Chapter 174

Chapter 174

“What?”

“A date. No, that’s not it. I was asking when you’re going to get married.”

“Ah... Ha. Ha. Ha. Married...?”

Frozen as if struck by an 8th circle ice magic spell mentioned only in legends, Logan could only roll his eyes around as his body stiffened.

While feeling Eileen’s gaze from the side, the only thought coming to his mind was one word.

‘Marriage?’

To be honest, he had completely forgotten about it.

He had always been focused solely on the tasks that lay ahead, running forward day after day.

In a situation where one could even end up dead in 5-6 years, how could one afford to imagine a different future?

Of course, when he first attempted to recruit Eileen, he had considered marrying her.

A lady knight who might become a superhuman in the future.

He had thought her worthy of such consideration for her value.

However, the problem arose as they spent more time together, and special feelings developed.

‘Can I really establish a proper family, with all these things I still have to do?’

If he cherished her, then all the more.

‘Shouldn’t I avoid that?’

As these thoughts reached a crescendo, Logan’s face turned rigid.

And then...

“Ah, I just remembered something I forgot. Please, excuse me for a moment...”

With an unconvincing excuse, he vanished like the wind.

“......”

“......”

For a while, the two stood frozen with blank expressions.

As the color of Eileen’s face changed in shades of redness, Padric cautiously started speaking beside the flustered lady knight.

“Did I... make a mistake, My Lady?”

“No, not at all, Father.”

Relieved by Eileen’s unexpectedly calm voice, Padric sighed.

“It’s Prince Logan who made the mistake.”

However, Eileen’s subsequent chilling tone left him no option but to gulp.

‘Oh, son... you better start apologizing non-stop.’

Praying for his son’s well-being, who had just fled the scene, Padric discreetly escaped the aftermath of the bomb he had thrown.

‘What kind of foolishness...’

Although he escaped the situation, even he couldn’t help but think how ridiculous his excuse had been.

Why did he run away instead of calmly explaining and persuading?

“Pathetic...”

Having unwittingly ended up outside the castle, Logan stopped and sighed, and just then, he saw Eileen approaching from a distance.

As he instinctively thought of running away again, Logan forced a wry smile and, taking a deep breath, braced himself to face her, expecting to hear a great deal of scolding.

But Eileen’s reaction was unexpected.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen the Prince so flustered.”

Somehow, Eileen’s first words and smile reassured him, and he felt even more pathetic for that reassurance.

“......I’m sorry. I must have looked pretty foolish.”

“It’s alright. I was a bit startled too. But I didn’t think of running away like the Prince.”

“......I apologize.”

“I didn’t want an apology. What’s important is what we do from here on out.”

“Yes?”

Absentmindedly, Logan asked back, to which Eileen replied with a smile.

“Marriage.”

“Ah...”

“Even if we can let it go today, in the future, the elders’ nudging will only get worse. You can’t keep saying you’re too busy to postpone it, can you?”

“That’s... true.”

“At least we need to set a date to avoid such situations from arising again.”

At her words, a shadow passed over Logan’s face again.

Noticing his expression, Eileen’s face also hardened momentarily, but soon, she cautiously asked again.

“Prince Logan...”

“......?”

“Do you... have someone else in mind to marry besides me?”

“No, absolutely not!”

Caught off guard by her direct question, Logan blurted out loudly without thinking.

“That’s a relief. I also don’t have anyone else in mind.”

“Stop worrying for nothing, and let’s set a wedding date, say next year? By then, we can find another excuse if need be. We’ll pick a better day, when we’re less busy, and we both have more room in our hearts.”

Impressed by her words, Logan looked at Eileen with a fresh perspective.

The man who ran away at the mere mention of marriage.

Such an embarrassing excuse.

‘She must have been angry... ‘

How disappointed she must have been.

How angry she must have felt.

Yet here she was, trying only to comfort him.

Such behavior was likely also consideration for his constant avoidance.

Sighing softly, Logan took her hand.

Startled, she reacted to his warm touch, which felt so reassuring that his sincere reply naturally flowed out.

“I was wrong. That was foolish of me. I’m sorry.”

“Are you going to keep saying the same thing? Now...”

“That’s why. Let’s get married.”

“...What?”

Eileen looked at him, surprised.

Seeing her blushing face, feeling sorry yet again, Logan’s heart warmed.

So he spoke more firmly.

“Let’s get married. Not with the intention of looking for excuses, but seriously this time.”

Feeling foolish about worrying over nothing just moments ago, Logan had one regret.

“Really?”

“Yes. I mean it.”

With a simple sentence, Eileen beamed with happiness, and Logan, seeing her joy, could finally be certain.

‘I was just afraid.’

Afraid that all this would disappear one day.

Afraid that I couldn’t fulfill my responsibilities.

I work to prevent all these things, yet I feared I might fail.

‘I will succeed. I must. So...’

Grasping her hand tightly,

“This moment, too, I will protect.”

“Thank you. And...”

Holding the precious person in his arms, feeling each other’s heartbeat in this moment, so it continues forever.

“I love you.”

“...?!”

To always remember this tender kiss.

As they walked through the fields, the sunset was behind the couple.

Their faces, flushed like the sunset, showed no intention of letting go of each other’s hands, and their steps, heading back, were slow even without conversation.

After walking for a while,

When the town’s people came into view from afar,

The man finally spoke up.

“Still, we should probably have the wedding after we’ve sorted out the territory’s affairs.”

“What?!”

“I won’t make you wait long. Just wait a little longer. There’s still so much to do.”

The woman’s face puckered slightly, and the man’s back broke out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, she quickly nodded.

“That’s okay. I mean, that much is...”

“Thank you.”

“But that dangerous thing you mentioned, are you really going to keep it a secret until the end?”

“...I’ll tell you when the time comes. I don’t want to worry you for no reason.”

“That already has me worried, you know?”

“I promise. I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

“Okay. I’ll hold you to that promise.”

The day he officially proposed, and she accepted.

The man had no ring in his hand, but the woman’s face couldn’t be brighter.

After that day, the people of Maclaine Town saw Logan and Eileen together much more often.

“We should get them married soon.”

Watching his son and his girlfriend with a contented smile, Padric’s observation became a familiar scene.

Around that time, Leena Wolves came to visit Maclaine.