Chapter 51
“Don't be weird, old man. I'm just trying to get along with my wife. There is no need to insert useless elements such as love and affection into it.”
“Well, if you say so.”
Harold smiled meaningfully. Apparently, he seems to be still in the stage of desperate denial, but if he endured, he would only lose himself. It was more efficient to admit it early and find a way to win the other person's heart.
However, Harold intended to ignore this. Rapel also needed to take this opportunity to try her heart out a bit. He had been locked in his shell for too long, and his emotional growth he had stopped. And the resulting inferiority complex about his origin that held him back.
Information about Rafel's birth mother was kept strictly confidential by King Celgratis. So no one knew who Rafel's 'mother' was, or how she died. One of the few people who knew the details behind it was Earl Harold Evans.
'Tsk tsk, he's like a pitiful soul.'
Harold is now retired because of his age, but until a few years ago he was King Celgratis' loyal servant.Therefore, he had seen Rafel, the king's illegitimate son, since childhood.If Harold had discovered Rafel's exceptional swordsmanship and talent reported it to the king, Rafel would still have wandered around as a commoner, advancing through his back alleys.
“Anyway, I… I have no intention of telling Annette. Not only to her, but to anyone else. It's better to bite your tongue than to talk about the past.”
Muttered Lapel, who lowered her head and clutched her head with both of her hands. Until he became the 'Marquis of Kanesis', life was like hell. Lafel didn't have the confidence to bring out his filthiest mess to Annette. Even Annette was from the most noble and perfect Bavarian family in Deltium. Without a speck of her, how could she sever her own breasts and expose her rotten past her in front of her sparkling face her?
'Rapel is a good person. He should be respected.'
When I remembered the face of Annette, who innocently defended me without knowing anything, I felt embarrassed. Seeing Rafel's stressed expression, Harold let out a hmmm.
“It takes mental preparation to reveal the toughest secrets. If you're not really ready, there's no need to force it. If you wait comfortably, time will ripen you softly like fermented bread. Well, when that time comes, you never know Your obstinate mouth might open easily.”
“But before that, Annette will leave me.”
The lapel had a good feel. He had wild tentacles that lived and breathed just like a beast. Whenever Annette stared into the distance and made a forlorn expression, that feeling whispered ominously. Yours is thinking of running away. .
“Then be nice to your wife. Think of it as a master of secrets, and become your wife's footstool. Then I don't know Even if you get stepped on in the snow, I might endure it and stick by your side.”
“… What nonsense is that, old man?”
Lapel lifted her head, tucking her wrinkles between his handsome brows her her.However, Harold's eyes his looking her this way were no joke.Although the old gentleman's eyebrows were gray and gray, the eyes shining beneath them were still full of life.
“Women are smart. So your wife must have already noticed that you're hiding something. Knowing that, I can't help but be very kind to her wife her. It's enough to make her think, 'Well, if you treat me this well, will you turn a blind eye to that one secret?' Can you hear me?”
Only then did Lapel understand Harold's words and fell silent. Sounds like pretty wise advice, but how on earth do you have to be nice to a woman to be nice to her? Rafel had never been 'good' to a woman. Seeing through Lapel's heart His, Harold laughed lightly and teased him.
“Ah, is pride preventing you from doing that? Or are you shy? Well, you've been very shy since childhood. When I bought a pocket watch as a gift for my birthday, I was so embarrassed that I couldn't deliver it myself, so I ordered a servant to put it on a branch…….”
“Noisy!! Shit, coming to you was stupid, too.”
When the forgotten dark history was forcibly dragged out, Lapel jumped up from his seat.He gasped and tried to run out of his room.At that moment, Harold, who erased his smile, gave one last piece of advice.
“As you know, I love you very much. Even his rugged personality and pride are so cute in my eyes. But a real man should know when to bend that pride. At least pretend to be sorry to change her mind her! I mean , don't choose any means. Otherwise you will soon be like me.”
Harold put all his youth and energy his into his work his his And he got everything in return But except for love.
The woman Harold had truly loved left him and married her her other man. All of this because Harold firmly believed that as long as he was a successful man, she would not leave him. Was too stupid to notice this, and he missed her forever.
Rafel, who knew about Harold's past his, looked at him with a serious expression. To Rafel, Harold was no different than a benefactor. Harold, at least, rather than his biological father, King Selgratis, felt much closer to his father. Was not to be taken lightly. At this time, Lapel's eyes suddenly turned to the shining ring on Harold's hand his.
“Ah, inspiration. What the hell is that ring? Is this a popular ring in Deltium these days?”
The ring on Harold's hand was similar to the one in Rafel's memory of his.The large amethyst ring was unusually engraved with the alphabet.Just like the one I had found in a drawer in Annette's roomHer her when she nursed her back her
“Ah, this? You don't know. This is the ring of the guild called 'Secret'. All the best honored guests there have one of these rings.”
“Secret? What kind of guild is that?”
“What… Shall we call it an errand guild for now? Starting with information trading in a small way, we do almost anything illegal that customers want. It's a place that has risen rapidly in the last 5 years, but the guild master is not an easy bet. Rumor has it that he's one of the few 'real' wizards left.”
Even when he retired, Harold was still Harold.It's no surprise that Harold, who once worked like a secret agent for the state, knew of an underworld intelligence guild.But Annette's knowledge of the place was certainly strange.Ordinary woman who loved to read and embroider.
“Tell me more, inspiration. What specific things do you do in that guild?”
Lapel, whose face was distorted by her anxiety Her her, turned around and sat down in front of Harold.
* * *
The weather was nice. The sky was clear and the sun was hot, but the wind was cool. So Annette sat in the garden for a long time and read a book in peace. Although the content was information about the temple Celestine usually attended, it was undeniable that this time was peaceful.
'Except for one thing.'
After taking her eyes off the book for a moment, Annette let out a small sigh at the sight of Lapel in the distance. He recently switched to a front view, apparently giving up his back view operation. And he maintained a very nerve-wracking It was such an ambiguous distance that you could see each other just by looking away, but you had to get up from your seat and approach to talk to them.
Annette was uncomfortable with Lapel's sharp gaze staring at her like a hawk. So this time, without saying anything, I folded the book and got up from my seat. He intended to escape him and return to his room. , Lapel came right next to her and grabbed her wrist her.
“Let's talk.”
“… Talk? What?”
Annette looked up at Lafel with low expectations.He got annoyed and avoided when he tried to talk, so what are we talking about now?As Annette stared at her without consent or refusal, a slightly nervous expression appeared on Lafel's face her.
“Just a moment.”
With her temper her, she would have grabbed Annette's arm her right away and dragged her as she pleased. But now Annette couldn't do that. Rafel shut her mouth tightly. Going crazy. Naturally, Harold's advice he had met a few days ago came to mind.
'Be nice to her wife. Throw away your pride.'
So, what do you do to make it 'good'?Lafel seemed to be cursing.If you're going to give me advice,I'll give you a little more detail on this.To scare people unnecessarily.But she desperately looked around him.
Fortunately, dahlias blooming beautifully in groups caught my eye. The moment she saw this, Lapel remembered hearing somewhere that women liked flowers. Without thinking further, he reached out and snapped the largest dahlia.
“It really only takes a moment, Annette. Let's talk.”
“… Are you giving this to me?”
Instead of answering, Annette looked at the dahlia Lapel had given her with blank eyes.It was the first time he had ever received anything from him.How much more would you expect to receive flowers from 'that' Lafel.It was a single dahlia , not bought with money or packaged beautifully, but it felt new.
“Wait a minute.”
When Annette seemed interested in the flower, Lapel let go of her wrist her and began to sweep the dahlia away. A whole bunch of dahlias were broken in an instant in his merciless grip. It was a tyranny that would make a gardener scream and shed Tears. However, Lapel was not concerned about the gardener's shock. In the blink of an eye, Lapel made a bouquet as large as Annette's upper body and handed it to her whole her.
“If it's a hat, I'll break it more. So talk to me, Annette.”
… Do you want to cut more here? Annette's pupils her, holding a bunch of flowers, caused an earthquake. It's nice that her husband gave her a gift of flowers, but this was too much even if there were many. Follow him before all the flowers in the garden died.
To tell the truth, I was still reluctant to talk to Rafel.I didn't expect him to tell the truth about everything.However, since Rafel showed such sincerity, he was willing to give himself a chance.Like an old plea.Annette , relieved, turned to Lapel.
“Then let's go over there, we.”
