chapter 32
“Erina?”
As we look at it with an unbelievable expression, something like ‘That’s the reaction, it’s embarrassing!’ With a face that wants to spit out the same lines, both cheeks are dyed blush.
“Uh… you don’t like it?”
However, even that embarrassed expression accepted my reaction and soon became pale.
“It suits you so well.”
“What?!”
With a slightly perplexed expression, he made a comment with a confused voice, then blushed again and covered his face with both hands.
“Aren’t you really ashamed when you stare at something so far out of your mind?!”
To be honest, it was momentary, but it was so beautiful that I couldn’t even describe it in words, with her long hair and a red dress that was a little enchanting and in perfect harmony with Erina, who had red eyes and hair.
“But how pretty is that?”
Then, now his cheeks are still red, but he lowers his head as if he has become pale and keeps muttering something.
“Thank you….”
He said thank you in a voice that was barely audible to others, and then gestured to welcome him as if he were inviting him into his room.
“Come in and I’ll introduce you to my room anyway.”
I had no reason to reject Erina’s offer, so I slowly moved my steps into the room, and for some reason I thought I was going into a woman’s room.
“Then let’s talk together.”
Elbert pushes my back to see if he doesn’t want to come in, and he takes a step from the door.
“Isn’t Mr. Elbert coming in?”
With a smile on his face, he gently shook his head from side to side, expressing that he had no intention of going in.
“I’m just here to guide you this far. I have a lot to talk to Erina, but I’m not in a rush, so I want to give you some time to talk to me more than anything else right now.”
In Elbert’s situation, I would be seen that way.
A friend who was getting along really suddenly declares that he is the second most powerful aristocrat after the royal family, and as if to prove it, the strongest knight who protects the throne arrives.
Also, it is not usually confusing because Dalian follows her to her hometown without understanding the situation well and does it right away when she arrives.
When I thought about it like that, it seemed that I was in a position that would be absurd even from my perspective, and in consideration of such feelings, Elbert seemed to invite me, who has the most questions right now, to share the story with just the two of us.
Like this, he was very caring and had the character of the male protagonist I knew.
However, the main character’s side continues to be revealed, but because he looks so mature compared to the appearance and spirit that remains in his memory, various complicated emotions calm his heart.
“I’ve already tested you and you passed nicely, so I don’t have any business with you right now, so it’d be nice to spend some time with each other.”
After uttering those words, as if there was nothing more to say to me, I turned around and walked away without listening to what I was saying.
“If there is anything you want to say to me, come to me and ask Erina or the employees you come across as you walk around, and I will kindly guide you.”
As if to say good-bye to a friend whom he will meet again tomorrow, he showed his back and waved his hand and left.
It was only after he completely disappeared that he realized something later.
You’ve only been saying things that bothered your nerves since before.
He thought that it would be better to test if I was a good fit for Erina, or to spend time just for the two of them, but he spat out only words that he couldn’t understand the exact meaning of, leaving no room for interpretation.
I don’t know what he really wants to say, but when he thinks about those words, why does he get anxious…
closely…
“Harold, would you like to come in…?”
I wanted to take some time to interpret Elbet’s words, but as Erina held my hand tightly and spoke carefully with her eyes mixed with anticipation and nervousness, I couldn’t help but pay attention to her.
“Yeah, I have a few questions I want to ask.”
Elbert’s words bother me, but it’s not urgent, so I decided to put it on hold for a while and follow Erina, who leads my hand and pulls me inside, to the inside of the room.
“It doesn’t suit me, but would you like to sit back and have a cup of tea?”
When I go out to the balcony, I carefully point to a small place with a white white table, luxurious chairs, teacups and various refreshments on each floor, and carefully invite them.
“It’s not bad.”
In order to relieve her worried feelings, she sits down without a single thought.
When drinking tea, he doesn’t know the courtesy of nobles, so he pours lukewarm tea by himself.
Seeing me like that, Erina smiled with relief and nostalgia, then sat down on the other side of me and hung the whale faintly.
He wiggled his fingers and kept wanting to say something, but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut because of fear.
“sorry.”
However, I squeezed out the last remaining courage.
“what?”
When I answered concisely without adopting the same lengthy words, I thought about opening and closing my mouth, but then quietly whispered to me.
“You lied about your identity until now…”
He made a gloomy expression like a child who made a big mistake and managed to tell his mother, but I didn’t feel bad at all.
“Like I said, I don’t care.”
“still…..”
“Erina.”
A slightly serious atmosphere flows to encourage her as she continues to lose her confidence.
“Once again, you are my dearest friend Erina Robbias, whether it is you, an adventurer or a noble above anyone else, you don’t have to worry.”
Hearing my words, she shuts her mouth tightly and looks rather distressed, but her complexion brightens for a moment, and the subdued atmosphere comes back to mind.
“Thanks Harold…! After all, only you are kind to me…”
The end of the speech was a little blurry, so I couldn’t hear it well, but I nod my head, satisfied with the words “thank you” and the restored atmosphere.
“So, how was the conversation with your mother?”
I was perplexed as if I was faced with the biggest challenge to my continued question, and I could hardly come up with a clear answer.
“If you look at my clothes, you’ll understand to a certain extent, of course it was miserable. Dress up like a girl and act nice right now, if you walk around like a fool, other noble men won’t look after you…”
Also, if he doesn’t want to show his weak side, he desperately maintains the atmosphere and tells me.
“You have some expectations, but what are your hopes?”
chin!
Then Erina got up, hitting the table rough enough to ripple the black tea in the teacup, and looked at me with eyes more confident than ever.
“Of course, I want to continue adventures with you!! Forever and forever!!”
The ending is a bit harsh, but let’s ignore it because the atmosphere is atmospheric…
“I want to always be by your side, to travel with you, to see your face… to always feel Harold’s warmth.”
Now, I was confused whether this was a confession of love or my wish to go on an adventure.
“But Harold…”
She tilts her head as she speaks again in the atmosphere where she lost her confidence before, who had lost her energy at some point.
“If… If I had to stay in this mansion, would Harold leave me and continue his adventures alone…?”
It asks questions that are somewhat difficult to say in a cool way.
I set out on a journey to progress towards the ultimate goal of returning to the original world.
However, if Erina, the main character of the game, stays at Yeong-yeong’s home, the progress of the story may be blocked, and then there is no reason for me to continue the adventure.
“Well… that’s a bit of a complicated question.”
She closes her mouth for a moment at an answer that she can’t come up with, then grabs my hand and raises her voice.
“Then why don’t Harold stay with us?!”
“What?”
She is slightly embarrassed by the unexpectedly loud voice, and when she looks at her with ambiguous eyes, she speaks out for herself.
“If you listen to my request and stay in our mansion, I’ll keep you by my side as an employee even if I can’t! Then I can always be by your side even if I can’t go on an adventure?!”
“I’ll take care of my salary so that I don’t feel sad because I’ll listen to any other suggestions, so…!!”
“I’m sorry, but that’s going to be a little troublesome.”
He seems to be pouring out everything he has, as if he had thrown a chance, but he was blocked by my callous words.
“What…?”
Erina, who lost all her self-confidence in an instant and her eyes became cloudy, narrowed her mouth slightly and kept a blank expression as if she had received a big shock.
“Really, but if you are left, I wonder if I will continue my adventures alone… Because I have a dream of adventure just like you.”
I do not know the last part, but the middle part was my honest answer.
Even if she stays in the mansion and the meaning of the adventure disappears.
Rather than just letting go and staying in this mansion and letting go of the hope of returning, I wonder if I should go looking for clues to return to myself…
I’ve been through it all this time, but it was sad for me to have to look forward to the cold reality.
“That… is it… Harold also has a dream of adventure just like me… It would be my selfish thought to keep him by my side…?”
As the words continued, he groped more and more and the corners of his eyes became moist, as if he was desperately trying to endure the sadness.
I can’t think of anything I would dare to say because of the irretrievably fallen energy, but I grab her by the shoulders to encourage her as much as possible.
“But it’s okay!”
“yes…?”
He shouts out loudly to her, expressing emotions that do not match the atmosphere.
“Is it okay if you stay in the mansion? If you convince your parents and give them permission to go on an adventure, you can go back to your previous daily life without any problems.”
After listening to the words, I gradually regained my confidence and regained the spirit I knew.
“Yeah! Is there any way to convince your parents? I’m going to go appeal right now.”
Standing up, she left the balcony, headed towards the door, and reached out her hand to me.
“Can I come with you? With you as usual.”
At that, he nodded gladly and took her hand.
I don’t know exactly what this side story is about, but it may not work out well at first, but it gradually opens up my mind and eventually allows me to venture on my own.
And it starts when the main character regains confidence and finds acquaintance with the mother she just talked to.
This is probably what will happen soon.
If I remember correctly, after a long quarrel in this conversation, in the end, her mother proposes several trials.
It was a story in which her parents reluctantly allowed her to travel if she went through them all and proved by strong that the life of an adventurer was more suitable than life in a mansion.
The current Erina is strong enough to overcome the ordeal, so if she somehow remembers the story and keeps the flow well, there will be no problem.
◆◆◆
However, the world is not so easy…
I followed Erina to the room to convince her to see her mother first.
Something unexpected happened.
“What do you say, mother…?”
“I told you to choose.”
It’s definitely a scene that didn’t exist in the game, so it’s a very unfamiliar sight…
When I went to the room, there were piles of photos lying in front of Erina’s mother.
All the photos were full of handsome-looking men.
“I can’t quite understand why you’re making such a face. Why are you making such a messed up face?”
As if she couldn’t understand Erina’s heart at all, her eyes fluttered openly, and she selected about 5 photos and threw them at us.
“Choose it now.”
Our despairing faces continue to render cold and cruel sentences without paying any attention to them.
“Choose your favorite opponent out of these, how much more do you have to say to understand?”