Absolutely Do Not Touch Eldmia Egga

Chapter 730

The trip, which was just a typical propaganda trip to the capital to let the kingdom know that the warrior was safe and to take a short break, quickly turned into chaos… But somehow, thanks to the efforts of Asili and Esmué, things calmed down.

After all that commotion, I found out that

Esmue’s ability to understand Cheryl’s words was not due to some magical interpretation, but simply based on experience.

“How many younger siblings do you think you have? When we were young, we were all mischievous. We cried and made a fuss every single day, so we got used to it.”

“···And the second younger brother?”

“The guy has matured a bit. It’s only been like that for about a year.”

The fact that the next emperor did not experience bloody fratricide but rather supported his younger brothers was in many ways a novelty, but of course it was a fact, and since that was not important at the time, I decided to move on.

The problem was Cheryl, who had been crying so hard in the past but had finally settled down.

Cheryl’s eyes, swollen and puffy, are unfocused as she stares at the floor of the rattling carriage. She only lets out a small, incomprehensible laugh or sigh every now and then.

It’s not like I’m completely out of my mind. I was following the speaker’s gaze as he rambled on and on about our story just now, so I guess I’m just organizing my thoughts.

It was a sight that would make anyone who saw it say that someone had died… but since I was the one who caused that situation, I wasn’t so clueless as to say something like that, so I kept my mouth shut. Then Esmue quietly continued to speak.

“It may be shocking, but don’t think too badly of it. We’re not desperate to eat each other up, and we’re on good terms. I don’t intend to discriminate against you either…”

······Is that really comforting···?

Besides, why isn’t the dragon girl of Lovell okay, but Cheryl is okay? I didn’t want to make this a more troublesome situation, so it didn’t really matter, but I couldn’t help but wonder, so I had to try hard to keep my mouth from twitching.

But surprisingly, Esmue’s comfort and persuasion seemed to have a proper effect, unlike my feelings.

The child was still hunched over, but should I say that his eyes were starting to show some life? When Ashili also started to help him, by the time we stopped the carriage for lunch, his hunched back and shoulders had straightened out a bit.

It would be really nice if the problem could be solved like that···

“Eldi, you should say something too.”

Of course that can’t be the case.

Because the child’s face was a mess, the most important issue began to be discussed as they decided to stay in the carriage until the construction of the camp was finished and cleaned up.

“We just misunderstood the result. It’s true that Ogatorp likes you. Did you really plan to keep your mouth shut and not respond to his feelings?”

Actually, I wanted to do that.

I always feel this way, but it’s harder to deal with people who like me than with people who are trying to kill me.

This is because their way of thinking is largely tied to monogamy and Confucianism from their previous lives, and they are not used to receiving this kind of one-sided affection from anyone other than their parents.

But the biggest reason is that even though everyone around him said it was okay, he was still giving his heart to the point where he didn’t give up even though he heard that he already had three women. I didn’t realize that.

Now that I am called a warrior, I may seem to be inferior to Cheryl in terms of status and position, but our meeting began with a country bumpkin who was able to come to the capital city simply because he saved Ragnis from the backwaters of Ogwen, and a high-ranking noblewoman who, with the long history of the kingdom and recognition as a loyal family, was able to live a life of wealth and honor like high-ranking nobles without any territory.

If most of the actions Cheryl showed me were clumsy expressions of affection and interest, then it means that she had been harboring those feelings for quite some time. Thinking about it, looking back on the past, there were quite a few things that made sense here and there.

They are encouraging people to aim for a knighthood that they have no interest in, or they are secretly planning to aim for a baronetcy based on that.

At the time, I thought he was just concerned about my appearance… but I think he had a strong desire not to be the subject of annoying gossip if we became lovers.

“···ha·”

I really sighed and lost energy. Esmie and Ashlie quickly checked Cheryl’s complexion and slapped my knees at the same time, but I couldn’t help it.

“You know I don’t hate you.”

“···But it’s unclear whether I like it as a person of the opposite sex.·”

I nodded obediently to Cheryl’s answer, which followed naturally.

“I thought there would be more to feel the tension of battle than the excitement of the moment. So I want you to decide.”

As I said that, Ashili and Esmue looked at me with a look of emotion filled with ‘How could you say such irresponsible things?’, so I hastily added something so that my intentions would not be misunderstood.

“I never had polygamy in mind in the first place. I don’t know what happened, but the three of us talked and came to an agreement and that’s how it turned out. I think that relationship started out more out of a sense of responsibility than excitement, like it does now.”

Of course not now.

Life is hard, so I don’t have time to show affection leisurely, but when I see your face, I feel good, and when I hold your hand, my heart races. I was sad that only Ragnis couldn’t be with you because of Levien’s management.

If you don’t feel love for people who are pretty, have a good personality, have a good background, are smart, communicate well, are fun to be with, are considerate, and even genuinely like you, then isn’t there something wrong with that?

“That’s why I think my relationship with you could be like that too.”

Cheryl is not much different. Rather, compared to situations like political marriage or arranged marriage, it is true that the chances of them liking each other are much higher. However, even so, it is too selfish to ask her to unilaterally accommodate me.

If I were to turn it around and say the same thing to a girl I like while surrounded by three guys, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“So you are in this relationship···”

Just as I was about to tell her to decide whether to accept it or not, Cheryl sniffed and cut me off, as if she had already predicted what I was going to say, and answered right away.

“I can’t give up on you”

Then he rubbed his eyes and continued speaking in a quiet voice.

“I cried not because I hated this situation or was disappointed, but because I was angry at my own stupidity and complacency.”

I didn’t do my best. I acted like I was risking my life for swordsmanship, but I responded with the groundless complacency that the person I really liked would be okay. Cheryl, who evaluated her actions like that, straightened her posture and met my gaze.

“In my life that has lasted only a few years, you have been my teacher, my brother, and my love at the same time. Because of you, so much has changed beyond repair, and now I can’t go back, and I don’t want to. Even though I gave you so much meaning, I missed my chance, and this is like my last chance.”

So give me a chance.

Cheryl, who had been crying and listless until just now, was calm as she poured out her manly confession, but my face turned red as I listened to her.

“I guess it’s a bit much to call it a chance. A relationship where people like each other is always equal, right···”

“You’re saying you’ll accept it?”

“yes?”

“So are we lovers from now on?”

“Is that so···?”

Cheryl sniffed loudly for a moment, wondering why I was asking her such a thing, and without saying a word, she came over to me and took over the spot above my lap that Esmue had previously occupied, then hugged me.

“Then please stay like this for a moment.”

Perhaps it was because I could easily guess what the sound of the heartbeat, which could be felt even through the armor, meant. Somehow, as I felt my pulse drop, the heat rising to my face gradually subsided.

Yeah, no matter how confident you are, it can’t be easy to confess in a place like this. Cheryl was trying her best not to repeat the regret she had just now while crying.

“I’ll really work hard”

“No, there’s nothing I really need to work hard for···”

“But I hope you only have two children. Let one continue the Ogatorp family and one continue your family line. If you have more than that, you might end up fighting over property and status later.”

“That was too much···!”

Is it really like Cheryl to talk about child rearing, something that even the bulldozer-like Esmueh never mentioned even once?

Suddenly, a hollow laugh came out before my heart pounded, and I was able to move my hands, which had been unable to move, and carefully hug him.

“······Can you look away from that older sister and Esmie for a moment? It’s so embarrassing…”

“No, that won’t work.”

“No, no”

Is there a rule that says that affectionate acts must be done in front of others?

Regardless of how it ended, there was a moment when I felt the need to catch up with them someday and find out what they talked about and reached an agreement.

A Word from the Author (Author’s Note)

Thank you for your private sponsorship of 10 coins!

I’m glad you like my writing! I’ll keep working hard, so I hope you enjoy it!

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