This Time, I’ll Go Meet You

It was just one duel.

With only that process and result, I could feel that the attitude towards me in the family had changed considerably overnight.

“Kyle, did you sleep well?”

“…Yes, did you have a peaceful night, Mother?”

“This morning, Kyle, I asked the cooks to make what you like. Eat heartily.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

First of all, my food was also placed on the table for every meal.

And when I visited the dining hall in the morning, my father and mother greeted me with a very warm attitude.

Each time, witnessing Hasel’s impression distorting in real-time while sitting across from me was quite enjoyable.

However, I didn’t have the leisure to fully enjoy this changed daily life.

‘Sylvia.’

That’s right. It’s because of Sylvia’s existence.

According to what I heard before regression, she should be suffering considerable oppression in the family at this point.

Based on when she was twenty-one years old, she said she was able to go out four years prior, so at least until she was seventeen, being stuck in that large castle all day and watching the garden out the window would be her only hobby.

It’s a pity.

“Kyle, what are you thinking so deeply about with your meal in front of you?”

Was I lost in thought too deeply because I thought of her pitiful appearance without realizing it?

As my father’s voice faintly entered my mind that was lost in reverie, I finally came to my senses and looked around.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was a little tired, so I must have spaced out for a moment.”

“Oh my, didn’t you get enough sleep? Maybe it’s because the weather is getting colder. I should tell them to change the blanket in your room to a thicker one.”

“No. It’s okay, Mother.”

Since when have you taken care of me like that?

I was more pissed off than happy at my mother’s attitude, which had changed to the point of being disgusting, but I didn’t show it on the outside. I was about to put down my utensils and get up from my seat when it happened.

“Speaking of which, Kyle, you’re turning fifteen soon, how about finding a partner early?”

“A partner… Are you talking about a fiancé?”

“Yes, I heard that you rejected all the young ladies from other families who were flirting with you recently? Do you have a woman in mind?”

Anyway, useless rumors spread quickly.

Fortunately, it seems that the last words I spat out didn’t reach my father’s ears, so that’s a relief.

If he had known that far, he would have immediately asked which woman I had set my sights on and made me sit at the table for a long time.

That’s almost like torture.

I guess I have no choice but to make excuses here and leave.

“…Ah.”

As my thoughts reached that point, a low exclamation flowed from my mouth.

Come to think of it, my current position is that of a man vying for the position of the next head of the Lyaird family.

Although I don’t think my father’s heart has completely turned from Hasel to me with just that one duel, it’s probably true that I’ve reached the level where I can at least compete.

Then, wouldn’t it be possible to push through my proposal here, even if it’s a bit far-fetched?

“Father, I actually have something to say about that.”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t have anyone in mind, but there is a woman who I’m a little concerned about. Could I possibly meet her just once?”

I tried to avoid encountering Sylvia, you, as much as possible in this world.

But as you said before, if you are still living such a miserable life even at this moment, I can’t just stand by and watch.

Please forgive me a little, as this is something I’m doing for you.

No, maybe even this is just a cowardly excuse for me to meet you.

＊＊＊

As expected, as soon as I finished speaking, the whole house was in an uproar.

It seems that she is still being called a witch even in this regressed world.

They told me to reconsider, saying that they could never see their son’s life ruined by getting entangled with a strange woman, and both my father and mother got angry.

To the point where even Hasel looked at me and said, ‘Are you crazy or something?’ while putting his finger next to his head and twirling it around, then disappeared.

But to put it simply, I won.

Even though it was a sudden thought, I wasn’t stupid enough to speak without preparing a way to persuade my father and mother, so I explained the justification for this as it came out of my mouth.

In fact, this was no different from reciting the reason why my father tried to make contact with the Eleanor family in the world before regression.

First of all, because it is a family that has produced an empress, if we make contact in this way, it will be useful someday.

Also, the Eleanor family is a family that has the mining rights to Bingjeongseok, a rare mineral belonging to a type of magic stone that is only produced in the northern region, so this was also because it would be useful.

In addition, I put in one more safety device early on.

It doesn’t mean that I’m going to marry her. I just want to see the face of a woman who is called a witch in the world.

“Kyle…! To think that you were thinking so deeply about our Lyaird family, this father is moved.”

Then my father’s reaction was extremely intense.

It seems that in my father’s mind, I was seen as a commendable son who thought about the revival of the Lyaird family more than anyone else, befitting the position of the next head of the family.

Perhaps even the act of going to meet Sylvia was seen as a kind of sacrifice to make contact with the Eleanor family, even at the risk of his own danger.

I actually aimed for that and said those words, but I was just dumbfounded because he was so easily fooled.

Anyway, thanks to that, I received permission from my father and set a schedule, and today, a week later, I was able to visit the Eleanor family.

“Young master, if that witch does anything strange, please shout. I’ll run right over.”

At the gate of the Eleanor family, which I finally arrived at, Alf, who became my guard and attendant, spat out his earnest request.

I’m just curious about what kind of existence Sylvia is in this guy’s head.

Is he imagining the evil witch who tries to achieve eternal life with the blood of young children, like in some novel?

“You’re being too dramatic.”

“You’re too calm, young master…! Do you know what the rumors about that witch are like in the world?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.”

From the beginning, I believe that rumors are not to be trusted, but in this case, I judged that it was even more worthless to listen to, so I turned my body coldly and moved my steps inside.

Come to think of it, is this the first time I’ve come here?

I had visited the Eleanor territory once right before I died, but I don’t remember ever setting foot in the castle.

“Thank you for visiting Kaintreche Castle. Are you Kyle Lyaird-gongja?”

“Yes.”

As I entered through the opened castle gate, as if telling me to come in quickly, a woman with a docile impression greeted me.

She’s probably a dedicated servant who is in charge of guiding guests when they come from outside. Our family has one too.

By the way, this castle’s name was Kaintreche Castle.

“Sylvia Agassi is waiting in the reception room. This way…”

Following the servant’s guidance, I was able to reach the front of the main building, crossing a very well-maintained garden.

It’s definitely a very beautiful garden, as Sylvia said.

Although I’m not very good at aesthetic sense, and I’m not very skilled at expressing it… At least, it’s definitely a well-maintained garden.

However, the fact that this is all the scenery that Sylvia is always looking at makes me feel a bit bitter.

“Agassi is waiting inside.”

“……”

Indeed, even the servants don’t want to be with the witch.

Usually, one of the servants would follow and attend to me, but the fact that she’s already away from the door and gesturing for me to go in is very uncomfortable.

But rather, it’s an opportunity to have a comfortable conversation alone, so I decided to think of it as a good thing and put my hand on the doorknob of the reception room.

My heart feels like it’s going to explode.

Sylvia, what kind of face do you have right now?

Maybe it’s the same expressionless face as when we first met.

It’s only natural since she’s been trapped in one place for over 15 years.

Maybe I’m the first person to even visit you.

But it’s okay. I’ll take you out of this cage.

Squeak.

“Excuse me. I’m Kyle from the Lyaird family…”

With that determination, I pulled the doorknob that I had been holding for a long time and stepped inside.

And then, as I was about to greet her normally, I felt my words get stuck and stared at the woman sitting in front of me with my eyes wide open.

There.

“Nice to meet you, Lyaird-gongja. I’m Sylvia from the Eleanor family.”

Unlike her usual self, who seemed to hate showing her skin and wore black as if painting her whole body, she was wearing a very daring outfit with a low-cut neckline.

The doll-like expressionless face from when we first met was nowhere to be seen, and Sylvia was smiling faintly and staring at me.

By the way, did I really come to the past?

Although women’s development is faster than men’s, it seems difficult to say that that’s a fifteen-year-old’s body no matter who looks at it.

Maybe it’s not the past but the future….

Udeuk.

In order to shake off the sudden unnecessary thoughts that came to mind, I bent my thumb in a direction it shouldn’t be bent and pinched the fat on my waist as hard as I could, so that it wouldn’t be visible in her sight.

Don’t have unnecessary thoughts about Sylvia, you ignorant bastard.