Chapter 079
“I need to stay focused.”
Taking a deep breath, I muttered to myself with a serious expression.
In any case, this was a good opportunity.
If I could get closer to him, who was a strong candidate for the next emperor, the chances of changing the future would increase.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
When we arrived at the dining hall, the servants quietly but busily began to bring out the dishes one by one.
The head chef must have had a hard time preparing this unexpected banquet.
Clatter.
“All this time, even when I sent letters, you never replied. It seems you’re enjoying your life in the territory.”
It was after we had finished eating and were sipping our drinks that Bjorn spoke to Evan with a feigned look of disappointment.
“I don’t have time to respond to prank letters.”
“How can you be so heartless?”
Bjorn replied playfully, lowering his eyebrows in response to Evan’s firm reaction.
“That’s why I came here to see your face directly. I wanted to know how you’ve been.”
Watching Bjorn express familiarity toward Evan while Evan cut him off resolutely, I felt that the two really had a close relationship.
“By the way, is the duchess finding life in the territory difficult? It’s not exactly a place filled with entertainment like the capital, is it?”
As Bjorn chatted with Evan, he naturally brought me into the conversation with his question.
“Not at all. I insisted on coming along to the territory myself.”
At my words, Bjorn’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Oh, really? I thought this cold fellow would take you to the territory and then leave you there. He has such a boring personality.”
Bjorn’s playful laughter echoed softly in the dining hall.
“That’s nonsense.”
“Look at this, my lady. To receive such a cold response from a friend I haven’t seen in a long time… I’m about to cry from disappointment.”
The banquet flowed in a very cheerful atmosphere under Bjorn’s lead.
The faces of the servants attending in the dining hall, which had initially been tense, now mostly wore gentle smiles.
Since he was a figure mentioned as a potential next emperor, everyone had been careful not to give him any small reasons to be offended, but with Bjorn’s warm and friendly demeanor, the servants seemed to relax.
From then on, Bjorn continued to steer the conversation, and ordinary discussions flowed back and forth.
‘Ah, have I drunk too much?’
Perhaps it was because I kept sipping my drink throughout the banquet.
At some point, my head became fuzzy, and I found myself responding to Bjorn’s questions with a slight delay.
“My lady, are you alright? I’m sorry for rambling on about boring war stories.”
“No, I was enjoying them.”
I shook off my seat and turned to Evan and Bjorn.
“It’s been a while since I’ve met with friends, so I will excuse myself now. Please enjoy your conversation.”
“Haha, thank you for your consideration.”
As I left the dining hall behind, the effects of the alcohol seemed to hit me even harder.
Despite my efforts, my steps kept swaying, and I had to stop in my tracks again.
“Ugh… I’m dizzy.”
“I’ll take you to your bedroom.”
“Eh?”
Just as I was leaning against the wall to rest for a moment, a familiar voice came from behind me.
“Since when have you been following me?”
“What are you doing drinking so much when you don’t even like alcohol?”
Hearing what felt like a scolding instead of an answer to my question made me uncomfortable.
Furthermore, I felt annoyed that he hadn’t properly spoken to me until now, so I got up without replying and moved forward.
Thud, thud.
The sound of our footsteps echoed steadily in the quiet hallway.
Knowing Evan was behind me, I tried to straighten my back and walk properly, acting as if nothing was wrong.
Thud. Bang. Thud. Bang.
But my body wouldn’t cooperate as I wished.
I thought I was walking straight ahead, yet after just a few steps, my shoulder kept colliding with the wall.
I was sure I would have a big bruise on my arm by tomorrow.
“Ah.”
Eventually, not long after, as my swaying body was about to fall to the floor,
“Don’t suffer from bruises tomorrow; just stay still for a moment.”
“……”
Evan, who caught my body, lifted me up without hesitation.
I wanted to tell him to put me down, but it was clear that if I tried to stand again with my weakened legs, I would just fall awkwardly, so I decided to quietly surrender to his embrace.
Carrying me, Evan safely arrived at the bedroom and gently set me down on the bed.
“Ugh… I’m dizzy.”
I buried my face in the blanket and murmured.
Strangely, as time passed, the effects of the alcohol seemed to hit me even harder.
“Are you very dizzy?”
Evan, who was watching me with a worried expression, asked.
No, I might just be misinterpreting things because of the alcohol.
Ignoring his words, I continued to groan, and as I lay there, Evan slowly reached out his hand toward me.
Eventually, I felt a cool sensation on my forehead.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Evan checking for a fever by placing the back of his hand against my forehead.
Seeing him carefully inspecting me with such gentle hands made something swell and spill out from within me.
“Why do you keep being so kind? This just makes me misunderstand.”
This was exactly what made me angry.
How was I supposed to accept it when his words and actions were so contradictory?
“Or did you just feel sorry for a woman who has no charm, like Delos said, and that’s why you’re treating me well?”
Suddenly, I recalled what Delos had said when he was angry with me.
Who would want to marry a woman like me?
As I was trying to remember what else Delos had said, I heard a low voice that made me flinch, even in my drunken state.
“Don’t say things like that.”
When I looked up, I saw Evan’s face right in front of me, looking tense.
“Why… that sounds about right. But that’s something I can’t change…”
Today, Delos’s words seemed to pierce my heart like arrows.
“Will it make me look even less attractive if I cry here…?”
In truth, I didn’t need his answer.
Even before I could ask Evan, tears were already flowing from my eyes, soaking the pillow.
“……Don’t cry.”
Evan, who had been watching my face blankly, raised his hand and gently wiped my cheek very slowly.
I wanted to ask why he looked like he was about to cry when I was the one shedding tears from sadness.
But the effects of the alcohol were overwhelming, and it was becoming hard to keep my eyes open.
“I’m unworthy of your heart… I’m sorry. Please, don’t cry.”
As my consciousness slowly faded, I faintly thought I heard Evan say something, but it was something I would forget by tomorrow.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
It was the second day since Bjorn had stayed in the duchy.
During this time, he seemed to be spending a rather ordinary schedule, inspecting the border areas or visiting the town center to see how stabilized the territory had become.
However, by now, one question had arisen in my mind.
“Did he really come just to chat with Evan…?”
He was a man whose every trivial action had a tremendous impact on society.
It seemed a bit far-fetched to think that such a man would secretly visit the duchy just because he missed a friend.
“Huh? Are you talking about that prince who suddenly came to the territory?”
At that moment, Joy, who was next to me, overheard my mumbling and chimed in.
“Joy, you might not know, but it’s better to be careful with what you say for a while.”
I had never commented on Joy’s light remarks before, but with royalty so close by, it was necessary to exercise caution.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Fortunately, Joy seemed to understand why I said that and quickly agreed.
midori
thanks! it was kinda hinted that bjorn also may have memories of the past, hmmm