Chapter 18

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Do, or Do Not
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Looking at the map Pielle had brought me, I began to think seriously.

Redius Argenta had been in danger, which meant the real Pero would be arriving soon.

Shouldn't I at least lay the groundwork for a new life before I leave?

Just as I'd resolved before the battle, it was truly time to start preparing.

My goal was to live a comfortable life deep within the continent, free from mortal danger. I'd had a plan in mind for a long time.

“The Daisy Forest.”

A forest that covered the center of the continent. Through it flowed the great Daisy River.

For now, it was untouched land, as few were willing to brave the threat of wild animals and monsters to enter the forest.

But in a few years, there would be a movement to build a great canal centered around the Daisy River.

Around the time the three ducal families stabilized the external threats.

“The future is in real estate, after all.”

I planned to buy up the land around there before that happened.

The problem was the funding…

[The Duchess’s allowance for upholding her dignity shall be paid to House Alloje.]

I recalled the ridiculous clause from the marriage contract that Alloje had sent to Argenta in the original story.

I didn't know why my money was going into their pockets, but getting it back shouldn't be too difficult.

If I said I needed the money for my activities here, Duke Alloje wouldn't go so far as to snatch it away from me.

Just as I was thinking about that.

“Croire!”

—*Click!*

The door opened and Diello stepped into the room, looking somewhat out of breath.

“Diello?”

“I was worried.”

Diello strode over to me in a single breath and let out a deep sigh.

“I wanted to come sooner, but with the constant disturbances along the coast…”

Diello gestured with his hands as he explained his situation.

“—So, in short, you’re sorry you weren’t here when I woke up?”

I summarized his words for him, and after touching his lips, Diello gave a slight nod.

“I’m sorry. And thank you.”

So considerate. I burst out laughing.

“It’s all right. You had every reason to be busy.”

From what he said, it seemed he had spent the last two days frantically scouting the troubled coastlines himself.

And yet, he had still found time to check on me.

“But are you really all right? I heard Nias's diagnosis, but…”

Diello studied me with worried eyes.

I shrugged to show him I was fine.

“It was my first time using my ability like that, so I think my body was just a little shocked.”

I waved a hand, telling him not to worry.

Diello gave a troubled smile.

“...You pushed yourself too hard using your ability.”

“If I hadn’t, the damage would have been immense.”

Since we were in the same boat, an uncertain future for Argenta was no different from an uncertain future for me.

Diello let out a short sigh at my words.

“Many of the Argenta survived thanks to you, Croire. I should tell you not to do this again, but…”

Diello closed his mouth for a moment, then laughed with an even more conflicted expression.

“It’s just too tempting an ability for holding back the Infinite Sea. I covet it. I’m not sure I could stop you if the same situation arose.”

Diello cleared his throat and said.

He seemed to be trying to sound shameless.

“...What should I do, Croire?”

His sparkling eyes were fixed on me.

“What do you mean, what should you do? I’ll keep helping you. Until we drive out the Allojes, we’re in the same boat, aren’t we?”

So you don't have to look at me with such sparkling eyes.

I discreetly averted my gaze from his shining eyes.

At that, Diello’s gaze fell to the table where I had been looking.

I had been sitting in a chair in front of a small table in the bedroom.

Just as I thought I saw a glint in his blue eyes, his gentle voice rang out.

“But all these things…”

He tilted his head, his eyes particularly drawn to the map.

“Are you interested in the Daisy Forest?”

“Yes. I’d like to live around there someday, after I leave Argenta.”

There was no need to hide my plans from someone who already knew I was going to leave.

That was my simple thought.

But his silence was a little long.

“...Diello?”

I called out to him as he quietly studied the map, and only then did Diello slowly speak.

“—After you leave Argenta, you say?”

He quietly mulled over the words.

Because his words came after a long pause, I was slow to realize he was responding to what I’d said about wanting to live near the forest after leaving Argenta.

Was it because of the dim lighting?

His eyes, as they scanned the map, seemed to have a strange glint in them.

* * *

The day after I made my future plans.

A letter arrived that was both welcome and unwelcome.

[As per the promise to let me see my daughter once a month, I wish to see Croire.]

It was from none other than my future funding source… no, from Duke Alloje.

* * *

“I’ll be back without any trouble.”

Croire whispered to Diello from inside the carriage.

“I’m a good actress, so don’t worry.”

With those confident words, Croire departed for Alloje in an Argenta carriage.

She was going to see Duke Alloje, in accordance with the terms of that utterly unfair contract marriage between Alloje and Argenta.

It was clearly a meeting to check on the progress of Duke Alloje’s plan to ‘steal Diello Argenta’s purity.’

—*Neigh!*

Diello remained standing where he had seen her off, until the sound of the horse pulling the carriage faded into the distance.

“…”

He found himself thinking of her from the night before.

“The Daisy Forest…”

A great river flowed through it, so it made sense that she, with her Alloje blood, would like it there.

But what did she plan to do about the monsters and wild animals in the forest?

He slowly turned around.

…Then again, with her ability to control water, living in the forest wouldn’t be a problem.

“…”

He narrowed his eyes.

He didn’t think Croire would use her ability to pick a fight with Argenta.

It wasn't because he was quick to trust people, as his naive wife seemed to think.

There was simply nothing in it for Croire.

Besides, even if she eliminated everyone with Alloje blood except herself, brought down House Alloje, and took all its power, she would still be numerically inferior.

No matter that Argenta wielded fire and Alloje water, as long as she was a human who needed to eat and sleep, there was no way for her to defeat Argenta alone.

“...Still,”

he whispered.

But must she really leave this land?

—*Swoosh…!*

As Diello narrowed his eyes, the sound from the coast seemed to still echo in his ears.

He recalled the sight of Croire there.

Croire.

Her ability had certainly saved many lives.

For Argenta, who had to defend against the watery expanse of the Infinite Sea, her presence alone would make protecting the coast much easier.

“…”

That must be it.

It must be because he had witnessed that coveted ability that she lingered in his mind so.

And above all, yesterday.

‘When I leave Argenta someday…’

Her words came back to him, and Diello raised an eyebrow slightly.

The image of her preparing to leave surfaced again and again.

Gazing at the map with her violet eyes sparkling, she was dreaming of an impossible future.

“I thought you were wise, but why is it you know one thing and not the other?”

He turned back toward the mansion.

There was no telling when the real Pero would arrive.

But she was already deeply involved in the duties of the lady of the house.

This meant she had learned far too many things that no one outside of Argenta should know.

Of course, the one who had made it so was none other than Diello Argenta himself.

If she didn’t perform her duties as the lady of the house properly, his plan to deceive Alloje by ‘pretending to have his purity stolen’ until the real Pero arrived would be exposed.

Whatever the reason, she had come too deep into Argenta.

“Do, or do not.”

According to Argenta’s laws, those outside its walls were not to know of its affairs.

In other words, once the real Pero appeared and her usefulness was at an end, she was supposed to die.

—That had been the plan.

‘Croire.’

Diello repeated her name to himself.

She, who told him everything so naively.

She seemed to pity Diello Argenta himself more.

All the while, she delved deeper and deeper, unaware that she was the one in the beast’s maw.

“If Pero is late.”

Diello walked on slowly.

And if she truly understood Argenta’s rules.

“Things might be fine just as they are.”

No, this might even be better.

Diello whispered softly, his voice meant only for himself.

There were already people in Argenta who respected her and were beginning to accept her as one of their own.

Above all, she was a person who suited Argenta well.

‘You said it was either do, or do not, didn’t you?’

His bride, who had kissed him while speaking so boldly, was far too precious a person to belong to Alloje.

Yes, she was truly too precious for that.

She was a person who shone so brilliantly it was a tragic waste.

If only she were the real Pero…

And even more so, if she could *become* the real Pero.