Looking like a pigeon that had been hit by a peashooter was his father, the Duke of Hartz. In front of him stood his wife and daughter, Serloit.
It was three days ago that his wife told him that Serloit, who was studying in Agartha, would be coming home. The Duke replied with a curt "I see", but his heart was filled with joy.
......It's been a long time since I've seen my daughter.
It has been six months since we met in Agartha. It was the first time in his life that he had not seen his daughter's face for six months.
I was looking forward to seeing her. My wife did not say much, but maybe she would finish her study in Agartha and come back to her country. Then he would be able to live with his daughter in this house again. I will not be shut up in my room again.
When you come back to the house you can take care of the garden again. If you want to continue your studies in Agartha, that would be fine too.
With these thoughts in his mind, he goes to the palace of the Grand Duke. Yes, I must tell my brother about this. He loves his daughter. He will ask him to bring her here immediately.
With these thoughts in his mind, the duke got into the carriage that was waiting for him.
From then until Serloitte's return, the Duke was restless and moved around the house in a fidgety manner. The Duke had taken over the management of the fields that his daughter had so carefully nurtured, but now that she was coming home, he could not help but worry about how the crops were growing. The situation of the crops should have been the same as before, but he wondered if he could make them bigger and surprise his daughter, so he watered them more than usual and was scolded by his retainer.
He also felt sorry for his daughter if her room was a mess when she came home, so he went to her room to clean it at least, but he couldn't enter her room because she had already grown up to be a woman. Furthermore, the Duke himself went to the market to buy a large amount of food for his daughter, thinking that he could at least feed her what she liked while she was in the house, and again his wife was angry with him.
"Calm down a little!
His wife, who normally does not reveal her emotions, hushed the duke in an angry voice. He had no choice but to sit in his room, shaking his head and waiting for his daughter to return.
Three days later, when he returned to the house, Serloitte was a different woman.
"Father, it's been a long time. It's been a long time since I've seen you. How are you feeling?
He usually looked anxious and timid, but he stood up straight. Like his father, he spoke haltingly with a muffled voice, but although his voice was as quiet as ever, he spoke clearly and without hesitation. There was a dignified woman with deep intelligence in her eyes.
"Oh ...... oh ....... Oh, life in Agartha seems to be full of life, isn't it?"
"Yes. Thanks to ....... The King of Agartha and Queen Meirias have been very kind to me.
"Oh, that's, well, that's good. ....... Shh, you can relax in the house for a while. The Grand Duke is looking forward to your return. I'll see you tomorrow at ......."
"Father, I have a favor to ask you."
Suddenly, the Duke is asked to do something for him, and his expression turns to one of shock. He had never remembered that his daughter had asked him directly for a favor. He nodded slowly and asked her to continue.
I would like your permission to marry.
"What?"
My daughter said marriage. That's what she said. I'm sure I heard her correctly. He looked at his wife sitting next to him. She nodded broadly.
The Duke was listening to his daughter's words with an empty head. So much so that the marriage of Serloitte was an unexpected event. He had thought that he would probably live in the house for the rest of his life, a fact that was difficult for him to accept.
Still, he was curious about the other man. He nodded absentmindedly and asked about the other man.
It was a man named Yannoli, an agronomist teaching at the University of Agartha. He was nearly twenty years older than Serloitte. If anything, his age was not so different from that of the Duke. In his mind, the nightmare of the past comes back to him.
"Yes, yes, that's ....... Is it okay, ......?"
"He is a very sincere man. He will make me happy."
"Oh, no, you don't know that."
The duke opened his mouth as if to spit, but Serloitte straightened her back and quietly opened her mouth.
He said that he wanted to make me happy at all costs. I, too, want to make him happy, no matter what it takes."
"......"
I could not read any lies, deceit, or feelings of guilt in her eyes. The Duke sensed that her determination was so strong. He slowly turned his attention to his wife, who was sitting next to him.
"I have met you once myself, and you seem to me to be a very sincere person."
"Sh...... what is your knighthood?"
"A knighthood? I don't believe he has such a thing.
"I don't have a ...... title, I don't have a ...... title."
"Yes. But she is in the service of the Queen of Agartha, the Lady Meirias. I have heard that she is a person whom Lady Meirias trusts very much.
"U......"
The duke snorted, unable to speak. He took a deep breath and looked in the wrong direction.
"Oh, tomorrow ....... I'm going to see the Grand Duke ....... Oh, my lord, forgive me ......."
That was all he could say.
The next day, the duke accompanied Serloitte to the Grand Ducal Palace. Although they were alone in the carriage, father and daughter did not exchange any words. Cerloitte was dressed in a slightly chic dress and light make-up. She looked beautiful in her father's eyes. The Duke himself, however, was still not quite overjoyed at the sudden offer of his daughter's hand in marriage, and even wondered if his brother, the Archduke, would not object to the proposal on the grounds of their different statuses.
Soon the carriage arrived at the palace. They were led to the room where the Grand Duke was waiting for them. They were taken to the Grand Duke's private room at the back of the palace. The Grand Duke, dressed in a rough gown, smiled broadly when he saw Serloitte and said, "I am glad you are back. He then asked him a series of questions about his life in Agartha.
Serloitte answered them carefully. The archduke listened to his responses with narrowed eyes.
"I have a favor to ask you, Grand Duke."
"Yes?"
When there was a break in the conversation, Serloitte suddenly straightened her posture and opened her mouth. The archduke, perhaps because he did not expect this, has an unusual expression on his face.
I have found someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. Please allow me to marry him."
"...... would be fine."
The answer was so disappointing. I had expected to be asked about my partner's background in depth and to be opposed, but this turned out to be far off. This time, Serloitte was dawdling and waving her eyes from side to side impatiently.
"Hearts!"
"Ha."
"You disagree, don't you? No, you don't have to hide it. But you see, Serloitte is trying to find her own happiness. You see, Serloitte... I never thought I'd see the day. Isn't it nice?
"......"
"Originally, I gave him to Agartha as a hostage. You were prepared for the hand of the king of Agartha. And now you have found yourself a companion in Agartha! Happiness you have found for yourself. I am sure it will turn out well for you.
At the Grand Duke's words, the Duke bowed his head in silence.
A few months later, Serloito and Yannoli were married in the guest house of Agartha. It was a very private wedding, attended by the Grand Duke and his family, as well as Linos, Rico, and May from Agartha. Serloit, in a pure white wedding dress, looked like a very noble woman.
After the ceremony, King Maintia, who happened to be visiting Agartha, heard about it and, as a congratulatory gift, painted a picture of the bride and groom on the spot and presented it to the couple. <, is considered one of King Maintia's masterpieces, and a hundred years later, the painting was valued at several hundred million Japanese yen.
The two were later blessed with two children and lived happily together. .......