Chapter 29 – Curse (13)
Translator: Yonnee
—
Touching her white hair, Julia sighed. The price of forcibly reaching for divine power made her end up with white hair and a bad case of drowsiness, but Leo’s intervention at least allowed her to skip the several days of slumber that she would have fallen under.
As she sighed, Leo seemed to have heard it and his eyes fluttered open. Julia turned her gaze towards the rustling sound of his movement on the bed.
“Are you up, Duke?”
“…What happened?”
“Nothing else other than the Duke falling asleep because you’ve exhausted your energy. How are you now? Do you feel tired, is your body heavy, or is there anywhere that hurts?”
At Julia’s words, Leo lifted his arms and inspected his own condition. Then, he shook his head.
“Not at all. I feel a bit light.”
Julia looked at him with a bit of a complicated expression. It was by no means easy to take in all those souls into one’s body.
In Leo’s case, he was a vassal that was enough to fit countless souls, but the problem was the wavelength. If it wasn’t the same, the balance of his body might collapse, and this would cause him to fall ill or to permanently harm his health.
This was the reason why some people suffer from an illness of the spiritual kind after being possessed by a ghost. And Julia was worried because of this because he might have been left in a terrible shape.
However, as Julia looked at him in disbelief, she couldn’t understand why it was that he looked alright.
“Apart from that.”
Leo spoke as he continued to check his body.
“How was it handled after?”
“Well…”
Olden replied on Julia’s behalf.
“First of all, we have told each student, under the order of the Duke, that if there were people who purposefully do something like this again in the future, they will be strictly punished under the laws of the Duchy. In addition, the students who had performed the ritual had been disciplined, and while that is happening, there are people investigating the truth behind the incident. It wouldn’t be uncovered until we have more time to investigate, but if someone with malicious intentions had deliberately done this…”
Olden trailed off, and Leo nodded.
“They should be prepared for the guillotine.”
After Leo answered after Olden, he looked at Julia. He scanned her up and down, before he asked.
“Did you get hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Rather, Julia shook her head after seeing him worry about her before himself. There was a subtle smile on her lips.
Leo raised his hand and combed his fingers through her white hair that was like thread. And as his fingers followed down along her hair, he said with a low voice.
“Your hair is pretty.”
“Is it your preference?”
“No.”
At her blunt question, Leo smiled slightly and shook his head.
“Because it’s on you. So I like it.
“……”
There was no hesitation as he said that, in the same way that he didn’t knock before opening a door. As he held her hand, the words that came to her ears always sounded sweet.
“Count Kalia will be here in a little while.”
“Count Kalia?”
“Yes.”
“How come?”
“I asked him to come here. Since he said that he’ll arrive around noon, would you like to come with me?”
Leo thought about it for a moment, then he nodded. Julia stood up and spoke to Olden.
“Please let him rest a little more. Keep an eye on the Duke, Olden. Even if he’s in a good condition, it’s better to rest more.”
“Don’t worry, Lady Julia.”
Upon hearing his answer, Julia smiled at Leo, then left the room. When there were only the two of them left, Olden opened his lips to speak.
“Lady Julia worried a lot about Your Grace.”
“It’s not a bad feeling to have someone worry over me.”
Leo leaned back on the bed again, smiling. Olden glanced at the Duke.
“Does Lady Julia still not remember?”
“Not yet. I’m actually waiting for it. It’s been a long time after all.”
“But then…”
“Olden.”
Leo looked like he was schooling his features to make it seem like he was alright, but it just made his nervousness show.
“I like how it is with Julia now. Even this was unimaginable in the past. Then again, I’m getting more greedy—I can’t help but want more. But I can’t just force my feelings on her, so…”
Leo raised an arm and rested it over his forehead. His vision darkened.
“I’ll wait a little longer. If I wait, she’ll know.”
“……”
Olden kept his mouth closed as he listened to Leo, and the aide soon sat in a chair. Silence filled the room.
*
“It is an honor to meet the young lady of the reputable Robinharts family of the Kingdom. It really is a pleasure.”
The Robinharts family was known for their looks, so they were quite well-known despite the family holding only the title of Count.
As Julia always said, even if her household was still picking up the pieces from her parents getting scammed, and even if they still did not hold the same power they used to have, the stories and renown related to the Robinharts family was still enough to attract people’s attention.
“Even I would have been reluctant to come if someone had asked me to visit a faraway place such as this, so thank you for coming, Count.”
As Julia curtsied gracefully, Count Kalia shook his head, a smile on his face.
“No, I wanted to come anyway, Lady Julia.”
As he looked around, Count Kalia’s expression hardened slightly.
“My daughter attended this place not too long ago.”
“……”
Julia bowed her head a bit because she felt emotional. The feelings she had as she talked to Leah resurfaced.
“Lady Julia?”
“…It’s nothing. The reason I asked the Count to come here is…”
By the time Julia was about to bring up the main topic of the conversation, the door opened. Leo entered, and Count Kalia was taken aback as he saw the Duke of Epesia. He quickly bowed.
“I greet Your Grace the Duke.”
“No need for such a dreary greeting, Count Kalia.”
Leo patted the Count’s shoulder, then proceeded to take a seat in a nearby armchair. As Julia watched him, Leo nodded as though to say everything’s fine.
“Of course…”
Julia took out a piece of paper and picked up a pen. Then, she wrote something down.
Count Kalia stared at her movements, confusion evidently in his eyes. It was a talisman, what Julia was making, and as she finished scrawling, she placed the pen down and looked at the Count.
“A certain child asked me to do a favor for her. She left the world too soon without even being able to live her whole life. And… She told me to tell you something. However, it would be faster if the Count could see it in person instead of me just telling you.”
Count Kalia gradually stiffened up the more he listened to Julia’s words. As she looked around, the maids standing near the window closed the curtains, and so their surroundings became darker.
Then, Julia’s voice quietly filled the room where darkness fell.
“The day of one’s death is what separates the deceased from the living and connects the living to the deceased. And, blood is the thickest link that there is.”
Julia reached out towards Count Kalia’s hand in the darkness. Staying still as she wanted, Count Kalia let her take his hand, then he felt a sting on his palm.
When he winced a little, Julia spoke again.
“What is the strongest relationship there could be in life? Marriage? Friendship? Or an ill-fated relationship? They all have strong connections. However, the relationship between a child and their parents resembles the creation of the world. Creating life, in a way, is an act that only God can do. That is why…”
Julia’s voice trembled.
“It is called conception.”
At this, a white sphere gradually appeared. The weak light soon began shining more brightly, and then it took on a form.
Count Kalia stared blankly at the sphere that slowly looked more human. The Count was astonished, but he soon frowned. Then, he bit his lips, but soon, he shed tears.
He recognized the shape that the light took the form of.
“…Leah.”
[ Dad. ]
It was Leah, Count Kalia’s daughter. The people around them stared in confusion. It was just a ball of light in their eyes, but Count Kalia recognized it to be his daughter.
“Leah… Leah… Is it really you…?”
[ Dad… ]
When a tear-stricken voice filled the air, Count Kalia soon shed tears that flowed like rivers. Why was the sorrow of a father who had lost his child so unfortunate?
The father’s grief flowed out like waters bursting through an open gate, and this reached the light.
“My child… my child…!!”
He had already lost his wife, but how indescribable this was, the sorrow of losing his only daughter? His cold, frozen heart couldn’t be melted by anyone. All except for his daughter, Leah.
As Count Kalia tried to touch the light, he looked at his hand disbelievingly as it passed by without being able to touch it. Leah looked at her father with sadness.
[ …We don’t have much time, Dad. Still… I really wanted to see you. ]
“Leah… My daughter, are, are you in pain? Hm?”
[ Not at all. I feel really comfortable actually. ]
“Leah…”
As Count Kalia bowed his head, his tears flowing profusely, a group of lights surrounded him as though to comfort him.
[ Don’t cry. Please don’t be sad. Don’t be hurt. Just as much as Dad gave me love, I hope that you were also happy with me. Please don’t think that I took my own life. And also please don’t think that someone else had taken my life. It’s just that I’m still here. I’m just waiting here, I just came here first… ]
Leah spoke quieter now.
[ Please remember that I was your daughter. ]
“Leah…”
[ I have so many things to say… yet I can’t remember everything. But what I really want to say is something that I do remember. ]
Leah closed her eyes. A warm light shone around her, as if representing her feelings. And Count Kalia, who continued to weep, looked up at his daughter’s face.
The warm, gentle smile on his daughter’s lips resembled his wife’s smile, his wife who also passed on first. He wanted to live a happy life together with his daughter, to see a grandchild who would also resemble his daughter, to see her happy.
However, he hated and resented the world that didn’t even allow this small happiness. If he could, he wanted to sell his soul to the devil just to get his daughter back.
Leah smiled, touching her father’s frozen heart as though she knew what he was thinking.
And she said one last thing.
[ Thank you for everything. ]
Count Kalia sobbed as his daughter conveyed her gratitude, the words that were the most fulfilling to hear for a parent from their child. Wracked with tears, the desperation and the heartbreaking sorrow of the father who lost his child could be felt palpably.
Feeling his own eyes tear up, Leo bit his lips and averted his gaze.
Leo looked at her father as he howled in tears, and she wanted to embrace her father, but the light gradually disappeared.
Seeing this, Count Kalia was flustered and cried and called her name. However, only a soft light remained, and his daughter was no longer there.
“…That is all.”
A hushed, subdued voice rang out. Count Kalia approached Julia.
“One more… Please let me see her one more time, Lady Julia! My daughter… Let me see my daughter once more…!!”
“…It’s not possible.”
“Why?!”
“Because the dead must rest.”
“But just now…”
Count Kalia tried to shout and point his anger towards Julia, but when the curtains were opened and bright light came in, he couldn’t say anything more.
Tears were flowing down Julia’s face as well. The Count remained silent as Julia struggled to speak.
“In the next life… She needs to take a long rest so that she can be reborn as the Count’s child again. There may be times when you want to give up on your dreams and achievements, and decades will pass. But by then…”
There was a small smile on Julia’s lips.
“The two of you will meet once more. Again, with your connection as parent and child.”
“……”
Count Kalia collapsed as he listened to Julia. Then, he said quietly.
“She said thank you, my Leah.”
“Yes, I heard it.”
“Will my daughter hear me if I reply, Lady Julia?”
At Count Kalia’s whisper, Julia exhaled low. Her trembling voice contained so much emotion.
“Of course. It will be delivered to her.”
“Then… Then, say this to her.”
Count Kalia looked down at his palms, then bowed down with his eyes closed. And from the bottom of his heart, he said his final message to his beloved daughter.
“For being born as my daughter… thank you so much. You’ve given me so much happiness… and this happiness… is because you gave me the chance to know how beautiful the world is… and…”
His eyes were tightly shut.
“I’m so, so grateful that you saved me from grief after losing my wife. Thank you, thank you so much.”
“…She smiled.”
She and Count Kalia recalled the person’s face at the same time. A little girl smiling brightly.
“When she heard what you said, she smiled.”
“…Thank you. Really… Thank you very much.”
Count Kalia’s sobs filled the room. Julia comforted the man who cried alone, and soon, the room was filled with only the sound of his crying.
*
Julia struggled to keep a smile on her face when she saw Count Kalia off as he returned to his territory. And as he left, Leo approached Julia.
“…This is difficult work, too.”
“No. It’s not something difficult.”
“Then?”
“It’s rewarding.”
Julia smiled gently.
“This place is very different from the place I knew. That place only made fun of me and didn’t take my work seriously. But it’s different here. I’m happy that there’s a level of respect, and because of people’s understanding, I can help them. Maybe because this world is not contaminated.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“This place.”
Leo tilted his head to the side, and Julia glanced at him. She recalled that time at dawn when he whispered those words, asking her for an answer.
Julia closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
“…Can I answer that question now?”
Although Julia didn’t directly mention it, Leo knew at once what she was trying to say.
As he looked at her expectantly, Julia met his gaze.
A serious gaze and a slightly nervous gaze. Unlike the usual light in his eyes as he smiled, Julia averted her gaze slightly because the seriousness in his expression now was strange to her.
For some reason, she thought that it would be more embarrassing if she kept eye contact with him, so she looked away. Then, she stammered.
“…T-That… well… um… T-The Duke said that before, but s… so… if the Duke still wants to do that… I… well…”
“Well…?”
As Leo repeated the word, Julia’s eyes trembled as she looked around. As he smiled at the adorable sight, Julia felt ashamed for no reason, and she suddenly shouted.
“I… I’ll stay!! You said that I can, so I’ll stay h-here and think about it. I can’t give you a definite answer yet, but still… it’s not that I’m saying no… t-that’s why…”
Julia turned around and muttered.
“…I’ll… I’ll think about it later.”
Leo burst into laughter as he saw her bright red face, nodding as he got what she was saying.
“Then I’ll look forward to it, Julia.”
“……”
Julia bowed deeply without answering. She stared at Leo’s shoes for a moment, but then she soon turned around and headed back to her room.
The bright red face seemed to be the same shade as the color of her eyes, and Leo’s smile grew wider.
‘I dream of a future with you here, Julia. It’s a future where we eat together, talk together, laugh together, so…’
Like a passing breath close by, his voice was vivid.
‘Don’t leave.’
Through red lips as though captivated by her, it was as though to claim her spirit.
The story of these two was just beginning.
—End of Arc 2.
Chapter 29 – Curse (13)
Translator: Yonnee
—
Touching her white hair, Julia sighed. The price of forcibly reaching for divine power made her end up with white hair and a bad case of drowsiness, but Leo’s intervention at least allowed her to skip the several days of slumber that she would have fallen under.
As she sighed, Leo seemed to have heard it and his eyes fluttered open. Julia turned her gaze towards the rustling sound of his movement on the bed.
“Are you up, Duke?”
“…What happened?”
“Nothing else other than the Duke falling asleep because you’ve exhausted your energy. How are you now? Do you feel tired, is your body heavy, or is there anywhere that hurts?”
At Julia’s words, Leo lifted his arms and inspected his own condition. Then, he shook his head.
“Not at all. I feel a bit light.”
Julia looked at him with a bit of a complicated expression. It was by no means easy to take in all those souls into one’s body.
In Leo’s case, he was a vassal that was enough to fit countless souls, but the problem was the wavelength. If it wasn’t the same, the balance of his body might collapse, and this would cause him to fall ill or to permanently harm his health.
This was the reason why some people suffer from an illness of the spiritual kind after being possessed by a ghost. And Julia was worried because of this because he might have been left in a terrible shape.
However, as Julia looked at him in disbelief, she couldn’t understand why it was that he looked alright.
“Apart from that.”
Leo spoke as he continued to check his body.
“How was it handled after?”
“Well…”
Olden replied on Julia’s behalf.
“First of all, we have told each student, under the order of the Duke, that if there were people who purposefully do something like this again in the future, they will be strictly punished under the laws of the Duchy. In addition, the students who had performed the ritual had been disciplined, and while that is happening, there are people investigating the truth behind the incident. It wouldn’t be uncovered until we have more time to investigate, but if someone with malicious intentions had deliberately done this…”
Olden trailed off, and Leo nodded.
“They should be prepared for the guillotine.”
After Leo answered after Olden, he looked at Julia. He scanned her up and down, before he asked.
“Did you get hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Rather, Julia shook her head after seeing him worry about her before himself. There was a subtle smile on her lips.
Leo raised his hand and combed his fingers through her white hair that was like thread. And as his fingers followed down along her hair, he said with a low voice.
“Your hair is pretty.”
“Is it your preference?”
“No.”
At her blunt question, Leo smiled slightly and shook his head.
“Because it’s on you. So I like it.
“……”
There was no hesitation as he said that, in the same way that he didn’t knock before opening a door. As he held her hand, the words that came to her ears always sounded sweet.
“Count Kalia will be here in a little while.”
“Count Kalia?”
“Yes.”
“How come?”
“I asked him to come here. Since he said that he’ll arrive around noon, would you like to come with me?”
Leo thought about it for a moment, then he nodded. Julia stood up and spoke to Olden.
“Please let him rest a little more. Keep an eye on the Duke, Olden. Even if he’s in a good condition, it’s better to rest more.”
“Don’t worry, Lady Julia.”
Upon hearing his answer, Julia smiled at Leo, then left the room. When there were only the two of them left, Olden opened his lips to speak.
“Lady Julia worried a lot about Your Grace.”
“It’s not a bad feeling to have someone worry over me.”
Leo leaned back on the bed again, smiling. Olden glanced at the Duke.
“Does Lady Julia still not remember?”
“Not yet. I’m actually waiting for it. It’s been a long time after all.”
“But then…”
“Olden.”
Leo looked like he was schooling his features to make it seem like he was alright, but it just made his nervousness show.
“I like how it is with Julia now. Even this was unimaginable in the past. Then again, I’m getting more greedy—I can’t help but want more. But I can’t just force my feelings on her, so…”
Leo raised an arm and rested it over his forehead. His vision darkened.
“I’ll wait a little longer. If I wait, she’ll know.”
“……”
Olden kept his mouth closed as he listened to Leo, and the aide soon sat in a chair. Silence filled the room.
*
“It is an honor to meet the young lady of the reputable Robinharts family of the Kingdom. It really is a pleasure.”
The Robinharts family was known for their looks, so they were quite well-known despite the family holding only the title of Count.
As Julia always said, even if her household was still picking up the pieces from her parents getting scammed, and even if they still did not hold the same power they used to have, the stories and renown related to the Robinharts family was still enough to attract people’s attention.
“Even I would have been reluctant to come if someone had asked me to visit a faraway place such as this, so thank you for coming, Count.”
As Julia curtsied gracefully, Count Kalia shook his head, a smile on his face.
“No, I wanted to come anyway, Lady Julia.”
As he looked around, Count Kalia’s expression hardened slightly.
“My daughter attended this place not too long ago.”
“……”
Julia bowed her head a bit because she felt emotional. The feelings she had as she talked to Leah resurfaced.
“Lady Julia?”
“…It’s nothing. The reason I asked the Count to come here is…”
By the time Julia was about to bring up the main topic of the conversation, the door opened. Leo entered, and Count Kalia was taken aback as he saw the Duke of Epesia. He quickly bowed.
“I greet Your Grace the Duke.”
“No need for such a dreary greeting, Count Kalia.”
Leo patted the Count’s shoulder, then proceeded to take a seat in a nearby armchair. As Julia watched him, Leo nodded as though to say everything’s fine.
“Of course…”
Julia took out a piece of paper and picked up a pen. Then, she wrote something down.
Count Kalia stared at her movements, confusion evidently in his eyes. It was a talisman, what Julia was making, and as she finished scrawling, she placed the pen down and looked at the Count.
“A certain child asked me to do a favor for her. She left the world too soon without even being able to live her whole life. And… She told me to tell you something. However, it would be faster if the Count could see it in person instead of me just telling you.”
Count Kalia gradually stiffened up the more he listened to Julia’s words. As she looked around, the maids standing near the window closed the curtains, and so their surroundings became darker.
Then, Julia’s voice quietly filled the room where darkness fell.
“The day of one’s death is what separates the deceased from the living and connects the living to the deceased. And, blood is the thickest link that there is.”
Julia reached out towards Count Kalia’s hand in the darkness. Staying still as she wanted, Count Kalia let her take his hand, then he felt a sting on his palm.
When he winced a little, Julia spoke again.
“What is the strongest relationship there could be in life? Marriage? Friendship? Or an ill-fated relationship? They all have strong connections. However, the relationship between a child and their parents resembles the creation of the world. Creating life, in a way, is an act that only God can do. That is why…”
Julia’s voice trembled.
“It is called conception.”
At this, a white sphere gradually appeared. The weak light soon began shining more brightly, and then it took on a form.
Count Kalia stared blankly at the sphere that slowly looked more human. The Count was astonished, but he soon frowned. Then, he bit his lips, but soon, he shed tears.
He recognized the shape that the light took the form of.
“…Leah.”
[ Dad. ]
It was Leah, Count Kalia’s daughter. The people around them stared in confusion. It was just a ball of light in their eyes, but Count Kalia recognized it to be his daughter.
“Leah… Leah… Is it really you…?”
[ Dad… ]
When a tear-stricken voice filled the air, Count Kalia soon shed tears that flowed like rivers. Why was the sorrow of a father who had lost his child so unfortunate?
The father’s grief flowed out like waters bursting through an open gate, and this reached the light.
“My child… my child…!!”
He had already lost his wife, but how indescribable this was, the sorrow of losing his only daughter? His cold, frozen heart couldn’t be melted by anyone. All except for his daughter, Leah.
As Count Kalia tried to touch the light, he looked at his hand disbelievingly as it passed by without being able to touch it. Leah looked at her father with sadness.
[ …We don’t have much time, Dad. Still… I really wanted to see you. ]
“Leah… My daughter, are, are you in pain? Hm?”
[ Not at all. I feel really comfortable actually. ]
“Leah…”
As Count Kalia bowed his head, his tears flowing profusely, a group of lights surrounded him as though to comfort him.
[ Don’t cry. Please don’t be sad. Don’t be hurt. Just as much as Dad gave me love, I hope that you were also happy with me. Please don’t think that I took my own life. And also please don’t think that someone else had taken my life. It’s just that I’m still here. I’m just waiting here, I just came here first… ]
Leah spoke quieter now.
[ Please remember that I was your daughter. ]
“Leah…”
[ I have so many things to say… yet I can’t remember everything. But what I really want to say is something that I do remember. ]
Leah closed her eyes. A warm light shone around her, as if representing her feelings. And Count Kalia, who continued to weep, looked up at his daughter’s face.
The warm, gentle smile on his daughter’s lips resembled his wife’s smile, his wife who also passed on first. He wanted to live a happy life together with his daughter, to see a grandchild who would also resemble his daughter, to see her happy.
However, he hated and resented the world that didn’t even allow this small happiness. If he could, he wanted to sell his soul to the devil just to get his daughter back.
Leah smiled, touching her father’s frozen heart as though she knew what he was thinking.
And she said one last thing.
[ Thank you for everything. ]
Count Kalia sobbed as his daughter conveyed her gratitude, the words that were the most fulfilling to hear for a parent from their child. Wracked with tears, the desperation and the heartbreaking sorrow of the father who lost his child could be felt palpably.
Feeling his own eyes tear up, Leo bit his lips and averted his gaze.
Leo looked at her father as he howled in tears, and she wanted to embrace her father, but the light gradually disappeared.
Seeing this, Count Kalia was flustered and cried and called her name. However, only a soft light remained, and his daughter was no longer there.
“…That is all.”
A hushed, subdued voice rang out. Count Kalia approached Julia.
“One more… Please let me see her one more time, Lady Julia! My daughter… Let me see my daughter once more…!!”
“…It’s not possible.”
“Why?!”
“Because the dead must rest.”
“But just now…”
Count Kalia tried to shout and point his anger towards Julia, but when the curtains were opened and bright light came in, he couldn’t say anything more.
Tears were flowing down Julia’s face as well. The Count remained silent as Julia struggled to speak.
“In the next life… She needs to take a long rest so that she can be reborn as the Count’s child again. There may be times when you want to give up on your dreams and achievements, and decades will pass. But by then…”
There was a small smile on Julia’s lips.
“The two of you will meet once more. Again, with your connection as parent and child.”
“……”
Count Kalia collapsed as he listened to Julia. Then, he said quietly.
“She said thank you, my Leah.”
“Yes, I heard it.”
“Will my daughter hear me if I reply, Lady Julia?”
At Count Kalia’s whisper, Julia exhaled low. Her trembling voice contained so much emotion.
“Of course. It will be delivered to her.”
“Then… Then, say this to her.”
Count Kalia looked down at his palms, then bowed down with his eyes closed. And from the bottom of his heart, he said his final message to his beloved daughter.
“For being born as my daughter… thank you so much. You’ve given me so much happiness… and this happiness… is because you gave me the chance to know how beautiful the world is… and…”
His eyes were tightly shut.
“I’m so, so grateful that you saved me from grief after losing my wife. Thank you, thank you so much.”
“…She smiled.”
She and Count Kalia recalled the person’s face at the same time. A little girl smiling brightly.
“When she heard what you said, she smiled.”
“…Thank you. Really… Thank you very much.”
Count Kalia’s sobs filled the room. Julia comforted the man who cried alone, and soon, the room was filled with only the sound of his crying.
*
Julia struggled to keep a smile on her face when she saw Count Kalia off as he returned to his territory. And as he left, Leo approached Julia.
“…This is difficult work, too.”
“No. It’s not something difficult.”
“Then?”
“It’s rewarding.”
Julia smiled gently.
“This place is very different from the place I knew. That place only made fun of me and didn’t take my work seriously. But it’s different here. I’m happy that there’s a level of respect, and because of people’s understanding, I can help them. Maybe because this world is not contaminated.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“This place.”
Leo tilted his head to the side, and Julia glanced at him. She recalled that time at dawn when he whispered those words, asking her for an answer.
Julia closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
“…Can I answer that question now?”
Although Julia didn’t directly mention it, Leo knew at once what she was trying to say.
As he looked at her expectantly, Julia met his gaze.
A serious gaze and a slightly nervous gaze. Unlike the usual light in his eyes as he smiled, Julia averted her gaze slightly because the seriousness in his expression now was strange to her.
For some reason, she thought that it would be more embarrassing if she kept eye contact with him, so she looked away. Then, she stammered.
“…T-That… well… um… T-The Duke said that before, but s… so… if the Duke still wants to do that… I… well…”
“Well…?”
As Leo repeated the word, Julia’s eyes trembled as she looked around. As he smiled at the adorable sight, Julia felt ashamed for no reason, and she suddenly shouted.
“I… I’ll stay!! You said that I can, so I’ll stay h-here and think about it. I can’t give you a definite answer yet, but still… it’s not that I’m saying no… t-that’s why…”
Julia turned around and muttered.
“…I’ll… I’ll think about it later.”
Leo burst into laughter as he saw her bright red face, nodding as he got what she was saying.
“Then I’ll look forward to it, Julia.”
“……”
Julia bowed deeply without answering. She stared at Leo’s shoes for a moment, but then she soon turned around and headed back to her room.
The bright red face seemed to be the same shade as the color of her eyes, and Leo’s smile grew wider.
‘I dream of a future with you here, Julia. It’s a future where we eat together, talk together, laugh together, so…’
Like a passing breath close by, his voice was vivid.
‘Don’t leave.’
Through red lips as though captivated by her, it was as though to claim her spirit.
The story of these two was just beginning.
—End of Arc 2.
