CH 68

Elusiana fumbled around on the forehead he had touched a beat late. Has it been healed? Since she didn’t feel pain from the beginning, checking whether it was healed just by touching it was ambiguous. But seeing Aster’s expression become more relaxed, she thought it was right.

Elusiana, who was secretly conscious, cautiously spoke out. “Thank you, Your Excellency.”

“You’d better be careful from now on. Even a small scratch is a wound.”

“Ah, yes.”

“It means don’t get used to holding back.”

“…!”

After those words, Aster started walking again. But Elusiana didn’t readily follow. The grand duke’s words kept ringing in her head.

“Don’t get used to holding back. Haa…”

It was when she was very young. She had said something similar to that. The day when Astein’s feet were completely messed up because of her poor dance skills. He sighed, saying he was fine, and smiled. That’s why she had told him that. Don’t get used to holding back. But could this be a coincidence?

“What if it’s not a coincidence?” Elusiana, who unconsciously spat out her inner thoughts, shuddered.

Why did she keep seeing Astein’s in Aster’s face? Was it because he had a unique ability that heals wounds faster than normal people? Or because of being kind enough to even bring a desk into his office and give her candy? Even the small glass bottle, which seemed to have contained a lot of red candies, was suspected to be a signal to find out who he was.

Sigh… What kind of nonsense am I thinking…

It was then Aster turned around.

“Are you not going?”

“Ah, yes! I’m going. Let’s go!”

Elusiana ran quickly and shortened the distance with only one step left from Aster. Then she followed him quietly. She threw a meaningful look at his back. But before she knew it, a small doubt was sprouting in the corner of her mind.  

* * *

It was a few days later on the weekend. Since Grand Duke Sestein wasn’t an evil master, she was given one day off a week. And today was her day off.

Originally, she planned to come up with ideas according to the order of Count Eragost. Although it would be 15 days from now, preparing for Count Eragost’s party was an arduous task. The wide space was also space, but through preparation was needed more than ever to avoid being flawed. However, this man came to her as soon as she opened the store.

A surprisingly pleasant smile was on Elusiana’s face in a shared carriage with Noel.

“But are you really going to sponsor them?”

“I don’t lie, Lusi.”

“Huhu. Then, I will trust Noel’s words for today.”

Elusiana scarlet eyes twinkled as she saw the thick money pouch Noel took out. Noel smiled and shook his head. It was a greedy gaze that she had never shown to him. But why does she look so cute? Maybe because he knew that greed wasn’t an act of doubt. A soft smile spread over his face.

“How much longer do we have to go?”

“We will be there soon. It’s just outside of the town, but not too far. I guess that it’s just past the borderline. It’s dangerous for children to live in too remote of place.”

“But how does Lusi know such a place? Have you always been interested?”

“…Haha, well, yes,” said Elusiana, who was astounded while looking out of the carriage.

“Ah. We arrived just in time.

“Huh? Already?”

“Mister, please stop here.”

The carriage stopped, and the two got off in front of the Angel’s house. Since it was a gate made of iron bars, she could see the noisy appearance inside of it at a glance.

“Now, go in quickly. Huhu.”

“Why are you so excited?”

Elusiana, who was pulling Noel’s arm, looked back at the person who was following him and smiled insidiously. “The children. Didn’t you say you liked them?”

“…Yes? Well, that’s what I said.”

The moment Noel said that, he had the illusion that goosebumps were rising on his forearms.

“The children here like pretty adults too.”

“Pardon?”

“Come on, hurry up.”

Elusiana, who pushed Noel’s back into the door as if she was pushing him, smiled with satisfaction. She soon put her hands together in the shape of a trumpet and shouted loudly. “Guys!”

“Wooow! It’s Sister Lusi.”

“There’s a pretty brother too!”

“No, it’s a pretty sister!”

“It’s an angel!”

The children who noticed the two, came running like a wave while making a sound.

Noel hesitated involuntarily at the unusual sight. From his point of view, the sight was like this. A pack of dogs.

* * *

Time flew by while the children hung on Noel to play. Looking out the window and seeing Elusiana smiling, Angela smiled heartily.

“Which house is he from?”

“Huh, Oh, Noel? Umm, he’s the eldest son of Marquis Klaus.”

Angela’s smiling head tilted for a moment. “You mean the eldest son of Marquis Klaus I know?”

“That’s right, Angela.”

“…He seems very different from what I’ve heard about.”

“Does he look like that for Angela? People say that he looks very friendly on the outside, but he’s different from his look. Rather, he looks delicate. Someone who is suspicious but also affectionate?” Elusiana’s eyes, which said so, bent pleasantly.

“He seems precious to the Lady.”

“What? Don’t say that, even if it’s a joke. Don’t you see the goosebumps on my arms?”

Angela smiled warmly as she watched Elusiana rubbing her arms. “The amount of money he sponsored is considerable.”

“How much did he sponsor?” Elusiana, taking her eyes off Noel, who was chasing Maikel and playing tag with the children, sparkled her eyes again.

“Five hundred golds.”

“Gasp. Five hundred golds? That much?”

When she saw the big money pouch, she thought he had gone overboard, but it exceeded her expectations. She felt apologetic momentarily, but Elusiana’s eyes shone brightly before she knew it. Does it matter… even if it’s too much? It’s a sponsorship, anyway. It’s a volunteer activity!

On the other hand, Angela’s face was full of worry. Her experience had shown that a large amount of sponsorship often had other purposes. Hadn’t Pablo, the owner of Taak Merchant, used sponsorship as an excuse to force Elusiana to marry him?

Angela was quite shocked at that time, although that person suddenly went missing and there was no further conversation after that. She wondered if her lady had lost her honor.

“Is it okay to receive this much money at no cost?”

“You can take it. Noel must be thinking the same. He hopes it helps the children.”

“But, Lady.”

Elusiana, who guessed Angela’s worries, smiled and said, “Angela. My honor is for the children to eat well, grow up well, and live happily while doing what they want.”

“…Lady.”

“I don’t want the children to be swept away by the rough wind and lose their lives. At least I want them to be in charge of their own life, Angela.”

That’s why she was focusing on the children’s education. If they could read and write, they could get a job at the top. They could increase their value, and it wouldn’t be a dream for them to build their own top in the future. At least they wouldn’t be beaten to death while doing odd jobs.

“So, please raise them well with that money.”

“Yes, I will, Lady.” Angela smiled brightly, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Huh?” Elusiana, who was looking out the window, suddenly rose from her seat.

“What’s the matter, Lady?”

“Who else is coming today?”

“No. No one is promised to come.”

“Then, whose carriage is over there?”

Angela stood beside Elusiana and narrowed her eyes.

“I can’t see well because I have bad eyes. Umm, let’s go out together.”

“Yes.”

Leaving behind the uneasiness, Angela and Elusiana went out of the building. Meanwhile, the man who got out of the carriage had just opened the door of Angela’s house. After a long sword fight with the boys, Noel faced the man in question while blocking the children’s way.

“…Grand Duke Sestein?”

Red eyes with golden rings and bluish silver hair. It was clearly an appearance that only came from the direct blood of the Sestein family.

“Are you the eldest son of Marquis Klaus? It seems you know me, so I don’t need to introduce myself.”

The indifferent cold tone rang like tinnitus. Only then did Noel come to his senses.

“Greetings to the Grand Duke. My name is Noel Marcia Klaus. But how did the Grand Duke get here…”

“Why? Did I come to a place where I can’t come?”

Noel’s eyes naturally tried to head into the building. However, he held it in and faced the grand duke.

Even after succeeding to the title, Grand Duke Sestein remained silent. But why did he come here at this moment? Could this meeting really be a coincidence?

Noel still scanned Aster’s face with an incomprehensible look. Although he resembled the previous grand duke’s successor, who he knew well, this man certainly had a different atmosphere from Genoyer. He looked a little shadier and more dangerous than Genoyer. It was to the point that he couldn’t guess what those red eyes were thinking.