Chapter 44 - 15. The Protagonist, (2)
After a while, they arrived at a hut in a secluded place.
“A musty smell…”
“This is a place that used to be a warehouse. I heard that even when fall comes, no one will come here.”
Fanora looked around. When she made an appointment with him, she had placed a lamp in advance on the floor here.
“This would be better than training in the open space. The walls are thick, so you can hardly hear the sound if we close the door.”
“Did you choose this place so we wouldn’t get caught?”
“Yes, but only until my debutante.”
When Fanora removed the hood she was wearing, Carl also removed the cloth draped over his head. She already paid attention to the surroundings when they were already coming this far. However, no matter how much she hid it,
one’s tail is bound to be stepped on if it is long
. So Fanora told Carl what she had in her mind.
“It’s not bad to be careful, so let’s reduce the number of our meetings as much as possible.”
“Yes?”
“I will do my best to study on my own for the rest.”
At those words, Carl scratched his cheek awkwardly. “But Lady is bound to meet me when you need me. One day, they will find out about our meetings.”
“Yes.”
“Then, how about this?”
Clap.
Along with the clapping sound, the suggestion was as follows. “Let’s go to the social gathering held by Madam Seiji!”
“Social gathering?”
When Fanora asked back, Carl said the following words, whether he had been thinking about this for a long time. “Last time, I told Lord Aloken that we like animals.”
“Yes.”
“Besides, after Lady Fanora visited my mansion, he thought we were friends…”
“So, what’s the conclusion?”
“This is the time to let the public know that we are friends who go to social gatherings together!”
It will be safe because it’s natual to stick together when you’re close friends! As he suggested that, he smiled brightly like the sun. Fanora’s expression, of course, didn’t change at all.
If only everything worked out so easily…
At first, she felt uneasy about it. However, she thought it was a reasonable suggestion after a few seconds.
No, it’s much better than doing nothing, right? Carl is right. We can say that we often meet because we have the same hobbies.
With that, it would be less suspicious rather than meeting secretly. Fanora thought so and accepted his suggestion.
“Okay. From now on, no matter what anyone asks about us, let’s answer that we are close friends who have the same hobbies.”
Carl waited with a smile as Fanora pondered in agony. Soon, he smiled even more broadly. “Oh? For some reason, it makes me feel like I have really made friends, so I’m happy.”
How in the world was there such a good boy like him? Fortunately, he wasn’t a really good boy, so Fanora didn’t feel guilty using him.
“Then let’s get started. First of all, I want you to demonstrate this part of the book.”
“Are you really thinking of learning bare-handed martial arts? But…”
“For Europa.”
“Uh, I will do as you say. Even I will bark if you tell me to bark!”
A few hours later.
“Now, look at me. How do you usually hold a kitchen knife?”
“I’ve never cooked before…”
“Huh? Uh… then I’ll show you. Think of this pen like a knife. Many people hold it like this.”
Time passed, and it was already evening as they were still engaged in the conversation. Fanora sweated a lot while mastering the technique, but she focused on him without showing any difficulty.
“For slashing is fine, but for stabbing, it shouldn’t be held like this.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s easier for them to drop your knife.”
“Oh.”
“So when you want to stab, hold it in reverse. If you hold your thumb to support the handle like this, it won’t shake.”
Actually, Carl was smart enough for those who aren’t interested in studying. His explanation was easy to understand. Moreover, if she had any questions, he showed a textbook-like attitude to anything, so there was no shortage of him being a teacher.
“When you retire later, how about teaching martial arts?” Fanora asked, pretending to hold a knife as he told her.
“Me? If I join the knights, the only way to retire is being dead, right?” Then he answered as if it was natural. Upon hearing those sentences, Fanora widened her eyes for a moment.
“…”
What comes to her mind at this moment was the future that she knew in a few years. This red-haired boy later made a significant contribution to the war of conquest by the King. There were even rumors that this kingdom won the war thanks to Carl Andras. But in exchange for the victory, he lost his life at a very young age.
Besides, if I recall the memories at the victory ceremony, the second son of Andras family also returned crippled from that war…
Anyway, the evening sun began to set. Since today’s class ended here, Fanora took a deep breath and voiced her opinion.
“Carl, by any chance…”
“Yes, Lady Fanora.”
“Can’t you live without going to the battlefield?”
“Yes?”
“What if… you had enough money to spend your whole life in luxury?”
She thought it would be a good deal, but Carl widened his eyes.
“Even if I become a beggar, I like to fight. Besides, protecting the Kingdom is something to be proud of!”
It’s not easy…
Hearing Carl’s answer, Fanora, who knew the future well, felt frustrated. So, she decided to be more specific about the danger. It was uncomfortable for her not to say a word when she knew he would die.
“Then, let’s say a war will break out in the next three years. And let’s say… you go to that war. How old are you this year?”
“I’m sixteen years old. What about Lady Fanora?”
“It’s the same for me too… No, my age doesn’t matter now.”
In the middle, Fanora discovered that they were the same age, but let’s move on from that.
“Do you want to die at the age of 20?”
“I don’t want that, but I hate more not being able to go to war.”
What kind of person is this!
Fanora hit her chest in annoyance that the conversation didn’t go the way she wanted. Then Carl came close with a surprised face and panicked.
“Are you alright?!”
“…by any chance, does your brother feel the same way as you?”
“Yes? Yes, yes. Generally.”
So this was really the Andras family. Fanora looked at the floor for a moment, bending her posture.
Yes, it’s no use trying to stop him if he wants to.
Perhaps this was enough for a warning. She eventually gave up on keeping Carl out of war. Moreover, just before the war broke out, she would be giving Europa to him.
Future will change if a holy relic of eternal life is in his possession anyway.
For the rest, it had to be left to fate.
* * *
“I’m back, Godmother.”
“I’m glad you came back. Let’s have dinner…”
Creek.
Fanora, who returned from my business, greeted her with the same neat appearance as when she left. Later, her schedule was a flat dinner with Godmother and reading books in her own room.
I moved too much today, so I’m tired.
For her, being a 16-year-old was once again a continuation of her sweet days. Originally, around this time, Seir would get angry at her.
“…”
Meals prepared on time. Clean clothes. Before she knew it, her surroundings were the same as the paradise she had dreamed of.
“Did I already fill the ink for tonight?”
Nevertheless, the revenge in her heart showed no sign of stopping. It was hard for Fanora to forget her anger because the events she had experienced throughout her life had already eaten away every nook and cranny of her memories.
“I need to fill in the ink…”
Come to think of it, she was only a few years old when she was hit by an ink bottle thrown by Bael. Fanora looked at the clock. It was 8 p.m.. By this time, her depressed mother had grabbed her tight and shouted at her. Looking down at her nails reminded her of that. Maybe she remembered that because it happened after dinner.
“…”
Fanora was furious even at this moment. She had so many memories of that. Others say that they lived based on their bright memories of their childhood, but as she grew up, there were many days when she shed tears for nothing.
“It’s done. I’m ready to write the novel.”
Fanora slipped out of her mind from the long recollection. As she continued her lack of study after refilling the ink, time flew by, and it was already midnight.
Daeng. Daeng. Daeng.
When the big clock in the hallway rang, Fanora stopped her hand and looked familiarly into the air. At midnight today, the next chapter of ‘Dangerous Love’ appeared.
<
#1. Vasago
’
s Room
Vasago read the letter, leaning on the light by the fireplace. Her expression gradually becomes serious.
Maid: Lady, what is written on it that makes your face look worried?
Vasago: I don’t know what this guy is thinking these days.
Lady: Did he send anything strange?
Vasago: No! Rather, he said what I wanted to hear the most. The long-standing checks between the dukes didn’t help the future of the Kingdom in any way, so as the next dukes, he asked first to unite with each other.
Maid: (Brew the tea)
Vasago: But, there’s no way the House of Jalier, the head of the aristocratic fraction, would make this choice.
Maid: Then it may be that man’s will, not the whole family’s.
Vasago: I can’t do this. I have no choice but to talk face to face with him.
#2. Luxury Restaurant (Night)
On the top floor of a restaurant. Vasago and Aloken talked in a heavy atmosphere where only the two were there.
Aloken: The food here is very delicious.
Vasago: Don’t try to talk nonsense. Why did you send such a letter?
Aloken: Ah, you mean the unity?
Vasago: There’s no way you’re going to make a deal that is not benefiting you.
Aloken: Your evaluation of me must be disastrous.
Vasago: Do you want me to reveal your true colors?
Aloken: If you treat me like this, I have to repay it. And, is there any way it’s not benefiting me? Stop the useless warfare and join hands with me in the 2
nd
ball of the Kingdom.
Vasago: What’s the catch?
Aloken: You can get more involved with the state affairs… and you will also have a happy life from that too.
Vasago dropped the knife.
Time elapsed.
After eating, Vasago and Aloken continued their talk.
Vasago: I didn’t expect you to think like that. There was a misunderstanding between us.
Aloken: While I was hunting foxes in the estate, my brother had already done some underground work in the capital society.
Vasago: Are you saying all the rumors about your personality are fake?
Aloken: (Laugh) Not all of them.
Vasago: What?
Aloken: If you’re curious, look for it by yourself. How far is it fake?
Vasago got up with an interesting expression on her face.
>
Tuk. Tuk.
Fanora tapped the paper with a pen tip and read intently the novel that appeared.
At first, the two were growling at each other, and now they’re gradually getting closer…
At this moment, according to her experience reading books from various genres, those were the beginning of…
“Is this a romance novel?”
Tuk, roll.
Fanora dropped the pen she was holding in her hand.
“Aloken is the male protagonist?”
* * *