Chapter 50

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Chapter 50

After a quick breakfast, Seth, Min-ha, and Noah got back on the carriage heading to Loengram Castle. The carriage started traveling faster than before to meet the delayed schedule.

Taking a deep breath, she felt the wind blowing from the slightly rolled window of the carriage. The wind was so clean and clear that the more she inhaled, the more she felt every part of her body feel clearer.

Before getting into the carriage, Min-ha was nagged by Pompa to tighten her corset again and to fix her hair, saying that she should not have to loosen her corset so comfortably and that her hair was too messy.

Fortunately, Seth sided with her. He came up with a compromise that she only had to stay comfortably until they arrived at Loengram Castle and then dress up before they arrived.

If Pompa had not stepped down, she would have been very sad. Since if she had tightened the corset and had her hair pulled up, Min-ha would not have been able to open the window for fear that her hair would be messed up, and then she would not be able to breathe in the fresh air like this.

Unlike the first departure, during the journey to Loengram Castle, both her mind and body now felt comfortable. It continued for three days like that. In the meantime, she would take naps with Noah. Then, after dinner, she and Seth walked in the woods where the carriage stopped and went on a date.

Seth had plucked her wildflowers as a gift and kindly explained the situation in the Empire to her, who asked about Loengram Castle.

As he said before, the Marquis of Loengram wanted to bring Seth to his side and made him his relative in order to expand his position in central politics. Therefore, he was hoping for a divorce between Seth and herself.

And, Grand Duchess Blaine, who invited Min-ha to this party, was a cousin of Rupert Guinivis, the lover of ‘Minase Persen,’ and did not like Seth very much.

Additionally, although he was not on the invitation list, Rupert Guinivis may try to meet Min-ha at a party, using connections from his cousin, Grand Duchess Blaine.

After explaining the process, Seth gave her worrisome advice.

“When you arrive, try not to be apart from me as much as possible.”

“Yeah, I will… But, what if I were to be separated from you?”

“Then, this.”

In response to her question, Seth held out a bracelet with two small gold bells on a thin gold thread in his arms. Min-ha raised it and shook it up and down lightly, wondering about the bracelet that was naturally connected. However, unlike the bell-like appearance, there was no sound.

Tilting her head, she asked.

“Bell…? Though there is no sound.”

“The sound of the bell can only be heard by trained Persen knights.”

“…Oh, my. Really?”

“Yes. So, in case you’re in danger, shake the bell secretly.”

“Ah, I see.”

She wanted to ask him what she would do if she were so far away that he could not even hear a sound. Still, Min-ha did not dare say it because Seth’s eyes gazing at her gave her the belief that such a thing would never happen.

Smiling sweetly at his answer, she slowly closed her eyes towards Seth, who was slowly leaning towards her.

Even though it was very difficult to admit that she liked him and to express that feeling, it was really easy and natural for her to express her feelings when she realized that their hearts had the same feelings towards each other.

Min-ha truly enjoyed a happy time for the first time in this world.

It was the morning of the fifth day after leaving Persen Castle after riding for a few days in a carriage. Seth Persen and the party of the Duke of Persen arrived in front of the gates of Loengram.

The walls of Loengram Castle seen from the open carriage window were so long and high that they could not see the end. Consequently, even Min-ha, who was not familiar with medieval castles, could guess the size of the castle.

Soon, the carriage stopped.

As Seth closed the window that she had left open, drew the curtains over it, and opened his mouth.

“It must be frustrating, but be patient.”

“Huh? No, I’m okay.”

“It’s a pity that we’ve arrived at the Loengram Castle, so I must use honorifics.”.

“Ah… No, is that so?”

“Noah, you must act politely from now on as well. You are also a member of the Persen family.”

“I will, brother.”

When Min-ha hesitated and answered, he smiled as if she was cute. Meanwhile, unaware that Seth was looking at her, overheard the conversation between Lancelot and Gawin, who led the party outside the carriage and the soldiers of Loengram Castle.

“Please, identify yourself and the party to which family you belong to.”

“Can’t you see the pattern on the flag? This is the Duke of Persen who was invited by the Marquis of Loengram.”

“Of course, I know. But, as you well know, because the Grand Duchess is attending this harvest festival—”

“So, does that mean that the proof we have right now cannot prove our identity?”

“You rude bastard! Do you know what kind of people are in this carriage now?”

“I, I’m sorry. However, if you don’t show me the invitation…”

The situation did not look very good. Gawin reacted sharply to the words of the Loengram soldiers that they could not enter the castle without showing the invitation.

Min-ha overheard their conversation and was nervous. Perhaps, something went wrong and a fight might break out. Although she was worried about that, Seth’s expression as he listened to their conversation was extremely calm.

No, he was not just calm but even raised one corner of her mouth and smiled.

Then, he spoke in a sarcastic tone as if muttering to himself, “Sure enough. If there’s any problem within the castle, is Loengram going to escape this way?”

“…What do you mean, a problem? Could it be that it is related to Rupert Guinivis?”

“Ah, even if he sneaks up and secretly attends the banquet, this would be a show to claim that it has nothing to do with the Lord of Loengram, who ‘thoroughly enforced inspection’, Madam.”

“…I see.”

“Still, there’s nothing to be nervous about because I’m not naive enough to play around with such a light joke.”

After smiling lightly at Min-ha, who was worried, Seth opened the window on the carriage door where he was sitting and pulled out an invitation from his pocket before stretching out the arm that was holding it.

He uttered in a displeasing tone to the outside.

“Here’s the invitation.”

“….!”

“Do you believe that I’m the Duke of Persen?”

At his words, she could hear the Loengram knights receiving invitations, and there was a commotion outside for a while. Soon, along with the sound of a huge door opening, came the shouts of the knights of Loengram Castle.

“All of you, please hurry up and get inside the castle!”

“The Marquis is waiting for you.”

Fortunately, the carriage started moving slowly again.

Min-ha felt her lips dry out without realizing it. It was like the first time she felt when she was possessed into Minase Persen’s body and returned to the time when she woke up in Persen Castle.

Totally unfamiliar surroundings, strangers…

It would have been nice if it was simply unfamiliar, but according to Seth, the people and environment there now were either hostile to Seth and herself, or full of intentions to take advantage of them.

In such a situation, could she be as skillful as Minase Persen…?

As soon as she was caught up in such a thought, Min-ha’s heart was pounding with tension.

“Don’t worry. You have me.”

“…Yes. I trust you.”

As if recognizing her heart, Seth reached out and grabbed her cold hand. He clasped Min-ha’s hands tightly, and she smiled slightly as if trying to relax.

“Me, too! Me, too, sister-in-law!”

“Ahaha. That’s right, Noah is here as well, aren’t you?”

At the sound of a small hand raised over her and Seth’s and the cute voice, Min-ha laughed out loud. She approached the child’s side and hugged the small body tightly. Seeing that, Seth embraced her shoulder like that.

Leaning on the warmth of the two men wrapped around her like a cozy blanket, she slowly brushed away the tension and anxiety that was soaking her heart.

However, Min-ha was able to lean on the warmth of the two for a while.

As the carriage entered Loengram Castle, the carriage containing the three of them stopped again. Soon, Pompa, who came to the carriage where the three of them were riding, knocked on the door.

She bowed politely and said to Min-ha.

“Madam, from now on, you must move into the same carriage as me, your attendant.”

“All right. See you shortly, dear. Noah, see you later.”

“…Ah.”

“Yes, sister-in-law!”

Presumably, Pompa seemed to want to dress her up before they arrived at the castle.

Min-ha nodded obediently to Pompa’s words, though the thought of her, again, viciously tightening her corset and pulling her hair up with dozens of embellishments gave her a headache. Nevertheless, she was obliged to do it.

And so, she followed Pompa’s guidance, put on a hat with a black veil covering her face, and moved to the carriage next to them.

The moment she entered the carriage, she was forced to be surrounded by Pompa and several maids.

Like the morning before leaving the Persen Castle, she had to taste the pain of tightening her waist and pulling her scalp again as she was changed into a dress that stuck tightly to her torso while grabbed onto the carriage pillar.

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