Everything Was a Mistake
Everything Was a Mistake - Chapter 19

But every day when she went to the place where she usually met him, even when she left a letter in a place that only the two of them knew, even when she asked an aunt who was familiar to him to convey the word, Ed didn’t come.

Unfortunately, a few days before Alice went up to the capital, Ed had already disappeared.

The knight’s training is something that everyone keeps secret, so it will not be possible for her to find him now.

Alice gave up and completely buried Alice Momont of Ernhardt.

Nevertheless, the heart of human doesn’t have to be exactly the same, Alice got along with the two men and sometimes think of Ed in blues.

When she saw Nocton Edgar’s black hair, and Aaron Claymore’s knightly words and manners, sepia-colored memories came from the past.

Because subtle expressions about the two men were written along with Alice’s heart, the readers have been convinced that Ed is the real protagonist of <He and Alice> and he’s one of the two male characters.

Although Nocton Edgar wasn’t a knight, he had been away for years and there was no statement that Ed was carrying out the knight training himself.

Most of the readers were convinced that Ed would be Nocton, given that his position was higher and Roa Valrose, the villainess who was bullying Alice because of jealousy, loved him.

After the story progressed a bit, Alice became engaged to Nocton Edgar.

In fact, it was Claymore who was the first to be her marriage candidate, but Aaron refused to be engaged, while Nocton successfully proposed after he defeated Roa Valrose, who was trying to assassinate Alice.

However, the moment they finally got engaged was the moment when Nocton Edgar, who watched the burning of Roa Valrose and consoled Alice, was left alone.

The truth is revealed.

< He and Alice > Episode 51.

…. Alice Limorand was a very tender-hearted person.

He can’t believe she cried so much because he killed someone who tormented her and tried to assassinate her just because she was blinded by jealousy,

What was so scary, my fiancee?

After comforting Alice, Edgar returned to his mansion and buried himself deep in the sofa.

His right hand was bandaged.

It was a wound caused by stopping Valrose, who was trying to stab Alice with a knife.

The stabbed hand must be painful, but he casually held the cup with his bandaged hand.

The wine in cup was tinted in red. The color reminded him of a woman with the same hair color.

Roa Valrose, the woman who loved him, the woman who disappeared into the flames redder than her hair.

And the last conversation he had with her also came to mind.

With a smile on his lips, Nocton recalled the past.

“I think I should marry Alice Limorand.”

“Your Grace, Lord Edgar…”

“I’m trying to brainwash the Emperor, but the Duke of Limorand keeps interrupting me. It’s not long before he dies, so why do he keeps picking up a new official? So, if I want to get my hands on the Duke, I will have to win her favor first.”

The Duke of Limorand had an ominious feeling about Nocton Edgar.

But there was no evidence that he was evil, and the Duke did not absolutely trust his intuition against Nocton without proof.

If the youngest daughter, who finally came back to him, says she wants to marry Nocton, the Duke won’t be able to refuse it.

So, all he needs to do is get Alice Limorand’s heart….

“What’s the fastest way?”

“Your Grace, Your Grace….”

“You’ve become a complete fool.”

Edgar shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Valrose who repeated the same words.

The brainwashing went too far, and now this woman can’t do anything on her own without his command.

She became nothing more than a living doll.

Not only Roa Valrose, but soon everyone will be like this.

“It’s not important.”

There may be other ways, but there was only one thought that came to his mind right now.

Like the story of Alice Limorand’s birth, it was a common cliche.

To create a painful situation for her and reaching out to help, he likes the simplest way of doing things like this.

It’s a fairy tale story about saving someone who is in danger of dying, injuring himself instead, and finally killing the enemy.

“I’m sorry for you.”

The next step will be easy if he can get even a small favor.

Because it was Edgar’s specialty to inflate other people’s feelings.

“Will you die for me?”

He gently stroked the woman’s hair and smiled.

“Roa.”

That was the truth.

The 51st episode, which made me sick when I read it.

My memory gave me a definite answer, as opposed to my previous thought that taking the potion would not give me certainty.

Memoria’s seal was telling me.

Nocton Edgar, my tough, bad-tempered childhood friend wasn’t actually my friend who had been with me for decades.

I got close to someone I should never get close to.

With a miserable and terrifying realization, I lost consciousness.

***

Duke Edgar, in the hall of the pavilion.

Nocton Edgar was standing in the middle of a well decorated tea party.

Until the dark night falls on the outside of the window wreathed with rose vines.

“Yeah, in the end….”

Valrose chose the other side.

As he lifted the glass from the table, the servant poured the wine.

The reddish liquid reminded him of someone, but only Nocton Edgar was reflected.

Roa Valrose had changed.

It was a subtle change that he couldn’t help but wonder when, but he was certain of it.

The time they spent together was gradually fell apart and the unfathomable mind of Valrose seemed to gradually widen its distance.

When Valrose announced her engagement, the distance became clear.

Since then, she stopped visiting the Duke.

Even if he suspects that the hypnosis is being lifted, the quirky feeling will only eat itself up.

He doesn’t even know it is still there, but even if the hypnosis is gone, Nocton could do nothing.

He could neither cast the spells again nor admit that the magic had faded.

What’s wrong?

What was the problem?

Alice Limorand? Aaron Claymore?

If not him.

Nocton glanced over the empty party hall and brought the wine glass closer to his mouth.

Then, an attendant, dressed in a street clothes, approached.

It’s the person he sent to Valrose.

“What did Valrose say?”

“I couldn’t meet Lady Roa Valrose.”

You don’t even meet her?

The obvious rejection twisted his mouth.

It was clear that the master was upset, but the attendant had to look blank.

He said what he had to say.

“She hasn’t been feeling well, so she’s been resting for days. I personally confirmed that some priests are actually in residence. I apologized, Your Grace.”

The glass slipped of his hand.

The debris splattered and there was a loud noise, but neither the master nor the attendant cared.

However, a low voice sounded in contrast to the sound of the glass breaking.

“She is sick?”

***

“—Lady Roa!”

The sound that used to be like paper being eaten by water gradually becomes clearer.

“Lady, my lady!”

I frowned as I heard a crying voice.

My eyes were heavy and I couldn’t open it well.

When I pushed my eyelids somewhat painfully, the outline of a person came into my eyes.

The color looked as if it was a smeared watercolor, but I could tell who was standing in front of my face with only the scarlet hair.

“Oh my god, my lady, are you awake?”

“Sadie?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. I thought you were going to…!”

The weeping sound increased.

After blinking my eyes several times, Sadie’s face, which appeared to be two, fell into one.

I have a sore throat, no strength, and my physical condition is not good.

After drinking Memoria’s Seal, I wonder if I have been asleep for a while.

I tried to console her, but I was thirsty, so I had no power to speak for long.

I tapped Sadie’s arm and spoke out.

“Water….”

“Yes, your lady! Wait a minute!”

It was strange that Sadie understood my words and poured the water urgently.

When the water touched my throat, which I thought was just dry, I felt a sore prickly pain and choked,

Cough! Cough!

As I held my neck in a sharp pain, the door of the room burst open.

“Goodness, Ruru!”

The surprised face of my mother, my father’s eyes wide open, and Alroy sighed in relief.

Looking at my family’s faces, I didn’t think I lost consciousness for hours.

***

“I’ve heard everything from Duvel, Roa. You swallowed the Memoria’s Seal.”

“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. Duvel couldn’t do anything. I’m the one who asked him to keep it a secret.”

“Don’t even think about it. I’m sure both you and Duvel are responsible. You’re making a bad judgment, but it doesn’t make sense for the butler to follow you.”

“…Alroy.”

Alroy’s face is rarely cold.

I have several more words to defend Duvel, but under the circumstances it seemed to be an excuse.

“I’m so sorry. I never thought I’d be asleep for so long.”

“It’s a serious problem to lose consciousness even for nine minutes, dear.”

“I thought you were drunk, so I saved him. I was more surprised when I heard why you collapsed. What’s the matter? I don’t see anyone who’s never seen a loose image in their life.”

“No, it’s—”

“I told you, Roa. You just have to live happily. Don’t think about family honor or prestige.”

The reason why I asked for the potion was different, but I couldn’t explain it.

Who can say that they realized they were being born in a book and need to confirm it because their memory and reality are different?

If I say it, they will think it’s a side effect of the Memoria’s Seal.

When I saw the furious Alroy, I curled my head a little more.

Duvel, I’m sorry.

Aaron, I’m sorry too.

There’s nothing I can do other than mumble inaudible words.

“Even if you drank and did the world’s number one crazy thing, it wasn’t worth drinking anything like that dangerous. Does Aaron Claymore notice it? Did he make you feel bad about yourself? If that’s the case, tell me right away.”

“Not like that! It was just, I felt uncomfortable, Aaron didn’t say much, and I—”

Only

“If you are that uncomfortable, break off your marriage.”

“Father!”

I cried out, but I was the only one in the family who was surprised by my father’s words.

No, a broken engagement.

How can it became like this?

I didn’t intend to get married from the beginning, but it was difficult to break up my engagement now.

If it’s not because of the potion, I would have been eternally brainwashed.

But not now.