If you don’t love me, I will die. - Chapter 72

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Ania and Viola had already been sitting in the car for over two hours.

Because of that, I kept pacing back and forth at the main gate, nibbling at my thumbnail incessantly.

It was a habit I had long ago, even before I became Edward Radner.
I always did it when I felt anxious.

So, to put it simply, I was terrified that they might end up fighting for no reason and drifting apart.

That was something I really wanted to avoid.

With Ania abandoning her family, any potential business confrontation with the Brontë family was now out of the question.
Initially, it didn’t seem like a big problem not to form business ties with a declining family, but it still felt awkward nonetheless.

The Empire’s gossipmongers had already discovered that Ania had visited the Radner estate and spread the news throughout social circles.

The social circle was like a cauldron of alchemy.
Any rumor that went in would come out completely transformed.

Thanks to that, Ania was currently the hottest gossip.

After the rumor that Ania Brontë had forsaken her father and attached herself to the wealthy Edward Radner spread like wildfire, it became a fact.

So, it was awkward.

Most people looked at me skeptically about the absurd rumors, and a few bold individuals asked about the truth.

I cut off contact with those who asked for the truth.
Curiosity tends to be dangerous.

Moreover, staying hidden in the estate for a week without showing myself would have fueled the rumors further.

Ridiculous rumors would have surely piled up like Edward Radner having taken Ania Brontë as his mistress or Ania having cast some enchantment on Edward Radner.

So, how wonderful it would be if they could let it go quietly this time.

But still, aren’t they parent and child?

At the very least, isn’t it true that Mother passed away at a young age, and Father either treated himself as non-existent… Such tragic events did occur.

Lorendel sighed, glanced up at the sky, and, after emitting a soft whimper, looked at me as if I were insane. Then, she mustered up the courage to take a step forward.

“My Lord, please go inside and wait.”
“I refuse.”

Could I really stay comfortably in the room?
It would only add to my worries instead.

“We don’t know when they’ll be done, so please rest while you can.”
“They’ll be back soon.”
“It’s natural for parent-child quarrels to drag on.”
“What do you know?”
“A lot more than you think.”

Lorendel spoke, lips pursed.

“Although I may be the Viscount’s secretary and servant, I’ve lived five years longer than My Lord.”
“Congratulations.”
“It will surely work out. No matter how much they hate each other, they’re still family.”
“You’re telling me of all people? My father was imprisoned, and my step-brother tried to kill me.”
“You’re a bit of a special case…”
“Don’t talk if you can’t say anything helpful.”

At that moment, the distant sound of an engine reached us.
A car was slowly making its way up the hill below the mansion.

“Ania!”

As the car arrived, I rushed forward in a single stride.
The door opened, and Ania stepped out, followed by Viola.

Ania’s eyes were reddened.

I wanted to ask what had happened, but my steps faltered.
It didn’t seem good.

However, something surprising happened after.
Ania, who had hurriedly approached, tightly held Viola’s hand, leading her towards the mansion.

“Ania?”
“I’ll tell you later.”

I couldn’t figure out exactly what had happened.

Lorendel approached slowly from the side, nudged me with her elbow, and said, “See? I told you it would work out.”

***

Since then, Ania and Viola have become surprisingly close.

Their conversations, seemingly eager to catch up on the time lost, ended late into the night, and the light in one of the mansion’s rooms remained on until the early morning hours.
Perhaps it was because they hadn’t seen each other for a long time.

“You two are sleeping well,” I remarked, finding them holding hands while peacefully asleep in bed as I visited their room in the morning.

I smiled softly at their sight.

I still couldn’t understand how their relationship had suddenly improved or what they had talked about in the car, but if things were going well, then it was a good thing.

I shifted my gaze slowly to the calendar in the room.
Only two days remained of the week I had set aside.

Originally meant for Ania and me alone, I didn’t mind conceding this time to Viola.
After all, there would be plenty of time for us later.

It had been too long of a tale, but finally, the woman who had become a mother and the girl who had longed for a mother’s love for twenty years had understood each other.

And there was a debt I owed to Viola as well.

Without teaching me the knowledge of this world, I wouldn’t have been able to rise from the pit I found myself in long ago, nor could I have provided this magnificent mansion and beautiful gardens for Ania.

I descended slowly to the dining room, said my prayers, and began my meal.

“What about Miss Ania?” Lorendel asked.

“She’s resting alone today.”
“…Did they fight again?”
“No.”

She narrowed her eyes at me as I took a bite of meat.

“Really?”
“Yeah. Ania seems to have gone through quite a bit, so let her rest.”

With a slight smile, Lorendel finally chuckled.

“Thank goodness.”
“Yeah. It’s a fortunate thing.”

As I paused cutting the goat meat with my knife, I called out to Lorendel, who was about to leave the dining room.

“Lorendel.”
“Yes, My Lord?”
“Have the carriage prepared.”
“Where are you going?”
“Routine inspection.”
“What? You said you’d be resting for a week.”
“It’s about time I get back to work.”

Indeed, I had rested enough in these few days.

I had never taken more than three days off since founding the company, and I had never had such a comfortable time spending it entirely with my beloved woman.

That alone was enough.

“Oh, and this, give it to Ania when she wakes up.”

I handed a letter to the servants.

It was a letter urging them not to wait for me during the next week, as I would be pretty busy, and to spend time with Viola instead.

As I was about to rise after finishing the meal, Lorendel tapped her forehead and retrieved something from her pocket.

“Oh, I almost forgot, My Lord. Yesterday, the Southeast Tower’s Master sent a letter.”
“Aria?”
“Yes. It seems to be a response to the letter you sent before.”

It was a question about the magic that could read memories.

Using magic to read and manipulate memories was prohibited, but using it on oneself was not illegal if the individual consented to it.

I unfolded the letter to read.

It was about secretly inviting a memory-reading mage.
There was also a request to come as soon as possible.

“I’ve had a good meal.”

After finishing the meal, I rose from my seat.
If I had to hurry to the Southeast Tower, then so be it.

“Lorendel, is the carriage ready?”
“It’s waiting in front of the main gate.”
“We’re heading to the Tower.”

The inspection could wait for later.

I changed into different clothes and sprayed some perfume before entering the carriage.

As Lorendel talked to the carriage driver, I sank into deep thought.

Memories.
Something inherent to humans.

But in my case, it was a bit different.

My mind was entirely mine, but my body wasn’t.
Then, were the memories from this body gone?
If not, were they dormant within me?
If the memories were within me, I could find out.

The promise Ania and I made while watching the meteor shower from the hills of the Brontë estate.

Would something change if I found out about that promise?

Could I claim to be the man Ania originally loved?

My head was filled with conjectures.
And my body was tired as well.

I couldn’t relax because the troublemaking daughter and the wayward mother were causing a ruckus in the mansion.

As I buried myself in the sheets, sleep quickly overtook me.

I had a dream.

Meteor showers falling from the sky.
Stars twinkle with a blue light, while stars floating in between embroidered the sky.

Young Ania looked at me.
And I looked back at her.

As we looked at each other, we exchanged a small smile and said softly,

“Forever…”

Upon hearing those words, I suddenly woke up from my sleep.