Chapter 33: Special Edition: Observe the behavior of others and correct your own (Final Chapter)
After my mother finally returned, Rudy-sama and I cuddled on the sofa, continuing to leisurely enjoy our tea time.
There are things I have to do, things I should do, and things I want to do to some extent, and I’m sure Rudy-sama has even more, but well, it’s okay to be lazy like this for today.
After all, just when our hearts had finally connected, the next day my parents came to attack us without even giving us a chance to enjoy our newlywed bliss.
For today, it’s fine to just relax together and forget about everything else.
The butler and all the other servants are leaving us alone, and I’m sure everyone in the mansion feels the same way. Probably.
“By the way, um.”
Suddenly, Rudy-sama brought it up, and as my consciousness was already on the verge of falling into a nap, I couldn’t help but think, ‘I really like Rudy’s voice. I like it even more after hearing so many things while in a state of near-death!’
And then, I gently straightened up and looked up at his perfectly composed face. I’m glad I wasn’t separated from this person.
“. . .By the way?”
As I tried to contain my inner excitement and gently urged him to continue, Rudy-sama answered with a slightly troubled expression.
“I received a scolding from the Duchess for the unacceptable reply to that letter.”
“Ah, I can imagine. She was complaining about everything, as if nothing pleased her. . .She probably wanted to take me back with her, but I’m sorry for my mother, no, my father too.”
“No, your parents only said proper things. They avoided mentioning things that would hurt, like my appearance. It was simply a parental desire to create an environment where you can feel at ease here. I should be the one apologizing for exposing Emma to danger.”
Rudy-sama replied with a look of concern as I lightly bowed my head.
“That’s not true. . ., oh, we’ve had this exchange so many times. Let’s stop. We’ll end up apologizing endlessly. Um, was it about the correspondence during my period of confinement?”
“Yes, it was. Despite you sending me such heartfelt letters, I only replied in a way that seemed to ignore your feelings. . .What a sinful act. . .!”
Rudy-sama said that with a hint of tears, and it occurred to me that it might be fun to blame him as well, taking advantage of my mother’s opinion.
But, well, if I did that, I might end up revisiting the contents of those passionate love letters and occasional poems I wrote back when the only means of expressing them was through letters. . .? Let’s not. I can see the flag of embarrassment.
Immediately changing my mind, I smiled as gently as possible.
“However, back then, you were interpreting the contents of my letters in a completely different way. It couldn’t be helped, right? I understand the circumstances that made it hard to believe. . .But since you understood without waiting for three years, I don’t mind.”
“Oh, my goddess, how merciful you are. . .! I am grateful for the miracle of having such a wonderful person as my wife. As a place to offer my gratitude, we should establish a temple to worship you as the main deity as soon as possible. . .”
It seems like he has stopped blaming himself, but now my husband, with teary, sparkling eyes filled with excitement, is saying things that I can’t quite understand. What should I do?
“Well, um, it’s troublesome when you put it that way. Please stop. And, I’ve been thinking about it since earlier, but isn’t it quite disrespectful to call me a goddess in a country where there actually is a real goddess. . .?”
“That’s right. It doesn’t seem appropriate to compare Emma with a foolish goddess who has found someone other than you as her beloved child.”
“It’s the opposite! I’m the one who’s inferior in this situation. . .Stop it. Don’t get angry. I don’t want to cause any trouble. Let’s stop this conversation because it’s getting dangerous!”
“Well, if Emma says so. . .”
What exactly am I in this person’s mind?
Reluctantly, truly reluctantly, Rudy-sama withdrew with a dissatisfied expression, which gave me a headache.
I survived thanks to the blessings of the goddess of love. . .
And yet, even if the faith in this land is originally weak, why does Rudy-sama want to pick a fight with the goddess and the temple? Is it because he thinks I was persecuted and driven away? I’ve said it many times, but it’s not true.
Oh, but saying “My wife is more than a goddess!” is, well, it’s just like a silly couple’s bragging, my father used to say that a lot. . .Maybe I should just stop him before he takes action? No, really. . .? Maybe some correction or adjustment is necessary. . .?
“Um, what were we talking about? Oh, right, the letter. It was about the need to eliminate the fool who received a loving letter from the supreme being Emma and sent back a dry report-like document.”
It’s still continuing, self-blame. Why did it go back to that extent?
Rudy-sama said that with a deeply serious expression, and I couldn’t help but look into the distance.
He’s always so extreme. . .I feel like I need to correct something somewhere.
“I’m saying that I don’t mind anymore, so why don’t you stop worrying?”
When I asked casually, Rudy-sama shook his head with a very serious expression.
“The Duchess said, ‘Regarding this matter, you should be punished properly. Our child was so loyal and pitiful!’ That’s what she said. So, should I commit suicide? I thought about it, but I have pledged to dedicate everything to Emma. I can’t dispose of Emma’s belongings without her permission. . .”
“Why does such a dangerous word like ‘self-harm’ come up in the result of peaceful correspondence?! Ah, I don’t want to nitpick like this, but there’s nothing else to point out. . .! Well, anyway, I understand. I will come up with the punishment from now on, so please stop saying scary things like self-harm or disposal?!”
“Thank you!”
Rudy-sama, who tends to be extreme, seemed genuinely delighted and assumed a waiting posture upon hearing my words.
I wonder why I’m being thanked for saying I will give a punishment. . .
Honestly, I don’t think it’s something to worry so much about.
But well, if it concerns Mother and, above all, if it eases Rudy-sama’s mind, it might be better to give a light penalty and let it go.
Now, punishment, punishment, punishment. . .What would be good?
Maybe I can ask for my selfishness to be accommodated.
Ah.
‘If I were to receive a love letter written in this script, I might be so happy that wings would sprout from my back and I would fly all the way to the Margrave territory.’
These words I said to Mother before. This is it.
Having a sudden inspiration, I quietly informed Rudy-sama.
“In that case, I want a love letter from you. If Rudy regrets his previous response, it would be nice if you could rewrite it. If you give me a sincere reply that I can read without thinking it’s a coded plea for help. . .Oh, well, I have it saved, but I wonder if there are no more letters from me?”
“No, they are all framed and stored in a place where the sun doesn’t shine.”
Framed, of all things. Although I had a slight hope that there were no more letters, the somewhat greedy response made me feel a bit complicated, but anyway, it seems that the conditions for receiving a reply are in place.
“Well then, the punishment is decided! Since we exchanged a large number of letters, it doesn’t have to be all of them. Just one heartfelt reply from you, even if it’s just one letter, please.”
“Receiving a chance to rewrite is very much appreciated, but wouldn’t that not be a punishment. . .It’s fine if it’s something more extreme, like burning down a temple or toppling the royal castle. . .?”
Another extreme statement. Why does the outcome of correspondence lead to overthrowing a nation? It’s becoming laughable.
I cleared my throat and decided to drive the point home.
“Have you forgotten? I love peace. I don’t want you to say such dangerous things anymore.”
“Oh, I apologize. . .! I just wanted to express the determination to fulfill any wish! If it’s a letter from me, or rather, if it’s Emma’s wish, of course, I will write it, but it may not be valuable enough as an apology to you. . .”
Rudy-sama’s complexion turned pale, and after apologizing, he seemed downcast.
There’s no need to belittle yourself like that.
“No, for me, a love letter from you is more valuable than a royal-owned wyvern.”
“Eh, no, there’s no way that’s true. . .?”
As I assert, Rudy-sama, who knows nothing about the feathers I told my mother about, tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
I deepen my smile and slowly tell him.
“Well, if I were asked to choose between the two, I would without hesitation choose your letter. The value for me is determined by me. My letters may not be as skillful as poems, and they may not hold much value to the world, but you cherish them, don’t you?”
After all, they are framed. During the nearly three months of correspondence, almost every day, they may not reach a hundred. . .No, in terms of quantity, they probably do, but putting each one in a frame is more than just cherishing them.
I want you to understand that I’m in the same boat.
“. . .I see, indeed. But in that case, it makes me nervous. Can I write a letter worthy of that treasure?”
Rudy-sama, who seems to have heard my prayer, said so with a very serious expression.
“Hahaha, it doesn’t matter what the content is! The fact that it’s from Rudy is what’s important! I also like your handwriting. Just the fact that it’s your own handwriting gives it a significant bonus, so please feel at ease when you write.”
As I laugh it off, Rudy-sama nods with a slightly relieved expression.
“Handwriting, huh. . .Ah, when I was in the country’s knight order, I was instructed to write in a readable manner by my superiors.”
“Oh, I see. Thanks to that, you can write such neat and beautiful letters. Well, that aside, there’s something I’m curious about. Rudy, have you ever been in a knight order?”
“Yes. When my father was still alive, for a short period. It wasn’t a long time, but I lived in the capital. After learning various things in the country’s knight order, I came back here.”
“I wanted to see. . .! If you were in the capital, why didn’t I catch the young knight like you. . .! Oh, wait, if you were a knight of the country, you must have been going in and out of the castle, right?! Why didn’t I know about you?!”
To me, who deeply regrets, Rudy-sama returns a wry smile.
“Oh, ahaha. Knights like me, who are not good-looking, generally don’t appear in public.”
“Ugh, you hair-color supremacist. . .! Is it really that great to be someone with abundant magical power. . .!”
“Well, um, in that hierarchy, the most important person is you with black hair, right. . .?”
As I involuntarily vent my resentment, Rudy-sama cautiously asks, but my anger doesn’t subside.
“Exactly, that’s why I will judge it as ridiculous, not out of jealousy, but from my heart. Ah, it’s frustrating. With Rudy’s abilities, you could have even been the prince’s guard. Then, I could have met you much earlier. . .!”
“We also have an age difference, and Emma was the prince’s fiancée. Even if we had met earlier, it wouldn’t have meant much, I suppose.”
“It was said that the Santorina family originally needed to marry a princess with a high amount of magical power, right? Even if I had to beg my father or persuade His Majesty, I could have done something about that. Or rather, even if it couldn’t be helped, I wanted to at least catch a glimpse of you as a knight. . .!”
Yes, in the end, it all comes down to that.
The current Rudy-sama is wonderful, but I’m sure he was also wonderful when he was being trained in his younger days as a knight. It’s frustrating.
As I genuinely express my frustration, Rudy-sama pats my head with a troubled expression, trying to comfort me.
“However, even without considering appearances, I had already decided to return to this land, so I belonged to a unit that focused on subduing demon beasts rather than guarding nobles. Although I couldn’t meet you when you were young because of that, it was because of my connection to that unit that I rushed to the academy at that time. . .”
Now that you mention it, he, who shouldn’t have left his territory in the first place, was there at that time for that reason.
It’s frustrating that we couldn’t meet earlier, but in a sense, we met at the perfect timing, just before my engagement was dissolved.
If we had met when I was a child, I might have been treated with even more reverence, and as a child who should not be touched, I might have been excluded from being a potential love interest. Starting from there would have been quite difficult.
“Yes, you’re right. There’s no point in regretting the past. I’m sorry, Rudy. I got a little. . .no, quite carried away.”
As I sigh and say that, Rudy-sama also lets out a sigh of relief.
Hmm, I wasn’t really angry at him, but it seems like I made him shrink and feel confused. I’m sorry.
Well, I’m also tired of constantly teasing his affectionate outbursts. It’s starting to feel like a mutual thing.
“Yes, that’s right. There’s no point in regretting the past. So, I’ll express my heartfelt feelings in a letter to you, who are willing to give us a fresh start. . .Um, I’ll try to avoid using too many alarming expressions.”
It seems that upon witnessing my angry expression, Rudy-sama was both unhappy, thinking, “This person is saying such nonsensical things. . .” and reflecting, thinking, “Could it be that I have done the same. . .?” He summarized it in that way.
It’s a bit complicated, but rather than directing my anger towards something that disregards my beloved, it’s much more constructive and healthy to cherish my beloved to that extent.
As the recipient of affection, it makes me even happier.
I’m glad that he realized that. Let’s just leave it at that.
I want to believe that my words and actions weren’t so embarrassing.
“I’m looking forward to the letter. Maybe I should prepare a frame for it too.”
Yes, if I receive a love letter, any worries about being disappointed should disappear!
With such a wish in mind, Rudy-sama conveyed it and had a slightly troubled, embarrassed smile on his face.
Indeed, framing a love letter is embarrassing, isn’t it?
I would be happy if he could at least keep my past letters stored in a place where no one can see them. . .
―The End―
