CHAPTER 127
Side Story 1 : A Commotion Before the Ceremony
The first thing we did after the proposal was to inform the Croft family.
"Since they were your guardians, we should get their approval, right?"
I asked Lewis on the way back to the mansion after the proposal.
Lewis reacted as if he had heard something funny.
"No need for approval. We just need to inform them."
"Well... then let's just tell them."
"Sure."
"When should we tell them?"
"Let's do it today. No need to delay."
So soon?
Lewis, who had come to the mansion to escort me, entered the mansion with me. We informed the Croft family, who were gathered for tea.
"We're getting married."
"Pfft."
Michael covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
"Married? What's all this about marriage?"
Bella's eyes widened.
"It seems a bit sudden, but-"
"Why are you talking about marriage already?"
Bella tried to convince me that our marriage didn't make sense.
"Selina, do you think you can live with Lewis for the rest of your life? You need to think carefully. It's marriage!"
"What's wrong with me?"
Lewis frowned.
As Bella and Lewis stared each other down, the Duke supported Lewis.
"If they're both certain about it, I don't see any problem."
"I agree with Mother. I'm in favor!"
Michael also agreed.
"Why is everyone taking Lewis's side?"
Bella was the only one dissatisfied.
"Bella, do you dislike the idea of me marrying Lewis?"
I asked cautiously, and Bella's expression softened.
"No. If you marry Lewis, you'll become part of our family, which is good. But as your friend..."
She was worried about me as a friend.
As someone who often argued with Lewis, she knew his personality well.
"Is that so? Then there's no problem."
While Bella's words moved me, Lewis abruptly concluded.
"If it's good for the family, it's good."
Then he turned to me.
"And as a friend, you don't need to worry. I'll treat Selina well."
Since I also wanted the marriage, Bella couldn't oppose it any longer.
The next day, I told Charlotte the news first when she visited the mansion.
"We're planning the wedding in half a year?"
"Yes. It's not set yet, but we've talked about having it in about half a year. We should start preparing."
"Miss Elsner will have a new family then."
Charlotte was genuinely happy for me.
"The Marquis will make a wonderful husband."
"He'll be the most ill-tempered husband."
Bella seized the opportunity to interject her sarcasm.
I didn't deny it. His temper was bad even now...
"I wonder when I'll meet someone I love..."
Charlotte said wistfully as she sipped her tea.
She's kind and beautiful. I can't imagine her not being popular.
The unfortunate part is her insensitivity to love.
Despite Philip's persistent wooing, she never noticed, so it might be the same in future instances.
Any man who likes Charlotte would be heartbroken. This thought crossed my mind at that moment.
"I heard we have a guest?"
Michael opened the parlor door.
"It's my day off, so I baked some cookies."
"Hey, don't give that to our guest!"
Bella snapped at the chick-shaped cookies that looked like they came from hell.
"Don't serve those; they'll lose their appetite."
"Oh my, what cute cookies!"
To my surprise, Charlotte exclaimed in delight.
I guess Charlotte's eyesight isn't as good as I thought.
"Aren't they cute? They look like chicks."
"May I try one?"
Wow. Seeing them chat pleasantly, Bella and I exchanged glances.
"Hmm! Not bad."
"Thank you. Miss Yaniels is the only one who appreciates my cookies."
"Really? How could that be..."
Unexpectedly, Charlotte understood Michael's culinary talents.
* * *
Time flew by quickly.
It had been half a year since we vaguely talked about marriage, and now the wedding was just a week away.
Today, I visited Lewis's mansion.
"In a few days, this will be your home."
We were there to see our soon-to-be marital room.
Thanks to the pastel green wallpaper, the room had a fresh, verdant feel.
Seeing the newly completed marital room reminded me of how Lewis used to frequent the Duke's mansion like it was his own home just to see me.
"Will you stop visiting the Duke's mansion after we're married?"
"I went to see you. No need to go often anymore."
I knew it would be like this.
"Still, visit often. It would seem too indifferent otherwise. They always welcomed you."
Or did they? Maybe they didn't care much...
We chatted and looked around the room.
I found something familiar on the bookshelf shortly after.
"Oh, this is your father's journal!"
It was a journal used as evidence during the trial that I had forgotten about.
"I wanted to read the latter part. May I?"
"Sure. It's not my journal."
Well then... Excuse me, Father.
I opened the journal again after a long time. The latter part, which I hadn't read, was entirely about raising Lewis.
"Oh my, baby Lewis is born!"
"Don't say it like that. It's creepy."
Lewis genuinely looked creeped out.
The baby was born, so I said it was born!
Reading further, I could see the parents' joy in raising young Lewis.
They were delighted when he turned over, and when he started walking.
"Just from this, you seem really cute."
"Father gets emotional over small things. I wasn't cute even as a kid."
Lewis spoke indifferently.
Considering his current personality, I can't imagine him being cute...
But wouldn't he have looked cute? Even if he acted maturely, kids usually look cute!
Anyway, there was no way for me to confirm that.
I spent some time with Lewis before returning to the Duke's mansion.
When I arrived, Bella took me to her room.
"Selina, look at this."
"What is it?"
"I made an interesting potion."
Bella has recently been fascinated by enhancing her magical abilities.
She had been making something diligently, and it turned out to be a potion.
"What kind of potion?"
"A potion to make you younger."
"A potion to make you younger?"
I widened my eyes.
"Yes. I tested it on a frog, and it turned back into a tadpole."
"Wow, such a potion is possible!"
That's amazing!
Suddenly, I thought of Lewis. He said he wasn't cute even as a kid...
"Is there any side effect? Does it work the same on humans?"
"Not sure? I haven't tested it on humans yet. We'd need a test subject. Why, do you have one?"
"Haha... where would I find a test subject?"
I quickly lost interest after Bella's response. It didn't seem like a safe potion.
The next day, Charlotte and I went to the temple together.
Charlotte was still faithfully visiting the temple.
Sometimes I went with her.
I thought the temple might have been off-limits after the unfortunate incident there, but the high priest's reaction was unexpectedly positive.
'Wasn't it a scary plot to misuse the temple, which had done nothing wrong? It's good that the truth came out and the evildoers were punished.'
The point was that the temple was also a victim of this incident.
Anyway, I'm glad nothing happened...
Charlotte, who used to be happy taking care of plants with her divine power, recently developed her abilities.
She could now use her divine power on people too!
It started when she healed Bella, who had accidentally cut herself while practicing swordsmanship.
However, she couldn't always control this ability...
Anyway, the temple viewed her abilities positively.
Charlotte was learning how to harness her divine power from the priest once a week.
Today was that day, and I watched her lesson.
"Can you feel the pure energy?"
"I think I can feel it..."
After watching the divine power lesson, I returned to the mansion.
Upon arrival, I found Bella wrapping potion bottles.
She didn't go to the temple with me, saying she had things to do, and it seemed this was what she was up to.
"Bella, what is this?"
"Gifts for friends."
"The potion to make you younger?"
But it's not safe for humans yet?
"This isn't that. I haven't made the potion to revert to the original state yet."
Bella explained as she wrapped five potion bottles.
"The Magicians' Day is coming soon."
"Oh, that's right!"
I had completely forgotten because I was only thinking about the wedding.
In the Ravens Empire, there's a special day for magicians.
It's more of a playful day than a solemn one.
On this day, magicians exchange or gift magical items they've made. Bella seemed to be preparing for that.
"What kind of potion is it?"
"That's a secret. You'll find out when you drink it."
Last year, we had so much to worry about that we barely celebrated Magicians' Day.
But now, Bella was planning a joke, and I couldn't help but wonder...
'Is this potion safe?'
Hmm, I won't drink it.
Of course, I kept that thought to myself.
After all, I didn't want any of Bella's potions to be missing even a gram!
I decided to quietly keep the potion Bella gave me in a place only I knew, to cherish it forever.
* * *
On Magicians' Day, I received a small candy from Michael as well.
"It's a candy that makes your body flexible."
"Thanks, Michael."
I wasn't sure how to use it, but I accepted it with a cheerful heart.
With only three nights left until the wedding, I was feeling quite elated.
This year, Magicians' Day was a holiday, so Lewis was coming to the Duke's mansion in the afternoon.
Knowing this, Bella handed me a potion bottle.
"Give this to Lewis for me. He won't take it if I give it to him."
"Is it really a secret what this potion is?"
"It's nothing
weird. The effect only lasts for an hour."
As I kept wondering, Bella finally revealed the potion's secret.
"It makes you keep laughing. Just keep it to yourself."
"Really?"
That seems rather ordinary!
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