Episode 107
It is said that the Brecha faithful do not lie. In fact, this was a rule observed by all the priests except me.
But Ruby was skeptical. I asked her.
“Can I ask you something?”
Ruby nodded instead of answering.
“Why didn’t you come to see me, but instead asked for my father? If you had known about me and Luis de Breyot, you would have wanted to see me even more.”
“I just heard about it. My fiancé kept such a big deal a secret from me.”
“Hmm, hmm! The Count of Hebron asked me to keep quiet about this. Anyway, I broke my promise and told you, so don’t be too upset.”
Gaius intervened.
I liked him, but I didn’t accept him as my sister’s husband.
‘There’s nothing good about being involved with Gaius, oh my!’
Gaius was causing all sorts of trouble. I used those troubles to improve my relationship with the royal family, but I felt bad thinking about Ruby suffering by Gaius’ side.
‘I don’t like it.’
It was the moment when the evaluation of Gaius changed 180 degrees.
I said, turning my upper body towards Ruby.
“You’re supposed to be engaged, so it must be frustrating to keep this a secret.”
“Hey, Viscount Hebron! I tried to keep my promise to you!”
Gaius realized too late that his position had become narrow. However, I knew very well what Ruby liked to say. I also knew her old appearance that had been worn away by time.
Ruby narrowed her eyes. It was the expression she had when she was playing around. Before I knew it, old emotions were welling up inside me, and I felt like I had returned to my childhood.
I tried to suppress my laughter and said to Ruby.
“Sometimes, there are things that are more precious than promises.”
“That’s what I mean. Even though it was an engagement and not a formal marriage, I was still incredibly upset.”
“That’s understandable. I think I would be angry too. But there is a way out.”
“How?”
“for a moment…….”
I leaned my upper body toward Ruby and approached her. It was a bit out of manners, but since it wasn’t physical contact, Gaius didn’t stop me.
For a moment, the scent of Ruby’s flesh tickled the tip of my nose. It was the scent of my blood relatives that I had smelled a long time ago, and that I thought I would never smell again.
I held back my tears as I gave her sincere advice.
He didn’t say anything particularly harmful to Gaius. He just taught Ruby a few secrets that would allow her to enter the royal family and live freely.
“Wow, indeed, Viscount Hebron is different. I think I understand why Gaius praised him so much. He is as wise as our dead brother.”
Ruby covered her mouth with her hand as if she was embarrassed, and I smiled and said.
“It’s okay. What we share here won’t leak out.”
“Is this a promise?”
“It’s a promise.”
“Can I leak it to my fiancé?”
“I don’t have a fiancé, but if I ever get married in the future, I will have no choice but to reveal it unintentionally.”
“You don’t have a fiancé?”
“Because I’m busy with construction… … .”
We talked nonstop, and Gaius blushed as he watched us. When we glanced at Gaius’ chest and asked each other about our ideal types, Gaius couldn’t stand it anymore and intervened.
“You two seem to get along well.”
Ruby said with a grin.
“Meet the second daughter of the Count of Nouvel. I will vouch for you.”
Ruby advised me with a serious expression, as if she was telling me some huge secret, and I nodded.
I knew her well, as the second daughter of the Count of Nouvel. The former Count of Nouvel was the director of the royal library of Zenon, and he was one of the few nobles who showed me warm hospitality.
‘We met when we were young. She probably doesn’t remember me though.’
When Louis de Breyot was seven, the Royal Librarian introduced me to his four-year-old granddaughter. At first glance, she was cute, but I was surprised at how much she knew for her age. I remember that she read more books than my brothers, even at such a young age.
“If it’s Yeong-ae’s guarantee, I’ll have to make time to meet her.”
“You look like you don’t want to meet someone?”
Rather than feeling embarrassed that Ruby had read his mind, he felt happy because the other person was Ruby.
“Have you also learned physiognomy?”
“Because Breo people are good at reading other people’s expressions.”
Gaius opened his mouth and looked back and forth between me and Ruby.
It seemed like it was the first time he had seen Ruby’s free spirit.
When we were kids, Ruby and I used to chat like this all the time. Of course, we were a bit more formal with each other now than we were back then.
As Braio’s children grew up, they lost their old ways. They considered their immature appearances to be a disgrace. Ruby must have grown up like that too. But I succeeded in drawing out her inner nature.
Ruby’s expression became slightly clouded, so I quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, I didn’t know you were engaged to His Majesty Gaius. We have built up quite a friendship over the years, but Gaius hasn’t said a word about the young lady.”
“Oh my, is that so? Whenever I see you, you whisper sweet nothings to me, like you’ll give me stars from the sky and the moon.”
“Since ancient times, men have a tendency to become desperate when faced with a fish that they might miss.”
“I will keep that in mind, Viscount Hebron.”
Ruby’s eyes met mine.
We couldn’t hold it back and laughed out loud. Ruby covered her mouth with her hand to hold back her laughter, but once it started, it kept leaking out. It was as if all the emotions she had been suppressing had exploded all at once.
Gaius and his father just stared at us in confusion.
Gaius, who had been waiting for me to stop laughing, asked me with a dubious expression.
“Did the two of you know each other? No, that’s impossible.”
I asked Gaius back.
“When do you have dinner?”
“It’s up to you.”
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It was because of the king’s health concerns. There had to be no misfortune in the royal wedding. If the king had died before the wedding, Gaius and Ruby’s marriage could have been seen as the cause.
I kept my mouth shut, because the King’s health was a top secret.
Then Gaius lowered his voice and said,
“Ruby Young Lady knows. No, Duke Brayo knows too, so it can’t be a secret anymore. It was Duke Brayo who requested Ruby and I to marry.”
“When did you two get engaged?”
“It was a month ago.”
‘Was that so? Was it that you didn’t decide on a fiancee from the beginning, and only announced the news of the two families’ engagement to the outside world? It’s a lethal but pretty good tactic. At least it could prevent the rift between the royal family and the Breyo family.’
The Breyo family did not wield the powerful weapon of engagement lightly. Their choice of Gaius was proof of his rising reputation.
Ruby smiled and said as the atmosphere seemed a bit tense.
“It’s better than marrying a complete stranger. His Majesty Gaius has taken care of me since I was little. He’s also the only one who comforted me when my brother Louis died.”
I could imagine what the atmosphere would have been like at the Duke of Braiot after I died. A gag order would have been issued, and my vassals would have forgotten my existence. Since I was someone who never existed, there was no reason to honor my death.
In such a situation, the only person who could boldly mention Louis’ death was Gaius, the royal troublemaker.
‘Thank you.’
I wanted to thank Luis de Breyot, who not only honored me, but was a real man who cared for my heartbroken sister.
“Hmm! Stop talking nonsense. If anyone tries to stop this engagement, I will punish them by any means necessary!”
Gaius looked out the window and said, and I bowed my head deeply in apology.
“I’m sorry. I overstepped.”
“No. I didn’t know you and Lady Ruby could communicate so well. Let’s meet and talk often in the future.”
Ruby seemed to like Hebron’s plum tea, so she slipped a cup to the maid.
“By the way, how did you come together?”
“Youngae kept urging me to come and meet the Hebron designer. I didn’t originally plan on meeting you… … .”
Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed like my father had made a slip of the tongue. It must have been a great shock for him, as it was the first time he had heard about my relationship with Luis de Breyot.
‘Is it actually a good thing?’
My father silently held my hand as if he finally understood what I had done.
Her warm yet rough hands held my hand for a long time.
“Welcome. Stay for a few days and make yourself some clothes. In the meantime, I will show you around Hebron and give you some gifts.”
“A gift?”
“To put it more precisely, I should say that it is a gift prepared by Luis de Breyot and me. We will share his wisdom with you, Young-ae.”
* * *
Ruby, Gaius, and I went to the lord’s private training room. Originally, we had planned to stay alone with Ruby, but Gaius canceled his future schedule and decided to stay with us.
Instead, Gaius agreed not to interfere with our training at all.
I examined Ruby’s physical condition. Although we had spent our childhood together, I had only heard of Ruby’s growth through rumors.
‘It’s indeed Brayo.’
The Breyo family was not one to educate their bloodlines haphazardly. They were skilled at turning noble blood into the best. Ruby was a master spirit who could be put to good use anywhere.
I modified the Breyo family’s mana cultivation method and told Ruby about it. Ruby was shocked when she heard the story. It was because the cultivation method was incomprehensible to her common sense.
“Hey, is this possible?”
“You should check it out for yourself. If we’re only going to consider safety, it’ll be better than the Breyo family’s.”
The Breyo family taught Ruby radical mana cultivation methods without making her a wreck. That meant that if she overdid it, she could become a wreck.
“The training method I learned was created by a renowned magician and spirit master in the Kingdom of Zenon.”
“The training method I taught you was created based on the theories of a genius who easily surpassed their level. It was also something he created especially for his younger sister.”
“Your brother Louis… … .”
Before I met Ruby, I had never thought of correcting her training method. I was too busy taking care of myself.
Ruby’s eyes welled up with tears. She had probably been taught to keep her back straight and her expression high, but she was quick to reveal her true feelings to me.
When I saw my older brother’s tears, my heart also wavered.
Moreover, I was a Hebronite, raised to be honest with my emotions.
“Young-ae is not alone.”
“yes?”
I turned to Gaius, who was standing behind Ruby with his eyes wide open, and said.
“Your Majesty Gaius is here. And here is Louis de Hebron, who has followed in the footsteps of Louis de Breiot. I will protect you with my life.”
“Oh, why are you doing me this favor?”
“It’s because of ancient sorcery.”
Ruby furrowed her brows as if she didn’t understand, and I continued speaking calmly.
“It wasn’t just Luis de Breyo’s knowledge that I received, I also received his emotions.”
It was a story like a novel.
