It"s already deep in the night.
The head of the Ractos household, Grid=Ractos, is sitting in a table that"s simple but could be felt that it was high grade item in his private room alone. He placed his elbow on the armchair, entwined his fingers together, and seems to be in deep thought.
A moment later, a knocking sound of the door could be heard.
Seemingly already aware that there will be someone who will visit his room, Grid asked that person to enter.
[ Father, what"s the matter ? It"s quite rare for you to call on me like this. Did something happen? ]
The one who came to the room is his own son. It’s Jake=Ractos himself, the person who just had his engagement party with Anessa=Nizzet earlier in the day.
[ ... Jak . First, you"ve worked hard for the engagement party. Thank you. ] - Grid
[ Aah, yes . Well, there"s quite a lot of things that happened, but I’m glad that it"s finished without any problems ... Thank to His majesty, it didn"t become a big ruckus, after all. ] - Jake
The many things that Jake is talking about is what happened after the engagement party was over. In other words, the social debut of Erza=Ractos.
At her social debut party, out of all things, Erza have done the knight"s bow in front of the king. A lot has happened but thanks to His majesty, it didn"t become something outrageous. Jake seems relieved.
... Though it became something outrageous among several people within the guest seat, they still didn"t know about it.
[ That"s right, the reason I called you is because of that matter. I want to talk about Erza"s future, about what she will be after this. ] - Grid
Erza after this. Hearing those words, Jake fell into wonder.
[ What father means by "after this" ? I"ve said it before, right? Since it didn"t become something big, even if you say the thing after this, what will exactly happen ... ? ] - Jake
[ About Erza"s engagement plan. ] - Grid
Erza"s engagement.
Just like the previous case, Erza is the type of n.o.ble Lady that"s for sure will create some mess ... n.o.ble lady?
... Well, yeah, she is a n.o.ble lady.
Because of that, even though she is a n.o.ble lady from a duke house, not even one invitation for engagement comes. Even when she already reached the age of sixteen.
Just like how Grid says it every day - no more hope for Erza. Jake, himself, also thought the same.
And now, Grid, who Jake thought already totally given up on that matter, wanted to talk about Erza"s engagement.
[ Did perhaps, there"s some weird person ... not that, a commendable person who asked Erza for an engagement in the party!? ] - Jake
[ Regrettably, such an eccentric ... not that, a commendable person didn’t attend our party. Well, it"s more correct to say that there"s none who "asked" her for engagement. ] - Grid
Hearing how Grid said it in roundabout way, Jake pondered for a bit.
There"s no one who asked Erza for engagement, but Grid wanted to talk about Erza"s engagement.
[ Father. Perhaps, there"s no one who asked her for engagement, but there"s someone who is seemingly able to accept Erza in that party? ] - Jake
Jake hit the perfect spot on the thing that Grid wanted to talk about.
[ Indeed so. It"s someone you know, Zen=Helix ] - Grid
Zen=Helix.
Someone who"s affiliated with the Azolias kingdom Chivalric Order"s Lightweight Unit. And the one who has the nickname of Young Ace. He is born from a Viscount family that had always become the commander for the Kingdom"s army for generations and he himself is a man who has the t.i.tle of Knight.
Several days ago, because of an uproar that happened at the Crescent Moon Pavilion, a meal shop in the castle city, he became an acquaintance with Jake and Grid. And now, they have a friendly relations.h.i.+p.
Now, Grid is saying that they will make Zen accept Erza.
[ At the time of today"s uproar, I looked at his face by chance, you know ...From his look, it seems that he has great fondness towards Erza. ] - Grid.
After saying that, a smile appeared on his face.
His usual face that already gave people fear, became even more warped and evil than before.
[ Wa, wait, father! Isn"t that weird! It must only be his misconception. There’s no way he felt fondness towards Erza! I"m sure that he will not have the same feelings looking at Erza in her usual form. I"m very sure!!! ] - Jake
Normally, Jake should feel happy in hearing that there"s someone who is seemingly able to accept Erza, who is in a hopeless situation where her engagement and marriage is something that is only a dream within a dream. But upon hearing that the opponent is Zen=Helix, Jake said is opposition.
[ He is a rare person who"s really friendly with us. Furthermore, he even listened to my bragging for several hours without making a reluctant face, responding to my story moderately, and hearing my story with smile on his face. He is a really good person, you know!? There"s no way I want to do such an inhumane thing like giving Erza to him ... ! ] - Jake
Inhumane thing...
Thought it"s a bit cruel, but it can"t be helped if he talks about Erza like that.
Maybe, it is. Probably it is. Is it really so?
In any case, the two people that is having a conversation in this room is thinking the same thing.
Hearing Jake unusually raising his voice in discontent, perhaps Grid have already thought about it. He hanged his head and sighed.
[ ... Indeed, he is a really good man. But even so, even if that"s the fact… Even if he just had misunderstanding on having a fondness toward Erza. There"s already no one except him. If we let him go, Erza will become like Rin ... umm, like that person. There will be no more chances for her. ] - Grid
With a slow tone, Grid said so.
While he agrees that giving Erza to a good man who knows nothing about her is something inhumane, but he said that there"s no one else besides him. If they let this chance go, there will be none left.
There was a precedent whose name that came out in the middle of his talk, but it"s didn"t matter.
He mustn"t think about it. There"s no mercy in the abyss.
[ I understand... I understand perfectly about that. But Erza is always wearing her amour, you know? She wearing an amour is her default form... She is an amour addict, you know? Giving Erza that"s abnormal… no matter how you think about it, to a good person like Zen-kun… As I thought, I can"t let that happen. ] - Jake
After Jake said so full of his grief, the room fell into silence.
---- Making one clear sigh, Grid raised his head.
[ Jake ... It"s not like I didn"t think about Zen=Helix’s condition at all. Even in my opinion, he is a really good guy. But even so, we must sacrifice him. We must push Erza to him like this. It already has its own reason ... It"s for the future. ] - Grid.
[ For the future? ] - Jake
Hearing Jake ask back, Grid nodded.
[ Jake, if you married, Miss Anessa will come to our house... In other words, she will live together with us. ] - Grid
Grid raised his body from the seat and then looked towards the window with his back facing Jake. Grid gazed at the moon that is float on the night sky. Then he continued his words.
[ And then, someday you will have kids, and surely they will be raised in our house ... But if at that time, Erza still haven"t married? She still lives in our house, and eating on the same table as the precious kids who will bear the Duke household"s future... What do you think about that? ] - Grid
Grid, pointing his gaze towards Jake"s reflection on the window, asked.
Jake, then, made a surprised expression as if realizing something.
[ I am worried. I worried that my grandchildren in the future will receive some bad influence from Erza. Then, a second Erza will be born. I can"t stop worrying about that. ] - Grid
Grid hanged his head in grief.
[ Humans are creature that cannot live without sacrificing something. They are really sad creatures. ] - Grid
Jake can"t guess the expression of Grid who’s hanging his head in sadness.
However, the feeling that his father felt about the future is properly transmitted to him.
He is now able to feel a resolution to do the inhumane act of giving Erza to the good guy Zen=Henrix.
Even if… that resolution will bring him a grief.
[ ... I understand, father. Let"s make Zen-kun, Zen=Helix, as our sacrifice] - Jake
[ Jake ... ] - Grid
[Then, let me be the one to be burdened with that resolution. I can"t let father have such a heavy burden on your back. I will be the one to speak about the engagement to Zen=Helix. ] - Jake
In surprise, Grid turned his back and faced towards Jake.
In Grid"s eyes, reflected Jake"s face that"s full of determination.
[ Jake, what are you.... ! There"s no way I will let you dirty your hand with such an evil deed! I talked with you not so that I can drag you to this mess. I"ll be the one to tell it to Zen=Helix... ! ] - Grid
[ Father, I am Jake=Ractos. The next head of Duke Ractos household. ] -Jake
That voice is so unlikely for the usual Jake, a voice that"s filled with determination.
[ In my own will, I asked him to be tied with Erza in engagement. I"ll make Zen=Henrix sacrifice ... After all, I can"t keep bothering father forever. That would be too uncool, no?] - Jake
Even if he’s still joking at the end, hearing Jake saying it so seriously like that, Grid felt that Jake is finally growing up and the inner corner of his eyes started to feel hot.
Even though he determined to sacrifice his friend, Grid still felt proud for his son .
[ ... I understand. Jake, you will be the one to tell this matter to Zen=Helix. ] - Grid
[ Yes. Leave it to me. ] - Jake
[ ---- By the way, umm, is Liliana still scolding Erza even now? ] - Grid
[ Aah ... She isn’t showing any signs of regret. It"ll probably continue until morning… ] - Jake
[ Erza ... ] - Grid
The two have already determined themselves, but the feeling of guilt that they had against Zen=Helix didn"t disappear.