I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

52 – Boy’s sincerity

Edgar headed to the room Helene used alone.

Normally, they sleep in the bedroom shared by the couple, but I heard that they stay here when they want to be alone or have personal business.

“Welcome, Bocchan. What are you doing?”

“I want to see Madame Helen. Will you be inside?”

“of course. Please wait a moment.”

Sheffy, who had to send a message, apologized for a moment and then turned around and knocked on the door.

Hearing Helen’s voice asking who he was from inside, she told Edgar that Edgar had arrived.

– Ask them to come in.

Edgar wondered if Helene would be reluctant to meet, but fortunately, permission was soon granted.

Sheppy opened the door himself and guided him inside, revealing a room Edgar had never seen before.

‘It’s a room like Helene’s wife.’

If Ariel’s room didn’t feel like the owner at all, this place could be said to be the exact opposite.

The panoramic view of the room fills the field of view, and at the same time, it feels like the owner of the room can be seen.

The room has a calm atmosphere with golden embroidery decorating the beds and a mixture of white and beige throughout.

Also, it was felt that the decoration was not excessive but not lacking, and that the arrangement and appearance of the furniture paid much attention to harmony rather than splendor.

“Welcome, Ed. Come to think of it, this must be the first time.”

As she said, Edgar had been living with the Loveheim family for quite some time, but this was the first time he had ever visited this room.

In the first place, I often see Helene face-to-face even on a normal day, and I tend to talk to her to the point where it’s not enough.

It would be fair to say that there was no need to visit.

“I see. Because there was no need to visit.”

“Yes it was. Then, can we say that today there is something important enough to visit separately?”

As Helene’s soft gaze reached Edgar, he was overcome with a feeling of being ripped open.

I’ve felt it a few times before, but I never really get used to it.

There are times when a person who normally laughs hahahahahoho and looks like a chaste and discreet woman stabs her sharply like this from time to time.

And from the infinitely soft eyes, I felt a strange sense of pressure, so I could never say a lie.

“… Yes, I am sure you already know.”

“Huh, I thought that would be the case with you. Since the story will be long, shall we have a cup of tea?”

“That’s good. Especially if it’s a car that Sheppy drives.”

Sheffy’s skill is at least one of two fingers among the teas Edgar has ever tasted.

As Edgar smiled and sat down at the unexpected congo, a smile was also engraved on the lips of Sheppy, who was listening from behind.

“I’m glad the hostess doesn’t compliment her at all. I’ll let you go soon.”

“Gee, Sheppy. If you say that, don’t you think I’m a person who is stingy with compliments?”

It’s not that I don’t praise it, but it’s a fact that’s not new, so I just don’t bother to say it.

Trying to embarrass Ed by distorting this in front of Edgar, it seems that the lady-in-waiting was misguided.

“Excuse me. However, because it is true.”

“Ugh, anyway, words never lose.”

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Knowing that it was Sheppy’s occasional prank, Helene said nothing more.

The fact that the two of them are nominally master-servant, but in reality they are close to friends also played a role.

As Sheppy bowed her head and left the room, Helene glanced lightly at Edgar, who was sitting across from her.

I knew that Ariel was a daredevil when it came to things, but I didn’t expect to find her so quickly.

“Is it because of him that you came?”

“Exactly because of Ariel.”

“… i got the question wrong Well, his existence would have nothing to do with you.”

When Helen realized her mistake, she laughed and corrected her words.

Even though the meaning was similar, there was a bit of an ambiguity.

If Yulken had done the same thing to someone else, he wouldn’t have reacted.

What he questioned was not ‘Yulken’s behavior’ to the end, but ‘why did he treat Ariel like that’.

It was also a part that showed how serious he was about his friends.

At most, just a change in the subject can make such a difference in practice.

It was a joy for Helene to have someone who cared for her daughter, but it was also bittersweet to have to reveal this fact.

‘I should let you know though.’

I thought that if there was a child who would truly take care of my daughter, it would be this boy.

In a way, I wondered if announcing this fact would be an extension of that.

Of course, her desire to step out as a chimney is like a chimney.

However, in a sense, she might not be so different from her husband, so she felt guilty and always couldn’t take another step.

In the meantime, I thought that this boy who approached might be the rope that came down to the Loveheim family.

“Two people, I have prepared tea.”

At the moment when such a subtle silence flowed, Sheppy, who had left the room, returned with tea cups and other refreshments in the trolley.

Being quick-witted, she immediately noticed that the air between the two was different from usual, but she didn’t bother pointing it out.

“Ah, thank you. Sheffy. We have something urgent to tell you, so would you go out and wait?”

“Yes, I will leave as soon as this is over.”

Since that was what he intended to do anyway, Sheppy calmly nodded and finished setting the table.

Then he got up, bowed his head, and led the trolley out of the room as quietly as possible.

As the fragrant aroma of tea wafting from the teacup gradually began to fill the room, it was Helene who opened her mouth, quietly removing her hand from her thigh.

“Remember what I said before? He said his daughter looked a lot like him.”

“Yes, I remember.”

“It must have been a strange feeling for you to see him today. There is no resemblance at all.”

“A little bit… … .”

To be honest, I felt a lot of difference, not a little bit.

The appearance of Yulken that I had just seen earlier made me feel like he really had no fatherly love for his daughter, rather than feeling like he was being dishonest like Ariel.

In response to Edgar’s answer, Helen weakly nodded and took a sip of tea.

There will probably be a lot to talk about, so it would be better to quench your thirst in advance.

“Looking at it from the outside, he was originally someone who looked a lot like Ariel. No, to be precise, I guess it’s not that much different now.”

For some reason, Edgar’s words sounded as if Yulken was just dishonest and full of affection for his daughter.

If that was really the only inside story, he felt relieved if he went to him right away and punched him in the face.

It is said that there is a sincerity that can be communicated without having to convey it in words, but there is a certain amount of goodness.

There was no example Edgar would show to his friend’s father, who treated him coldly, thinking that his daughter would understand my feelings.

“You seem to be asking a lot of questions. It will be a little long then, but will you listen to me?”

“Accordingly, Ariel said the same thing. What do you think my answer would have been?”

“hehehe, at least he said he would listen until dawn.”

“Also.”

Helen, who lightly saw through his actions.

Edgar gave him a playful little applause, and she smiled softly and pushed the refreshment from the table towards him.

“Even if you don’t like sweet things, this will be fine. They are his favorite sweets too.”

“Unexpectedly, you seem to like jujeonburi.”

“Yes, you can tell by looking at the appearance.”

It must be difficult to eat at that size.

At first glance, you could tell that it wasn’t just flesh, it was muscle that was captured on the battlefield.

However, since she couldn’t argue with her funny smile, Edgar smiled silently and took a bite of the cookie that was brought out to him.

It was quite good with a moderately bitter taste.

“Ed, did you say you heard the ‘story of the stars’ from Ariel before?”

“Yes, I haven’t heard the exact details.”

“That story is like a folk tale passed down in our family. You are supposed to tell only two people in your lifetime.”

only two in a lifetime

It was a conclusion that Edgar came to alone after thinking about it, but it probably refers to his spouse and children.

The only question I had was why did you mention ‘two people’?

Even if it’s a spouse, you don’t know how many children you’ll have, so why two?

Wouldn’t it have been more correct to call it ‘spouse and children’ instead?

And the story Helene was going to tell from now on was also to put an end to his doubts.

“Actually, my former family, that is to say, the lineage of my main family has a peculiar quality.”

“Is it a peculiar quality?”

“yes. Actually, that’s the reason why ‘The Story of a Star’ is handed down orally to only two people.”

Helene tilts her head as if she understands what that means.

Continuing his thoughts, Edgar came to a conclusion.

“It means you can only have one child.”

“… right. It’s not a matter of weakness, it’s like a fate that has been passed down like a curse to the women of this family.”

“Are there any exceptions?”

“Yes, not even one.”

Seeing Helen’s resolute reply, Edgar put on a sad expression.

At that point, it deserves to be called a curse.

Although in reality, it is not known whether there is a chronic disease that is passed down through the blood, or if it is just because the family history is weak.

However, as long as they can’t figure out the detailed cause, it wouldn’t be a strange phenomenon to call it a curse for them.

“He proposed to me even though he knew about my birth. As long as you have a family position, you know what it means to have only one child.”

“ah… … .”

Well, even those from ordinary, petty aristocrats inevitably pay attention to the issue of the heir.

Especially if it’s one of the most prominent families in the empire.

Nevertheless, it means that at that time, Yulken promised to be with Helene for the rest of his life even though he knew about Helene’s inner circumstances.

It must have been a difficult decision. To him or to the Loveheim family.

“At that time, I was just so happy that I accepted the marriage proposal… Now that I think about it, I wonder if I did something terrible to my child who will be born later. The same goes for him.”

“Is it because of the pressure as the heir?”

“If it was just that, it would be fine. Does Ariel look like a child who would be swayed by such pressure?”

At her question, Edgar smiled wryly and shook his head slightly.

Well, that Ariel shuddered from the pressure. It’s hard to imagine easily.

At one time, I thought that might be the case, but through this incident, I realized it painfully.

That she was not feeling the pressure of being the successor, but the pressure of not being able to meet her father’s expectations.

Perhaps it had more binding power than any metal chain.

“Come to think of it, that was it. It is better to see once than to be told a hundred times. Wait a minute.”

In the middle of the conversation, Helene suddenly got up from her seat and started rummaging through the desk drawers to the right.

A few thin notebooks that only appeared after one or two rather thick books came out.

Edgar was able to quickly recognize its identity.

“diary… Are you?”

“yes. I’ve never shown it to him, but if it’s you now, I can show you this. It’s a diary I’ve been writing since I was still a virgin.”

Edgar seemed to know why she had brought out this diary.

Perhaps what is written in this is not a simple daily routine.

From the moment that the honest man and the poor woman came together, what happened between them, and even the back story that even Ariel wouldn’t know.

Everything may be contained in this.

“Oh, before I open that diary, I want to ask you something, is that okay?”

“Yes, ask me anything.”

I’ve received these things, but that’s a big question.

As he nodded calmly, the corners of Helene’s lips moved up.

Now I can ask the truth that I’ve been curious about ever since he came to visit me today.

“To put it a little coldly, this is just a story about someone else’s family affairs. There is no reason or justification for you to intervene. But why do you want to do this?”

“… … .”

“I am not blaming you. I’m just curious. Just because we’re friends, why… … ?”

It was. This was just a simple curiosity.

I didn’t want him to have a plausible justification for his actions, nor did I want to have a huge meaning.

Why can he do this for his own daughter?

I just wanted to know why.

Helene’s sky-blue eyes stared at him, and how much time had passed.

Edgar took the diary silently and tucked it between his arms.

It’s not even a difficult question to answer. Because that was already decided.

I just put it off because I didn’t have a chance to tell anyone, and I had no reason to tell anyone.

“What can I say… I just want him to laugh.”

“People can’t always laugh and live, can’t they?”

“Yes. Even I think it’s pretty stupid. How can a person laugh every day and live without any worries?”

Edgar was no fool.

He knew that there were things that could not be helped in the world, and that at least a day of crying would come at least once.

Nonetheless, this was a mere obsession.

Even though he knew that there would come a moment when a man would sometimes have to break his stubbornness, it was a path he wanted to follow.

“I still want you to laugh. At least I won’t let the tears come out of his eyes. Because I’ve been thinking that way for a long time.”

I don’t know. what this feeling is.

Why do you want a girl not to cry so much?

Even so, one thing is certain: the source of this emotion and the irrationality of the world are not his business.

A girl who can’t be honest, is always ticklish, and sometimes looks like an idiot, but still has a pretty smile.

I just wanted it to stay that way.