ââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Chapter 35
I was worried about how to say it out loud, so I dragged out the words without realizing it.
âPlease speak comfortably.â
âI have been in Kren for ten years so I donât know much about the situation in the capital. I came here just in case you know about various things.â
âVarious things, what exactly?â
âPerhapsâ¦â
Even if I didnât know, I thought it would be too strange to ask someone else about my family, so I hesitated about whether or not to say it. Still, I opened my mouth to see if I could get something.
âDo you know anything about the Heines Marquisate?â
âThe Heines Marquisate?â
âYes. What I mean to say is, Iâm asking about what happened from ten years ago to the present. They are my family, but as you know, we donât communicate very much.â
âHmmâ¦â
He looked like he was thinking about something, so I waited for a moment for him to open his mouth.
âTo be honest, I donât know.â
âWhat?â
âThe Duchess may not know me very well, but I have hardly been in the capital for the last ten years.â
âBut you knew the capital wellâ¦!â
âThatâs true. For ten years, I belonged to the monster subjugation squad on the outskirts. But recently, I left the subjugation squad and came back. And I know my way around because I return to the capital every time I go on vacation.â
âAhâ¦â
By the way, I had no idea that he had been in the monster subjugation squad for ten years.
âI donât have an answer for the Duchessâ questions because my vacations werenât long and I didnât socialize much.â
I shouldnât have come here. After all, this man, like me, had no information. Still, I thought I could get something, but I seemed to have made Bleonâs heart uncomfortable for nothing. I put on a somewhat disappointed expression, but it was not polite, so I hurriedly erased it.
âI see⦠Then I willââ
I was just about to get up to leave after greeting him, but McCain stopped me and opened his mouth right away.
âBut⦠If you wish, I can introduce you to someone who has a lot of social circles.â
âSomeone?â
âYes. She has a very wide network, so maybe Your Grace will get the information you want.â
âWhat to do.â
I pondered for a while. Time was running out, and I was somehow unwilling to meet a stranger I had never seen before and ask questions.
Butâ¦
There was nothing more reckless than meeting Astellâs family without any information now. Surely they would bite and chew me out as soon as they saw me, so I had to have at least one weapon up my arsenal against them. With that in mind, I had a clear idea of ââwhat to do.
âWho is it?â
I first asked McCain to figure out who this sociable person was.
âHer name is Leila Parkers, the ducal princess of the Parkers Duchy.â
âPrincess Parkers?â
âYes. I heard that she goes to almost every place where nobles gather because she likes banquets and social gatherings.â
âBut⦠How do you know this person?â
âWeâre friends.â
âAhâ¦â
âI think it would be fine if it was McCainâs friendâ¦?â
I didnât know McCain very well, but having watched him so far, I donât think this man would introduce me to someone dangerous and distrustful.
âAlright. If so, can we meet tomorrow? I donât have much time.â
âYes. I will go and talk to her today.â
âReally? Thank you, Sir!â
I thanked him with a bright smile when I could finally find someone I felt would be helpful.
âPlease come to me at any time if you have any troubles. Iâll solve it for you somehow.â
âNo. I canât keep causing trouble.â
âWhat do you mean no. Never think like that.â
His words seemed to be sincere, so I answered with an awkward smile and got up from my seat. And after saying goodbye, I immediately left the room and went back to the bedroom.
Upon entering, Bleon was wandering around the room with a nervous and anxious expression on his face, unable to sit still. As expected, my suggestions for him to go for a walk or read a book were useless.
âBleon, Iâm here.â
âWifeâ¦!â
Bleon hurriedly came up to me and enveloped me in his arms.
âYouâre finally here?â
ââ¦Yes.â
âBy the way⦠I have to go somewhere tomorrow.â
I could feel Bleonâs body holding me harden rapidly. I quickly patted his back gently and opened my mouth.
âI think I need to go out because I have someone to meet for a whileâ¦â
ââ¦Who?â
âSir McCain has someone to introduce me to, so I need to go out.â
âSir McCain Holsterâ¦â¦?â
For some reason, Bleonâs anxiety seemed to be transmitted through his body, so I started explaining to him step by step.
âYes. In fact, we havenât socialized at all in the last decade, so I went to ask Sir McCain because Iâm curious about what had been going on in the capital over these past years. If the butler had followed us, it wouldnât have been necessary, but as you know, our butler is now in Kren. But when I went to ask, Sir McCain said that he had no idea because he had not been in the capital much. Instead, he said that he would introduce a friend of his who is well-known in the social world, so I am going to visit her tomorrow.â
As I spoke, I continued to pat him on the back as if to soothe him. There is nothing to worry about, so I added the word âherâ.
âWould you like to go with me? After all, Bleon needs to know these things from now on, so I think itâs okay if we go together.â
I thought it would be good to go with him, thinking about him, who would be so restless in the mansion while I was going out, so I suggested for him to come with me. Anyway, the words exchanged and the things I heard from McCain werenât really secrets, so if Bleon was curious, I was going to tell them right away.
âI can go with youâ¦?â
His voice seemed to be a little more cautious and brighter.
âOf course! Then letâs go together tomorrow.â
âYes. I want to. Thank you, Wifeâ¦â
âWhat are you thankful for?â
âItâs just.â
âThank you, too.â
I fell into his arms and smiled broadly at Bleon. Then, as I smiled broadly at him, Bleon also smiled very prettily.
The next day, we set off on a carriage to meet Princess Leila Parkers, whom McCain introduced us to. McCain had told us we were leaving the day before, so we soon arrived at the Parkers Duchyâs estate. The carriage stopped right in front of the great mansion, past the main gate and garden.
âWeâre here.â
McCainâs voice was heard outside and we got off the carriage. As soon as I got off, a very lovely-looking beauty stood in front of me. I approached her and greeted her first.
âItâs nice to meet you. I am Astell Einer.â
I glanced at Bleon, silently urging him to say hello to her.
âNice to meet you. I am Bleon Einer.â
âItâs a pleasure. I am Leila Parkers.â
Leila Parkers was a name I had never heard of, neither in Astellâs memory nor in the novel, so I didnât let down my guard.
âPlease come in.â
Following Leila, we entered the parlor, and as we sat down, sweet-smelling tea and delicious-looking snacks were placed in front of us.
âSince the two of you have come, I prepared a tea made with ekira flowers, which are hard to find. I hope it suits your taste.â
âThank you. Princess Parkers.â
âOh, donât call me so stiffly. Itâs fate that we met like this, and any friend of McCainâs is a friend of mine. How about we call each otherâs names? Please call me Leila.â
Saying that, Leila laughed softly. She was, as I heard, a very sociable person.
âYes. I will, Leila.â
âThank you, Astell.â
Itâs been a long time since Iâve seen someone radiating bright light all over their body like this, so I also felt like I was moved to her brightness and my mood improved at the same time.
âDo you know how sad I was to hear that after being stuck in the outskirts of the country for ten years, youâve come back to the capital, but then you quickly went to Kren right after?â she said to McCain.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ