I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Translator : Idris

In the end, Yulken apologized and returned to his seat with a refilled wine glass.

Edgar’s glass was about to run empty, so Yulken offered him another glass, but he refused and munched on the salty biscuits that had been placed as snacks.

‘He must have a strong heart.’

Usually, those who come face-to-face with Yulken all fail to act normally, either for good or for bad.

It was often that they couldn’t even touch the refreshments that were served.

In that respect, Edgar was truly a man of great liver(courageous).

The boy was not excessively polite, but also not to the point of frivolous, but he does everything normally.

Yulken really liked that.

‘That’ll be something to talk about later.’

His wife seemed to like this boy very much, and it wasn’t a bad impression to Yulken, but it wasn’t a topic to think about now.

After clearing this thought from his head first, Yulken spoke again to the boy sitting across from him.

“Ariel is said to be your best friend. Then wouldn’t it be right for you to express your anger at me?”

“Yes, if I had anything in my hand, I would like to stand up and wield it right away.”

Indeed, even Yulken’s eyes could see Edgar’s hand resting on his thigh faintly trembling.

It must mean he's holding back a really sincere anger.

However, Yulken’s reaction to this was extremely cold.

“You are honest. Do you know who your opponent is?”

“Even if you are the owner of the Grand Duchy, do you think that will change the fact that you are the one who brought tears to my friend’s eyes?”

It was an encouraging answer, but it wasn’t enough to reach Yulken’s heart.

He was a man who had seen dozens or hundreds of silent kids on the battlefield or in the political arena.

“A word from me would blow your throat.”

“Yes, that is why I am controlling my anger.”

“ Preposterous .”

His impulses are not worth his life.

In the end, Yulken let out a breath as if he was deflated with energy, thinking that the boy was still a young person with only a loud mouth, and Edgar, who was watching this, opened his mouth again.

“Because if I die, that guy will definitely feel guilty, saying it’s her fault.”

That said, it must mean that the action was for Ariel’s sake, not because his life was precious.

Yulken felt shaken for a moment, but quickly controlled his emotions and smiled.

At this time, Edgar’s comments continued.

“I came to you to make my friend laugh again, not to make her guilty."

“Even if I’m not there, it won’t have a big impact on that child’s life. You are well aware of that.”

“… Are you saying that because you really don’t know?”

It was Yulken who flinched at Edgar's reply, which was so cold that he couldn’t even feel the pitch of the young man's voice.

“If you were really irrelevant to Ariel, why would she react like that in the morning?”

“It would be just on a whim. It’s a normal thing at this age.”

“Your Highness seems to be talking about the stones rolling by the roadside on a whim!?”

“… … .”

Yulken took a sip of the wine without saying a word and munched on the biscuit, feeling the acidity in his mouth.

Edgar, watching this, let out a small sigh and opened his mouth again.

“I don’t want anything big. As I said, please don’t throw Ariel away.”

“Please don’t throw her away? That alone is already an unreasonable demand.”

“Did I ask for an apology? Or did I want you to walk up to Ariel first and give her a hug?”

That’s not wrong. However, that is not right either.

Because Yulken’s acceptance of this offer meant, in effect, that he would restore his relationship with Ariel.

And that will soon serve as an opportunity to tell Ariel the truth.

Yulken did not want this to happen.

“… The child should remain unaware. A foolish and resentful father, a caring and warm mother. She just has to live remembering those two.”

At his answer that followed, Edgar widened his eyes.

Could it be that this man thought that Ariel had asked for alone time from her father, while knowing nothing about it and hadn’t had a proper conversation in years?

“Your Highness, I was wondering just in case… Do you really think that Ariel doesn’t know anything?”

“What are you? No way… … .”

To Yulken’s ears, somehow the nuances of the boy’s words sounded as if Ariel already knew the whole story.

“Yes, Ariel knows everything. Of course, this is just a story based on my reasoning and Madame Helena’s words.”

Belatedly, Yulken’s red eyes widened.

That’s something he hasn’t heard from his wife.

In the first place, she only told him what kind of conversation she had with a boy named Edgar, and that he asked for a face-to-face meeting.

Edgar’s meaning of Ariel was also assumed to mean the child’s actions while ignorant of this matter.

But does she know all the inside stories? Did she commit the same act as morning even after knowing that?

“Why did you do that?”

“I just gave the truth to those who needed to know the truth. Could it be a problem?”

“I’d rather she does not know! Have you ever guessed how the child will be feeling right now!”

For Ariel, the only person she could trust was her mother.

However, if she heard the whole story, she would think that even her mother was an accomplice and alienate her mother.

That was the worst scenario Yulken could have imagined.

On the other hand, Edgar’s expression was calm despite hearing the man's silent screams.

He’s a really honest guy. But that’s why I can’t seem to see it.

If so, he should point it out. The child’s feelings now.

“Your Highness, haven’t you met with her today?

“What do you mean?”

“I will answer the previous question again. What Ariel did this morning was not caused by a push from me or Madame Helena.”

Thud.

As Edgar repeated the words he had spoken earlier, the sound of something sinking in Yulken’s chest could be heard.

At the same time, his eyes, which seemed to have always been firm, shook.

Come to think of it, he obviously noticed that.

The way Ariel suddenly recommended going hunting, and even the way she wanted to go alone with her father without even having a friend. It’s all her will.

‘Is this the meaning of asking to accept the requests of that child?’

Yulken, who got up from his seat, sat down and trembled.

It has been the same situation, but with just one condition that his daughter knew the whole truth and still made a request to him, the meaning could change so much.

If this happens, the side of the question and the side of the answer must change along with the direction of the story.

Why? Why?

“Do you really want that child to face me after knowing the whole truth?”

“Didn’t His Highness face her directly?”

“No, it can’t be. Even knowing that much, why the hell… … .”

It’s not a truth that a mere 15-year-old can handle.

Even if the whole truth was broken down, it shouldn’t have been enough for her to pour out resentment against the father and spit out curses at the mother.

But why does she want to look straight at such an ugly father again?

Why can’t she feel anger, sadness, or at least a sense of collapse?

It wasn’t a matter of being upright or mentally strong.

“… This?”

“Please open it.”

An envelope of letters was held out in front of the confused Yulken.

As Yulken looked at Edgar questioningly, he placed it directly in his hand and sat back on the sofa.

The words written on the envelope are ‘Dear Father’.

The moment he saw that phrase, Yulken had to barely hold back the tears that seemed like they would spill out any moment.

He finally found out who the owner of this letter was.

“How am I supposed to read this?”

“His Highness, let me read it myself if you couldn’t read it. Would you like that?”

In the end, there was no reason not to read what is written in this letter.

Yulken opened the envelope containing the letter with trembling hands and took out the letter contained in it.

The text of the letter was not very long.

No, rather, it was so short and concise that he wondered if someone had to write these small words and put it in a letter.

However, even so, Yulken couldn’t hold back the tears that burst out the moment he saw the brief sentence written in the letter.

‘I love you, father.’

How much did he want to hear? However, it was also something he didn’t want.

The choice his daughter made after learning all the inside stories was sincere. All of that was put into this one sentence.

She must have been thinking about how to convey it to her father, whom she had never had a proper conversation with.

Even if she put some rhetoric on it and pretended to understand her father’s heart, something would have been undesirable.

So he was told ‘I love you, father.'

Even if she resented him, even if he was afraid to face her!?

Nonetheless, she will come and see him.

The noble meaning is conveyed in these short words.

“Originally, I wanted to negotiate with you. But when I told Ariel about it yesterday, she told me that she had to end it.”

“… … .”

“And after giving me this letter and making a request, she made that request to you in the morning.”

Yulken tried to control his emotions somehow.

So as not to wet the letter. So that this precious sincerity conveyed by his daughter does not spread and disappear.

Edgar carefully took out a handkerchief and held it out to him.

It was his conviction that tears should be completely poured out when they should be shed, but today there was a reason not to do that.

“Can you tell this to my daughter?”

“I don’t know what you mean, but you can please tell her directly.”

“Directly… … ?”

It is impossible to visit his daughter at this late hour.

Does it mean that they will go hunting together tomorrow and talk?

Knock.

As if to put Yulken’s doubts to rest, a knocking sound came from beyond the study’s door.

Edgar smiled at him, got up from his seat, slowly headed towards the door, and carefully opened it.

“Ah, Riel… … ?”

“Did you read the letter? father.”

The one who appeared from beyond was none other than the owner of the brief letter, Ariel.

“Ariel, Ariel… … !”

“father… … .”

Raising his head and facing the face of the daughter he had longed to see, Yulken stood up and shouted her name.

Ariel was not to be outdone by this, so she walked quickly to her father’s side and hugged him.

The arms of a big and strong father who seemed to be forgotten even in memory.

Feeling the touch, Ariel shed tears along with her father.

‘After all, a father is a father, and a daughter is a daughter.’

Edgar, who had been watching this from a distance, laughed a little and left the study, carefully closing the door to make as little noise as possible.

In the end, he didn’t get anything right.

Ariel wanted to stand up on her own and face her father without being encouraged by anyone.

He just gave a small opportunity to those who didn't dare to take the first step in the middle.

But maybe this is the best ending.

People who wished to choose their own path gathered together, held hands, and finally walked the brightest path.

Still, wouldn’t this be enough to be a memorable supporting role in a beautiful story?

‘I’m looking forward to tomorrow.’

The father and daughter go hunting together for the first time, what kind of conversation will they have and how will they convey their sincerity?

Perhaps, of all the endings of any day he had ever experienced, he assured that there would be no day he looked forward to more than tomorrow so much.