I Was Just Trying To Raise Male Lead

Chapter 45

 

“Haa… I’m really tired today in many ways.”

 

Amelia followed me out, leaning against the door and muttering, and said with a small smile.

 

“Still, it’s been a while since I’ve seen the so happy.”

 

“Who?”

 

“The Duke and young master Edwin. Especially the Duke.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Thinking about the appearance right before I’m out, it seemed like that.

 

Oh, come to think of it, weren’t the two of them talking quite naturally?

 

“The Duke was quite cute when he was like Edwin. He also had many childish aspects. Just like Edwin now.”

 

“It’s hard to imagine the Duke who looks like Edwin.”

 

“Really?”

 

As I was laughing with Amelia, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

 

As I remained still with my face frozen, Amelia called out to me as if she was curious.

 

“Renee?”

 

“Am-Amelia?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Amelia, do you know the Duke that age?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“How long have you been here?”

 

“Um… Was it around the time the Duke was born?”

 

I was surprised by the answer that came out of Amelia’s mouth, who had been rolling her eyes and guessing the timing.

 

No, it couldn’t be otherwise. I didn’t ask Amelia’s age, but I guessed that she was around Raynan’s age.

 

I realized that I was looking at her with a surprised expression on my face without realizing it, so I quickly covered my face.

 

Amelia smiled the moment she realized that I had been rude in front of the person involved.

 

“It’s okay. Everyone reacts like that at first.”

 

“Oh, I see. Maybe it’s like a childhood friend?”

 

“I wonder? It might be similar. I taught the Duke both horse riding and swordsmanship.”

 

The mouth that opened slowly could not be easily closed.

 

She might be older than I thought.

 

No, Amelia looked too young for that in many ways.

 

Amelia didn’t lose her smile as she looked quite pleased to see me shocked by the completely unexpected fact.

 

“As expected, Renee is fun. I’m so glad Renee came.”

 

“Glad?”

 

“Young master Edwin has become much brighter, and the Duke has become much more relaxed. He was always counting down the days.”

 

“I see.”

 

I tilted my head when I heard that Raynan had softened up a lot. It was because we hadn’t been together long enough to notice a change in Raynan.

 

“I never thought I would see something like this again.”

 

“Yes?”

 

I couldn’t hear her softly. She shook her head as if my question was nothing and asked me.

 

“No. It seems like things between them have gotten a lot better, right?”

 

I thought back to the first time I saw the two of them face to face. The awkward atmosphere, as well as Edwin’s nervousness, seemed to be transmitted to my hands even now.

 

Although they still looked a little awkward, Edwin didn’t seem to be as scared of Raynan as before.

 

“I’m so glad.”

 

I felt a sudden ache in my heart. Amelia looked at me with warm eyes at my sincere words.

 

“Yes. I’m really glad.”

 

Amelia’s voice, as she agreed with my words, echoed the same sentiments I had.

 

 

***

 

Since the rich Loerian family shared their opinion, my opinion was quietly buried.

 

As everyone except me had hoped, shopping finally began again with dresses.

 

“Hahaha. This suits you very well. How about this?” I fell back into that cycle again. Because of that, I had to hear high-pitched voices in my dreams for several days.

 

I thought it would be better to leave quickly. I was counting the days until I could leave the mansion, if only to escape the shopping hell.

 

Fortunately, time passed quickly and the day of vacation arrived.

 

The number of people leaving was small compared to the aggressive buying.

 

As I approached Raynan, who was standing there first, he looked me back and forth. Then he looked at Amelia, who was standing next to me, and then he asked.

 

“Where is the other luggage?”

 

“That’s all.”

 

“I think you’re missing a few bags.”

 

“I heard it would take about four days, but this should be enough.”

 

Originally, it was planned to be a simpler departure.

 

Amelia was watching me pack my bags, and she kept telling me to pack this and that, so my bag got bigger.

 

Later, I realized that there were quite a few things that I hadn’t put in and that Amelia hadn’t mentioned, and I couldn’t figure out why.

 

“Amelia, is this really all?”

 

“Yes. Originally, it wasn’t even half. Everything went together so well that I wanted to take care of so many more.”

 

Amelia was so sincere. Those eyes, so full of sincerity, were so scary that I couldn’t resist the things she put in.

 

What was even scarier was that Raynan and Amelia were now exchanging meaningful glances.

 

Fortunately, Chase approached quietly and took my bag, so their gazes dispersed again.

 

“Renee! Come here quickly! Look here!”

 

It was Edwin’s voice that distracted the two people from meeting again.

 

Before we knew it, he had boarded the carriage, opened the door, and waved his hands in an excited voice.

 

My pace toward Edwin was faster than usual, because I felt like I had to get out of there quickly.

 

My steps became faster and faster, as I was anxious that something unfortunate might happen that would make me pack my bags again after exchanging awkward glances.

 

But it seemed that Edwin was impatient.

 

“Hurry up, hurry up!”

 

Edwin, who had been stamping his feet and urging me on, eventually got down from the carriage and ran over. In an instant, he came over to me and grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him.

 

His stronger than usual strength clearly showed how excited he was. With a pleased smile, he guided me into the carriage.

 

“Look!”

 

“Wow!”

 

This time, it was a genuine exclamation. I understood why Edwin was so excited, why he couldn’t wait.

 

“Isn’t it awesome?”

 

“Yes, that’s true.”

 

Compared to the simple exterior, the interior had a completely different atmosphere. It was like a miniature version of a mansion.

 

The atmosphere was splendid but at the same time comfortable, and I found myself empathizing with Edwin’s emotions.

 

“Come and sit down! It’s so soft!”

 

Edwin gestured with a proud face as if he had prepared it.

 

I sat down next to Edwin. I thought it was a sturdy, but it was exactly as he said.

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s really comfortable.”

 

“I think I can sleep here.”

 

Edwin’s words were not an exaggeration, as the seat looked like a spacious sofa.

 

Edwin, who had gotten into the carriage first, was so excited that he showed off the insides, and while I was looking around with him, Amelia got into the carriage.

 

“It looks like it’s going to be a fun trip, seeing you so happy already.”

 

“Yes, but Amelia.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’ve been wanting to ask this for a while now… Your outfit is different today than usual?”

 

“Oh, this? It goes well together, right?”

 

“Yes. It suits you very well, it looks just like a knight.”

 

I said she looked like a knight, but anyone could tell that she was dressed like a knight. Even I, who was not familiar with formal attire, could tell right away.

 

Actually, in my case, they recognized her not because of her clothes, but because of the sword on her waist.

 

“Huh? Renee didn’t know?”

 

Edwin looked surprised at my strange question and asked back.

 

“What?”

 

“Amelia is a knight.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Come to think of it, I asked Amelia what she did, but I didn’t hear her say anything?

 

No, but being a knight was a completely unexpected profession.

 

“Didn’t I tell you last time?”

 

“I think you just laughed it off at the time.”

 

“I see. I was a knight, but I retired a while ago. As expected of my age.”

 

“… Age.”

 

This too seemed like something I would never get used to.

 

“Still, today is a special day, so I prepared well.”

 

“You are awesome.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

So that’s why she was so good at horseback riding. If she was that good at horseback riding, how good would she be at using a sword?

 

A sudden curiosity arose in me, but I buried it again. Seeing her swordsmanship would mean that there was danger anyway.

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Someone’s shout was heard outside, and the carriage started to move.

 

“Huh? Isn’t Chase going with us?”

 

I had seen him a little while ago, so I assumed he would go with me us, but he didn’t get on the carriage.

 

“Chase is driving the carriage.”

 

“Driving?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Was Chase’s original a coachman? Amelia tilted her head at the sudden mention of Chase driving a carriage, and Edwin asked cautiously.

 

“By any chance, Renee… Then you don’t know this either?”

 

“Yes.”

 

I didn’t know it, Amelia laughed at me answering positively without even asking, and Edwin looked a little surprised.

 

“You haven’t asked yet?”

 

“No, Edwin, because I’m pretty sure that whatever you tell me, I won’t know.”

 

“I see… Anyway, Chase was originally a knight too.”

 

“Chase too? He looks better as a gardener.”

 

I shook my head as I spoke without realizing it.

 

The important thing wasn’t which job he was better suited for. Even at a time like this, useless thoughts came to mind first.

 

“Yo-you mean… A knight?”

 

“He was originally under me.”

 

Amelia nodded in agreement with Edwin.

 

“I guess he was delicate despite his looks, so he didn’t fit in well with group. He had talent, but it was just a shame.”

 

Amelia couldn’t hide her regret at losing such a talented person. He must have been a very capable knight.

 

“Oh, I really didn’t know anything.”

 

Edwin quickly grabbed my arm as the words came out without me knowing.

 

“That’s because Chase quit and no one talks about knights anymore.”

 

“Was that why people flinched when Chase looked at them?”

 

Amelia shook her head and answered my question firmly.

 

“It would have been similar no matter what job you had. He has pretty menacing impression.”

 

“But Chase is a good person.”

 

“Yes. Both I and Renee know that.”

 

Edwin smiled as if he was glad of Amelia’s words.

 

My head was spinning because I got so much unexpected information all at once. They were both knights.

 

It occurred to me that maybe that’s why Chase hung out with me for so long.

 

Of course, as Amelia had said, there was no doubt that his impressions played a big part.

 

My gaze darted out the window, even though I couldn’t see Chase.

 

She wondered if she would ever see him again.

 

But I didn’t see him sitting in the coachman’s seat.

 

Instead, something else caught my eye. It was Raynan, maintaining the speed of a carriage against the rapidly moving background.

 

His figure, which did not lose its upright posture even on horseback, looked elegant. I had never thought that horseback riding could be done so gracefully.

 

Thanks to Raynan, horseback riding seems to have developed an image as an elegant sport.

 

Now that I think about it, we’ve ridden horses together before, but this was my first time seeing him ride a horse.

 

‘I rode in front of that person?’

 

Suddenly, that day came to mind. For some reason, my face felt like it was blushing.

 

My eyes met with Raynan’s, who turned his head just in time as if he was watching me.