Chapter 202
Chapter 202
I wouldn’t be any different. Just like how Walter stopped time for Sheliak, she too would turn back time for him if only she had a way.
I continued to hug her so she could calm down. Kaichen, who had come with me, watched me wordlessly from afar.
If I lost Kaichen, I think I’d have those feelings too, but would I have the same thoughts as her? I looked at Kaichen, who was leaning against the wall with a blunt expression. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking about at all.
I turned my head back to Sheliak, who had calmed down a little.
“He said that he wanted to speak to you. He wanted to say his farewell… to you that he had left all alone,” I said. Sheliak remained silent, sniffing a little. “Would you like to see?”
I took Sheliak’s hand and brought her over to the sofa slowly. Sheliak didn’t want to leave the funeral home where Walter’s body was laid, but after telling her Walter left a message, she left the funeral home for the first time and came out to the drawing room.
‘She’ll get to hear Walter’s last words.’
The small drawing room wasn’t spacious, but it wasn’t too different from where I had spoken with Walter. It had a similar interior.
I took out the video stone with Kaichen’s help. I was worried that there might be something wrong, but the communication stone Julius gave me was very expensive and high-quality, so the video didn’t cut or shake at all. I felt relieved.
It was the only thing I could do for this unfortunate couple.
“I made it so you can see it even if you don’t have magical powers. If you press the button, the video will appear,” I explained.
After placing the video stone in Sheliak’s hand, I slowly hugged her once more by the shoulder and turned around.
“… Count Dalia …”
“Yes?”
“…He … did he leave peacefully?”
She asked in resignation. I nodded bitterly at her pale, unfocused face.
“Till the end, he wanted to see you, but… yes, he closed his eyes peacefully.”
It was something I didn’t have to say, but I wanted to say it. I wanted to tell her how much Walter loved her and how much he missed her until the moment he died. Seeing Shelliak’s shoulder trembling slightly, I left the drawing room. As soon as the door to the drawing room was closed, the heavy pressure on my chest seemed to go away a little.
Kaichen let out a huge breath beside me. He spoke quietly, “Let’s go out.”
“Yes…”
He held my hand. Sheliak’s loud sobs erupted from the drawing room behind the door, but there was nothing more I could do for her except to hope that she would endure this pain well.
* * *
After finishing work in Hoiore, I returned to Heulin, but I couldn’t rest.
“Another invitation from the Duke of Manuwell, which you rejected earlier, has arrived.”
“…Um.”
“It’s not polite to refuse twice, so I think you should attend it this time.”
At Barristan’s words, I glanced at the invitation bearing the seal of the Duke of Manuwell. This time, it wasn’t an invitation to Duran’s tea party, but an invitation to the formal garden party from the Duke of Manuwell. It was to be held in two months’ time at the Lavender Garden, the Duke’s pride.
There was surely no reason to reject this. Winter was over, and the Duke of Manuwell was one of Julius’ supporters, so it wasn’t bad to get along with him.
‘Yes, you can’t keep avoiding it.’
It was obvious that my social standing would diminish if I continued not to attend balls or parties just because I had social anxiety. If it does fail, then all that acting on the day of my socialite debut would be useless.
But still… “Err… Barristan, if I attend something like a party, do you think jealous girls will harass me?” I asked, just for caution.
“… Huh?”
“You know? I will have His Highness, the most handsome prince in the empire, and Master on both my sides.”
Barristan remained silent.
“You know how it is with the nobles and young ladies,” I urged, seeing as he was still lost for words.
“Count-”
I sighed. “Ha… It’s obvious. I will definitely be a target. And of socialite bullying nonetheless.”
Looking at the invitation with resignation, I slowly laid it face down on my desk and sighed again. Barristan coughed drily.
“Bullying is something only ignorant people do. Who would dare to do such a thing when everyone knows that the Count is protected by His Highness the Crown Prince and is the favourite disciple of the Great Wizard?”
Barristan finally answered. He wasn’t wrong, but I still felt weary. “They could do it in secret. Something you won’t be able to notice.”
“That… there won’t even be scary people there.”
“Rather than scary…”
It was annoying. I tried not to care at the last ball, but I had felt many eyes on me from Kaichen’s admirers. Lamia was glaring at me more fervently than anyone else. The Marquis’ Lamia was a young lady who wielded great influence in the social world, so I would definitely bump into her.
‘And Princess Exchetra… It was a relief that you didn’t appear in Pati, but… I don’t want to run into you.’
I still couldn’t handle the horrifying pressure from the day of the ball.
“His Highness expects the Count to be active in the social world,” Barristan said, stopping my train of thoughts.
“At first, I also thought…”
I squinted and looked back at my personality. In my previous life, I was very active and sociable. I was someone who could get along well with anyone. I also liked to drink and play outside, so I had friends from many different places and often heard that I was a social butterfly. Those were my social activities besides being an otaku.
Considering there was another transmigrator, it wouldn’t hurt to be active in the social world and find some information. Since that person seemed to be helping Exchetra, it must be a noble with significant power. Perhaps it could also help increase the number of nobles who supported Julius, who was slow.