"I see that you're still alive there!"
"It happened that I'm still of use."
General Herva? I've definitely heard– ah! I immediately nudged Captain Jullius' flank with my elbow.
"Isn't he Captain's guardian?"
"…, that's right."
Captain Jullius tremblingly replied. Was the relationship between Captain Jullius and his guardian not that good? Then again, I also wasn't that close with my guardian, the Prime Minister Mord. But it looks like General Herva is a good person though. Well, you know, Lord Prime Minister is very meticulous, strict, and uptight in comparison… I would be dead if he ever found out that I randomly got engaged without informing him.
General Herva who has done his greetings with Ortzen, approached us with a beaming smile on his face. From his outer appearance, he looked like a good person, but why was Captain Jullius giving off the feeling of wanting to run away? Or perhaps actually that uncle is very scary.
"Yoo-hoo! Our Captain of Special Task Squad! And also Miss Fiancee! Nice to meet you."
General Herva was laughing and then reached out his hand to me. Perhaps it's fine if I was still in my old self, but now I'm a noble lady and he's asking me to shake hands, this uncle is very unique. I shook my hand with his and slightly bowed to him.
"Nice to meet you, General Herva. I'm Silla Epheria."
"No need to be that polite, you can just call me 'uncle'. Miss Silla is my godson's fiancee after all!"
"Aren't you his guardian?"
"That's what the public knows. Well, you see, as I grow older, there're some jerks who will do a check on you. Because I don't have any children."
Oh, so that's how it is. Then again, General Herva's relatives would be discontent if they found out a godson suddenly appeared when he's supposed to be childless. Not only biological child and adoptive child, but a godson also has inheritance rights.
"Now, then…"
General Herva put his large hand onto one of Captain Jullius' shoulder. At the same time, Captain Jullius' pale grey eyes frowned.
"Today is a good day, so should we have a drink after a long time? Of course Miss Silla also coming toge–"
"Miss Epheria can't drink alcohol."
Captain Jullius cut his godfather's words and said firmly. He extended his hands out in front of me as if he's protecting me.
"I also dislike alcohol."
"So you meant to ask your godfather whom you haven't seen in a long time to drink by himself? Don't be like that, let's have a drink together! What fun is there to drink by oneself."
"No, I don't want to."
"Oho, you shouldn't just run away in front of your fiancee like that. Don't be like that, c'mo–"
(T/N: 어허 (oho) is an interjections used to express sudden realization and mild objection. Korean has lots of them, and the most common ones you might have heard before are such as 'aigoo', 'omona', 'jjang', etc)
"I also dislike it."
I voiced out my opinion all of a sudden, then General Herva's gaze turned towards me. At the same time, Captain Jullius panicked and this time he didn't only use his arms to protect me but he stood in front of me, using his whole body to block.
"Godfather, Miss Epheria–"
"Alcohol tastes bad."
I reached out my hands and wrapped them around Captain Jullius' neck then hung onto his back. I heard the sound of someone reprimanded me by shouting "Miss!" over there, but I chose to ignore it and leaned on Captain's shoulders then looked straight at General Herva.
"You shouldn't try to force us to consume something that doesn't taste good!"
General Herva was a bit surprised then he laughed again.
"It's because Young Miss doesn't know the true taste of alcohol yet."
"It truly tastes bad."
Although inside the church there's a rule that banned any consumption of alcohol beverages, but I had secretly drunk a little bit out of my curiousity. I took a sip and spit it right away.
"Captain, you also think it tastes bad, right?"
Hearing my words, Captain Jullius glanced his godfather before nodded his head.
"It does tastes bad."
"See! Captain Jullius also said it tastes bad!"
"What Miss Epheria said is right, alcohol tastes bad."
"There are tons of delicious things in the world, why did you try to make us eat something that doesn't delicious? Don't be like that Uncle Herva."
"Don't be like that, godfather. Besides–"
Captain Jullius hesitated for a moment then said.
"Godfather's drinking capacity is way too much."
Captain Jullius said with a tone that seemed to be resulted from suffering a painful experience after drinking with Uncle Herva in the past. I threw a reproof glare at Uncle Herva.
"Uncle, you shouldn't binge drinking. Drinking too much alcohol is harmful to your body. Captain Jullius is my fiancee, so even if uncle is his godfather, you shouldn't force him to drink."
Captain Jullius is mine. General Herva who blankly looked at the two of us, scratched the back of his head.
"Hoho. This is very… I thought this engagement was just another schemes of Ortzen to get the Count family, but… I guess it doesn't seem so."
That's right though. This is a political marriage.
"Miss Silla."
"Yes."
Uncle Herva looked at me with gentle eyes.
"I'll depend on you a lot from now onwards."
"I'll be in your care too, uncle."
Captain Jullius is an orphan, so Uncle Herva, his godfather, could be considered as my future father in law. General Herva apologized for coming empty handed and then left the avenue. Looking at his retreating back, Captain Jullius sighed in relief.
"I think he's a good person."
"…, that's true but, he's a bit stubborn."
"Did you have a hard time facing him?"
"Yes."
He honestly nodded. However, since Captain Jullius has a mild personality so it's inevitable that their personality didn't match. I need to protect him well. I stared at my future father in-law who was having a conversation with Ortzen for a moment, before I came down from Captain Jullius' back. As soon as my feet stepped on the ground, Sofia who has been glaring at me, immediately approached me and started nagging in a low voice.
"Miss! You shouldn't hang onto someone else's back!"
"He isn't just anyone. He's my fiancee."
"Even if he's not your fiancee but your husband, you shouldn't do that in front of everyone else!"
…, living as a noble lady is truly difficult. Seeing that Sofia looked like she would keep nagging for a while, I quickly clung to Captain Jullius' side. Save me!
"Sofia is bothering me."
"Miss!"
Why? At times like this, as my fiancee it's only right for him to protect me. Captain Jullius was flustered and looked at me and Sofia alternately, then he held me into his embrace.
"Don't disturb my fiancee."
"That, It's not like that…"
Sofia suddenly shrank back and bowed her head. Oh well, most ordinary women had a hard time when facing Captain Jullius. She avoided Captain Jullius' gaze and held her hands tightly.
"…, My Lord, I think you shouldn't indulge Miss' childish behavior. Now that you are already engaged to each other, you need to pay more attention to your behavior in public."
"But, she said she doesn't like it."
"Even if she doesn't like it, what should be done, have to be done."
Although Sofia didn't dare to meet Captain Jullius' gaze directly, but she still resolutely expressed her opinion. Emm, I feel a bit anxious. Actually, what she said isn't wrong. I whispered to Captain Jullius as I hugged his neck.
"Captain won't abandon me, right?"
"I won't."
"Then, let's go over there, hurry up!"
As I pointed at the long table where many colorful cupcakes were neatly stacked, Captain Jullius started to head there. Sofia tried to follow us but after a few steps she finally gave up and just let out a long sigh in the end. I felt a bit guilty, but at least she should overlook my misbehavior while we're still inside the Special Task Squad's headquarters.
As we're approaching the long table, the people who have gathered there first furtively dispersed. Captain picked up a cupcake and gave it to me.
"Miss Epheria."
"Yes?"
This cupcake is delicious. Was this made by Miss Ira?
"Would you mind if I also call you by your name like my godfather?"
"That–"
At first I wanted to give my consent, but in the end I just shut my mouth. It's because actually I'm not Silla. When we met with the High Priest tomorrow, Captain Jullius would know that I'm Roel. Ugh, after much thought, it meant that I have deceived him. But, the Silla who Captain Jullius knew had always been me since the beginning, and it would never change, so it should be alright.
"Not now. Tomorrow after we go to the church, you can call me by my name."
Perhaps when the time comes, I might not be Silla anymore.