I asked them again and again but received the same answer.
Ha.
When it came to Rubica, nothing was easy. What was he supposed to do now? The only thing he could do was to sigh while events he couldn’t control kept happening.
What if Rubica found Arman before he did?
The light that appeared on her face as she talked about Arman was something Edgar would never be able to conjure. The little bird he loved and cherished would then fly away. He was trying his best to be kind like Arman, but she just kept asking if he had eaten something wrong.
Edgar anxiously tapped the table with his fingers, and Carl flinched at seeing that.
Um, Your Grace…
What?
Isn’t Arman in your name as well?
Edgar glared at him with enough strength that could kill a man.
Yes, that annoying name is in my long, long name. My name is practically a dictionary of all kinds of ranks and my ancestors’ names.
The royals in the Kingdom of Seritos had a short last name: Seritos.
However, the names of its nobles were extremely long as they had their families’ history. Very few could memorize Edgar’s long name, and even a few Duke Claymores had failed to memorize their own names. Of course, Edgar wasn’t one of them.
It’s just, um.
If you have something to say, say it.
Edgar would have no patience with anything that had to do with Arman, so he yelled forcing Carl to say what he had been thinking.
That Arman Her Grace talked about, isn’t he a lot like you, except that he is blind?
What?
You just tapped the table out of habit. When I first heard about it, I even wondered if she described you because she didn’t want to talk about Arman. Haven’t you felt that?
Edgar hadn’t had the luxury of thinking about such things. When Rubica talked about Arman, he just got really, really irritated to know she remembered every little detail about him.
What kind of woman remembered even little habits of a man who wasn’t her husband? Edgar had never cared about others’ habits, except for Rubica’s.
Yes, apart from the fact that he’s blind, his taste, his preference, they’re all so similar to yours. Haven’t you noticed?
…
Edgar didn’t say anything. Then, he started to recall what Rubica had said about Arman, and his eyes started to get bigger. Carl was right. Arman and he had too many things in common.
Maybe the colors of Arman’s eyes and hair, which Rubica didn’t want to tell him, were the same as his.
He is really similar to me.
Yes, Your Grace.
Carl could now see hope.
Maybe, maybe…
Then you’re saying she might like me just as she liked him?
However, what Edgar said wasn’t what Carl had intended at all.
Sadly, the greatest genius in the kingdom was a fool when it came to Rubica.
Your Grace! That’s not what matters now!
Carl couldn’t take it anymore and yelled, but Edgar only yelled back.
Then what can be more important than that?
Carl hit his chest. Oh, his master was a fool, a fool in love.
There’s a huge possibility that Arman is actually you.
What?
If Edgar had felt like someone was piercing his forehead with an awl, now he felt like someone had just struck him with a huge nailed club. He simply couldn’t understand what Carl was saying.
That can’t be possible. Don’t you remember how she reacted when we met for the first time? She couldn’t even recognize me and even tried to run away to not marry me.
Yes, yes, but do you remember why you asked her hand in marriage? Her name was written on the note that replaced your ring. This has been mysterious and strange since the very beginning. We cannot understand it with our common sense.
That’s, that’s…
Too many possibilities came up at once, and Edgar couldn’t say anything.
Maybe, just maybe it is possible that you met her out of coincidence in the distant future, fall in love with her, and send her back to this time with the ring when she falls in danger… do you remember the day you first met her? It was the day it happened.
Moreover, she had been 22 years old then just like him. Edgar moaned at the sudden discovery.
But it makes no sense.
Everything about that ring cannot be explained with normal logic.
She, she doesn’t seem to know anything about it. Plus, she has no ring.
Maybe it disappeared after being used once.
Edgar couldn’t breathe with his heart pounding.
The sad expression she made every time she thought of Arman. She truly loved him.
Oh, Edgar had been so jealous. He was sure that he would have loved her so much that she wouldn’t even dream of seeing another man if only he met her sooner.
However, their relationship didn’t happen as he wanted, and she was already in love by the time he got to know her.
Oh, if he was Arman, he would die in happiness.
But no. I am Arman? That’s just impossible.
Your Grace, please think about it. I think it is very likely.
Carl! Do you think I’m an idiot who can’t even confess my love to the woman I admire?
Carl didn’t say anything to that for a moment. He wondered if he was supposed to say what his master wanted to hear or tell him the truth, even if it would get him hurt.
He remembered what happened about Rubica’s breakfast only a day ago and decided to confess the truth, putting aside his most important virtue of ‘protecting the duke no matter what’.
But you are not confessing your love to her even now.
Shut up! It’s only because she’s in love with someone else!
Edgar turned red, and Carl opened his mouth and then closed it again. It was really hard to keep pace with the duke when it came to Rubica.
I’m not a fool who would confess my love without much thinking.
‘Yes, but you are a fool for a different reason.’
Let us say she likes me and shows it. Do you think I wouldn’t do anything even then?
Well, um, of course not.
Edgar had always been impatient, so it was rather strange that he was being patient with Rubica and making plans.
‘Actually, that is why I don’t know if you would hold it or not when she shows that she likes you… your reactions when it comes to her are just too unpredictable.’
Rubica isn’t the type of person who can hide her feelings. She is kind-hearted and nice, but she will say what she has to say.
Yes, that is an undeniable truth.
If I had been Arman, I would have definitely confessed my love. I wouldn’t be content with giving her some flowers. There’s no way that Arman is me. I’m not that stupid.
Okay. I was wrong about it.
Carl thought Edgar was assessing Arman a little too harshly since he wasn’t that bad and stupid. Even in Edgar’s description, the man was good.
‘But he is his rival in love.’
Edgar had always been cold in everything, and Carl hadn’t known he would change so much.
But Your Grace, then why was the note with Her Grace’s name in that box?
Edgar went silent for a long time. Then, he moaned.
Do you remember what that sly old man told me with a smile?
Oh, you mean the king?
Yes.
-Edgar! What are you going to do when you fall in love in the future?
At that time, Edgar had wished to wash his ears. He wanted to yell to the king that he was too old to have his eyes sparkle when talking about love. However, the king had always been interested in others’ love.
His hobby was to go to balls and gather rumors about who was dating who.
Edgar was sick of that and, if the king hadn’t been a good ruler, he would have parted ways with him years ago.
Back then, I told him to get rid of that nonsense, but now I think maybe I should consider that possibility.
He used to believe he would never fall in love, but now, here he was full of passion. It was hard to believe, but it was the truth. Maybe the future Edgar had really used the ring for Rubica. But why? She did not seem to know him when they first met, and it wasn’t like she was capable of acting.
‘There was…’
Nothing strange. It was just impossible to find something wrong. Sadly, it was hard for Edgar to be rational and objective about Rubica.
Carl, search the Berner Mansion for the ring, just in case.
Berner Mansion, where Rubica had lived before marriage, was now empty. Carl had made sure Mr. and Mrs. Berner didn’t get to take even a pillow with them when they left.
Okay. But Your Grace, how about asking her yourself?
I should ask her?
I think it would be the best way.
Edgar didn’t answer. He reclined on his chair and closed his eyes while Carl waited quietly for him to make up his mind.
What Carl was saying made sense. However, Edgar was afraid. Revealing the nymph’s curse was just too risky. He just managed to shake her heart only a little. However, how would she react at finding out he was under a curse and couldn’t walk during the day?
What if she looked at him as if he was a hideous monster?
Imagining that almost shattered his heart. He couldn’t confess the truth yet as he wasn’t sure whether she would stay with him.
