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Youth, Recuperating. Second.
“What happened?”
“Ugh….”
As he was hesitating, Dale recited back to his friend, a simplified version of the current affairs.
There was nothing else to do, and no matter how much he rolled around, it would occupy his head. If Gregor wanted him to spit it out then, that’s exactly what he’ll do for him.
“Latina has….”
“Yeah.”
“Has been thinking, of me, you know… as someone of the opposite sex, somehow… and confessed to me.”
“I see.”
“You sure are casual about this.”
“Well, it’s not really that uncommon a matter.”
Hearing Gregor’s disinterested response, Dale made a difficult face as he kept on talking.
“And so I was shaken by that, and in order to cool off my head a bit…. rushed out here.”
“Are you a kid?”
“I’m reflecting on it…”
Even he himself, thought that he shouldn’t have done that. He had gotten shocked and impulsively rushed out of there, but by the time an entire day had passed his head had cooled to the point where he had realised that, he shouldn’t have done that, no matter what.
Be that as it may, there was no way he could return back to Kroix all sulking like that, so he headed to the Royal Capital as planned.
“I realised… after being asked how I wanted to proceed with Latina from here on  that, I’ve never even tried to think about that until now.”
“I see.”
Gregor, sensing that Dale’s story was going to be long, called for the maid to prepare them tea. He himself, brought a chair next to Dale’s bed and sat down.
“…And that’s when I realised it once again, you know.”
Dale then made a truly difficult expression.
“Me and Latina. We’re only separated by a mere 10 years.”
“You’re realising this now.”
“Yeah.”
It really was a late revelation, seeing that it was such basic information.
“Look, I mean, Latina was so small in the beginning. She would always be smiling at me, sitting on my knees, so that’s the strongest impression I have of her, but…. Now that I think about it, we would at most be siblings separated by a large age difference…. And that, we’re no way near the age difference that of a parent and child….”
“….It was only the other day when I first met her, but… she really was as small a child as you described so… I was surprised.”
Gregor recalled the figure of Latina who he had met in Kroix the other day. The Latina who he directly cast his eyes on, still had an impression of immaturity on her appearances, but even all with that, she was a mature young girl with a calm demeanor.
“That’s true. Latina, is cute, right?”
“…Well, indeed.”
“Right~”
The one who had loosened into a lovey-dovey expression, was a Dale, who was no different to before.
“So I was thinking and like…. It’s not that rare for couples to be that far apart, age wise….”
Dale says, and going back to looking serious.
His 『older brother』, Kenneth, and his wife Rita, was a couple who were separated by around that much as well. Even if, when they were younger, they had thought that it was a large difference, they didn’t mind a difference like that as much as they grew up.
“She was way too young when I first met her, you know…. That’s why, I had been prolonging it but…. Latina is almost, not a 『child』 anymore.”
With a sigh, Dale let his gaze swim.
“Even as her 『guardian』, the fact that a 『man』, someone like me, is always together with Latina… isn’t a good thing, right?”
“….No matter where you are, there will be those who would hold doubtful thoughts, after all.”
“That’s true. As Latina’s It was something that I should have thought about, as Latina’s 『guardian』….”
While he was thinking about what Kenneth had pushed onto him, 『Either accept Latina’s feelings, or make it clear to her』, he had also in the back of his mind, at the same time, reached the conclusion that even if 『he didn’t accept her feels, he would make their standpoints clear』 .
If he was to choose to continue being her 『Guardian』 then, it would also mean that he would have to draw up a clear boundary.
Before she becomes an 『adult』, he had to define a clear and unmistakable 『distance』. He had to nip the bud, before others have any ill assumptions directed towards her.
A man, such as himself, wouldn’t mind any sort of vulgar rumours directed at him. However, a 『girl』, like her, couldn’t have such things directed towards her.
“For Latina and I. It’s normal, to stick next to each other.”
“You….”
“From an objective point of view, our’s probably looks…. like that sort of relationship.”
What they call 『treating her like a child』, if he was to actually think about it in such a manner then, it was probably true. It was true that he would, without thinking about it, share the same blanket with her, and quietly sleep next to her.
It wasn’t something you do, with a 『girl』 of her age.
“So? What do you want to do?”
“Hmm…..”
Gregor brings the teacup that the maid had prepared towards his lips, and looks to his side, seeing Dale carefully choosing his words.
“I… probably….. want to be with Latina…. right? If Latina became…. someone else’s, I wouldn’t like that either, and I think I want her to continue staying by my side.”
That was, probably, the simplest answer he had inside of him.
It was a desire, that even those around him could clearly see.
It was the one and only desire 『He』, who had accepted the 『fact that he’ll die at any time』, and didn’t try to wish for anything, had. And that was Latina.
Even now 『the fact that he would one day leave her behind』, makes his heart bleed. However, if he was able to accept even that then — Even though it would only be within the limited time he had, maybe she would accompany him along with his selfishness? Maybe she would stay by his side, smile happily, 『healing』 him.
“In that case, the easiest thing to do is just to 『go for it』, right….?”
Having the question directed towards him, he ended up realising something.
An older version of her, a little bit more grown up than she was now — if she could smile happily by his side then — how happy a future would that be?
If the one to provide that, 『happiness』 to her, was none other than him then, nothing would need to change.
He realised that, it would be nice if the one to provide happiness for that young girl who he wanted to be happier than anyone else, could be him himself.
“Originally, you know, I… had thought that I would be part of a political marriage.”
“Yeah.”
Gregor knew about the unique 『clan』 that was Tisroh. 『Tisroh』 was a 『clan』 that possessed a much greater power than some lower ranking nobles of the Raband Kingdom. As a member of the Duke’s family, there’s no reason not to exercise caution.
Dale, as the duties of the next clan head, never had any problems with accepting a political marriage for the sake of establishing a connection with another clan that would bring them benefits.
Naturally, things like age and appearance, depending on the circumstances, would be left up to fate for the two people who were meeting for the first time, and getting married.
“Leaving aside my feelings, I had thought that no matter who the other person was, I would be sincere to them. Naturally, I wouldn’t have minded even if they were younger than Latina.”
“If it’s a political marriage then, it isn’t that rare a matter.”
“Exactly.”
He yielded the position of the next clan head to his little brother, and had escaped from such obligations, but he had never thought of looking for his 『wife』.
“Which is why, the option to be able to be with 『my precious Latina』, would make me feel extremely 『blessed』.”
He could imagine what others have been noisy about, and that it was probably what he was worried about as well.
Latina was someone of the 『Demon race』.
She was someone who had a much longer lifespan than them of the 『Human race』. It was a fact that, watching over that girl’s happiness was his own happiness and, if they keep spending time together then gradually, the 『differences in time』 would likely appear.
(Before I’ve realised, I would’ve become an old man after all….)
The sight of 『her staying young and sacrificing her own happiness for him, as he grew older』 was something that seemed to be easy for those around them to imagine.
It was a reason for worry.
If he was to think about it calmly, that was the only future that he could personally imagine.
“But, in any case, let’s leave that for now.”
“Hah?”
Dale’s tone changed. Hearing Gregor who asked for an explanation with a look of surprise, Dale answered with his usual easygoing attitude.
“Well, that’s something for the 『future』.”
“….You think so?”
“I mean, Latina is still a 『child』 after all.”
Dale threw his hands up in the air, making a gentle curve. Gregor too, didn’t question what that mostly meaningless gesture meant.
“As for considering 『what I should do』 seriously, that would be after Latina grows up a little bit more.”
Dale didn’t have a liking for 『young girls』.
Having to consider that, the smile that Dale had on his hopeless looking face, had a look such that it seemed he was half embarrassed, and half, truly bitter.
That’s when, they heard a knock.
A single maid came into the room hearing Gregor’s response, giving forth a sense of panic unseeming of a servant in this mansion.
Even Gregor who heard that quiet report, changed, having a look of surprise on him.
Before Dale could ask for the reason, 『that reason』 came coming into the room.
Gregor stood up straight in response, but Dale who was on the bed, didn’t have time to fix himself up.
The other party, seeing Dale trying to get up and greet him, stopped him with one hand.
“Father.”
The one who Gregor said that to, was a distinguished individual who was starting to grow a full head of white hair. He had a tidy appearance as expected from Gregor’s father.
He was a man who had an air about him that would make his surroundings tidy themselves up with just his presence. This didn’t mean that he had a frightening face. If one had to describe him, he would probably seem to look more calm than not. However, it was also clear that that was not all there was to him.
The man who was shouldering the family name of Eldishtett. The man, who even in this kingdom, was second in authority only to the king.
Such a man was purposefully walking up next to Dale, who couldn’t wonder at the reason why, and yet as Dale was worrying, in the next instant — those worries were blown away.
Trying to hide behind the shadow of the Duke was a young girl with a head of silver hair, looking right at him.