Chapter 58: 59

Noticing my peculiar expression, Violet spoke with a slightly awkward look on her face.

“I-I know it may sound a little absurd… It’s just a future that hasn’t happened, so you’ll just have to let it slide.”

“No… No, Madam. I had a momentary thought…”

Of course, such a description existed in <I Picked Up My Husband>. There was a scene where Alan discovered Ensis’s cliff of magic stones and made a determination, saying, ‘Someday, I will own this territory….’ 

I had mostly forgotten the details of the novel, but I remembered it because it was peculiar, like ‘Even while the male lead is making merry with his love, he’s still thinking about making money….’

Is it connected to all of this?

“But at some point, I stopped having that dream. It completely stopped… and in the subsequent ‘story,’ it’s as if I don’t appear at all.”

“……”

I had a foreboding feeling. 

It sounded as if I had intercepted not only the territory but also the contents of the prophecy that would continue in the sequel of <I Picked Up My Husband> from Alan.

Could it be that somewhere else, there’s a prophecy disguised as a novel where I am the protagonist? I looked up at the sky without a reason.

But regardless, even if my story is developed in a world I can never return to, it’s something I can’t do anything about now, no matter how it’s written with creativity and imagination.

“Um… Madam. I’m sorry, but is it possible that my husband…”

Trying to redirect the topic back, about Hisch, I spoke up, seeking any connection between this story and my question.

In an instant, as if all the puzzle pieces fell into place in my mind, everything became clear before me.

It wasn’t an unreliable thought this time.

“That man. The man who always lost his life every time the dream began…”

As Violet’s voice intertwined with my inner narration, it was as if my own voice was superimposed.

So, like the prelude of misfortune, a man heralding the beginning through death…

Surely, she wouldn’t say it’s my husband.

Staring at Violet with a blank expression, she nodded slowly as if driving a wedge.

・❥・

Noah Kleinin looked down at his palm while hearing the sound of a door closing behind him. His fingertips felt slightly cold, but the breath he exhaled was incredibly hot.

As the heir to the royal family, the sole successor of Kleinin, Noah had felt the weight of those titles from the moment he truly grasped their meaning, and it felt as if he was being crushed to death by that burden.

In comparison, how happy was his childhood self?

A kind father, a strict but loving mother. The environment surrounding him had always shown warm kindness to the sole successor of the royal family.

A world crafted like an intricately designed greenhouse.

But everything changed when his father suddenly collapsed.

His mother, who was as sharp as a sword in everything she did, set her priorities. Rather than taking care of her son, who was not that old, she devoted herself to caring for her fallen husband in his illness.

And Noah had to fill his father’s empty space. Everyone took it for granted, and at first, Noah himself did too.

Perhaps he arbitrarily assumed that his father’s absence would not be long-lasting.

Anyway, Noah did his best. He tried to imitate his father’s relaxed laughter, which was a trademark of his, and made cold, calculated judgments just like his mother did in everything.

However, occasionally, very occasionally, Noah…

He sometimes felt like abandoning everything and running away.

“Prince.”

At the familiar voice, he raised his head.

The appearance of a young man was looking at him with a gentle smile. It seemed as if he had been waiting for Noah.

“Have you been well since the visit? How are you feeling?”

Esdelle Ophius. When Noah saw his face, he felt a sense of relief. The golden eyes, filled with warmth as usual, were now shining with concern as they looked at him.

Unconsciously, Noah responded with a familiar tone, one that he used only with family or very close individuals, and rarely in front of others.

“Ah… Yeah. Well, he still seems to be in a lot of pain. I couldn’t really get a good look at his face…”

Noah recalled that room. That room where an indescribable weight and silence hung in the air. In the midst of it, his mother, sitting upright as if she were holding her balance, would say.

“You need to pull yourself together, Prince. Show exemplary behavior as a member of the royal family.”

The times when his mother affectionately called him ‘Noah’ felt like a distant memory. As soon as he heard those words, Noah felt something hot welling up from his chest.

How much more…

Those who used to smile when their eyes met now remained silent, waiting for him to make a decision.

It was as if Noah’s thoughts alone held the absolute truth that needed to be catered to…

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With those thoughts in mind, Noah bit his lip.

However, it seemed inappropriate to share such thoughts with Esdelle.

“… Sorry. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant story to hear.”

It wasn’t because he couldn’t share personal stories with him or for any such reason.

Noah recalled the first time he met Esdelle. The image that first crossed his mind was the emotionless gaze of those golden eyes as they looked at him.

Even though he stood under the sky with both feet planted, there was a sense of indifference in those eyes as if questioning why he had been placed here in the first place.

He had mentioned losing his parents in an accident at that time. And he remembered he was even younger than Noah at that age.

Noah felt pity for him and hoped that some vitality would return to those dry eyes. Among those who had experienced extreme misfortune, there were some who despised such an attitude from others, considering it as deceptive.

Esdelle willingly accepted Noah’s empathy. At that time, Noah only thought of it as a mere ‘fortunate’ situation. 

But now, Noah realized that Esdelle was in a fragile state, needing even that level of comfort.

Just like his current self.

“Prince.”

Esdelle called out to him, not with the formal and rigid title but in a gentle tone as usual.

“Please tell me anything. Don’t forget that I am here by your side to listen to your story.”

“Esdelle…”

“If you hesitate to speak because of my past, it’s okay. You can talk about it.”

Noah silently watched the young man, who was his friend, mentor, and advisor, as he closed his eyes and spoke softly.

“To be honest, I cannot claim to have completely overcome the tragedy of my family, but rather because I have experienced such things… I believe I can somewhat understand what kind of emotions you are feeling right now.”

“But… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I don’t want to bring back unpleasant memories.”

“If you tightly bind and confine yourself with such feelings, both you and those around you will suffer. I learned that through my own experiences.”

“……”

“… You taught me that. Instead of avoiding me, you never gave up on me and constantly asked if I was okay.”

The young man smiled slowly.

“So now it’s my turn to be a source of strength for you, Prince.”

Noah…

The boy who was slowly suffocating amidst the constant onslaught of monsters and nobles who prioritized their own safety over protecting the kingdom.

He, who was being looked upon with anxious eyes by the loyal subjects of the royal family and whose every word determined the fate of everything in this territory.

Instead, in front of the young man who spoke with genuine empathy and comfort, he felt an indescribable sense of relief. With teary eyes, he reached out and grabbed the young man’s sleeve.

Esdelle looked at the trembling hand clutching his sleeve and held it in his own, enveloping it with warmth.

While the adults around him were already demanding that Noah assume the role of someone above them, Esdelle, who had also been thrust into adulthood without proper preparation, had a different perspective. 

No, he believed that he should stay by Noah’s side.

Even though he knew it was an immature thought, and even though he was aware that this could potentially pose a greater threat… 

It was okay to be a little slow. In this moment, driven by the desire to protect the gentle prince of his childhood, Esdelle lowered his head and looked at his master with affectionate eyes.

・❥・

When I first realized that I had been transmigrated into the world of a novel. 

And when I realized that the story was nearing its end, I simply decided to abandon everything and live an ordinary life. I married a man who tended to the gardens of the mansion, just wanting to live a peaceful life.

A man who, although I can’t help but be a bit cheeky in saying this, considering I had lived in a society that had long abolished the class system, has quite a difference between me and him from our backgrounds. 

However, he was kind, adorable, and knew how to respect me. From the perspective of a husband, he couldn’t have been better.

Although the future fragments I knew were uncertain, I had hoped to grow old peacefully with him for as long as possible.

However, in the midst of it all, I began to realize that my husband had quite remarkable qualities.

Furthermore, I also learned, just the other day, that the ‘female protagonist,’ who once was the center of this world, was more than just an extra in the original, to the point where I was aware of her existence.

However, honestly, those facts were not important. They were intriguing, yes, but that was all. I was more interested in the person himself rather than his role.

“……”

“Hisch… Are you upset, by any chance?”

Inside the swaying carriage, the man seated across from me showed little reaction to the words I had spoken.