The Male Lead Is In Charge Of The Successor

Ishmael made the first move as Carl approached, but Carl stopped and turned away.

“Carl?”

“Eisel.”

Carl walked over to Eisel, who looked at him. She tilted her head, and he, who had avoided her gaze, lifted his head to meet her eyes. His white face flushed bright red, but he didn’t look away.

“I can’t come out for very long if I leave this time. Byron’s immediate family has a mandatory ten years at the border.”

“Really?”

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Eisel’s eyes widened as she heard this for the first time. Some sort of national defense obligation or something. Carl bit his lip as Eisel’s eyes grew even more round.

“So…… ah, I don’t think I’ll see you much longer, but…., I have a favor to ask.”

“What favor?”

Carl rolled his eyes and hesitated, then turned to face the younger Eisel.

“I want you to marry me one day!”

“……marry?”

Eisel stopped dead in his tracks at the out-of-the-blue proposal. Both Lancia, who listened from the side, and Ishmael, who looked at Carl from behind, laughed embarrassedly.

Of course Eisel, the bride, was embarrassed and confused.

“Suddenly?”

‘A proposal out of the blue?’ Eisel stared blankly, and Karl nodded decisively.

“Ah, my father said that if anyone saved my life, it was someone I could spend the rest of my life with. Besides, I’ve never seen a girl as gorgeous as you, Eisel, not in my life!”

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Well, a lifetime is ten years at most.

Eisel stared at him, not knowing how to react to the fact that she hadn’t gotten a proposal in over 20 years. Now, at 8, he had.

“We had a misunderstanding before, but not now, and even in Byron, all I could think about was you, and I still do, so when I come back, I want you to marry me, okay?”

“…….”

“Ah, Eisel?”

Eisel’s mind flashed back to the original Yeoju and other complicated stories.

But he was only 10 years old. He wasn’t old enough to tell his mom he was getting married.

“I’ll remember it later.”

Eisel swallowed hard and nodded.

“I will.”

“Is that really?”

“Only if you remember this story in 10 years.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll remember it!”

Ten years is a long time to remember that, and ‘I’m not even around to see you fall in love.’

Eisel was content with her childhood crush. Eisel smiled and nodded, and Carl, with a twinkle in his eye, took the necklace from his arms and held it out.

“It’s a cross I made by melting down the first silver sword I ever used, and we’ll each have one!”

Ishmael looked up, staring at the silver cross glistening in Carl’s palm. Carl smiled and walked over to Ishmael.

With a final bow to Ishmael, Carl slowly walked away, accompanied by Glediol.

“Ah, Eisel…….”

Lancia cautiously called out to Eisel, who had been staring wordlessly at Carl’s back.

Eisel slipped the crucifix she carried into her pocket and looked at Lancia.

“Let’s go.”

“Are you okay?”

‘What’s not to like? I’m not saying no, I’m saying yes.’

“You won’t even remember today when you see me later.”

Fifteen years later, Eisel’s prediction proved true.

* * *

“Do you remember?”

Eisel looked at the knife dangling from her fingertips and smiled wryly. Her cold golden eyes fluttered wildly, but she quickly regained her composure. Carl frowned and swatted Eisel’s hand away. Eisel stepped back, disappointed.

He rubbed his chin as she stepped away and turned his head. She let out a small sigh and turned away at the sound of the slanted doorway. Eisel returned to her seat and sat down, reorganizing her papers.

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“It’s okay if you don’t remember, I didn’t think you would anyway, it’s been 15 years, you can’t recognize my face by name.”

Retrieved from “…….”

“It doesn’t matter, though, because whether you remember me or not, my offer still stands, and this contract is now off the table.”

Carl’s eyes narrowed as he watched Eisel’s fingertips as she packed the last of her papers into her bag.

Carl’s pupils rose again as Eisel’s hand moved, and Eisel stood up. Carl’s mouth fell open reflexively at the red eyes staring back at him.

“How am I supposed to believe you?”

“What do you mean?”

“If the world is coming to an end as Lady Aspencer says, there are many humans who would use that as an excuse to do something terrible. I don’t see how a piece of paper like this can be trusted in such a situation. A single Lady Aspencer, whose identity is uncertain, cannot convince the Imperial Council.”

Eisel stifled an inward chuckle at Carl’s question, which was quite valid.

A sharp question indeed.

Eisel tucked her fingers into her pockets as she gathered her coat.

“Your Excellency is right, but you’re wrong about two things. First.”

Eisel smirked and folded her fingers.

“I am the countess of Aspencer, not Young Aspencer, a rightful noble who inherited the title from my parents, and two.”

The last of Eisel’s fingers folded as she spoke softly.

“That I didn’t come up with this offer alone.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s simple, my proposal involves a lot of stakeholders, some of whom you’ve probably heard of, Your Excellency, and some of whom are very big players… Basquiella, for example.”

“You mean ……Duke Bahidman?”

Eisel shrugged and put on his coat. Carl’s eyes flickered with embarrassment at the mention of the unexpected name.

Eisel unclasped the necklace, grabbed the string, and shook it lightly. A cross with a ruby in the center. It was the symbol of the Bahidman Dukes.

“The Aspencers are the chamberlains of Basquiella, and His Excellency the Duke of Bahidman is my mentor and godfather. Is that enough to establish my identity?”

She’s not sure, but it overflowed. Basquiela, who wasn’t even a noble. Carl chuckled at the unexpected name and ran a hand through his hair. Was this what Duke Bahidman, who had remained silent when asked to speak up in the council that met ten times a week, was up to behind the scenes?

Eisel glanced over at Carl, who stared at the floor with a puzzled expression on his face.

It had been a long time since she saw him. However, it struck me as cute that he still looked like he did when he was younger. Eisel fought back the urge to stroke that soft ash-colored hair.

“Besides that, the tops who were with me were also of the same mind and…….”

There were also rebels, led by the archmage Belen, a man the Empire had grown tired of. Eisel held back, knowing that saying so would undermine everything they had discussed so far.

Carl raised his eyebrows as Eisel trailed off. Instead of continuing, Eisel smiled and pressed the brim of her fur hat.

“Well, just know that there are many places.”

“…….”

Carl stared at Eisel and bit his lip.

Eisel glanced at his watch, thinking it was time to end the day.

Eisel smiled and put the watch down.

“Then don’t …….”

“May I ask you one last question?”

“Please ask.”

Eisel nodded, and Carl get up from his seat. His head bowed as he stared at the man, who stood tall as ever. His golden eyes caught the light and widened slowly, like a work of art.

“What do you gain by doing this?”

“Once again, Your Majesty is wrong.”

Eisel laughed softly and took out a small pouch, dropping it into Carl’s palm.

“It’s not about what I can get out of it, it’s about what you can get out of it.”

“…….”

“So, think about it.”

With a chuckle, Eisel passed Carl and slowly walked towards the door. The faint scent of roses hit Carl’s nose as she passed by. Stopping in front of the door, Eisel turned her waist to face him, her mouth corners slowly lifting.

“What did Your Majesty get?”

With those last words, Eisel opened the door and disappeared.

When the door closed with a thud, Carl, alone in the silent room, unfolded the pouch Eisel had given him and turned it upside down.

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The sight of the cross made him jump to his feet and look toward the door through which Eisel had disappeared. However, even rose scent had long since faded.

“……No way.”

Carl’s low, guttural moan drifted into the room.