I Regret The Kindness I Gave You - Chapter 60

“W-Well, yes. Since it’s such a famous place, I thought I’d go take a look while I’m here. Is there a problem?”

“There is. As I mentioned, it will be a dangerous adventure where you risk your lives. Have you two not heard of Leviathan, the monster that guards the Primordial Sea?”

This time Tereze looked towards Merche.

Her red hair swayed like thin silk as she nodded.

“The Primordial Sea is the sacred first realm. The sea that existed even before land was created in this world. They say the first one to possess power also came from there, and that even the first king was born from there, so there’s no need to further discuss its greatness, right?”

Each following word flowed smoothly. As if she was utterly accustomed to drawing people’s attention.

Her eyes, with tear drops below them, smiled beautifully.

From that fleeting eye smile, Merche realized. Tereze. This person was probing her.

“…Count Carla.”

“Yes?”

“Would the Twin Gods really allow just anyone to enter such a great sea?”

Carla rolled her eyes blankly. Well…? An awkward question followed.

“If that were the case, Fondo would have conquered the Primordial Sea long ago. But Fondo hasn’t even been able to enter the Primordial Sea. Because of the sea monster I mentioned earlier, Leviathan.”

“Are you saying that if intruders try to enter the Primordial Sea, Leviathan will attack them?”

Tereze smiled with her eyes once again. It was a smile directed at Merche while turning her body towards her.

“Exactly. You’re quite perceptive, Lord Merche.”

Now she could see it clearly.

Tereze’s eyes were murky, as if strangely mixed with various colors. Just like her mother, Lena Aquila.

At a glance they seemed black, but looking closer they were like pale jade with a hint of white.

With those mysterious eyes, she smiled intimately.

“If you really want to see the sea, go to the Coral Sea to the west. I hear you can often see kelpies that have come ashore there.”

“…Thank you for the very informative advice, Lady Tereze.”

“It wasn’t such a difficult thing. Well then, I think I’ve borrowed enough of your time, so I’ll be going now. Hope to see you again soon.”

Oh right. As if she had almost forgotten, Tereze suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her gaze deliberately settled on Merche.

“The building assigned to Aquila is right next door, so I’d be delighted if you could drop by sometime when you’re free.”

Lord Merche.

The corners of her lips stretched pleasantly as she drawled out the name.

Somehow, Merche couldn’t easily look away from that smile that seemed to hide an unknown intention.

The day easily set, and just as easily dawned.

Knowing the sunlight was streaming in, she lay still exhaling breaths on the soft pillow, then finally got up, unable to be lazy any longer.

“Um, my lady.”

It was a somewhat naive-looking servant. Belonging to the Fondo family.

The servant, whose eye level was more than two spans taller than hers, carefully chose his words and spoke with difficulty.

“There’s someone who wishes to see you, my lady. They’ve been waiting outside for quite a while now.”

“…I don’t think I had any appointments.”

“They said they were the head of the Lupinus family…”

Rude?

Merche paused for a moment, lost in thought.

−Because of that gathering or whatever, that damned thing. I have to go back to the castle once. Until then, don’t forget my face, okay? Look at this and think of me.

Among the many thoughts, that one rose to the top.

The jewel he had forcibly placed in her hand before leaving. Without any decoration or craftsmanship. Just an amethyst in its original form.

After fiddling with that crude thing in her hand a few times, she finally put it in her jewelry box.

Ridiculously, it kept coming to mind as he had said. Because that angular amethyst, not cut down anywhere, resembled exactly the eyes with which he had looked at her.

−That man must become mine.

Suddenly she recalled the strange face of her other self she had seen in a vision. Even those words she could not possibly agree with.

Merche frowned slightly, then slowly restored her expression as she exhaled.

The servant standing in front of her was anxiously watching her reaction, hands clasped together.

…I can’t just keep avoiding it.

She couldn’t keep putting off sorting out her feelings for Rude indefinitely. To do that, she needed to meet him sometime.

It was early morning, so not a bad time. There would be watchful eyes, but Rude’s wolves would be too on edge to come close.

She first asked the servant to help her prepare to go out. Then she walked to the window and pushed the curtain to one side.

The sea dyed entirely blue. The Coral Sea that Tereze had tipped her off about the day before, that place.

Though no sound could be heard, it seemed to ring in her ears.

She gazed for a long time at the white waves that formed and dissipated like foam.

Somehow she felt glad. As if that sea was welcoming her.

“Why are you nothing but bones again?”

As soon as they met, a displeased scolding flew at her.

“Is that old Benenum starving you? What on earth have you been doing?”

“Don’t call the family head that way.”

It was an disrespectful, even malicious, way of addressing him.

When Merche lowered her voice coldly, Rude grumbled but changed his words.

“Is Mariette Benenum only feeding you disgustingly tasteless things?”

“The family head provides more than enough good things. I’ve lost weight because I haven’t had much appetite lately.”

“Why don’t you have an appetite. What’s the problem this time?”

“I got motion sickness on the way here.”

“Motion sickness? You get motion sickness too?”

“Because of the carriage accident recently…”

Ah. She swallowed her breath without finishing her words. Rude, who had been listening, also stiffened, his face darkening.

“…Damn crazy old man.”

He muttered curses under his breath.

Saying he would kill them, that he would crush all their bones when he returned. Along with other vicious words aimed at who knows who.

He suddenly raised his head, which he had lowered for a moment. His face, brazen again, wore that familiar sticky smile.

“Drop by Lupinus Castle later.”

“…Why there?”

“There’s something you must see. Well, it’s also good to play with while you’re at it. Anyway, come when you feel like it.”

Then without warning, his burly upper body leaned towards her.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

She wondered where he wanted to walk, but surprisingly, his destination matched what Merche had in mind.

The place Rude had dragged her to was none other than the Coral Sea.

The remnants of waves like white foam washed over the golden sand grains.

Not far from that boundary, a pair of engaged man and woman walked along the path.

“Is that the kelpie thing?”

Rude’s finger pointed at what looked like an ordinary horse. The majestic horse standing by the shore exudes a rather gentle atmosphere. The only notable point is that it doesn’t make sounds like other horses.

It stared blankly at Merche, then soon ran into the sea. Its flowing mane was the last lingering image of Fondo’s divine beast.

“I’d like to ride on its back once. It looks like it would run amazingly well with that broad build.”

“I heard that if someone who isn’t its master rides it, it goes straight into the water and drowns them.”

“How long could that thing last? I’d just grab the reins and turn it around. And you think I’d die so easily? I definitely won’t die alone.”

He grinned and laughed. But it seemed like a hollow laugh with no substance.

Looking at the distant sea once, then at the sand crumbling under his feet once. Rude, who had been distractedly turning his gaze, finally stopped walking after a while. Merche also remained silent, avoiding his gaze.

“…About what you said to me. I’ve done some thinking about it.”

Rude was the first to speak.

“You said the way I approach you is all wrong. …Well. You’re right about that.”

Yes. It was terribly wrong. From some day he couldn’t even remember, he vaguely knew that fact.

When was it? What day was he doing what?

A ball… It seems to have been the day he was learning etiquette for such useless affairs.

On that day, Merche was again reciting explanations in a voice that clung to his ears, and he was again trying his best to scrape it all up and fill his head with it.

−Politely greet the other person and confirm if they are willing to dance together.

−If the other person expresses refusal, bow and withdraw.

−If the other person agrees, extend your hand to them and wait for them to take it. Once hands are clasped, move to the center of the hall in sync.

Most of the things labeled as etiquette were like that. Greet politely, ask for their intention. Treat them carefully. If they refuse, withdraw immediately.

As he listened to those things, he gradually began to wonder.

−Then what should I say when I want to roll around with someone?

−…If you wish to spend the night with someone, send a white corsage to metaphorically inquire about their intention. If the other person agrees, they will return the flower with all its petals removed, and if not…

−That’s dragging it out too much. What a bunch of nonsense. Why do you have to do it in such a roundabout way?

When he snorted and asked, Merche of that time answered with a rather serious face.

−Carefully asking for the other person’s intention and accepting that intention is not a futile act. Rather, it is truly respecting that person.

Respecting the other person. Carefully. With a polite attitude. All sorts of words spun around in his head. Is that supposed to be natural?

…Then what about me.

He had already arbitrarily thrust a laurel wreath at her, and pathetically begged her not to abandon him.

Politely asking for intention? Accepting that intention? Words fit only to be thrown in the trash.

He didn’t want to ask for Merche’s intention, nor did he want to accept that intention.

That’s the kind of person he is. It was the choice he made, and in the end, all the conclusions that follow will be the same.

But even knowing that, he couldn’t stop asking meaningless questions.

…If from the beginning, from the very first moment, I had approached you according to that damn etiquette. If I had, would you have accepted the laurel wreath?