feel a little bit better.”
She wasn’t particularly mysophobic, but she liked taking baths to the point of soaking three times a day.
So, in the middle of the day, when Shuri took care of the bath, she was in trouble too.
However, after the coming-of-age ceremony, Shuri’s effort has been reduced because she often has to wash herself.
“My lady, is the water temperature okay?”
“Yeah, that was great.”
“That’s fortunate. Oh, this is water.”
The refreshing feeling of drinking cool water after soaking in warm water.
Ariel assumes that those who have not experienced this cannot relate to it, and as if having a glass of alcohol, ‘Kyaa.’ and exclaimed.
“Puhu, somehow you look like Master Edgar.”
“Why is his name mentioned now?”
As she sat down on the bed to relieve the day’s drowsiness, she tilted her head at Shuri’s sudden words.
Her mother, Helene, sometimes uttered the word that she resembled Edgar, so there was nothing strange about it, but it was only a question why she said it when she saw her drinking water.
“In the past, you were quite a calm person. Of course, it was different when the young master was by my side.”
“Yes, why are you talking about the old days? Besides, what a difference it was from when he was there… … .”
Ariel is quite vulnerable to bringing up the past.
In particular, looking back at myself in the past, there are many things I wondered why, and among them, the story related to Edgar was no different from rat poison.
“Don’t you remember? At that time, the madam told me to prepare in advance because there was a place I had to go to, but I was going to go the same day and prepare roughly, but when I heard that the place I was going to was Ardenum, that night… Whoops!”
Shuri’s mouth, which had been pouring out so many words, was blocked at once.
It wasn’t particularly magical, Ariel’s hand reached out to shut her mouth.
“Well, why are you talking about that now!”
“Ehehehe… It means that he usually doesn’t take anything seriously, but reacts sensitively to things related to the young master.”
Shuri said everything she couldn’t say, even with her signature silly smile.
“Anyway, the appearance a little while ago was like watching Edgar. Before, when the Bocchan drank, he put in just that kind of chu-im-sae.”
“Yeah, I guess it was… Are they sure they resemble each other?”
“I think it is a good phenomenon. My mother also does that sometimes. I feel like I am becoming more like Ronan.”
There are many cases where people who are similar to each other meet, but there are also cases where they form a relationship with people with completely opposite personalities, such as Ariel or Shuri.
When that happens, white and black do not mix and become gray, but each other’s color is stained very little by little.
For those who were pitch-black, traces appear like snowflakes blooming in the middle of the night.
A person who was pure white like drawing paper has black charms in places.
And Shuri thought this phenomenon was in the right direction.
Just as she, who was a bit of a nerd, became a little more straight after meeting a man named Ronan.
Just as Ariel, who was not accustomed to counting others, met a man named Edgar and was able to think of someone first.
“That’s why I’m always grateful to Bocchan. Because you changed her so much.”
“… Even my mother doesn’t say things like that. Anyone who sees it will know that you are my mother.”
“swimming… Since we’re the same age, even if it’s difficult for my mother, wouldn’t it be possible for my sister?”
If it was like the old days, I wouldn’t have dared to say it even as a joke.
It meant that the two of them had become closer psychologically, and it was also proof that Shuri had come to know Ariel’s true self a little better.
Of course, this was an absurd remark that made Ariel snort.
“Well, you’re only older than me, but you’re like a younger sister, let alone an older sister, right? I remember clearly when I was running out of tears.”
“Well, it wasn’t that cheap… … !”
Although he suffered a certain amount of trouble when he first came under Ariel’s command, there were times when he even had a major accident in which he shed tears in front of his master.
However, that was a thing of the past that I was not used to.
Ariel, who had once said with her mouth not to talk about the past, now uses it in reverse, but Shuri hated it.
“If you want to be my older sister, come when you are more mature. You still seem too loose.”
“Pooh, Punsu… … .”
In the end, with the final blow, Shuri sank lightly, ‘Heeing.’ He expressed his regret in a short cry.
It would be impossible for Ariel to hear her older sister’s voice, but she made up her mind to become a person whom Ariel regards as trustworthy as her older sister.
* * * * * * *
As the day draws to a close and Ariel is about to go to bed, an unexpected guest visits her room.
As soon as she saw the opponent’s face, she didn’t even say hello, she let out sharp eyes and spat out accusations.
“Don’t you even care? To come into the lady’s room at such a late hour.”
“What, you’re asking about that now?”
Edgar, who entered the room casually as usual, hesitated for a moment before asking, “Then shall we move?” I asked if I wanted to.
I didn’t come here just to have a light conversation that would be short-lived, so I was thinking of talking outside or in another room if she felt uncomfortable.
Then Ariel realized that she had said the wrong thing, and munched her mouth, then turned her head away and asked.
“… Heung, so what kind of dragon is it?”
“It was something I didn’t even mean.”
Edgar shrugged, saying he knew that, and Ariel protested with her cheeks stained red.
“Sir, it’s noisy. So what’s your business?”
Edgar often came into the room to talk or met outside, but even now it was quite late compared to then.
So, Ariel, believing that there must be some important reason, urged him to answer, then took him by the hand and led him to the balcony.
“What is it that lets you in while asking about business?”
“You said you wouldn’t go even if I told you to go anyway.”
“That’s right.”
Edgar smiled proudly at the thought that she knew him well now.
Anyway, since I’m here on business, I’ll have to get to the point sooner or later.
“Have you thought about it?”
“I’m here because of that anyway.”
“yes? It is good news to hear.”
But, should I say fortunately, Ariel willingly brought up the subject, which was also the reason he came, so there was no need to rhyme heavily.
Edgar first wanted to convey the opportunity that made him think again before getting to the main topic.
Ariel’s feelings are somewhat understandable now, so I had to let her know that I was speaking from the level of truly understanding her.
“I heard the story from Shuri. I honestly thought you would have suffered while I was gone, but I didn’t expect it to be that much.”
“… What else did that fool say?”
Even she hadn’t expected that he would rush over and tell him.
That’s why Ariel pursed her lips at the first word he uttered, then nodded in affirmation.
Because it wasn’t exactly wrong.
“So I understand why you made such extreme demands. I wanted to put that first.”
“Looks like you’re not going to accept what I’m saying.”
“I guess so.”
Edgar let out his true feelings without adding or subtracting, and nodded his head slightly.
Of course, I can understand why Ariel’s overprotective desire surged, but even taking that into consideration, it was an unacceptable request.
Even if you get married with rude words, each person has their own life, so it’s not like they’re exclusive attendants.
At least Shuri would spend half a day away from Ariel.
In response to his refusal, Ariel calmly met his gaze without raising his voice or reacting as if he was surprised.
“Are you disappointed?”
“not really. Of course, I hoped they would accept it, but I didn’t really expect it.”
Responding lightly to Edgar’s question, she stabbed his forearm wide for no apparent reason.
It was said that he did not expect it, but it was his own antagonism toward his lover who did not listen to his request.
“I am surprised. I thought you would be angry.”
“You think I’m stupid?”
Contrary to her calm tone from a while ago, Ariel answered with a slightly exasperated voice and slightly frowned.
In the first place, he thought that she wasn’t stupid, and that Edgar couldn’t accept these conditions straight away.
It should be said that he spit it out with the feeling that it is good if it is literally thrown and it is done or not.
Of course, if you ask me if I didn’t mean it, it’s not.
“Well, I am not stupid. Then did you ask knowingly?”
“It is possible to ask. do you know If you accepted it, the best result would have been created.”
“what the.”
Calling it the best result was just absurd for Edgar.
For him, it was an ending that was practically imprisoned.
“So, why? Whether it’s meals, clothes, or money, there’s nothing I can’t solve just because you’re by my side.”
“So it is. In fact, there is nothing short of it. Maybe it wouldn’t be bad to just live as a pillar westerner.”
Edgar asked in a playful tone, ‘Shall we just live like that?’ When I asked back, Ariel snorted as if it was unreasonable.
It’s because I thought that I was able to talk about things that I didn’t even have in my heart.
“Hey, you’re not going to turn over, are you? Because you hate picking up the words you spit out more than anyone else.”
“There are no ghosts.”
“Can you stop misunderstanding that only you know me well?”
Ariel glared at him with sharp eyes as if she were really offended.
Deep down, she felt great pride in knowing him well.
Edgar stared blankly at her puffy cheeks and gently reached out and stroked her hair.
It was his special skill that he would bring up when he had nothing to say, but on the other hand, it was also something he did when he had a lot of things he wanted to say but couldn’t express them.
“I’ve been organizing what I want to say in my head… It doesn’t happen very often.”
“What did you mean?”
“just. I am sorry that you suffered because of me. I understand your feelings well, so I wanted to tell you not to be too afraid for that reason.”
Edgar pondered why Ariel had made such an offer this time.
There must be many reasons, but the most representative one was his main thought that it would be because of the fear of losing him.
So, at first, I thought about accepting it.
If this request wasn’t accepted, wouldn’t Ariel, who was secretly soft-hearted, tremble in fear alone? It’s because I suddenly heard such a concern.
However, the moment I thought about it alone, I realized that it was not a very good direction.
Above all, the fundamental reason why he was restrained was that he thought it would have a bad influence on Ariel, the person involved.
tight.
Edgar silently hugged Ariel and patted her on the back.
Rather than expressing affection between lovers who want to feel each other’s warmth, the reason was to reassure her.
In other words, it was like a sign that he was still standing here.
“don’t worry. Because there won’t be a second time. I am still by your side, and will always be.”
“… To trust someone who has already lied? Am I not that naive?”
“Know. But believe me. I can’t say I won’t make you cry, but at least I won’t make you cry for me.”
If you stay together, there will eventually be moments of fighting, and sometimes misunderstandings will arise.
But only under such unavoidable circumstances did Edgar promise to make sure she never cried because of him.
“I will never die before you, and I have no intention of leaving alone one day.”
“What if something like this happens again? What are you going to do then?”
Edgar’s calm words were cut off with a single knife by Ariel’s sharp question.
Edgar, who had stopped consciousness for a moment, blinked his eyes and imagined in his head when something like this would happen.
“uh… That’s when you have to think about it… … .”
Fuck!
Fearing to hesitate for a moment at the thought that he couldn’t bear to let Yulken die, Ariel’s fist flew in and mercilessly stabbed him in the side.
“… sorry.”
“Okay, you idiot. I didn’t even want it anyway.”
Ariel knew right away that he was such a man.
Perhaps this foolish man, like Yulken, Helene, or herself, would have to throw herself again just like this time, if she was a person who had pledged to save her life.
I decided it was unreasonable to block it anyway.
If they tried to bind them through the oath of subordination, they would have to make excuses and reject them somehow.
“instead… Promise.”
“What?”
“Even if you have to sacrifice your life, don’t give up like this time. Try to come back alive somehow. okay?”
“That’s why I’m not sacrificing my life… Big!?”
Ariel doesn’t know why she must add unnecessary words to earn a beating, but thanks to that, she was able to punch one more punch at a moment of shame, and she felt happy.
“answer.”
“Okay, I’ll try. Even if it’s a bit pitiful, I’ll struggle and come back somehow.”
Ariel, who was staring at Edgar, who responded with a bit of an awkward attitude, continued to pull the neck of his shirt and even pointed with his finger as he added.
“Did I tell you before? If you don’t come back, then I’m going to die too.”
“Still, this time I’m glad I came back alive before you died.”
“Who is it? Please keep that in mind.”
“It’s what the princess is saying, but you should engrave it in your heart.”
Ariel, seeing her lover who only spoke sloppily, wanted to feed her at least one night, but she managed to endure it, and as she closed her eyes in his arms, she felt the warmth transmitted.
“… I hate you.”
“what?”
“entire. Also came back late. And making promises you don’t intend to keep.”
“I’ll protect you this time.”
Read at noblemtl.com
Let’s see.
Ariel recited a threatening letter with the feeling that if she couldn’t keep it this time, she would show her a good example even if she had to hang herself on the spot.
Then, when his golden eyes, shining like the moon rising outside, entered his field of vision, he inadvertently pulled his hand further and kissed his lips.
Thank you for coming back anyway.
However, it seemed that this man would become arrogant again if I said that, so I slowly parted my lips while thinking only in my mind.
Unlike the previous kisses, somehow it tasted more affectionate and sweet.