I Thought I Was Married, But I Was Left Alone, So I'll Live as I Please. So Please Don't Mind Me Anymore, My Lord of the Border - Chapter 16

After confirming the disappearance of the Enbi mushrooms, we quickly left the deep area.

Returning to the usual peaceful zone with its bright greenery, the atmosphere changed completely.

Unlike our journey inward, our march proceeded smoothly since there was no need for investigation.

The area we’d called a picnic spot on our way in no longer required any tension.

“Finally, my own bed at home!”

“Meat! I’m going to eat meat!”

Though we couldn’t completely let our guard down, the knights were all voicing their joy at returning home.

Amidst this, I was the only one forced to remain tense.

“Um…”

Lord Oliver’s hand was resting on my waist, forcing me to stay close to him.

“It’s dangerous, Ash. There’s a stone at your feet. Oh, I’ll carry this fallen log, so put your arm around me.”

“Um, Lord Frontier Count…”

“Oliver.”

“I’m perfectly fine, so…”

“Come on, come closer?”

“Lord Frontier Count…”

“I’ll carry you, okay?”

His soft tone’s pressure is terrifying!

This is already beyond abuse of authority!

This distance is clearly abnormal no matter how you look at it.

The stares from others are painful. They’re definitely misunderstanding.

More than misunderstanding, they’ve already figured it out. They definitely think something happened.

But Lord Oliver said that was treatment, didn’t he?

“Um, Lord Frontier Count!”

“Oliver”

I could feel his firm determination not to respond to anything else.

“…Lord Oliver”

“What is it, Ash?”

He smiled happily and pulled my waist closer.

“What’s with this distance?!”

Instead of answering, he gave me a gentle smile.

…I never knew a composed smile could be this terrifying.

That day I rested in Lord Oliver’s tent.

My fever returned at night, and we ended up doing it a second time.

This time it subsided quickly enough for us to depart, but…

Since we embraced until the end while I was fully conscious, something seems to have snapped in Lord Oliver.

Even when I looked around for help, the knights averted their eyes, and Lady Nia just held her forehead as if enduring a headache.

Quinn and Slay, being commoners, couldn’t say anything to Lord Oliver and hid behind the knight who became Quinn’s boyfriend.

You two, you actually became that couple…!

Swallowing the urge to roll on the ground, I gritted my teeth.

In my extreme state, a carefree voice reached my ears.

“You know, it’s like… I felt some déjà vu, but it’s like a husband protecting his wife during her first pregnancy.”

“Indeed.”

Quinn, when you open your mouth, you never say anything proper!

Slay, don’t agree with him.

The surrounding knights were also making understanding faces with wry smiles, like “Ah~ I see.”

Yeah, please stop. I want to crawl into a hole.

“Ash is a very important person to me.”

His sweet voice whispered right by my ear.

Saying such things in public…!

My spine tingled with goosebumps, and my heart beat in a strange rhythm.

What on earth happened to this person!?

He used to be such a proper person who didn’t mix personal feelings with work…!

Perhaps taking pity on my extreme agitation, Lady Nia gently approached and whispered in my ear.

“He’s over the moon after being able to embrace his beloved.”

Her face seemed to say “Oh dear.”

Under Lady Nia’s lukewarm gaze, my spine turned cold.

…Does this mean she knows ‘everything’!?

She knows about that!?

Uwaaaaaah.

When I glanced at Lord Oliver, he returned a melting smile.

“…Eek.”

My back tingled.

I don’t dislike it, but it’s scary.

No, it’s scary but I don’t dislike it?

Which is it, me?

Anyway, I’m completely unsettled.

“Ash, you’re so cute today too.”

His low, sweet voice with devastating power.

My ears turned bright red as shame reached its limit, making me scream reflexively.

“Quinn, Slay! Give me the confusion antidote! Or the confusion cure! Bring anything that cures status ailments!”

“Ahahaha, Ash seems to need it.”

“We have sedatives~?”

Quinn and Slay laughed carefreely without even reaching for their compression bags.

“Ash, do you need medicine? If you’re feeling unwell, I’ll carry you.”

I desperately tried to pull away from Lord Oliver, who was drawing even closer with concern.

“I’m fine!”

Really, how did it come to this!?

I don’t understand why everyone is just laughing with such a peaceful atmosphere.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I can’t be your fiancée!”

Having reached my limit, I ended up raising my voice.

Lord Oliver smiled as if nothing was wrong.

“I thought about it carefully. As long as I can make you my wife, I don’t need to be fixated on formalities.”

Then Lord Oliver began passionately explaining to me.

While I’m extremely reluctant and hate the idea of canceling our engagement, if you say you dislike the engagement made as the son of Baron Kreuz…

Putting aside whether we actually do it or not, I’m willing to consider canceling it if that’s what you want.

I really don’t want to.

If I can resist, I’ll fight to the end.

I absolutely don’t want to cancel it.

But if that’s what you wish for, I’ll try my best.

And even if we do cancel it, I won’t give up on making you my wife—he stared at me with strangely intense eyes.

I couldn’t keep up with his reasoning.

And just how much do you hate canceling the engagement?

“…Huh?”

“I want you no matter what. Ash, please become my wife.”

His low, sweet whisper by my ear made my face turn burning red.

“You skipped right over canceling the engagement!?”

Where did those words about being willing to cancel go?

Where in our conversation was there such a direct route?

My voice cracked from shame and surprise.

The surrounding atmosphere was strangely warm.

Quinn and Slay were looking at me with “I knew it” expressions.

Really, stop it.

Calm down, me, stay cool.

That was an accident! Even though we did it, it was for treatment!

We didn’t unite because we’re mutually in love.

Even if it was an accident, was he that happy about us connecting physically…?

He has some cute aspects… Wait, no, that’s not it!

What am I doing getting influenced like this?

Take deep breaths, stay calm.

I’m the only one who can stop this disaster.

“Lord Frontier Count”

“Oliver”

“…Lord Oliver, we’re on duty. It’s disrupting discipline, so please stop fooling around here.”

I gently brushed away the hand on my waist and created some distance.

“I see. You’re right indeed.”

Has he returned to his senses!?

“Ash is always so wonderful, working so earnestly.”

He hasn’t!

And his smile is so sweet!

Give me a break.

That’s not my intention.

“But since Ash doesn’t seem willing here, I’ll finish our work and court you again after we return.”

“Why!?”

My mental scream was pointlessly swallowed by the blue sky.

Only Lord Oliver’s sweet smile refused to disappear completely.

Really, how did things end up like this…?