"I didn't mean to make you cry."
Eustaf said while he carefully wipes away the tears that falls like pearls.
He thought it was a good enough condition. There is no more favorable condition than this.
Ran said with a whimper.
"I'm really nothing?"
The wiping finger slowly stopped right away. Without noticing that, Ran looked up and asked Eustaf.
"Didn't I really mean anything to you?"
Can't you open up a little bit? Didn't we get closer?
"Noonim."
Eustaf called Ran in a quiet voice.
"I'm giving you a chance."
"....."
The confusion on her eyes is so obvious that Eustaf laughed helplessly.
"I'm giving you a chance to run away from me and Lazia."
'Huh...?'
He chuckled.
"If you run away now, I won't catch you. I won't even look for you. You can go wherever you want."
Ran opened her mouth to speak but words doesn't come out. I can't understand what Eustaf was saying right now.
Running away from Lazia?
Run away from Eustaf?
"What? Why...?"
There was a lot of muttering words on its own. Eustaf bent down and looked deep into her eyes.
"Or I'll eat Noonim."
A smile broke around his mouth.
"Please drop that creepy smile."
For a moment, my head was empty.
Ran doesn't properly understand what he was saying. No, it was received, but it wasn't interpreted.
If you connect the words before and after-
Looking at Ran with her mouth wide open, Eustaf keep staring at her.
"I'm proposing to Noonim."
"Lies"
Words popped out of Ran's mouth. But Eustaf only answered politely, "No."
Rolling her head as fast as she could, Ran replied,
"But, Eus, I really don't need anything. Just because I'm not here, there won't be anything that the vassals are not loyal, to do. Of course, trade with the Elves and the Dwarves would be a little difficult, but it wouldn't hurt the finances that much-"
"It's not that."
Eustaf interrupted her in the middle. Ran looked at him with her mouth wide open again.
"What do you mean?"
"I think I said it wrong. What I mean is, I like Noonim."
Ran's mouth opened wider.
"L-Lies!"
Her voice grew louder. Eustaf sighed helplessly.
"You may refuse, and you may leave. But please don't deny my feelings by interpreting them in your own will."
Ran's green eyes shook wildly. I couldn't believe Eustaf's confession.
Why!?
Eustaf like me!?
Why!? How!?
"But, but Eus. think about it. We're siblings."
"Brothers and sisters in the family register, yes but it will be removed from the family register, so it won't be long."
"But there was a time like that... and then what would people think?"
"People who curse will curse no matter what we do. Those are the people who ridiculously laughed at Noonim for not having a Lazia's blood and just acting as a head."
Ran's face turned red.
"And what about the vassals?"
"They won't matter."
They proved her abilities, and if she caught it, she caught it, and there would be no objection.
"I...I-I don't know."
I couldn't believe it at all, Ran muttered.
After she mumbled, the hallway quieted. The sound of the banquet hall was so far, which soothed Ran's heart.
Ran looked up and asked.
"What if I refuse your confession?"
"Then I can't help it."
"What if I refuse and want to still stay in Lazia?"
Eustaf smiled faintly.
"Then I'll give you a title."
"Huh?"
"And you'll suffer from my courtship."
"Huh?"
"That can't be helped."
Eustaf said so and pushed his hand out. Ran held the hand with a blank face, and Eustaf bent down and kissed the inside of her arm.
The stinging pain scratched Ran's arm out and Eustaf said, letting go of her arm.
"Just in case you think it's a dream."
Under the dim light of the hallway, Ran could see the kiss bite mark carved on her arm. Her face turned red.
"Eustaf!"
When she exclaimed in surprise, Eustaf chuckled with a rare sound. And he breathed out a long breath and said, "Please decide within two days."
Ran wrapped her arm tightly around her other hand and held it tightly.
"Alright."
Ran nodded and Eustaf asked.
"Would you like to return to the banquet hall? Or..." She said, raising her arms.
"How do I get around with these marks?"
Eustaf grinned naughtily.
"I'll send Dimodia to you."
And he went back to the light of the banquet hall. Ran stood blankly in the hallway and stumbled and leaned against the wall.
There was no sense of reality at all.
Maybe she had a dream because she drank too much. No, what do you mean, you have such a real dream?
"Are you alright?"
Ran almost jumped out. Lumiere said with worry on his face.
"I didn't mean to surprise you."
"Oh, Lumiere..."
Ran shook her head while staring blankly at him.
"Sorry, how long has it been since... pick a food for me?"
"It hasn't been that long."
"Alright..."
"I think it was enough time to get a confession."
Lumiere's words seemed to heat up Ran.
"Did...did you see it?"
"By chance."
Ran let out a small sound of embarrassment.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't unsee it, so I came to watched."
Ran shook her hand at Lumiere's apology.
"No, it's nothing...you don't need to apologize..."
Lumiere bit his lips lightly and asked.
"What are you going to do?"
"Huh?"
"The confession of Master Eustaf's."
"....."
What should I do?
Ran pressed the heated cheek against the back of her hand. As expected, there is no sense of reality.
'Eustaf likes me?'
Thinking about it, I think my fever return and has gone up again.
'Why?'
Why does a perfect guy like him who doesn't miss anything...?
Besides, there was no indication of such a thing....
At that moment, Eustaf's skinship quickly passed through her memory and Ran leaned against the wall, leaning her body.
'Oh, that was crazy! Are you crazy? Am I crazy?'
I think I'm a little weird!!!!
Lumiere panicked when he saw Ran twisting her body.
"Master, are you alright?"
"Huh? Uh-huh. No, I'm not okay."
"Lady?"
At that time, Dimodia appeared, casting a long shadow in the hallway. Ran said, feeling somehow relaxed.
"Dimodia..."
Somehow, the sound of cry came out. Dimodia was surprised and came quickly.
"Are you okay? Did you say you're not feeling well? The young master wants me to go see you--"
Ran sighed heavily.
"I can't return to the banquet hall."
At her words, Dimodia looked at Ran's face and was surprised at her swollen eyes.
"You cried! Your face – let's go back your room."
Dimodia climbed the back stairs and headed to a nearby room.
The air in the room was cold, but as Dimodia moved diligently to make a fire and turn on the lamp, it quickly became warm.
Dimodia pulled the rope to bring warm water and towels to the maid and asked.
"What's the matter?"
Ran said without realizing it.
"Eustaf confessed."
"Oh."
Dimodia's short retort
Ran with her eyes wide open said, "Eustaf proposed to me!"
"Oh, did you accept?"
"...."
When Ran couldn't answer back and looked at her blankly, Dimodia said with a smile.
"He's in a hurry, too. I didn't expect him to propose now."
"Did you know?!"
Words popped out of Ran's like a shriek. When the other maids returned with warm water and towels, and the two of them quieted.
When the maid stepped out, Dimodia squeezed a towel soaked in warm water and said.
"Now, let me see. Your makeup is almost gone."
When she carefully began to wipe her face with a towel, Ran picked it and burst into tears.
"Lady..."
Surprised, Dimodia muttered and sat side by side next to Ran.
"Are you okay? Do you hate it so much?"
Then her eyes sparkled.
"Did he happen to force you to do something? Forced or threatened..."
"No."
Ran shook her head.
"No, I don't know."
Dimodia spoke seriously at the murmur.
"If you're worried about how to say no, you don't have to think about it. I'll help you leave right away."
"Of course."
Lumiere, who was standing like a shadow at the corner, felt weirded out.
Ran looked at Lumiere and Dimodia. Somehow, she felt herself calming down.
I didn't even know why I cried.
"No, it's not like that, it's just that my feelings are too jumbled."
She said so and breathed out a long breath. Dimodia held Ran's hand tightly and continue to wipe her face with a towel again.
As I closed my eyes, my heart seemed to soften.
"I don't hate Eus."
How could I hate Eustaf?
"But I don't know... Going out with Eustaf?"
After talking about it, it came to me more clearly the sense of reality.
Dating.
Me, dating?
Me and Eustaf!
Eustaf likes me!
She kept her lips closed, and Ran said as if she was organizing her thoughts again.
"But Eustaf could change his mind."
If Sina shows up, he may regret choosing me.
"So, you're saying it's okay if it's not?"
When asked by Dimodia, Ran flinched and said, "I don't know how I feel."
Dimodia said carefully about the words.
"I want you to stay."
Ran opened her eyes.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"However, Eus and I were brother and sister – by way of..."
Listening to her words Dimodia retorted,
"Nobody thought you and young master were siblings from the very beginning."
"Really?"
"But you only do. And what if ..."
Dimodia said while pondering.
"It's a home, and if you were an ordinary noble lady, not like you are now, everyone would say, "When you become a head, everyone would gather their mouths and dig you out of your family register. I will never give you the name of Lazia."
Ran looked up and said,
"That's so."
No one would have recognized me as Lazia.
"So, I did cover my eyes-but it's actually all thanks to the blue flame."
"That's right."
If it weren't for the acknowledgment of Blue flame, Ran would never have been a patriarch even if she stood on her hands.
Dimodia said, her arm resting on the sofa's back.
"So, I don't know what you did, but on the contrary, if you get rejected by Blue flame."
"I'm really being kicked out."
Dimodia grinned.
"Don't you like it?"
"Not really."
Ran closed her eyes and opened them. She looked at Dimodia and said,
"If what Dimodia says is true, let's stay."
If people don't hate it.
"Do you want me to tell you how to know?"
"How?"
Ran looked up and Dimodia's eyes glistened.
***
After the New Year's party, a meeting was held on the evening of the second day.
Ran's face no longer looked like crying. Soda, Kara, and Dimodia used their strength to create a Ran.
- Last night's confession was a dream, wasn't it?
Ran thought so, and then Soda said, "Oh? You must have been bitten by a bug in your arm." I felt like my whole body was burning.
'It's not a dream.'
Eustaf, who came to escort her to the conference room, looked at Ran for a long time and kissed her silk gloves.
"You're still beautiful."
Ran replied, feeling her face turning red.
"Thank you."
Eustaf smiled lightly.
"What? Why are you laughing?"
Even more embarrassed, her voice came out sharp. Eustaf said in a relaxed voice.
"Now I feel like you recognize me as a man, so thank you for that."
Ran didn't answer and just turned her head. But her hand steadily rose on Eustaf's arm, and he began to walk.
Resisting his desire to hear an answer immediately, Eustaf headed to the conference room.
You can't push her yet.
I promised her that.
Until she makes a decision.
He took a deep breath and went into the conference room. Ran felt a sense of foresight.
Everyone was gathered like this even when she declared that she would succeed as a Head. It's just that Baron Lindbergh wasn't there now.
The uncle's trend was often told, but it almost seemed to be two doors away from the house.
Ran gave everyone a smile. Then she sat down, and Eustaf stood and talked.
"I'm here to officially announce that I've become the Head. As you already know."
"May the blue flame bless you."
Everyone greeted in one voice, and Eustaf answered after hitting his head.
"May the flame be blessed."
He knocked lightly on the table and continued.
"And the first thing I'm going to say is that I'm removing Ran Romia de Lazia from the Family Registry of Lazia."
At that moment, the vassals swallowed their breath and looked at Ran and Eustaf.