EP.86
The woman known as Erekaya del Pendragon knew very little about the man named Jin.
In truth, it would be more accurate to say that she didn’t hold much interest or concern for others in general.
Of course, as the President of the Student Council at Nineveh, she was familiar with the names and basic profiles of all the students, but that was about it.
To claim that she understood everything about a person merely by remembering a few lines written on paper would indeed be quite laughable.
The same could be said for her perception of Jin. Initially, Erekaya del Pendragon possessed only meager information to self-declare that she “knew” something about the man named Jin.
The fact that he had rare black hair on the continent, achieved a remarkable level of martial arts as a commoner, and might be a descendant of the Seven Heroes sparked her interest, but that was all she had.
His skill level, which was astounding for his age? While it was intriguing, it was not surprising. After all, Erekaya herself had already reached a level of martial prowess that surpassed that of her peers.
A descendant of the Seven Heroes? That was indeed a distinguished status, but it did not provide Erekaya with a reason to pay him any special attention.
If one were to consider it that way, she would have had to pay much more attention to Altina von Rudel Seryas, who had been acquainted with Erekaya for quite some time and constantly got under her skin, as she was also a descendant of the Seven Heroes.
Intriguing as that was, it didn’t warrant her active concern.
That was the extent to which Erekaya del Pendragon recognized the man named Jin.
However, around a hundred days had passed since she first met him.
In that time, the world surrounding Erekaya del Pendragon had undergone significant changes.
Erekaya no longer regarded Jin simply as a classmate and an inconsequential figure, as she previously had.
Though Erekaya still didn’t know a great deal about him, he remained a mystery, as he spoke little about his past. His history was clearly an uncharted territory for her.
Yet, there are things that can be transmitted without words. Without needing to explain, there are feelings that can be sensed.
Erekaya didn’t know a lot about Jin, but she could confidently say that she knew more about him than anyone else in Nineveh.
Jin was a distant branch of the House of Pendragon.
Decades ago, a family was expelled from the Pendragon house simply for being born with black hair, and all related records were erased as a result. This was the history of a family whose legacy had been obliterated.
Although not a single trait of a Pendragon was evident in his outward appearance, Erekaya could feel that they were connected by some form of blood relationship.
Because at this very moment, just standing by his side, walking shoulder to shoulder with him, made her heart race, and it felt like only his image was reflected in her sight.
Additionally, Erekaya’s synesthesia continually whispered in her ear.
That the aura he possessed was unmistakably one inherited by the descendants of the House of Pendragon. And the “Dance of Dragons” he had mastered was undoubtedly real.
Thus, ultimately, Jin must indeed be family to her by blood.
…Though it was a distant relation that hardly even seemed worth counting.
But Erekaya realized that she could not reveal to him the truth of their blood ties, nor could she directly confess all the truths she had come to understand.
It wasn’t merely a matter of pride. It wasn’t out of a childish desire to avoid taking responsibility for the mistakes committed by her family in the past.
…It was simply embarrassment.
As a young lady of the house, she had lived a life of luxury, lacking nothing, while he must have endured countless hardships after being cast out from the house at such a young age. The thought of that made her feel she couldn’t face him.
Moreover, due to its distinctive hue, black hair is one of the colors that the common people view as a symbol of “ominousness” and shun entirely.
Of course, those with even a modicum of education know how ridiculous it is to distance oneself from another based solely on the color of their hair. Yet, among the superstitious populace, the sentiment of avoiding black hair still lingers.
In the present day, nearly all relevant records have been completely obliterated, and it seems as though their very existence was deemed a nuisance, resulting in their expulsion from the House of Pendragon without the means to carry even a trinket away. It is clear that they have lived a life worse than that of commoners for the past fifty years.
Furthermore, possessing hair color that is shunned by society would only make it easier to imagine what kind of life he has led.
Even though they shared the same noble blood and practiced the same type of martial arts, ultimately, there is a stark difference in the essence that constitutes both Jin and Erekaya.
Though Jin had never outwardly expressed it, Erekaya was fully informed about his financial situation and his daily patterns of living.
He was an exceedingly frugal individual. Aside from the school uniform and training clothes provided by Nineveh, he owned virtually no additional clothing, and it was rare to find luxury items or even personal belongings in his room.
Erekaya herself wasn’t one to enjoy extravagance much either. However, this was solely due to her personal character.
There is a significant difference between not enjoying luxury and not having grown up in an environment where one could indulge in it.
For that very reason, Erekaya could never hide the guilt she felt whenever she looked at Jin, as if she were a sinner.
Of course, even if Erekaya herself had done nothing wrong, she was destined to inherit everything from her family as the future head of the house.
And inheriting everything from her house means one must bear not only the accomplishments but also the mistakes committed by her family.
She wanted to repay him. She wished to grant him what he had never been able to enjoy until now, what he rightfully deserved, and what he must experience in the future.
…Ah, yes. She knew it was nothing more than a vile hypocrisy.
The past, which had already slipped away, could never be reclaimed, and even if she were to repay him materially, it would simply be an act of self-satisfaction.
But even so, she could not bring herself to give up.
It wasn’t too late from now on, and even if he never realized the truth throughout his life, she wanted to be by his side and allow him to savor experiences he had never known until now.
“By the way, it’s quite fascinating.”
“What is?”
“The fact that you’ve never been able to see animals up close in all your years of living. I honestly thought someone like the young lady of the House of Pendragon would have done everything there is to do in the world. Ah, but then again, perhaps being the little princess of the House meant you never participated in such trivial amusements?”
He did not realize that, while he had come along under the pretext of escorting the uninformed Erekaya, he was, in fact, the one who was more excited and giddy.
Moreover, since the shares of the amusement park they were heading to mostly belonged to the House of Pendragon, it was practically private property, and Erekaya had recently visited it in her capacity as a major shareholder.
In addition to this amusement park, she had countless experiences visiting places like zoos, and in truth, Erekaya had little interest or excitement for creatures like animals.
But.
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to it. Going to a place like an amusement park is a first for me.”
For Erekaya, such things hardly held any significance.
The only important fact at this moment was that she could spend time in the same space as him, creating a memorable experience in his life that he would never forget.
Look. Today, neither Altina, who usually flits around him pretending to be his disciple, nor Claire, who continued to linger despite having hurt him in the past, are present.
Today, the person who has the right to exclusively spend time with him is none other than me.
Therefore, no one in the world can interfere with that right of mine. Absolutely no one.
Because I am a sinner to him, and I have the obligation to restore his ruined life to its rightful place.
“Then let’s hurry up a bit. I’ve heard that the line to enter the amusement park is extremely long, and we can’t afford to waste any time there, can we?”
But what would happen if you were to learn the truth?
It seems you know you are a descendant of the House of Pendragon, but you do not seem to understand why you are treated as an outsider with no connection to Pendragon.
Because you are smiling so brightly at me, the one who has brought ruin to your family’s lives.
If you were to discover the truth, would you be angry? Or would you look at me with eyes filled with disdain? Or perhaps, would you gaze at me with a look of resignation, as if to say I have been deceiving you all along?
…I am afraid. I only wished to be by his side and become family with him, hoping that he would never realize the truth.
But how could I welcome Jin as a member of Pendragon?
It is not something I can casually bring up after decades of family secrets, and even if I were to do so, dismissing the opposition of the elders and reintegrating him into Pendragon would require tremendous effort and trouble.
Above all, if along that process, Jin were to realize what his lineage and “the truth” are… all the efforts I have put in would be rendered utterly pointless.
Is there no good solution where Jin doesn’t get hurt, doesn’t come to dislike me, and where everyone can have a happy ending?
“…Hey, Erekaya.”
Just then, Jin pokes her side, pulling her out of her deep thoughts.
“We need to enter now. They’ve said to have our tickets ready just in case.”
“Ah? Oh, right.”
Having been so consumed with her thoughts, she hadn’t even realized that it was almost time to enter.
As Erekaya and Jin approached the entrance of the amusement park holding a ticket in one hand, the staff member at the entrance smiled gently, saying they looked cute together.
“Oh my, it seems like a couple has come to visit today, probably because it’s a holiday. With you two being here together, is this a date? Or perhaps, are you both engaged?”
“…Excuse me?”
Jin’s mouth fell open in surprise, looking utterly bewildered by the staff member’s comment.
However, upon hearing the staff’s words, Erekaya didn’t feel displeased. The misunderstanding that they were engaged was a testament that their relationship seemed well from the outside.
But what does it matter if it’s merely engagement? If there was to be a misunderstanding, she would have easily accepted being called married.
“…Engaged?”
In that moment, a spark ignited in Erekaya’s mind.
It dawned on her just how foolish, dull, and utterly clueless she had been until now.
How could she have not thought of something so simple? Looking back, there was one effective solution all along.
It could easily dismiss the elders’ opposition, and more importantly, it would not hurt him, allowing him to reclaim all the rights he should have originally enjoyed.
That solution is none other than—
“Marriage.”
If she and Jin were to be wed, ultimately becoming a couple, wouldn’t it be the simplest thing in the world?
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