DYBAR - Chapter 162 < Goodbye >

DYBAR - Chapter 162 < Goodbye >

Do Your Best And Regret

“Miss, Lady. Please take a moment. I don’t know how much the Duke thought of you while you were away.”

Sir George Huxley continued speaking rapidly as if he had forgotten even to breathe. As if he knew now was his last chance.

But unfortunately, Sir Huxley's words did not resonate with me. As I came out of the office, I was busy looking around, as was my habit.

There's no way it doesn't exist... Then I left the building, and when I reached the front door in the moonlight, I smiled. I thought he would come.

“Did the conversation end well?”

Even though summer passed and fall came, when Edwin smiled, everything surrounding me was as warm as the spring sun. I raised my eyebrows as I fully enjoyed the sweet feeling. And I proudly held out the back of my hand.

"Sure. Victory is with you.”

While the knights standing behind them tilted their heads, those who shared the secret exchanged vague glances.

“Edwin, did it end well?”

Edwin proudly held up the negotiation document. The land ownership transfer document written in calligraphy was meticulously signed and stamped with a magic seal.

I, who was smiling brightly, blinked when I saw my name at the bottom of the document. This time it was Edwin's turn to show off.

“I caught the Princess on her way home, called the financial agent, and made Olivia’s demands clear.”

At the bottom, where the names of the twelve territories owned by the Princess were written, the Princess's magic seal was also stamped. That document meant only one thing.

The decline of a strong imperial family based on wealth.

I looked back at the imperial palace with new eyes.

Then, for a moment, I met eyes that could not bear to call me.

Jade Madeleine. He was breathing heavily, not knowing when he had come running, and without being able to say anything, he parted his lips and pressed them together.

“Lord Madeleine-!”

Lord Huxley, who had followed me, called out to him as if he was happy to see him. Before Jade, who had no idea what to do, took steps toward me, I looked at him lightly and nodded my head.

Jade Madeleine, who said there was no need to get angry, probably understood the meaning of this silent tribute best.

So, rather than caring whether his face turned pale or turned ashen, I walked up to Edwin without even turning around to check. Oh, I didn't forget the last greeting either.

“Including the escort, everything... Thank you, Lord Huxley.”

With that one word, many emotions passed across Sir Huxley's face. And what he chose in a split-second was a neat greeting.

“...I am also grateful for this time.”

I grinned and turned my back on Lord Huxley. Edwin said as if he had been waiting for me and escorted me to the open carriage.

“How do you want to take one last walk around the imperial palace? I already took a spin while waiting for Liv, and it was pretty good.”

Red eyes twinkled with a sly smile.

“...I feel like no one can stop me in this breathtaking imperial palace.”

The voice was strange and I couldn't tell if it was a joke or if it was serious. I looked back at the imperial palace as if thinking for a moment. Then I smiled faintly and smiled.

“I guess I’ve said goodbye to this palace too many times.”

So my greeting once was enough.

With respect for the days that have passed, and with anticipation for the days to come.

Goodbye.

I grinned. It seemed that my voice, which I thought had been drowned out by the noise of the moving carriage, had clearly reached Edwin.

Red lips began to draw a soft line. The eyes filled with languid temptation slowly tilted towards me.

At some point, my pounding pulse became faster and faster.

The feeling of his lips touching mine was cautious and dizzying.

***

Olivia asked her father to let her alone. Is that a positive or negative signal?

After signing the negotiating documents, Conrad ran towards his father's office. His breath rose to his chin, but he couldn't stop. Maybe, maybe...  The limitless expectations kept growing, and it tormented him.

However, when he arrived at the palace where his father's office was located, the only person left in front of the entrance to the building was Jade.

“What about Livia?”

Jade slowly looked behind him in response to the question mixed with heavy breathing. Under the moonlight, Conrad's face grew pale and anxiety sprouted in his heart.

But Conrad turned away from him and asked again.

“Is she out yet? Is she in the office?”

There's no way she went. If she called Jade and had a private meeting with her father, at least... At least he has a chance...

"Brother."

"Say it."

“I think it’s over.”

“What is that...!”

Conrad's eyes fell on Jade's bitterly smiling face as he impatiently shook his head. The moment he saw his younger brother smiling transparently instead of being fierce or angry, he slowly closed his lips.

He had to admit it. That Olivia had gone.

It felt like someone had hit the back of her head. Conrad blinked slowly.

Why didn't she tell him to see her separately and why didn't she even give him time to ask for forgiveness... The reason he didn't say ugly things out loud was simple.

Because he doesn't deserve it.

Just like how he recklessly robbed Olivia of her family status.

Conrad's head slowly lowered. As his amethyst eyes, which were losing their light as if blinking, closed, Jade looked in the direction where the rolling carriage had gone away.

An insensitive man. A simple gaze, nothing more or less. That's probably what Olivia wants from them.

The spot where the carriage wheels passed was clearly visible. Two parallel lines would probably never meet until the end of the road.

At that moment, a light wind blew and dust rose up. The dust stirring in his blurred vision felt like the moonlight was fading. Jade suddenly remembered a fairy tale he had drawn a long time ago.

"Sister! I wrote a fairy tale for you. It took a week.”
　
A fairy tale that eight-year-old Jade diligently drew in his sketchbook.

“This is Ethella, Princess Amethyst. And this is Olivia.”

“Olivia is the Emerald Princess.”
　
When he thought about it later, Olivia and Ethella were the only two people in the fairy tale that he worked so hard to write for a week.

It was a fairy tale that he couldn't even read because Olivia suddenly cried and he heard the news of his mother's death. Absurdly, Jade pondered over the last paragraph of the fairy tale, which he had completely forgotten at this moment.

- The Emerald Princess and the Amethyst Princess were happy forever, riding on the moonlight and starlight.

He really hoped so.

The countless gifts in her room that she had accumulated were now completely lost, and like a broken bridge, the relationship could not be restored.

The Emerald Princess, with sparkling green eyes, wanted to be happy forever, walking down paths as fair as moonlight and starlight.

Goodbye.

Emerald Princess.

Then Jade hesitated for a moment. The words he had kept tightly in his heart were bitter and painful, so he wanted to get them out of his mouth at least once. Jade gasped so softly that he couldn't even hear the moonlight.

Goodbye.

My sister.

A smile that couldn't be too happy passed his lips. That night, the moon shined exceptionally dazzlingly. The sparkling starlight that embroidered the pitch-black sky left a long tail.

It was a night suitable for numerous rumors to sweep through the island, over the silent and noisy night sky.

“Oh my God god, half the Empire has fallen to Vikander. What happens to us now?”

"Whew. If I had known this would happen, I think I should have somehow pushed myself into the Grand Duke's residence instead of going back as I did yesterday. I wonder how the Duke of Madeleine managed to catch the last kite.”

Rumors that may have been confusing to some.

“By the way, the Duke of Elkin is a big deal.”

“No. Please tell the Princess about the big things. She wasn't married, but now she is penniless and has no dowry. Didn't the royal family's territory also pass over to Vikander? It’s a crisis for the royal family.”

It has become something of interest to some.

“Ahh! Mother! Your Majesty! What should I really do now? Please talk to my uncle and ask him to help me, please!"

“The Princess! Be more elegant in times like these...!”

“Mother, what use is grace now? I look like I'm broke! No one will propose to me!”

For some, it became a fear of destruction.

The important thing is...

“No one has any disagreement that the Young Lady is the owner of twelve estates.”

She hasn't even received the oath from the Lord's representatives yet.

Olivia smiled a little humbly and looked at the Duke of Kiwal.

Behind him, in addition to the Heferti delegation, ambassadors from various countries were nodding their heads in agreement.

The guests who came to the Grand Duke's residence early in the morning did not hide their intention to become acquainted with the newly emerged Vikander under the pretense of gratitude for his safe return.

The one who stood at the forefront was by far the Duke of Kiwal of Heferti. He could not hide his regret in front of his ancestors.

“... I feel sorry for not being able to attend the coronation ceremony due to my return to Heferti. I hope to receive the honor of being invited to the wedding of these two precious people in the future.”

"Of course. Isn’t Heferti the first ally of Vikander to request an exchange?”

At the moment when the generous voice of the predecessor was heard, the hopeful atmosphere that had been flowing among the envoys strangely solidified.

“...Of course, like everyone here.”

As he added this, people all burst out laughing hahaha.

While the envoy's attention was focused on the Former Grand Duke's ability to control people to the extent that it was hard to believe that he had been in a deep sleep for eleven years, Olivia watched them closely.

“Olivia, who are you looking for?”

The corners of Edwin's mouth slowly turned up as he was astutely counting the number of people in the delegation.

“Now that I think about it, I don’t see any delegation from the Kingdom of Auslan.”

“Oh, that’s it. Auslan...”

The Duke of Kiwal closed his lips for a moment. The vague expectation in the Saintess's eyes as she looked at him left him unclear as to what kind of answer she was hoping for.

Obviously, if the rumors that had previously spread throughout the empire were to be believed, there would have been only malice, let alone friendship, with Maria Tepils. However, if he recalls the picture where the Prince was fed water this time...

Wow, what is it? It was when the Duke of Kiwal touched his lips.

“The ship that the Auslan Kingdom came on board set sail early this morning!”

One of Lemunis's envoys shouted loudly as if he was glad to have an opportunity to intervene in the story. At that moment the Duke of Kiwal saw clearly.

“... Well, I wanted to give her at least one gift.”

They say she's a Saint, but could she have a face like that?

The red corners of the mouth that turned up at an angle and the cool, muttering voice were fascinating. However, as soon as the Duke of Kiwal thought about it, he immediately lowered his head. Because he wanted to be closer to Vikander more than anyone else.

“Oh, could you please send me a letter on your way? As you can see, there are a lot of people in front of the mansion.”

“I would be honored if I could be of help.”

So, it's just like this. A relationship in which they can give and receive moderate help. He smiled slightly under the heavy pressure and glanced at the recipient of the envelope the Saint held out to him.

Ethella Madeleine.

He understands that the connection with the Madeleine duchy has been cut off...

The Duke of Kiwal, who was inadvertently trying to peck his lips, raised his monocle. And he looked outside the gate where the nobles were gathered.

"I know, right. There are so many. When do you think you’ll leave?”

“... When are you ready?”

Edwin answered delicately, and his eyes gazed intently at Sobel and Bethanny. Sobel declared.


“It will likely take about three days.”

Three days. There will still be many nobles standing guard in front of the gate three days later. The Duke of Kiwal tilted his head for a moment.

It was a few days later, through a newspaper, that the Duke of Kiwal learned what he meant.

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