136 – factorial(3)
Edgar Billhark.
As of today, the woman who has inherited the position of the owner of the grand duke’s family is true to her name.
Although he made his name known through his performance in Whitewood this time, some aristocratic families described him as too indecent.
That’s why some say that a princess who has just undergone a coming-of-age ceremony knows what, and that being a lover with a man from a family that has nothing to offer is just an act of cheating at a young age.
However, this was only a matter of gossip that could be ridiculed by those who knew a little more about the situation, and most of them thought that the eldest son of the Billhark family becoming the second owner of the Loveheim family would be a certain matter.
That’s why most people couldn’t keep up with what happened in front of their eyes.
A man who was certain to have a 100-year contract with Ariel Robeheim appeared at the place where he made an oath of subordination.
Perhaps if you tell the people around you about this rumor, you will be stunned and your nose will be stuffy, so they won’t even think of it as a joke to laugh at.
For them, the ‘Oath of Subordination’ was like a symbol of trust between master and servant.
“The truth is that we weren’t lovers… … ?”
“It can’t be. There are only a few people who said they saw two people kissing during the coming-of-age ceremony.”
“Isn’t there some reason? Anyway, it seems to be true that it is a truly amazing sight.”
The muffled voices of the people around him grew even louder.
However, Yulken, who had been stepping aside for a while, did not stop him or pay any attention to him.
Rather, I just look at the pair of men and women who are slowly getting closer with a faint smile as if they are enjoying this atmosphere.
Edgar, who had come right in front of Ariel, knelt down on one knee and bowed reverently.
To be honest, I felt like I was going to burst into laughter at any moment, but I managed to endure it.
Then, when I slightly raised my eyes to see Ariel sitting in a chair with a lofty posture, I noticed the muscles around her mouth twitching.
‘They seem to have similar feelings.’
In a way, it has to be.
The two of them, who had been hanging out together ever since they were born, knew very well what suits each other.
‘If I cross my legs in that position and rest my chin on my hand, it’s just the usual Ariel.’
In Edgar’s eyes, her appearance, somewhat straight and forcibly trying to hold onto the weight, was really cute.
But what can I do? He was also wearing clothes that didn’t fit his body.
Above all, from this situation, where he was kneeling in front of his childhood friend whom he had seen for nearly 18 years before becoming a lover, Edgar felt very awkward.
‘Still, I should do my duty.’
Nevertheless, Edgar suppressed his emotions as much as possible because he had a job to do, and eventually got up from his seat when permission was granted.
“… … .”
Then, without realizing it, Ariel got up from her seat and faced him.
She reached out her hand to Edgar, with eyes that had lost even the slight hint of mischief from earlier.
It’s not like asking for a handshake, it’s like a man reaching out to a woman for an escort.
As Edgar’s hand was placed on top of it, Ariel pulled him lightly as if to lead him.
At the same time, a woman standing next to him approached and handed over a very small sword the size of a finger wrapped in red cloth.
On the surface, it looked like an ordinary sword with no special features other than its size, but in reality it was quite different.
It was thanks to this sword that the tradition passed down through the Loveheim family, the oath of subordination, could be fulfilled.
‘Is that Leponeo?’
Reponeo.
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Literally translated, it means a bowl that holds the soul.
Although it was the first time Edgar had seen it in person, he knew what it was like because he had heard the procedure before making the oath of subordination.
A sword that is said to be able to cut off part of a person’s soul if it contains blood. This, too, was Elgrun’s legacy.
“Edgar Billhark.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
When the existence of the sword was revealed, Ariel called Edgar’s full name in a low voice.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was probably the first time in my life.
And, as if to counter this, Edgar also showed respect to her, who had become the owner of the Grand Duchess today, and said the title, and a faint smile formed at the corners of their mouths.
“From this time on, you become my sword, and I become a pillar to support you. Do you have any objection to this?”
“There can be no way.”
“… yes?”
Ariel, who followed Yulken and continued to speak in a weighty tone, but in response to his firm answer, she unknowingly replied in a normal tone.
It was because he was happy with his words.
She was mortified by this for a moment, but quickly came to her senses, cleared her throat, then reached out and held his hand again.
A bag of Leponeo was clutched in her right hand.
“With this leponeo, I will divide your soul and mine and bind them together. From this moment on, your death will be my death, and my death will be your death. Do you have any objection to this?”
“There is not.”
Edgar’s stern reply followed once again.
In response, Ariel poured her magic into Leponeo and gave it to Edgar.
Ed, who inherited it, also poured his own magical energy into it, confirmed that golden light emitted, and handed the sword back to Ariel.
As the red and gold colors blended together to give off a faint glow, Ariel, who had been watching it blankly, hurriedly came to her senses and held out her hand to Edgar.
Then Edgar showed it with his palm facing the ceiling.
Taking a cautious step towards him with the sword in hand, she placed the blade of the Leponeo on Edgar’s index finger and gave it a little pressure, as if squeezing it.
Fresh blood gushed out with the small sound of the skin being picked, and the blood-soaked sword of Leponeo shone once again.
“… Ugh.”
Edgar involuntarily staggered his legs with the feeling that something was slipping out of him.
It was because a part of his soul had escaped through Leponeo, so he was momentarily confused.
Ariel put on a worried expression for a moment, but Edgar, who noticed this, sent a look saying he was okay, and soon returned to his solemn face.
“… It’s okay.”
Then, when he pressed Leponeo lightly on his index finger in the same way, fresh blood gushed out and soaked into the sword body, just like Edgar did.
How many seconds had passed?
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Leponeo, which contained the pieces of the two people’s magic and blood, lost its light for a moment, then swayed in place as if struggling.
Giying-
Soon, the movement stopped, and with a very low sound, a light that came from somewhere revealed the two people’s vision.
Realizing that it was the light that appeared on the back of each hand, the two looked down and checked the back of their hand.
‘This is the proof.’
It is said that the tokens revealed by the oath of subordination reflect each other’s souls.
Although they do not know what the picture in the circle means, the two of them felt a sense of fullness in their hearts just by having the mark engraved on them.
Meanwhile, the woman who took over Leponeo tied the sword with a very thin silver thread and sealed it back inside the red cloth.
Edgar, who confirmed this, took a step back from the spot and knelt down on one knee again.
Then Ariel stood up, took out the sword that was lying on the chair, and hit him on the head and shoulder once.
It seems to be similar to a knight swearing-in ceremony, but it is quite different.
This was the process of proving that the person in front of the owner of the grand duchy was his vassal.
“To swear an oath of subordination.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Edgar lifted his head slightly, stepped forward, and kissed the back of Ariel’s right hand, which now had a badge engraved on it.
This completes the entire process.
Through this position, the fact that he became the right-hand man of the owner of the grand duke’s family became known all over the world.
It was also the scene that Ariel wanted most of all.
‘Not enough.’
But Ariel somehow felt that this alone was not enough.
Obviously, the oath of subordination has a different value as it is a time-honored tradition passed down in the Loveheim family, but this alone means that doubts have arisen as to whether he truly belongs to him.
To put it a little more directly, it was bland.
If there was a way to let people know that this man belonged to them enough to stick in the minds of the people around them, they thought over and over what they would do.
“… Majesty?”
Seeing Ariel’s sudden silence, Edgar called her cautiously.
Scary to do that, Ariel’s eyes changed at once and emitted a sharp light.
thump
As Ariel’s hand gripped Edgar’s face, he felt a chill run down his spine at the sight he had seen somewhere.
Obviously after this… … .
“… … !?”
It was as expected.
Just like at the coming-of-age ceremony, or rather unlike that time, Ariel pushed her face in and kissed her lips without even a moment’s hesitation.
However, it was not a passionate feeling, and she immediately removed her lips and showed Edgar a majestic smile befitting the owner of a grand duchy, and said as if declaring it to the people around him.
“hehehe, now really… Is it mine?”
It was right after that that screams or exclamations resounded from all directions.
Thus, as of today, the two have been placed in a strange position of being both lovers and master-servant.