Chapter 22

chapter 22

I tried hard to roll my dazed head, but I couldn’t find the reason no matter how much I thought about it.

“No. I don’t want to die. I want to live. I’m going to live like a devil. Why have I tried so hard so far?”

Especially when death was mentioned in her mouth, her mind became even more messed up. He could not relate her fear at all.

Unlike ‘Tom’, who desperately wanted to survive every day in an orphanage worrying about food, Yurina never feel hungry or shake in the cold.

If she had a slight cold, the best doctor would come and take care of her. What is a cold so far?

What’s more today. Her father, who loves her dearly, sent her out to a small, danger-free downtown, after Carthia, and sent her guards and maids in a row for fear that her fingertips would be hurt.

Regardless of her status, death is something no one can avoid, but at least she, who grew up in this love, had no reason to be so afraid of death.

But why is she shivering as if someone has a knife in her neck?

‘It was strange then too.’

He recalled the story she told when he first met Yurina at the orphanage.

-I want you to remember what I’ve done for you today. And later, when I’m in danger you have to save me just like how i saved you today.

On second thought, there was something strange about it.

To Dave, Yurina said that the reason she recognized Raynald’s talent was because of the story of red eyes she had heard once. In other words, when she saw him by chance, she remembered the story and decided to support him as a young man.

But in Raynald’s view, she acted as if she had been waiting to meet him. She held out his hand, calling out the contract without hesitation, saying, ‘Please protect me’.

Her words were too systematic to be instantly crossed. Just like knowing who’s trying to kill her and getting ready.

Who is trying to kill the famous daughter of the Marquis of Carthia, who is considered one of the best in the Empire? Then why don’t you take any small action after Carthia? Why is Yurina Cartia shaking alone in that fear?

It was full of strange things. The world of their own that he would never understand with his clumsy head, which still has a lot to learn.

But only one thing.

“Yurina.”

One thing I could see for sure was that she was so anxious that her mind was shaking dangerously.

Yurina was a beautiful girl who smiled confidently rather than being so weak. Raynald wanted to bring back her smile.

“You’re not gonna die.”

When he said that, Yurina looked down at him as usual and said, ‘Yes, I won’t die. Because I’m a Carthia. Who would dare to have the heart to kill me?’ He thought she’d say it confidently.

Otherwise, he thought she would look at him with the blue eyes that always shone and laugh at him, saying, ‘You’ve grown up a lot’.

However, as expected, she replied with a sharp voice.

“How do you know that?”

Raynald, who had been choosing to speak for a moment, carefully brushed her back, which seemed very small.

“I know.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t know anything. Oh, don’t give me any consolation that you don’t know anything about.”

“It’s real. You’re not going to die. Did you forget about the contract we signed that time? I promised to protect you in return for your sponsor.”

Yurina turned her head slightly and looked at him. Raynald lifted one lip straight.

“My teacher told me that my magic skills are improving so fast. Well, I’m afraid so. Isn’t it rather strange that a talented person like me doesn’t improve when he tries so hard?”

He peeped at her expression and lowered his voice.

“And this is a secret to my teacher, and I think I’ll soon be a wizard beyond him.”

Only then did Yurina, who had no expression on her face, have a faint smile on her face. She replied with a calmer voice, as if she had regained her composure.

“What is that. You still have a long way to go.”

“Are you saying that you know what you do? At least I know magic better than you do. Do you know about elements or mana? You can’t even use magic to heat up your favorite tea. I can do it.”

“…”

“So Yurina. Just wait a little longer. I’m going to try even harder than I am now and become a magician who surpasses my teacher quickly. You don’t have to worry anymore. Just trust me.”

Raynald gently handed her hair down behind her ears.

“I promise you in Raynald’s name. There will be no one in the world who can harm you in the future.”

Yurina laughed aloud as if she knew he was mimicking her speech. She pressed his forehead with her long white fingers.

“I can make a promise by my name because I’m as good as I am. Not everyone can do it for anyone.”

Raynald proudly unfolded his chest and put on airs.

“As you say, I’ll be a great wizard in the future.”

“You can’t do that. I gave you that name, but who’s willing to bet on that name? Did you get my permission?”

“Oh, really. You’re so tactless in this situation. Do you have to argue like that?”

Yurina’s laughter was raised even higher. After laughing at Raynald’s disapproving gaze for a long time, she soon put out her pinky finger to him, forced to change her expression.

“Don’t give me the precious name I gave you, just put your finger on it.”

He couldn’t understand the meaning of the action, so when he looked at it, she waved her hand before him.

“What are you doing without your fingers?”

“What do you bet?”

“Put your pinky finger on my pinky finger.”

Still, when he showed signs of incomprehension, she pulled his right hand and wrapped his pinky finger around her pinky finger.

“Now, it’s a promise.”

Clear, blue eyes were directed at him. His eyes are red and moist as if he cried a little because he couldn’t overcome his emotions. As if possessed by a mischievous fairy, Raynald looked at her and pulled Yurina’s hand, who was still hanging her finger, toward him.

“Yes, it’s a promise.”

Then, as he learned in the etiquette class, he carefully kissed the back of her white hand. The meaning of a kiss on the back of the hand is respect and devotion.

“Yurina, I’ll protect you.”

Still the red gaze was on her blue eyes.

Yurina, who had been silently receiving his gaze as hot as the color, opened her eyes wide for a moment at his words and smiled brightly as soon as her eyes were gone. The pretense was a smile with no tongue in it.

Raynald looked at the girl with his mouth slightly open and gently stole the tears flowing down her pretty curving eyes.

“Good boy.”

As if touching the cat’s back, Yurina swept his head. He told her not to treat him as a subject younger than herself, and before that, his two ears were hot. He quickly avoided her gaze and turned his head to hide his blushing face.

“Let’s go back now.”

“Yes.”

As Raynald stepped up from his seat after helping Yurina, the guards who was waiting far away approached them.

Yurina refused both men and tried to walk alone in the carriage, but her legs were shaking and she stumbled. Fortunately, thanks to Raynald’s quick grip on her arm, so she couldn’t get back to the cold floor.

“I’ll serve you, young lady.”

The guard bowed politely before her and lifted her up. Yurina quietly leaned her head against the wide arms of a guard large enough to be incomparable to Raynald. The guard walked her to the carriage without wavering.

Raynald stood still like a man with his feet on the ground, staring blankly at his back.

‘I can’t wait to grow up.’

If he had grown taller than her, he could have hugged her instead of the guard. A deep regret settled in his heart.

Would she be able to rely on himself completely if he grew up more than she is now?

Before he knew it, under the sun that was fading from the western sky, he made a birthday wish to himself that no one would hear.

“I want to be an adult soon.”

I want to become an adult who can protect those who want to be protect as soon as possible.

*****

When she knocked carefully, she heard a sound from inside. Yurina took a deep breath and went inside. Marquis Carthia, who was processing the papers, found her and stood up in delight.

“Yes, Yurina. What brings you here?”

“Do I come to see my father only when I have work?”

“Haha, that’s true.”

Yurina went to the table and sat down as he led her.

“Yes, I heard about it. The mansion has been noisy since dawn, but have you enjoyed your day?”

“Yes, everyone was very prepared and I enjoyed the party. I had a lot of fun on the street.”

Yurina laughed as she recalled the noisy birthday party. The downtown outing was certainly enjoyable. Until long before she met Marquis De Flon.

Without realizing it, Yurina, who erased her smile from her face, wiggled her cold hands.

“Father, I’ve heard that the Carthia family and the De Flon family don’t get along very well.”

Marquis Carthia, posed right in the middle of his forehead with his fingertips, perhaps he was tired.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Am I right?”

He nodded his head gently, as if he realized Yurina’s will.

“I can’t say it’s good. Carthia and De Flon are always on different political lines.”

“Is that really all?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s always the case that families who have different intentions don’t get along. It also means why the two families have a particularly bad relationship.”

“That can’t be happening. There’s no such thing. And it’s not as bad a relationship as you think.”

The Marquis who said that did not seem to have any emotions, unlike the Marquis of De Flon. He made a surprised look on his sudden name, but that was all. It was neither nervous, nor angry. The neat response complicated her mind.

‘Is it acting?’

Yurina couldn’t take his words for granted. Rather than having a doubtful corner in his words or actions, the expression of the Marquis De Flon, whom she had seen in the afternoon, remained too intense in her mind.

He looked overly wary and sharpened his face to simply see a political opponent crossing the line.

His expression was distinctly different from that of Marquis Carthia, who is now in front of her eyes, so she couldn’t tell what was going on.