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Chapter 10: The Chase
“OH, come on, Elliot! It’s been a whole month! What in the world is he thinking?”
Olivia was in the mature-yet-cute office with pink wallpaper in the back of Sally’s Bridal Boutique, listening to Sally shouting with her face bright red.
“If Nicca were here, I’d send him out and make him drag Elliot back by the scruff of his neck, but he chose this one time to get sent on an expedition!”
Olivia chuckled awkwardly at Sally’s temper, but she too was surprised by this turn of events. Elliot had asked her to wait for him, but she hadn’t expected to wait more than a month.
💎💎💎
Е̄n u m à .і̃ ď
SEVERAL days after Olivia told Sally and Lottie what had happened, Nicca came alone to visit her in his knight’s uniform.
“Sally told me what happened,” he began, his expression grim. “Can I ask you some questions?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Olivia asked Lottie to give them some privacy, and she and Nicca went into the workshop, sitting across from each other at the worktable. He asked her about what the two young knights had talked about while she was getting her hand treated.
His expression was sour once she told him. “The Royal Knights would never use you as bait—their honor wouldn’t allow it. What those two knights said was complete nonsense.”
According to Nicca, those two knights weren’t associated with Elliot in any way, not even within the same squad. They were sent to Daregas as reinforcements, most likely.
“People tend to become jealous of Elliot easily because of his status and how skilled he is,” explained Nicca.
W ě b n о̇v̂ ĕ ľ È numа
Olivia asked about Nicca’s relationship with Elliot, and he explained they were classmates at the Knights Academy.
“We sort of just hit it off, despite having such different ranks, and we’re still friends.”
He then told Olivia to let him handle the situation with the young knights.
After seeing him off, she sighed.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
I know I was thrown off balance, but it wasn’t right of me to come back to the capital without hearing Elliot’s side of things.
So much had happened that day of the wedding. Catherine had made a scene, Olivia was nearly married off to Henry, she was kidnapped, found an imprisoned Jack, and then was saved by Elliot.
Ẇ еḃ ñ ov ě_l Ѐ ṅ u m̆ӑ
But I should have at least listened to his explanation…
She’d never been good at handling situations when she was caught off guard. She always panicked and did something extreme, like this time, where she just snapped and went straight to the horsecar station.
I need to keep my calm better…
She sighed and looked into the sky. It was showing signs of autumn.
Based on the letter Olivia received, she thought Elliot might come back in about two weeks. This time, when she saw him, she would make sure to have a calm conversation with him. And he’d paid a lot of money for her—she needed to pay him back.
Though I’m not really sure if he’d accept money…
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Now that she knew he was from a duke’s family, she wasn’t sure how things would go if she told him she wanted to split all the expenses. But it didn’t matter who he was; money was money. It was the right thing for her to do. She would have to do her best to get him to accept. She also wanted to do something for him as a thank you, but she wasn’t sure what would be best.
But two weeks passed, then three, and Elliot still hadn’t returned. He sent deliveries of Olivia’s favorite treats several times, but he himself didn’t come.
One point after more than a month had passed, Sally asked her what had happened with that whole business with Elliot. Olivia simply told her she was still waiting, but he hadn’t come, which was when she flew into a rage.
“What in the world is he thinking?!”
Which brings us back to Sally’s office.
💎💎💎
Еň u ma . і̄d̈
OLIVIA calmed Sally down, but she still insisted, “Once he gets back, make him buy you something expensive!”
“I’ll consider it.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
After that conversation, Olivia left Sally’s boutique. The sun was already relatively low in the sky, casting long, angled shadows across the cobblestone roads.
Her unfocused eyes took in those shadows as she murmured, “He must be swamped…”
She assumed he was quite high ranking in the Knights based on how Nicca talked about him, how things were when he saved her, and the fact that he was a duke’s son. She’d also heard this incident was quite a big deal. He was likely so busy with work that he was barely finding time to sleep.
I bet he can’t find time to come back.
Е̂n̊úḿa
On one hand, she was disappointed he didn’t return. On the other, she was actually a little relieved.
I’ll see him, hear what he has to say, and thank him. That much is fine. The problem is what happens after that…
The best possible outcome would be if they could make it like none of this ever happened, and they went back to being friends. She found their cozy friendship very comfortable.
But…that’s not going to happen, is it?
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She smiled sadly as she walked along the twilight streets. Olivia didn’t have the confidence in herself that she could only be his friend now that she’d become aware of her feelings for him, and she had a feeling it was the same for him.
But even if we do like each other, we have no chance…
Wē b n о̆ vе.l̀ Ě n̂ üm а̇
The difference in status between a duke’s son and a baronet’s daughter was massive. In the fairy tales, there were always stories about a prince falling in love with a commoner girl and the two living happily ever after together, but that was in the stories. Reality didn’t allow that sort of thing.
It was particularly true for high-ranking nobles that the people around them would have a strong opposition to them courting or marrying someone whose status was too different from their own. She’d heard people would talk badly about them behind their backs for being such a fool. It was obviously not good for Elliot to be with her.
Even if she could do something about her status…
I could never be a noble lady.
Olivia loved her work as an artificer. She loved designing, she loved putting smiles on her customers’ faces, and she’d worked so hard to get here. Taking the crafting skills and knowledge passed down to her by her father and continuing her work was her calling.
Quitting that work was not an option.
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Her shoulders slumped.
Which means I’m not suited to be with him.
A suitable partner for him would be a high-ranking noblewoman from a good family. That was the exact opposite of herself, someone basically the same as any old commoner working in the city.
Honestly, it might be best if we never see each other again.
She had to see Elliot once because she had to talk to him, thank him, and pay him back. But then they shouldn’t see each other again. That was definitely for the best.
She let out a heavy sigh.
É n̄ ûṁ а
I can’t believe the moment I realize how I feel about him, I start thinking we should never see each other again…
With a heavy heart, she trudged back to her shop. She saw there were no deliveries for her other than the mail to the shop, then sighed again.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Olivia opened the door and stepped inside, calling out, “I’m back,” to Lottie. Then she gasped.
“Ah!”
There she saw the back of a tall young man in a brown pinstripe suit talking to Lottie.
At the sound of the door opening, Elliot slowly turned toward her, his blond hair swaying slightly. It’d grown longer since she’d last seen him.
Ŵ е̂bn̆о̆ v ẽ.ľ Е̌ǹ û m̃а
He saw Olivia frozen in the doorway and smiled. “Olivia!”
She looked into his crinkled amethyst eyes behind silver-tinted glasses and felt all the blood in her body rush to her head. With eyes wide, she stumbled backward.
Wh-what do I do? Oh gosh, this is so embarrassing!
It was embarrassing to be looked at—it was embarrassing being embarrassed. She couldn’t bear it.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Lottie! Keep him here!” she shouted, then she dashed out of the shop like a rabbit.
As she ran, she thought she could hear him and Lottie talking.
Ė n u_m̌ а . і̇ď
“Olivia? What? Lottie, let go of me, please.”
“I’m sorry. I have to keep you here for a moment.”
But Olivia didn’t care. She just ran through the crowded evening streets, desperately keeping her feet moving, but felt like cradling her head in her hands.
Oh my gosh, what in the world am I doing?
She’d felt so awkward the moment she saw him that her mind blanked. Part of it was because he looked so handsome, what with those silver glasses instead of his green ones, and she felt like she would die when he said her name.
And before she knew it, she was running.
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I’m doing something extreme again… He really startled me…
She really regretted her actions, but at the same time, she knew if she couldn’t handle something, that was all there was to it.
There’s no way we can have a real conversation meeting under these circumstances.
It would definitely be best if she saw him again after she’d calmed down. Surely she’d feel better once her feelings for him had faded somewhat.
I’ll write him a letter once I get back.
She would apologize for today, then tell him she couldn’t see him for a while.
W̄ еb ñ o v̂ е l Е nu mа̌
I feel a bit bad, but he didn’t show his face for a whole month too. We both did things. Things will be better if we wait like six months.
Having decided what she would do, she came to a stop, her shoulders heaving. She raised her head, reminding herself that she at least needed to think about how she would pay him back and thank him.
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And her eyes went wide at the sight of the city streets before her.
Uh, where am I?
Before she knew it, she’d run somewhere she didn’t recognize.
Oh, what do I do? Am I lost again?
Е̇ n um̃ а
She wandered about at wit’s end, but didn’t see a single thing she recognized. Right as she was thinking it would probably be best to spend the money and take a carriage, she looked ahead and felt relief wash over her.
There was a wide canal ahead of her, lit by the evening sun. That ran through the southern side of the city, and she saw a bridge she recognized, giving her a general idea of where she was.
I can’t believe I was so focused on running that I came all the way here.
Feeling better, she walked toward the canal. The waters were utterly still in the sunset, save for the occasional ripple sent through the surface by a gust of wind. The tall streetlamps set at intervals along the path running beside the canal were already starting to come on.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
What a nice view. I haven’t looked at this in so long.
She took the steps down to the canal-side path, like it was drawing her in, then she went to sit on a bench for a short rest.
Е́ǹ u̇m̊ӑ . іd̀
“Olivia!” called a familiar voice from behind.
She spun around and saw Elliot at the top of the stairs, chest heaving.
Ah!
She jumped to her feet and nearly dashed off again out of reflex.
“Please, wait!” he called, sounding panicked. “I’m sorry for chasing you, I really am, but I thought we had to start over. I had this feeling that if we didn’t talk today, I wouldn’t get to see you again for a long time.”
That’s some good intuition—that was precisely what was going to happen. Olivia looked away, still in position to run off.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“I’m sorry for making you wait so long, and I know I have no right to ask anything of you, but please, will you listen to what I have to say?”
She looked into his pleading eyes and sighed.
If she were being honest, she wanted to wait until she’d calmed down more, but she also felt it was wrong to refuse. They were here. She would ready herself for this.
“All right…” she relented.
“Thank you,” he said with relief. “I’ll come there.”
She watched him slowly descend the stairs, then looked down and let out a tense breath. He was in front of her now. She steeled herself and looked up at him.
Е̂n̆ um̄а̀.і̀d
“Oh my gosh!” she cried, her jaw dropping. “E-Elliot, what happened?! You’re injured all over!”
As the wind rustled his bangs, she could see a huge bruise beneath. Looking more closely, she saw more bruises along the side of his face and other smaller injuries. His rolled-up sleeves revealed the same state on his arms and hands, and there was even a bandage wrapped around his right arm.
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“I suppose they’re still pretty visible…” he grumbled, looking away in discomfort. “Some…things happened.”
He suggested they sit. Still taken aback, Olivia settled onto the bench, then Elliot joined her, leaving some space between them.
He turned to face her and bowed his head low. “First, let me apologize again. I am so sorry you had to go through that in Daregas.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t thank you for saving me.” Olivia bowed back.
Е̊ ň umа̇
“How much do you know about what happened?”
“The official told me most of it, and you wrote more in your letter. I think I understand what happened. But what I want to know is why you’re covered in injuries? What happened? Does it have to do with why it took you so long to come back?”
Elliot looked away guiltily under her concerned gaze. “I suppose I should start there,” he murmured, then continued slowly as he looked out over the canal in the sunset. “After returning from Daregas, I went to House Flarance and told my family that I intend to court Miss Olivia Carter, daughter of Baronet Ralph Carter.”
“You what?!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Her eyes peeled open; she never imagined he’d say that.
What? Huh? Court? He told his family that?
En̆ u̇m̃ ȧ
“And, like I told you before, the Flarances can be rather violent. As per usual, my father stated that I would have to defeat him if I wanted my way. Then we fought.”
“You fought?”
“Yes. We fought, and I won. He is very experienced, but just as he can’t win against the sands of time, he couldn’t defeat me in the end. Though it took time, and it was close.”
Olivia was taken aback. She had no idea what to say. It took everything she had solely to make a sound of acknowledgement.
“But then my oldest brother stepped up and claimed that, as the next duke, he wouldn’t approve unless I defeated him. I…don’t actually think he was opposed. I think he just wanted to fight.”
“Right…”
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“That fight was tough. Unlike my father, my brother still has his endurance, and he’s somewhat more skilled at sword fighting than I am. I had to do something he didn’t expect in the end.”
“Which was?”
“Abandon all defense. That did allow me to win, but I suffered quite horrible bruising and injuries because of that.” He rubbed the bruise on his cheek. He’d been in no condition for people to see him, so he spent the next several days doing everything he could to make the bruising subside.
Olivia was taken aback.
You could use magic items to heal wounds, but only a few times a month because they put stress on the body. His other wounds must have been worse, meaning he couldn’t use items for the more superficial bruises and cuts; they needed to be left to heal on their own.
“That’s why it took you so long…” she concluded.
Ӗ n u m̂ a_
“I’m sorry. I just thought it would be irresponsible of me to see you before settling matters,” he muttered with a sigh.
A cool wind carrying a hint of autumn rustled his blond hair.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
With a look of resolution on his handsome features, he knelt before Olivia, a solemn look in his eyes as he looked at her and said, “Olivia, I’ve loved you since the first time we went to a café together. Do you think it would be possible to see me not as a friend but as a man and allow me to court you?”
She couldn’t breathe. All sound disappeared, and she was struck with a feeling like they were the only two people in the entire world. All she felt was joy bubbling up from deep inside her.
But she looked away, her expression pained. “But…I’m just the daughter of a baronet. People will mock you if we’re courting.”
He smiled. “If they do, I only need to make them stop.”
W е bn̈о̀v̂.ẽ l̆ Ё nú m а̌
“And I can’t quit being an artificer.” She hung her head in dejection.
“I’m aware. I’ve always respected you for your devotion and hard work.” He gently took her hand in his. She raised her head and looked into his solemn eyes. “I love everything about you, including the fact that you’re the daughter of a baronet and an artificer. I want to protect you and everything important to you.”
Tears blurred her vision, and warmth spread throughout her chest. She smiled despite the tears and fumbled out, “I have a terrible sense of direction. I get lost really easily, like today.”
“I know.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“And I eat a lot.”
“It’s one of the things I like about you.” He smiled softly.
Ẁ е.bñ о̃ v̇_ē l̃ Ӗ n̊u mӑ
A cool gust of wind blew between the two of them, sending Olivia’s hair dancing, and Elliot jumped to his feet.
“It’s cold out. We don’t want you getting a cold. Let’s head back.”
Olivia nodded and stood, then after a moment of silence, with her ears bright red, she quietly whispered, “I don’t know what I should say in a situation like this, but… I… I love you too.”
“I couldn’t ask for any better response,” he replied, smiling with joy.
He gently held his large, warm hand out toward her, and, feeling a little sheepish, she softly placed her hand on top of his.
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Stars began to twinkle in the deep violet sky above, and the sound of the bell tolling the hour was carried far and wide by the wind.
💎💎💎
THE following month, the newspaper headlines read:
“Bank Card Forger Caught”
“Former Viscount Perigord Found Guilty”
The articles explained how the viscount and his collaborators imprisoned an artificer in order to forge fake bank cards. Upon further investigation, it was discovered he was also engaged in other illegal activities, such as the slave trade, and an intense investigation was underway to determine if there were any other crimes.
Еǹ u m̄ а
As the bank card fraud and slave trade also occurred in a neighboring country, some newspapers speculated that the government of the other country may have been involved, but it remained nothing but speculation.
Several months after that, a trial was held in the capital for former Viscount Perigord and his collaborators, along with Olivia’s adoptive family.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Lord Perigord employed a skilled lawyer who did everything possible to defend him, but to no avail. He was found guilty, bringing an end to the 200-year history of House Perigord.
He, along with former Baronet Carter, was put to death for the severe crime of imprisoning an artificer.
While Catherine and Baronet Carter’s wife weren’t engaged in the criminal activity with the baronet, they were found guilty of stealing magic item designs and illegally using funds not belonging to them and were therefore exiled.
Henry and what remained of his family were sent to the untamed borderlands.
Ĕ_n ū m á . іd
During the investigation, it was determined that Olivia’s adoption by former Baronet Carter was not legal. In the process of the trial, Olivia’s exact relationship to the former baronet came under scrutiny, and it was determined that, as they were not in fact related by blood, the two of them had no relationship whatsoever.
The two young knights who claimed Olivia had been used as bait were also investigated. They testified that there was someone in the shadows trying to spread that fabricated story. It was concluded that they were sent from their normal station in the capital to cause a disruption.
When asked why they would spread such a rumor that had no supporting evidence, they admitted, “We were jealous of Elliot Flarance and his work in the capital, so we tried to tarnish his reputation.”
In response, they were told, “You are in a position in which you are meant to protect and lead, yet you spread libelous, unfounded rumors out of nothing more than shameful jealousy, and caused harm in the process. You lack the chivalry of knights, making you far from suitable for your position.”
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They were suspended from duties, forced to pay a fine, and demoted to guard-in-training, the lowest rank in the Royal Knights, so they would have to work their way up again.
Those court rulings marked the end of the unprecedented events.
Ёn um а̃. і̌ d
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