The Story of a Modest Young Lady Who Formed a New Engagement the Day After Her Engagement Was Annulled - Chapter 25

Entering the high-class inn, I completed the check-in and went to the assigned room with Lord Fels. I was guided to a luxurious reception chair and silently indicated that I could sit down.

It seems Lord Caius, who had been captured, was to be taken into custody by the lord governing this territory, and he would face severe punishment. Lord Fels had requested the inn staff to prepare tea. He crouched down at my feet, looking at me with a worried expression.

“Eleanora, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. More importantly, Lord Fels, your hair…”

It had become unbearable to look at. His beautiful silver-thread hair had been so smooth, and I loved watching it sway in the wind.

“As I mentioned earlier, I can just grow it out again. It’s been a long time since my hair was short, so I’ll enjoy having it short for now.”

Lord Fels looked up at me with a gentle smile. He explained that he’d been growing his hair without any particular reason – simply because when he went to the battlefield, he couldn’t find opportunities to cut it for long periods, so it just grew out.

He said he didn’t have any attachment to it since he didn’t maintain it as frequently as women do. However, the current state of Lord Fels’ hair was quite something – half long and half short, creating a disastrous appearance. Even if we called for a professional hairdresser who specializes in noble hair, it was uncertain whether such a person existed in this territory.

“Well then, I’ll borrow some scissors. Eleanora, would you trim my hair for me?”

Lord Fels suddenly made this request and stood up. Indeed, it would be problematic to leave it as it was. The extreme unevenness meant the weight would feel different on each side.

But why would he ask me to do it? I tilted my head, thinking this was the work of maids or attendants. Seeing my expression, Lord Fels chuckled softly and said he simply wanted me to be the one to cut it. He mentioned that tomorrow he would call a proper professional to fix it properly. With that understanding, I nodded to his request and took the borrowed scissors.

“I’m nervous… Please don’t move at all, Lord Fels. It could lead to injury.”

I’m not a professional, and I’m not confident I can do it well. I worried about what would happen if it turned out worse than before.

“I’m not a child. I won’t suddenly move.”

Lord Fels laughed quietly at my words. He took off his jacket and sat on the round chair in his shirt, turning his back to me. His broad shoulders, well-muscled neck, the thickness of his shoulder blades visible through his shirt, and his sturdy arms.

Seeing the nape of Lord Fels’ neck and his crown from this angle felt somehow fresh, given that he’s a head taller than me. “Excuse me,” I said as I placed the scissors against the longest section. The unique sensation of cutting hair transmitted through the scissors. The room’s silence was such that I could almost hear Lord Fels’ breathing. The silver-thread strands of Lord Fels’ hair fell softly, flutteringly, as if reviewing the events of this past year.

What had been the beginning, I wondered.

Was it the war? Or when Lord Caius presented me with the annulment of our engagement? Or when Lord Fels extended his hand to me? If any one of these had been missing, Lord Fels and I would never have become engaged, and the Lotus Margrave family and Narcissus Count family would never have formed ties.

Though I’m not good at social interactions and can’t say I have many friends, meeting Lord Fels must have been truly fortunate. I was able to meet many people and form connections. What will become of these relationships in the future remains unknown, but if I interact with them sincerely, they should become good connections.

“I’ve roughly trimmed it. Please have a professional cut it properly tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Eleanora. I’m glad your black hair wasn’t lost.”

Lord Fels stood up from the round chair and, looking down at me, took a strand of my hair to play with his fingers. Though Lord Fels’ shorter hair looked unfamiliar, it seemed to enhance his rugged handsomeness and made him look even more dashing. As I smiled while admiring his face, thinking he was too good for someone like me, Lord Fels smiled back at me.

And so the days passed, and the long carriage journey came to an end.

When we reached the margrave territory capital, the Lotus family members who came to greet us were surprised to see Lord Fels with his shorter hair.

They were also extremely indignant about Lord Caius’s outrageous actions. Though it was misplaced resentment, and I could understand the desire to escape through alcohol and women after suffering mental wounds in the war, I thought about how there were others who were enduring and holding on.

Stepping into the room prepared for me at the margrave residence, I narrowed my eyes, thinking that soon I would become a member of this household. The Lotus family members said “a girl has come to our house,” and both the Margrave and his wife were very pleased. The study regarding the margrave territory left no room for cutting corners, which made me wryly smile at how unforgiving it was, though of course I had no complaints since it was only natural.

More days passed.

Today, I formally married Lord Fels. A grand wedding ceremony was held in the margrave territory, and celebratory food was apparently served to the territory residents. Since the Margrave is in good health, it will likely be quite some time before Lord Fels assumes the role of head of the Lotus Margrave family. In the meantime, Lord Fels will use the title of Viscount Robe that he received from the kingdom.

We had our grand wedding ceremony at a church within the margrave territory and had just returned to the margrave residence a short while ago. Soon, the family-only celebration would begin. Though I had changed out of my wedding dress, I still felt somewhat unsettled wearing such an extravagant dress. Lord Fels was dressed as usual in his standing-collar black formal wear. The way he wore it so crisply was handsome, and while his long-haired appearance was good too, Lord Fels with short hair was also dashing. Noticing my gaze, Lord Fels turned toward me with a serious expression.

“Eleanora, there’s something I haven’t been able to tell you until now.”

“Yes?”

Wondering what it was, I met Lord Fels’ gaze and could tell he had taken a breath.

“—I love you. It may sound like an excuse, but I’m sorry it took me so long.”

He said he had wanted to tell me for a long time but felt too embarrassed to say it. Though I knew he wasn’t the type to whisper sweet words, hearing him express it in words made me so happy.

We were both nobles, and our engagement was somewhat circumstantial for both Lord Fels and me. Lord Fels needed an engagement that hadn’t been arranged for him, while I was looking for an engagement partner to cancel out my annulled engagement for my family’s sake. Though Lord Fels’ engagement declaration had resolved all problems in just one day.

“I think I was drawn to you from the first time I saw you.”

After that, Lord Fels’ lines were so overwhelming that I don’t remember much of what followed. Though I appreciated him directly expressing his feelings despite claiming to be poor with words, wasn’t he releasing too much at once? Still, thinking I needed to respond to his sincere words, I took the sleeve of his arm and closed the distance between us.

“Lord Fels…—”

“Hmm?”

I stood on my toes and brought my face close to his well-shaped ear as he tilted his head slightly.

—I love you.

Seeing Lord Fels’ face turn bright red at my words, I smiled softly. This was the first time I had properly expressed it to him too. Though our relationship had only been a year, short as it was, it would continue from now on. As I thought about how we could walk forward while properly confirming each other’s feelings, Lord Fels extended his arms and embraced me strongly.

Though extremely plain, this concludes the story. If asked whether there were romantic elements, it might be somewhat ambiguous? If you found it interesting, I would appreciate your impressions, evaluations, and bookmarks!