I Married Because I Wanted To Live A Normal Life Chapter 78

Chapter 78

“Still, simply, yes. ‘That person is impossible to understand’… for you to grow distant like that is too.”

“…..”

“It seems like too sad a thing. So, I just hope you’ll know at least this one last thing. That I really…”

Callen paused for a moment, then spoke as if letting out something he had been holding back.

“That I really cherished you a lot.”

“…..”

His voice was clearly trembling. He was still smiling, but if you looked closely, the corners of his lips, drawn in a curve, were faintly quivering.

It was no exaggeration to say that this was the most discomposed I had ever seen Callen Ophius. At his reaction, for a moment, I thought that perhaps I was hearing something truly significant.

The thought that his words might hold some hidden meaning that I had yet to grasp, beyond their literal sense.

“…Marquis…”

A brief silence enveloped us, and I barely managed to speak.

Should I ask?

Or would it be better to let it go?

Before I could even answer the question that had intuitively surfaced without a subject…

Callen’s smile deepened as he looked at me, who must have had a clearly bewildered expression.

And the voice that followed, as if the previous agitation had vanished without a trace, was as normal as ever.

“So it would be best for you to return to your territory now.”

“…Pardon?”

I asked back without thinking at the sudden, out-of-the-blue remark, but the man just shrugged.

That smile I had seen countless times. That gesture. But in this moment, its meaning came across as completely different.

He’s drawing a line with me again.

“Didn’t we agree from the beginning? That you would only need to help with the preparations for His Highness’s coronation.”

“…But the ceremony hasn’t even been held yet.”

“Thanks to your hard work, all that’s left now is for it to be held. I can’t keep a busy person any longer than this.”

“…..”

“…And you saw the situation just now. If you stay here, it will only bring you harm, not good.”

“Marquis.”

Ah.

I myself was wondering why I was being so uncharacteristically concerned about the man before me. But seeing him smile as he usually did, a thought suddenly struck me.

Callen and I were similar. In the way we hid ourselves away to protect ourselves.

That’s why, even now. Vaguely sensing that he was again clumsily pretending to be fine and hiding something, I said in a firm voice.

“I’m grateful for your concern for me, but apart from that, if you have something you want to say, please say it clearly. I cannot accept it like this.”

“…..”

“…Are you planning to not give me a chance again?”

At my words, Callen’s eyes wavered for a moment, then the man blinked and said to me in a gentle voice.

“No, what you need to know is everything I just told you.”

“…..”

“And this is my way of cherishing you.”

Thank you for everything until now, Baron Ensis.

As if saying goodbye, as if this were truly the last time. The man said so, patted my shoulder, and then brushed past me.

I turned and stared at his retreating back, but Callen never once looked back or stopped walking.

It was a sudden notice of dismissal in the middle of the night.

***

Right, no need to overthink it.

As Callen said, I had only agreed to help for a short while anyway. And if I stayed here, I would just be using my ability, wasting my health, and ending up bedridden.

So I decided to coolly leave the capital.

An inner voice of criticism told me that dwelling on such thoughts was in itself not cool, but I lightly ignored it.

And I decided not to keep in my head the unusual attitude or words Callen had shown me that day. Looking back, it seemed like I might have been overthinking things.

More than anything, I didn’t want to pry into Callen’s true feelings, which, for whatever reason, he was unwilling to tell me.

After all, he was the one who pushed me away, yet he had the audacity to wrap it up as if it were for my sake, which made him a little resentful.

“Yes, that’s a good thought, Liddell. You have your own territory, you can’t stay here forever.”

At my words, my father nodded thoughtfully.

“Besides, with the current situation… even without the monsters, there’s no need for you to remain in the capital.”

I nodded.

But my reason for deciding to hurry back to the territory, as my father said, wasn’t just to escape the chaotic political situation.

Violet had said that in the future, Ensis would become the frontline territory in fending off the monsters.

And if things continued as they were, it was highly likely that would indeed happen. Of course, I didn’t think the northern lords, gathered around the Firenze family, would fall so easily.

Until now, with only inaccurate fragments of the future, I had tried my best to arm Ensis in the short time since I received the territory.

But looking at it now, I couldn’t be sure if those measures were sufficient, and a sense of urgency washed over me.

It really would have been nice to have more information about the ‘apocalypse’ mentioned in the sequel to <I Picked Up My Husband>.

If I could remember and prepare for when, where, and how it happened, I could have become a capable protagonist myself.

Everyone, let’s read books. Reading will become your nourishment after you’ve transmigrated.

“And as for Lewis… don’t worry too much about him. He seems quite embarrassed to have done something that requires apologizing to his younger sister twice.”

At his words, I smiled a little.

My relationship with Lewis was still awkward, but I had no desire to resolve it.

And with the man before me, as well.

“Don’t be too hard on my older brother.”

“No, still, that rascal.”

“…And you too, Father. Please don’t be too nice to me anymore.”

At my words, my father frowned.

“What is that supposed to mean? You must be very angry.”

“No, that’s not it…”

I continued slowly.

“You’ve loved me and raised me until now, Father. So now, I… I alone want to be good to you.”

At my words, my father’s face contorted slightly, then he said with a curt expression.

“A parent’s love for their child cannot be stopped. How can a person’s strength go against the flow of water from high to low?”

“…..”

“Liddell.”

He beckoned to me, and I hesitated before approaching him.

My father held my hand tightly and said, “I know well that you have tried your best to do your part, even while you were anxious after losing your memory.”

“…..”

“You’ve done well until now.”

“…..”

“Even if you have no memory, even if you feel like a different person from your past self. You will always be my daughter.”

Please don’t say that.

You’re really making me hope, just a little.

“…Yes, thank you.”

I could have made all sorts of excuses. I thought this was a fictional world, and I myself was dragged here against my will.

And that no one would believe me if I told the truth anyway. And at the time, I was so preoccupied with adapting to this world that I had no room in my heart to understand and care for others.

So I could have made the excuse that I hadn’t intended to take Liddell’s place or paint over it, but that it had just ended up this way.

No, but, if I looked deep into my heart.

I knew that it was also an undeniable truth that, for whatever excuse, I just didn’t want to let go of this affection.

“…Thank you so much.”

A dependable father, a gentle older brother.

A truly perfect family that rarely exists even in reality.

To have been able to experience it, even for a moment, perhaps that alone was enough.

I squeezed the hand of Duke Catlan, which was holding mine, and smiled brightly.

***

Immediately after the new king was crowned, the royal family of Kleinin did not officially announce the fact that Carshion had fallen due to a civil war.

It was obvious that it would cause a great deal of confusion, and in truth, they thought that the fact that the empire had fallen while fighting amongst themselves in the current situation would only instill despair in the people.

Thus, the royal family, including the top officials, declared the state of Carshion as an ‘uncontrollable region due to monster attacks.’

Hearing just that, one might wonder what the difference was from the country having fallen, but it was meant to give the impression that the situation would stabilize if only the monsters that had set up camp in Carshion were driven out.

And after some investigation, it was officially announced to the public that there was a mastermind behind these monster attacks, and that the royal family would do its best to resolve the situation.

While many who had heard through the grapevine that monsters were pushing down from the north were frightened and considering fleeing, or strengthening their resolve to fight back…

Onyx Carshion, known as the exiled crown prince, took the lead in defending the northern border of Kleinin.

Of course, the young duke of Levitea, famous for being young and strong, and Baron Roelich also fought against the monsters, but the meaning of their actions was different.

Onyx devoted himself to the cause, literally sparing no expense to his own body, and on top of that, the image of a monarch struggling to reclaim his own country was added, spreading a public opinion of sympathy and support among the nobles and the people of the kingdom.

Of course, all of this was Onyx’s ploy.