I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 69

“What did you just say?”

“Didn’t you hear? I said I ended up liking you again.”

At Ponia’s irritated response, Sionel had to doubt whether he had understood her words correctly.

“Let me ask you just one thing.”

Ponia, who had been choosing her words, looked at him with anxious eyes.

“Let’s say there’s a path that’s difficult now but will definitely lead to happiness later, and another path that’s immediately appealing and looks good, but everything is uncertain with a high probability of failure. Which would you choose?”

“There’s no way to know something like that.”

“But if you could know! Just think about it!”

If he asked one more time, she felt like she might hit him.

Was she in a bad mood today, or had Ponia become this angry because of his confession?

With his characteristic observational skills, he usually understood others’ moods well, but he couldn’t figure out why Ponia was feeling so low.

In the end, Sionel earnestly pondered the given question. In fact, there was no reason to think differently. It was too easy a problem for him.

“I’d choose the uncertain path.”

“Why?”

“When I lost my parents, I took my uncle’s hand.”

“….”

“Looking back now, there were opportunities to take other people’s hands instead of my uncle’s.”

Aren says he doesn’t remember because he was too young, but he remembered clearly.

“There might not have been people who truly wanted to help us. If I had taken their hands, it might have been difficult at first, but after becoming an adult, I might have been able to find my place through my own strength.”

Since they approached without hiding their desire to devour the family, even if he hadn’t received good treatment, Sionel would have continued moving toward his goal of reclaiming the family.

He wouldn’t have had to feel betrayed by someone closest to him.

“But I don’t regret taking my uncle’s hand. I might have regretted it at first, but at least I don’t regret it now.”

The more he spoke, the more certain he became.

“Even if I went back, I would take that hand again.”

Whenever he brought up his uncle’s story, he would try to suppress the boiling emotions and maintain composure by keeping emotion out of it.

But for the first time, Sionel smiled while talking about his uncle.

“As you said, good memories still remain, and there’s no need to forget those memories too.”

‘Good memories still remain.’

‘….’

‘There’s no need to forget those memories too. You’re alive right now.’

When he heard these words on the rooftop, they were comforting. Right now, there were no words that resonated with him more than these.

Was he coming to resemble her thoughts by spending time with her?

Sionel found this change that had come to him nothing but welcome.

“Does that answer your question?”

“…Very much so.”

“Will this question influence your decision?”

“You’re quite perceptive.”

“I looked at your expression and thought I should answer very well.”

“How annoying.”

“…Just in case, let me ask – you don’t hate me, do you?”

“Well, since I’ve been caught, let me speak clearly.”

She brushed off his question lightly. Her irritation at his answer was probably because he kept making her worries meaningless.

There was also jealousy at his firmness that made her hesitate about the choice she had initially decided on, contrasting with her own uncertainty.

“You might regret choosing me later.”

Ponia laid bare what she feared most.

Not the feeling of wanting Sionel’s happiness, not the excuse of removing herself as a variable or risk factor.

‘What if he regrets choosing me later?’

This was a feeling she absolutely didn’t want him to discover.

If Sionel resented her, she would crumble.

“No matter what moment comes, that won’t happen.”

There was no wavering in Sionel’s answer.

If not now, it couldn’t be stopped. In other words, now was the only time it could be stopped.

Both Ponia and Sionel knew this fact well.

“…Even if I’m not the best choice?”

Sionel was used to Ponia being so confident that he wondered if there could be such a self-assured person. But since his confession, Ponia had shown an unfamiliar side.

He approached her by the distance she had moved away, and then moved even closer. This was the first time seeing you look so small.

While he was worried, he was also happy on one hand.

“This will be my greatest choice, one I’ll never regret.”

Because it seemed like this would be the first moment he could give Ponia certainty.

“I want to choose my own happiness.”

* * *

Ponia couldn’t give any particular response. However, her body responded faithfully.

Her hands and feet, which had been cold with tension, filled with warmth, and her stiff expression relaxed. She could tell without looking. Her cheeks must be flushed red.

Ponia looked at Sionel, then her eyes widened.

“You don’t have a cold, do you?”

“…No. Why?”

Ponia answered with her gaze instead. Sionel’s ears were red. So red they couldn’t get any redder.

“Haa…”

He watched Ponia’s sigh anxiously. When Ponia, who had briefly covered her face, looked at him again, her green eyes were slightly reddened by the sunset glow.

“Lord Devenham.”

“…”

“I like you.”

* * *

“A guest has come to the manor.”

At the butler Adam’s words, Gideon, who had been drinking wine, raised his head.

“A guest? At this hour?”

“It seems they came after seeing the flyer.”

The hand that had been caressing the wine glass stopped.

“They say they witnessed Lord Devenham and must speak with Your Grace.”

After officially establishing Aren as his successor, he immediately expanded the search range for Sionel and posted flyers.

It was to avoid giving the impression that Gideon had abandoned Sionel. Recently, it also had the effect of silencing those who harbored suspicions about Sionel’s disappearance.

It was purely an action to maintain his public image.

Though it was somewhat puzzling, he didn’t think much of it.

Anyway, they’re probably trying to pull a scam for the reward money.

“Has the Ducal House’s prestige really fallen that much?”

“N-no, it hasn’t.”

Adam trembled.

“How impudent.”

“Shall I send them away?”

“If we just send them away, it might cause unnecessary talk. You listen to them and send them away appropriately.”

“Yes.”

Adam, who had been assisting Gideon from closest by his side, moved quickly and tactfully.

Since returning from the forest, Gideon had been moving much more relaxed. He had confirmed Sionel’s death, which had been weighing most heavily on his mind, and Aren, whom he had invested so much effort in, was also moving according to his thoughts.

Everything was in its place.

He was drinking wine in good spirits when he stopped at a thought that occurred to him.

“Wait.”

Adam, who had grasped the door handle, immediately turned around.

“Where is this person who came to the manor from?”

“Harbel Estate. He’s a baron named Gordon Rambo.”

His sharply gleaming eyes quickly dimmed.

‘It was just needless worry after all.’

“Go ahead.”

“Yes.”

Adam opened the door, paused for a moment, then turned back again.

“Oh, one peculiar thing is that the place Baron Rambo was at just before coming here was a village near Mirban Forest.”

“…”

It was an unpleasant coincidence.

Adam had also heard about Sionel’s death from Gideon, so he was surprised to learn where the baron had been just before.

But he couldn’t have seen a dead person, could he?

His master, who had directly witnessed Sionel’s death, would know that fact better than anyone.

“Bring him to my study.”

However, Gideon was a man who wouldn’t allow even such coincidences. He knew well that such trivial coincidences could become decisive fatal blows.

Perhaps his nephew, who had been developing his abilities as a successor over the years, might have already noticed his schemes disguised as trivial coincidences. After all, he was a child he had taught.

But trapped by the facade of family, my nephew was driven to the edge of a cliff. That’s why Gideon was able to win.

“I’ll see for myself.”

So this time, he will win again.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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