The Case of Being Reincarnated as a Noble in a World with a Skewed Gender Ratio - 59

Chapter 59: One Day Before El’s Birthday ②

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“For whose sake do you think Tia is working so hard for?”

“Well, that is true. However, she’s also doing it for your sake, you know?”

“Yes, also try to think if you would be alright if Tia were to get intimate with someone from another kingdom.”

The Tenth Queen’s words wouldn’t leave my mind. I went out into the mansion’s garden to think. I knew Tia had been working hard both in her study and her martial arts training, along with various other stuff that couldn’t be mentioned. Wasn’t Tia working hard for herself? Since she was the princess of this kingdom? Yet… She also did it for me?

When I was with Tia, I usually tried to treat her like a little sister… Or that was what I intended. I never had a little sister before, but I tried to imagine this must be what it felt like to have one. However, when I was told to imagine Tia getting married to someone else… I felt this stinging pain in my chest. I could tell that this was not the pain of a father or an older brother who didn’t want to see their little sister get married. 

Or perhaps… I was unconsciously attracted to Tia? Honestly speaking, I couldn’t really tell. I never fell in love, both in this life and my previous life. I had no family, so I spent my days working part-time, just trying to live day by day. I didn’t have the privilege to date anyone. If I had the free time, I would choose to work more rather than indulging myself in that kind of thing. 

Ahhh! Geez! What are these feelings in my heart?! I really don’t know what I should do…”

“Darling~♡”

This voice…

“I’m here~♡”

“Miria…”

Miria leaped into my arms at the same time as she spoke, just like usual. She then looked up at my face. 

“Hm? Darling, is something wrong?”

So she said. I wasn’t her darling though.

“…Why?”

“What do you mean why? You’re my Darling, so of course I can tell.”

“Why… Can you tell?”

“I can immediately tell because of Darling’s expression. I’m sure everyone in Darling’s mansion can tell something is wrong too. And also… It’s because I love Darling so much!”

She always said that every time we met, but…

“What happened? Why don’t you try telling me? That expression doesn’t suit you, Darling.”

I pondered if I should talk to Miria about this since I knew I wouldn’t come to any conclusion on my own. Anyway, I decided to talk to her. I told her what I was thinking and feeling and after she heard my story, Miria looked a bit lonely for a moment before she smiled again at me. 

“Ah, I see. So Darling has been taken by Tia-chan, huh…” (Mumbling…)

“Huh?”

“Nope, it’s nothing! Anyway….”

“Anyway…?”

“Darling, you’re pretty oblivious, huh? Even though I’m seriously in love with you, you know?”

“Is that so…?”

“See? Did you think I was just playing around all this time?”

“Umm…. Well….”

Rather than just playing around… Well, while it was true that I never gave her confession serious thoughts, but I thought she just felt indebted to me for helping her.. Or she was just saying that because of our positions… 

“Darling, can you close your eyes?”

“Huh?”

“Just do it!”

“Umm.. Okay.”

I closed my eyes, just as she instructed.

“Okay. Let’s get back to what you just said to me, Darling. How would you feel if Tia-chan got married to another country?”

“Hmm… I feel… Kind of sad I guess?”

“Rather than ‘sad’, you ‘hate’ it, right? You don’t want Tia-chan to get married to someone else, right?”

“I guess… So? I don’t want that… But, a father would feel the same, right? This feeling is similar to an overprotective older brother who doesn’t want his little sister to get married to someone else.”

“Darling, if Tia-chan were to marry and be kissed by her future husband orrr even doing something even further than that, would you be okay with that?”

“Eh?!”

Tia, with another man… 

Twinge! Twinge twinge!!

“How is it? You don’t want it, right? The mere thought of it feels repulsive, right? You hate it, right? You must be thinking that person should’ve been me, right?”

“….”

“I think that’s your answer, Darling.”

“I….”

“And one more thing…”

“Hm?”

“Please look at me properly, okay, Darling?”

Kiss~

A soft touch gently grazed my cheek. I understand what she was talking about. Of course I understand after all that she said. I opened my eyes immediately, but Miria was already running away with her back turned to me. 

“…Thank you, Miria.”

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After talking with Miria, I asked my mother’s permission to come to a certain place. It was a place full of memories, not far from the mansion. I sometimes come to that place to think. 

“Indeed… No matter how many times I come here, this place never fails to calm me. It’s so beautiful here. 

“El… One day… When you find someone important to you, you should bring them here with you. This holds an important meaning to our family, after all…”

I was always reminded of what Mother said every time I came here. This was a special place for our family. I was here on my own though. Of course I would be fine. Ever since that incident, I had learned how to wield a sword and more importantly… Marin and Leila were nearby. The other guards were not far from her either. 

“Someone important to me, huh…”

Don’t mind me. I’m just talking to myself…

“Come on… You already know, don’t you? Me?”

Closing my eyes, a figure of a woman came to my mind. I imagined her by my side, smiling. She was cute.. Beautiful… Dignified… Sometimes she got angry at me, sometimes she was sad… Sometimes she was embarrassed by something… She had shown me various expressions. 

“..Tia.”

I… I love Tia. I just failed to realize it until now. Ah… I’m really thick-headed… Or maybe I’m just plain stupid. I really need to thank Miria for this. 

“But still, I’m glad I came here…”

When I got back, I would tell Tia my feelings. If she rejected me then so be it. There was nothing I could do about it. But… But if the confession were to go well, then…

“Me and Tia… Coming to this place…”

“…El.”

My shoulders jumped upon hearing someone calling my name. I turned around to the direction of the voice and…

“-?! Why are you here?”

I saw Tia standing there.

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T/N: Finallyyyy!!