Volume 3 Chapter 4 Part 1
Fiancée of the Wizard
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Translation by burnt.marshmallows
Editing by Team Foxsunes
The Schtorenvihein region was quite a distance away from the Royal Capital. It would take one a few days to reach the region if one traveled by horse carriage from the Royal Capital. With my being pregnant, a horse carriage that was much more luxurious compared to the carriage that we usually took was prepared to lighten the burden on my body. Both that man and I got onto the carriage, and headed for the Schtorenvihein region.
It had been a few days since we left the Royal Capital. After spending a countless number of nights in inns, I finally got used to the shaking of the horse carriage. The journey couldn’t have gone more smoothly. I probably had nothing to worry about. That’s what I thought. I was looking forward to meeting the Hero after all this time, and just as the Princess said, I should just relax and take it as a type of treatment by getting a change of scenery. I knew that. I knew, however…..
「We should be reaching soon.」
「……」
「It went smoother than expected, but FIlmina, do you feel alright?」
「……」
「Filmina」
As that man called my name firmly, I suddenly looked up. I wonder, when did I start to look down? It was strange, considering the fact that I had intended to look out of the window. I blinked a few times, as I looked at that man. I was instinctively startled when I saw those sunrise-colored eyes staring straight at me. Nevertheless, I somehow forced out a smile and nodded in response to that man’s words.
「Yes, we really were blessed with good weather, weren’t we?」
「No one was talking about the weather.」
「Oh dear? Did I hear wrongly?」
「Completely」
「……I’m sorry」
I knew that that man didn’t want an apology from me. But I couldn’t find any other words to say. As I closed my eyes when confronted with the unbearable situation, that man closed the book in his hands without a word. He then directed his gaze towards me. As I trembled, waiting for him to speak, that man let out a small sigh, and asked softly.
「Are you worried about the guys in the Royal Capital?」
That man’s question was completely accurate, as expected. When I nodded gently, that man gave me an exasperated look, as if he wanted to tell me off for still talking about that. But even if he said that, I just couldn’t help it. How could I possibly not be worried?
The fact that I left behind people I loved in the Royal Capital had been weighing down on my chest ever since we left the Royal Capital. My father, mother, brother, wet nurse, and Uncle Lancent had become the object of criticism, something that would not happen under normal circumstances. The Princess who had assured us that she would settle everything and asked us to enjoy ourselves with a gentle smile. The people who sent us off when we left the Royal Capital have told me to not worry about them, and to just think about the child in my belly right now. I was very thankful for their kindness and very happy about it. But more than that, I couldn’t help but feel apologetic.
This was a different question from whether I regretted the time that I spent with Noct. But I couldn’t help but think that all of this was my fault.
But my self-reproach was all laughed off by that man with a hmph.
「It can’t be helped even if you worry about it alone right? You should know very well that the Adina family and my stepfather aren’t people who’d give in to rumors like that right? Moreover, the Princess is someone who makes good on her promises. She’ll definitely do whatever she says she will. Don’t you think it’s pointless to just stay here worrying?」
「Really?」
「Of course」
「……You’re, right」
I did notice that I was being talked down to, but I had no choice but to agree. He was right. It’ll be alright. I told myself. Having taken a glance at me, that man opened up the book in his hands and silently started to look through its contents again.
The man who was sitting directly opposite me was not wearing the black robes that he usually wore. Those were the robes that were proof that one worked as a magician in the Black Lotus Court. Of course, he wore a hooded coat when we got off the horse carriage, but that was a personal coat, and when it was just the two of us in the horse carriage, he would take it off. It felt like it had been a while since I last saw this man relaxing in plain clothes outside of the mansion. This wasn’t the Royal Capital. And right now, this man was not the Royal Palace Head Magician.
As my gaze fell on that man’s hands, I could see his wrists peeking out from under the sleeves. They were fitted with many silvery-white bangles. I looked at those things that were called Magic Seals with complicated feelings. That was when the horse carriage finally came to a halt with a jolt.
「It seems that we’re here. Seems that everything is going as planned. 」
That man placed the book in his bag and quickly proceeded to put on his coat, covering his head with the hood. As I put on my coat as well, the driver called out from behind the door as he opened the door. 「Excuse me」
With his head buried deep in his hood, hiding his black hair, that man got off the horse carriage before me.
「Be careful. Here.」
「Thank you.」
I took his fair-skinned hand, that naturally reached out for me, as I got off the horse carriage. The path was not paved like it was in the Royal Capital. Crack. As I moved my legs, I could hear the sound of the sand and pebbles grazing past each other. The winter wind that caressed my cheeks was cold. My shoulders instinctively shot upwards. But the wind was not just cold. The wind in the Royal Capital was filled with all sorts of different smells, but the wind here smelled strongly of greenery, which gently tickled my nose.
I was surrounded by the fields all around me, and there were houses sparsely located around. Amongst all of that, in front of me, was a house that was different from the rest, a splendid mansion. A large number of people seemed to be gathering in front of the mansion. And they definitely were looking at the mansion.
Within the group of people, a single young man, who looked like he was sparkling faintly, waved his hand vigorously as he rushed towards us.
「Agedilus! Filmina!」
The voice that called our names was one that you could easily tell was filled with joy. There was no way that I could mistake that voice at this point. It wasn’t that I had known him for a very long time, and he was someone that I had met only on a countable number of occasions, but I had a vivid impression of him. As I gently waved back at him, the young man rushed to us even faster. The boy who finally stood in front of us gave us a big smile on that good-looking, dignified face of his.
「It’s been a while, you guys.」
His golden hair shined as it reflected the light of the sun. And those bright green eyes of his sparkled too, not any less brightly than his hair. This young man was the son of the lord of the Schtorenvihein Region, one of the heroes who saved the world, and the person that the people called the 「Hero」, Yulifalet Lila Schtorenvihein. As he clasped each of our hands, he gave us a tight handshake.
Contrary to how I gripped his hand back, the man beside me quickly shook off the Hero’s hand and grunted with a hmph.
「What an exaggeration.」
「Edi, don’t say stuff like that. Sir Yuri, it certainly had been a while. You didn’t need to wait for us outside in weather as cold as this…….」
Even though we did tell him our predicted arrival time, I was still surprised that he would wait for us outside in such cold weather. Even I thought that he was being a bit too good-natured. I mean, I knew that this young man was someone like that, but still.
As I slanted my eyebrows downwards apologetically, the hero shook his head and smiled, replying with a 「It’s not a big deal.」
「Don’t worry about it. I just came out thinking that it was about time you guys reached. Moreover, I just wanted to meet you guys as soon as possible.」
……Yes, he was still as good-natured as usual. If a kind prince from a picture book materialized in real life, he’d definitely look like and have a personality like this. The man beside me just looked fed up in response, but I personally was filled with admiration. Seeing how oppositely we were acting to each other, the Hero deepened his smile and said:「More than that」
「I heard that you guys are having a kid. Congratulation to the both of you!」
The Hero said to us, with a smile that would definitely make females all around the world scream in delight. It was exceedingly bright. As transparent tears started to form around his eyes, the Hero quickly wiped them off with the back of his hands in a panic, Oh dear, I smiled gently. However, the man beside me let out a deep sigh.
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