Chapter 182: - Same Choice

༺ Same Choice ༻

“Hmm.”

I found myself in a carriage making its way towards the back alley. Beside me, Lulu quietly nuzzled her cheek against my chest, giggling softly.

“...Hehe.”

“.........”

Within the carriage, there were animal-like creatures that looked at us with icy gazes.

“Sigh.”

Originally, I’d intended to bring only Lulu, but suddenly, these animals crowded in.

There was the black cat doll, enchanted by Kania with advanced dark magic just a few days prior, making it capable of continuous movement.

An owl with its eyes wide open.

A dove with a foolish expression, and a canary, huddled close, warily observing everything.

The black cat somehow slipped in by hiding in my coat pocket while these birds flew into the carriage through the windows.

Because of this, the carriage had literally turned into a zoo.

By the way, I left the dog at home.

She also tried to come with me, but isn’t a dog supposed to guard the house?

In fact, one of the reasons I left her behind was that I didn’t like the idea of her shedding fur in a confined space.

“However, isn’t this a bit too much?”

Yet, for some reason, I kept thinking about that little dog.

After telling that fellow who hung on to my pant leg to guard the house, she responded pitifully with her ears drooping.

“...Meow.”

Because of that, I was considering maybe taking her with me from now on.

Suddenly, while I was deep in thought, the black cat doll sitting on top of my head started pressing my head with its paws.

– Flutter!

“Meow!”

Following that, the owl began retaliating, and the cat fiercely fought against it.

The canary watched this scene with a fearful expression, while the dove, who was sitting leisurely by the windowsill, wore a foolish expression as it watched their fight.

“...It’s so peaceful.”

I murmured as I gently stroked Lulu, who had fallen asleep while nuzzling against my chest.

“I’m so happy.”

Whether it was in the past or now, all I desired was a simple and carefree day like this.

Well, although the current situation wasn’t exactly ordinary either.

At least, it was not like I was risking my life in a fight or racking my brain trying to solve an impossible problem.

“Sigh...”

I wanted to keep spending days like this.

Please.

“Meow... Meow...”

“Hooot!”

The owl’s talon finally caught the black cat, which had fiercely resisted. Then, she began to twist and turn the black cat in mid-air, with her head craning.

It felt like the owl’s attack today held some grudge for some reason. I wonder why?

“Keuhkeuh...”

As I watched this amusing sight and laughed, I eventually turned my gaze outside the window.

“As expected, I need to work hard.”

Even though this kind of life would come to an end once the vacation was over, I couldn’t fall into despair yet.

After bringing a happy ending to the world, I should be able to achieve a peaceful and carefree life, right?

– Clang, clang!

As I pondered these thoughts, suddenly, the carriage began to shake.

“We’ve arrived—!”

Soon, I heard the coachman’s voice.

It seemed like we’d arrived at our destination.

“......”

As I stretched to prepare to get off the carriage, I looked around at the now quiet animals.

“Don’t fight, just stay here calmly.”

After firmly expressing my command, I gently pushed Lulu, who had fallen asleep against the wall, away from me and slowly stepped down from the carriage.

“Wait for me here, I’ll give you as much money as you want.”

“...Okay.”

At last, I gave an order to the coachman, took out my walking stick, and slowly made my way towards the guild.

“Huh?”Thê source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

As I finally reached the counter, the smoking female employee looked at me with wide eyes and said.

“Oh, you arrived so quickly.”

“...Where’s Roswyn?”

“She’s waiting inside, Lord Frey.”

She smiled mischievously as she looked at me while saying that.

“Should I show you the way?”

“...It’s fine.”

As I waved my hand to her and went down into the underground, the female employee murmured.

“Stay strong, Lord Frey.”

Her expression somehow looked sad.

“...Sure.”

I had been pursuing Roswyn since I was quite young, so it wasn’t surprising to see such a reaction from her.

– Creak

Entering the Information Guild with such thoughts, I couldn’t help but softly murmur inwardly.

‘Will things be different this time?’

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– Knock, knock.

“Who is it?”

As the knocking echoed on the firmly closed door, Roswyn immediately asked.

“It’s me, Roswyn.”

In response, Frey’s voice came through from behind the door.

“Oh.”

At the same time, Roswyn, who had been wearing a sour expression, quickly responded with a friendly but formal tone.

“You can come in~”

“I hope you’ve been...”

Upon hearing Roswyn’s response, Frey opened the door and entered. However, soon, his expression stiffened.

“Oh...”

It was because there were pictures of a girl with ruby-colored eyes plastered all around Roswyn’s room.

“Roswyn, who is that person?”

After staring at the pictures for a while, Frey cautiously asked.

“What brings you here~?”

“.......”

Upon hearing her response, Frey lowered his head without saying a word.

“Hmmph, but I’m deducting some points because of the flower’s color. I prefer red, not golden.”

As Roswyn looked at the golden rose he had wholeheartedly obtained, she responded with a regretful expression.

“Last time... didn’t you say you like golden more than red...”

Still with his head lowered, Frey recalled Roswyn’s statement from his birthday celebration in the grand ballroom.

“...Never mind.”

Suddenly, he lifted his head, offering a dejected smile, and turned away.

“Roswyn, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

“Huh?”

As Frey spoke up, Roswyn tilted her head.

“You’ve been through a lot because of me, right? I’m truly sorry.”

“Um... well...”

“I won’t bother you like this anymore.”

Upon seeing Frey put on a sad smile and speak like that, Roswyn was slightly flustered.

“Well then, goodbye.”

With Roswyn behind him, he took reluctant steps forward.

“It was always enjoyable... meeting you all this time.”

After grabbing the doorknob, he turned back as a slightly trembling smile appeared on his face.

“...Farewell.”

He closed the door and left the room.

“.........”

And for a while, there was only silence in the room.

“My Lady!”

The one to break the prolonged silence was a female employee whose face had turned quite pale.

“What’s going on!?”

“Lord Frey had terminated his guild membership!”

“...What?”

“What happened? Why would someone who was such a regular customer...?”

Listening to the pressing questions from her employee, Roswyn sat in her spot for a while, seemingly lost.

“Wait here.”

She then got up from her seat.

“I’ll look into it.”

“...And confirm it myself.”

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.

.

.

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“What’s going on all of a sudden? It’s not like he’s a dog that ran away from home.”

Muttering under her breath, Roswyn stepped out of the guild’s entrance and began to look around.

“Lord Frey~? Are you here~?”

After a while, she raised her hand to her mouth.

“Shall we have a little chat~?”

She started to call him out with a slightly elevated tone.

“If you leave our guild, where are you planning to go... Hmph.”

However, her call didn’t last long.

“...How annoying.”

She rubbed her sore throat, worn out from dealing with too many customers, and she grumbled with a furrowed brow, anxiously glancing around.

“Well, he’ll probably be back soon.”

There was a hint of confidence in her voice.

“After all, that jerk only depends on me, right?”

Even when she threw a complaint, he would only laugh and listen.

Even when she made unreasonable requests, he would somehow fulfill them.

Even when she raised the asking price a bit, he would chuckle and accept the new price.

Roswyn had become accustomed to Frey’s pattern where he confessed, got rejected, and then still grinned as he clung to her. As such, she clearly believed that he would eventually come back and this obviously boosted her self-esteem.

“Tsk, It was meaningless for me to shout out, calling for him.”

As she continued to clutch her sore throat, her heart was racing for some unknown reason. Why was it like this? She tried to return to the guild nonchalantly while attempting to calm her racing heart.

– Flutter!

At that moment, she heard a flapping noise coming from somewhere.

“What, what’s...?”

And then the next moment...

“Kuuuuuu!!!”

“Kyaakk!”

With an intense pain on her forehead, Roswyn collapsed to the ground.

“Ouch...”

While still holding her forehead, she let out a moan because of the splitting pain.

“...Huh?”

Suddenly, her gaze drifted somewhere.

“Gu.”

It was because something came into her sight.

An owl was beside her, quietly perching on a carriage’s windowsill while silently eyeing her. Additionally, a surprised Frey stood next to it.

“Oh? Is that Lulu? Why is she...”

“...Lick.”

Lulu was there, embracing Frey with closed eyes and licking his face.

“Lu... lu?”

Since Roswyn also had been proposed as one of the members of the Hero Party a few days ago, she naturally knew about Lulu.

“W-what’s going on? I’m sure you’re...”

Wearing a perplexed expression, Roswyn attempted to get up from the floor.

“...Stop it, Lulu.”

On the other side, Frey sighed and patted Lulu. He was wearing a gloomy expression.

“...Yes, Master.”

Lulu briefly gazed at Roswyn with her Magic Eyes while embracing Frey’s arm and nuzzling her cheek on his hand.

“...!?”

Roswyn, who had collapsed on the floor, watched this scene, and her expression began to shift to one of bewilderment.

– Neeeeiighhh

“........”

Before long, the carriage departed.

And from that moment on, a certain change began to take place within Roswyn.

“.......Ah?”

But it was too late.

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