82 – engagement(1)

The engagement ceremony between Elena and I was held just as we had promised her the other day, before the flowers of spring that had bloomed earlier had left their petals on the ground.

Although it was called an engagement ceremony, it was not a grandiose event.

It wasn’t even a wedding, it was just an informal ceremony. The meaning of the engagement ceremony that took place today was not a celebration, but a formal documenting of the already known engagement relationship between Elena and I by both families.

Perhaps that is why the scale of the engagement ceremony was very small.

Although Elena and I were reflected, we didn’t invite people from other families like we did at the banquet, just gathering people from both families and proceeding quietly. It was because a big incident had happened a while ago and I didn’t want useless bugs to come around.

It wasn’t unnecessarily complicated, and I think it was a good choice. It was not unusual to stand in front of people in a row, so there is no need to make people feel good on this pleasant day.

However, it was unavoidable that the news reached even those who were personally close. If you ask me about Elena’s engagement, I’m sure everyone would have spilled the word about when it would be.

Apparently, Elena had received a letter from Noel saying that he wanted to come to the engagement ceremony, but as expected, she and Orcus did not attend the engagement ceremony. Even if it wasn’t so, it wasn’t the emperor who would allow me to say that I would go out of the imperial family now that the protection of the imperial family was strengthened.

Perhaps, after some time, Orcus will not receive a letter saying he is sorry for not being able to attend the engagement ceremony.

The engagement ceremony was held in the flower garden in front of Isilia’s pavilion, as Elena had told me in the past.

There was a place in the flower garden with a tea table where you could have a simple meal, and that was chosen as the opening venue for this ceremony. Since there were not too many people participating, it was enough to organize the seats and bring food.

The overall appearance of the engagement ceremony was very similar to the outing the whole family went out to when they first came here. Quietly looking around at the surrounding scenery and chatting unkindly or trembling. The appearance of this place, which might be the starting point for changing the situation of the empire, was light and peaceful.

Alphonse nodded with his eyes half-closed, probably unable to sleep in the warm spring sun, while his father and Yoheim sat across from each other and drank. I liked seeing this, like a spring outing that didn’t look like an engagement ceremony at all.

“It’s informal, but it would have been nice if this had been done in Merohim.”

“What kind of a sound. It’s better to let them stay here rather than where there are only eyes to see. Even the new baby said he would like it to be opened in a place full of cold flowers, so what could be better than this? All I can see there is you guys. Aren’t all the snow flowers created with this magic?”

“…just do it once.”

Avoiding his father’s words, Joachim turned his eyes to me.

Seeing Joachim’s frosty eyes, I secretly moved closer to Elena’s side. How can I suffer the damage caused by my father’s cubic treatment? I didn’t say anything, sorry.

But soon, as if it was all a joke, Joachim smiled lightly and turned his eyes to the scenery around us. Then, in a soft voice, as if affirming his father’s words, he opened his mouth to see what kind of change of heart had occurred.

“Surely the South is beautiful.”

Feeling doubtful about Joachim’s smiling behavior, as if he had never done that, I turned my head, and I could understand why he was looking at this place and feeling relieved.

Undoubtedly, Elena was where Joachim’s eyes were directed. Contrary to my first thought, Elena was looking at the end of the flower garden that touched the sky, not paying attention to the conversation between her father and Joachim.

Unlike usual, she had a blank expression on her face, but seeing the smile that stayed on her lips all day, I could guess how she was feeling right now.

Perhaps the reason why Joachim’s frozen face melted was because he saw Elena like this. It seems that Elena was satisfied with that, as Elena was happy. Before long, Joachim was completely immersed in the atmosphere of the garden and began to enjoy small talk with his father.

As I was quietly watching, Elena spoke to me.

“What are you enjoying so much?”

“It’s just. Dad and father are so funny. Don’t Elena think so too?”

I pointed to my father and Joachim, who were continuing to chat. The appearance of the heads of the two families playing while teasing each other did not seem to be the monarchs of one region at all. From a family point of view, I think it’s better than the stiff old people.

At my words, Elena dismissed it in one word.

“Are you like a child?”

“…That’s not wrong.”

At those words, both Elena and I ate and laughed.

Looking at the smiling faces, for some reason I remembered the first time I talked with Elena in this garden.

The situation where I am now officially recognizing her engagement and the situation on the day I proposed to break off our engagement to Elena are completely opposite, but maybe that’s why it comes to mind even more at this moment.

In a situation I never thought of at all, the fact that the results of the words I had simply reaped to appease the crying girl in front of me were appearing like this made me think a lot. This was the result of the story, which was carried out in the vague thought that if the person Elena really wanted appeared, then she would be able to let go.

Contrary to what I initially thought, a lot has changed.

Contrary to my first thought, I didn’t want to let her go, and I dared to dream of a male lead from the role of a third-rate villain who exited at the beginning. So many things have changed from the original work, so I don’t know how things will progress in the future, but I don’t think my current mindset will change.

If so, did Elena change as much as I did?

It seemed to me that she hadn’t changed at all since we first met. From the day we first met until now, I can only see one girl who likes me very much. For her, the only change is that the distance with me has become closer.

It was also what Elena wanted.

Perhaps, the biggest reason why the current situation has changed so far is not my actions, but Elena. Rather than the existence of the possessed person who became the villain in the novel, the current situation was created by the actions of Elena, who has a crush on me, which is different from the original work.

This is the kind of favor that he had from before he met me, for reasons unknown.

When faced with favors for no reason, it is natural to wonder where the favor comes from, but I have already made up my mind not to care about it.

It’s because I don’t want to be misunderstood and hurt by myself after digging deep, but as the saying goes, ignorance is medicine, I didn’t feel the need to know the truth. One day I might be able to ask, but that wasn’t the case now.

Even if she isn’t the Elena I saw in the novel, or if she’s the same as me, I think it doesn’t matter now. The woman I am in love with, Elena Edelweiss, has always been with me.

So I hope she thinks the same as me.

***

After the short and easy-going engagement ceremony, I walked around the flower garden alone with Elena, just like that time.

As if to personally show that spring is coming to an end, I could see that the petals, which were full of vitality every time I looked at them, were losing their power. Nonetheless, the fragrance still wafted through this place, so sometimes I felt as if I had gone back to the moment I first walked with her.

“This sight is good for the time being.”

Looking at the petals trampled on by the roadside, Elena said.

Flowers bloom once per season. Flowers blooming in spring, summer, autumn, and winter are different, and the flower gardens in each of the four annexes of the castle are planted according to the four seasons, but in the case of Isilia Pavilion, most of the flowers planted there were spring flowers.

As the seasons pass by as much as the time Elena and I spent together, it would be difficult to see a scenery like this in the Isilia pavilion for the time being unless it is now, at the end of spring.

I nodded at Elena’s words and looked around at the purple hyacinths around her.

I liked the scent of this flower, so it wasn’t that I didn’t have a feeling of regret. Before Elena came here, the person who went in and out of the Isilia coffin the most was me, not anyone else.

Elena and I walked side by side without saying anything.

We talked for a while, but I didn’t bother to talk and enjoyed the silence of the moment. Just like that day, I stopped for a moment to look up at the sky, and I carefully placed my hand against the spring wind carrying the scent of flowers.

I was the one who broke the silence that seemed to last until I returned to the lord’s castle.

“Elena. Do you remember what I said when you and I first came to the Isilia coffin?”

For the first time today, a look of bewilderment appeared on her face at the random and sudden question. From the look on her face, I could tell that even without hearing Elena’s reply, she remembered the conversation she had with me.

“Yes…”

As she spoke in a trembling voice, I added some strength to the hand I was holding. Elena’s eyes stopped trembling as if she was relieved by that. I continued talking.

“I definitely said that the engagement was premature. And Elena cried when she heard me. To be honest, I was very embarrassed at that time. I didn’t know.”

“That, that’s…!!!”

“That’s why I said let’s do it. Engagement.”

“Yes?”

“At that time, I couldn’t think of any other way to stop Elena’s tears.”

Elena’s face became dumbfounded for a moment at my words.

Um, did I say it too literally?

I held Elena, who had hardened like an ice statue, in my arms. It was a bit cold, but not unbearable. He brushed her hair gently and continued talking.

“At that time, we hadn’t seen each other for less than a day and we didn’t have anything to call affection. What I said to Elena that day was just that I didn’t want you to cry because of me, and I did it to stop it and to get over the situation.”

“So…Now, let’s do it all without it…?”

“That’s not possible. If it had been, we wouldn’t have had an engagement ceremony. Right now, Elena is listening to my heartbeat. That’s not what I want to say.”

An engagement accepted simply to escape the circumstance of the moment. And covered by it, I’m going to say the words that I’ve been spilling over and over.

“I like you, Elena.”

Although it was short, there was a kiss that could be called a kiss, and although I and Elena had lived like lovers under the name of engagement, this was probably the first time I had spoken my mind to her so directly.

I slightly lowered my tightly pressed body and met Elena’s eyes.

And unlike that time, he tells her with clear emotions.

“Will you continue to be by my side in the future as well.”

It was only after the engagement ceremony was over that I was able to hand over a proper engagement request to her.