Chapter 96
“Eldmia? Are you okay?”
Unexpectedly, however, Ragnis observed my complexion and cautiously took my hand.
“No, are you really okay? Aren’t you angry?”
It’s not that Zeke was the cause of the loss of the estate and the loss of his family, but from her point of view, the long time he stayed in Ogwen was enough to think that Zeke was neglecting his mission as a hero, but Ragnis’ expression was so calm.
I wanted to see Esmuer’s reaction in case I was weird, but I couldn’t look away.
“Huh? No? Why me?”
Rather, Esmuier suddenly burst into laughter while both Ragnis and I were perplexed at seeing him questioning back in bewilderment, as if asking why he would do that.
“Hahaha! That’s right! I understand! You didn’t expect anything from Siegfried, Ragnis!”
to? what?
This situation and Esmuer’s sudden laughter were so embarrassing that, unlike me, who tried to understand the two of them by looking at each other’s faces, Ragnis, who heard Esmuer’s words, suddenly made a sad expression as if he had realized something. He turned his head and blushed.
Isn’t it a bit like not expecting anything from a hero? No, even if it is, I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of, but the reaction is a bit different?
“What are you worrying about, Eldmia?”
“No, you’re a hero? Does it make sense that you don’t expect anything from a hero?”
“Tsk tsk tsk. Even if you forcibly inscribed a notice that wasn’t there, it’s not like it’s going to be applied again. You made it that way.”
“What? Me? What?”
“The reason why Ragnis stopped expecting the hero. The reason why he didn’t care about the hero’s help and decided to recover the territory from the demons and restore the glory of his father with his own strength and the help of those around him. The reason was It’s the story of you.”
Even when he received Esmuer’s pathetic and funny gaze, saying, “How can you be so ignorant?” I couldn’t understand at all. Judging from Ragnis’ reaction, he could only recognize that Esmuer’s words were not false.
“Because, to me, Eldmia was a hero.”
After listening to what Ragnis barely managed to say with a blushing face, it felt like the situation was inferred.
Come to think of it, despite being only 16 years old, she has already reached five turning points in her life.
The first is that he proved his genius and became a disciple of Ragnelvandes, the second is that he lost everything due to the invasion of demons, the third is that he met me while wandering through the back alleys of Ogwen, and the fourth is almost kidnapped by the aristocrats. when you did
And right now, when I am almost receiving an offer from the first princess of the Empire that is like an alliance, this is the fifth and final turning point. I was with you at three turning points among them.
I would consider myself a savior if I helped out by the side whenever a big wave crashed through my life. Asili alone became a savior with just one intervention in my life.
Of course, that once was very long, but that’s the story anyway.
“Hero…Zeke, to be honest, I don’t like it. But the fact that Eldmia doesn’t mind listening to what Esmuer told me now… it’s because while talking with him, she caught a clue to something that made her understand him. Just thinking back to the stories and reactions we shared in the room before we came to the Empire, it’s a very contradictory situation.”
It was immediately apparent that on the first day when he heard the news of Ragnis going to the Empire, he was making negative hypotheses and talking about how he couldn’t hold back his anger.
“That’s why I’m not angry with what Esmuer told me. The fact that Eldmia, not anyone else, can understand him, I think he must have had a reason for not wanting to cooperate with the Empire for three years.”
Ragnis’ hand holding my hand and his smile were so warm that I couldn’t help but be thrilled.
It’s about Ragnis accepting my opinion as a basis for making big decisions in his life.
No matter how much she understands and sympathizes with others, in the end, what she went through is the most difficult, so no one will be able to say anything if she judges and decides according to her feelings, but she believed in me.
“Hmm. I don’t want to see a person who is still a competitor look at Yeo’s husband with such a sad gaze because the opening is narrow. I want it to come back to the main subject.”
“I don’t intend to follow that, but I’ll accept it as the topic is a topic. However, I want to correct the expression nanggun.”
“There is no reason to correct it.”
The atmosphere was good, everyone… Please don’t do that…
For a moment, it felt like lightning flashed between the two’s eyes, so I suddenly felt uneasy, but fortunately the confrontation didn’t last long.
“No matter what. For that reason, the Nye and the Empire are trying to maintain and establish a close relationship with you. And if you accept this, we will be able to bring a lot of benefits to each other.”
“…You talk as if I have a choice, but do I really have a choice?”
“Isn’t it obvious? There are always choices in people’s lives. There are people who think that there is no choice because the result is divided into gains and losses, but that is wrong.”
Esmuer, who had been continuing his meal with a light smile until just a moment ago, put down the tableware for a moment and continued speaking while watching Ragnis with an infinitely serious expression.
“Apart from material gains and losses, aren’t you worried because there are psychological gains and losses such as pride and self-respect?
In a way, it could have been regarded as an arrogant remark that could have been made because she was already superior to most people, but for some reason, I was convinced that even if the positions of her and Ragnis were reversed, she would have judged with the same thoughts.
Feeling overwhelmed by the atmosphere despite his small size and cute appearance, Esmuer shrugged his shoulders and returned with a faint smile, finishing his words.
“Well, this time’s story isn’t even that extreme of a proposal. Besides, the opening is already in a position where I can’t coldly dismiss you.”
“…why?”
“It’s disgusting to ask a question when you know it’s obvious. Eldmia will really like it if you get rid of you.”
It was the look he would have pointed at me with the fork or knife he was holding if he hadn’t had table manners.
“Even if that’s the case, she has no intention of ruining the cause by being swept away by personal feelings. Her judgment is the judgment of the empire. With that judgment, she is in a position where she can save thousands of people or kill tens of thousands. .”
“That’s right. Let’s accept it.”
“Huh. Surprisingly, you’re accepting it without hesitation.”
“Because I also have no intention of ruining the cause with personal feelings. And in fact, it’s a story that doesn’t do me any harm without looking so grandiose, right?”
“Even though I could be isolated from both the royal family and the senate?”
“As soon as Master came to the empire, I got a rough idea just by being busy walking around. It’s already been discussed with the royal family.”
Esmuer smiled as he looked at Ragnis, who resumed his meal with a cold reply.
“It’s a good thing to be with someone who’s clever. I think I want to keep him by his side and tell him more about it so that he can grow into a person who can be useful.”
“…let me say no.”
Ragnis finished his speech with a sullen expression, and continued to eat without speaking.
After that, an ordinary meal, nothing special, followed.
The atmosphere seems to have softened a bit, so I looked at it gently and asked if it had anything to do with my not directly participating in the academy event from tomorrow and talking about it today. .
“Even if I love you in leisure, it’s because I have to make a distinction from plans.”
There was nothing I couldn’t understand because it had been emphasized consistently, but I lacked intelligence to guess the specific reason.
“The reason I didn’t bring this up until now is because I didn’t know if Ragnis would join her plan. I thought it was more likely that you would follow Ragnis’ will. And I thought that if you actively help Ragnis in that situation, the resulting variable would be too big for Siegfried and Lei to handle.”
After hearing her answer, I couldn’t bear to express it outwardly, so the Eldmia in my heart stood up at the same time and started giving a standing ovation.
surely. Even if Ragnis rejected the offer today and rebelled from tomorrow, since I can’t participate in practice and play a game, what I can do will be limited or almost nonexistent. Most of the advantages I did would have been able to end stably in a drunken state.
But what I truly admired was not simply the readiness to keep that situation in mind, but ‘I couldn’t quite believe you guys yet’. It was about Esmuier’s actions, which he said clearly without hiding even the part called.
If it were me, ‘You said you didn’t trust us? We can’t believe you either.’ Fearing that the same voice would come out, she would rather have chosen to keep her mouth shut, but she came out with the attitude that she would accept such a reaction even if it came out and take separate actions to gain trust.
To think that you are trying to be rational and act responsibly like this. Even that cute appearance is overflowing with charisma and looks cool.
“Thanks for telling me, Esmuet.
If I really clapped, I would be stigmatized as no different from Zeke, so I only answered with sincerity.
“I’m glad you seem to understand.”
Fortunately, Esmuer perfectly understood my intentions.