CH 23

One of the young ladies, who burst into laughter at that attitude, opened her mouth.

“The Marquis, too. No matter how good your work is, you should get settled down soon. Of course, the Marquis is a good person in many ways, so there must be a lot of women approaching him, but he doesn’t pick a good one among them.”

“Perhaps he’s postponing it because of his nephew he adopted. Did Mr. Esdelle turn eighteen this year?”

“If you have someone to support you, you should think about getting married even more.”

“Aren’t your eyes too high?”

There were a lot of young ladies from pretty decent families, but it seems that no one had feelings for Callen, who was relatively old.

Even if there was a lot, Callen was in his late 20s, but……

Charlotte snorted and said:

“No, he’s shy. This is the end of the topic of his sad love life.”

“That gentleman? You’re lying!”

Wow. Charlotte really seemed to be doing well as his assistant to even notice that Callen was shy.

While we were talking about this and that, some of the young ladies were slowly trying to express their interest in Sir Teddius and my rumors of love (?), when a loud voice was heard announcing the prince’s arrival in good timing.

As I hurriedly turned my eyes to talk to him again, the prince I saw for the first time in a long time was moving while everyone was paying attention.

After that, Esdelle Ophius was seen. He was the nephew of the Marquis Ophius, who was just mentioned.

The young man, who was following the prince with clear eyes, was smiling with composure.

Why does it seem like the disparity in our life experiences is not so different when the age difference is two years.

In the midst of such thoughts, a group of nobles who wanted to impress the prince surrounded them.

I should at least say hello……. Thinking so, I was looking sideways, and soon Esdelle found me and looked happy.

As he whispered something to the prince, the purple eyes that symbolized Kleinin’s royal family stopped at me.

Oh my, I should take better care of my heart from now on.

“Baron Ensis.”

When the prince came first to find me after breaking through the people, the surroundings quickly became quiet.

The prince and I could not be said to have a great personal relationship, but anyway, it was natural that he looked at me, a blood relative of the duke, first.

The prince, whom I saw for the first time in a while, seemed to be a little tall without meeting for a few months. And a little heartbreakingly, the smile that smiled at me looked very slightly exhausted.

“It’s nice to see you after such a long time. I wanted to go to your wedding, too. Did you like my present?”

Oh, I forgot. That’s right. He gave me a huge mine management right as a gift.

No, this cannot be said to be negligent, because the recent events in my life were so shocking.

I smiled, managing my expression, but Esdelle, who made eye contact with me, looked at me with a smile on his face.

This is why I don’t like him. Of course, Esdelle wasn’t omnipotent, and he could only read the fragmentary thoughts that the other person had from time to time. If what he heard just in time was important information, it would be a disaster here.

I’ll stop thinking about this.

“I see the future of Kleinin. How can I express my gratitude for the tremendous congratulations I have received? I greeted you through a letter, but thank you again for your consideration, Your Highness.”

The prince smiled beautifully at my words.

“Considering your contribution, you deserve it.”

“…….”

“Hands.”

He reached out to me and spoke briefly. And I naturally grabbed his hand, too.

For the royal family, only one ability was handed down from generation to generation, and that was the ability to distinguish the power of another talented person and measure their size.

So, it can be said that this is a ritual.

To show others the special bond between the royal family and the five families who support him.

Power entered his hands. Maybe it’s just my feeling, I often felt like something intangible was going through me whenever I touched him.

The nobles around us looked at us quietly, as if they were seeing something reverent or something strange that they couldn’t understand.

A very short time passed, and soon the prince began to speak.

“I’m relieved that you still feel the same.”

It was one judgment that my power remained the same. I politely bowed my head.

“It is all thanks to the blessings of the kingdom and its blood relatives.”

This is why I didn’t want to bring Hisch to the capital.

……No, I should stop thinking about this.

At my words, the prince said with a soft smile.

“Then enjoy the party.”

With a brief greeting, the prince left first, but for some reason, Esdelle, who had been sticking to him like a gum, was still looking at me and smiling.

While the surrounding nobles secretly moved their steps and gazes toward the Prince, Esdelle Ophius approached me and greeted me. His gorgeous golden eyes curled in the shape of a half moon.

“Princess, it’s been a while.”

“…… It’s been a long time, young master Ophius.”

“Not being able to attend the wedding was a burden on my heart. I am very happy to see the princess like this again.”

I sighed inwardly when I saw Esdelle talking like that as if he really had no self-interest.

I didn’t hate Esdelle.

I just feel a little pity. And, I thought that his life must be hard.

“Well, you don’t have to be so concerned about me.”

“……That’s what makes me afraid to meet the Young Master.”

Esdelle Ophius, who reads people’s minds, smiled brightly.

“But today’s princess is a little strange. You always had a tendency to say anything to me as if you had given up.”

I was despondent, saying, ‘Okay, listen to your heart’s content’.

Anyway, the only thing that comes to mind is simply, ‘What are you eating for lunch today?’

“Today…… you seem to have a lot to think about about your husband.”

I decided not to think about anything else and grinned.

“It’s an invasion of privacy.”

What if I was thinking about this and that that shouldn’t be known by an 18-year-old teenager.

At my words, Esdelle shrugged his shoulders as if saying ‘Let’s consider it that way.’

“By the way, have you already met my uncle?”

“Marquis Ophius? No. I’ve been looking for him since a while ago, but I can’t find him.”

“Hm…… Maybe he got embarrassed and hid.”

“…… Does the Young Master think the Marquis is a small and precious, little animal?”

“If the princess can hear uncle’s heart, you will know that it cannot be expressed only by the word small animal. What a shame.”

Is he joking or is he serious.

Callen is a man who is shy and secretly looks out for others, but he is just a man who overshadows his timid side with his gorgeous appearance and cheerful demeanor, not a man whose protective instinct soared as the young man in front of me said.

Well…… He was an uncle who almost raised him, so he looked infinitely adorable.

Esdelle, who must have read my thoughts, just smiled and opened his mouth.

“From what I heard from others, my uncle must have been out in the garden outside the hallway. Would you like to go and say hello?”

What you hear is not what you think it means…….

I didn’t even have the heart to tackle [1] him, I just said thank you and quietly moved towards what he said.

The night air was quite cold. I had grown accustomed to the climate of my territory located to the south of the capital, and I regretted not bringing a shawl to wear over my shoulders.

It was the first time I had come to the mansion, so I didn’t know the structure, but fortunately I was able to find a place similar to a garden after walking around.

Then, I quickly found the figure of the man looking up at the moon.

Looking at him from afar, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, I wrapped my hand around my cheek.

Hmm…… Looking at it this way, the handsome man is definitely a handsome man.

The man’s golden eyes were much sharper than that of his nephew, shining brightly in the dark.

Even Callen is just a supporting role in <I Picked Up My Husband>, so to those who are curious about how handsome the male protagonist and the sub male are, think about it.

They are so handsome that I want to use real profanity.

Well, I didn’t have much to do with them because I don’t usually get into society unless there’s a public affair.

“Marquis.”

Callen, startled by my call, turned to look at me. He sprang up from his seat with wide eyes.

“Liddell. What brings you so far…….”

Perhaps because of his sudden rise, he staggered greatly.

This man was a retired knight. A person who was fatally injured and had no choice but to let go of the sword.

I glanced around him, but I couldn’t find the cane he usually carried.

“I was looking around to say hello because the Marquis was present. Well…… Young Master Ophius gave me a hint.”

“That guy……”

I stood in front of Callen while he muttered with a sour face. The man quickly changed his complexion and said cheerfully.

“So, how have you been, Liddell Catlan? You look much better. You seem to be enjoying your country life properly away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.”