Chapter 30: Her Unhappy Marriage
About ten years ago, I was around five years old, running wild through the fields and forests of Pnosis Territory from morning till night. It was a wonderful memory, returning to my childhood and immersing myself in bug-catching and building secret bases, liberated from the workaholic life of my previous existence.
One day, while wandering through the woods, I stumbled upon a girl sitting on the ground, looking like she was about to cry.
There were no other children my age in Pnosis Territory. She was wearing an elaborate dress, so it was clear she was from outside.
When I approached her, she desperately held back her tears and introduced herself as the daughter of a traveling merchant. Looking back now, she was dressed in a fine dress for a merchant’s daughter, and her way of speaking was surprisingly mature for a child.
After hearing her story, it turned out that her family’s carriage had broken down, leaving them stranded. While the adults were busy with repairs, she had wandered off into the forest and gotten lost.
For some reason, I decided to take her to my newly completed secret base. I had no one else my age to share it with, and I just wanted to show off to someone.
“Did you make this?” she asked, her eyes wide with wonder.
“Yeah! I built it all by myself. Pretty amazing, right?”
“Yes, it’s a splendid doghouse!”
“It’s a secret base!”
We chatted about trivial things until the sun set. I complained about my life as a backwater poor noble, and she shared how boring her days were filled with lessons. We exchanged grievances about our families, getting angry and laughing together. It was a precious time that still lingers in my memory.
That night, I brought the girl back to the mansion, keeping our secret base adventure to myself, and explained the situation to my father. He quickly went to the forest and returned with her family, allowing her to stay at the mansion until their carriage was repaired.
It was about three days, I think. I spent every moment with her, swimming in the river, reading the book she had, and taking naps.
When it was time to part, she was desperately trying to hold back her tears.
“Promise you won’t forget me, okay? If we meet again someday, I’ll make you my husband!”
What did I even say in response to her confession…?
Lily’s eyes widened in surprise when she found me.
“You mean to tell me you’ve been waiting here for me all this time?”
“Of course not. I just sat down because I wanted to see the sunset.”
“The sunset is right behind you.”
With an exasperated look, Lily pointed it out and sighed. After a moment of hesitation, she sat down next to me.
“…What happened to Lecty and Rouge?”
“They’re waiting for you at the entrance of the girls’ dormitory. They were worried about you.”
“I see… So, since you’re sitting here, I can assume you were worried about me too, right?”
“…Well, yeah. Is your cheek okay after being slapped?”
“That was nothing to worry about. I wasn’t abused or anything. I just had to join them for lunch. Aside from feeling a bit sick from overeating, I’m perfectly healthy.”
Lily placed her hand on her chest and smiled. Indeed, even with the «Ninja» Skill, I couldn’t sense anything unusual about her.
But…
“Compliment me, Hugh. I haven’t let that man touch me even once. The notorious lecherous Duke Lecherie? If you don’t believe me, do you want to check for yourself? I’ll let you see my—… Just kidding! Please don’t make that scary face.”
Even in our short acquaintance, I could tell.
The normal Lily would never make such a joke.
“Lily, do you realize what kind of face you’re making right now?”
“Of course. It’s the same perfect lady face as always. The face of the talented Lily Puridi.”
“……You remind me of the girl I met in the forest when we were kids.”
“……!”
Lily stiffened in shock.
I pretended not to notice and continued speaking.
“That girl was lost in the woods, looking anxious and on the verge of tears. But when I spoke to her, she desperately tried to hide her feelings. She forced a smile, trying to act like everything was fine, and made some unfunny jokes.”
“……That last part was unnecessary.”
Lily pouted and muttered.
…So it really was her.
I hadn’t noticed during the entrance exam. After ten years, memories fade, and more importantly, compared to the girl in my memory, Lily had grown into a mature and beautiful woman. So much so that it was hard to recognize her at first glance.
Seeing Lily, who looked like she was desperately holding back tears, I finally connected the dots between the girl in the forest and her.
“Lily, is your marriage to Duke Lecherie orchestrated by Prince Slay?”
“……! You shouldn’t say such reckless things! You never know who might be listening!”
“At least here, it’s safe. There’s no one else around.”
“Even so… You shouldn’t get involved in the succession war. No one pays attention to Pnosis Territory, so you can remain uninvolved… Why would you stick your neck out like this…!”
“I can’t help it. I found out about Rouge’s true identity.”
“……So that’s how it is…”
Now that I knew Rouge was Princess Lucretia, I couldn’t just turn a blind eye.
If anything happened to Prince Lucas, Rouge would be in danger too. I had to ensure that Prince Lucas won this succession war to fulfill my promise to Rouge.
Thus, Lily’s marriage was not unrelated to me either.
“……Rest assured. I have no intention of revealing Rouge’s identity to anyone. We were close enough to visit each other’s homes when we were young, you know? If Rouge is ever in danger, I will do everything I can to help her.”
“So you want me to stay out of it?”
“Yes, that’s right. This is also a matter for House Puridi. You have no right to interfere any further.”
“Weren’t the Pnosis and Puridi families distantly related? So we’re practically family.”
“That’s obviously a lie.”
“Yeah.”
Lily had remembered me since that day. She recalled the family crest on the cloak I wore and even remembered my self-deprecating remark about being a “backwater poor noble” from our secret base.
But since I hadn’t remembered her, she must have chosen to forget as well. The distant relative claim was just a cover for that.
“It can’t be helped. It was because you lied about being a merchant’s daughter that I couldn’t connect the dots between the noble Lily and the girl from back then. I thought I recognized a familiar face, but it was hard to place.”
“Is that really true? Because to me, you looked like a face I genuinely didn’t remember. Can you stop shifting the blame?”
“You should stop pretending to be strong. You don’t want to marry Duke Lecherie.”
“That’s not true! Duke Lecherie is a great noble in this country. I can live a luxurious life without any inconvenience, even more than marrying into the royal family. I could spend my life in leisure! If Prince Slay gains the support of House Lecherie, he will undoubtedly become the next king. That would ensure House Puridi’s safety. Don’t you think that’s all good?”
“……That calculation doesn’t include your happiness.”
“Then are you going to make me happy!?”
Lily raised her voice, surprised by her own outburst.
Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“……I’m sorry.”
After apologizing, Lily stood up from the bench and hurried away toward the girls’ dormitory.
Not knowing what to say to her retreating figure, I could only watch her go.
…Could I really make Lily happy?
I pondered until the surroundings grew dark, but I couldn’t find an answer.