Ch.2525. Evan Feiosha (3)

“Our relationship was decided by the heads of our two families. I’d like to hear the Lady’s opinion.”

If asked how I felt about my engagement to Evan, the answer was predetermined.

A marriage that was nothing more than a means to connect the Sianella and Feiosha families.

I believe this political marriage was arranged to link two troublesome figures within the two families.

I’m a runaway… and I’ve heard Evan is so weak that he can barely leave his mansion, let alone participate in public activities.

In the end, it’s just pairing up two family burdens.

That’s why I wasn’t particularly fond of this engagement.

“I’m sorry, Young Lord, but I have reservations about this engagement.”

“Hehe, I expected as much.”

Evan covered his mouth and laughed softly at my words.

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have ignored my letters.”

“…I apologize about the letters. I’m truly sorry.”

I bowed my head.

My behavior of ignoring dozens of Evan’s letters certainly deserved criticism.

It was better to apologize directly rather than adding unnecessary words.

“Please raise your head, Lady.”

I lifted my head at his words.

Evan took a sip of tea and looked at me.

I met his gaze as calmly as possible.

“May I ask why you dislike our engagement?”

I nodded.

“…For me, this engagement was misguided from the very beginning.”

This engagement was decided after I hid in my room, after even my mother and head of the family, Ainel Sianella, gave up on me.

The only usefulness I had as a worthless person was to sell my name, Sianella, to form connections with other families.

So I was engaged to him to create a link between Sianella and the southern Marquisate of Feiosha.

Now that I’ve cut my once dry and brittle long hair, I find this engagement simply distasteful.

“It’s an engagement made regardless of my wishes, and moreover, I’m sorry to say that I don’t harbor any personal feelings for you, Lord Evan.”

Most importantly, I have no affection, let alone interest, in Evan Feiosha.

Without the bond of being fiancés, our relationship could break at any moment without seeming strange.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“I think it would be difficult to develop our relationship any further under these circumstances.”

Evan slowly nodded after hearing my words.

“I’ve heard your opinion, Lady.”

Silence filled the reception room again after I finished speaking.

I moistened my dry throat with tea and took another cookie.

While Evan quietly watched me, I asked him the same question he had asked me.

“What are your thoughts, Lord Evan?”

“I… don’t particularly like this engagement either, at present.”

Evan’s eyes deepened.

“Unlike my siblings, I was treated as a burden due to my poor health, and this engagement was the only valuable thing I could do. Like you, Lady, this engagement wasn’t decided solely by my will.”

His eyes fixed on me.

“But things are different now. Because I can handle Divine Power.”

“You’ve awakened your Divine Power?”

“I mentioned this in my previous letters… so you really didn’t read them?”

Evan said with a chuckle.

I could only quietly close my mouth seeing his smile.

To think it was already mentioned in his letters.

I should have at least read some of them.

Then Evan raised his hand.

An auspicious light gathered above his hand.

It was the light that appears during the manifestation of Divine Power.

“But things are different now. After awakening my Divine Power, my weak body has become as good as anyone else’s. Thanks to that, I’ll be attending the Academy from next semester.”

The bright light above his hand faded.

His tone seemed not so different from mine.

I had a brief conversation with Evan about our past.

Evan, who had spent his time confined to his bed.

Since the Academy was not just a place of learning but also where nobles sought fiancés.

Now that he was admitted to the Academy, he seemed unwilling to be bound by our engagement.

It seemed Evan also wanted to break off the engagement.

That’s not bad news for me.

I sipped the last bit of tea in my cup and said:

“Lord, could you show me the garden?”

“The garden?”

“Yes, I’m fond of flowers, and I kept thinking about the garden I saw on my way here. And… there’s something I’d like to discuss with you in the garden.”

“That’s unexpected. I didn’t know you liked flowers, Lady… It’s not difficult, so I’ll show you around.”

Evan stood up first.

As I rose to follow him, I noticed the cookies that were still quite plentiful.

I put one in my mouth and took another as I followed the Young Lord.

* * *

How long would this conversation drag on?

I was getting tired of awkwardly standing between that stiff fellow called Ron and our Lady Diolia.

All the Hunter swordsmen I knew had sharp hearing.

Diolia might not be the only one listening to what was happening inside.

As I was killing time with these pointless thoughts, the reception room door finally opened.

“Ron, I’ll be showing Lady Sione the garden. We have some private matters to discuss, so please keep unnecessary personnel at a distance.”

“Understood.”

At Evan’s words, Ron immediately began to move busily.

As I watched him heading to the garden first, Sione came out of the reception room.

Her complexion seemed worse, suggesting she had a hard time talking with Evan.

Well, it must have been difficult to face her prospective husband after ignoring his letters and disappearing.

While Evan Feiosha’s gaze was fixed on Ron’s back,

Sione looked at me and opened her mouth in a circle.

…What is she doing now?

Her mouth wasn’t particularly clean, probably from eating cookies just before.

If she were really my sister, I’d have given her a few smacks.

As I stared at her wondering what she was doing, she quietly made a sound.

“Ah—”

Ah? What?

I looked at Sione suspiciously and opened my mouth.

Ah—

Then, as if she had been waiting, Sione put something in my mouth.

What on earth did she suddenly shove into my mouth?

After chewing a few times, I realized it was a cookie.

As I munched on the cookie, Sione raised the corners of her mouth as if amused.

“Let’s go, Lady. The Feiosha Marquisate’s garden is quite large, so there will be much to see.”

“I look forward to it.”

With a more relaxed expression, Sione began walking alongside Evan.

Following a bit behind them, I glanced at Diolia.

She seemed disappointed that Sione had only given me a cookie.

Diolia was wearing a regretful expression.

“I’ll give Lady Diolia cookies separately later.”

“…What cookies?”

“Are you alright?”

“I’ll accept your sentiment.”

Well, despite her words, she seemed to be in a better mood.

Since we had mountains of cookies prepared for Sione anyway,

I decided to save some for Diolia later.

Following behind Evan and Sione, we soon arrived at the garden.

The Feiosha Marquisate’s garden was larger than Sianella’s.

Moreover, the harmonious landscaping plants and structures were beautifully arranged, making it a pleasure to look at.

Sione kept turning her head to look around, apparently enjoying the flowers blooming throughout the garden.

“The cornflowers have bloomed beautifully.”

“Cornflowers, you say?”

“Those purple flowers over there are cornflowers.”

“Then could you tell me the name of those yellow flowers over there?”

“Those flowers are… yellow mountain avens. I believe their flower language means ‘a girl’s love.'”

What the hell is this guy’s deal?

For a reclusive hermit who’s been locked up in his room, he speaks too eloquently.

Telling her that the flower language of yellow mountain avens means “a girl’s love” was the pinnacle.

Unlike Sione, who had shown a prickly attitude to almost everyone until now, she was conversing quite naturally with Evan.

It’s not like she learned the art of conversation while I wasn’t looking.

Anyway, this was much better than her constantly whining about wanting to break off the engagement.

Diolia also seemed intrigued by this unexpected side of Sione, watching with interest as she explained flowers to Evan.

Evan led Sione to the center of the garden.

Sione answered Evan’s questions kindly while admiring the surrounding flowers.

In this rather pleasant atmosphere, they reached the very center of the garden.

The sight of Sione and Evan surrounded by flowers was quite atmospheric.

The chattering between Sione and Evan paused briefly.

Sione composed her expression, which had been relaxed while looking at the flowers.

Noticing Sione’s change in demeanor, I focused on her.

“Lord Evan.”

Sione called to Evan.

He shifted his gaze from the flowers to her.

“What are your thoughts on breaking off our engagement?”

No, this crazy girl.

Where did the yellow mountain avens go?

Where did the “girl’s love” go?