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Chapter 139: Tug of War [unedited]
“Sigren, let’s get married!”
I can’t see his face properly because I was hugging him, but I think his face must be red.
“Why is this conversation going there all of a sudden!”
But I was serious.
“Because I didn’t think there will ever be another man like you in my life?”
If you think he is the one, don’t hesitate and catch it right away! Didn’t people say something like this?
“So you have no intention of having a second man and you only want to sleep with a man like me in your life?” He was sarcastic.
But that was a hell of a commitment supposed to be. It was a huge promise.
Sigren’s protest did not end there.
“More than that… I can’t keep up with your flow at all! Why don’t you say give a little hint first. Let me prepare my heart!”
“So you’re not going to marry me?”
Did he think I didn’t mean to because I said it in bed? Did he think this was just pillow talk?
“No, it’s not like that. But why… when I was pushing you harder, you were like a rock, and then suddenly…. Just wait.” Sigren was rather calm after I asked him.
“Why?”
I loosened my hug and looked at him.
Sigren stood up and sighed, brushing his face. “Ah, I woke up because of you.”
I also got up.
“That’s good.”
Sigren sighed distraughtly after seeing my calm face.
“Fiona, first.. Let’s engage.”
Sigren gave in to my aggressiveness.
“Ah, right. I was going to send a letter to the Duke because of that.”
Abel said he would come soon, but somehow his news was very vague.
“Ah, right.”
“What elese?” Sigren sent a nervous glance at the sudden change of subject. He looked at me as if disaster was coming whenever I opened my mouth.
“Oh noo… Celine knew I stayed out.”
The place where I slept was the Imperial Palace.
“Even if Celine is turning a blind eye, one way or another, the news that I was staying out overnight will go to Abel….”
“I guess so.”
“Would he believe me if I told him that we truly only sleep while holding hands?”
Sigren laughed. “He won’t. And when this news got into his ears, he’ll probably try to crush me.”
Crush him, he said!
“Right Sigren. Are you really okay having Abel as your father-in-law?”
This time, Sigren also answered quite seriously.
“I will endure it somehow with the power of love.”
God, I didn’t expect him to say that.
I giggled and hugged him again.
As I continued to cling to him, Sigren kept complaining about whether torturing him was my hobby. Then he eventually kicked me out of his room. He said he had to catch some sleep.
He kicked his lover out after one night. What a cold-hearted guy, wasn’t he?
As I left the palace, I couldn’t stop giggling.
He was really cute.
***
Thanks to Sigren, my feeling was no loonger gloomy. He really has a knack to cheer me up.
Bill Curtis was accused by various nobles. He went around deceiving people, so he had it coming.
Of course, there was some help from Livya. And Livya once again has firmly maintained her socialite queen position in the noble society.
Along with that, His Majesty the Emperor, who never saw a human being better than himself, generously passed on the ordeal of Bill Curtis.
There was no way Sigren would fawn over the emperor as I said, so I was very curious about how he handled it.
In the meantime, I finally told the academy about the voices Bill and I had heard. It was because I was finally certain that it was not an illusion. But I didn’t expect much. You can’t jump into the darkness to hear that voice again in the first place. Also, we never knew where the darkness would appear. In the first place, the darkness appeared on its own accord.
And even though Bill Curtis could live after meeting the darkness, his life was slowly dying. Bill seemed not to know this fact. However, it was not unreasonable. He was relatively new compared to Arrendt, so he didn’t notice it. Besides, Bill wasn’t as cautious as Arrendt, and he was narcissistic.
Of course, I questioned Bill more about the voice, but I didn’t earn much. He was mumbling nonsense, perhaps because he fell into the abyss and was completely out of his mind.
Then as I planned, I went to visit Eunice in the hospital.
“That’s why I couldn’t give the head of Bill Curtis as the present for a hospital visit.”
When I explained everything, Eunice responded kindly. “The intention of your heart is more than enough for a present, Lady Fiona.”
Sigren said there was no major injury, so I went with peace of mind, but it turned out Eunice had bruise on her face.
Ah Sigren! Just because her limbs aren’t cut off, it didn’t mean she was not seriously injured!
Objectively, it could be classified as a minor injury, but when I saw Eunice’s face, I was a little upset.
“So what happened to them?”
“Who?”
“Those who followed Count Bill Curtis.”
I remembered those who asked me to save the dead.
“Everyone has to overcome it somehow.”
This time, of course, should be in a more normal way.
“Well, can’t I be of any help instead of him?”
“Yes?”
Eunice blushed slightly. “Oh, I’m not suggesting that I’m preaching strange doctrines like Count Bill Curtis!”
Only then did I understand what she was saying.
“You mean you want to become someone they could rely on mentally?”
“Yes yes, that’s right.”
“…”
Well, that was no problem.
In the first place, that was the work of the saintess. As everyone got older, they faced events that they could not handle on their own. And whenever that happened, they looked for something to rely on. Family, lovers, friends, religion, gambling, drugs… It all depended on the individual.
When I stared blankly at Eunice, she flustered.
“Of course, I’m not that great of a person, and I’m not very good at it, but—”
“It’s fine. But i wonder why… I’m not criticizing you…. It’s just, isn’t it a very difficult work?”
Eunice regained her composure in my question. Her gaze was clear. “Because I wanted to help.”
“Even to those who harmed you?”
“You might think it’s hypocrisy, but I’m totally fine.”
“Aren’t you angry?”
“I know. Why am I not angry?”
Eunice tilted her head and gave a bashful laugh.
“It’s strange to even when I think about it. But since I’ve already made up my mind that I want to help, I can’t help it.”
Maybe I underestimated Eunice too much. Eunice, who has an upright desire to support someone, would grow stronger in the future. Wasn’t that in the original plot? Well, it would be rude if I said it to her. But I now realized that she would live well and grow stronger in the future with or without such a fateful lover. Everyone was changing while doing their best in their respective positions.
I guessed I also have to try my best too.
“I believe you can do well. I will cheer you on.”
“Thank you.”
Eunice and I laughed.
***
After that, I sent a letter to Abel.
It was about what happened so far and about the engagement. I waited for a reply for some time.
….But no reply came.