Chapter 123-2
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
No… I looked over her whole body many times, but there weren’t any traces of it.
Then what is it?
As I was having that kind of doubt, Ms. Elina grabbed Iris’s shoulder and brought her face close.
Clack!
” …You got it, didn’t you!?”
”Ah…uh…”
Even though she can’t see, Iris can tell where Ms. Elina is, so she glances in her direction.
I don’t know all the details, but probably Iris can’t lie to Ms. Elina.
No, is Ms. Elina just sensitive to lies?
Whatever it is, this situation is very bad.
Well then…I guess there’s no other choice.
At worst, I just have to hide Seria’s existence.
So I have her wait where she is, and I head towards Iris’s bed… and from behind them, in the shadows opposite the bed, I spoke.
”I’d like to join that conversation”
””!?””
Since Ms. Elina’s intuition would work on me even if I disguised myself, I decided to show my true form to avoid making a bad impression.
Both of them were surprised, but they reacted differently.
”Koji!”
”W-Who are you!?”
Iris shows a relieved expression, while Ms. Elina stands up, wary.
The two are surprised by each other’s reactions.
”Ah? D-Don’t worry, Mother! This person is…”
Iris is unsure how to explain my appearance, and Ms. Elina questions her.
”What do you mean ‘Don’t worry’? Could it be…this person is Aeris?”
”Uh…”
Iris seems unable to answer again, so I take over.
”My name is Koji. As you can imagine, I have the means to break the curse.”
”H!? It looks like it’s true.”
Is it a sensibility or skill… It seems that she can see through lies after all, and she doesn’t even check with Iris and believe Ms. Elina.
Seria actually has the power to break the curse, but at the moment, it also requires my power.
However, this way of saying this does not mean that you are lying is something that could be conceived as long as you don’t lie.
Once I understand that, I proceed.
”I’m sorry for intruding without permission, but I wanted to keep it a secret that I can deal with curses.”
”Well, I understand, but…Ah, I’m Elina Gavrett. I’m the wife of Viscount Gavrett who rules this land~”
If word got out that I can break the curse, it would surely become a bother.
Understanding this, she nodded in agreement to my words and, lightly, but with proper etiquette, she lifted the hem of her skirt and gave a curtsy.
”…”
Ms. Elina looked at me for a moment, and as if she had guessed the flow of the conversation, she questioned me.
”That…Did you touch Siera?”
”Well, yes.”
”!? So it is true…”
Iris then spoke up.
”Well, with her consent…”
”I understand. But a marriage between nobles isn’t just a personal matter, is it? Our family only has 2 daughters, so we have to take a son-in-law from somewhere. If one daughter gets married, the other must marry into the family connected to that marriage. That’s how we maintain ties between families…”
Well…I’ve only seen it in past-life stories, but it seems that’s how noble families function.
As for me personally, it’s none of my business, so I don’t intend to interfere.
Iris seems to understand this, and she listened quietly to Ms. Elina’s words.
Then…once Ms. Elina finished speaking, she sighed.
”Haa…Mr. Koji was it?”
”Yes.”
”That…about the payment…”
”Uh…”
Originally, the contract was for me to act as a bodyguard until I found a way to break the curse, but now it’s until I break the curse itself.
So, at least until Ms. Aeris’s curse is broken, the contract will continue, and as long as it’s ongoing, I’m entitled to receive her body as payment…So, it can’t be said to be paid.
Well, if I don’t like Iris anymore, then I’d be fine with that too.
So she turned to Iris to see how she should answer, and she nodded and answered the question.
”No, not yet. We promised that even after my sister’s curse is lifted, I would still be his partner.”
”Huh?”
Wait, was that the deal?
I was wondering about that, but when Ms. Elina heard it, she sighed again.
”Sigh… It seems to be true.”
”Huh?”
For some reason, Iris’s statement was accepted as fact.
In that case… If she genuinely believes it, maybe Ms. Elina won’t notice?
As I was thinking that, Ms. Elina turned to face me.
”Um, what about another woman? Honestly, now that you’re back, it would be troublesome if you got involved with Siera.”
”Hah. Well, from my side…”
We could just say the payment has already been settled.
Just as I was about to say that, Iris cut in.
”W-wait, Mother!? I was the one who made the contract, so I should be the one to fulfill the duty to the end!”
Ms. Elina shook her head at that statement.
”Considering the future, we can’t let that stand. That… No matter how much time you’ve spent together, if you’re too used to each other, people will suspect things when it’s time for your marriage, won’t they?”
Valuing family means valuing bloodlines, and for noble marriages, it’s usually better if people think it’s your first time.
It’s not like Iris doesn’t understand that, but she still tried to reject Ms. Elina’s suggestion.
”I-I get that, but… Koji wouldn’t just be okay with anyone, right!? Right!?”
Saying that, Iris looked at me.
Well, that statement itself is true, so I nodded.
”That’s true, but…”
”See! So I should…”
Before I could finish, Iris gave Ms. Elina a smug look, but Ms. Elina just shook her head at her again.
”Then how about we prepare a few candidates, and you can choose your favorite from among them?”
”No, he prefers someone who looks like me! That’s why he agreed to help in the first place!”
”Uh…”
Ms. Elina made a troubled face at Iris’s words.
It’s not that I only like Iris’s appearance… but I guess that wasn’t a lie either. It seems like her power might be able to trick me with just a bit of imagination.
Ms. Elina stands with her arms crossed, resting her chin in her hand, deep in thought, right in front of me.
Her posture made her breasts stand out… I couldn’t help but glance at them a little.
Then, Ms. Elina noticed my gaze and hesitated for a moment, but she seemed to make a decision and said to me.
”Um…how about me instead?”
””Hah!?””
Both Iris and I spoke at the same time in response to that statement.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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