#267. The Strasbourg Family (6)
‘Why is he like this again?’
Charlotte suddenly hugged my arm tightly.
I was taken aback by that sudden action.
‘You’ve been this clingy to me before, but…
During that time, Charlotte only got close to me when we were alone or when Senia was with me.
Charlotte was the one who would quickly fall down and blush if she was caught by someone else.
But now, there is someone else there, and he is hugging my arm tightly.
Even in front of his own father.
“Charlotte, you… … .”
It seemed that Henri was also taken aback.
She probably never thought she would see her own daughter clinging to a man’s arm and holding him tightly.
“What now… … .”
“I can’t marry Professor Kaisel!”
Henri frowned when Charlotte openly expressed her opposition.
“That’s not for you to decide, Charlotte.”
Henri’s voice was firm.
“I rejected your engagement to Lorenzo Toscana in the same way. Just like that time, I cannot grant your personal wishes. Kaisel Valencia is someone whom your mother has already reviewed.”
Things like age difference probably don’t matter much to them.
Judging from the fact that the Duchess had finished reviewing it, it seemed that all external conditions were considered to be without problems.
‘Unlike Lorenzo, he is a man whose abilities and character have already been sufficiently proven.’
If there’s one drawback to Kaisel, it’s that his family line isn’t all that great.
The Valencia family was not originally a very great family. Furthermore, the head of the family recently went bankrupt and lost his lands.
However, Kaisel has the authority of being one of the ten greatest magicians on the continent and the head of the Academy’s Principles Department.
This could be seen as offsetting the family problems.
‘I’m single and I don’t really have any romantic relationships because I’m not very social.’
The Strasbourg family also has no idea about his relationship with Varnia.
Maybe even if you knew, you wouldn’t really care.
“Father, I cannot marry Professor Kaisel.”
“What is the reason, Charlotte?”
Henri said as if he wasn’t curious at all.
“Because of the age difference? Because of the relationship between professor and student? That doesn’t matter. Even if you don’t like Kaisel Valencia, that’s not something to consider at all.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Then what?”
Charlotte hugged my arm tighter.
And he raised his voice.
“Because I’m dating Ariel!”
I swallowed my breath without realizing it at the sudden sound.
‘What the hell are you talking about?!’
I looked up at Charlotte’s face in surprise.
But Charlotte was winking at me intently, as if to say, ‘Please…!’
‘Are you asking me to match your words?’
Charlotte opened her mouth again, feeling embarrassed.
“Father, I am dating Eriol. As a man and a woman.”
“what……?”
Charlotte continued speaking in front of the surprised Henri.
“That’s why marrying Professor Kaisel is impossible! Breaking up with the man you were seeing and marrying that uncle… … Your mother would hate it, saying it’s too manly!”
“… … !”
It sounded plausible.
Age differences are not important in political marriages. There is little chance of being booed off in aristocratic society.
But dating your niece and then marrying your uncle… is something that will make you the target of criticism from others.
‘The problem is that it’s not true, though.’
Charlotte’s words are an obvious lie.
But it was a very effective lie.
“You’re dating Eriol… … .”
Henri was also agitated.
He looked back and forth between me and Charlotte with an expression that said he hadn’t thought of that.
“If that’s true… … .”
“It would tarnish the reputation of the Strasbourg family. My mother would also be stressed out by the gossip every time she went to a ball.”
“Ahem.”
Henri crossed his arms, lost in thought.
“Certainly… … if what you say is true, then marrying Kaisel Valencia would be dangerous. If rumors spread, it would be uncontrollable.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But that’s only if what you say is true.”
Henri’s eyes became scary.
“Eriol, is what Charlotte said true?”
“that…….”
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“Please ask the Holy Spirit Monastery.”
Before I could answer, Charlotte also opened her mouth.
“If you contact people who were close to Lorenzo Toscana, you will be able to hear the story.”
“Lorenzo’s entourage?”
“Last time I came to the Academy, that man was jealous of the relationship between me and Eriol and caused a commotion. The Holy Spirit monks who were with me witnessed it, so you can get their testimony.”
“… … .”
This was a brilliant idea.
It is true that there were problems with Lorenzo’s words and actions at that time.
If the testimony of a third party, who was a member of the Order of the Holy Spirit, is supported, Henry will have no choice but to believe it.
“Eriol, is it true?”
“It is true that Lorenzo overreacted out of jealousy….”
This part was true, so I couldn’t help but nod.
“We had a similar reaction when they attacked us later.”
“It was Eriol who saved me when I almost lost my life to Lorenzo.”
Charlotte added, hugging my arm tightly.
“So there was a story behind it.”
Henri looked gloomy.
“Then really you… … .”
“Yes, we are dating.”
“… … .”
“So, marriage with Professor Kaisel is impossible. Rather, I… … .”
Charlotte said in a trembling voice.
“Because I want to marry Ariel someday.”
Is this a lie to deceive my father?
or not…….
“Charlotte, Eriol is… … .”
“Eriol is a wizard of incomparable talent to me.”
Charlotte said, interrupting her father.
“In the future, I will become a wizard who surpasses Professor Kaisel. That’s for sure.”
“… … .”
“If you have someone like that as your son-in-law, it will be a great help to your family. Don’t you think so?”
Henri frowned at Charlotte’s words.
“Father, Eriol is already a famous person in Lublin. Many prominent nobles have been wooing Eriol to become their son-in-law.”
“… … .”
“Of course, he may not yet be worthy of being the son-in-law of the Strasbourg family, but in a few years, Eriol will grow into a worthy man.”
Henri was silent for a moment.
He was listening to Charlotte with a thoughtful expression.
“So… … please admit it, Father.”
“Charlotte.”
Henri said in a hard voice.
“Everything you’re saying right now… …is based on the premise that you and Eriol are actually dating.”
“that…….”
“If you are really dating Eriol and thinking about getting married, you should give up on your marriage proposal with Professor Kaisel. However… … .”
Henri’s eyes became even more fearsome.
“If it’s a lie, it’s not worth a thing.”
“Seo, I told you that if you asked the Holy Spirit Convent, they would testify.”
“It’s impossible to confirm right now.”
“still…….”
“Prove it, Charlotte.”
Henri crossed his arms and glared at Charlotte.
“Prove to me right here and now that you and Eriol are dating.”
“yes?”
“The method is… … hmm, let’s do it the classic way.”
Henri spoke in a tone that left no room for argument.
“Try kissing Eriol here. If you’re dating, you can probably do that.”
“… … !”
We both held our breaths as we heard the unexpected news.
“Oh, Father! How could you… … .”
“What’s the problem? You’re dating.”
“Oh, where is the daughter who kisses her lover in front of her father!”
“You’re thinking about getting married, right? At the wedding, you’re going to kiss in front of everyone anyway.”
“This isn’t a wedding day, is it?!”
“You talk a lot.”
Henry said in a scary voice.
“No further objections will be tolerated. Prove it with your attitude.”
“… … !”
Charlotte looked at me with a desperate expression.
But I too was at a loss as to how to overcome this situation.
“Why can’t you do it? Could it be that you lied?”
“Oh, no?!”
Charlotte blushed and suddenly lifted her toes.
And then he ran towards me with his eyes tightly shut.
‘Charlotte, what are you doing… …!’
I was embarrassed.
But it was not something I could do, like pushing Charlotte away.
Because I could sense that Charlotte was showing tremendous courage.
‘Well, but this is… … .’
Oh, I don’t know.
I also closed my eyes tightly in confusion.
And Charlotte’s breath is getting closer and closer… … .
“… … !”
point.
It felt soft and moist.
Not the lips, but the left cheek.
“Key, I kissed you! Is that okay?!”
Charlotte raised her voice and blushed bright red as she kissed his cheek instead of his lips.
“Charlotte, that’s not what I said… … .”
“This is also a kiss, right?! I proved it just as Father asked! Surely you won’t go back on your words?!”
“No, this isn’t enough to prove it… … .”
“Oh, really… … !”
Charlotte interrupted her father’s words, shouting in a tone unbecoming of a noble lady.
“We’ve never kissed before, so how can we do it in front of our father?! Of course, I want to kiss for the first time in a nice place, when our feelings for each other are high! Kissing for the first time in front of my father? I absolutely hate that! It’s a stain on my life!”
“Sha, Charlotte. What are you saying… … .”
“I don’t know! My father is an idiot… … !”
“Hey, idiot?!”
Charlotte ran out of the study, leaving her bewildered father behind.
With a bright red face, as if she couldn’t stay here for another second.
“… … .”
“… … .”
Henri and I could only remain silent, our mouths open, in the chilly study.
Henri must have been shocked, but I couldn’t get over the afterglow of the kiss either.
Even though their lips didn’t touch, it was enough to make my heart flutter.
“Is Charlotte usually like that at school… …?”
“well…….”
“He wasn’t that kind of kid… … .”
Henry muttered in a dejected voice.
“I’ve had many arguments with Charlotte in the past, but this is the first time I’ve seen her express her emotions so intensely.”
“… … .”
“Honestly, I’m very embarrassed. Was there such an aspect… …?”
“Your Highness.”
I said carefully.
“You said you’ve had a lot of arguments… … How often have you accepted Charlotte’s claims after an argument?”
“that…….”
“Charlotte must have been frustrated too. It seems like she listens to what I say, but the most important part is ultimately decided by her parents’ wishes.”
“… … .”
“As I said before, Charlotte is a talented child. I believe she is capable of carving out her own destiny.”
As I said that, I bowed my head.
“How about giving Charlotte a choice? Charlotte would live up to the expectations of the House of Strasbourg.”
“… … .”
Henri bit his lip, lost in thought.
* * *
The wizards from the Academy Security Department looked up at the airship floating in the dark night sky and conversed.
“I don’t know if things are going well.”
“That’s right. The airship isn’t moving forward any further.”
“It’s getting dark now, so I doubt the Duke of Strasbourg will be trying to land at the Academy right now.”
From the Security Service’s standpoint, they wanted to avoid any possibility of an unmanned aircraft landing at the Academy.
This is because if a problem arises after entering the academy, it is highly likely that the security department will be responsible.
“I would rather have the airship land here on the Longid Peninsula… … and have the Duke of Strasbourg board the ship and enter the Academy.”
“That would be much more convenient. If a large aircraft like that were to land on the Academy… … it would be such a headache.”
“If by any chance an assassin from the Trigger family sneaks in, it will all be our fault.”
When the Magic Tower was attacked, the Trigger family’s assassins descended on the Academy.
Most of them were subdued, but some assassins quickly fled when they realized the tide was turning.
Whether they were still hiding in the academy, or had escaped from the island… … even the security department was not fully aware of it.
“They’re not just random people, they’re veterans of the assassination masters Trigger… … .”
“If they hide openly, it will be hard to find them.”
“We must persuade the Duke and Duchess of Strasbourg to leave quickly. If something happens while they are staying at the Academy, it will be difficult to handle.”
“Since Eriol Valencia also went up, I think things will work out somehow… … .”
“Haha. Most of the time, whatever that student gets involved in turns out well.”
“From our security department’s perspective, he is a truly valuable student.”
While the wizards were chatting like that and laughing.
Suddenly a cool breeze blew.
“I got some good information.”
“… … ?!”
Whirlyrick!
Something reached out from the darkness and strangled the wizards.
It happened so quickly that no one could even scream.
“… … !”
A quiet voice was heard in the ears of the struggling wizards.
It was an extremely sinister voice.
“The Duke and Duchess of Strasbourg, and Eriol Valencia… … They are first-class prey.”
As they felt themselves fading away from the suffocation, the wizards began to notice the identity of their attackers.
But there was nothing that could be done.
“This is a chance to redeem ourselves from our failed mission. We return to the Mirage stronghold with their heads held high.”
The villains disappeared into the darkness, leaving the falling wizards behind.
