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Chapter 35
On the way home, I looked out the carriage window.
‘So many things happened.’
I met Ayaran whom I wanted to see and also looked around the Imperial Palace.
I heard the reason for our engagement, and roughly surmised that Signus was targeted by his enemies.
‘Is Lord Damian okay?’
I was worried that Lord Damian might lose his mind due to the devil’s energy, but there was nothing I could do for now.
In fact, there was something that bothered me more.
It was the conversation I had with Signus before getting into the carriage.
‘He came too late, too.’
‘Pardon?’
‘Didn’t I tell them to be prepared?’
I recalled the words he spouted before I left.
‘I’m a guy who has enemies everywhere. I did say that I’ll support your family, but it’ll be difficult if they just rely on me and put their guard down.’
‘Who are you talking about?’
‘Your family and someone I need to surpass.’
If it’s my family, does he refer to the people on the report?
Signus whispered low.
‘Don’t like them too much. It really makes me upset.’
‘Family, huh?’
I couldn’t come to an answer no matter how much I thought about it. I couldn’t help it as it’s not something that I know.
‘What the hell do you mean by don’t like them too much?’
There were a lot of questions in my mind, but I quickly brushed off my thoughts.
‘I’ll know when I see them, anyway.’
Thinking that way, I leaned on the cushion in the carriage and flinched when I raised my gaze.
Mainly because the Marquis and Ulysse were looking at me with cheerful expressions.
“W-What’s the matter?”
I was quite surprised that I even stammered, but the two shook their heads.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Contrary to their answers, their expressions looked like they were eager to talk.
“…What’s going on?”
I didn’t want to know at first, but now I became curious. The Marquis then answered my question with a flushed face.
“Didn’t His Highness mention that someone would come earlier?”
“That’s right.”
“Is this person coming to protect us?”
“Probably.”
The Marquis and Ulysse shouted in excitement.
“I knew it!”
“No wonder His Highness asked me about my mother’s family!”
Looking at the two who seemed to have similar
thoughts, I asked.
“Do you know who it is?”
Ulysse, whose cheeks were flushed red for some reason, shouted.
“My proud uncle!”
If it’s my uncle, is he the younger brother of Navian’s mother?
Marquis and Ulysse were very excited, but that troubled me even more.
‘Why did my uncle have to come in this already complicated situation?’
As I had a lot of work to do, I couldn’t welcome the emergence of a new person.
“I’m very happy to see my brother-in-law after a long time. In fact, I thought I wouldn’t be able to see him because he was a very private person.”
He must be someone whose job required him to travel from place to place. Judging by how he came to protect us, he seemed like someone who wielded a sword as well.
‘A knight? Or mercenary?’
But I couldn’t ask. I shouldn’t reveal that I didn’t know who my uncle is.
“Come to think of it, uncle cares about you more than anyone else.”
“That’s right. When you were born, he suddenly ran off somewhere and came back with medicine for you.”
I was frozen listening to them.
“It was your uncle who went to retrieve the medicinal herbs that bloomed only in the western cliff.”
“Yeah. When you were in a critical condition, he came to us like a ghost, bringing a rare medicinal herb for you.”
Shit.
I couldn’t help but curse being in this difficult situation.
‘I’d be caught easily if Navian was really his beloved niece.’
There’s no way he didn’t notice, especially when Navian changed so much. And if he went to the western cliff…
‘It must be Nagi Mountain.’
Knowing very well how dangerous Nagi Mountain was, it drove me even more crazy.
‘If he obtained herbs from there, I’m sure he’s a very skillful person. He’ll suspect me in no time.’
My head was spinning.
‘Signus is really messing with me.’
As he looked at me and heaved a sigh while staring at the ceiling, Ulysse said to me.
“But you didn’t respond well to your sweet uncle. I’m sure he’s hurt inside.”
Did you say that I didn’t respond well?
I saw a glimmer of hope in Ulysse’s words.
‘I might be able to keep hiding myself!’
Let’s just check what kind of person he is. I just need to stay in the room as usual.
‘I’ll have to stop moving around for a while.’
The carriage stopped right when I vowed to pay attention to my actions.
The Marquis said that I may get off once I was ready.
“But aren’t you different from before? I wanted him to see how confident you are now.”
I couldn’t help but frown. Strangely, those words were very disturbing to me.
“So I want you to call your Uncle by his name this time around.”
…What? What do I call him?
“Yeah, Navian. Uncle will be very happy.”
“….No, wait a minute.”
My bewildered voice was completely buried by the Marquis’ scream.
“My lovely daughter, Navian! Your father believes in you! I’ll go first, so take your time!”
“Wait….”
“Butler! Butler! Where’s my brother-in-law?”
The Marquis, who didn’t bother to listen to me, jumped off the carriage.
‘You don’t even tell me what I should call him. What am I supposed to do if you just leave me like this!’
However, the Marquis quickly disappeared.
“…This is driving me crazy.”
“What’s wrong? Does your head hurt?”
Ah, right! There’s this guy too!
I looked at Ulysse with eyes full of hope and muttered inwardly.
‘Tell me Uncle’s name right now! Please!’
Ulysse, who only blinked for a while, tilted his head.
“Are you angry?”
I shook my head.
“Then are you scared?”
This guy is really tactless…
I smiled bitterly and said out loud.
“It’s not like that…”
Didn’t I just desperately beg you to tell me my Uncle’s name?!
“Aha. Is it difficult for you to call his name?”
No!
‘Signus knows what I’m thinking even if I don’t say it. What’s wrong with you? You said you can read celestial energy!’
But he hit the nail on my head with a smile.
“There’s nothing difficult about it. Just take it easy. It’s not like you don’t know Uncle’s name.”
I felt like the sky had collapsed.
If he said that, I couldn’t ask him secretly.
In the end, I resorted to the last option.
“About the document that you need to report to His Highness. Do you bring some of it with you?”
“No.”
I gritted my teeth and asked again.
“…Then do you have any documents in your library? For example, books about family genealogy…”
I stared at the big door of the mansion with a serious face.
‘You fool. If you want to go to the library, you have to enter the mansion first.’
I couldn’t believe I forgot the most obvious thing.
For a long time, I kept staring at the door even when Ulysse entered the mansion.
“My Lady, is there anything wrong?”
I looked at the source of the voice. It was the Captain Guard. I murmured gloomily as I saw his worried face.
“My uncle is here.”
“You must be scared.”
I told you that’s not it!
“Don’t worry. Unlike his appearance, he’s a really good person. I can ensure it.”
“Do you know him well?”
“Of course. He’s the one who brought me here.”
I looked at his handsome face with amazement.
‘There’s nothing he doesn’t know.’
He knew Signus and Ayaran know each other, and the uncle of this family brought him here personally.
“In fact, I and some of the guards here were private mercenaries once. I was recommended by him and joined the local security guard.”
I was even more surprised by his words.
‘You look young…’
Private mercenaries were a job that was filled with the most skilled people.
“And he’s also my benefactor. It wasn’t until I met him that I realized how to live like a human being.”
I murmured slowly as I saw the guard captain’s bright smile.
“…And now he’s here.”
A great man who was skilled enough to turn a private mercenary into a security guard.
“Then, you should enter too, Captain Guard.”
He laughed awkwardly at my suggestion.
“I don’t mind seeing him later.”
“Go in. You were here because you wanted to see him, too.”
“But, what about the family members…”
“It’s alright. You said he was your savior.”
I grabbed the arm of the hesitating captain and turned the doorknob.
‘Let’s run away while he’s too happy to see the captain guard.’
Thinking that I made a great plan, I entered the mansion. Someone was already sitting on the sofa in the center of the living room.
Strangely enough, I approached him, thinking that he has familiar blond hair.
“Sorry for being late.”
The man turned his head to my greeting. As soon as I checked his face, I remembered Signus’s words in my head.
‘Your family and the person I need to surpass.’
‘Don’t like it too much. That’ll really make me upset.’
I looked at his familiar face in surprise.
“Mas…!
Master!!!
At my words that flowed out like a groan, Signus’ self-deprecating remark seemed to ring in the air.
‘Well, it’s something that I have to deal with.
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