Chapter 43

✿

I couldn’t hide my embarrassment at Seian’s apology.

What kind of nonsense is this? Besides, there’s no reason for him to apologize.

Rather, I’m the one who should apologize. I tried to calm my bewildered heart and spoke.

“What do you mean?”

Fortunately, my voice came out calm.

At what I said, Seian seemed to be hesitating for a while and opened his lips with a lost expression.

“…I was so excited to see you that I came here without thinking.”

I felt like I had been hit in the head with those words.

“Erita, I didn’t think that it might be a burden to you. It’s only natural that you don’t know me too…”

But unlike me, Seian really seemed to think so. He smiled awkwardly and continued to talk as if he had given up.

“I’m ashamed of myself because I brought a gift without thinking. I’m sorry.”

“Marquis…”

Seian tried to raise the corners of his lips at my call.

“I won’t come here so recklessly from now on. But please let me see you from time to time.”

He had a wide smile on his face as he said that, but that made him look more pathetic.

Suddenly, I thought that I would like to turn back time to this morning. I promise to treat him a little nicer from the beginning.

‘Because I need so much preparation to deal with my family.’

He must have had as much courage to meet me as I did. I bit my lip in the rush of regret.

“But it was so nice to see you like this today.”

“…”

“I think I talked too much about myself. Thank you for showing me around. Should we go back now?”

Even the words he added showed Seian’s kind personality.

Thinking that he seemed to be soft-hearted, he was an adult who knew how to be considerate of others.

Rather, it was me who was afraid…

If I pretended not to know that Seian has taken a step back, I wouldn’t have to try to build a new relationship.

“…Marquis.”

But I chose to approach him as much as the step he took back.

Seian blinked slowly at my call.

I opened my mouth without giving him time to answer.

“I’m sorry.”

Let’s also start with an apology. The words I was choosing earlier are after that.

“I didn’t think much.”

“No, it’s not. Why did you apologize? Was it because of what I said? That’s not what I meant.”

It was Seian who was embarrassed this time, as if his position had changed from earlier.

He hurriedly defended his apology with a look of helplessness on his face.

‘Yeah. I should have done this earlier.’

“I really meant to say that….”

“Marquis…” I called him and continued speaking in an anxious tone.

At my call, he stopped talking in an instant and looked at me.

“I have one request that only the Marquis could grant. May I ask you a favor?”

When asked with a slight smile, Seian, who seemed impatient, quickly nodded.

“I’ll listen to anything. But I don’t know what I could do for you, but…”

At first, his words, which were spoken in a clear tone, became smaller towards the end.

I think it’s probably because I received the gifts he gave earlier.

“Don’t worry. It’s really something only the Marquis could do.”

With my guarantee, Seian became even more puzzled.

“Would you come to see me three more times?”

I leaned slightly towards him and asked for ‘one thing‘ with a smile.

‘Please, I’m asking you to meet me just three more times.’

Seian slowly blinked his eyes at those words. It seemed that the intent of my words was possible.

“I have never met any other family members except for my father and my brother, so I think I was too bad at dealing with the Marquis.” Erita continued to speak.

“So, I hope we can meet three more times in the future.”

Maybe in the meantime, I think that I’d be able to get closer to the Marquis.

I was embarrassed by what I’m asking of him, so I added a few and straightened my back when I finished speaking.

‘If Seian refuses, there’s nothing I can do… But I hope he will accept it though.’

If he accepts, then it was my turn to try.

If it’s awkward, we can meet several times, and if we’re still not comfortable with each other, we can build it up.

While waiting for Seian’s answer, my lips dried up for no reason.

“…Three more times.”

I heard Seian’s voice muttering.

“Yes, three times. I’ll call Marquis until then.”

I repeated what I said earlier one more time so as not to miss anything. If we meet three more times, maybe I will be able to call him uncle.

It was when I was thinking that and smiling. For some reason, Seian’s pathetic voice could be heard.

“After that, will we not see each other again?”

“Yes?”

‘What did I just hear?’

Seian put on a sad expression so he couldn’t see my bewildered expression.

No, what on earth are you saying? And why are you making that sad face?

“Did you hate it when I said that we could get close if we met three more times?” I recalled the words I had said.

But there’s nothing more to say as I stare at Seian’s sad face.

“The fact that you called me Marquis only three times, that you pretended you didn’t know even if you met me after that…”

Seian continued his words and turned his head as if his throat was choked.

His red teary eyes couldn’t be so pathetic.

It was a look that made even those who saw it feel sad.

‘…How could my words mean that?’

Except for me, who was at a loss for words in the absurdity of this situation.

✿

Seian betrayed his will and pressed down on the corners of his dry eyes.

‘In front of me was a pretty and sweet nephew who looked just like my older sister.’

When I first saw her, I shed tears, but I can’t believe I’d shown her that again.

She’s my nephew who I may only see three times in the future.

‘I didn’t want to look this ugly anymore.’

Seian thought to himself.

“I should have listened to Jason when I first brought the presents.”

I should have listened to him saying that suddenly giving so many presents would be a burden.

This was how the price of ignoring the words came from excitement.

I didn’t know that Erita’s expression of gratitude was not good.

Still, I liked just seeing her face, pretending not to notice, and stayed after the meal.

If I had known that I would meet her only three more times, I would have left right after eating.

No, if I had known this would have happened, I would have closed my eyes of my guilt for a moment and returned to the Empire nine years ago.

It was then…

“Marquis.”

With a sigh, Erita called out to Seian. Seian trembled at the neat call.

He rubbed the corners of his eyes to get rid of the remaining tears and hurriedly turned his head.

Then he saw pretty purple eyes looking up at him.

“What if you think it’s pathetic? I was wrong, but I don’t want you to hate me anymore.”

“Wipe it with this handkerchief here. The skin around the eyes is fragile, so rubbing it like that may hurt it.”

However, Erita’s calm voice sounded sweet, and a blue handkerchief was held in his fine hands.

“Hurry up.”

At Erita’s urging, Seian accepted the handkerchief with a bewildered gesture.

The soft navy handkerchief had poor embroidery.

Presumably, it was like an embroidery that Erita made herself.

“Marquis.”

Seian, who was staring at the handkerchief, took his eyes off the blue cloth at the call.

“I didn’t mean to say we shouldn’t meet in the future.”

At Erita’s next words, his eyes widened.

Then Erita let out a small sigh, and then she smiled softly and added an explanation.

“Seeing you three more times in the future meant giving me time to get close to the Marquis.”

“…Time to get close?”

A thought suddenly occurred in Seian’s head.

“Yes, a time to get close. After that, I think I’ll be able to call you my uncle at that time.”

Seian, who had a blank expression for a moment at Erita’s kind words, then smiled brightly with a teary face.

✿

Seian, who smiled brightly at my words, eventually burst into tears again.

However, I waited calmly next to him because I had a stake in the cause of his tears.

Fortunately, Seian stopped crying after a while. He rubbed his eyes with his white hand again.

It seemed unfortunate that he didn’t even intend to use the handkerchief I handed him, but I didn’t say anything and only conveyed my concerns.

“Your eyes are swollen. Should I tell them to prepare ice?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Don’t worry, it will subside soon.”

Seian, who was walking slowly, responded with a cracked voice and let out an awkward smile.

The fact that he cried in front of his nephew seemed embarrassing.

‘In that case, it was a wind of tears from the first meeting.’

After that, we talked calmly and moved to the center of the greenhouse.

“Father, brother. I’m back.”

“Yeah. I’ve been here for quite a while longer than I thought…”

It was when I arrived at the table where the two were seated and greeted them.

Fever slowly swept Seian’s face as father replied with a smile.

Seian’s reddish eyes were those of someone who had just cried.

“…”

Aaron’s gaze, smiling that seemed to be unstoppable, turned to me.

“I didn’t make him cry.”

I responded with a grumpy heart for no reason.

“Haha! The flowers are so pretty, that’s all…”

At that, Seian, who was standing next to me, smiled awkwardly and affirmed.

Of course, it was more positive than not doing anything.

“Who said something? I know you cry a lot.”

“That’s true.”

At my father’s words, Aaron tilted his head and sympathized.

At the words of the two, Seian laughed and did not deny it.

‘I know that I cry a lot too.’

I glanced at Seian smiling softly and sat down.

Somehow, I thought that I could really deal with Seian comfortably now.