I'm Looking for the Male Lead for the Ending - Chapter 35
Chapter 18.2
Until now, the main focus had been on guarding the border, and his superior had been himself, so it hadn’t mattered much. Nonetheless, things would be different going forward. Moreover, while the Marquis might not be aware, it seemed that their young lord knew about Ban’s rudeness towards Young Lady Aidelis.
‘I guess that’s why he exuded such fierceness on stage.’
That was why he went to see Ardi to rectify the situation. He planned to apologize again for Ban’s rudeness and present her with the silver bellflower-shaped ornament he had won at the tournament. And if possible, he intended to ask if she could give the brooch back to him.
However, instead, she was the one who first extended the brooch.
Momentarily taken aback by Ardi’s unexpected gesture, Estieren recalled a forgotten memory from his childhood upon seeing her action. To be precise, it was a memory of a little girl who gave him the brooch.
〈 Still, you must accept the brooch. Otherwise, I’d become someone who isn’t able to repay the person who saved my life. 〉
〈 Still, it would be best if Your Highness accepted the brooch. Otherwise, I’d have no choice but to blame the adjutant who accused me of being a thief. 〉
Although he fumbled through the events of that day through old memories that suddenly surfaced, unfortunately, that was all he could recall. After clearing his mind of the lingering thoughts, Estieren addressed the class with a stern expression.
“I hope you won’t forget that if you make such a mistake with that mouth again, I’ll be the first to punish you.”
“Yes, I’ll be very careful from now on.”
“Always bear in mind that the capital is a place where the tongue is more dangerous than the sword.”
“Yes, I’ll do that… The capital? Are we staying in the capital?”
Estieren nodded in response to Ban’s confusion. After wandering only along the border for over seven years, his superior’s statement about staying in the capital now seemed unbelievable to Ban.
“W-What is the reason?”
“I think the capital will be more fun than the border.”
As his eyes met him, Estieren remembered Ardi turning her gaze away from him, with the tips of his ears turning red.
His lips curved into a satisfied smile.
̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊
The air inside the carriage on the way home was so heavy it was difficult to breathe. And as soon as we arrived at the mansion, my father erupted in anger as if he had been waiting.
“What on earth have you been doing?”
As the thunderous scolding fell upon him, Heron silently bowed his head. Father spat out his words towards the silent Heron as if chewing on them.
“I must have told you. If you think you can’t win in a fight, then smear Medusa’s poison on your sword.”
I raised my head in surprise at my father’s words. There was no way he didn’t know that the use of poison was strictly prohibited in the competition. Moreover, if it was Medusa’s poison, even a slight touch would result in a deadly stiffness of the entire body.
As I shifted my gaze to Heron, he finally parted his tightly pressed lips.
“As the commander of the Adeline Knights, I can’t use prohibited methods in the tournament.”
“Are you going to be so arrogant and stubborn even if you go to war? Will you be pleased with yourself for claiming to have upheld honor after you’re dead?”
“….”
“A knight who can’t win in battle doesn’t even have the conviction to uphold. Heron Aidelis.”
With his mocking eyes, the corners of my father’s mouth twitched at Heron’s words before his gaze returned to me.
“And I’m sure I told you, too, Ardi Aidelis. Don’t engage in behavior unworthy of Aidelis.”
“….”
“And yet you have something to talk about with someone who dared to trample on Aidelis’s honor!”
It was a misplaced outburst. Despite the fact that he knew full well that I couldn’t ignore him, who was already waiting at the front of the Marquis’s carriage and just getting into the carriage, my father was now taking out his anger on me.
I lowered my gaze and waited for his anger to subside, but it seemed that his anger was deeper than I thought.
“For three days, stay in your room and reflect on your actions today.”
I received a three-day penance of reflection for talking to the Grand Duke.
As my father turned away, stirring up a chilly breeze, a faint smile involuntarily crept onto my lips. He had raged at Heron, accusing him of trampling on Aidelis’s honor by losing to the Grand Duke, but ultimately, it was I who received the punishment for briefly conversing with the Grand Duke.
It was a fact that had always been true, but today, it felt heavier than ever.
I lifted my head towards the flickering system window in front of me. As I carefully read through the mission, a thought suddenly occurred to me. If I could find the lost memories by succeeding in a mission I had never received before, perhaps then I could understand why my father seemed to harbor such hatred towards me.
Gazing at the mission window that I hadn’t yet selected, I pressed the ‘YES’ button.
At that moment, a new window appeared before my eyes.
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