Chapter 37

Episode 37: Strive For Your Happiness

His golden hair pouring like sunlight distracted my eyes. Seeing him in the dark of the night, he was such a noble and neat man, and under the colorful chandelier he was such a shiny man.

“Lord France.”

As I barely called his name, the green eyes staring at me curled. I had such a strange feeling, I felt like he was very far away even though he was right in front of me.

“…….”

“…….”

While our eyes met, no words came and went. In the noisy banquet hall, the silence continued only between the two of us.

By the time the quiet silence felt a little burdensome, his arm, which was firmly supporting my back, slipped off.

“You look healthy.”

Taking a step away from me, he said in a neat voice.

“Your smile has become much more beautiful.”

Is it a usual greeting like other aristocrats in the banquet hall? As usual, his calm eyes and voice made my heart flutter strangely.

“… Thank you, as has Lord France’s.”

I paused for a moment and looked at him. It did not go well with the glamorous banquet hall atmosphere, but he was dressed in the neat knight’s uniform he usually wore. Perhaps he didn’t come to enjoy the banquet, he just came to attend him (Kailos).

“You are much cooler.”

With sincere words, he curved his eyes. He didn’t seem to believe me very much.

“It’s true…”

“Yes, thank you, Lady Garnet.”

As he added timidly, he smiled and nodded.

I felt a little wronged because he still didn’t believe me. But he was really cool. More than any other aristocrats in this splendid banquet hall.

I stared at him and suddenly opened my mouth.

“I think Lord France always appears at the moment I need help.”

“Is that so?”

His words with his head down seemed to contain a positive meaning rather than a question. He moved a step and stared far away. As soon as I tried to turn my eyes after him, he talked to me.

“Lady Garnet, if you don’t mind.”

My face was captured above by emerald soft green eyes.

Lord Enoch France was the owner of a great appearance and atmosphere that made hearts flutter even with an unselfish gaze.

“Can you go get some air with me for a while?”

“…….”

When I tilted my head at his question, I could see Lord Vincent talking to his companions not far away.

When I signaled him, I saw him nodding, saying, “It’s okay.” I nodded to him, thanked him, and looked back at Lord France.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

His lips drew a soft line at my answer.

After three steps apart, Lord France headed to the terrace and I followed him. The terrace on the winter night was quiet and cozy. The quiet atmosphere resembled him.

“Is it okay to open the window?”

“Of course.”

As soon as I turned around to open the window at his permission, an elongated arm stretched out from behind me and opened the window before me. At the same time, the cool winter night air passed by my skin.

“…I didn’t ask you to open the window.”

“Yes, I know. Lady Garnet”

Somehow I was ashamed and protested with a red face, and he smiled and nodded.

“…….”

I looked down at the floor because I had nothing to say to the calm voice. Lord France also stood in front of me silently for a long time, allowing me to get some fresh air first.

A few minutes later, he asked me.

“Was it a lie?”

When I raised my head, I could see Lord France staring at me, exactly near my lower stomach. I belatedly recalled the falsehood I had told him.

‘Are you really carrying the child of His Majesty the Emperor?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

And I remembered him who knelt down on one knee in front of me.

‘I’ll protect you.’

‘What?’

‘I will protect Lady Garnet and the child in her womb.’

It reminded me of the moment when he was so solemn and reverent that I couldn’t even say a word.

“…..I’m sorry.”

I slowly closed and opened my eyes and apologized to him.

“I never meant to deceive Lord France’s sincerity to me. I… I had to get out of my uncle’s house somehow. That’s why I lied to everyone.”

I thought Lord France would be angry, like Kailos was earlier…… No, maybe more than that.

“I see.”

But instead of getting angry, he looked at me with a short laugh. His actions made me feel even more guilty.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“I’m angry? I rather……….”

He cleared his voice for a moment, then smiled softly and continued.

“I want to praise Lady Garnet. I’m not sure if the word praise would dare be appropriate for me to use.”

“Praise… huh?”

A praise all of a sudden. I looked him with a stupid face at his incomprehensible reaction. He still had that calm smile on his handsome face.

“Yes, it was very good. Honestly, I was a little surprised. For me, Lady Garnet…… Well, I’m not trying to lower Lady Garnet. So, I…….”

Even though it’s okay if he doesn’t, he was choosing his words carefully so as not to offend me.

“I think Lady Garnet tried to overcome misfortune on her own…… I think your actions were incredible.”

Misfortune and happiness.

I thought of Kailos Ludwig. I thought of the man who had no choice but to be unhappy with me.

(T/N: he was unhappy with her actions in the past)

At the same time, I thought of Raymond del Astaroth. I thought of the man who told me about happiness. I thought of the man who told me that I could dare to be happy.

Finally, I thought of Lord Enoch France. He was telling me that I was amazing now that I was stepping towards happiness, even though I had doubts whether I had the qualifications to be happy.

“I was very worried because it looked like you had no motivation for a while after getting sick.”

“worried…….”

“It must have been an escape from misfortune that Lady Garnet was trying to achieve, even by telling lies. I think that’s all your own will. The will you showed is very…… It was beautiful.”

“…….”

Every word he uttered made my heart ache. It was quite a different feeling when I faced Kailos.

“I didn’t do it with such grandiose thoughts.”

“Happiness is not something grand.”

Happiness is not grand? How could that be?

I looked at him with a look of bewilderment. Then, his eyes darkened.

“But I think that happiness is especially grand to you…….”

As if he had just read my mind, he said.

“So I wanted to help you.”

“Lord France….”

“The oath of the day to protect you is still valid. So Lady Garnet, please continue to move as you are now.”

“…….”

“Please move like that to get out of misfortune and to get closer to happiness. So that I can continue to help you.”

The guilt that had been suppressed in front of Lord France’s sincere eyes began to wriggle again.

He doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know how ugly and wicked the things I’ve committed are. That’s why he dares tell me to be happy.

In the past, he was caught by Kailos’ soldiers for helping me. Since then, I never heard from him until the end of my life.

If he finds out about my past, or the atrocities that may have yet to come? Will he be able to say that he is helping me then?

But I can’t tell him I’ve gone back in time…….

“Thank you.”

Foolishly, I hide my mistake and answer like that.

“I’m always grateful to Lord France.”

And I’m sorry, I swallowed the words I couldn’t bring out.

Lord France smiled faintly and looked at me. The smile he had shown all along seemed to disappear.

“I have to go in now. It would be rude to your partner for you to be away with a stranger for a long time.”

Lord France stood in the place where he had been standing all along and beckoned me to go in first.

If I turn around now, when will we meet again?

I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t ever given him a single common greeting, which was due a very long time ago.

“Chloe.”

At the moment I thought it was too bad to part our ways like this, words popped out of my mouth without realizing it.

“My name is Chloe.”

It didn’t go well with the situation, but after blinking for a while, he immediately understood me and replied with a big smile.

“Yes. I’ll definitely call you by that name next time, Lady Chloe.”

My name came out for the first time from a man who had long called me ‘Lady Garnet’. It was a very exciting thing.

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