Chapter 202
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Translator: Yonnee
—
I knew that Albert’s eyes strayed my way a few times in the middle. He cared about me, but he pretended that he didn’t.
I could understand why he was trying to push me away. It was difficult to lay bare your heart to another when the inevitable end of your relationship was in sight.
After all, it was like that too between me and Albert in the future.
I didn’t want to give in to him either.
But eventually, I surrendered to Albert.
The young Albert would be like that as well—I’m sure of it. Despite how he was treating me now, it could be seen clearly how he couldn’t completely push me away.
All I could do now was to wait for him.
After Albert finished his morning training with Emmett, a flustered Greten soon walked through the door and handed Albert a letter.
“Young Count, His Grace the Duke of Masen sent a letter wishing that he can come to visit.”
“…Why this place?”
Albert reacted rather bitterly. I would have reacted the same way as him.
Greten was delighted by the fact that a duke was coming for a visit, but this was certainly not a proper place to receive a duke.
“Of course, it’s to meet you, Young Count! It seems like Young Duke Liam has been wanting to have a spar with you for a while now, too.”
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It’s my first time here in the past that I’m Liam being mentioned. I already knew that Albert and Liam had known each other since they were children, but I didn’t know that they also sparred together.
It’s only obvious that Albert would win in a match between them. Still, I wondered how well Liam could hold up.
Albert thought it over. He must be mulling over whether he should accept or refuse the visit.
However, Greten did not even let Albert think it through.
“It’s only obvious that His Grace shouldn’t just come here as it is.”
Greten brought her index finger and thumb together to form a circle. She’s talking about money.
Right then, Albert’s face grew red. Greten must know that he would not be able to deny this.
In the first place, Albert came here to this place for the sake of borrowing money, so he knew what she was insinuating.
Albert’s eyes darted around. I knew right away who he was looking for. Me.
Fortunately, I had already ducked out of a window and out of Albert’s line of view.
I was well aware of the effect money had on one’s self-esteem, and furthermore, Albert was still a child.
Perhaps relieved by the fact that I wasn’t in the room, Albert’s eyes relaxed slightly. He gave Greten a nod.
With that signal, Greten went out excitedly. By her expression alone, she must be thrilled that she’d be able to buy better meat for today.
She seemed to be thinking that the duke could be a good connection for Albert.
After just seeing Schubert, this visit was going to allow me to see what Liam looked like as a child.
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
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…Is this all a coincidence? Or is it part of the ordeal?
I suddenly found myself lost in that train of thought.
The period in which I met Albert was filled with many different coincidences.
If Albert had been in the capital, it wouldn’t have been possible to meet so many nobles and main characters in a short amount of time.
And when I think about the people I’ve met thus far, it’s impossible for me to think lightly of Liam’s visit.
The same was true for the nobles who had come to the festival.
Marquis Evnen, who had close ties to Rosteratu. The lord of the magic tower. Schubert. Emmett. Liam. Albert’s teacher.
I was meeting so many people who had significant impacts on Albert’s life.
Except for the tower lord and Emmett, who I had only heard about before, they were people who I had also met in the future.
The only ones who hadn’t appeared yet in Albert’s past were Mercy, Leona and Crowell… That’s about it.
No, to be honest, there’s one more individual.
The being who left a profound impact on me right before I became Blanc’s contractor—
Alexander, the blue dragon who allowed me to see a nightmare where Blanc was no longer in this world.
I let out a shaky breath.
Was I going to see everyone? No, it might not end at just seeing them.
From what Emmett had said before, I couldn’t help but feel that there was something more to this festival.
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I would inevitably find myself in front of a crossroads, right before a choice that might extinguish my own existence.
During this festival, would I be able to move forward without changing the future?
So many questions surged within me.
I pray that whatever my choice will be, it’s for the good of both me and Albert.
* * *
It was decided that Liam’s visit would be two days later. After Emmett heard about it, he helped with the mansion’s clean-up.
With one gesture, his magic swept through the interior, making it so spik and span that it looked like a hundred employees had scrubbed the entire place.
Greten was puzzled, but she eventually chalked it up to Albert’s magic.
Really, how lucky was it that she didn’t really know much about magic?
“…How can I help?”
“It’s your first time visiting this place anyway, so don’t fret. And don’t exhaust your magic when you don’t really need to use it.”
“You speak as if you’re brimming with magical power.”
“Whether I’m brimming with it or skimping on using it, I’ll just be called stingy.”
Emmett grinned.
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At that, I narrowed my eyes.
“…Then why are you helping now?”
“Looking at you, it seems quite possible.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing much.”
Emmett replied unashamedly. These days, I’ve just been quarreling with him more and more.
Where did that mysterious, aloof first impression of him go? Right now, I could only see Emmett as a young man whose real age bore no weight.
As we were in the middle of a squabble, I caught sight of Albert through the window. He was out to greet Liam.
Until now, Albert and I hadn’t made up yet.
I’ve been meaning to go see Albert one more time before the festival starts.
Stealthily, I approached Albert and, in the distance, I saw a child with black hair that was just a bit lighter than Emmett’s sleek, midnight hue.
It was a child who was trying hard to look calm, but his reddened ears were giving him away.
The future grand duke of the nor… Err, I mean, the duke and closest confidant of Albert.
Liam Masen.
Chapter 202
Sponsored Content
Translator: Yonnee
—
I knew that Albert’s eyes strayed my way a few times in the middle. He cared about me, but he pretended that he didn’t.
I could understand why he was trying to push me away. It was difficult to lay bare your heart to another when the inevitable end of your relationship was in sight.
After all, it was like that too between me and Albert in the future.
I didn’t want to give in to him either.
But eventually, I surrendered to Albert.
The young Albert would be like that as well—I’m sure of it. Despite how he was treating me now, it could be seen clearly how he couldn’t completely push me away.
All I could do now was to wait for him.
After Albert finished his morning training with Emmett, a flustered Greten soon walked through the door and handed Albert a letter.
“Young Count, His Grace the Duke of Masen sent a letter wishing that he can come to visit.”
“…Why this place?”
Albert reacted rather bitterly. I would have reacted the same way as him.
Greten was delighted by the fact that a duke was coming for a visit, but this was certainly not a proper place to receive a duke.
“Of course, it’s to meet you, Young Count! It seems like Young Duke Liam has been wanting to have a spar with you for a while now, too.”
Sponsored Content
It’s my first time here in the past that I’m Liam being mentioned. I already knew that Albert and Liam had known each other since they were children, but I didn’t know that they also sparred together.
It’s only obvious that Albert would win in a match between them. Still, I wondered how well Liam could hold up.
Albert thought it over. He must be mulling over whether he should accept or refuse the visit.
However, Greten did not even let Albert think it through.
“It’s only obvious that His Grace shouldn’t just come here as it is.”
Greten brought her index finger and thumb together to form a circle. She’s talking about money.
Right then, Albert’s face grew red. Greten must know that he would not be able to deny this.
In the first place, Albert came here to this place for the sake of borrowing money, so he knew what she was insinuating.
Albert’s eyes darted around. I knew right away who he was looking for. Me.
Fortunately, I had already ducked out of a window and out of Albert’s line of view.
I was well aware of the effect money had on one’s self-esteem, and furthermore, Albert was still a child.
Perhaps relieved by the fact that I wasn’t in the room, Albert’s eyes relaxed slightly. He gave Greten a nod.
With that signal, Greten went out excitedly. By her expression alone, she must be thrilled that she’d be able to buy better meat for today.
She seemed to be thinking that the duke could be a good connection for Albert.
After just seeing Schubert, this visit was going to allow me to see what Liam looked like as a child.
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Sponsored Content
…Is this all a coincidence? Or is it part of the ordeal?
I suddenly found myself lost in that train of thought.
The period in which I met Albert was filled with many different coincidences.
If Albert had been in the capital, it wouldn’t have been possible to meet so many nobles and main characters in a short amount of time.
And when I think about the people I’ve met thus far, it’s impossible for me to think lightly of Liam’s visit.
The same was true for the nobles who had come to the festival.
Marquis Evnen, who had close ties to Rosteratu. The lord of the magic tower. Schubert. Emmett. Liam. Albert’s teacher.
I was meeting so many people who had significant impacts on Albert’s life.
Except for the tower lord and Emmett, who I had only heard about before, they were people who I had also met in the future.
The only ones who hadn’t appeared yet in Albert’s past were Mercy, Leona and Crowell… That’s about it.
No, to be honest, there’s one more individual.
The being who left a profound impact on me right before I became Blanc’s contractor—
Alexander, the blue dragon who allowed me to see a nightmare where Blanc was no longer in this world.
I let out a shaky breath.
Was I going to see everyone? No, it might not end at just seeing them.
From what Emmett had said before, I couldn’t help but feel that there was something more to this festival.
Sponsored Content
I would inevitably find myself in front of a crossroads, right before a choice that might extinguish my own existence.
During this festival, would I be able to move forward without changing the future?
So many questions surged within me.
I pray that whatever my choice will be, it’s for the good of both me and Albert.
* * *
It was decided that Liam’s visit would be two days later. After Emmett heard about it, he helped with the mansion’s clean-up.
With one gesture, his magic swept through the interior, making it so spik and span that it looked like a hundred employees had scrubbed the entire place.
Greten was puzzled, but she eventually chalked it up to Albert’s magic.
Really, how lucky was it that she didn’t really know much about magic?
“…How can I help?”
“It’s your first time visiting this place anyway, so don’t fret. And don’t exhaust your magic when you don’t really need to use it.”
“You speak as if you’re brimming with magical power.”
“Whether I’m brimming with it or skimping on using it, I’ll just be called stingy.”
Emmett grinned.
Sponsored Content
At that, I narrowed my eyes.
“…Then why are you helping now?”
“Looking at you, it seems quite possible.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing much.”
Emmett replied unashamedly. These days, I’ve just been quarreling with him more and more.
Where did that mysterious, aloof first impression of him go? Right now, I could only see Emmett as a young man whose real age bore no weight.
As we were in the middle of a squabble, I caught sight of Albert through the window. He was out to greet Liam.
Until now, Albert and I hadn’t made up yet.
I’ve been meaning to go see Albert one more time before the festival starts.
Stealthily, I approached Albert and, in the distance, I saw a child with black hair that was just a bit lighter than Emmett’s sleek, midnight hue.
It was a child who was trying hard to look calm, but his reddened ears were giving him away.
The future grand duke of the nor… Err, I mean, the duke and closest confidant of Albert.
Liam Masen.
