#72
“Why, did something happen?”
“No. It’s just…”
“Lord Andelion.”
As if the situation couldn’t get more complicated, Yutis entered through the main door. Upon seeing Iria and Persis around me, Yutis’s eyes sharpened. He quickly walked over, blocked my path, and glared at Persis who was sitting beside me. He was probably the only person in this country who could act that way toward His Highness the Prince.
“What’s going on here?”
“Nothing… special. I just need to…”
I wanted to speak properly, but my voice kept breaking with sobs and my breathing became rough. I tried to steady my breathing several times to calm myself. But no matter how hard I tried, nothing changed.
This wouldn’t do. I abruptly stood up. Any misunderstandings could be cleared up later. Besides, I didn’t want to waste any more time.
“Is the carriage here?”
“Yes, it has arrived.”
“I need to… go to the… *huff*… mansion…”
“Did something happen at the Duke’s residence?”
Before I could finish speaking, Persis couldn’t wait any longer and asked right away. Since I couldn’t speak properly, I shook my head in response, thinking I should at least answer with gestures.
If something had really happened at the Duke’s residence, Persis would have heard about it already. After all, he was the Prince. Even if his succession ranking was lower than other royal family members.
“I just… need to go… somewhere.”
Thankfully, this time my words came out properly. I bowed my head to both Persis and Iria.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“I’ll go with you.”
I never expected Iria would offer to come along. I gasped softly in surprise.
“You…!!”
Persis jumped up from his seat and blocked Iria’s path. He clearly didn’t like the idea of Iria following me. Just when I thought Iria and Persis were starting to get along, I worried they might grow further apart because of me. Not only had I failed to bring them closer, but I was pushing them further apart. I truly felt that everything I’d done until now was completely useless.
“Are you really going to let Andelion leave like that? Can you really do that?”
“That’s…!!”
At Iria’s words, Persis couldn’t properly refute and glanced at me. If this continued, it would only make things harder for both of them.
Once more suppressing the emotional wave threatening to surge, I shook my head.
“It’s fine. Yutis is coming with me, and it’s really nothing serious.”
I surprised myself by being able to refuse Iria’s request. Perhaps I felt this was the right thing for both of them.
Fortunately, this time I spoke properly without my voice trembling. Just as I took a step away to leave with Yutis, Persis, who had been blocking Iria, turned his gaze to me. He looked somewhat displeased yet disappointed, and also concerned. With all these complex emotions, Persis approached me.
“Ana, don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying…”
“If it’s nothing serious, then I can come too, right?”
“What?”
“I can come too, can’t I? Right?”
I wanted to shake my head to indicate absolutely not, but my mouth froze slightly open. Despite my earlier refusal, Iria also took a step toward me, expressing her intention to come along.
It was an awkward situation, and I needed to say no, but the words wouldn’t come out. Perhaps I wanted to lean on these two people who cared about me. Who would refuse when two people they cherished offered to be on their side?
“It’s really… fine. You both have classes today. Yutis is coming with me, so there won’t be any problems. I’m planning to return right after I finish my business.”
Nevertheless, I refused their offer once more. I stepped slightly behind Yutis to firmly express my intention. If I continued facing these two, my resolve might waver.
At that moment, Yutis, who had been protecting me from the front, turned to look at me. I thought Yutis would follow my wishes as always, since he had always prioritized my intentions in front of me.
“You two, the carriage isn’t that big, so it might be uncomfortable. Would that be alright?”
“Yutis!!”
As soon as I heard Yutis’s unexpected words, I shouted. Yutis didn’t even flinch at my call and led Persis and Iria to the carriage. This was absurd. I clearly said no. Just as I was about to open my mouth again to stop Yutis, he spoke first.
“Lord Andelion. I’d like to invite these two to the mansion where I’m employed. I remember Kara asking me to introduce any close friends you have. Would that be alright?”
I should have said this wasn’t the right time. My priority was to get Kara’s help and find a proper solution for the sword in my possession, which could go wrong at any moment. What if something went wrong with Persis and Iria accompanying us?
I needed to speak clearly, but with Yutis acting like this, I couldn’t find the words.
The reason I couldn’t completely reject Yutis despite not fully trusting him was because I felt sorry for him. In the original story, Yutis lived according to the Duke’s words, giving up all the life he could never have. Yet in the end, he was abandoned by the Duke. His only reason for living was to be useful to the Duke, but the one person he trusted had rejected him.
If you followed Yutis’s route, he would gain a new life thanks to Iria, but currently, I wanted Iria to end up with Persis. That meant there was only one future left for Yutis. I felt guilty that he wouldn’t live a happy life, as if it were my fault, and I wanted to help him live his own life even a little.
And now this Yutis was directly asking something of me. To someone who had just been giving him orders and prioritizing only their own business. Regardless of the reason, it was a very big deal for Yutis to express what he himself wanted to do.
After he went this far, I couldn’t say no.
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
Wiping away the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing, I accepted Persis and Iria’s company.
* * *
Even during the carriage ride, my tears wouldn’t stop. Rebuilding a dam that had once collapsed was too difficult. It was all because of this body that hadn’t fully matured yet. Blaming the unstoppable tears on hormones made me feel a little better.
The three people in the carriage with me didn’t ask why I was crying. They simply stayed by my side. But that alone was enough to suppress my turbulent emotions. Though stopping the tears was impossible.
As soon as the carriage arrived at the Duke’s residence, before we could open the door, someone outside flung it open. Seeing the person standing in front of the carriage, I couldn’t help but call out her name.
“Kara.”
Her expression was as composed as usual, but she couldn’t hide the concern within. The emotions that had somewhat calmed began to stir inside me again. It was different from how I felt when I saw Persis and Iria’s faces earlier.
But now wasn’t the time to be swept away by emotions. I might have wavered before boarding the carriage, but now there was no time for that. I gripped the heavy-feeling sword and got out of the carriage.
“What is going on here? Why is His Highness here…?”
“Kara. I need to talk to you.”
I said, wiping away the flowing tears. Fortunately, my voice was much calmer than when I was talking with Persis.
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Kara glanced at the companions in the carriage. She seemed to sense that I wanted to talk to her alone.
“Let’s go inside first.”
Kara stepped aside from the carriage entrance to let the people inside get out. Any other time, I would have been the last to exit, but today was different. I immediately stood up, got out of the carriage, and headed inside. I felt bad for not paying attention to the three people who had come with me, but it couldn’t be helped right now.
As soon as I entered the lobby, I wanted to ask Kara about the sword. As if reading my mind, Persis, who had entered with me, gently pushed my shoulder.
“Go ahead. We’ll be waiting.”
As if their role ended there, Persis stood in place. Iria also nodded and gestured for me to hurry back. Despite my sudden behavior being strange, the three of them didn’t ask anything more, just like in the carriage. They seemed to be waiting for me to tell them directly.
I was so grateful for the three people who were carefully looking after me that I felt like I might tear up again. I barely held back the tears and nodded.
“Yes. I’ll go talk and come back. Please wait a moment.”
Kara bowed to Persis before leading the way. It seemed she wanted to talk in the nearest reception room.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
