CH 103

People murmured, but soon shook their heads and went back to their daily lives.

Everyone saw the same sight, but they were reluctant to continue talking about the sight that was so unbelievable.

However, there were also those who saw the sight and did not move on, thinking it would be futile.

Ophelia opened her mouth to tell Iris that she had a loved one, but she gasped as she watched the sun get eaten by the shadows.

“Solar… eclipse?”

A small voice unconsciously escaped through her parted lips, but Iris, who was completely distracted by the blackening sun, did not hear it.

Ophelia immediately ran out of the aide’s office and headed for Richard.

She clenched her teeth as her surroundings grew darker.

Running breathlessly, she soon reached Richard’s office, and before she could open the door, it burst open from inside.

Ophelia cried out to Richard, who pulled her.

“A solar eclipse! It’s a solar eclipse!”

“An eclipse? Do you know what it is?”

After going through an earthquake that was not in this world, and experiencing floods, locusts, and fire rain, he asked back without losing his mind or dismissing it as an illusion like others, even when he, too, saw a solar eclipse for the first time in his life.

As he calmly pressed Ophelia’s shoulder, she, who had been clouded by nervousness and urgency, gradually regained her composure.

“A solar eclipse.”

“The world will not end immediately like during the earthquake, flood, or fire rain.”

“The sun is gone.”

“It was only briefly covered in shadows. therefore… hmm.”

Ophelia searched through her memory as best she could.

However, to explain the phenomenon of the moon blocking the sun, she first had to logically convey that the earth revolved around the sun.

Let’s give up.

‘There is no need to teach earth science now. What’s important…!’

“Since the sun has not disappeared, it will not perish. It’s strange because it’s so brief, but originally, this phenomenon itself wouldn’t last that long. But…”

“This is an anomaly that has never happened before in this world.”

There was no need for a scientific discussion of how a solar eclipse occurs.

Because the premise that the world was twisting made anything possible.

“For the fourth time.”

Ophelia’s words, which burst out like a sigh, were in line with the fact that two or three signs of the end of the world remained.

She shook her head.

“It was an instant. Maybe not.”

“Maybe not.”

She could tell without listening to what he didn’t say.

Nevertheless, how could this phenomenon be explained in addition to the signs of destruction?

Ophelia opened her mouth, but closed it without saying a word.

What can I say.’

One, two, three, and four.

‘How many chances are left. No, is there a chance left?’

What could be expected in the unprecedented situation that the world was twisting and collapsing?

‘And what else can be done…’

As if reading her thoughts that kept going to the worst, Richard reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“I will protect you.”

That short sentence.

It was enough.

Ophelia’s neck, which had been very tense and stiff, relaxed, and her nerves, which were sharpened, eased.

“You and this world.”

Ophelia laughed as the low whisper flowed through her ear.

She also whispered, tiptoeing and lightly kissing his lips.

“I will protect you.”

Protecting the world to protect each other. The two whispering now didn’t know.

What they needed to give up to protect this crumbling and destructive world.

.

“Whoa.”

Ophelia took a deep breath. Then she exhaled.

She decided to do what she had to do, leaving behind an ambiguous eclipse, whether it was a sign or not.

Rather than worrying and distressing over something that couldn’t be helped by her own strength.

“I have to do what I can.”

She steadied herself, consciously saying those words.

Gazing over the mountains of the papers, she immediately rose.

“Iris.”

“Ah, Ophelia.”

“I was going to tell you earlier.”

First, she sat down again with Iris.

She wondered if it was right to tell this story now because Iris’ face was seriously hardened thanks to the eclipse a while ago.

However, wasn’t there a saying, ‘if it’s not now, it’s always late?’

‘What’s the point of missing an opportunity and regretting it after weighing it.’

Iris spoke first to Ophelia, who was deliberating with a determined face.

“What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?”

Faced with eyes filled with anxiety, Ophelia waved hastily.

“No, it’s not a problem at all. Don’t worry.”

“I’m glad then.”

“It’s… well.”

Ophelia was only able to get to the point after several delays.

“I mean…”

“Yes.”

“I have someone I love.”

How difficult it was to say that one sentence.

Ophelia felt exhausted.

Iris was taken aback by the sudden words that she struggled with, but she immediately jumped up with a big smile.

“Congratulations!”

It was truly a voice full of joy.

Hugging Ophelia, Iris congratulated her on her new relationship, and Ophelia returned the hug awkwardly.

Soon after, Iris sat back down and held Ophelia’s hand with a happier face.

“Great. I seem to keep saying it, but I can’t think of anything better than this. Congratulations, Ophelia.”

“Thank you…”

Ophelia just said that, soon closing her mouth.

Iris only poured out congratulations like a waterfall, not asking who Ophelia’s love was.

Perhaps she was avoiding it because she noticed that she didn’t mention it on purpose.

Besides, Iris knew that Richard also suddenly had a lover.

He also did not reveal who it was.

Among the two who had never been interested in love or dating.

But at the same time, they had someone they loved?

Wouldn’t most people think…

…the two of them…?

However, Iris showed no signs of wondering who the person was, let alone asking questions.

Ophelia somehow felt like crying at her silent consideration.

‘What am I trying to cry for.’

She was hiding it from a friend who was sincerely happy like it was natural.

Ophelia held back the tears that were threatening to pour out and caught her breath, and Iris rubbed her back.

Iris asked Ophelia, who had managed to regain her composure as she inhaled and exhaled several times.

“Did you tell Catherine?”

“I’m telling you now.”

“Oh, then you told me first.”

A mischievous smile spread across Iris’ lips, something Ophelia couldn’t have imagined before.

“I guess I can tease her about it.”

Ophelia couldn’t help but say that the laughing voice and expression were the same as Catherine’s.

“Weren’t you guys really close from the start?”

“If you like someone, you’ll resemble them. You are making the same expression right now.”

Ophelia and Iris immediately giggled and smiled.

Iris gently pushed Ophelia on the back.

“Go, because I heard it first and Catherine will cry if she didn’t hear it on the same day.”

Thus, Ophelia arrived at the residence of the Marquisate of Sheffield without prior agreement.

How many people would be able to meet Catherine Sheffield without an appointment.

There were too many to count with two hands.

Even if you made a prior appointment, you had to wait for several months, and it was difficult to make one in the first place, so there was nobody who would visit the mansion blindly.

But the answer that awaited them was the same.

“Please go back.”

“Is that all you can say!”

“Please go back.”

“Do you know who I am!”

A calm conversation flowed into the ears of the angry, screaming woman.

“I have no prior appointment.”

“Don’t worry.”

The woman turned her head in the direction of the conversation and pointed.

“Who is that, without a prior…!”

The woman who had been raising her voice couldn’t stop her words and hurriedly shut her mouth and clamped it gently with her fingers.

Hair burning redder than the sun and eyes as blue as today’s sky.

Bolsheik.

“I see Lady Bolsheik.”

The woman, who confirmed through the servant’s words, closed her mouth and bowed her head.

If it had been before the meeting presided over by Richard before the festival, she would have said ‘How could she and not me!’

But not now.

Ophelia didn’t intend to go that far, but after the festival, every family had to look at the Bolsheik.

Since it was revealed that even Neir owed the Bolsheik.

All the families who knew or did not know how their respective families were intertwined with the Bolsheik laid flat.

Whether they knew it or not, if they had entangled with the Bolsheik, they had probably gotten some help.

The power of the family that was said to have been with the continent was beyond imagination.