Chapter 10: Continuation: The Carriage Journey with the Exiled Marquise 3
I waited for her reply like a sinner awaiting judgment.
“One year…”
Erika Solntsalri murmured, looking troubled.
“That is quite a long time, isn’t it?”
Is it no good? I tried hard not to let my inner disappointment show on my face.
“My father certainly took advantage, didn’t he?”
Hm? What does the Prime Minister (honorific) have to do with this?
She began one of her rather loud Soliloquies.
“Certainly, in the current situation, it would be easy enough for our family to decide who to introduce ‘her’ to for about one year according to our policy. No, but even so, one year is…”
So the important person they were trying to introduce her to was a woman? Who could that possibly be?
Feeling strangely guilty about interrupting her Soliloquy, I cut in anyway.
“No, it’s not because the Prime Minister (honorific) said anything.”
Erika Solntsalri looked puzzled.
“Is that so?”
I answered her question with a nod.
“Then, did you propose the one year?”
Well, I didn’t propose it so much as I just said it now.
Thinking this, I nodded again.
“I don’t know whether to say I’m amazed or what, but I don’t dislike the resolve to do whatever it takes to achieve one’s goal.”
If you show that much resolve, Father will surely uphold his promise with all his might, though.
Her mutter was ambiguous, making it hard to tell if it was a Soliloquy or not.
“Besides, you didn’t have to follow me so faithfully. You could have just accepted the status of husband in name only and disappeared within the kingdom.”
That would defeat the whole purpose, since I wouldn’t be able to stay by your side, I thought, but her words suddenly reminded me.
“Come to think of it, the Prime Minister (honorific) said something similar. Of course, I refused.”
Though it was becoming less like a conversation and more like an exchange of Soliloquies, Erika Solntsalri showed slight surprise, asking, “Is that so?”
Then, for some reason, she stared intently at my face and straightened her posture.
Incidentally, her back had been straight the entire time, and her posture was beautiful.
“I see… So that’s how it is. You were presented with that option. And yet, you chose to be with me.”
Her eyes as she looked at me were beautiful.
Her abundant Magicka, richer than that of an ordinary person, enveloped her entire being, shimmering beautifully in response to her subtle movements.
The words spun from her lips were imbued with enough emotion to strike the heart, movingly powerful.
“To stay by my side, even for a moment longer. For that purpose alone, you would throw away one year.”
Was that emotion sincerity?
“It seems I underestimated your resolve. I apologize. And that resolve… I do not dislike it.”
She smiled.
“Shin Longdagger, I’ve taken a liking to you.”
Erika Solntsalri liked me.
That fact alone nearly made me faint.
At the edge of my fading consciousness, I thought I heard her murmur, “I wish someone felt that strongly about me too, you know.”
But I couldn’t comprehend what she was saying.
I was too happy.