Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 78

“What’s your work?”

 

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with the children, he looked around the room. Eileen smiled shyly and led him over.

 

“This is mine and Cordelia’s, and that table over there is Lucian and Felix’s.”

 

Nodding, the Duke leisurely examined the children’s work. Plants, magic, swords. His eyes warmed as he looked down at the works that reflected his interests.

 

“Lucian and Felix should be in the undergraduate events area.”

 

“Yes, we’ll take our time there, too.”

 

Just then, Laquerta, who had been outside, entered the room, his helmet tucked into his side, and when he spotted the duke, he seemed to be debating whether or not to leave. Eileen walked up to him, grabbed his arm, and said to the duke

 

“Ah, this is the Laquerta I told you about in the letter. Laquerta, this is the Duke of Gaudium.”

 

“…Hello.”

 

Laquerta, who had heard of the duke a few times from Eileen, and knew he was something of a father figure to her, replied as politely as he could.

 

“Yes, it is good to see you.”

 

The duke, who only knew of Laquerta’s existence because of her cooperation with Portgar, eyed the child, who seemed to be about his eye level, with interest. He had the physique of a swordsman.

 

‘Helm on the side. Are you a swordsman?’

 

Cordelia whispered softly, recognizing the illusion in the duke’s eyes.

 

“He’s a healer.”

 

“Oh.”

 

The duke held out his hand to Laquerta, reflecting on his narrow vision.

 

“I hope you’ll continue to get along with everyone.”

 

“…….”

 

Hesitantly, Laquerta clasped his hand. Laquerta’s healing skills, honed by his construction work, were excellent in addition to Suyin’s basic skills. Inwardly, the duke thought that the swordsmanship world had lost a great talent.

 

“Still, it’s good to follow one’s heart.”

 

When the Duke had finished his tour, he was chatting with the children. Their heads turned when they heard a commotion coming from the entrance of the exhibit. A large group of people had come to see the duke.

 

The Duke looked back at them with a bored expression and sighed.

 

“I said I’d come as stealthily as possible, but I must have been seen chasing them away earlier.”

 

“It’s okay though, we only had a short time with them, and we still have the main ball to go!”

 

“Okay, I’ll see you at the ball.”

 

The duke waved goodbye and headed for the crowd that awaited him, but then he stopped, as if remembering something he’d forgotten.

 

“Oh, and by the way, did you both get your dresses fitted?”

 

“Thank you!”

 

“It’s a good fit.”

 

The duke smiled faintly at Eileen’s playful comment about looking forward to it, then wordlessly held out his hand and walked out of the showroom. Eileen stared for a moment in the direction he’d disappeared, then said,

 

“I was going to skimp on the dress.”

 

“My point.”

 

Being practical and disliking fuss, the two had considered buying a modest off-the-rack dress for the ball.

 

The ball, which concludes the festivities, is a social gathering of various families, but they didn’t see the point in spending a fortune on a simple school event that isn’t even a debutante ball.

 

“It’s a school event, after all, right?”

 

The Duke and Oslo found out later that they were wrong.

 

It wasn’t a formal social event, but the children’s first prom. When they said they would organize it themselves, Hwa-geun was completely in charge.

 

They paid a generous sum of money to a famous designer’s wardrobe to have their dresses made to their specifications, but the response they got back was that they didn’t feel comfortable with customization.

 

In the end, Oslo, who knew their sizes, took matters into his own hands and had their dresses made in the capital and rushed to the portal.

 

‘Wanting to be frugal is the ultimate oxymoron,’ Eileen says with a shrug.

 

Eileen scratched her cheek absentmindedly, then stopped, as if remembering something.

 

Her face flushed as she recalled the violet glow in the dark from the chain of dresses, balls, partners, and words.

 

“Enough! Stop thinking and get to work!”

 

Eileen shook her head, forcing the memory away.

 

 

***

 

 

“Big brother!!”

 

“Brother!!”

 

They finished their shift just before lunch and left the showroom, meeting Lua and Moa under the clock tower.

 

“Hey, guys!”

 

The two children chirped like chicks at Laquerta, who crouched down and hugged them, smiling brightly.

 

“Cute.”

 

The corners of Eileen’s mouth twitched up at the sight. The children were pleasantly plump, and their hair was shiny, as if they’d grown accustomed to life on the Fort estate.

 

“Sisters!”

 

Lua squealed with excitement as she spotted Eileen and Cordelia standing behind Laquerta.

 

“Don’t run. You’ll fall. How are you two doing?”

 

“Yeah! I’ve made a lot of friends, and I’m eating my veggies.”

 

“I’m also the fastest runner!”

 

“Really? You’re both so awesome!”

 

The words spilling out of their mouths showed how happy they were. Eileen ruffled their hair and turned her attention to Rolloa, who was talking to Laquerta.

 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, and it must have been a long way for you to come with the children.”

 

“How have you been? It hasn’t been a struggle, they’re smart kids.”

 

She smiled softly and picked up Moa, who clung to the hem of Eileen’s skirt. Cordelia looked back at everyone.

 

“Why don’t we eat first, and then we can tour the Academy together?”

 

“That would be great.”

 

“Yeah, I’m starving, can I have one of those crepes down there?”

 

“Sure, let’s eat.”

 

They walked off with festive excitement.

 

 

***

 

 

“Neumann!”

 

“Sister.”

 

Bella greeted Neumann with a joyful expression on her face as she met her brother at his alma mater after a long absence.

 

“It’s been a long time! Why have you lost so much weight?”

 

“Is that so? I didn’t lose that much.”

 

“Black and white. You’re so sad that your precious Neumann is shrinking.”

 

Bella’s eyes dripped with honey as she looked at her younger brother, more than 15 years her junior. She remembered him as a child, following her around like a duckling.

 

“I heard about this incident,” she said, “and I’m so surprised that my precious little brother would take on such a dangerous job.”

 

“Oh, it’s okay, I’m all better now.”

 

“No, you’re better means you were hurt, and you didn’t need to be the one to do something dangerous, did you?”

 

Bella looked at him with concern in her eyes, but Neumann found the look uncomfortable for some reason and quickly averted his gaze.

 

“I was just as worried when you told me you were going to be in a special class. Why don’t you just drop out? You’re going to be a marquess, and it’s dangerous, and you don’t need anyone to stand in your way of that.”

 

‘Even if there is, I’ll take care of it.’

 

With that, Bella smiled. Her tone was friendly, but it was a tight one that didn’t allow for even the slightest argument. It was only when Neumann’s stomach churned that he unconsciously loosened his tie a little.

 

“You worked so hard.”

 

Jessie’s voice rang in his ears. The knot in his stomach instantly eased as he remembered the sound of her voice.

 

He swallowed hard and searched for the right words.

 

“Sister, I’m certainly weaker than you, and I’ll probably never catch up to you.”

 

“Yes, you’re right, aren’t you?”

 

“But even if I’m weak, I can at least try to protect those I care about, so I’m okay with that.”

 

A strong wind blew. The trees on the campus swayed and rustled, creating the sound of waves. 

 

Through the commotion, Neumann spoke calmly.

 

“It’s okay, just let me make my own choices.”

 

Bella’s eyes widened at the firmness of his voice. Her brother, who had always been a good listener, had changed. His eyes, now so much higher, held a strength that hadn’t been there before.

 

“Yes.”

 

Bella replied with a blank expression, as if mesmerized by something.

 

It was a strange feeling, but not a bad one. Lingering in the afterglow after Neumann had left to prepare for the undergraduate event, she spotted the Duke walking toward her, surrounded by people. A conversation she’d had with him the other day in Torvall flashed through her mind.

 

“Have you ever imagined how a tree would grow under a closed ceiling, Bella Kamar?”

 

“Why would you even think about that, when it wouldn’t even reach the ceiling?”

 

Bella stormed over to the Duke and shouted at him.

 

“You were right, Duke, children do grow up.”

 

The Duke, puzzled by the out-of-context comment, shrugged and replied.

 

“Of course they do.”