Chapter 169
Eventually, Larane was locked up in her room.
At first, they asked for the cooperation of the Lombardy Knight and wanted them to protect the door, but they were firmly rejected.
Now Seral, Viese, and Belsach take turns guarding the door.
I went and said that I wanted to see Larane, but I had to be kicked out with only Seral"s scornful gaze.
"But do you think I will give up?"
I leaned against the window of my room and looked at the darkened evening sky.
And gradually the stars appeared one by one and it was close to night.
Creak.
The sound of the iron gate of the mansion across the garden closing was heard in the distance.
Now that door won"t open until dawn unless something special happens.
No one can enter or leave the mansion.
Of course, Viese"s family, who are aware of the fact, will have no choice but to loosen their guard.
It"s late again, so he might have just fallen asleep guarding the door.
"Time"s up."
I realized before I knew it was almost time and went outside.
The trees in the small forest next to the annex seemed to sing a pas song along with the wind.
And when the song subsides for a while.
"Tia."
Perez walked out of the dark forest.
The walls of the Lombardy mansion are high, and the Lombardy Knights and Soldiers are guarding it without a hitch.
It was meaningless in front of Perez, who exceeded human limits in many ways, like dealing with aura.
"What happened? You asked me to meet you first."
Perez immediately grabbed my hand and kissed the back of my hand.
"It"s almost two months. Now, Perez, I think you"ve returned to the Capital."
In the meantime, Perez was away to the South.
Maybe he went to take care of something.
After pausing at my words, Perez regained his smile after a while.
"Yes, Tia, you did, I forgot for a moment. I"m still adjusting."3
It"s already been three months since Perez found out who I am as the owner of Pellet Corporation.
But every time the memories of that time come to mind, Perez seemed so surprised and delighted again.
"But why did you call me today, Tia? I"m glad to see you. I don"t think there"s anything going on..."
Perez, who was approaching me, stopped talking.
"Lips..."
Perez"s gaze touched my lips, which had burst from being slapped by Viese.
And the wind blew.
Until just a moment ago, trees, which had been dancing pleasantly in the wind, began to hum and shaking threateningly.
It was because of the heavy wave that spread around Perez.
In the meantime, I could see that it was quiet around me.
"Who is it, Tia?"
At first glance, his friendly voice was imbued with anger.
Perez"s pupil color was also slightly different than usual."Who did hurt you?"
Perez said with a frown as if he was in more pain.
I shook my head at such a Perez.
"Put down your energy."
With my words, the power to suppress the surroundings disappeared like a lie.
Clap.
The birds, unable to escape, were finally seen flying far away from the tree.
"It doesn"t matter who hurt me, Perez."
"Why it doesn"t matter?"
Perez seemed unhappy for not being told and his eyes were still sharp-looking at my swollen lips, but he nodded gently.
"How did that happen?"
"In fact, a few days ago..."
I gave Perez a summary of what had happened.
And added at the end.
"That"s why I need you, Perez."
"Ah..."
Perez blinked for a moment at my words and smiled.
The scent of the forest is as deep as a smile that appears.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"I"m glad. I mean, Tia needs me."
"You"re so..."
I shut up trying to scold Perez out of habit.
I"m the one who"s asking Perez for a favor.
I can"t do this.
I nodded and walked in the lead and said.
"I don"t think it"s that difficult for you. I need your help first, Perez."
"Anything."
Dude, he"s totally excited.2
I started walking through the forest with Perez.
It was a road where the guards, who were walking around on time, didn"t travel here.
And where we were headed was the main building.
Standing face to face with Perez in the dark shade, I said in a small voice.
"Put me up there."
Perez looked up along the tip of my finger.
"...Terrace?"
"Yeah, that one on the third floor."
"Larane"s Lombardy"s room?"
As expected, Perez got it right away.
I nodded.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"What?"
"It must be scary."
Although it is said to be on the third floor, but the ceiling is high, so the fourth floor of an ordinary building is more suitable.
But it"s not that scary.+
"I trust you, Perez."
That"s a piece of cake for you, isn"t it?
Perez smiled and liked it, then tilted his head slightly towards me and asked.
"If you tell me who did it."
Well, he"s not going to just do a favor.
"...Viese."
"Viese Lombardy?"
"Of..."
Hm?
"But don"t harm Viese."1
I saw a sharp light flash through Perez"s eyes as I gave an answer and quickly spoke firmly.
"Because that"s my job."
After staring at me for a while, Perez soon reached out to me.
"Let me hug you."
With his short words, my body was so easily lifted as I sat on Perez"s arm.
Perez"s arm muscles, which are as hard as stones under my legs and hips, were felt intact.
I put my arm around Perez"s neck and put my face on his neck.
"I"m not doing this because I"m scared."
I just don"t like heights.
"Scary things are different from dislike things."
Through the body in contact, I heard Perez laugh.
And when I feel that one of Perez"s arms holds my body tighter.
Whoosh, tap, tap, clap.
That was all.
In the end, there was no feeling of "running" other than the thick and belated wind caught up with us and messed up our hair once.
"You can open your eyes."
As I slowly lifted my head to Perez"s low voice, we were standing on the terrace I pointed at a moment ago.
"I think there"s only Larane Lombardy alone inside."
You"re so witty.
Perez read the signs and told me with a keen of his five senses.
"You wait here for a second. I"ll be right back."
Perez nodded silently at my words.
Then he sits on his b.u.t.t on a railing in the corner where there is no light and looks at me.
He listened well and looked like I"m seeing a gentle puppy, so I smiled at Perez once and knocked on the window.
Knock! Knock!
Shortly after the sound, a startled-faced Larane opened the window.
"Ti, Tia?"
Larane, who was looking at me in a very low voice, seemed to grasp the situation roughly when she saw Perez sitting quietly in the back.
Larane, who quickly stepped inside, bowed slightly to Perez, who was sitting there with an expressionless face and closed the door.
"Tia, your face..."
Larane was speechless when she saw my lips and swollen cheeks.
Tears gathered again in already swollen eyes.
"I"m sorry. I"m sorry, because of me."
Larane held my hand tightly.
"Because of me, neither Tia nor Sir Avinox nor Luman family..."
No, it"s weird for a second.
Me and Avinox were treated badly by Viese, but suddenly Luman family?
"What"s wrong with the Luman family?"
"My, my father here a little while ago... This will make the Luman family in a lot of trouble. Maybe the subsidy to the East will be cut off..."
Viese, you evil son.
At the very least, you"re threatening your daughter now.
That is blackmail, too.
The Luman family"s subsidies will not be cut off so easily.
But the pure Larane would have believed it straight away.
And she"d be sitting alone in this dark room, trembling with fear.
Blaming herself for fear that she would cause great trouble for Avinox and Avinox"s family.
"Everything I"ve been greedy for..."
Larane, who murmured like that, looked somewhat precarious.
At that moment, I remembered Larane lying down as if she were asleep.
Loving the wrong people as parents, closed her eyes too early in return for obedience.
Larane, who withered like a flower in her hand.
I put the box of Avinox"s proposal ring in Larane"s hand.
"This is..."
Larane"s eyes shook when she saw the engagement ring that she had never even put on her finger.
When a careful hand took out the pearl ring, a bright light flowed in the moonlight.
Larane couldn"t take her eyes off the beautiful jewel for a moment.
And she carefully put the ring on her finger.
The ring fits perfectly as if it were made in this world for Larane.
Yeah, it"s Larane.
It looks a lot better on you than become withered flowers.
I said, brushing Larane"s tangled hair slightly with my fingers.
"Sir Avinox asked me to tell you he"ll be waiting."
"Ah..."
Thick tears dripped from Larane"s eyes.
"Listen, Larane. I prepared a way to leave this place."
"To leave... how?"
"Yes. How to go to a place where both Larane and Avinox can be happy together."
But, Larane soon spoke painfully as if giving up.
"But there are so many people who will get hurt when I go away like that. Tia, who helped me right now, too... And if I run away, Lombardy and Luman..."
"Don"t worry about that. If Larane leaves here with Avinox, no one will get hurt. Take my word for it, Larane."
"Tia..."
"So now, think only Larane"s own happiness. And make a decision. You"re still thinking about it, right?"
"Well, that"s..."
Larane bowed her head.
There"s no way she"s going to leave Avinox right now.
To do so, Larane adores Viese, Seral, and Belsach.
Even at this moment when she"s forced to make the most important choice in life, she can"t willingly abandon them.
I couldn"t understand how to love someone like Viese and Seral.
But they"re still her parents.
And Larane. She"s nice.
I understand the hesitation of not being able to leave, running away holding Avinox"s hand.
I comforted Larane"s shoulders.
“Loving your parents and your brother. It"s not a bad thing to want to do something that makes them happy."
Larane"s big eyes look up at me.
"But the most important thing is Larane"s own happiness. So it"s up to you. What are you going to do?"
"...What would Tia do if you were me?"
"If it was me..."
I didn"t even think this far.
I would have turned the house upside down and ripped all the mouths of those who urged me to marry Astana.1
To ruin someone"s life!
But that word is too harsh for Larane.
I shook my head and replied.
"Larane is not me. Such a question is not very meaningful. But I know this one for sure."
Looking straight into Larane"s pretty eyes, I said.
“Larane’s family isn’t the one who will appreciate your patience and sacrifice.”
Larane"s long eyelashes trembled.
Maybe she knew it herself.
"So you don"t have to sacrifice for your family anymore, Larane."
I got up from my seat leaving that word.
Let"s get out of here before we get caught.
"I"m sorry, but we don"t have much time, Larane. Just 5 days from now. You have to decide in it."
"Five days..."
Larane nodded.
As I went to the terrace where Perez was waiting, several flower pots on the table came into my eyes.
Among them, I liked the red flowers that bloomed straight and were colorful the most.
Unlike other things that bloomed against the support due to their weak self-supporting power, the red flower is raising its head straight toward the sky with its own strength.+
I pointed it out and said.
"If you feel like it in five days, put that pot out of the window. Then I"ll take care of the rest."
* * *
A letter from Emperor Jovannes arrived at Lulak"s office.
[I will give the Lord of Lombardy three days. Agree to the marriage between the Imperial Family and Lombardy in time. If he does not obey the Imperial Mandate, Lulak Lombardy is subject to a Golden Order. Also, the Golden Order is canceled only when the marriage is concluded.]