Chapter 90: Chapter 2, Episode 15
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
Then, Noah-sama led us to a place with a large tree overlooking the hill.
「Well, lovely.」
The exclamation that came out of my mouth spilled out not only from me, but also from Ciel and my brother Keith.
「Now, over here.」
At his prompting, a seat was spread out and cushions were provided for comfort. Moreover, a lunch was also prepared for us.
「This is a picnic done right.」
My brother knew this, which is why he called it a『picnic.』I look at Keith and he is still smiling with a mischievous look on his face. He will always be the older brother who looks like a child.
「Thank you for your thoughtfulness.」
「Unlike me, who is used to traveling for diplomatic purposes, the road to Quanda must be a difficult one for this lady. I wanted her to have as much fun as possible.」
It is a kind consideration. He is a sinful man who raises my favorability rating even higher than it already is by being my benefactor. A man who can do his job is different.
「I had no idea that you would be so kind to me. I should thank you in some way.」
“Don’t you think so?” I asked Ciel, and she squeezed my hand, which was unexpectedly laid on top of her, and I stuttered and looked up at Noah-sama.
「Noah-sama…?」
Noah-sama looks down at me with a big smile on his face, but I am at a loss for words as my phobia of men comes out. Sweat oozes from my clenched hands.
「Then, I would like to ask you to promise me a dance at the evening party in Quanda.」
「A dance, you say?」
In other words, he would like a dance with me as a thank you. This is a very modest request.
「Yes. I would be happy to escort you if I could…」
I was also impressed that he offered to escort me. I was impressed that a man who can do his job can also read the atmosphere. I guess he was concerned about my participation in the evening party with my brother’s escort.
But what should I do? Although it is a very kind offer, there are circumstances that prevent me from joining you for the dance. But how can I refuse without offending Noah-sama, who is unaware of this? It is too painful for me to accept such a tremendous offer to dance with someone like me.
「If not an escort, at least a dance.」
Noah-sama, who does not know my heart and pleads with me. It is a very troubling situation. Furthermore, I feel that something is a little strange.
Is it my imagination that the grip on my sweaty hand has become stronger? I am not being squeezed, but my cowering, man-phobic hand does not move at all. I wondered if there was some other reason for this, fighting the cold sweat that was breaking out,
「I was interrupted the other day, so I’d really appreciate it, you know?」
With a somewhat bitter expression on his face, Noah-sama said so, and then, with a thud, the question was resolved in my mind. What I remember was at the evening party that took place after the recent ceremony in Gran Kingdom. It was there that something happened that made Noah-sama make a face like this.
※※※
The first night meeting I had attended in 10 years was unquestionably one of the toughest.
I was prepared for this, but the stares and backbiting I received, from men and women of all ages, were full of envy and jealousy.
「Are you alright, Marsha?」
My father, who is my escort, is the one who worries about me. I don’t have a fiancée, and the only people who can escort me are my father or my brother, who are my relatives. And even excluding the fact that I have a phobia of men, I couldn’t simply ask for a man to be my escort since I was to be the nanny of the next crown prince.
「I can’t say I’m okay. I just feel a little unwell.」
Even though it has been a long time, I am not accustomed to the atmosphere of evening parties. Even though it was my choice to follow the preparations of Myra-sama for the past 10 years, I had no idea that I would be so ill at ease. What is most painful is the caged air in the hall. The heat from the people and the air mixed with various perfumes increase the queasiness of the air.
I think it was a good job that I was able to dance with my father for the first dance and then with Douglas-san and Ryniel-sama for the rest of the dances. But since I danced three songs, I was able to fulfill my minimum obligation as the Exceptional Goodwill Ambassador. I would like to commend myself for my efforts.
「I’m going to go get some air.」
「Are you okay? I’ll go with you.」
「I’m fine on my own. I’d rather you bring me some water. Can I ask you to do that?」
「Of course. But be very careful. Don’t follow strange men.」
I am appalled by this statement, as I wonder how old I am in my father’s mind.
「Don’t be ridiculous, Father. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to follow them.」
I shouldn’t have to worry about my masculophobic body rejecting even the nicest of men.
「Yes, but your father is worried about you.」
「It’s okay. I’ll be right over there on the balcony, please.」
My mind was on one thing: I needed a breath of fresh air.
「All right, I get it. But be really careful.」
「I know, I know.」
It tickles me a little to have my father worry about me, even though I am not a child at all. When I opened the door, a summer evening breeze caressed my cheeks.
「It feels nice…」
The voice that escaped my mouth melted into the expansive garden. The air is so different just by stepping outside, even though we are only separated by a door. I took a deep breath, finally being able to breathe without any worries.
Then I suddenly realized.
They said that although there have been some changes, what I can see from here is the garden where he had witnessed the shocking scene 10 years ago when I was looking for Raul.
「You were closer than I thought you would be.」
I was worried about Raul not being there at that time, and I thought the garden would be far from the hall because I had been looking for quite some time, but it was closer than I thought. I thought to myself, “This was a situation that could have been witnessed by someone other than me if I had made a mistake.”
What if, say, someone had witnessed the meeting between Raul and the then second prince’s fiancée, the royal consort, 10 years ago, what would it be like today?
Perhaps Raul couldn’t have been a knight of the Kingsguard, and perhaps it was someone else who served as the Royal Princess’s knight. Well, I know it is useless to think about such things, but I was deeply moved by the thought that the future might have been just a little bit different from what it is now.
「..M–…ya…」
Perhaps because I was lost in thought, I was late in noticing the presence of others. Through the noise coming from the hall, I could barely hear the voice calling my name, but I couldn’t discern it. But I was sure it was not my father.
「Who might you be…?」
The door was opened by a cautious voice, and slowly Noah-sama, my benefactor, appeared.
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