Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Mutual Understanding
Even though Julius had opened his heart to her to such an extent, Karen still had a secret she kept hidden. But as Julius said, their marriage was approaching. Karen should probably come clean soon too.
“Mr. Julius, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about after the hunting festival ends.”
What did Julius think her talk would be about?
He gazed at Karen and narrowed his eyes.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Um, whether you’ll enjoy it is about fifty-fifty, I’d say…? I’m thinking of revealing my secret to you.”
Suppose someone claimed they remembered their past life… If one could believe that story, it would be interesting in its own way.
“You mean you’ll open your heart to me, right? Then there’s nothing but anticipation.”
Saying that, Julius took Karen’s hand and kissed it.
“Well then, I’ll be going, Karen.”
“Take care, Mr. Julius.”
“Hey, hey, you two. I’m going too, you know.”
Left out of the loop, Licht asserted himself.
Karen responded smoothly:
“Take care, Master Licht.”
“You could just call me Licht, you know.”
When Julius glared at him, Licht ran off laughing. Watching his retreating figure and sighing, Julius looked down at Karen again.
“That man was a party member when I conquered the dungeon in Ehlertt territory. Friend or not, I wanted to introduce him to you.”
Weren’t comrades who had crossed the boundary between life and death together bound by ties stronger than friendship in a sense?
Karen had now reached the point where she could be introduced to someone so close to Julius.
“I’m very happy you introduced him to me. It really feels like we’re engaged!”
“Well, as you saw, he’s a frivolous man. If he causes you any trouble, tell me immediately. I’ll dispose of him.”
“Ahahaha! You really do get along well.”
Julius smiled at Karen’s laughter and kissed her cheek.
At that moment, even the earlobe with her earring grew warm, and feeling as if both sides had been kissed, Karen blushed bright red.
“Kyaa!? Mr. Julius!”
“Fufu, well then, I’m off.”
This time, Julius truly mounted his horse and departed for monster hunting for the festival, leaving Karen behind. She watched intently until Julius’s figure disappeared into the forest.
Then, Karen turned her gaze toward the direction Licht had left. Though he hadn’t seemed like it with his goofy demeanor, he was apparently strong enough to take part in conquering the twentieth floor of a dungeon. Karen had wanted to talk a bit more to find out what kind of person Julius’s friend was.
Just as she was thinking that, the forest bushes she happened to be looking at rustled. Was it a small animal, or perhaps a monster?
Petra and Rosine, who had been keeping their distance, rushed back to Karen’s side, and from even further behind them, Sepl and Urte moved forward. As a formation to protect Karen was established, what emerged from the bushes was a human.
“Huh… Master Licht? Didn’t you just depart for the hunting festival—”
“I pretended to depart and came back, Karen.”
Licht said this while brushing off leaves stuck all over his body, apparently from lurking in those bushes.
“I wanted to talk a bit more with you, since your engagement to Julius has been decided.”
“So you pretended to go to the hunting festival to deceive Mr. Julius.”
“’Deceive’ sounds so bad.”
Though he smiled casually, Licht’s eyes were serious.
“I was just thinking I’d like to talk with you more as well, Master Licht.”
“Oh? We’re on the same wavelength, aren’t we? Maybe it’s destiny after all.”
Licht narrowed his eyes.
He had refined features, though not as much as Julius. With a gallant face giving off a unique sex appeal, he sought agreement with slanted eyes as if inviting Karen.
When Karen nodded, saying, "That’s right," the light faded from the depths of Licht’s eyes.
“We both love Mr. Julius very much, after all, don’t we?”
“…If you put it that way, I have no choice but to nod, do I?”
Licht let out a deep sigh and dispersed the flirtatious atmosphere.
Looking at Karen with light returned to his eyes, Licht shrugged his shoulders.
“It seems you won’t fall so easily, even if other noble men besides Julius make passes at you. I’m relieved for now.”
“I kind of understand now why Mr. Julius wouldn’t let me meet you until now, Master Licht.”
“Part of it is probably because I’d make passes at you.”
“As Mr. Julius’s friend, you’re worried he might get caught up with some strange woman, right? I understand.”
“You’re not supposed to understand that!”
A sharp retort came back. Perhaps he had a natural tendency for retorts.
“You do realize I’m currently suspecting you might be that ‘strange woman,’ Karen?”
“Please, suspect me all you like. I’ll do my best to be recognized by Mr. Julius’s important friend!”
“—Important friend, huh. I wonder about that.”
Contrary to the brightness he had shown in front of Julius, Licht said this with a cynical smile.
“I challenged the territorial capital dungeon together with Julius for the sake of the Ehlertt territory, as a noble of Ehlertt. It was a difficult journey, so I pressed Julius—who had his share of unknowns—to reveal his secret as a kind of ritual to strengthen our bond for clearing the dungeon.”
Karen widened her eyes slightly.
The secret was probably the secret of his birth. That secret, which he surely hadn’t wanted anyone to know, Julius had exposed because he wanted to conquer the dungeon for Sieg’s sake. He had been trying to attract personnel who could fulfill Sieg’s request by becoming famous.
“We certainly grew closer by holding each other’s secrets. We also conquered the dungeon. Now, even if I act like his friend, Julius doesn’t outright deny it.”
However, Licht looked at Karen with dark eyes.
“You, to whom he revealed his secret of his own accord, are different from me.”
Was it guilt or a sense of wrongdoing for having drawn out Julius’s secret by using Sieg’s life as leverage? Karen swallowed hard at Licht, who had abandoned the hunting festival and come to her as atonement for that.
“…So compared to me, it’s unrequited love?”
“It’s not romantic feelings, you know!?”
Though it hadn’t been that kind of atmosphere, he apparently couldn’t help but retort.
Julius’s friend, Licht. Karen steadily deepened her understanding of him.
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