Chapter 265 – An Old Friend’s Problem!!
I started to cut the ridiculous cake that we had not even ordered.
After cutting everyone a slice, I passed the plates around the table.
Rish bowed her head.
“Th-thank you, Heal. Even though it was me who did it…”
I was about to tell her that she would ruin the cake if I let her cut it, but held my tongue.
“…Don’t worry about it. By the way, I’m surprised that you recognized me.”
“Huh? Of course, I did… After all, you’ve barely even changed, Heal!”
Rish replied happily.
Being told that I hadn’t changed much since I was a child… It made me feel a little conflicted. Still, I decided to look on the bright side and be happy that she still remembered me.
“I see. So you remembered me.”
“You might not know this Heal, but way back when I went to the palace, I used to watch you from far away… Uh, well, I suppose I wanted to talk to you, but didn’t know…”
“You found it difficult… Well…yes…”
Due to Cave King, I had always felt inferior and reserved. Other people had likely felt uncomfortable with approaching me.
Rienna said,
“So Lord Heal and Ms. Rish are old friends.”
“Uh, yeah…”
Rienna saw that Rish was not sure what to say, and her face changed as if realizing something.
“Ah, forgive me. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Rienna.”
“And I am Fule. This is old Mappa. We’re all Lord Heal’s servants.”
Fule said.
“I see… But you two are so pretty. I thought you must be noblewomen.”
“They aren’t servants, they are my friends. And so you can relax, Rish.”
Rish nodded.
“Th-thank you. Ah, I should introduce myself as well then. I am Rish. The daughter of Count Leodor, who rules these lands…. Um, I used to play at the palace with Heal.”
“I see. In fact, Lord Heal was actually talking about you before we came here.”
“Re-really!?”
Rish smiled happily.
“Uh, yeah. I remembered a Rish from House Leodor.”
“I-I see. So you came here to see me then.”
It was not like that…
But there was no point in denying it.
“Well…I am glad that we met you.”
“Me too.”
Rish looked at me with a more serious expression.
While she could be absent-minded, she had a very beautiful face. My heart skipped a beat.
Fule grinned.
“We won’t be able to leave Lord Heal alone.”
“Well, he is very appealing, so it cannot be helped.”
Rienna agreed.
“Wa-wait, you two. We really are just friends. Right, Rish?”
“Uh, ah, uh, um. Yes. Friends!”
Rish replied frantically. Unfortunately, it made it sound like it was not true at all.
That being said, she really was just a playmate for me…
Rish’s expression became serious as she stared at me.
“…I was so worried about you. When they told me that you were sent to some southern island that I had never even heard of.”
“You were… Well, you should be happy to know that everything went well.”
I did not tell her that we had come from the north.
Rish sighed with relief.
“I am so glad about that. In fact, I had even planned to go to this southern island myself. I never dreamed that you would come here yourself.”
I could not tell her that those words made me happy without reservation.
I had not talked to Rish in seven to eight years… And I doubted she had been thinking of me all of this time.
But then again, her words seemed a little exaggerated for mere politeness.
“Rish…I’m glad to hear you were concerned. But to be honest, we have not seen each other in years.”
“Huh? Oh…ah, sorry! I was talking as if we were close!”
She straightened her posture.
And then her eyes dropped down to her hands sadly.
I saw that she was wearing a ring made of wood. It seemed oddly crude for a woman of her age. Something too rough for the work of a craftsman.
Rienna noticed it too and smiled.
“What a beautiful ring that is.”
“Ah, yes, yes it is.”
Rish said and then turned to me.
…Indeed, that ring looked familiar.
Fule seemed to detect something.
“Cou-could it be…that Lord Heal made it?”
“Yes! Bu-but, he made it when he was a child. So I’m sure that he doesn’t remember it. I’m sorry!”
Rish said as she covered it with her hand.
Indeed, I did remember making that ring.
Because Rish had said that she wanted it.
And then she insisted that we would be married…
Did she still remember that promise?
Fule and Rienna were staring at me now.
“Lord Heal. If you made a promise, then you must keep it.”
“Yes. While you have a promise with us as well, a promise is still a promise.”
They said accusingly.
While I had said it as a child, a promise really was still a promise. If Rish had been trying to keep that promise up until now, then perhaps I should as well.
But Rish looked frantic as she said,
“Do-don’t worry about that! I was just thinking…about how sorry I was. Because if you still remembered, then I would have to refuse you!”
“Huh? Refuse?”
Rish nodded.
“Ye-yes. My father is arranging something. And so I have to apologize to you.”
“I see… Well, that is very…kind of you.”
Rish bowed her head.
“I’m sorry! Heal, I must break that promise we once made.”
“Th-that’s fine. I don’t mind at all. I mostly forgot about it myself.”
I was trying to be considerate, but Rish looked a little sad as she nodded.
Rienna was conflicted.
“Perhaps I should not be getting involved in other people’s business, but… Ms. Rish, do you want to marry this other person?”
“Well… My father has already decided. And so I must obey…”
Rish said as if trying to persuade herself.
It wasn’t as if she was saying anything strange. When it comes to the upper class of this country, parents usually choose who their children would marry.
Only a small minority were allowed to marry who they wanted to. And it was rare for it to be with someone who felt the same about them.
Fule took a bite of the cake and muttered.
“Humans sure have it rough… Well, I suppose it’s just the nobles.”
“I do not think we should say any more about it…”
Rienna said sadly as she turned to me.
To be married to someone you didn’t even like… I hated the idea as well.
“Rish… Have you met this person?”
“Ye-yes. At the Leodorf castle, last week. But I asked him to wait. Until I could refuse you.”
It sounded like she did not want to talk about him, which made it obvious that there was no affection.
Bringing up me was likely not about fulfilling any promise, but as a way of stopping the marriage.
Rienna said,
“But now you two have met. In other words…”
Rish nodded.
“It will continue as planned. I must be honest to my father.”
Upon hearing those words, I did not know what to say.
Rish was going to accept the marriage for the good of her family.
As an outsider, it was not my place to say anything, but…
Rish looked so sad.
She must really not like this person.
As she was my old friend that I used to play with a lot, I wanted her to be happy.
The old me would not have been able to do anything. But now, I had plenty of money. Perhaps there was something that I could do.
“Rish… If you do not want this, tell me. I could talk to Count Leodor and ask him to change his mind.”
“Yo-you, Heal?”
“It’s not like I have that much power…but maybe this could be resolved with money.”
“But…this has nothing to do with you, Heal…”
Said Rish. Fule answered.
“Lord Heal cannot ignore someone who is in need of help.”
“Especially if they are an old friend.”
Rienna added.
“Well, it’s something like that… Besides, how could I abandon you when you’ve been looking at me like that? Besides, had I not come, you could have extended this delay.”
“Heal…th-thank you.”
Rish bowed her head with teary eyes.
Thanks for the chapter! Awesome translation! May God bless you!