My Dream is to Get My Own House - Chapter 83

Episode 83

“Why is the image device…?”

Claude’s expression turned lost as he saw the image device malfunctioning.

… To find out the reason, we need to go back to the day before, precisely, the day before Duke Saboia and his party learned that Ishael and Diana were the same person.

* * *

It was already the eve of the last day of the trip.

A night filled with sentimental feelings.

I opened my <Travel Journal> after a long time and started writing.

It was to reaffirm my initial determination to wholeheartedly participate in the third-week program of the newlywed couple.

“It was a very sunny day. I could feel Dylan’s tenderness. When we got rid of the scammers, Dylan was really cool.”

As I wrote up to this point, I unintentionally wrote the words that had been controlling my subconscious mind all along.

“Dylan seems to like me.”

They were just words, but after writing them, my heart started to flutter.

After contemplating for a few minutes, I quietly rolled the pen again.

“Right now, just ‘now’.”

Like that, I slowly continued to fill in my <Travel Journal>.

“I don’t know exactly how long Dylan’s feelings will last.”

Beyond my certainty about his feelings, the content of the journal turned into a story about my own heart.

“In truth, it’s a bit scary.”

As I wrote this, I felt that my emotions were transparent.

I decided to write down my honest feelings little by little.

“In truth, I haven’t experienced being loved by someone much…”

As I wrote this, I paused.

I felt like I was writing <Travel Journal>, which could be exposed somewhere, too much like my personal diary.

But I needed a channel to write down my raw emotions.

“Yeah, I’ll write it down well, and later, I can either tear it here or edit it without anyone noticing.”

I picked up the pen again.

I decided not to write about my family or Pedro, the reasons my heart closed off.

Instead, I intended to write more about my thoughts.

“I wonder what will happen from now on.”

Today’s trip was undoubtedly a turning point.

I’ll become busier as the lord, and my daily life with Dylan will likely decrease.

I slowly lifted the pen and organized my thoughts.

“Dylan is Dylan…”

“I think about my feelings.”

When I do, sometimes I feel like I want to escape from my own heart.

Because everything I’ve liked until now has betrayed me.

I’ve been armed with a guarded heart, not wanting to give it to anyone.

To lower my guard means, again, being prepared for the possibility of being hurt by someone.

Then, I heard Dylan’s footsteps from afar.

Now, even the sound of footsteps tells me that it’s Dylan, and I hastily hid my <Travel Journal> in a drawer and looked towards the door.

Dylan was coming this way.

I awkwardly smiled and said, “Hello.”

“Oh, really! I’m so excited about the trip that I can’t sleep!”

“Me too,” I replied cheerfully.

“By the way, Dylan, in the travel schedule, you mentioned introducing a friend. Can you tell me about it?”

“…Ah, yes. A childhood friend of mine. He resides in the Castilla Duchy.”

“Something feels… strange.”

… My feelings are mixed. It seemed like there were unexpected connections between Dylan and Castilla Duchy.

I looked at him with a suspicious gaze.

Receiving my skeptical look, Dylan tensed up.

There’s definitely something.

There must be a connection that I carelessly missed.

* * *

The next morning, we arrived near the Great Ducal Castle of Castilla and waited for Dylan’s friend.

But… 

“Is he really Dylan’s friend?”

“…Yes.”

A bandit-like figure was coming from a distance.

‘I can’t believe someone can look that terrifying!’

He even had a rose on his head and a weird flush on his cheeks.

Despite his efforts to appear harmless, he looked terrifying to anyone.

I swallowed nervously.

“Hel… Hello!”

He smiled bravely and raised his huge hand.

“Hello! I am Jun, the hunter of the Castilla Duchy!”

“Wow, yes, yes.”

He looks even scarier up close…

I awkwardly tried to act normal and raised my tension.

“Dylan’s childhood friend, right? It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

Jun blinked with a flustered expression.

“Um, yes, that’s right. Yes, I’m Sir Dylan’s friend…”

What is it?

Why does he seem so flustered?

He shivered while his lips trembled, but he managed to continue.

“W-Well, please come in. I’ve prepared a meal!”

I awkwardly smiled and followed him into the cabin he guided me to.

The cabin had a surprisingly warm atmosphere.

There was a spacious wooden table where three people could sit comfortably.

Delicious-looking skewered barbecue was emitting a pleasant aroma.

We sat side by side at the table and started chatting cheerfully.

Dylan naturally placed a napkin around my neck, handed me the cutlery, and cut my portion of the food.

The whole process felt natural.

“Ugh…”

Jun stiffened up like someone seeing all this for the first time.

For some reason, I felt awkward and turned my head to smile.

“You’re the hunter of Castilla Duchy, right?”

“Oh, yes! That’s right!”

“How did you and Dylan meet?”

At my question, the atmosphere momentarily cooled down.

‘What’s wrong? Why is the mood suddenly strange?’

It’s not like I said anything difficult.

Just as doubts began to arise, Dylan spoke.

“We were in the same place when we were kids.”

“Ah, yes. Young Sir Dylan taught me swordsmanship.”

Young Dylan taught swordsmanship to this bandit-like figure?

It’s hard to imagine…

But somehow, I felt proud and put down my cutlery, clapping my hands lightly as I said, “That’s great!”

“Oh! As expected, Dylan is skilled in swordsmanship, right?”

“Of course! He excels in swordsmanship, cooking, farming, and various other things!”

“I thought so!”

Dylan’s ears turned red.

“…Thank you.”

Glancing at both of us, Jun suddenly started promoting the Great Duchy.

“By the way, don’t you want to stay here for a long time? Hahaha! The beautiful nature, magnificent duchy, and the great atmosphere make it all worthwhile!”

“Huh? Why are you suddenly saying that…?”

“Yes! I really wanted to say this! Isn’t it amazing here right now!”

Well, it is amazing, but I don’t really want to stay for too long.

“I’m not sure if His Grace would permit it.”

I was trying to beat around the bush.

“Th-The Grand Duke will surely permit it! His Grace of Castilla is a really, re-really good person. He is extremely kind, treats his friends kindly, and, moreover, he’s extremely kind. It’s all just baseless rumors that he’s cursed and mad.”

He went on and on with a lengthy speech.

From the way he talked, you would think he was the Grand Duke’s parent.

“Are you also close with His Grace?”

“Y-Yes! We are really close! Yes!”

“Yes, then, could you say some nice things about us to His Grace?”

“Yes! I-I will keep it in mind.”

…There’s something suspicious about the Grand Duke Castilla.

It was when I narrowed my eyes in suspicion of this elusive situation.

“Don’t overthink and start eating before it gets cold. If you lose strength, it’ll be a problem.”

Even amidst this, Dylan kept feeding me continuously.

I started eating the food he handed me, feeling a little embarrassed.

Jun was bewildered and blinked repeatedly at the sight.

“It looks like you’re in a relationship…”

…?

What is he saying?

“Are you married?”

“Ah, haha! Love is visible, so I accidentally said that. W-We’re a-a married couple, but still in love…”

“C-Cough.”

I heard a choking sound and stopped.

Do we look like a couple in love to others?

Is it not just that Dylan simply ‘likes’ me?

As the story I didn’t know when we were locked in our own world continued to ring in my ears, my heart pounded and raced.

‘Love?’

Thump.

I haven’t even taken a sip of coffee, but it felt like I had swallowed caffeine.

Ignoring the ache in my heart, I put down the napkin and awkwardly smiled.

“It’s okay.”

Jun rolled his eyes awkwardly and whispered.

“I’m just really happy to see you both looking so happy together.”

Wait a minute.

‘He’s just a friend, why is he referring to himself as this?’

…Why does he keep acting in a strange way, as if Dylan and I have a different relationship?

* * *

After the dinner with Jun, who had left me with huge questions.

I arrived at the lakeside right in front of the Grand Duchy.