The Male Lead’s Father Refuses to Break Off Our Engagement

Chapter 99

 

The next morning, Evelia went to see Ruth. The child was sleeping soundly in bed.

When Evelia climbed onto the bed and lay down next to Ruth, the child started twitching as if he had sensed a presence.

“Wow, who…?”

Evelia felt her heart pounding for some reason.

“It’s mom.”

“Mom?”

Ruth smiled brightly and snuggled into Evelia’s arms. The warmth you feel in your arms. Now I don’t have to worry about losing this warmth.

I could no longer worry about hurting Ruth and just give him love.

Evelia smiled brightly and hugged Ruth.

“Yes, it’s mom.”

She winked at Cassis, who followed her. Cassis lay down behind Ruth and stretched out his hand to hug them both.

“Father is here too.”

Ruth burst out laughing. Evelia kissed Ruth’s forehead and whispered.

“Ruth, happy birthday.”

“Th-thank you.”

“Mom is so happy that you were born into this world.”

Cassis also whispered softly.

“Happy birthday, Ruth.”

Ruth, unable to open his eyes, was embarrassed and twisted his body.

“This is the happiest birthday I’ve ever had.”

Evelia gave the child a kiss on the cheek this time.

“I will make your birthday even happier from now on.”

 

*****

 

“Ruth!”

“Anthony!”

As soon as Anthony got off the carriage, he came running. Ruth also ran and hugged Anthony.

Anthony had come to the Adelhard estate to celebrate Ruth’s birthday.

“Long time no see! I miss you!”

“Me too!”

Aria, who was watching the reunion of the two friends, said bluntly.

“Aren’t you glad to see me?”

Anthony blushed as he looked at Aria who was standing behind Ruth.

“Ah, Aria. Hi?”

“Yes.”

“How have you been?”

“Good!”

Despite Anthony’s efforts, Aria did not say hello to him. Still, Anthony smiled kindly.

“I didn’t know you were there too.”

Aria pouted her lips at his words.

“Why? I’m not supposed to be with Ruth?”

“No, I mean…”

“No matter what anyone says, I am Ruth’s first friend, not you.”

Aria crossed her arms and turned her head calmly. Both Anthony and Ruth were at a loss.

While the children shared their own complicated stories, Evelia exchanged greetings with the Marchioness Evans.

“Thank you for coming, Marchioness.”

“It’s the young master’s birthday, so of course we should come. Anthony wanted to come too.”

“You worked hard to come this far.”

“Hard? Thanks to the Mana Portal, we arrived quickly.”

“What a relief. Then shall we go in?”

Evelia took the children and the Marchioness Evans and headed to the parlor where the birthday party had been prepared.

When Ruth, the birthday boy, went inside first, the employees sprinkled colorful pollen on his head.

“Happy birthday, master!”

“Happy birthday!”

Ruth pursed his lips to hold back tears.

“Happy birthday, Ruth!”

“Happy birthday!”

However, when his friends Aria and Anthony smiled brightly and shouted, he could no longer hold back his tears and started shedding tears.

Ruth eventually hugged his two friends and burst into tears.

“Thank you for coming!”

Anthony burst into tears, and Aria made fun of the two children.

Although it was a small party, it was noisier and more lively than any other party.

 

*****

 

“Come on, Ruth. You have to make a wish and blow out the candle.”

“Yes!”

Ruth took a deep breath as he looked at the eight candles on the cake. Then he closed his eyes, held his breath for a moment, and blew out the candles all at once.

“What did you wish for?”

When Aria asked, Ruth hesitated and said.

“It’s secret.”

“A secret? There are no secrets between friends!”

“Even friends can have secrets.”

Evelia cut the cake while listening to the cute conversation between the two children. Ruth looked at the chocolate cake with bright eyes.

“Wow, it looks delicious.”

“Really? I’m glad. I was afraid it would look ugly because my mom made it.”

“Wow. Did mom make it?”

“Mom and Dad made it.”

“I love it!”

Ruth took a big bite of the cake. The other two children were also amazed and started eating the cake.

After such a noisy day, the three children begged Evelia and Marchioness Evans to sleep together. So they lay side by side on Ruth’s spacious bed and went to sleep.

“Sleep well, kids.”

Evelia patted each child’s head once, then left the room and headed to the room where Julia’s things were. There was someone in the room.

“Ah, Cassis.”

Cassis, who had been staring blankly at Julia’s portrait, turned his head. Evelia walked quickly towards him and put her arms around him.

Evelia whispered, looking at Julia in the portrait smiling brightly.

“She’s such a pretty person, isn’t she?”

“…….”

“I’m grateful, and I’m sorry.”

“Why…”

“Hmm.”

Evelia tried to unravel the complex emotions in her heart as easily as possible.

“I am grateful that she gave birth to Ruth, but at the same time, I am sorry that I am taking the place of Ruth’s mother.”

Perhaps this is similar to the feelings Cassis felt toward Julia.

Evelia met Julia’s gaze and made a firm determination.

“I will raise him well.”

Of course, there was no answer from Julia in the portrait.

“I will raise Ruth well so that he doesn’t get hurt. So don’t worry too much.”

Julia smiled. It was a smile so bright that it made my heart ache.

 

*****

 

After Ruth’s birthday, Anthony returned to the capital. However, Aria insisted that she wanted to be with Ruth more, so she remained in Adelhard’s territory.

And then the full moon day came.

“Mom.”

I hoped it would go smoothly this time, but Ruth started to feel feverish. The child’s white face became even paler, and heat bloomed all over his body.

Evelia, who was taking care of Ruth, went to see Aria with a stern expression.

“Aria, Ruth is very sick. Can you stay with him?”

“Yes!”

Aria nodded obediently. Looking at her tearful face, it seemed like she was very worried about Ruth.

Aria, who followed Evelia to Ruth’s room, rushed over and grabbed Ruth’s hand.

“Ruth, does it hurt a lot?”

“No.”

“Lie.”

Even though Ruth was sick, he answered consistently.

“It really doesn’t hurt.”

“Really, really?”

“Yes, really.”

However, as if that wasn’t enough, Aria eventually burst into tears. Clear tears dripped onto the back of Ruth’s hand.

Ruth rolled his eyes, not knowing what to do.

“Aria?”

“Don’t be sick. I don’t want you to be sick.”

Aria has been sick since she was young. She was saying that she hated not only herself being sick, but also that her close friend Ruth was being sick.

“I’m really not sick. No, I’ll get better soon! Really!”

“Then promise!”

Aria held out her little finger. Ruth struggled to hook the pinky finger.

“Promise.”

“Oh right. There’s something the High Priest told me to treat you if you’re sick.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Aria held Ruth’s left hand tightly with both hands and closed her eyes.

Holy light leaked from Aria’s body and entered Ruth’s body through her hand.

Ruth trembled, as if the feeling was unfamiliar to him.

How long has it been like that? Aria asked, flopping down helplessly on the edge of the bed.

“How is it? Are you okay?”

“Yes, my head hurts a little less.”

“Thank god.”

Aria grinned, took off her slippers and climbed onto the bed. Then she lay down next to Ruth.

Ruth’s face, which had been pale just a moment ago, turned red.

“A-Aria?”

“I don’t even have the strength to go to my room. Let’s sleep here together.”

“But…”

“You’re not trying to cruelly kick out your friend, are you?”

“That’s not it….”

Evelia, who was happily listening to the conversation between the two children, focused on Aria’s words that immediately followed.

Aria said this while burying her face in Ruth’s hands and sniffing.

“You smell good. It feels like I’m in the forest.”

“Good scent?”

“Yes. A pleasant scent.”

There was no way a good scent could come from Ruth, who was soaked in cold sweat. Evelia got closer to Ruth just in case, but she couldn’t smell the ‘good scent’ that Aria had mentioned.

‘Is there something else?’

Aria, who had outstanding divine power, may have felt something different.

Evelia asked urgently.

“Aria. What is that good scent?”