Chapter 84

Chapter 84

“When are you coming next time?”

“Maybe… At the imperial banquet?”

I quickly returned to reality to answer Evan’s question. Even though I usually live in Borotna, we met every time there was an event, so we met quite often. Now, I went up for the masquerade, and I was supposed to go down in about two weeks.

“The masquerade is kind of exciting.”

I uttered while fiddling with the teacup.

“It was said that it will be implemented after ten years.”

The original masquerade was banned ten years ago because it was too decadent. However, this time, it had been held after a long time to promote domestic consumption and festivals.

“Originally, I was going to call the mask makers. However, the orders came pouring in so I had no choice but to go directly to the city.”

Since I was mainly staying in the South, it was all Evan’s responsibility to make such small reservations.

“We have no choice but to go downtown. I’ve already made reservations at major stores, so let’s go together.”

“Yes, okay. Does the Duke also participate?”

“He doesn’t want to go, so he is letting you and I go. He doesn’t like that kind of atmosphere.”

“What about you?”

“Neither do I. Still, someone from Icard has to go. My great aunt is also coming, but anyway, her surname is Livienne.”

“Ah.”

According to my memory, it seemed that Miss Olivia, the main villain of this novel, completely fell out with Elanie at this masquerade.

“Anyway, if you come again for the imperial banquet, I’ll see you again soon.”

Evan said calmly.

In the meantime, nothing has changed between us. We respected each other’s territories, got along moderately, and sometimes, spent time as if we were meeting with a close friend.

‘…He grew up well.’

I thought to myself as I gazed at Evan, who had just turned twenty.

‘When did he grow up like this…?’

In the past, I used to think that he was thirty and looked a little older. Nonetheless, the gap now had narrowed a lot.

‘In the old days, he said that if I die, he’ll die with me… For now, I think he’ll just kindly pray for my soul.’

Although I didn’t know much because I looked at his face every two months, at some point, I became conscious of it.

For example…

“Oh, right. Laria.”

“Why?”

“I still have some of your belongings left in my room. Servants and me, it’s a bit difficult to sort things randomly.”

“Really?”

“Come back soon and help me clean up.”

“Sure.”

It was when Evan was about eighteen years old that one day, he mentioned that we should use separate rooms.

“It’s the opposite room. Once all the furniture is arranged as if it were used in a villa, all you have to do is move things.”

With a voice that was kind, but with a line that was hard to refute.

“I was going to move it, though I’m afraid I might take your stuff and something will go wrong. I think you’d be better off moving your stuff.”

“Yes. But why all of a sudden?”

“It’s a bit inconvenient to share a room with you every time you come up to the Duke’s house.”

He answered quietly.

“We actually spent most of our time in a room alone. Wouldn’t you find it convenient too?”

“Yes, that’s right, though.”

Even though we slept side by side on the bed for a certain moment, Evan did not hug me. Rather, when I came to the Duke’s house, he made the excuse that he couldn’t sleep and put me to sleep first. Nonetheless, there were many days when I woke up and found that he was asleep on the sofa.

It was as if he didn’t want to touch the tip of my finger.

‘Evan as a child was blunt, but he was still following me around.’

No matter how different I built up his childhood narrative, it seemed inevitable for him to be indifferent to his wife. It felt like yesterday when he was studying with tutors, saying that I was going to come to Borotna, but we used separate rooms because it was uncomfortable.

Although it was expected, I could not help but feel slightly empty, as though I was watching my son go away as he entered puberty.

‘All grown up, all grown up…’

Serena once said that when we grow up, things would change a lot. At that time, I just let it slide, yet I couldn’t believe it was this kind of change. Evan acted as if a line had been drawn between us, and I immediately noticed the sense of distance.

‘…It’s better than being obsessed with me.’

I rationalized by looking at his handsome face.

“Then, let’s finish this and go.”

Surely, we’d gotten a little farther away and awkward.

He didn’t hold my hand or wrap his arms around my shoulders, even as he normally walked alongside me. When he was young, he would casually hug me and took my hand. Instead, for a certain moment, he kept a clear distance now.

Still, that didn’t mean we were in a bad relationship. It was just that the kindness was the same as before, though I have to say that he was hiding something. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t sad, but I wondered if anything would change just because I was sad.

“Miss Laria.”

While I was quietly having tea with Evan, I could see Lisa run towards us from afar.

“…Lisa?”

Somehow, the servants didn’t bother us when we were together, so I gazed at her in surprise to see what was going on.

She came quickly and handed me two letters.

“I don’t know the contents, but I came here because I thought it would be an important letter just by looking at the person who sent it.”

“Really…? Thank you.”

When I saw the name on the envelope, I smiled softly inside. It was the correspondence we had both expected.

One was from Fred Vonadi Rostri, my brother.

[ Father and Mother are dead? Is that true? And are you married? At the age of fourteen…? Though the other party was thirteen? Did you have a wedding? ]

The letter, which almost filled one page, was filled with only questions.

‘The letter has no periods and only question marks…’

Well, it wouldn’t be too funny if I was Fred. It’d been a few years since I’d heard the news about my hometown, and I was sure all of it would surprise people.

“My brother was very surprised.”

I said with a sigh, thinking of writing a book just by answering the question.

“It seems to be true that we have finally been connected to the eastern continent,” Evan answered slowly.

“Yes, even though it’s only the port of Bedis, it seems that trade is still possible.”

Reading Fred’s letter again, I gave up on replying. It seemed faster for him to come here two months later and hear it in person.

“On the way up to the Capital, everyone was lining up to buy diamond necklaces from the eastern continent.”

“Well, diamonds from the eastern continent are of good quality.”

“I also asked Lisa to ask the store, but it was sold out everywhere.”

As soon as trade opened, Seymour quickly monopolized diamonds from the eastern continent.

As soon as trade with the continent was made, he smelled the money and acted faster than anyone else. It was strange that the same thing happened as in the original story, so I asked Lisa to confirm, and as expected, every store had nothing.

So, admiring Seymour, who was collecting money, I rationalized that sharing half of the Hanua estate as a child was not a big deal.

“I’ll get you one.”

Then, Evan spoke quietly.

“Last time, I met a merchant from the eastern continent for business, and he said he would give me one.”

“Really? Well, thank you.”

As for Icard? Others were anxious because they couldn’t find it, but there seemed to be people who dedicated it on their own. Having answered roughly, I read Fred’s letter and thought about the future development once again.

He didn’t really have a role in the original story because the trade was completely blocked as monsters built nests on the sea route to the eastern continent. Regardless, due to climate change, the monsters had moved to another place, and now, the sea route would be opened again.

Fred was now in contact with me for the first time and would be taking a boat to the Empire two months after the aqueduct is repaired.

And, before that, I would die.

‘Seeing that, he is a very useless person. Why was he in the book? Was he put in to emphasize Laria’s pitiful life…?’

I seriously pondered.

‘…The original story sucks.’

As I read the letter, immersed in thought, Evan asked again.

“You must miss him. You haven’t seen him in a long time.”

“Yes, it is.”

Although it was before the possession, in my vivid memory, Fred was a pretty good older brother. He was nowhere particularly good, but he was kind and gentle. Still, to be honest, I didn’t have many memories because my father sent him to the eastern continent too quickly.

“What kind of person is he? Do you remember?”

“Yes. Pure and cute…”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to recall the memory.

“…I think he was a bit overbearing and noisy.”

Just looking at the letter full of question marks, it was highly likely that he was still that kind of person. I then opened my mouth again.

“I don’t know how things have changed, but he says he will come back immediately after receiving his degree. Two months later?”

I continued, folding the letter and putting it back into the envelope.

“I really want to see him. There’s only one direct blood family left.”

Because of Fred, I was able to live anyhow. When the right amount of time passed and the time came when I didn’t have to go, I thought it would be okay to take a look at him.

“Well, it’s just two months. You will also come to the capital for the imperial banquet.”

Evan replied kindly.

“I can invite him to the Duke’s residence.”

“Huh? Yes, well…”

However, I couldn’t answer right away because I thought I might have to run away before that.

In the original story, I died on the day of the imperial banquet. Perhaps, that day, Elanie and Seymour slightly misunderstand each other at an imperial banquet. They were already imprinting each other through repeated coincidences, though they were going through a so-called period of denial.

Nevertheless, just in time for me to die, Elanie suddenly announces her intention to get married. From then on, she got recommendations, and then she chose Evan and got married.

Originally, I shouldn’t be alive after the day of the imperial banquet. Princess Elanie announced her intention to marry shortly after the imperial banquet. If Evan wasn’t alone at that time, he wouldn’t be able even to make it to the list of recommendations…

‘Duke of Icard will destroy me.’

No matter how loved and cute I am. Because there was nothing compared to Lady Matilda, and if I succeeded in black magic, time would go back to the past, anyway.

Just as I can pass my indifference to Evan by saying, “I can return it,” it was something that could be rationalized by saying, “I will get it back anyway” while killing me.

‘But, I know that the black magic fails. I can’t go back anyway.’

The noble had already been controlled by Duke Icard. So, for the black magic that summons the devil, the permission of the Imperial Family was needed.

The last time the imperial family allowed black magic was several hundred years ago. Even if I want to grant Duke Icard’s wish directly… Unless I was of the Imperial Family, there was nothing I could do with the Imperial Family’s permission.

Frankly, it was a dead end. If I didn’t want to die, there was no other way. I couldn’t help but throw it all away and disappear to the place I had prepared for.

When Evan and Elanie divorced, I was going to sneak out into the world, so I had little thought that I would be able to see Fred sooner or later.

“If it’s your brother, of course, he’s our family.”

However, when Evan said that…

“I know your marriage may be absurd, but the duke’s family should do well to be acceptable.”

Somewhere deep in my heart, my heart was pounding, and I thought that I wanted to live like this for the rest of my life.