Chapter 44-45 – Last Day in Pelgaroin - 3

After a long hug, Esily and I talked about this and that until late at night, and I returned to my room feeling refreshed and fell asleep.

When I woke up, I felt much more at ease. I never thought it would be such a great comfort to share a secret that only I was suffering from with someone else.

In addition, the confession that was not a confession that Esily gave to me in the courtyard made my heart continue to beat. I didn't show it at the time, but Esily, who was spitting out watery words under the waning moonlight, was several times more beautiful than usual.

─ Please leave the beginning of your heart for me.

Even now, the words Esily had uttered are vividly played back in my mind. Pathetic yet cute, benevolent yet captivating scenes continue to linger in my head.

Even thinking about it again, Esily is a woman who is too much for me. I don't understand why she likes a guy like me.

I both sorry and grateful for her love for me, and a smile spreads across my lips involuntarily.

'I don't want to go back.'

In my mind, I wanted to stay longer in the castle and have more conversations with Esily. But it shouldn't be like that.

It would be realistically difficult to avoid the elves roaming the castle and continuing to have secret conversations, and if I vacated the position of head of the Deharm family for too long, things in my mansion would get entangled.

The chamberlain, Havid, and the vassal knight, Bainen, would protect the family well, but it was true that I was uneasy leaving the official work to them.

For that reason, after packing my things early in the morning, I arrived in front of the castle's office to say goodbye to the count.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, and before I could politely say a word, I heard a solemn voice from the other side.

"Come in."

"Yes. Excuse me."

When I opened the door and went inside, I saw the count sitting at his desk.

Seeing him write a letter while wearing single-eyed glasses gives off a different level of dignity.

His Excellency The count spoke quietly, as if he were chanting, as he wrote down the words in elegant handwriting.

"It looks like you're leaving. I think the schedule is early, but I will stay for a day or two more."

"I appreciate your words, but I don't think I can leave the mansion for long."

"The naive side of useless things took out my father."

A moment of silence followed. A faint smoke rises from the melting spoon mounted above the burning candle. His Excellency the Count continued to write his letter, adding his own words.

"It is a compliment. Please don't listen."

"Of course. Your Excellency Counts."

"Okay. But when the two of us are alone, you don't have to be polite about names."

"... What are you talking about?"

"How can I win my daughter's heart because I'm not that observant? That means I can call them father-in-law."

I feel that one side of my heart is warmed by the goodwill of His Excellency the Count. It was nice to hear, but I couldn't do it from my point of view.

"I will call you that after the ceremony. It's still premature, so I'm going to be a little polite."

"Tsk. Again, you are naive about useless things. Anyway, I'm not like a young person these days."

"Can I take that as a compliment?"

"This time it is not a compliment. Take it as an admonition."

Are you upset because I didn't call you your father-in-law? As I watched, the count finished writing and folded the letter in half. It folds neatly, as if it were measured with a ruler.

"Theorard. I was going to tell you this a little later, but since you are leaving in a hurry, I will tell you right now."

After folding the letter once more, His Excellency the Count put the paper in the envelope and tapped the end.

"There are people in the imperial family who are interested in you."

In the imperial family? To me? As he was unable to answer the sudden question, His Excellency the Count seized the melting spoon with a relaxed gesture.

"A letter from the imperial family should have arrived at the Deharm family by now, so if you go to the mansion, you will know who is interested in you. It's a good opportunity to connect with the imperial family, so don't miss it."

"Is that true? What kind of people are they? Or rather, why are people like that interested in me?"

"It is not too late to ask questions after receiving the letter. Theorard. I highly appreciate you. If you are not going to live as a vice count for the rest of your life, take this opportunity to grab the rope."

The Count speaks in a tolerant tone, but from my point of view, no matter how much I think about it, I don't understand.

Was it because of the regular imperial report on magic research? For that reason, I'm not exceptional in my magical abilities, nor am I a natural scholar in logic.

It was hard to see that the Deharm family had a high status in the imperial family. If you look at it objectively, the Deharm family has some recognition in the county, but it's not a family that even the imperial family cares about.

'This is probably...'

It must have been that His Excellency the Count had deliberately contacted the members of the imperial family to ask them to take good care of me.

Although it was a gracious act, it is unclear whether it is a good thing to receive the attention of the imperial family, while the family work is also daunting.

Still, it is true that His Excellency the Count worked hard, so I bowed my head with an example.

"Thank you for your attention. Your Excellency Counts."

"Well? You seem to have a strange misunderstanding, but I have never brought up a story about you in the imperial family. It is purely because of your outstanding abilities that you have received attention from your superiors, so stop thanking me."

His Excellency The count's little finger twitched subtly. It was a habit revealed when His Excellency unconsciously lied.

'Isn't it correct that you brought up the story?'

It was obvious, but he didn't show it. The count didn't want to reveal it, but there was no need to pretend to know.

So I just decided to bring out the words I wanted to convey before coming here.

"Your Excellency Count."

"Speak."

"This is a presumptuous request, but would you please transfer to me the right to punish a criminal named 'Mernon' among the sinners I captured?"

The count raised a melting spoon and poured sealing wax down the center of the envelope. Afterwards, the letter is naturally sealed using a ring engraved with the family seal.

"Tell me the reason. Tell me whether it is desire or resentment, public interest or honor."

"It is not desire, resentment, public interest, or honor. It is only to comfort the woman who lost her husband to the prisoner."

His Excellency The count removed the ring and washed his hands.

"The reason is compassion. Are you trying to do good? You are young but not very bright."

"Dismissal."

"But it is dark and light that must exist somewhere in this dark world. It's not bad to have talented people like you in the county. I will allow it."

I don't know what to do with the grace that is continuously given. I bowed my head deeply in admiration.

"Thank you! Your Excellency Count!"

"Thank you for everything. If you live your life like that, you will be very tired."

Smiling, the count opened a drawer, took out a box the size of his fist, and placed it on the desk.

"Enough of talking; take this with you. I will focus on my work."

"That...?"

"It's an engagement ring. I didn't want to get involved in your love affair, but even though you have been dating for so long, you haven't been able to properly wear a ring."

"I'm sorry. We were going to present it after confirming each other's feelings properly."

"Okay. So, did you know my heart well?"

"Yes. I think I know for sure now."

My reply brought a rare smile to the count's face. In other words, it would be close to being happy.

"Good thing. If you stop, my daughter won't hate your sincerity."

"My surname? This was prepared by His Excellency the Count."

"This boy. Are you going to mention my name while gifting an engagement ring? Honesty is about as good as it gets. Stop talking nonsense and claim that you bought it."

"However...."

"Stop. If you say one more word, I will understand that you are going to break up our relationship."

I kept my mouth shut at His Excellency's threat. Due to unavoidable circumstances, I silently accepted the ring case. For some reason, I felt warm in the eyes of His Excellency the Count, who was watching my actions.

*

Leaving the office, I asked the count's soldier to guide the criminal Murnon and then headed straight to the castle entrance. It was because I thought it was wrong to make the people who came to meet me wait.

I arrived at the hall where the huge chandelier decorated the ceiling, but among the people waiting for me, Esily was the only member of the Pelgarin family. The rest were mostly vassal knights, like Marhan, and servants of the castle.

"Ah. Sir Theorard."

Esily, who found me, smiled brightly and approached me. However, there was an apologetic expression on the front of the smile.

"I'm sorry. Fred's brother has also disappeared somewhere, and the pig he used to say didn't come out, saying he didn't want to see Sir Theorard. Her sister is not sure where she is or what she is really doing. I'm going to tell my father later and scold everyone."

Is it? It was a bit embarrassing, but I couldn't say anything. In the first place, I'm not in a position where I would like to meet Count Pelgarin.

"I'm fine; don't worry. Rather, I like the current situation more. Esily, I have a present for you."

"A gift?"

The walls filled with doubt flicker innocently. After confirming that there were no elves around, I took out the ring case from my bosom and held it out.

Esily twitched her shoulders in a rare embarrassment.

"This...Something?"

"It's an engagement ring. I'm sorry for being late."

At the mention of an engagement ring, Esily's face slowly turns red like ink on paper. Unlike when she normally expresses her opinions boldly, she was cute when she became a mute drunk with honey.

I opened the ring case with a smile and took out a ring. A diamond-encrusted ring sparkles brightly.

"Give me your left hand here."

"Okay, it's okay. Something I can do alone."

"It's because I'm not okay. Hurry up."

As I emphasized again, Esily stretched out her hand nervously. I pulled her hand towards mine and put the ring on her ring finger.

" Esily. Didn't you ask me to make a promise yesterday? That's why I'm saying that I want to get a promise from you too. Can I tell you?"

Esily nodded shyly at her.

"If we see each other again in the near future, give me your usual smile. Seeing your smiling face is one of the pleasures of my life."

Pong! And Esily's face was flushed. To add a little exaggeration, her whole body was shaking as if vibrating.

"That, that, that, that..."

"Did I say anything presumptuous?"

"Oh, no. Well, absolutely not."

"Then will you keep your promise to me?"

Nod. Esily shakes her head eagerly.

"Feel so good. Then see you again someday."

I looked at Esily happily, then turned around and walked away. Even then, Esily was as hard as wood, making me wonder if I had done something wrong.

─ How? How!

─ Did you just hear that? I'm really going crazy.

—Wow.

The reaction of the women watching me was also a bit strange.

*

[Esily pov]

Returning to the room after the welcome, Esily couldn't calm her pounding heart. Theoard said suddenly he had an engagement ring, followed by her engagement ring, and then a sweet confession.

'God, why are you doing this all of a sudden?'

She knew he would give it to her someday, but she didn't know that he would do so out of the blue. But if he asks me if I hate it, I definitely don't. On the contrary, I was so happy that my mind went blank.

"Hmm. Hmm."

But if I love it too much, it goes against my body. There was no one watching, but maybe he didn't know.

After clearing my mind with a deep breath, I stood in front of my full-length mirror and gave a smile.

In order to comply with Theorad's request that the next time they meet, I should smile as usual, I was going to study 'pretty smile' little by little from now on.

'As sweet and beautiful as possible...'

I put forth my best efforts to put on my aristocratic dignity, but my unexpected happiness continues to hinder the practice.

"Ehehe...."

Because every time I looked at my engagement ring in the mirror, my goofy laugh broke out, but my spirits was lifted.