(121) To have you (1)
Averaster came to find Geor.
“You're not a reclusive wizard, so why is it so hard to see your face?”
Averaster, who came in with a light pat, sat down on the sofa without even being told to sit, and called the maid to bring out tea and cookies.
"I just came here and ran into Ariana in the garden. She's surprisingly pretty, even when I see her again. When she first came to the East, she was so small I could've guessed she was about ten years old, but now she looks like a full-fledged lady."
The moment Geor heard the name Ariana, he felt his heart drop.
Ariana.
Ten days had passed since she returned to Chase Castle. During that time, everyone—employees and family alike—had been talking about Ariana.
Ariana has changed a lot in a little over half a year.
She had grown taller and gained some weight, and her body had developed soft curves; her childish face was beginning to take on a more mature look.
What changed the most was her mood.
When she first came here, she was expressionless and had a cold side to her, but she had become gentle and soft, and she smiled often, making the hearts of those who saw her flutter.
-“Isn’t our Princess really so lovely?”
-“Yesterday, she smiled at me, and I almost fell in love with her even though we were both women.”
-“There’s a reason His Excellency smiles whenever the Princess is mentioned. How lovely she must be.”
Whenever the maids gathered, they whispered about Ariana. Ariana had changed so much that it stirred up a stir in everyone at Chase Castle.
So, Geor couldn't go outside.
He didn't want to see Ariana, and he didn't want to hear her name.
Before Geor could talk about Ariana, he quickly changed the subject.
“How’s Wiona doing? I heard she’s been coming to your mansion a lot lately.”
“Ah, Wiona…”
Averaster pressed his index finger between his eyebrows as if he was embarrassed.
“Wiona is close to my mother. It seems she likes her.”
"Oh, I'm glad Aunt liked her. It wasn't easy, so that's good."
"It's going well. Not long ago, my mother asked me if I would consider taking Wiona as her daughter-in-law."
Geor inwardly exclaimed, "Enough!" His advice to attack Duchess White before Averaster was correct.
Averaster was only interested in honing his martial arts and showed no interest in women. So he told her to make a good impression on the Duchess of White, and Wiona did just that.
“Well, you should be getting married soon. You’re already 22.”
At Geor's words, Averaster chuckled.
“Have you forgotten that we’re the same age? Aren’t you more desperate than I?”
“What about me...”
He couldn't understand why Ariana's face came to mind at such a moment. No, he knew. The moment Ariana returned to Chase Castle, the moment he saw her, her face much softer, he knew.
But because he didn't want to know, because he didn't want to admit it, Geor did his best to pretend not to know.
Averaster sighed lightly.
"We'll have to get married sooner or later. We've known each other since we were young, so Wiona isn't a bad person, but..."
“Why? Is there anything you don’t like?”
"She doesn't feel like a woman. To me, she feels more like Wiona or Isabelle. Besides, Wiona is your younger sister."
“I was lucky enough to be chosen by the Lord of the House of White and adopted into the family, but don’t forget that you and I are actually strangers.”
"Well, it's not something I need to think about right now. Oh, right. Did you give Ariana her birthday present?"
Averaster's question made Geor feel his heart sink again. Why did Ariana's name keep coming up, no matter how many times he changed the subject?
“It’s been a long time since her birthday...”
As Geor muttered an excuse, Averaster spoke.
"It hasn't even been a month yet. Ariana received my gift the other day and smiled so beautifully. She's so cute."
Knowing Ariana would remain in the North, the White family had prepared birthday gifts for each of them to send to the North. Just before sending them, they received a telegram informing them that Ariana would be returning to the East. Therefore, the gifts for her were tucked away deep in a drawer in Geor's side table.
The gifts prepared by the White family were delivered to Ariana upon her return to Chase Castle, but Geor's gift has yet to find its owner.
Geor didn't have the confidence to look at Ariana, who was 'smiling so beautifully'.
Even after Averaster, who had been chatting over tea and cookies, left, Geor's attention was still focused on the gift on the side table. A birthday present he hadn't been able to give, and perhaps never will.
Ariana.
It's always been a question.
Ariana is just a girl who has shed her childish charms now, but why does his heart ache so much whenever he thinks of her?
Duke Obelius disapproved of Ariana, and Ariana sensed it. Ariana was clever, but not so clever that she couldn't win.
Still, he wondered why he was so gripped by the fear that the Obelius family would be destroyed because of her and that everyone would be left unscathed. He couldn't understand the fear he felt.
He didn't know it all along, but the moment he met Ariana, who came back this time, he found out.
The moment he saw her beautiful hair like the spring sky, her skin as soft as pearls, her perfect features contained within her small face, and her lips so luscious they seemed to ooze juice, he knew it.
'I love that kid...'
I can't kill her.
I can't let her die.
'I will protect you. Even if it means sacrificing my life.'
That's why he was scared.
Ariana was smart and wise. But that was all. She could kill anyone she wanted, and she could stop anyone she wanted.
And yet, the reason his heart ached like a child who could do nothing when standing in front of her, like a frog in front of a snake, like a rabbit facing a lion's fangs.
'Because I know I can't stop Ariana.'
No matter what scheme she hatches, even if he notices it in advance.
'Because I can't kill Ariana.'
Then he falls into the trap.
'I'll save Ariana.'
Even if his opponent is his own blood relative.
'I will stand by Ariana's side.'
There was one reason.
'I have Ariana...'
From the moment he first saw her. From the moment he locked eyes with her as she leaped from the cart and rolled on the ground. From the moment he spoke with her, who was strangely calm and mature.
His heart was stolen.
'I love you.'
Her biological father, Duke Obelius, is trying to get rid of Ariana, but Geor loves Ariana. That's why he's always scared and anxious.
He was so in love with Ariana that he couldn't stop her no matter what she did, and he didn't hesitate to help her, so he was afraid even before he realized his own feelings.
It was an absurd feeling.
Such feelings are never permitted.
There is no blood relationship between Geor and Ariana, but even if there were, it would only be a drop of blood flowing through their bodies. Geor was adopted by her father, so even if they were not of the same blood, they were legally siblings.
He didn't want to lose too much because of feelings he shouldn't have. What he especially didn't want to lose was his lord's trust.
Geor admired and loved his adoptive father, Lord Russell. Not only that, but all the members of House White were Geor's family.
So Ariana White must also be family. Princess of the same name, daughter of the same lord, and his younger sister.
So he avoided Ariana. He didn't go to their daily dinner table, and he didn't wander around the garden or hallways.
But even Geor knew that feelings wouldn't disappear without seeing each other. If they were meant to disappear without encountering each other, they would have vanished while Ariana was away from the East.
“I’m going crazy.”
Geor muttered, glaring at the table.
“Praying is of no use...”
As long as they lived in the same place, he couldn't avoid Ariana forever. With a sigh, Geor pulled out a gift box from deep in the drawer of his nightstand.
'Maybe it would be better to just bump into it.'
Geor stood in front of Ariana's room and took a deep breath.
He was just here to meet his younger sister, the Princess of the East, but he was so nervous that his palms were clammy. The cold sweat on his hands seemed to be a reminder of his own feelings, and hr felt pathetic.
Geor wiped his palms on his pants. Hr habitually placed his hand on his chest to feel the amulet inside, the pouch containing Ariana's hair. Then, realizing that even the amulet was connected to Ariana, he lowered his hand.
He took another deep breath, and suddenly the door opened. Catherine, coming out, saw Geor, her eyes wide.
“Little Lord?”
“Oh, Catherine.”
Geor said, trying to erase the tension that must have been on his face.
“I came to see the Princess.”
“Oh, the Princess fell asleep while reading a book... Just a moment.”
Catherine went inside before Geor could stop her. Soon after, Catherine returned and called for him to come in.
Ariana stood next to the sofa, perfectly poised as always. She didn't look like someone who'd just woken up.
A perfect, drawn-on smile graced her lips. Geor knew there was not a shred of sincerity in that smile.
“What happened...”
Even though her appearance had been perfectly polished, her voice seemed to have been left untouched. Ariana cleared her throat in confusion as her voice, slightly muffled, began to leak out.
That's ridiculously cute, thought Geor.
“What brings you here, Little Lord?”
Geor felt as if he were standing in a dream.
A spring breeze blows through a slightly open window. Sky-blue hair sways gently. A sweet fragrance wafts in the wind. A small, delicate face and a slender neck. Fragile shoulders and upright posture. An elegant dress hugging a slightly slender body.
Things like that made Geor dizzy.
One emotion that he had been suppressing while trying to avoid seeing Ariana swelled up into a huge lump, pushing out all the others.
He wanted to express the emotions that were overwhelming his heart, but he knew he couldn't. The moment he did, he would lose so much.
Things like the trust and affection of the Eastern Lord.
Geor recalled the moment he first met his adoptive father, Russell.
Affectionate and warm blue eyes filled with sadness.
The moment he laid eyes on him, he felt a deep affection and awe for the man named Russell White. So, he was glad to leave his biological parents and live as Russell's son.
The former lords and their wives, as well as the other White family members, all treated Geor as Russell's own son. There was no such thing as territorial favoritism.
Because Geor loved the White family, he did not want to lose Geor White's life.
But.
'If it's to have you.'
A dangerous thought occurred to him.
'I can throw everything away.'
Averaster came to find Geor.
“You're not a reclusive wizard, so why is it so hard to see your face?”
Averaster, who came in with a light pat, sat down on the sofa without even being told to sit, and called the maid to bring out tea and cookies.
"I just came here and ran into Ariana in the garden. She's surprisingly pretty, even when I see her again. When she first came to the East, she was so small I could've guessed she was about ten years old, but now she looks like a full-fledged lady."
The moment Geor heard the name Ariana, he felt his heart drop.
Ariana.
Ten days had passed since she returned to Chase Castle. During that time, everyone—employees and family alike—had been talking about Ariana.
Ariana has changed a lot in a little over half a year.
She had grown taller and gained some weight, and her body had developed soft curves; her childish face was beginning to take on a more mature look.
What changed the most was her mood.
When she first came here, she was expressionless and had a cold side to her, but she had become gentle and soft, and she smiled often, making the hearts of those who saw her flutter.
-“Isn’t our Princess really so lovely?”
-“Yesterday, she smiled at me, and I almost fell in love with her even though we were both women.”
-“There’s a reason His Excellency smiles whenever the Princess is mentioned. How lovely she must be.”
Whenever the maids gathered, they whispered about Ariana. Ariana had changed so much that it stirred up a stir in everyone at Chase Castle.
So, Geor couldn't go outside.
He didn't want to see Ariana, and he didn't want to hear her name.
Before Geor could talk about Ariana, he quickly changed the subject.
“How’s Wiona doing? I heard she’s been coming to your mansion a lot lately.”
“Ah, Wiona…”
Averaster pressed his index finger between his eyebrows as if he was embarrassed.
“Wiona is close to my mother. It seems she likes her.”
"Oh, I'm glad Aunt liked her. It wasn't easy, so that's good."
"It's going well. Not long ago, my mother asked me if I would consider taking Wiona as her daughter-in-law."
Geor inwardly exclaimed, "Enough!" His advice to attack Duchess White before Averaster was correct.
Averaster was only interested in honing his martial arts and showed no interest in women. So he told her to make a good impression on the Duchess of White, and Wiona did just that.
“Well, you should be getting married soon. You’re already 22.”
At Geor's words, Averaster chuckled.
“Have you forgotten that we’re the same age? Aren’t you more desperate than I?”
“What about me...”
He couldn't understand why Ariana's face came to mind at such a moment. No, he knew. The moment Ariana returned to Chase Castle, the moment he saw her, her face much softer, he knew.
But because he didn't want to know, because he didn't want to admit it, Geor did his best to pretend not to know.
Averaster sighed lightly.
"We'll have to get married sooner or later. We've known each other since we were young, so Wiona isn't a bad person, but..."
“Why? Is there anything you don’t like?”
"She doesn't feel like a woman. To me, she feels more like Wiona or Isabelle. Besides, Wiona is your younger sister."
“I was lucky enough to be chosen by the Lord of the House of White and adopted into the family, but don’t forget that you and I are actually strangers.”
"Well, it's not something I need to think about right now. Oh, right. Did you give Ariana her birthday present?"
Averaster's question made Geor feel his heart sink again. Why did Ariana's name keep coming up, no matter how many times he changed the subject?
“It’s been a long time since her birthday...”
As Geor muttered an excuse, Averaster spoke.
"It hasn't even been a month yet. Ariana received my gift the other day and smiled so beautifully. She's so cute."
Knowing Ariana would remain in the North, the White family had prepared birthday gifts for each of them to send to the North. Just before sending them, they received a telegram informing them that Ariana would be returning to the East. Therefore, the gifts for her were tucked away deep in a drawer in Geor's side table.
The gifts prepared by the White family were delivered to Ariana upon her return to Chase Castle, but Geor's gift has yet to find its owner.
Geor didn't have the confidence to look at Ariana, who was 'smiling so beautifully'.
Even after Averaster, who had been chatting over tea and cookies, left, Geor's attention was still focused on the gift on the side table. A birthday present he hadn't been able to give, and perhaps never will.
Ariana.
It's always been a question.
Ariana is just a girl who has shed her childish charms now, but why does his heart ache so much whenever he thinks of her?
Duke Obelius disapproved of Ariana, and Ariana sensed it. Ariana was clever, but not so clever that she couldn't win.
Still, he wondered why he was so gripped by the fear that the Obelius family would be destroyed because of her and that everyone would be left unscathed. He couldn't understand the fear he felt.
He didn't know it all along, but the moment he met Ariana, who came back this time, he found out.
The moment he saw her beautiful hair like the spring sky, her skin as soft as pearls, her perfect features contained within her small face, and her lips so luscious they seemed to ooze juice, he knew it.
'I love that kid...'
I can't kill her.
I can't let her die.
'I will protect you. Even if it means sacrificing my life.'
That's why he was scared.
Ariana was smart and wise. But that was all. She could kill anyone she wanted, and she could stop anyone she wanted.
And yet, the reason his heart ached like a child who could do nothing when standing in front of her, like a frog in front of a snake, like a rabbit facing a lion's fangs.
'Because I know I can't stop Ariana.'
No matter what scheme she hatches, even if he notices it in advance.
'Because I can't kill Ariana.'
Then he falls into the trap.
'I'll save Ariana.'
Even if his opponent is his own blood relative.
'I will stand by Ariana's side.'
There was one reason.
'I have Ariana...'
From the moment he first saw her. From the moment he locked eyes with her as she leaped from the cart and rolled on the ground. From the moment he spoke with her, who was strangely calm and mature.
His heart was stolen.
'I love you.'
Her biological father, Duke Obelius, is trying to get rid of Ariana, but Geor loves Ariana. That's why he's always scared and anxious.
He was so in love with Ariana that he couldn't stop her no matter what she did, and he didn't hesitate to help her, so he was afraid even before he realized his own feelings.
It was an absurd feeling.
Such feelings are never permitted.
There is no blood relationship between Geor and Ariana, but even if there were, it would only be a drop of blood flowing through their bodies. Geor was adopted by her father, so even if they were not of the same blood, they were legally siblings.
He didn't want to lose too much because of feelings he shouldn't have. What he especially didn't want to lose was his lord's trust.
Geor admired and loved his adoptive father, Lord Russell. Not only that, but all the members of House White were Geor's family.
So Ariana White must also be family. Princess of the same name, daughter of the same lord, and his younger sister.
So he avoided Ariana. He didn't go to their daily dinner table, and he didn't wander around the garden or hallways.
But even Geor knew that feelings wouldn't disappear without seeing each other. If they were meant to disappear without encountering each other, they would have vanished while Ariana was away from the East.
“I’m going crazy.”
Geor muttered, glaring at the table.
“Praying is of no use...”
As long as they lived in the same place, he couldn't avoid Ariana forever. With a sigh, Geor pulled out a gift box from deep in the drawer of his nightstand.
'Maybe it would be better to just bump into it.'
***
Geor stood in front of Ariana's room and took a deep breath.
He was just here to meet his younger sister, the Princess of the East, but he was so nervous that his palms were clammy. The cold sweat on his hands seemed to be a reminder of his own feelings, and hr felt pathetic.
Geor wiped his palms on his pants. Hr habitually placed his hand on his chest to feel the amulet inside, the pouch containing Ariana's hair. Then, realizing that even the amulet was connected to Ariana, he lowered his hand.
He took another deep breath, and suddenly the door opened. Catherine, coming out, saw Geor, her eyes wide.
“Little Lord?”
“Oh, Catherine.”
Geor said, trying to erase the tension that must have been on his face.
“I came to see the Princess.”
“Oh, the Princess fell asleep while reading a book... Just a moment.”
Catherine went inside before Geor could stop her. Soon after, Catherine returned and called for him to come in.
Ariana stood next to the sofa, perfectly poised as always. She didn't look like someone who'd just woken up.
A perfect, drawn-on smile graced her lips. Geor knew there was not a shred of sincerity in that smile.
“What happened...”
Even though her appearance had been perfectly polished, her voice seemed to have been left untouched. Ariana cleared her throat in confusion as her voice, slightly muffled, began to leak out.
That's ridiculously cute, thought Geor.
“What brings you here, Little Lord?”
Geor felt as if he were standing in a dream.
A spring breeze blows through a slightly open window. Sky-blue hair sways gently. A sweet fragrance wafts in the wind. A small, delicate face and a slender neck. Fragile shoulders and upright posture. An elegant dress hugging a slightly slender body.
Things like that made Geor dizzy.
One emotion that he had been suppressing while trying to avoid seeing Ariana swelled up into a huge lump, pushing out all the others.
He wanted to express the emotions that were overwhelming his heart, but he knew he couldn't. The moment he did, he would lose so much.
Things like the trust and affection of the Eastern Lord.
Geor recalled the moment he first met his adoptive father, Russell.
Affectionate and warm blue eyes filled with sadness.
The moment he laid eyes on him, he felt a deep affection and awe for the man named Russell White. So, he was glad to leave his biological parents and live as Russell's son.
The former lords and their wives, as well as the other White family members, all treated Geor as Russell's own son. There was no such thing as territorial favoritism.
Because Geor loved the White family, he did not want to lose Geor White's life.
But.
'If it's to have you.'
A dangerous thought occurred to him.
'I can throw everything away.'
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