Chapter 52: 53

I hadn’t attended a family meeting since my marriage was so strongly opposed by the vassals. I didn’t have the time or space, and in fact, there was no need to do so.

Furthermore, there is Lewis, who will be the next Duke and the head of the family. As someone who received a title and became independent from the family, I didn’t really need to attend the meetings.

To my surprise, as I listened to what the butler was saying, it didn’t seem like a big deal, and since it had been a long time, it might be a good idea to show my face to the elderly and vassals of the house.

Even in this world, there are plenty of old-fashioned people. However, the fact that the butler told me means that my father also agreed, so it was almost like a fixed schedule.

… Eyy, I don’t know. I’ll save the complicated thoughts for later and enjoy the present.

As I walked down the street, I saw a familiar fountain.

As the magical fountain shot up into the sky, I heard people around me exclaiming ‘Wow.’ It was a truly leisurely day with warm sunshine, perfect for clearing my head of complex thoughts.

Come to think of it, both Hisch and I only did our work in our territory. I thought I would live more leisurely once I left the capital… Well, now that things have settled down, I’m sure a peaceful daily life will soon come.

“It’s been such a long time since we walked on this street. You always used to go to that flower shop down this road, selling things like seeds and saplings.”

“That’s right. Liddell, you still remember…”

Hisch looked at me with a strangely moved expression. I said with a big smile.

“Do you really think it’s a coincidence that I’ve run into you here so many times?”

“What?”

“When you used to go out, I would often accompany you for a walk, pretending that I also wanted to take a stroll. Do you really think that’s a coincidence?”

As Hisch blinked in response to my words, his face quickly turned red, stumbling over his words as he spoke to me.

“D-did you wait for me on purpose…”

“Come on, let’s go!”

I grabbed his arm with a chuckle, and Hisch, who had been hesitating for a moment, obediently followed me.

From a short distance away, Sir Roelich followed us. Since we couldn’t stray too far from the mansion anyway, we decided to take a short walk on familiar streets and then return.

The streets were bustling with activity. There were several street vendors, and when Hisch saw one of them, he smiled brightly and turned to me.

“Liddell, don’t you want to try that?”

“What is it?”

By the way, did I bring any cash with me? Normally, a servant or Sein would take care of such things.

As I walked over, fumbling for a pocket that wasn’t even attached to my clothes, Hisch handed a coin to the owner first. This is embarrassing.

He gave me one of the things he received from the street vendor. It looked like an ice cream I used to eat on Earth, but the difference was that there was a sticky-looking candy stuck to a wooden stick.

“When you finish eating this, your fortune for the day will appear on the stick.”

In response to my suggestion of sitting nearby and eating, Hisch walked towards the bench and muttered to himself.

Hmm, is he referring to something like when you finish eating an ice cream… it says, ‘try again’?

The two of us sat down on a bench. It seemed to be quite a popular candy, as besides us, I saw children occasionally coaxing their parents to buy one.

Hisch, who was staring blankly at the scene for a moment, soon spoke in a voice that seemed to be reminiscing.

“…Whenever I went out with my parents to a bustling place, they always used to buy this for me.”

It was rare for this man, who usually didn’t talk much about his family, to bring up such a topic. I looked at him with a slightly surprised expression.

Hisch soon chuckled shyly, stroking the back of his neck.

“It was a long time ago. I don’t know why I suddenly remembered it…”

On the other hand, seeing his reaction, I didn’t want to leave him feeling embarrassed like this.

In truth, if Hisch didn’t mind, I wanted to keep hearing such stories. What made him so lonely. Why was he estranged from his family. Things like that.

But since I couldn’t think of any good excuses, in the end, I opened my mouth saying something like this.

“… I, um… don’t have many memories of my parents. Ah, well, except for my father… I’m talking about the people who took care of me back where I used to be.”

My parents were always busy, and most of their responsibilities towards me were handled with money.

When I woke up in the morning and went out to the living room, there would always be a few banknotes on the dining table. On my birthday, it would become ten notes… It was that kind of arrangement.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even have any memories of going somewhere to have fun with them. Perhaps when I was very young, even before I could remember, there might have been such times, but…

As I spoke, Hisch firmly held my hand. His black pupils looked at me as if observing. As if he was trying to gauge if I was really okay.

“…Then let’s create more memories together, starting from now.”

In response to his warm words, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Yes, you too.”

And upon hearing my words, Hisch smiled back at me.

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It was a truly novel experience. I hadn’t really talked to anyone about anything negative or depressing with anyone before.

I thought that sharing such negative or depressing stories would only burden the listener, and I believed that any advice they could offer would be of little help.

However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be about giving or receiving comfort.

I realized that just sharing one’s experiences with someone could fill the heart with such satisfaction.

The feeling that I wasn’t alone became such a source of strength.

Time passed peacefully like that.

The candy we were eating was the kind that melted in your mouth rather than being chewy, so it didn’t take long to finish it.

I read the phrase on the wooden stick that was visible at a glance.

[Even if tomorrow is cloudy, isn’t it okay since today is sunny?]

What’s with this perplexing phrase? Don’t they usually just write positive words?

As I frowned, Hisch spoke in a cheerful voice.

“Liddell, look at this.”

He had also finished his candy, and the clean stick he handed me had the following words written on it:

[You are really happy right now!]

As I raised my gaze and looked at him, the man, with a curve in his eyes, looked at me with a very joyful smile.

“It’s truly amazing, isn’t it? They really know what I feel right now!”

For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off that smile.

…Is it possible that I, or the time spent with me, brings happiness to you?

Ah, if so…

What could be more meaningful than that?

“… It really is.”

I barely managed to say that and smile.

It was such a precious moment that it seemed like a part of my heart was melting away, to the point where it felt both overwhelmingly happy… and frightening at the same time.

・❥・

The busiest individuals moving around the buzzing venue were the servants catering to the demands of the members of Catlan.

The grand ballroom, which could be considered a considerably large space in the duke’s residence, was densely filled with conference tables instead of party tables for today.

As it was a gathering of not only direct descendants but also extended family members, the butler and the head maid responsible for overseeing it were fully focused.

Among those being treated with utmost care, Verrell Catlan, the brother of the current Duke and uncle of Lewis and Liddell, turned to the cousin of their father, Baron Ornard, who was sipping wine beside him and spoke in an annoyed tone.

“I’ve heard that His Grace won’t be coming today and there was talk that the princess is attending… Is it true?”

“Well, it seems so.”

“She causes so much trouble for our family, and yet she has the audacity to show up here. Honestly, how can she face us? The damages we suffered from breaking the engagement with the Firenze were tremendous.”

“Even so, she is still a direct descendant of the Catlan. More than that, I’m curious as to why she has traveled to the capital with her husband, whose origins I don’t even know. No one would welcome him, after all…”

And beside them, listening in silence, the duke’s nephew, and Liddell and Lewis’ cousin, Idelf, was inwardly astonished.

‘No, why are these people openly discussing such matters knowing my cousins’ personalities?’

He had no intention of standing by the side of these people who were willing to jump into the flames.

Idelf made an effort to ignore them and decided to focus on the luxurious dessert in front of him.

As time passed and a significant number of attendees filled the venue, the massive door opened, revealing the appearance of two individuals to the venue.

Originally, the family head, the Duke of Catlan, would have led the way, but today, in his absence, a man and a woman walked side by side.

The one who took the first step was Lewis, the young Duke, followed closely by the eldest daughter, Liddell.

As if waiting, Verrell clicked his tongue and whispered in a low voice.

“It seems like she is ashamed to bring that husband of hers as she didn’t even bother to have that guy accompany her.”

‘No, normally, husbands who marry into their wife’s family don’t bother to attend events like this.’

Idelf quietly retorted, shifting his gaze towards Liddell Catlan, who was scanning the hall with a bored look.

With hair of the same beige color as her family, and clear turquoise eyes inherited from the current Duke.

Her lips bore a gentle smile, yet her gaze, as it scanned the surroundings, held a steadfast determination that seemed unswayed by anything.

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