LIGHTNOVELWORLD chapter 89
89 – Closing, Farewell Behind the Scenes (3)
November 11, 11:11 PM.
It is a subtle perspective.
The hour and minute hands of a wristwatch draw a narrow V shape, but when listed in numbers, the time is only ‘1’.
“Should I say it’s too much, or should I say it’s really fast?”
Rattling.
While riding in an open-air carriage, Astasia puffed out her cheeks and frowned.
“Good is good.”
“Is it okay for Lord Gray to break up with me?”
“It can’t be good. But for now.”
I pointed the surroundings to Astasia, who continued to complain.
“What is it? Are you the kind of person who cares about other people that much?”
“It’s not like that, but… “
“Then?”
“Not only are we not the only ones here.”
I saw Naria sitting upside down across from where Astasia and I were sitting, in the direction the carriage was moving.
“This will probably be your first experience on the continent, so I want you to capture this sight with your own eyes.”
And beyond, he pointed to her father, who was riding a horse.
“I will open it.”
The carriage continues to move forward slowly.
The horses also stopped at the tightly closed gate in front, but soon the gate opened to the left and right towards us, opening the way.
“Wow.”
“Three gates are opening.”
Even Ria turned her body and looked at the gate opening.
“If you look at the history of Gibraltar, or even the history of Nostrum, this is probably the first time something like this has happened.”
The door itself was often opened.
Even though it is the last gateway to Gibraltar, although it is equipped with iron ladders and elevators, it has been opened several times for maintenance.
“Her Royal Granddaughter Astasia.”
“Uh, Margrave? You can speak in peace!”
“Since I have come here, it is my duty as a margrave to be treated with courtesy.”
But like this, a door opens.
“Your Majesty is the first person to open all the doors from Gibraltar towards the Empire.”
As the horses rode forward through the canyon, the second gate ahead of us was wide open.
“The road to the empire is wide open like this, but I feel uneasy. I’m sorry.”
“Not much to say.”
It’s strange.
“How did you enjoy your life in Gibraltar?”
“Yes! Very much! I am truly sad to leave like this.”
“I’m glad. Even though it ended like this, I hope that the memories in Gibraltar remain only good ones.”
My father is not the kind of person to talk kindly like this.
‘Is it because I don’t talk to Astasia often?’
He’s not the kind of person who would fart on the imperial granddaughter in advance to become a traitor, but he strangely keeps trying to talk to her.
“Soon.”
My father paused for a moment.
“Through negotiations with Morgania, we would like to discuss the limited opening of the Gibraltar Gorge.”
Suddenly, an unplanned announcement was made, even though it had been planned before.
“Yes? Father. What is that…?”
“There is enough space between Gate 2 and Gate 1 to find a place.”
My father pointed to the surroundings.
“One way would be to set up facilities inside the canyon and create a limited trade space here for exchanges.”
“Mr. Margin…”
“But, isn’t it a bit odd to call him Margrave?”
“Um… Gray’s father?”
“…Ha.”
My father chuckled.
“I know what it is.”
He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, so I lightly shrugged.
“Grey.”
“Yes, father.”
“I will speak to Carmen directly. Don’t let her ignore you.”
“Rather than ignoring him, don’t you think he’s a little smarter than a 13-year-old?”
“That’s ignoring her. I think she thinks of you as a kid who’s 2 or 3 years smarter than me…”
My father looked around at me and Naria for a moment.
“You already had the intelligence of a 20-year-old, or even older, from the age of 10.”
“…”
“An adult in the appearance of a child. And the cleverness of using that child’s appearance to deceive those around him.”
“Are you praising me, or are you criticizing me?”
“As if I myself admit this…”
The father smiled slightly at Astasia.
“This guy is like this, so be careful. He’s a young old man who is completely different on the outside and the inside.”
“Well, I’m no different!”
Astasia grabbed my arm and shouted.
“If you think about it, there are a lot of things I’m hiding, and there are a lot of differences between the outside and the inside!”
“Then I’m glad. I think I’ve found a good person who understands and accepts my son.”
“Ugh, ugh…!”
“Even though the two countries have lived with their doors closed to each other for 500 years… “
Squeak.
The carriage stops.
“Perhaps these two people will be the opportunity to break down the wall that has been firmly erected between the two countries.”
The road to the empire, the last.
The first gateway.
“Don’t you think so?”
Squeak.
“I see.”
When my father asked beyond the gate, the gate opened and the person who appeared bowed his head in a polite manner.
“Meeting the Crimson Margrave of Gibraltar.”
“…”
My father froze as he looked up and down at the white-haired woman who opened the door.
“Ahaha. Well, I came here in a hurry while riding my bike.”
“The outfit… Great.”
“Uh, I couldn’t help it. I didn’t even have time to change clothes.”
A black jacket that can’t even cover your face.
A leather tank top that leaves the abdomen completely exposed and the chest no different from underwear.
One side of the pants even exposes the bottom of the buttocks.
In many ways, it was an outfit that was difficult to find in the kingdom, but it also became the symbol of this woman.
‘Until now, I’ve been dressed quite modestly.’
I’ve seen her in suits so far, but she looks much better in plain clothes.
‘Anyone can see that they are mother and daughter.’
And because of that, she could definitely feel that there was a more ‘mother-daughter relationship’ with the girl next to her.
“Strictly speaking, it is a diplomatic occasion, but it is not an official occasion, so please feel at ease.”
“Oh my, is that okay?”
“The situation is the same, but even if hundreds or thousands of vampires come, it is not a threat.”
Her father got out of his carriage and pointed lightly at the sword on his belt.
“That’s not true, Chairman Erwin.”
“That’s right. I came myself to safely serve Her Highness and Her Astasia.”
Behind Chairman Erwin.
“I have come to serve you. Your Highness Astasia.”
“…Yes.”
In the distance, something huge can be seen in the wilderness stretching towards the empire.
An object similar to a ship.
It was hard to see because it was too far away, but it was clearly visible that there was something like a wheel on the floor.
“I never thought you would come out so quickly.”
“I’m waiting right in front of the gate, but I can’t pretend not to notice and let the cold wind blow me. The kids have to go to bed early too.”
“Hehe. If it were adults, they would have come right away in the morning.”
“…Chairman.”
My father frowned for a moment at Chairman Erwin’s words, but-
‘As expected, you know something.’
For me, Chairman Erwin’s words just made me laugh out loud.
If I were an adult…
‘I wouldn’t have let this happen in the first place.’
Because I would have protected it.
And even if we break up-
“Lord Grey?”
Astasia next to me pressed my waist with her hand
“What are you thinking?”
“Bad idea.”
“Yes?”
“I know in my head that I have to send her away Her, but I feel like if I send Her Her Her Her Highness Her Her Her Astacia like this, I won’t be able to see her for “Too long.”
“…”
Astasia held my hand and she hesitated for a moment, but-
“No. I want to do that too, but I’m holding back.”
She immediately shook her head, grabbed the back of my hand and patted it lightly.
“It’s a bit hard to say, but I’ll find a way to contact her. Even if it means pecking her mother.”
“Hey, Your Majesty. Who are you talking about?”
“Well~?”
“…Ha. It’s a good thing it’s the Earl of Gibraltar. If it were anyone else, I would have been very upset.”
Chairman Erwin shook his head with a troubled expression.
“It’s not like there’s no way, so let’s create a way to communicate. It would be perfect if the Margrave of Gibraltar would open a marketplace for exchanges here.”
“There may be resistance in the royal capital, but I will try to open the entire canyon gate so that an imperial market can truly be opened within the County of Gibraltar.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“Of course. Don’t overdo it either.”
His father approached President Erwin and held out his hand.
“It seems that you and I have similar intentions.”
“…Uhm, I see. Ah, this might be rude.”
Chairman Erwin came over and took a moment to regain his appetite.
“Let me tell you one thing: greetings in the Empire don’t end with a handshake.”
He grabbed his father’s hand and pushed his face forward.
Sarak.
“…”
“It’s called a cheek kiss. Hehe.”
Moving his face to the left and right, Chairman Erwin ended his greeting by making a loud ‘chop’ sound on purpose.
“How do you feel? Imperial greeting.”
“It’s a fairly open place. I can’t believe they did this to a married man.”
“Because I’m a single mother.”
“…”
“And unlike the Empire, the Kingdom is polygamous?”
“…This is not the right time to have such a discussion, so let’s stop.”
The father waved his hand lightly and then took a large step back.
“I wish it was 3 years ago.”
“Yes?”
“If it had been three years ago, I wouldn’t even have held hands with a woman from outside my family.”
“…”
“If you say it’s an imperial greeting and an imperial culture… Haha.”
My father turned his eyes towards me, lamenting as if he had given up on something.
“Gray Gibraltar.”
“Don’t worry. “I will take care of it.”
It will mainly be a fix for my mother, and she can’t say anything carelessly.
“Rather, is this how you do it?”
“Oh?!”
I held Astasia’s hand and pressed our cheeks together as if giving a cheek kiss.
“Uh, uh…”
She could have pulled her face her her back, but Astasia stayed still.
Once in the direction of my father and the chairman.
And then the moment you turn your face back to the other cheek.
‘Is it greed?’
If we break up, wouldn’t it be okay to be greedy like this?
Sreuk.
“!!”
It was a very brief moment, like a passing breeze, but I felt a little greedy.
“…Next time.”
Astasia turned away from me, blushing profusely.
“Properly.”
“Received.”
“…Then, next time.”
Astasia approached Chairman Erwin at a brisk pace and headed towards the empire without even looking back.
“The Margrave of Gibraltar. Do you do that to your wife?”
“He’s worse than me.”
“Heung. Wow, I’m really jealous. Hahang.”
Chairman Erwin narrowed one of his eyes at me, hugged Astasia’s shoulder her, and left in the direction of the Empire.
“Next time!”
As Chairman Erwin left, waving his hand, his father immediately closed the first gate.
“Grey.”
“Yes, father.”
“I think I should go back right away, but it looks like there’s something I want to say.”
My father pointed to the carriage and then towards Gibraltar.
“Not to me, but to someone else.”
“Yes.”
I got on the carriage and sat down in front of Princess Naria, who was still sitting in the carriage.
“Princess Naria. Saying goodbye…”
“I already did. It is up to you, Lord Gray, to greet me here.”
Naria, who had been silent as if she were not there, turned her eyes toward the gateway.
“Instead, I would like you to speak with me for a moment. I am sorry to the Margrave, but… “
“The Third Gate.”
My father pulled the reins and turned the carriage.
“Take the elevator up and talk there. I think we just need some time to talk.”
“…Thank you for your consideration.
“Thank you, father.”
“Hmm.”
My father drove the carriage while scratching the back of his neck.
* * *
“Your Highness Astasia.”
“…Since there’s no one around, can’t you call me comfortably?”
“…It’s okay to cry.”
“…No.”
Chairman Erwin patted Astasia on the shoulder her her, but Astasia wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her dress her.
“I can’t cry. I’m only leaving for a moment, it’s not like we’re saying goodbye forever.”
“You’ve become stronger.”
“Yes. But… “
Astasia glared in the direction of her empire and clenched her fists.
“I need to become stronger.”
“…”
“So that we don’t give in to threats like this. Starting with me.”
“You’d have to be at the level of a master to do that, right?”
“…There’s nothing you can’t do, right?”
As Astasia looked at Chairman Erwin with her stern face, Chairman Erwin stroked Astasia’s head with a faint look.
“You seem to have made up your mind. You said you didn’t want to deal with something like that at some point.”
“I don’t like hurting others, but I also don’t like being hurt by others because I’m weak.”
“You’ve changed a lot.”
“This is what I learned.”
“To Gray?”
“I realized this through Lord Gray, but I learned this from hearing it myself.”
“…Huh?”
“Naria Geo Nostrum.”
Astasia smiled brightly and took out one of her items her from her luggage bag her in her hand her her her her.
“It was taught to me by a friend of the kingdom.”
“Uh, that… “
“Oh, this? This… Hehe. It’s a secret.”
“…”
It was a long leash and the perfect leash to wear around a person’s neck, but Chairman Erwin remained silent and led Astasia to the ‘ship’ standing on the ground.
“You said you wanted to learn, right? How to become stronger.”
“Yes.”
“I guess I’ll teach you from the first day I said it.”
Chairman Erwin let out a short sigh.
“Take a good look.”
And then he lowered his hand.
“Ryupa (流派). Aiferia.”
Suddenly.
A purple trail cutting through the air.
No one noticed that it was a blade, and that it was a blade made of ‘Auror’.
“Wow.”
Astasia, who was staring at me from the side.
“Big, huh…?”
Something that had seen into the darkness and was cut by the Auror blade.
“Isabella, anyway, this impatient woman.”
Chairman Erwin swung his Auror blade forward again as if he was lamenting.
“In that sense, the man is truly capable at times like this.”
Suddenly.
“Asti.”
“Yes, mom.”
“Watch it carefully. He may be the one teaching me this, but the drama is…”
Suddenly.
“I think I can show it here and now.”
In the dark.
“I don’t know anything else.”
Between the brilliantly shining white hair.
“When it comes to swords, I’m the best at using them in the empire.”
Erwin’s eyes suddenly began to turn purple.