Ch.86The Last Luck
by fnovelpia
“How can a year’s worth of bad luck be concentrated in one day? Is this right?”
“Usually… it’s impossible.”
“Unless Her Highness the Princess served time in prison in her past life…”
“I was just an ordinary citizen with a strong sense of law-abiding… well, not particularly strong.”
Even when I got hit by the reincarnation truck, I was crossing at a clear green light. Rather, it was a lawless road user who personally ended my previous life, which is truly maddening.
“Could it be something like the original work’s compulsory force? Something like that?”
“That can’t be possible…”
“Sigh… life is hard.”
Well, given that my mother-in-law personally confirmed this is a real world without any “original work,” what force or whatever else could there be? It was reasonable to consider this purely my own bad luck.
“Hmm, should I pretend to be crazy and deliver the message for you?”
“Are you confident you can dodge lightning on your way?”
“Even if I regain my status window, I can’t dodge that…”
“So don’t do it. For your sister’s sake too.”
“This is serious… in many ways.”
I was genuinely anxious. I had a strong intuition that if I actually had someone confess on my behalf, they would get severely struck down.
Above all… no matter how low I had fallen, I didn’t want to have someone confess for me. After all, it’s proper to convey feelings personally.
“It feels like it’s been over three months since I’ve had a proper conversation with Rian.”
“Certainly… somehow Serin seems to have gotten thinner. The child is going to waste away.”
“Not even able to have a proper conversation… what is this… damn…”
No matter how I look at it, I can’t stop thinking that Rahilt is the bad guy here. Even if I tried my best to avoid him, we shouldn’t be missing each other this badly. It’s as if the gears of fate have been twisted.
Still, I can’t give up.
Who am I?
‘I’m a woman who lives and breathes with the sole determination to marry Rian.’
It would be a waste of all these years if my resolve broke over such a small failure. My dreams and hopes are just within reach—how could I sink into despair now?
“Phew… alright. It’s fine.”
I clenched both fists. Then I stood up straight, putting strength in my knees. Additionally, I carefully examined the remaining opportunities and set up today’s plan.
“I can’t lose in this kind of battle.”
I will definitely tease Rahilt legally.
I will make him show expressions that only I know and roll around together with him.
The only path for him to walk is the red carpet of the wedding venue that I’ve secured.
“I will… definitely get Rian in my hands, day and night.”
“I can understand the day part, but how would you know about the night…?”
“How much of a beast could our rabbit-like Rian possibly be?”
“From my perspective, Rahilt is quite the proper type…”
“Hey, no slander allowed, Second Prince.”
“…”
The Second Prince promptly closed his mouth at my rebuke.
I know Rahilt better since I’ve been watching him longer. Having seen his well-sculpted pectoral muscles, the only thing I don’t know about Rahilt is his bare lower body.
I could practically roll Rahilt around in my mouth.
…… Those days when I had such delusions occasionally resurface as embarrassing dark history.
“For now, I’ll wait at the Academy’s ‘main gate’ to match the time when Rian finishes.”
◇
The moment I felt that Serin was acting strange today was when she suddenly called out to me.
At the time, I was busy answering additional questions from students, and Serin glanced at me bitterly before quietly disappearing. And that unclear image remained as a strange thirst that tormented me until now, when the Academy’s daily routine was almost over.
‘What did Serin want to say?’
If it were the same as usual, it would just be ordinary small talk.
Serin was clever and proactive, never showing me her troubled feelings. Despite being a professor, I hadn’t even had a single conversation under the pretext of counseling. The fact that such a Serin had disappeared with a momentarily gloomy look made me concerned even if I didn’t want to be.
‘It would be better to visit her later.’
By now, Serin’s day would be over too, and she would be returning to the imperial palace. After all, since professors and students have different schedules, our paths don’t always overlap. And today shouldn’t be much different.
Besides, I happened to have something to give to the security guard at the back gate. Therefore, I planned to leave through the back gate today, so we were even less likely to meet.
I packed my minimal belongings and was just leaving my private room.
“Brother Rahit!”
At that moment, a small child came running from far away. Her white skin, invaded by the sunset, looked somehow funny, and I smiled slightly as I called her name.
“Eshtiel.”
“Hello hello, brother.”
“Where did you learn that way of speaking?”
“This is, you know, the trendy way of greeting these days.”
“You’ll ruin all the etiquette you’ve learned, Eshtiel.”
“Heeng.”
Whenever I corrected Eshtiel’s behavior, she invariably showed pitiful disappointment. The history of discovering that this was an act is not very long.
If I hadn’t known the truth that Eshtiel receives candy as tribute, I would still be fooled by the mask Eshtiel wears.
“Then from now on, I’m the etiquette keeper.”
“That’s good.”
“They said good children get rewards.”
“Rewards?”
“Yep.”
“Alright, let’s hear what it is.”
I can clearly anticipate what reward Eshtiel wants. Still, to prepare for any possible error, I patiently waited for her answer.
“Umm… candy!”
Just as I expected.
“… in a huuuuge jar full of them!”
“… Your scale has grown.”
You’ve grown into a body that can no longer be satisfied with just one or two hard candies, Eshtiel. I’m terribly afraid of the vicious cycle of dental health you’ll experience later.
“If you cry later when getting your teeth pulled, I won’t be able to comfort you.”
“It’s okay, I’m a grown-up so I won’t cry!”
“Hmm. Really?”
This kid, boldly making statements she can’t take responsibility for. I could vividly see that Eshtiel would change her attitude as easily as flipping her palm.
“A jar full of candy…”
Apart from concerns about Eshtiel’s health, it seemed fine to buy it for her once.
I’ve learned that strictly suppressing childhood desires is not always the best approach.
As someone whose childhood desires were merely spinning pinwheels, it was difficult to empathize, but I could bring it into the realm of understanding.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be bad to occasionally grant Eshtiel’s wishes. And if she eats too much and gets sick of it, that would be the best outcome.
“Let’s see.”
Still, rather than declaring I’d buy it for free, it would be more appropriate to give it as a reward.
So I gave Eshtiel an errand.
“Eshtiel.”
“Yes, Brother Rahit.”
“Do you see this?”
“A key?”
“That’s right. It’s a storage key.”
I firmly placed the gilded key in Eshtiel’s tiny hand.
“Could you deliver this to the guards at the back gate? If you say I sent you on an errand, they’ll understand.”
“Like that?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“…”
Eshtiel didn’t leave immediately but stared at me intently. Only then did I realize that I had forgotten about the reward.
“… If you do well, I’ll buy you a candy jar.”
“Really?”
“Have you ever seen me lie?”
“Well, I don’t think so…”
“Right?”
“But since Brother Rahit is offering to buy it, I can’t believe it.”
“Is that so? Can’t be helped then.”
I pretended to take back the storage key from Eshtiel.
“I’ll deliver it myself and not give any reward.”
“No! No! It’s mine!”
Only then did the kid protect the storage key like her treasure, as if she had suddenly come to her senses.
“You’ll really buy it for me?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Really really.”
“I said so.”
“Okay. I actually trust you, brother.”
As if.
Swallowing the last words with desperate resolve, I watched Eshtiel trotting toward the back gate. After completing the errand like that, some of the Pinwheel Knights would soon come out to escort her.
Now there was no reason to leave through the back gate.
I walked toward the twilight that was squeezing out yellow light as if struggling.
As I gazed at the sun that seemed to be emitting its presence as if not wanting to sink, Serin’s existence invaded my consciousness again. I must have been curious about her circumstances, which were so different from usual.
‘Should I meet her even now?’
If I decided to run, I could enter the imperial palace in an instant. Since I was faster than a warhorse to begin with, there was nowhere I couldn’t go within the system if I wanted to.
It was when such internal conflict was intensifying.
As I was walking, the Academy’s main gate came into my view from afar.
There was a figure that seemed awkward to still be there, casting a long shadow.
Almost everyone who owned a mansion within the system would have left by this time, so the figure of a woman with her back to the twilight at this hour was unfamiliar, making me blink several times.
“Serin? Could it be you, Serin?”
When I asked while narrowing the distance, she smiled faintly.
“Yes, it’s me, Rian.”
“I didn’t expect you to still be here.”
“I remember staying late quite often?”
“It’s been very rare lately.”
At that moment, I realized that my response had a sharp edge to it.
Fortunately, Serin didn’t seem to notice that subtle difference.
“I’ll try to make more effort from now on.”
“… I didn’t mean to reproach you.”
“Who said anything? Seeing you feel guilty on your own, could it be…”
“No, no.”
“What’s not?”
“… What’s not is not.”
“Hmm…”
As I was fumbling around, Serin raised the corners of her mouth leisurely.
“Well, let’s say it’s like that. Actually, I’m in quite a good mood right now.”
“Did something good happen?”
“Hmm…”
She answered casually.
“Let’s just say luck finally came my way at the very last moment?”
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