“Gilbert-kun, I already accept your apology so please raise your face.”
“No! To keep Meryl’s precious grandfather waiting in such a bad weather and let him witness a disgraceful spectacle . . . I am terribly sorry!!”
“No, it’s enough…… Okay?”
Well, I wonder how many times they had this exchange.
Gilbert Kralvane is still knocking his forehead on the floor by the feet of His Grace, who got tired of him and looked at him with distant eyes. The same conversation continued for more than a few minutes after moving into this room.
Although His Grace threw me glances from time to time, honestly I am also thinking, “How to deal with this?” I was positive that he was letting Senpai kowtow until he is satisfied, but he was fed up after seeing this action being repeated for many times. I think he (Gil) is just being obstinate rather than apologetic.
Anyway, the manservant, who was surprised at first, seemed to have given up and continued to sip his tea alone a bit far from here.
……Hmm.
What does he want, I thought when his lover, Meryl’s face came to mind. In contrast to his composed appearance, it seems that he had many things to do. Maybe I should learn from him.
“……In other words, Senpai did not know her grandfather, but you did not do something towards Meryl that earned you a guilty conscience, right?”
“I certainly did not have!!”
At my casual remark, Senpai surprisingly reacted sensitively. Getting up without caring for his red forehead which was the result of hitting it on the floor, he shouted out his denial with a straight face. This person is really desperate whenever Meryl is involved.
When he raised his face, His Grace finally relaxed. Why don’t you offer the Duke of Klassen some confections too?
“Oh, so Meryl and you are seriously dating?”
“Yes! With the intention of marriage! Please allow us to date!”
He smiled with seriousness and determination at the same time. They got to talk for a while, His Grace began asking questions concerning him one at a time. With correct posture, Senpai replied without hesitancy. His work, his residence, his annual income, his meeting with Meryl…… Although it feels like it hurt him a little, I guess it’s like this if you are in front of a relative.
His Grace would occasionally send me a glance, but I only continued sipping black tea without glancing back. It meant that “I did not lie.” When he declared that his annual income is less than the actual, he seemed to laugh.
Eventually, His Grace finished asking general questions and leaned back on the sofa with a sigh. After hearing his answers, he was probably relieved to have seen such an ideal young man. I never denied that I’m an “Eisler” so there’s no reason for him to doubt me.
Declining the maid who was about to pour him another cup of tea, he smiled at Senpai.
“I am now clear about what kind of person you are. It seems that my granddaughter have discerning eyes.”
“Thank you very much!!”
Senpai, who has a stiff expression all this time, finally smiled in relief. He only met her at a secluded place called academy, so he was probably nervous for suddenly meeting her relatives, especially her grandfather, for the first time. Unclenching his fists on top of his knees, he chugged the lukewarm black tea.
“……Oh, right. May I ask two more questions?”
“Ah, yes. Please ask right away.”
After seeing the calm Senpai, His Grace once again spoke. He leaned forward a little, his eyes a little ruthless than before.
“First of all, when we arrived at this mansion, you said, ‘I will leave this house.’ May I know your reason?”
The question was asked in a calm tone, but Senpai’s smiling face darkened once again. It seems His Grace had already guessed the reasons but…… Senpai took a breath and replied with a frown.
“……It is as what you have seen earlier. Currently, those who cling to their noble status have the say in our Kralvane family. Not only my grandfather but the majority of my family felt that way. They always opposed my wish to marry Meryl.”
“So you abandoned your family?”
“Yes. I have done everything I could but unfortunately, they won’t accept it. I do not feel like marrying anyone but Meryl, and there are no other solutions except to sever my ties with my family.”
Once again he sent me a gaze and I nodded in return. The gap between the “noble faction” and “magician faction” of the Kralvane family is too wide, and it is unlikely that Senpai’s demands will be accepted.
Originally the “magicians” had been decreasing in number each year, hence it moved to “let Meryl bear a child”. Senpai did not thought that he would fall in love with my roommate.
“The Magical Society have been assigning jobs ‘to me’ without end so I have savings. Even if I leave the Kralvane family, I will not let Meryl experience financial difficulty. I swear.”
“Yes, you should. ‘Looking at her situation’, she does not seem to worry.”
Ah, as expected of His Grace. Did he not notice me when Senpai expressed his (Gil) annual income? Well, although the Society’s job has a basic salary, I know that magicians of his caliber must be receiving more than that. However, the job has a high level of difficulty.
“It might be impossible for you to sever your ties with your family just for the sake of choosing that girl…… but I highly appreciate your resolve.”
“Thank you very much.”
He only shrugged his shoulders in reply, they laughed altogether at me and then both of them corrected their posture. And then, His Grace . . . got up from the sofa for some reason.
“So this is the last question, Gilbert-kun.”
“Yes.”
“Are you willing to die for Meryl?”
That was the deepest sound he has produced until now. And the most severe sounding question of all.
“No.”
He frankly replied in a deep voice. The answer was delivered without a hint of nervousness nor hoarseness in his voice. Because it was Snepai, I thought he would reply to the question positively.
His sharp golden eyes slowly widened. The tension cannot be seen anymore in his bright eyes.
“For Meryl’s sake, I will ‘live my life’. But I cannot die. If I die, it is would be the other way around. Meryl, my most beloved, will mourn.”
“……………You passed, Gilbert-kun.”
His Grace let out a satisfactory laugh at hearing Gilbert Kralvane’s confident response. Indeed, he’s right. It’s exasperating but this guy really knew well. Meryl will grieve if ever Senpai dies. No, once she realized that he did it for her sake, she may not be able to bear it.
It was a question that is likely to be answered with “Yes”, but when he thought of her, perhaps “No” was the correct answer. He was not even overly self-conscious.
“……You’re irritating, Senpai.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Yes. It is frustrating but it seems I can leave her to you. So irritating.”
Senpai laughed in response to my straightforward feelings I felt for the first time since I came here. Ah, really, it is the best choice to entrust Meryl to this airhead. It’s already obvious but it really frustrated me when this nice man passed.
As we laughed, His Grace smiled gently while watching us. For a few minutes…… No, maybe for a few seconds.
Slowly, he raised his hands. As if he saw something, the manservant, who had gone to the door without us noticing, opened it with force.
“……Ah.”
Three people stood outside the opened door. The one leading at the front was Senpai’s grandfather who was carrying his canes, with Senpai’s parents following behind him. I thought they were waiting at the parlour so why are they here?
“Gilbert-kun gave me honest answers. I will reciprocate with sincerity as well. It seems that we’re going to become relatives in the near future.”
Before we could voice our questions, His Grace went out of the door with crisp movements that did not betray his age. One could sense that Senpai’s grandfather has a sour expression but……
“It is late but let me introduce my self. My name is Alexander Klassen.”
“Your Grace, Duke of Klassen—!!”
The title silently echoed on the hallway. Instantly, his shrieking grandfather dropped his canes and knelt on the floor. He probably did not hear the amusement in His Grace’s voice when he replied, “I was the former.”
He clung to his noble status so he knew that name, which was especially famous in their generation.
“Duke, Your Grace . . . ?”
Senpai’s expression also suddenly changed from relieved to stunned. It’s a given. He had the intention to leave his family in order to marry Meryl the commoner, only to find out that she is a descendant of a highest ranking Duke.
“He admitted that he is prepared to leave his family for my granddaughter. It would really be better if we become relatives, my future grandson-in-law.”
Nonetheless, His Grace looked back at me and winked, and I think I am not as guilty as him. It seems that those who were supposed to be renowned for their competence were quite mischievous. I will add this to my letter to the Eislers.
Afterwards, it became a debacle.
The Kralvane family turned the house upside down to welcome the (former) Duke. Gathering the servants, they immediately prepared the banquet seats. I don’t know where they got wind of it, but those relatives who lived nearby arrived.
And when they knew that Meryl whom Senpai wanted to marry was his granddaughter, they changed their attitude quickly, warmly accepting it. In addition, to prove that they were supporting it, they started discussing about his wedding ceremony.
Meanwhile, both His Grace and Senpai were looking at them with a very cold expression, but how many people noticed? Even I would have the same expression as them.
“………Is it better for you to have such relatives, Your Grace?”
“Haha, I think it’s better than nothing. I want to leave her to someone I know. Besides, your parents are not bad.”
To his very careless question, His Grace responded with a bitter smile. Well, surely Senpai’s parents are better compared to his grandfather. It was their first meeting with His Grace but they were running around as if to stop their relatives, despite the hastily-made seating arrangement.
“……Your Grace, I love Meryl. Whether she is a commoner or a duke’s descendant, my feelings won’t change. I cannot think of anything but her.”
“……Oh, is that so?”
“I do not want her to become deeply involved in this unpleasant society. Am I being arrogant?”
“……No?”
His Grace closed his eyes and nodded. Could it be, Meryl’s father . . . perhaps he is thinking of his son.
“Like I told you at the start, I am ‘Meryl’s grandfather’, Gilbert-kun. Whether you seek my opinion, it depends on the both of you.”
“Thank you very much.”
At the Duke’s gentle words, Senpai’s eyes widened for a moment . . . then smiled and bowed his head. Of all the Kralvanes, this person is better. No matter what happens behind Meryl’s back, Senpai will definitely not change.
“Roommate, looks like you have contributed a lot. Thank you.”
“If you want to thank me, please remember my name, but still you’re welcome. Please take care of my precious, precious Meryl.”
“Of course.”
Seeing that full-of-confidence smile on his very handsome face, I also smiled.
It wasn’t me who has been together with this man for 6 years. Although their first meeting was a mess, what’s with the confidence? The determination? I don’t want to acknowledge such a thing, but he is more suitable to Meryl more than anyone else.
I am sure that they will make a happy family that everyone would be envious of. I must admit that.
……If my actions were not in vain, then it should have a “happy result” for me.
The rain had stopped without our notice, and the sunset in the sky dyed the whole world with red.
