Chapter 131

“Why? Is there anything good written in the letter?”

“Yes. There is a message asking if he can visit the mansion for a while in five days!”

“What is it, are you so happy he said that we barely met?”

“Of course I am happy. We haven’t seen each other since last winter. I missed him a lot . . . Oh, right.”

Rieta made a troubled expression for a moment as if she remembered something.

“Will the Duke allow Elisha to visit?”

“I don’t know.”

Noel responded that way, with full knowledge that his father had no objection to such a visit.

Because he wanted to see Rieta exert some effort for the visit.

“Ugh, what will I do if the Duke doesn’t allow it?”

“I can’t help it.”

Noel crossed his arms slightly and lifted his chin.

He had an expression that was pompous.

“If the Princess wants that much, I’ll go with you and ask for it. Hopefully he won’t turn down the Princess and mine’s request together.”

“Really? Are you going to come with me and ask?”

“Yes, of course.”

Today’s Rieta must have been in a really good mood.

When he sees that she doesn’t frown even though he did a bunch of condescending things.

“Yes, thank you so much Noel!”

Besides, she honestly said ‘thank you’.

As though that alone was not enough, she even hugged Noel.

Noel was very happy to receive such thanks.

It made him think that he should be better for Rieta in the future.

But contrary to his thoughts, completely different words came out of his mouth.

“Don’t get too close!”

“Why?”

“Because it’s hot. Aren’t you feeling stuffy?”

Even though he twisted his body, Rieta smiled bashfully and hugged Noel tightly.

“But thank you very much. Noel is my best friend!”

He secretly smiled again at the gentle compliment that came in his ear.

It was nice to have someone hug him like this.

It seemed like she valued Noel.

But he couldn’t say, ‘Thank you for hugging me.’ Instead, only slurred words came out.

“Your best friend has been kind to you, and yet you bother me like this.”

“It’s not bothering. Thank you so much!”

As Rieta said so, Noel playfully hugged her with both arms and hugged her tightly, very tightly.

It felt so good to be close to each other.

Of course, even though his mouth was crooked, he couldn’t say those words.

“Look! Hot! Don’t you feel like you’re going to die?! Now, you’re not bothering me?!”

Was it fun to hear him scream?

A giggle was heard near his shoulder.

Apparently, today’s Rieta was in a very good mood, so it seems that whatever he does, she just enjoys it.

Anyway, it’s simple.

Noel, who thought that way, is also in a good mood today, so he thought Rieta would be happy no matter what.

* * *

The Duke gladly allowed Elisha to visit.

Additionally, he added the generous words that Elisha would always be welcomed to make him feel welcome.

Rieta immediately wrote a reply with this news, so in the afternoon the postman came back and took Rieta’s letter.

So, on the next day . . .

When Noel went to visit Elisha, he found that he was bowing politely to the incoming Rieta’s letter.

It was as though he were facing a real Rieta.

Moreover, he knelt reverently the whole time he read the letter.

If anyone unfamiliar saw it, he would have thought he was a knight reading the king’s orders.

“It’s all thanks to the Lord.”

And Noel received thanks again this time.

Noel was expecting it, wondering if Elisha would also hug him tightly.

No, he was worried.

Elisha didn’t do such a thing.

Noel was a little sad. No, he was relieved.

Well . . . I don’t really like someone hugging me.

Apparently, because of Rieta, he began to enjoy strange things.

* * *

Noel hoped that Rieta’s happy mood would carry on until the ‘Promised Day’.

So he pretended to see his teacher every day, checking in to see if Elisha was okay.

On one occasion, the cadets who beat up Elisha talked to Noel.

“Lord, this guy is not worthy of Lord’s care.”

“Especially because his academic grades aren’t good enough, He barely avoided failing.”

That was a bit surprising, so Noel asked about his grades when he met Elisha.

“They are the ones who barely avoid failing, not me.”

Elisha denied their words, but in Noel’s eyes, it was almost like an affirmation.

Anyway, did that mean that his grades are bad?

“I have no choice. It is said that the ones with the best grades are selected for various events.”

“Then you don’t like that, so you purposely get things wrong?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I have no intention of showing my face at an event where the Princess was not even present.”

Besides if Elisha— a foreigner— was there, it probably wouldn’t sound too good.

“My grandfather used to say, a true knight must know when to take a stand and when to step back.”

Noel was a little impressed by these words.

He thought if he failed the exam in the future, he would say, ‘This was a test I had to back down’.

. . . Will it work?