PLMYP 48

 

Chapter 48 —

“A married man, huh…”

Even after finishing the wedding rehearsal, Leonard still couldn’t believe it.
The feeling that he was becoming a married man.

‘Ray, if you don’t want us hanging around you, then make a real family.’

‘Someone who’ll make us feel assured that even without us, you won’t throw yourself away anymore.’

Even after Leonard left the mercenary group, they stayed by his side. He had told them with his mouth that it wasn’t necessary, but in his heart, he was glad.

He liked that they saw him as a pitiful child. No—if he put it bluntly—he liked that they couldn’t abandon him.

So when he heard those words, it shocked him.

‘So they stayed with me because they were worried I’d throw myself away?’

Which meant…

‘If I stop sacrificing myself… then they’ll abandon me and leave, won’t they?’

Abandoned.

That word instantly made grown-up Leonard feel like a lost child again.

His real father never acknowledged him. His real mother sold him for three gold coins. The master who had changed his life lost his lifelong cultivation while protecting him. And the woman he once wanted to call “Mother” died suddenly.

Everyone had left him behind.

The only reason he had been able to endure was because the mercenaries were still there. For now.

He had believed they pitied him enough never to leave him alone.

But that belief had been broken.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t leave him. It was that they chose not to—until the right condition was met. And once that condition came, they would be ready to walk away from him, as though it were the right thing to do for him.

‘Ray, if you don’t want us hanging around you, then make a real family.’

A proper family.

Could he really make something like that? What did a proper family even mean?

If he married Irenea and had children—was that blood connection what they meant by a proper family?

Even with the wedding tomorrow, Leonard wasn’t sure. All he could do was let out a heavy sigh.

—Plop.

A distant sound broke his thoughts.

When he came to his senses, Leonard found himself standing near the glass greenhouse in the main house’s back garden. His feet had unconsciously brought him there, like always.

—Plop.

The sound came again, this time clearer. Something dropping into water. Probably a small stone.

Knowing that skilled knights and assassins were guarding the estate, Leonard moved toward the sound just in case. With the wedding tomorrow, he had to prevent anything troublesome.

That’s when he saw her.

“I don’t even like him that much anyway!”

Elisabeth was by the pond, angrily throwing pebbles.

—Plop.

“He didn’t even drink the coffee I gave him! How can he ignore someone’s effort like that?”

—Plop.

“I’m never giving him any presents again!”

She was in light clothes—just a nightgown with a gown draped over it. From a distance, Leonard could sense the gaze of a hidden guard in the shadows, but no maid or escort was with her. She must have slipped out alone before bed.

‘Better to pretend I didn’t see.’

Still, he thought he should watch from afar until she returned to her room safely. But just as he turned to leave—

“Why aren’t there any more stones…?”

Elisabeth looked around for another pebble and her eyes met Leonard’s directly. He hadn’t hidden his presence in time.

“Ah—!”

She nearly screamed, but quickly covered her mouth to stifle it.

Leonard wasn’t sure if she had recognized his face, so he stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight.

“Sorry for startling you, Lady Elisabeth.”

“Wh–what are you doing there? I almost screamed!”

“In this kind of situation, you should scream first. The person might have bad intentions, you know.”

“…Are you saying you have bad intentions? Should I scream right now?”

Elisabeth half-joked, cupping her hands around her mouth, while sneaking glances at him as if uncertain.

If they were a bit closer, she might have actually screamed for fun—but if she really screamed now, that would be a disaster. The wedding tomorrow couldn’t be ruined.

Leonard smiled faintly to reassure her.

“Not bad intentions, but I am worried. Isn’t it too late for a walk alone? What if you catch a cold?”

“It’s only early autumn. It’s not that cold…”

Still, she pulled her gown tighter, feeling self-conscious under his gaze.

Leonard politely asked if he could approach. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. He walked closer and draped his jacket over her shoulders.

Because he was so much taller, his jacket completely wrapped around her small frame.

Elisabeth’s cheeks burned red. She fiddled with the buttons awkwardly—this was the first time a man had treated her like this.

“Do you always treat women this kindly?”

“Of course not. Lady Elisabeth, you’re…”

He paused strangely. Then, covering it up with a small cough, he continued:

“…you’re about to be family.”

“About to be family…”

Her lips pouted slightly. Tugging at the jacket’s hem with a sulky face, she plopped down on the grass.

“My sister said the same. ‘He’ll be family soon, so treat him well.’ But it seems my future brother-in-law’s little sister doesn’t think that way.”

Future brother-in-law’s little sister.

She clearly knew her name, but chose not to say it. Leonard could sense her displeasure.

He sat down near her and carefully asked,

“Did something happen with Jenny?”

“And if it did? I’m just someone who’ll be family soon, but she’s already family. So of course you’ll take her side, right?”

Her sharp tone made Leonard sigh softly.

“I don’t know what happened, but—”

“Then don’t interfere.”

She snapped at him, then quickly looked regretful. With drooping eyes, she glanced at him timidly.

“…Sorry. Even if we’ll be family, it’s not your problem. I just took out my frustration.”

“No need to apologize. But I’d like to hear what happened.”

“Why? Because your future sister-in-law couldn’t possibly do something wrong?”

“You came out here upset enough to lose sleep, didn’t you, Lady Elisabeth?”

—Plop.

This time the sound from the pond came from a koi fish, not her.

“If you don’t sleep and your eyes swell, your sister will worry tomorrow.”

Her reply came softer than before.

“…Let’s just say I cried because seeing my sister marry made me think of my parents.”

“You’ll be an adult next year. Will that excuse still work?”

“I’ll be an adult next year, not this year. And who says adults can’t cry thinking about their parents? Haven’t you ever cried after missing yours?”

“No.”

“Really? Why not? You live with them? Never been apart?”

Her innocent question made Leonard pause.

“…Haven’t you heard about me?”

“Wow, you say it like you’re really famous. Don’t tell me you were some playboy?”

Her suspicious eyes made Leonard laugh faintly.

“So you really haven’t heard my story.”

Most servants knew, though they probably hadn’t told her. It would’ve sounded like gossip.

“I haven’t made my society debut yet. No close friends either…”

“Why not? Usually parents connect children early.”

“Before my parents died, I only lived in our territory. My close friends there were daughters of vassals’ families. Unfortunately, their parents were all close with my uncle. …That’s all I’ll say.”

Leonard understood. When the former Marquis and Marchioness of Blair died, those families must have backed the wrong side and been ruined.

“That’s why I’m looking forward to my society debut. I thought I’d make a new friend before then…”

Her voice, which had been a bit lively, grew quieter and sadder.

“…but she said I was a burden.”

“Jenny told you that?”

“Yes, your little sister.”

So all those angry words by the pond had been aimed at Jenny.

Still, there might be more Leonard didn’t know, so he stayed cautious.

“What about you was a burden?”

“I guess just me.”

“Which part of you, exactly?”

Elisabeth gave him a glare.

“Do you know this, future brother-in-law? Persistent men aren’t popular.”

“Thanks for the advice, but I’m getting married tomorrow. I don’t need popularity.”

She shot back quickly, irritated.

“So you’re saying you don’t care about scoring points with your future sister-in-law?”

“If I didn’t care, I would’ve just walked away when I saw someone throwing stones by the pond. But I stayed.”

The fact that he was still sitting there was proof enough.

Elisabeth couldn’t argue back and closed her mouth.