Chapter 25
You and Mine, Our Friends (1)
Today was busy as usual, but overall it was peaceful . Because the things we have to do kept piling up, I asked Kaid to take a rest when there were moments to spare . Lately, it’s been completely normal for the days to be bustling but calm . However, just as the sun was going down, this normalcy was disturbed .
“The guest is present . ”
Caron was not talking clearly, which was unusual for her . Kaid and I, who were checking the attendance list for the party in the royal capital, looked at each other in confusion . It was strange that she didn’t tell us the name of the guest, as Caron is typically particularly stubborn about it . But, perhaps it was done out of respect to request the presence of the feudal lord? I wonder if Kaid also found it unusual? We both exited the room confused .
When we arrived to greet the guest, Kaid’s eyes turned completely cold towards the bubbly guest in front of us .
“Oi, Oi, Kaid . Happy birthday! My lady too, have a good day . ”
“…How weird . I feel that I saw the representative of Gimmi’s territory just left Laius yesterday . ”
“That’s because I immediately came back after I arrived . ”
Facing us was a high-spirited Izador (the representative of Gimmi’s territory) tightly holding a sake bottle, presumably the birthday gift . He jumped towards Kaid, clinging to him tightly, while Kaid unpleasantly tried to shake him off his shoulder .
Izador had arrived earlier in Laius and must’ve been one of the last of the other territories to return home after attending the liberal festival, Laius’ biggest festival renamed as the wolf’s resurrection festival . He returned again just as he had arrived before,without a carriage and with only a few escorts for company . I’ve begun to think that the only times he is away from Laius is when he seems to go home to Gimmi .
It seems like he did return to Gimmi, as the wrapping of the sake bottle carried the crest of Gimmi . But, if he did so, the time he stayed at Gimmi must be short . I don’t know which is his hometown, Laius or Gimmi .
Has it become difficult for even Kaid to shake him off? After all this time, somehow Izador was able to continue clinging to him .
“You… even in normal circumstances you stay for so long, but what kind of devotion for you to come without saying anything . ”
“… You are the reason I’m staying in Gimme, Kaid . ”
All of a sudden Izador’s voice got low . Kaid turned a suspicious eye towards Izador, who’s voice suddenly turned chilly . Seeing this, Izador released Kaid whom he had been stuck to until now, and quickly retreated three steps dejectedly .
“Hey, Kaid . ”
“What?”
“I want you to try to think about it . ”
“About what?”
Izador’s faint smile disappeared .
“Up until now I can say anything, because Kaid also hasn’t married,so I can keep escaping successfully . Now I can no longer use that reason, so returning to my hometown is scary…”
The cheeks of the maids were stained pink by the man’s voice and sorrowful smile . But, the redder the cheeks of the maids became, the more Kaid’s eyes darkened . In front of Kaid, Izador retracted his previously sad face, turning around and gracefully wiping away the bangs covering his eyes . Almost immediately, an uproar of high-pitched “eek” came from the maids . Finally, Kaid’s golden eyes turned cold .
“…You ran away because you don’t want to hear the talk about matchmaking . ”
“Yes! That’s it!”
It seems like his stay this time will be longer too .
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Since this is the feudal lord’s residence, the hospitality for the guest who appeared unannounced didn’t create chaos, but even so it has become hectic . After having dinner, Izador seems to have decided to stay in Kaid’s room until his room was prepared . It seems to be the usual situation, because before Izador could bring it up, Kaid was the first to instruct to prepare the night drinking in the room .
It’s the role of the Lady in the house to entertain the guest, but because my position is still as fiancee, and after all the other party is Izador, it seemed unnecessary . Aside from that, the relationship of Kaid and Izador was that of trusted friends, so wouldn’t it be better to not be present in order to avoid the unnecessary suspicions? At least, that was what I thought, but Izador invited me by saying ‘if it’s alright with you’, so I decided to merely sit down to accept his offer .
There seemed to be a sweet snack specially prepared for me, as it doesn’t appear often during men’s drinking nights . It was the type typically drunk with tea . Even before, as a noble’s daughter, where there existed no unsuitable age for drinking alcohol, I had never engaged in drinking nor did I have any chances to enjoy it . So, instead I made tea this time .
As the only daughter of the previous feudal lord of Laius, there was no one who was brave enough to serve me alcohol . Let alone pressuring me into drinking, even the very act of offering me a drink seemed to have an offensive feeling . The servants were also afraid to incur the displeasure of my grandparents/parents, who were famous for their cruelty especially towards commoners .
That was another way my parents and grandparents protected me . They used their own methods to make sure of my happiness, creating a paradise that was warped by corruption .
I was a fruitless flower, dozing off and embracing foolish happiness, without seeing anything other than a false paradise . I was without any discomfort, not knowing fear, misery, sadness or despair . Unbeknownst to myself, my entire world had been controlled and monitored by my parents and grandparents .
You and Mine, Our Friends (2)
I think from now on, I must keep my mind wary of things . Here at Laius, I should never forget that this place is under the protection of Kaid, allowing me to spend my time calmly without needing to be cautious . I’m living under the protection of someone, and I must never forget that fact .
But anyways, is it okay for Izador to empty sake bottles one after another in front of me? Even though this is Laius and I am under the protection of Kaid, if Kaid were also to get drunk, he wouldn’t be able to protect me either .
The empty bottles kept piling up, while Izador reached to open another .
“You drink too much . Are you trying to empty the wine cellar of Laius?”
“I won’t get drunk at this level . ”
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“That’s why it’s useless to keep drinking, heavy drinker bastard!”
“What kind of bluffing did you say?”
The sake, which was the birthday present for Kaid, had been emptied a long time ago . Just as both of them said, Izador and Kaid didn’t seem to get drunk, so I guess it’s fine to stay here . Although their appearance became a little careless with their shirt buttons being loosened, they didn’t look too sloppy . The articulation and movements of their hands also weren’t unsteady .
“My Lady, is there something else you want to eat?”
“No, the portion here already made me full . Thank you, Kaid . ”
Because Caron had already gone home and the live-in servants had retired for the day, only the three of us were left in the room . Even with the combination of the Laius’ feudal lord, his fiancee, and the representative of Gimmi, the room’s atmosphere was very relaxed .
“After all, you will understand from the situation after going through the gate . The atmosphere inside the mansion was on standby, ready and waiting . Just what you expected to see after you went inside, the huge amount of the portfolios consist of family chart and personal history, females self-portrait are stuck all over the wall, it’s my room but there’s no place to sit . ”
“The price for always running away has come, do your best to pay it . ”
After placing the empty bottles on the desk, Kaid leaned back and sunk deeply into his chair . Was he drunk? I don’t know if it was because I was experiencing the worn-out feeling at the end of the day, but the little languid gesture of brushing up his hair looked breathtakingly sexy, making me blush unconsciously . The heat accumulated in my cheeks and ear to the point that it made me dizzy, so I drank some cold tea to calm down .
“As the heir of Gimmi territory, I swear that I will keep the bill . ”
“If I was Gimmi’s citizen, I would hate this prodigal son…”
“If you or my lady were the citizen, I would properly do my best to be the lord . Because it’s me . ”
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Just like Kaid, Izador sunk deeply into the chair, sighing languidly . Surprisingly, he had also grown up from the immature person I used to know . Although Izador has grown up into a great man, one that makes passing strangers blush just by the light wave of his hand, I can’t harbor any feelings and only have the impression that has finally grown up .
Once again, I realized just what love is . It is something beyond the common senses in reality, the feeling’s destination is headed towards only one . Even if the behavior is the same, the words being spoken are identical, it isn’t the same . Only you are my special person, so only you can truly hurt me .
While I was secretly overwhelmed by the happiness of realizing it myself, the two people before me were immaturely messing around with each other .
Sigh, it seems like I won’t be able to tell other people the things that have been said here .
But this place was not one where the eyes of others were present . Because of this, it’s the only place where they can talk as themselves, where Kaid is Kaid and Izador is Izador .
Although Kaid seemed to be astonished, he appeared to be having fun . I was troubled because I’m not good at conversing, but if your companion is Izador it looks like you don’t have to worry about it . I wonder if Izador realized that?
It seems that he was talking as he pleased, and the other replied just as freely . When you finish understanding the situation properly, he suddenly changes the topic completely, leaving no room for things to get jested . It is a vital ability needed in order to live among nobles . Even drunken words can be distorted, and there have been many people who’ve destroyed their own position as a result of it . In this life, I’ve realized that the ability to communicate properly, was not only necessary for nobles but also needed for unrelated situations . Although it is most obvious among nobles, it’s necessary for any circumstance where you want to be cautious, to not disturb anyone’s path, and to not raise conflict with anyone .
Besides, even if Kaid was not good at it, he should be better than ordinary people . Otherwise, there was no way he could have become the feudal lord of Laius in the chaos . Even more so, there’d be now way he would be called a wise lord .
In fact, Kaid did have such ability . When listening about the spices from a man’s stall without hesitation, the stall owner didn’t even have a sense of distrust, let alone vigilance, and seemed to be pleased to talk about it with Kaid listening . I think Kaid is a good listener, and I’m sure my perception is not wrong, because even the clerk seemed to talk with him with ease . In my past life, I had also told many things to Kaid .
That means… . ?
When I finally realized this fact, I slowly raised my face .