Chapter 6. One hundred and ninety-eight times in the future
2022.09.03.
high sky. Clear weather without a single cloud.
It was the perfect day for an outdoor engagement ceremony.
Hermano’s engagement ceremony with Duchess Emily Javier, head of the aristocratic Javier family, and Royce Ortelde, the second son of a small baron, became a topic of discussion.
[Duke Javier’s Engagement… Raising the status of a rural aristocratic young man?!]
[Let’s learn about Javier’s lover, Lois Orteld.]
[Sighting reports of seeing the Duke and her lover at the Evil Theater pour in…]
[single. A secret interview with a servant of the Javier family!]
In response to the sudden engagement announcement, the newspapers in the system scrambled to publish related articles.
Lois Ortheld was called the lover of Duke Javier rather than the name Lois.
It was because even if there were people who didn’t know that the family of Otelde existed in Ermano, there was no one who didn’t know the name Javier.
Their engagement ceremony became the center of attention not only because Duke Javier was a celebrity.
It was that the number of participants in the engagement ceremony was very small.
The recipients of the invitation were the Xavier family’s vassals, a small number of people carefully selected by Duke Javier, and the Orteld family and a small number of relatives.
In a social world that likes to talk about others, I couldn’t help but fret.
On the day of the engagement ceremony. The outdoor venue of Javier Capital’s mansion was crowded with guests.
As it was a small-scale engagement ceremony, the atmosphere of the venue, which was not bound by formal procedures, was free.
Javier’s vassals gathered in groups of two and three and waited for the betrothal ceremony to begin. Of course, there was no chatter.
“Isn’t it really heartless to say that the head of household is getting engaged? To think that the cute lady Emily has become the head of the household and welcomes her companion.”
“If my son-in-law was a little smarter, I would have tried to push him as a son-in-law, but hey.”
“Your son is the eldest, so no.”
“Are you sleeping?”
The vassal who dreamed of becoming a family head craftsman laughed at the other person’s bruise, saying it was a joke.
The topic quickly moved to another subject.
“The family lord’s list of guests is truly splendid.”
“It is. I never thought that even Duke Donovan would attend.”
“Prince Oscar is also here.”
Then, suddenly, his gaze shifted to the most splendid chair that was still empty.
“So… did you come too?”
“Of course not.”
“Then Grand Duke Aserad will come too.”
“Every time I see him, he has a great sense of intimidation.”
Although there is no subject, there was no difficulty in conversing. As if they had heard that, a fancy carriage stood at the entrance of the venue.
People’s eyes were focused on the wagon. The first to get off was Archduke Aidan Aserad in uniform. Then someone got out of the carriage, holding the Grand Duke’s outstretched hand.
In the conversation between the vassals, ‘Big’ has arrived.
“Is your luggage late? I’m sorry for this.”
Since it was her best friend’s engagement ceremony, Mabel, who has grown splendidly, entered the outdoor venue.
The emperor’s appearance caused a stir among Baron Ortheld and his relatives and their relatives.
“Is that the emperor of that rumor?”
“More than expected-”
“Shh!”
They did not know the face of the emperor because they were living in their own territory all the time. I only came across it by hearsay.
At that time, the magnates invited to the engagement ceremony approached the emperor in unison.
“Meet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“Long time no see, Mrs. Deverill. How have you been? Prince Donovan has also been invited to the engagement ceremony.”
A friendly greeting followed. Enrique, who was seated, also recognized Mabel and came over to greet her.
“your majesty.”
Enrique, the emperor’s escort, had the privilege of omitting greetings to the emperor. Mabel looked at the empty seats for the main characters and asked.
“Are Emily and Ortheld Youngsik still there?”
“We will start soon. Emily told the chef to pay special attention to the food when His Majesty was coming.”
“As expected of Emily.”
There was still a little time left before the engagement ceremony began. Mabel’s gaze, which had been looking around, immediately turned to the place where Baron Ortheld and his wife and relatives were gathered.
The gazes of Baron Ortheld and Mabel met in midair.
“omg.”
The baron was startled and lowered his head.
Originally weak and reluctant to step forward, she did not know how to treat the emperor.
But then, isn’t the emperor approaching him?
“Nice to meet you, Baron Ortheld.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Didn’t you have a hard time coming up here because the Orteld estate is quite far away?”
“it’s okay. Neither I nor my wife suffer from severe carriage sickness.”
“I’m glad.”
There was an atmosphere that could not be ignored even though he was obviously younger than my son. Baron Ortheld was very nervous and barely answered the question.
At that time, as if to save him, the protagonists of today’s engagement ceremony finally showed up.
“Ah, the protagonist has arrived. then.”
After the emperor left a greeting, he walked leisurely to his seat. My heart thumped wildly.
Suddenly, Baron Ortheld had a question.
‘How did you know I was Baron Ortheld?’
It must have been a first meeting.
However, that doubt completely disappeared as soon as the engagement ceremony began.
Emily in a bright dress and Lois in a neat suit stood side by side.
“Then, shall we begin the engagement ceremony?”
Simultaneously with Emily’s words, the orchestra created a soft melody.
Casey, who was secretly hiding at Mabel’s request, poured all kinds of fancy magic effects.
The petals of five brilliant colors, sparkling with light, fell and water streams poured from all sides, forming a small rainbow.
“oh!”
Emily was startled by the ecstatic sight and covered her mouth. The guests also looked around and exclaimed exclamations.
Emily’s gaze turned to Mabel. Because Mabel was the only one who would do something like this.
Mabel grinned and said solemnly.
“Jim’s first engagement gift, Duke Javier.”
Your first engagement gift? Then it was said that there was also a second one.
‘I think I’ll fall for you!’
Lois, who turned her head to follow her fiancée’s twinkling gaze, almost fainted.
“Le le lady?”
A woman whom he called Lady, whose name was unknown, was sitting in a special seat reserved only for the emperor.
‘That person is the emperor’s ancestor!’
Rumor has it that he is a beautiful emperor with light pink hair and light blue eyes. However, when we met in front of the theater, we did not know because the hair color and eye color were different.
Lois looked back and forth between Emily and Mabel. Emily’s gaze toward Mabel was unusual.
Lois felt a great sense of crisis.
“Emily. We are having an engagement ceremony.”
“I’m communicating with His Majesty, so don’t disturb me!”
“Emily…!”
The guests who saw Royce’s flustered scene burst into laughter.
A fiancée who sells his eyes and a fiancée who can’t help but want to get attention from such a fiancée.
Aren’t they the perfect pair?
With the emperor’s blessing, the engagement ceremony was colored with happiness.
.
.
.
and the next day.
Mabel read that it was a second engagement gift and dropped what was called a bomb without hesitation.
“I cannot permit the marriage of Duke Javier and Ortheld Youngsik.”
Mabel smiled broadly.
***
Baron Ortheld and his wife opened their mouths.
“What does that… mean?”
“You said you wouldn’t allow me to marry you.”
Baron Ortheld, who had been biting his lips at the sudden objection, spoke out with difficulty.
“Just yesterday was the engagement ceremony. Didn’t His Majesty also attend and brighten up the event?”
“hmm. It did.”
Mabel’s attitude of meekly acknowledging it was just casual.
Baroness Ortheld and his wife could not understand this sudden situation.
“The other party is the Duke of Javier. You don’t have to worry anymore honey. Will Duke Javier put aside the debts of his in-laws?”
“Lois, that guy finally got the job done. I got the job done.”
Even after the engagement ceremony, they couldn’t control their excitement, and even after returning to the hotel, they were full of joy for a long time.
After the engagement ceremony, Lois became the son-in-law of the Javier family. I left my second son in an unfamiliar place, but I didn’t regret it at all.
Even though the accommodation fee was tight, he even ordered and opened high-quality champagne.
Rising status of rural aristocrat Yeongsik? That was right.
don’t you feel bad?
‘at all.’
There was no reason to be offended. Most of the articles pouring in were true, and Ki-woo was engaged.
No matter how you look at it, it was a wedding process that benefited the Ortheld family a lot.
All that was left was for Duke Javier, who felt sorry for the Sadon family, to cancel their debt instead.
Drunk, they fell asleep and woke up because someone knocked on the hotel room door.
“His Majesty the Emperor wanted to see you.”
I fell asleep. The cause of the unpleasant weather was the call of His Majesty the Emperor!
I couldn’t come to my senses when things I couldn’t imagine when I was stuck in the local manor happened one after another.
The fact that Duke Emily Javier and the Emperor are close friends could be realized because I saw them at yesterday’s engagement ceremony.
So maybe she’s trying to bestow something on us, her fiancée’s family.
Is this the taste of success?
However, it was the emperor’s bombshell remarks that struck them as they rushed into the palace.
“I would like to ask why you are saying that.”
Baron Ortheld tried to stay calm and asked for an answer. Mabel took a sip of tea with a calm face and put down the teacup.
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
Baron Ortheld averted his eyes, breaking out in a cold sweat at the gaze that seemed to see through everything.
It was like being read inside.
“I have heard the story about the baron. Sober and frugal.”
“Thank you.”
He said he was opposed to marriage, but when he suddenly heard compliments, he thought he couldn’t figure it out, but the atmosphere changed.
Mabel got to the point.
“Then suddenly fell into gambling and got into huge debt?”
“…omg.”
“I heard that you have to sell your title.”
At that, the couple quickly exchanged glances.
It was ominous. It was very ominous.
However, the opponent was the emperor. There was no way I could get through by evading it. They had no choice but to admit the truth.
‘No matter how much he told me to do it, he wouldn’t know that he deliberately allowed Duke Javier to approach him.’
Even if you guessed it, there is no evidence.
“The estate’s financial situation is precarious.”
Baroness Ortheld, who had been paying attention all the time, answered with difficulty.
Mabel, who had been waiting for those words to come out, shook her head with a worried face.
“Don’t worry. I ‘personally’ paid all your debts.”
“Is that true?”
“okay. The head of the Javier family is Jim’s closest friend. Can’t we just stand by and watch the situation where the family of a friend’s fiancé is deprived of their title due to huge debts?”
The couple couldn’t help but be thrilled at the word that the full amount was repaid at once.
“Thank you. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“I will never forget this favor.”
I tried to open my hand to Duke Javier, but I didn’t know that the emperor would use his hand first.
‘But why is he against marriage?’
It was when such a question raised its head. Mabel’s expression became serious.
“But not for free.”
“yes?”
In response to the bewildered reaction of the baron couple, Mabel made a clear demand.
“Pay it. Everything, even if it takes a lifetime.”
“yes…?”
do you want to pay? Wasn’t it supposed to be given instead?
Mabel calmly explained to them in a friendly tone.
“It was a decision for the prestige of Prince Javier that Jim paid off the baron’s debt. All of the baron’s debts have been returned to the imperial family, so let them know.”
The baron and his wife were speechless, unable to protest.
“I will not charge any special interest. Just pay the principal.”
Mabel added patronizingly.
It was said to be the principal amount, but it was a huge amount. It was to the extent that the money from the manor could not be repaid in the rest of his life.
Of course, it was an amount that had no effect on Mabel, the richest man on the continent.
“You don’t have to be so impressed. It was all done for the sake of his close friend, Duke Javier.”
“Hwanggong…”
I wasn’t shocked at all, but I had to answer that. Because the opponent was none other than the emperor.
“Then I’ll go because I have a lot of overdue work.”
“Take a look.”
Mabel nodded solemnly and rose from her seat. Then he stopped walking towards the door and looked back at the baron and his wife.
The couple who were exchanging glances with each other were startled.
“ah. Wouldn’t you like to open your hands to your precious son, avoiding Jim’s eyes?”
“…”
“If you were thinking of doing that, you better give up. Periodically, the inspector will report the Baron’s activities to Jim.”
How can you say so confidently that you will monitor yourself? However, it was a situation where he could not speak even if he had a mouth because he was clearly in debt.
“It’s gotten bigger…”
The baron sighed and buried his face in his hands.
His personal gambling debt became a debt he owed to the emperor.
‘It’s wrong.’
The emperor must have known everything. So, this debt was not a debt that was meant to be repaid in the first place.
It was a means of surveillance and warning! In order to maintain the remaining title like this
, I
couldn’t ask for any help from my son
.
“phew. I also lost a lot of my temper.”
How can you be so lenient?
“If it were me in the past, ‘I’m against this engagement!’ I would have overturned it.”
But he didn’t want Emily to be saddened to learn the truth.
Emily will find out someday, but wouldn’t that have to be a happy now?
I turned to Aidan, who had entered the bedroom with me.
“Aidan worked hard too. I’m glad it ended well. yes?”
But Aidan didn’t answer. I couldn’t see his face because of the distance, so when I took a few steps closer, I saw Aidan’s expression.
‘Brutung…?’
For some reason, Aidan was looking at me with a gruff face.
“Are you forgetting something?”
“Did you forget?”
“yes.”
I was lost in deep thought. Rather than forgetting, there were many things that were postponed without being done.
“I delayed the paperwork a bit because of the engagement ceremony.”
“not.”
“Then you reply to the correspondence?”
“no.”
“what…?”
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t guess.
“What have you forgotten? Tell me, Aidan.”
“…then I’d be happy.”
As if he had been waiting, Aidan came closer and then slowly lowered his head.
The warmth of his body touched his parched lips. At that moment, he remembered the promise he had made with Aidan.
‘Could I kiss a hundred times?’
I thought it would fall soon, but it didn’t. He sucked in his lower lip, squirmed for a moment, then kissed him as if swallowing his breath.
Aidan’s body gripped my hand, which had hardened in surprise, and pressed closer.
I was getting more and more short of breath, but Aidan didn’t let me go easily.
“for a moment-.”
In the end, I gasped and pushed Aidan away, and my face moved away with a low sigh.
“One hundred and ninety-eight times in the future.”
Aidan’s red eyes seemed to be dotted with strange heat as he counted. I was frightened and asked.
“Why is the number doubled?”
Besides, this is not a kiss!
Aidan answered calmly without any agitation.
“Because you broke your promise. interest.”
“It was so sleepy that it was irresistible.”
“You have to take responsibility for your mistakes.”
“I take responsibility… but the interest is twice the principal amount. Is Aidan a vile moneylender?”
“If you feel comfortable being criticized like that, do it.”
I was taken aback by Aidan’s attitude of never backing down.
I was speechless and moved my lips, and Aidan’s hand cupped my cheek again.
“It means to look back at yourself and not just worry about other people’s business.”
Despite my protest, Aidan didn’t answer and kissed my lips again. This time, too, it was a deep kiss that couldn’t be called a kiss.
‘He got mad because he forgot the promise of a hundred kisses and didn’t pay attention to himself.’
ugh
I closed my eyes as I pulled my jealous boyfriend by the neck.
It was midday, followed by a long kiss.
