Chapter 276

***

The early morning air had grown rather murky. The sound of early summer rain seemed to reach all the way to the pillow.

Because of the gloomy weather, he woke later than usual. Still, it was dawn.

As always, Logan rose the moment he opened his eyes. He quickly drew back the curtains and pulled the bell cord.

After ordering a servant to bring washing water, he touched his cheek.

It was wet.

Why on earth?

“After feasting my eyes in a dream, I end up wallowing in misery by myself.”

He still didn’t know the reason for these tears. Perhaps it was because he couldn’t remember the end of that hazy state.

‘Well, it was just a dream anyway.’

It would be better not to make a fuss over it. If he spent every day lost in dreams, monsters and the royal family would come for his head.

“Haa…”

The third Gatpolla Expedition was just around the corner. The battlefield of the navy with no personal ties. The island of monsters.

The royal family wanted their acclaimed hero to participate in this year’s battle. It was for propaganda anyway, so he would be assigned to the safest position.

Ordinarily, Logan would have been ashamed not to stand at the very front. But just this once, he was relieved by the royal family’s transparent intentions.

He still wanted to live.

Because now, he had a reason to live.

‘It’s torture, seeing her only in my dreams.’

Just thinking of her made him restless.

Even if dreams left a strange aftertaste, only the pleasant memories lingered, like sweet candy. But upon waking, the emptiness was clear, and reality would come rushing in.

‘Should I go to the central region soon?’

Since the Harper merchant guild was planning to expand into the central region, if he said he’d go on a survey, his grandfather would gladly approve.

The timing was perfect, too. Before deployment, a soldier could take leave for reasons other than illness. If he timed it well, he might be able to travel all over the central region…

“……”

Yes, they were all just excuses.

There was only one place he really wanted to go.

***

The party at the Lope Viscountcy’s manor was tedious.

Familiar people, familiar faces, familiar women.

It was just another ordinary party, not worth a second glance. If it hadn’t been to preserve his maternal grandmother’s reputation, he never would have attended.

Christian drank with a bored expression. The alcohol was mediocre at best. The Lope family might have put a lot of effort into importing it, but… well.

To Christian, who was used to the finest wines sent as gifts to the House of Duke Pierce, it tasted cheap.

He fended off those who approached and claimed a sofa in a corner of the hall for himself.

‘I should have stayed a little longer at Mrs. Butler’s house.’

Recently, he’d been seeing a widow who hadn’t taken her husband’s surname. It hadn’t been long, but for him, seeing only one woman was unusual in itself.

It wasn’t that she was particularly special. It was just that he now had less time to live as a libertine than before.

He needed to make money to pay off his debts. Only when he had to raise funds without the help of his family did he finally feel the true weight of gold.

‘Damn it, why is everything so completely bottomed out?’

There really weren’t as many ways out as he thought. Every business he’d invested in was a mess, and just managing to break even was the best he’d done. Could things really go this badly, even when they went terribly?

Still, the idea of a duke’s son actually working was unthinkable. No, he had never even considered such a thing.

Nobles have their own way of managing things that befits their status. In the past, they managed serfs on their estates and collected rents. Now, with the money accumulated that way, they invest, buy merchant ships, or run farms to grow their wealth further.

That’s the proper way. He didn’t know any other method.

But if all those investments turned out like this…

“Damn it, this is driving me crazy.”

“What’s driving you crazy?”

Someone squeezed onto his sofa. With an annoyed look, he checked to see who it was.

“…Caroline, didn’t you go back to the Lasphilla territory?”

“As you can see, not yet.”

“Is that so?”

Christian replied indifferently and propped his chin up on the other side.

He had a brief relationship with her. But it was truly fleeting. For Christian, it wasn’t even worth counting as a romance.

But for Caroline, it was a genuine relationship, a courtship premised on marriage.

“Chris, aren’t you going to dance?”

“I’m not fond of the music tonight.”

“Then should I ask them to change it? If you pick the song, I’ll go over to the piano and—”

“Caroline.”

“Mm?”

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Did I ask you to dance with me?”

“Uh, no…”

“Then go back. I want to rest.”

“I—I want to rest too.”

“There are plenty of empty seats. If we each spread out, that’s best for everyone, isn’t it?”

“……”

A disappointment as big as her expectations appeared across her face.

“You’re still misunderstanding.”

At the out-of-the-blue remark, Christian tilted his head.

“What misunderstanding?”

“You think I turned you down because I don’t like you, right? That’s not it. I was just acting the way I was taught.”

“……?”

“I do trust you. But because I trust you… I want to wait for a better day to be together.”

“What are you even…?”

“It’s dangerous before the wedding, isn’t it? Right?”

“…Ha.”

After a while, recalling his last time with Caroline, he opened his mouth. He gave a short, stifled laugh, his stomach twitching, then burst out in loud laughter.

“Ha ha, ahahahaha!”

At the bright sound of his laughter, everyone turned to look at him.

“My god, unbelievable! To think I was being treated so honorably! This is just… pfft, heh…”

“Chris?”

“Ah, this is a masterpiece, a masterpiece.”

“Um, what’s wrong?”

As attention focused on them, Caroline’s face flushed as well.

Wiping away tears, Christian spoke.

“Caroline, I really hope you marry someone truly wonderful.”

“…Someone other than you?”

He grinned again.

“I’m not the kind of man who can handle a pure woman like you. Really… you’re amazing.”

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