I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 151

 

I stared at my aunt, dumbfounded.

 

Silence fell over the office, which had been chattering away.

 

Undaunted by the stares and silence, my aunt trudged in.

 

She took my hand and nodded.

 

“Leen. Auntie’s in favor, without question.”

 

“…You’re not saying that because of what Caon just said, are you?”

 

“Of course not, I’ve been married myself, and that’s a huge plus, along with good looks.”

 

The Count spat out to himself, his face stiff with shock, unlike Aunt’s.

 

“We… Leen…you already…?”

 

I blurted out the excuse as it came out of my mouth, bypassing my brain as I felt cold sweat trickle down my back.

 

“Nighttime can mean many things, Count, and it may not be what you think it is.”

 

“Multiple meanings, like, for example?”

 

“…Assassination?”

 

The Count’s color drains from his face.

 

Now that I think about it, that was a serious thing in its own right. I glared at Carson with resentment as the situation showed no sign of abating.

 

He was so shy when we spoke to Jane and Hans before.

 

Why should he be so bold in front of my aunt and uncle?

 

My aunt smiled softly and patted me on the shoulder.

 

“Don’t worry. In fact, your uncle and aunt did the same thing as soon as they became adults.”

 

It was not comforting at all.

 

What embarrassed me was that my aunt and uncle, who were more like parents than friends, had found out.

 

She changed the subject, obviously trying to placate me.

 

“More than that, Leen, you’re sleeping at home tonight, aren’t you?”

 

At that, I glanced at Carson. A look that said it didn’t matter to him.

 

But I mouthed a refusal.

 

“I’m afraid I’ll have to return to Lysianthus tonight, but I’ve told the Duke and Duchess I’ll be back in time, and they’ll be waiting for us.”

 

I didn’t know about any other day, but tonight I didn’t want to sleep here.

 

Not when my aunt had to tell the Count and Luca what I had confessed.

 

The Count, surprised, opened his mouth to say something, but my aunt beat him to it.

 

She seemed to have read my mind.

 

Upon closer inspection, the corners of her smiling eyes are strangely red.

 

…Did she secretly cry?

 

She smiled sweetly, as if she hadn’t.

 

“Have dinner and be on your way. The chef will do his best work in a long time.”

 

“You’ll leave out the eggplant, right?”

 

With that, Carson and I left the Counts, having only stayed with my aunt and uncle until dinner.

 

“Good people.”

 

Carson said, and I slapped him on the chest.

 

“You seemed nervous earlier in the day when you asked for their permission to marry me, but you were very well-spoken.”

 

“Maybe it’s because he doesn’t look anything like Leen, but once I saw him face to face, I wasn’t nervous.”

 

“I’m the only one who’s nervous.”

 

All the Counts people were white blonde, but I was the only other color, like I’d been painted with ink.

 

Embarrassment flashed in Carson’s eyes at my reaction.

 

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

 

“It’s okay, you’re not wrong, and I’ve never been particularly sad about it.”

 

I really liked the way I looked. My face looked just like my mom’s, and I got all my hair and eye color from my dad.

 

Every time I looked in the mirror, it was like a confirmation that I was my mom and dad’s child.

 

I couldn’t wait to marry Carson and start a family.

 

“Caon, when we get to Abascanthus…”

 

“Wait!”

 

Carson hastily shuts my mouth. When I look at him with narrowed eyes, he explains why.

 

“…That was too much of a flagrant statement, Leen.”

 

Ah. I was going to say marry me, but my doomsday snout almost did it again.

 

“Aren’t you going to go to Abascanthus and end up pressed into service?”

 

I smirked at Carson’s concern, pulling his hand away.

 

“Why would I live there? All my family is in Lagras.”

 

🍃

 

“What, Leen has already arrived, even in front of the mansion?”

 

Caris, who had been studying the papers as usual, jumped out of his seat at the butler’s news.

 

It was a swift movement that the old man would not have expected.

 

He had gotten Leen’s letter, but he hadn’t expected it to arrive so soon.

 

Even through the warp gate, it would have taken her a week.

 

“Come on, we shouldn’t be sitting around like this, we should go see her off…”

 

“Grand Duke. I know how you feel, but just hold on a little longer.”

 

It was then. Kun, who happened to be visiting the capital mansion of Archduke Caris, entered the room and said.

 

“Butler. Don’t be so rash. How can you possibly fathom my godfather’s feelings?”

 

This was his only blood relative in the world, a child he hadn’t even known existed for decades.

 

And yet he dared not even look at her for fear of harming his granddaughter.

 

The older butler bowed his head as if realizing his mistake at Kun’s point.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Kun turned to Caris, whose face was white with tension.

 

“I’ll go out first, Godfather, and you can take your time collecting yourself.”

 

“…Thank you for your consideration.”

 

Caris caught his breath and suddenly caught sight of the picture frame on his desk.

 

He turned to the butler urgently, “I will stall, and you will take down all the family portraits that hang throughout the mansion before Leen enters.”

 

“Understood, sir, but the portrait of the master in the center entrance hall…”

 

It was too large a portrait to take down so abruptly, and there was a risk of damage in the haste.

 

A large portrait of Rud as an adult.

 

Back then, we didn’t have photography like we do now, so if you wanted to capture a face, you would have to hold a paintbrush and have a painter capture it.

 

So it wasn’t something you could have multiple copies of, like a photograph.

 

“…I suppose we should cover it with a cloth.”

 

“Yes, sir. I’ll do as you say.”

 

🍃

 

Caris couldn’t take his eyes off his granddaughter, whom he hadn’t seen since the festival.

 

“Greetings, Grand Duke Potitua. Thank you for having me.”

 

Leen gripped the end of her dress and bowed to Caris.

 

She looked so much more mature than she had all those years ago.

 

It made Caris’s heart grow fonder.

 

If he’d been brave enough to say something sooner, he could have watched her face grow older.

 

When Caris was silent for a long moment, Leen called out to him with a questioning look.

 

“Grand Duke?”

 

“My title is….”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Hmph. I see my title has changed.”

 

“Ah. I didn’t know who you were then, so I called you… I apologize.”

 

“No, you’re not. I like the old grandfatherly title better.”

 

Leen smiled, pleased with his unexpected harvest.

 

“If you’re so inclined, may I call you grandfather in private?”

 

Pleased with the answer, Caris’s mouth relaxed.

 

“Of course.”

 

Kun stepped between them and spoke up.

 

“By the way, I’ve got a problem.”

 

“What, no, what?”

 

Leen blurted out the half-sentence as casually as she had at the academy, then hastily corrected herself.

 

“I asked you to be comfortable with it, Leen.”

 

Leen shrugged as her eyebrows drew together in frustration.

 

Truth be told, she was comfortable with the pushback.

 

“So, what is your problem?”

 

“The Duke of Carson has not been granted permission to enter the palace, and he must seek permission from His Majesty again.”

 

Caris’s gaze snapped to Carson at Leen’s side.

 

He’s so focused on his granddaughter, he doesn’t even realize he’s there.

 

‘I thought you said they liked each other.’

 

It’s not every day that a couple comes to Abascanthus unescorted, let alone together.

 

Carson’s eyes seem alive as he looks at her.

 

Carson, sensing the warmth in Caris’ eyes, looked back at him with the same warmth.

 

Even if he didn’t, he didn’t like the way Caris was acting toward Leen.

 

Their eyes locked for a moment.

 

Leen tilted her head as if to ask what the problem was.

 

“I don’t need any additional permission to enter the palace on my own, and I’ll be able to see the Majesty in private.”

 

“I should be comfortable with that, but…”

 

Kun’s gaze turns to Carson.

 

“I doubt the Duke will allow you to marry her.”

 

Leen looks at Carson, who shakes his head firmly.

 

“No, no. It’s not safe for you to go alone.”

 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d planted a poisonous seed to kill Leen.”

 

Kun says, trying to convince Carson otherwise.

 

“Leen is an official guest of Abacanthus, with the Majesty’s permission, and she will have an escort, and besides…”

 

His words trailed off, and he looked at Caris.

 

If he touched Leen, my godfather’s sword would cut him to pieces without a trace.

 

Whether he realized it or not, Carson growled and pulled Leen into a tight embrace.

 

“No, no. You’ve had your fair share of births in Lagras, Leen. Is there any law against it here?”

 

Kun sighed heavily, as if he knew it would.

 

“It’s complicated, being Lysianthus, and not just any house.”

 

Lysianthus was the house that had dealt Abascanthus the most damage during the Imperial War.

 

If Caris was the war hero of Abascanthus, then the war hero of Lagras was the former Duke of Lysianthus.

 

For this reason, Emperor Abascanthus still distrusted Lysianthus.

 

At Kun’s words, Carson opens his mouth as if he’s suddenly remembered.

 

“Ah, yes, it was the Grand Duke who killed my grandfather.”

 

Carson smirked at Caris.

 

“It is an honor to meet the enemy of my family.”

 

In truth, he had no affection for his grandfather, whom he had never seen.

 

But he said it deliberately to scratch Caris’s itch.

 

Caris replies bluntly, “If your grandfather hadn’t died, I would have.”

 

“So you’re proud?”

 

It was Leen who was surprised, as she glanced back and forth between Carson and Caris. Kun, noticing, cleared the air.

 

“Why don’t you both relax yourselves, Leen is getting a little embarrassed.”

 

The two men’s heated glares faded as quickly as they had come.

 

“Come on, let’s not do this here, let’s go inside and unpack.”

 

Kun nodded to the butler, who was now standing behind him, and he led Leen into the mansion.

 

Carson follows Leen as if it were a matter of course.

 

Kun grabs him by the wrist.

 

“Carson.”

 

Carson’s impassive gaze turned to Kun.

 

“Why, you don’t call me a Duke like you did earlier.”

 

“I’m advising you, but you’d better not be too hard on my godfather.”

 

“Why would I?”

 

Kun asks, raising an eyebrow and giving him a questioning look.

 

“Have you ever met Leen’s aunt?”

 

“I have. I met her and got her permission to marry me.”

 

Flinch—

 

Kuhn clenches and releases his fist once, as if trying to control his emotions.

 

“And you asked her permission to marry you in this manner?”

 

“…Of course not, she’s Leen’s family.”

 

At that, Kun smiled broadly, as if pleased.

 

“That’s an interesting story.”