Marien was pacing anxiously outside the Grand Hall.
Thanks to her lady revealing her noble grace to the world, she had the honor of accompanying the Third Grand Duchess as her handmaiden.
Just before her lady entered the Grand Hall, Marien had offered a bright smile to cheer her up.
Please let Elden notice her lady’s hidden feelings.
And let her lady realize that escaping her past isn’t about clinging to obsessive thoughts.
With these hopeful thoughts, Marien supported her lady.
Is… everything going well?
Please…
Marien wished for everything to unfold as her lady hoped.
She hoped her previously given advice would resonate with her lady and that she would escape the twisted chains of obsession.
She just wanted her lady to return to the cheerful person she once was.
By now, they must have started the meal…
She would have to wait at least an hour more.
After all, with so much to discuss—this was an important meeting.
But then,
Crack.
Suddenly, the doors to the Grand Hall swung open from within.
“Huh? What’s that?”
It hadn’t even been 30 minutes since her lady entered; who in the world was leaving already?
It should just be her lady and the candidates inside!
Could it be…
“Is it Lord Elden?”
Regrettably, it was just as she had feared.
The one stepping out through the Grand Hall’s doors was Elden Raphelion.
Eek!
Remembering the warning of being killed if she leaked any assistance, Marien hurriedly tried to hide behind a pillar in the hallway, but she was already a step too late.
“…Fortunately, your ankle seems to have healed well if you’re moving so swiftly.”
Elden greeted her with a blunt remark.
Caught completely off guard by his sudden appearance, Marien felt flustered.
Her lady, the star of today’s show, was supposed to enter last and leave first!
Marien awkwardly stepped out into the hallway and bowed.
“Ah… yes, yes. Thanks to you, it’s completely healed. Thank you, my lord.”
“Thank me? It was my fault you got hurt in the first place.”
As Marien raised her head, she caught sight of Elden.
And then,
…?
She noticed a wound on his right cheek.
That mark certainly hadn’t been there during their first meeting.
Blood was already pooling at the edge of the injury, indicating it was freshly acquired.
An ominous feeling surged within her.
She wanted to ask about it but couldn’t bring herself to.
“Well then.”
Elden turned to leave after those parting words.
His steps were so decisive that it felt as if she would never see him again.
She had the strange impression that those were the last steps he would take in the Grand Duke’s palace.
If she didn’t act now, she might never get this chance again.
Perhaps that’s why, gathering her courage, she called out to him.
“Um, Lord Elden?”
He stopped, merely glancing back at her.
Summoning all her bravery, Marien asked, “May I ask where you’re headed now?”
A question that might have seemed out of context.
A question that could mean so many things.
Caught off guard without the luxury of thought, the words slipped out, sounding truly foolish, especially given Elden’s silence on the matter.
“Did you say Marien?”
“Yes? Yes, that’s me…”
“You broke your promise, didn’t you?”
“…!”
Eek!
Marien gasped in shock.
His voice was gentle, but the aura surrounding Elden Raphelion was undeniably imposing.
Just as she prepared to confess her crime, the situation took a turn.
“I’d like to ask you something as a consequence for breaking our promise.”
“Y-Yes?”
With a slightly frightened expression, Marien re-asked, and when she heard his request, she found herself frozen in spot for a moment.
“Please take good care of Lady Lumia.”
With a soft smile, he continued down the hallway with renewed vigor.
His response was laden with implications and lacked context, just as her own impulsive question had been.
What on earth did that mean?
What was he implying?
What was he leaving unsaid?
Stunned, Marien could only watch as he reached the towering doors and pushed them open, stepping outside.
Bathed in bright sunlight, he walked away.
She could only gaze at that disappearing figure until the doors were shut behind him.
Bang.
Click.
I left the advisor’s office, clutching a treaty sealed by the Grand Duke.
With great care, I folded it and tucked it away.
Though Gelwood wore a rather regretful expression, the outcome had been predetermined.
His stubbornness merely delayed the inevitable.
The chaos of the Grand Duchy’s betrothal had already spiraled out of control, rendering the entire affair meaningless.
In the original story, all events would have been directed by Lumia, with authority never even hinting at shifting towards Gelwood.
There would have been no tears to shed, nor obsession over a particular candidate.
As much as I felt for her, as the innocent party turned scapegoat in this fiasco, I found myself wishing for the one who thrust me into Elden’s life to bear the blame instead.
Please…
I only hoped that, true to my desires, she would find happiness by the end of the betrothal.
I wished we could leave our pasts behind and find our own paths forward.
But…
The image of Lumia collapsing in despair, her tragic demeanor, and her voice, broken as she asked me to understand her pain weighed heavily on my mind…
Yet I had done enough.
As improbable as it seemed, I’d apologized and made it clear I was not Elden in any way.
I even had the fortitude to withstand her slap.
Having taken on the role of an innocent salaryman trapped in a villainous character, I’d fulfilled my duty.
Doing more than that would be unreasonable.
However, until the betrothal concluded, I had to remain.
Gelwood had insisted.
He didn’t ask me to participate in the evaluations; he simply needed me to stay within the Grand Duchy until it was over.
After all, the absence of a contender during the betrothal would taint the Grand Duchy’s honor and prestige.
Fortunately, I was reasonable too, so I agreed.
It was an easy decision.
Because I was looking forward to dining at the Monster Cuisine Festival while scouting out chefs.
Honestly, I had no reason to refuse Gelwood’s request.
With the treaty secured, my freedom was guaranteed, allowing me to leave for an inn right after the betrothal ended.
Additionally, the restrictions on my evening outings had been lifted, making it simpler to escape the crowded evaluation site.
So, I exited the Grand Castle.
The sun had begun to set.
Thud.
Plop.
Plip-plop.
Thick raindrops began to fall.
I had successfully escaped that hellish place.
Even the rain felt like a celebration of my newfound freedom.
At that moment, a scene from an old movie crossed my mind.
If I were ever to flee from prison, this was the scene I would want to recreate.
Just this once, it felt okay to indulge in my joy.
As much as I longed to stand in the rain like a film protagonist, I refrained.
My public image was just starting to improve, and such antics would surely lead people to think I was mad.
But still, for a fleeting moment, I knelt down.
Arms stretched wide.
Eyes closed, I tipped my head back to the sky.
With a jubilant expression, I opened my mouth.
I tried to savor each raindrop on my face…
If only the rain hadn’t ceased so suddenly, I could’ve truly enjoyed it…
As I opened my eyes, instead of the rainy sky, I was greeted by an umbrella held by Rendler.
His face brimmed with pride.
“You might catch a cold standing there in the rain, My Lord.”
…………Sigh.
If only I could share with Rendler the brilliance of ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’
Accompanied by Rendler and Rachel, I arrived at the annex.
Though it was late, the prospect of sleep felt like a waste.
An idea came to me.
“How about we celebrate this moment?”
“A party, My Lord? Hmm, I see. Since you’re in high spirits, should I call the maids here…”
“No. Just the three of us. What do you think?”
Drinking alone to celebrate would be just too sad.
Today, I wanted to revel in my victory.
I was itching to enjoy a nice, cold beer until I felt ready to explode.
Expecting Rachel to turn me down—she usually did—I offered my invitation to Rendler with the intent of at least sharing a toast.
After all, every time Elden Raphelion had invited Rachel for a drink, she had consistently refused.
But then,
“I’ll let the other guards know.”
Rachel surprisingly agreed this time.
Taken aback by this twist, I inquired, “Oh? Really? What could have convinced my mentor to go along with her student’s idea?”
“…I’ll prepare and meet you in the reception room.”
With that, Rachel stepped inside the annex through the front door.
I turned to Rendler.
He was practically shaking with excitement.
For some reason, he looked a bit misty-eyed too.
“My Lord… Do you truly wish to share a drink with me?”
“If you don’t want to, then there’s no need.”
“How could that be, My Lord! Ever since I began serving your house…This is the first time anyone has invited me for a drink…Sob…My heart is overwhelmed…Ah!”
This old chap better not pass out from joy.
“My heart brims with joy, My Lord! I’ll prepare the finest drinks!”
“If you bring the maids, you might run into trouble.”
Rendler, who was already about to dash off, paused at my warning and asked hesitantly, “…Not even a single one, My Lord?”
……This old man wants to party, huh?
I would prefer ‘Death by Overindulgence’ over ‘Death by Snusnu’ on his tombstone, but I didn’t want to disturb those enjoying a peaceful night.
Seeing my expression, Randler quickly took his leave without another word.
Heh.
I chuckled softly as I made my way to the entrance.
Yes,
Tonight, I will drink to my victory.
With that thought, I changed clothes and headed to the reception room,
…Only to find myself the next morning curled up in a corner of the room.
A cozy blanket—one that hadn’t been there before—was wrapped around me.
“Hmm?”
Then,
“……”
Rendler lay sprawled on the sofa, utterly unconscious.
Perhaps due to the cold, a steady trail of mucus flowed from his nose.
And… Rachel was nowhere to be seen.
I,
Remembered indulging in a bit too much drink.
….Ah-chooo-!
A single sneeze announced the arrival of a new dawn.
Hm….
What on earth happened?
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