The Story of a Modest Young Lady Who Formed a New Engagement the Day After Her Engagement Was Annulled - Chapter 23

I heard through rumors that Lord Caius had been disinherited, and learned from a friend at a tea party that Lady Annabella had been sent to a convent.

According to my mother and brother, when Lord Caius annulled our engagement, Marquis Hydrangia decided to disinherit him and name his younger brother as the new heir instead.

Though my mother and brother had heard this directly from the Marquis’ household, they were asked to keep it from me. Given Lord Caius’s temperament, they feared he might harm me or try to force information out of me.

Lady Annabella’s wild behavior was notorious in certain circles, and even the Marquis of Raphrencia struggled to handle her. She was expected to remain unmarried in her family’s estate for life, but then Lord Caius expressed his desire to marry her.

After discussions between both families, they resolved to pressure Lord Caius and Lady Annabella into the engagement. Not long ago, I received letters from both the Hydrangia and Raphrencia households apologizing for involving me in their family troubles. My brother, as the head of the Narcissus County, has been busy with administrative duties, focusing on territorial development and new settlements. The men conscripted for war have been returning home, and smiles have been increasing. Yet behind this, there are war orphans and widows who lost their husbands. The scars of war remain, and the problems are far from solved. We can only address them step by step. That is why nobles exist and govern their territories.

——It has been quite some time since the engagement was annulled.

I was traveling by carriage along the road from the royal capital to the border count’s territory. Once I arrived, I would officially become a member of the border count’s household.

Outside the window, peaceful wheat fields stretched into the distance. I could see children helping with farm work and farmers diligently tending the crops.

A year ago, I was surprised when Lord Fels suddenly proposed, but though we were both awkward, we gradually grew closer and shared many experiences. As nobles, we couldn’t expect the kind of romance commoners might have, but I believe we’ve built a slow and steady relationship.

“What’s wrong, Eleanora?”

Suddenly addressed by Lord Fels, I turned from the window to look at him. He wore a gentle smile, his long silver hair tied back, his gray-silver eyes piercing through me.

On the battlefield, he had a burning, intense presence. Away from the frontlines, he was far from that impression—calm, kind, and awkward, with a deep understanding of himself. His straightforward way of expressing himself, despite his clumsiness, influenced me to stop bottling up my feelings and to communicate them properly.

“Lord Fels, I was just looking outside and thinking how peaceful it is.”

“It is peaceful indeed. I hope it stays this way though that depends on our neighboring countries.”

Lord Fels placed his hand over mine and squeezed it tightly. When we first got engaged, I was terribly embarrassed, but his large hand was warm and very comforting.

“Yes! I believe we’re staying at the next territory’s capital tonight. Do you think we’ll arrive before dark?”

The king advocates for peace, so the kingdom won’t invade other nations. The crown prince has pledged to follow the same policy, focusing on economic recovery rather than war for the foreseeable future.

The journey to the border count’s territory is long. We could have used teleportation magic, but Lord Fels suggested we enjoy the trip together, taking in the scenery from the royal capital to the borderlands.

We’re combining our travel with sightseeing and inspections of each territory. Since we’re taking our time, we planned for a month-long journey. We even discussed spending two or three days in larger territories, a truly leisurely trip. Once the sun sets, the risk of bandit attacks increases, so I hoped to arrive before nightfall.

“If all goes well, we’ll arrive before sunset. We have guards, so there’s little worry about bandits. Still, it’s best to be cautious. Are you anxious?”

Against bandits, I’m permitted to use magic without holding back, but controlling its intensity is difficult, so I’d rather avoid such encounters. With Lord Fels and the guards here, I doubt I’ll need to act, but one never knows.

“Not so much anxious as… I don’t want unnecessary casualties. It might sound naive, but…”

As those who serve as heads of noble households or their spouses, there are times when we must make ruthless decisions. Having taken lives myself, I know my words might be idealistic. Still, I want to avoid sacrifices whenever possible. If one can live, they should. If they bear guilt, let them atone. That’s why punishment exists.

“True, I’ve taken too many lives already. It’s not good to kill indiscriminately.”

Lord Fels laughed faintly, his expression shadowed.

“In that sense, I’m sorry. I wasn’t considerate enough.”

“I didn’t mean to make you look like that either. I got a bit too sentimental. But Eleanora, don’t blame yourself too much. We served in the military, for our country. That alone is beyond reproach.”

Lord Fels reached out, touched my cheek, and stroked it with his thumb before embracing me. Held in his arms, I felt both reassurance and a flicker of unease. How much must he, praised as the God of War, carry on his shoulders? Now that the war is over and his duty done, he’s celebrated as a hero.

I don’t know how long this will last, but is glory earned through killing truly praiseworthy? Yet, as he said, we served in the military and killed the enemy.

So, we shouldn’t be ashamed. If I start thinking about the enemy, it becomes endless. A bottomless sea of thoughts. They killed our comrades and colleagues too. Maintaining mental balance is difficult, like walking a tightrope. I can’t help but pray that Lord Fels’s heart doesn’t break.

“Yes. It might be presumptuous, but Lord Fels please don’t blame yourself too much either.”

“I know. As long as you’re by my side, that’s enough. Even if I fall into misfortune, if you’re happythat’s fine.”

But could that truly be called happiness? I shifted slightly, loosening his embrace to look up at his face.

“If I were the only one happy… if you were unhappy, I would share that unhappiness.”

Surely that would make me happier. Somehow, the meaning of my words felt tangled, my phrasing strange.

“…What’s that?”

Hearing me, he unusually broke his tone and grinned.

“If I’m with you, Lord Fels, I’m sure I’d be content even in unhappiness.”

“Isn’t that strange too, Eleanora?”

We laughed together in the carriage. After a while, we arrived at the territory’s capital where we would spend the night.