A Good Resolve, Abel
Abel listened to Elfride's words with initial astonishment. His expression, which had shifted from surprise to astonishment, did not take long once he understood the story.
"...Elfride?"
"I don't know if it's love or affection. That's unclear. I never experienced feelings like this before. But there is one thing I'm certain of."
The light from the lamp made Elfride's face appear especially flushed as she revealed her heart honestly.
"You are special to me. Being with you calms and makes me happy. I want to stay close to you, and I hope you won't hate me. I don't know how to define this feeling, but I clearly see you as special."
Abel felt slightly uneasy after hearing Elfride's honest words. After all, the daughter of the Bathory Ducal House, the eldest daughter Elfride, was confessing as if she liked him.
Abel thought to himself. Did he feel affection toward Elfride as a romantic interest? Of course he did. After all, Elfride was an extremely attractive woman. But if asked whether he liked her, he still could not be certain.
It was different with Estelle or Celine. They stood on equal footing with him, but that was not the case here. Marrying Elfride thoughtlessly as a commoner would have been improper.
Abel let out a small sigh and said.
"...Elfride, I... I'm sure being with you is enjoyable. But I see us as just friends...."
"I know. You already have two beautiful partners."
"...Yes."
"You haven't said you want me to see you as special yet."
Elfride's blue eyes stared straight into Abel's. Unlike the pitch-black night sky, the sky there was still clear.
Elfride placed her hand on her chest and said.
"Since I need to learn swordsmanship anyway, I'll be staying at the mansion for a while. So I can change your mind during that time."
"...Yes?"
"Can't you allow that? Like Elena said, two becomes three, and three becomes four, right?"
Abel blinked in surprise, and Elfride smiled at him.
"A good resolve is needed, Abel. Because I am the kind of person who doesn't give up on what I truly want."
Was Abel mistaken? Elfride's expression that day was particularly cheerful. Smiling brightly, Elfride waved at Abel.
"I'll be heading back soon."
#
"Where did you go last night?"
"...Yes?"
Abel was taken aback by Celine's simple question. Celine, who found his reaction strange, narrowed her eyes.
"I asked because I didn't see the hero when I briefly woke up in the middle... Why are you so surprised?"
"...Ah, I was talking with Elfride for a bit."
"What kind of talk?"
"...She had worries, so I went."
Celine recalled the story from last night's banquet. Elfride looking troubled, saying she couldn't understand her own feelings. Seeing Abel's reaction, Celine thought there was no way.
"...Did the hero say she likes you?"
"...Cough!"
"Really?"
Abel said with quite a shock after Celine's words.
"No, how did you know!?"
"It's obvious."
"...Sometimes Celine is scary."
"Huhu, even a scary hero is cute."
Celine asked Abel.
"So you accepted it?"
"No... I did reject her, though."
"Unexpected. I thought the hero would accept because he likes it."
"...What do you think I am?"
"Casanova?"
Abel was stunned by her reaction, but Celine giggled and said.
"I did try to seduce you, but you accepted it."
"...I have nothing to say about that. It was because it was Celine. If it had been someone else, I definitely would have...."
"...Huh?"
Celine looked at Abel with slightly surprised eyes, and he asked why.
"Why? Don't you know you're attractive?"
"No... then Elfride is attractive too."
"But... there's also the difference in status, and I'm not a fool who ignores reality. And I have never thought of Elfride that way."
"...I see... Wait, so you've thought about it with Estelle, the saint?"
"......"
Abel did not answer and turned his head slightly. Celine laughed "kyaa" like someone who saw something cute upon seeing Abel's reaction.
"The hero is really cute."
"...Don't tease me."
Abel asked Celine indirectly.
"What if I accept Elfride? How would you feel?"
"I'd be upset. That's obvious."
"Hmm."
"But if the hero likes it, I won't refuse. After all, I'm also intruding on Estelle. I don't misunderstand Elfride's feelings."
"...Unexpected."
"Anyway, it's because I advocated for polygamy. If I deny it, I won't have any reason to be next to you?"
"Why do I need a reason like that when Celine is right here?"
"...It was like that at first."
Celine's face slightly reddened. Abel's habit of casually dropping words that unconsciously shake a woman's heart was the problem. That was why women fell for it without realizing.
Celine cleared her throat and changed the subject.
"By the way, aren't you going to swordsmanship class today?"
"I decided to take a day off. Everyone drank last night. So I'm going out for a bit."
"Where?"
"I have to go see Estelle and Alicia."
"Ah."
Celine nodded.
"Then I'll switch roles while we're at it."
"...Is that okay?"
"Yes, you've monopolized me for three days? I'm satisfied... Ah, right."
As she said she was satisfied, Celine spoke as if she had forgotten something important.
"I was about to forget something important."
"What?"
"The promise I made with you yesterday... Don't you remember?"
The promise Abel had made with Celine. It was about the relationship planned for after the banquet at night.
"...Shall we do it now?"
"Since you're not going anywhere, right? You can go to Estelle's later... anyway."
Celine lightly folded her arms. With her arms folded to emphasize her attractive chest, she looked at Abel.
"...Please keep the promise?"
"...I have no choice."
Abel, unable to resist her seduction, approached Celine. And just as he slowly lowered his head to cover her lips.
Knock knock!
"......"
"......"
The two tried hard to ignore the sound. But....
Knock knock!!
"...The saint feels this way?"
"...Hehe."
Looking at the knocking, it seemed like an urgent matter. Abel distanced himself from Celine again, and Celine sighed with regret.
"Yes, who is it?"
"Sir Abel, I came to deliver a message."
Abel opened the door. Standing before him was a page.
"Good night."
"...Yes, thank you. What message?"
"The master wishes to see you."
"Right now?"
"Yes, if there is something urgent, I will deliver it."
Abel considered for a moment. He could not help but feel suspicious about why the duke suddenly wanted to see him.
"...I understand. Let's go."
"Abel."
"Celine, I'll come back soon. If I'm late, go to Estelle first."
"...Yes."
#
Is this the duke's study?
...It's ridiculously spacious. What kind of room is this?
"The room is unnecessarily spacious."
"...No, it's spacious and good."
The head of the Bathory family, the current Bathory Duke, Elred Bathory, personally handed Abel a teacup and said.
"I prepared tea with a good aroma. I hope you like it."
"Thank you."
The duke, who would never personally brew tea, handing Abel the cup himself showed clearly that there was something he wanted from him.
What does he want from someone like me, a commoner?
"I have heard of your achievements as the hero. Now that it's been a little over five months since you became a hero, your many feats have made me feel even respect as a person."
"I am grateful that you think so."
"You are modest. Actually, the reason I wanted to see you today is that I have something to say... but I wanted to talk with you, Abel."
You want to talk with me? But I have no intention of that.
"...Your Highness, I'm sorry, but I have a meeting with my companions outside. Please get to the main point."
I hate wasting time.
"Ah, I see. You're talking about the sun saint. If you're busy, it's a pity, but there's no choice. Then I'll get to the main point."
"Yes."
"I heard that you have a lover, hero. The sun saint, who wishes to meet the wind saint staying in our mansion, is your lover."
"...Yes."
Did you hear the rumor spread? Or did you investigate separately? I don't know which.
"Then let me ask you. Do you not want more women?"
"...Yes?"
"If you're okay with just you... I'll give you one of my daughters. Since both the Vesta Kingdom and the Mars Empire practice polygamy, there's no problem."
...What?
"You like Elfride or Elena? Choose as you wish."
"No, wait a moment. What are you talking about?"
"I said I would give you my daughter, hero."
"So why suddenly say you're giving me a daughter? Isn't that too sudden?"
Without any warning or hint, suddenly giving a daughter? Abel was dumbfounded and had no words.
But the duke, as if he couldn't understand, stroked his chin and asked.
"You seemed to get along quite well with my daughters."
"...That has nothing to do with this."
"There is a connection. Do you know what rumors arose from the actions you took toward Elfride at yesterday's banquet?"
Actions?... Ah.
"Hero and Elfride like each other, or already dating, are suspicions that have arisen. Honestly, it's a troublesome rumor for a virgin who hasn't even announced an engagement."
"...I'm really sorry about that."
There was no room for excuses. It was all my fault.
"Of course, people like me who understand the situation would think you just made a mistake, but rumors don't disappear just because a few people know them, right?"
"...Yes."
"So I thought of making the rumor a fact."
"What?"
The duke took a sip of tea and said.
"Interestingly, Elfride seems interested in you too. My daughter making that expression is the first time for me, her father. It proves that you make her feel comfortable."
"But Your Highness, Elfride is a lady of the court, and I am a commoner hero although I am a hero too. Do you accept that?"
"As her father, isn't it natural to want my daughter to be beside someone who is happy and enjoying themselves?"
"......"
Abel was amazed. Wow....
...This is exactly how a duke can be handled. His eloquence was great.
If you listen to this casually, you might think he's truly a father who cares for his daughters. Just from what he's saying now, it looks like a father who truly cares.
But thinking about what he was going to say to Elena, Abel realized he was not that kind of person at all.
"...Your Highness."
"Yes, hero."
"Let's be a little honest."
"...What do you mean?"
I picked up the teacup. The tea aroma was good. Just smelling it made the whole body feel drowsy.
Tea that relaxes the body suited private gatherings and places for conversation.
But he brought tea for serious conversation. What did that action mean?
So I didn't drink the tea and put it down.
"What do you want from me? What benefit do you seek by giving Elfride or Elena to me?"
If he doesn't speak honestly, neither will I. The duke couldn't miss the subtext in my words.
"...Hehe."
The duke took another sip of tea. From earlier, I felt the duke's tea was different from mine. The color was similar, but the aroma was different. The aroma I felt when I picked up the cup earlier was different from now. It wasn't mixed with the same aroma, but because different tea aromas were mixed, the difference was in the aroma.
He gave me tea that makes the body drowsy, and himself tea that doesn't. Even in this, he was a ruthless man.
The duke put down the cup and said. However, there was no reply to what I wanted.
"I just want my daughter's happiness as her father."
Without changing his expression at all, he poured out lies smoothly.
...Ruthless.
"...Is that so? Then let's forget this conversation."
"...Really? Although I don't want to say it myself, my daughters are certainly attractive women. You, as a man, won't be able to resist."
This guy....
"...Yes, the ladies of the court are certainly attractive. That's certain."
"Then there's no reason to reject my proposal, right?"
"But I have no reason to accept it either. Am I supposed to accept all attractive people?"
"Didn't you say you like those children? Are you going to reject my daughters' hearts?"
...Do you know that Elfride confessed to me? It was last night. Were you watching your daughters?
"...You're ruthless, Your Highness."
"What do you mean?"
"Haa... No. Anyway, I clearly rejected it."
I stood up from my seat. But the duke laughed "huh" and said to me.
"You are bold. The hero seems innocent but not innocent. It's mysterious."
"...I find people like Your Highness more mysterious."
I finished with those words and left the study. And in front of the study, I met someone I did not want to face right now.
"Ah, Abel, what did you talk about with your father?"
"...Elfride."
Elfride, who now seemed ready to be honest about her heart, was speaking to me without hiding her blushing face.