Translator: Nox

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

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—Rustle.

The sound of fabric rustling.

The sound of a tape measure being pulled out, and the sound of something brushing against skin.

Dielo's ears were overly focused on the sounds coming from right behind him.

Even when he tried not to, his attention kept being drawn to it.

He was struggling to calm himself.

'I thought it was real.'

Krua's voice, speaking in surprise, echoed in his mind, and he clenched his fist tightly.

It is real.

He wanted to answer that way, but he had no choice but to back down.

Just laying her on the bed, just covering her with his shadow.

She had looked up at him with eyes as startled as a rabbit's.

Who is it that's supposed to be innocent?

He touched his forehead.

'Haa.'

After he stepped back, the short breath she exhaled as if relieved of tension almost drove him crazy.

When Krua was beneath him.

When she looked up at him, her eyes wide.

When she smiled, saying she trusted him.

No, before that.

The moment he embraced her to measure her size, when he felt the rapid breaths pouring into his ear.

From then on, he felt like he was going insane.

"It's done! You can look now."

Dielo couldn't turn around immediately to face the priest.

If he saw the priest's face, so calm and so pure, he felt like what he was suppressing inside would run wild.

"Dielo?"

So, it was only when she called him again that Dielo slowly turned around.

He was really going crazy.

Suppressing the boiling inside.

* * *

The busy dawn passed without incident.

That meant they had successfully taken the measurements and managed to make the formal dress.

"I can't say it's perfect, but there aren't many who can make a dress to this extent in this amount of time!"

The 47-year-old artisan said confidently, unlike at first.

And as he said.

He must have been inspired by something, because the formal dress he made for Dielo was of a quality that one couldn't even imagine as a fitting.

The same was true of the seamstress at the mansion who was in charge of my formal dress.

"He's a truly amazing craftsman."

"You as well."

It seemed like there had been some kind of battle between the artisans at dawn, as sparks flew from the eyes of the seamstresses facing each other.

That's how perfect my formal dress was as well.

"You look so beautiful!"

"Everyone will praise you as the sweetest couple in the empire!"

The people's admiration wasn't even cringeworthy.

It was a dress with red Argenta-like decorations on a white background.

Dielo, wearing a white uniform with splendid red embroidery, held out his hand to me.

"Shall we go?"

In response to the smooth voice, I took his hand.

The sensation of the chiffon dress brushing against my legs was vivid.

Though not as much as his warm hand.

"You look so pretty!"

As we entered the banquet hall, Ellin Kartiel's voice of admiration could be heard.

Thanks to that, Siete Cartiel, who had failed to maintain his composure, belatedly said.

"You look very good together."

Why does that sound so soulless?

"Aren't they a lovely couple? Hahaha!"

Duke Alroze was genuinely laughing.

His face was full of satisfaction. At the same time, he didn't forget to wink at me.

For once, it didn't seem like he was giving me a look of disapproval, but rather a compliment like 'well done'.

Though it didn't seem like a compliment for my sake, but rather just because he was in a good mood?

It was clear that the friends who had infiltrated as sewing assistants last night had properly conveyed that we had spent a hot night together.

Sorry, but we only treated wounds?

—Whoosh!

In the meantime, a faint light emanated from Dielo's hand.

As it was an event held in Argenta, the finale was to be done with Argenta's flame ability.

The flame that bloomed from his hand slowly rose, spreading to the chandeliers on the wall.

The flames, which spread out in a firework-like shape, lit up all the surrounding chandeliers at once.

"Ooh!"

Applause poured out. But when I glanced at the people, they didn't seem very surprised.

It seemed like they were just clapping out of courtesy?

That's because, I later heard, the previous Duke Argenta used to put on a show with three phoenixes flying around at this time in his prime.

No wonder they weren't impressed.

Besides.

—Hoo.

I felt it, so surely others must have felt it too.

The flame that Dielo had to maintain wavered for a moment.

It didn't go out, but its brightness noticeably decreased before recovering.

This was as good as saying that the one who controlled the fire had immature abilities.

"……!"

Dielo looked a little embarrassed.

And that expression was exposed to the people without filtering.

The Dielo I knew wasn't someone whose abilities would waver from using this much flame.

According to the original story, he was someone who could move not just three phoenixes, but a whole flock of them.

Even now, without having awakened as Pero.

It seemed like he was doing this on purpose.

When I see him like this, it's not like he can't act?

Well, he's been pretending to be weak his whole life, so he can do this much naturally.

His weak acting is only limited to 'sweet newlywed couple acting'.

'……I thought it was real.'

But the moment I remembered last night, my cheeks flushed slightly.

That too…… doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

When did this person become so accustomed to acting?

'Turn around slightly.'

'This time, your shoulder…….'

The hands that touched briefly while taking measurements.

But the strangely erotic touch and the heat that made me feel flushed.

That…… wasn't bad.

It was when I was fanning myself without realizing it.

"This meeting was also a good time. Until we meet again in three years, may there be no discord between the three families."

Dielo's voice rang out.

Of course, this was a set line.

No discord between the three families, my ass, it was still ongoing.

Anyway, as soon as his words announced the end of the meeting, Kartiel got up.

"Then I'll see you again next time."

As he passed in front of us, he whispered clearly in a low voice.

"It seems you are no longer afraid of flames, Duke Argenta."

Then he left without waiting for an answer.

Duke Alloze also patted my shoulder with a satisfied face.

"Then I'll look forward to more good news."

It was clear that the Alloze family was looking forward to the news of the Lily disappearing.

And when it was just us left.

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn't take my eyes off the direction they had left.

"Argenta would never be afraid of flames."

In short, wasn't that saying that he thought I couldn't handle flames at all, but I did better than expected?

No matter how capable and strong Siete Kartiel was as the head of the family.

Those words were clearly rude.

To my quiet words, Dielo answered gently, as if he wasn't even angry.

"It's understandable that he would say that."

This soft, squishy pudding again!

It was when I turned to look at him. His gaze, with a gentle smile, was directed at me.

And unexpected words popped out of his mouth.

"When I was young, I was afraid."

"Yes?"

Really? I widened my eyes.

Dielo nodded as if it was true.

This was a setting that I hadn't seen even in the original story.

Of course, the original story didn't contain everything in the world, but this was really unexpected information.

"It's a story that's publicly known among the bloodlines of each family."

But it seemed that Krua, as an illegitimate daughter, didn't know. Dielo whispered in a low voice to me, who had widened my eyes.

"I was someone without any abilities until I was six years old."

"……Yes?"

Really? The strong head of the family without Pero had no abilities?

"But because I was Argenta, my father forced me to try to move the flames."

So he was also placed in the middle of a burning building.

But the young him was never able to control the fire properly.

"That……."

Then he's no different from a normal child!

They abandoned such a child in the middle of a fire? I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

Dielo's eyes held a gentle smile.

"It's in the past, so it's okay."

Don't be too sorry, Krua.

The voice that whispered that was stable.

"Sorry……."

No, I'm pissed off! Is that something a human would do!

There was no story in the original work that the previous Duke and Duchess Argenta were good parents, but I thought they would at least do the basics.

But hearing this, they were trash, the worst kind of trash.

I touched my forehead.

* * *

The meeting ended like that, and the procession of carriages returning to the territories stretched out long.

Until everyone from each family left, we were the very image of a sweet couple.

"Then next time, I hope to see you again with good news."

Siete Kartiel greeted us and got into his carriage without looking back.

Even in the meantime, we were stuck together without separating.

"Aren't you tired?"

"I'm okay."

Of course, we didn't forget to have whispered conversations.

"You went to bed too late last night."

That's true. Because of the dress fitting.

"Don't talk about that outside……."

I covered my face with a fan and pretended to stop him, saying with a troubled face.

"Ah."

He, pretending to be full of loopholes, cleared his throat as if he had to be careful with his words.

Duke Alloze, who had seen all that without pretending not to, left with a satisfied face.

—Clatter!

After the last carriage left.

When it was really just us left, I couldn't help but say.

"Dielo."

"Yes."

The usual calm gaze was directed at me.

I sincerely admired him.

"Your acting isn't just good, it's almost like you're a different person?"

Of course, it was a whisper in a very small voice.

Dielo smiled a little as he looked at me, who was almost embraced in his arms.

"Is it cold?"

Saying that, he took off his coat and covered me with it, whispering closely.

"I told you, I can't act."

Is this what you call not being able to act?

He's always so humble, really.