Chapter 170: Smooth Sailing (1)
After that incident, the atmosphere around Marghetta changed. Calling it an “incident” makes it sound like something terrible happened, but saying it was just a “remark” seems to suggest she made some scandalous statement fit for the front page.
Naturally, from Marghetta’s perspective, it was news that would occupy her mind for quite some time.
“F-Father?”
Her eyes were darting around uncontrollably, and her voice trembled pathetically. But unlike before, I could tell it wasn’t sadness she felt but rather excitement.
“Yes. As much as I’d like to go right now, I have my duties, and so does Mar. Perhaps we could go together once the Duke wraps up the New Year’s greetings…?”
Before I could even finish my sentence, I shut my mouth. Marghetta had suddenly dashed into my arms.
“Thank you, thank you, Carl…!”
Seeing her tears nearly made my heart stop. Despite my body feeling stiff, it took every last bit of my strength to embrace her.
Watching her express joy beyond what I could’ve imagined brought more bitterness than warmth. Did I even deserve her gratitude?
If I had known she would be this happy…
If only I had known that a simple statement could make her smile like that, I would’ve said it much earlier. The guilt weighed heavily on me.
How long had she silently suffered, pretending to be okay while her insides were on fire with anxiety? She couldn’t even bring herself to speak first, knowing my past.
“I was always going to marry Marghetta.”
Recalling the thought I had long held made me chuckle bitterly. I was going to get married anyway. If marriage were to happen, it would definitely be with her.
In my mind, it was already decided that Marghetta was my wife.
But had I ever truly shown her my true feelings? I promised to be honest in the future, yet remained silent, feeling reassured by Marghetta’s promise to wait. As a result, I ended up doing nothing.
“The elder should confidently guide the relationship! Come, hug your noona!”
“An elder must act like one to be reliable!”
Hecate’s words floated to my mind at that moment. Back then, I thought of her as a childish elder due to her strange behavior despite her age.
But that’s me, too.
Now I found myself as the unreliable elder. Considering my age before and after the possession, my worries about age seemed silly. Even in this body, I was still three years older than Marghetta.
How embarrassing. Maybe I wouldn’t feel this way if Marghetta was older than me.
Regardless, acting like this would still be disgraceful even if I had been younger than her. I almost tried to rationalize my behavior for a moment.
“After the New Year’s Ball.”
I set aside my self-righteousness and lay down. For now, I must focus on doing better in the future rather than dwelling on past mistakes.
The New Year’s Ball was less than three months away. Once that time passed, I’d finally have to kneel before the Iron-blooded Duke.
“Come to the duchy, and I’ll turn you into a half-wit.”
Ah, was that exactly what he said? Either way, it felt roughly similar.
Anyway, I should eat well before going. Who knows how many days I’d be kneeling?
“There’s a possibility.”
The Iron-blooded Duke was said to be fiery and reckless back in his prime. Now, he’s older, retired, and much softer from late fatherhood, but who knows when that spicy nature might resurface?
…It’s all karma anyway. I should accept it humbly.
And on that day, I dreamt about giving a tearful grand bow in front of the Iron-blooded Duke.
*
As I strolled along, it seemed like anyone I stopped would tell me they were happy. And there she was, welcoming me.
“Welcome, Carl!”
As soon as I opened the door to the Vice President’s office, Marghetta beamed at me. She wasn’t seated like usual but was instead standing by the door.
“Wait, have you been standing here the whole time?”
How did she know when I was arriving?
“I saw you coming.”
In response to my question, Marghetta chuckled softly. Thank goodness. I worried she might have wasted her time waiting for me.
“Now—”
I was about to suggest we sit, but Marghetta opened her arms wide.
Knowing what that meant, I embraced her, and she wrapped her arms around my back.
“Can we greet each other like this every day from now on?”
“Of course.”
I happily nodded at her adorable request. Truthfully, I’d comply even if she ordered me in a casual tone. This hardly counted as a request.
After hugging for a long moment, we finally settled into our seats.
“I’m looking forward to the next time.”
Her words effortlessly brought a smile to my face.
*
I didn’t sleep at all last night. The sound of my pounding heart reverberated in the room, making it impossible to calm down.
Under normal circumstances, this insomnia would have made me fret about how it would affect work the next day; however, the excitement was a celebration of happiness. If it meant feeling this way, I’d gladly stay awake for three days straight.
“Finally.”
At long last, I could officially enter a relationship with Carl. If I was going to visit Father, it could only mean one thing: I’d be asking for his blessing.
With no eyes upon me, my expression melted into a smile.
I’d already gained permission from Carl’s mother. Father also considered Carl to be his son-in-law, so there was no chance of refusal.
“That guy’s eyes are the real issue. What man could dislike you? I guarantee it, at the very latest, he’ll come around in three years.”
These words were spoken by Father last year after Carl rejected our marriage proposal. To be honest, I barely paid attention back then.
But ultimately, Father was right. As always, he knew best with his depth of experience and wisdom.
I recently learned that those specific three years were the same duration it took for him to court my mother.
But now…
“How will I wait?”
It’s amusing how fickle the human heart can be. Just yesterday, I thought I could wait forever, but now, with a specific date—right after the New Year’s Ball—my patience started dwindling.
It wasn’t the 10 years I had prepared myself for when I first learned about Carl’s past. I didn’t even have to wait until graduation. It was merely three months away.
“Calm down.”
Yes, three months will fly by quickly. Carl isn’t the type to change his mind in such a short span.
With that thought, I tried to soothe my heart as I peered out the window. It was almost time for Carl to arrive.
“He’s here.”
Before long, I spotted Carl walking toward the office.
I discreetly stood up and adjusted my clothes at the door. After all, Carl had promised an official relationship, so I should present myself accordingly.
“Maintaining a happy marital relationship isn’t hard. It begins with a warm welcome when someone returns home. It may seem minor, but it significantly means a lot.”
This advice also came from my fourth sister. It felt accurate. Relationships often hinge on small acts.
“Welcome, Carl.”
Perhaps that was why Carl looked surprised yet smiled upon seeing me.
Carl must be fond of this. He mentioned living alone in the capital before coming to the academy, so he probably never experienced such a warm homecoming.
“Family.”
Yes, we are family. A couple bound by the name of family, closer than anyone else.
I barely held back my expression from melting further. If I let up even a little, I could lose myself in this warmth forever.
“Now—”
As Carl moved to step forward, I opened my arms, and he readily embraced me.
Since we’re family, this can be a daily occurrence. Yes, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.
“I’m looking forward to the next time.”
Not just for today, but tomorrow, and the day after that.
Eventually, it won’t just be hugs…
Yes, that next step, and the one after that.
*
In the past few days, Marghetta’s displays of affection had become increasingly direct. While she pretended to restrain herself, that didn’t alter the perception of the one receiving it.
It left me with a dilemma. How should I respond?
“It’s not that it’s bothersome.”
I certainly didn’t dislike it. But I wondered if I should also reciprocate, yet I was unsure about the right balance.
If I acted too casually, she might feel neglected, but being overly intense could overwhelm her. What’s the middle ground?
“Prosecutor?”
“Oh, yes.”
Gerhardt’s voice pulled me back to reality. I had been lost in thought, ignoring the person right in front of me.
“It seems you have something pleasant on your mind.”
Fortunately, Gerhardt wasn’t put off by my rudeness and returned a smile.
Was it really that obvious? He picked up on it even though we hadn’t known each other long. It must have been written all over my face.
“Haha, it looks like you’re in a similar situation, Gerhardt.”
Too embarrassed to admit, “I’m about to get engaged to a beautiful lady!” I redirected the topic, and Gerhardt chuckled softly.
“Things have been good ever since I met you, Prosecutor.”
“That’s quite generous of you.”
“Generous? Thanks to you, not just me but the students have been able to learn the truth. It’s a legitimate expression of gratitude.”
That made me burst into laughter. Gerhardt was truly working hard to enlighten the students with the truth.
And of course, when a teacher puts in effort, the students under them are bound to follow suit.
“The exams never end…”
“Everything we learned recently is now useless. By tomorrow, today’s lessons will become trash.”
Lately, the club room had been filled with the groans of students. Just listening told me how hard they were working.
But then again, that was none of my concern.
“I guess I need to work even harder if I want to keep hearing your words of gratitude.”
“Ahahaha! I’m really looking forward to it!”
My goal was to see the history of the North widely recognized.
Hang in there. It’s inevitable for students to struggle with their studies anyway.
Better to overstudy than to be undereducated, right?
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