I Proposed to My Childhood Friend After Regressing - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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After Regression, I Proposed to My Childhood Friend
Chapter 27
“Um, ah, y-yes……”
Beatrice’s voice came out slightly dazed as she reached up to touch the bridge of her Glasses.
She was checking whether they’d fallen off in the explosion.
Fortunately, the Glasses sat snugly on her nose where they belonged.
Beatrice cleared her throat lightly and gently pushed against his chest.
“Th-thank you for your help.”
“……Yeah.”
What was this? Why was he suddenly using casual speech? And what was with that hesitant pause?
‘Surely not……’
She’d played blind, but that didn’t mean everything would necessarily come to light with Clyde.
‘It should have been more like, “Oh, so this person isn’t just an ordinary maid after all. She must have another identity.” Something at that level.’
It wasn’t as though Beatrice had shown her true colors around Clyde before.
‘I mean, sure, I’ve snuck out to investigate, and I’ve done things unbecoming of a maid. But it’s too much of a leap to assume that reveals who I really am.’
As Beatrice watched Clyde brush dust and glass shards from his clothes with an uneasy gaze……
“Well, you certainly smashed it to pieces!”
The Duke, who had observed the entire situation without so much as blinking, clicked his tongue lightly.
He turned his gaze toward the great window—now reduced to nothing but rubble—before finally gesturing to the guard standing at his side with a tilt of his chin.
“Gallotin, go tell the men to collect the Dolls.”
“But Bernard, sir. Surely a verification process would be prudent……”
“Enough.”
The Duke cut him off with a wave of his hand, as if he had no need to hear more.
“My house looks ready to explode like a firework, and you think I have time for procedures? Besides, if I can’t tell when a child no taller than my finger is telling the truth at my age, I should just be dead. Don’t you agree, Your Highness?”
“Bernard, sir!”
“No, no, it’s fine. The phrasing is blunt, perhaps, but I agree with the Duke’s assessment. Excessive suspicion serves no one.”
“There you have it! Now stop your nattering and move those heavy backsides of yours!”
With that, the Duke dismissed his guards with a wave. He then rose abruptly from his seat and strode forward with long steps.
His destination was Beatrice.
Beatrice’s eyes widened as the Duke approached in an instant.
She hadn’t expected him to close the distance so quickly, and up close, he was far more imposing than she’d realized.
‘Goodness, he’s like a mountain.’
The moment Beatrice marveled at his sheer presence, an awestruck observation formed in her mind.
A hand the size of a frying pan came down to pat her shoulder with unmistakable friendliness.
“Oof!”
“So you’re Lia Cruger? It’s a first—someone breaking our windows with nothing but a half-hearted apology. Barely taller than a carrot, yet you’ve got nerve to spare! I rather like it.”
“Th-thank you, gack, thank you very much?”
“That’s right, that’s right. Thank me all you like! Anyway, since you had someone sent as promised, let’s hear it. Once we’ve collected these, what exactly should we do with them?”
Caught off guard by the Duke’s sudden question, Beatrice blinked for a moment, then scratched her chin with a finger.
“Well, um, it might be difficult to explain everything here right now……”
“Ha! Yes, I suppose. Why should I hear all the details anyway? Tell my son instead! He takes after me—tremendously handsome, well-mannered, impressive fellow. Looking at you two now, you seem to make a fine pair! I won’t object even if you fall head over heels for him!”
“Ah, yes, sir.”
“Kahahaha! Splendid! Well then, let’s go. I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”
“Staying, sir…?”
The Duke looked Beatrice up and down as if bemused by her dull question.
“What, did you think Dolls that took forever to set up would vanish in a single night?”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant……”
“Of course! If you’d seen our solid soldiers of the Dukedom, you might have thought otherwise! How admirable that you can judge character.”
Pleased with himself, the Duke ruffled Beatrice’s hair and let out a hearty laugh.
It was so warm and approachable—nothing like the man who had been pressing her so fiercely moments before.
Beatrice reflexively glanced at Clyde, unsettled by how quickly the distance between them had closed.
It was meant as a cry for rescue of sorts, but Clyde simply nodded calmly and gave her a thumbs-up.
‘What is he doing?’
If that was how the expedition leader was going to conduct himself, it was the worst possible outcome. And if, by some one-in-a-million chance, he’d already figured out who she was……
‘Then I’d add “despicable” to my assessment of him.’
Fortunately, Beatrice wasn’t dragged around the Duke’s manor for a full tour.
Before the Duke could take a step from the conference hall, Clyde smoothly called him back.
“Your Grace, I’m relieved that the misunderstanding regarding Miss Cruger has been cleared, but might you spare us a moment?”
“Hmm? Is it something important?”
“Yes. Thanks to Miss Cruger, we’ve prevented disaster from befalling the Dukedom, but the root cause still remains.”
“That’s……true enough.”
“Even so, thanks to your perseverance and Miss Cruger’s efforts, we have a lead.”
“If it’s those wretches we’ve been fighting relentlessly……”
“Yes. Demonic Beasts. If the Demonic Energy was strong enough to rupture Orharkon, then we may need to target the Dark Mountains themselves.”
Clyde spoke fluently and gracefully, laying out his thoughts to the Duke.
The crux of his proposal was to dispatch troops to the Dark Mountains to ascertain why the attacks had grown abnormally frequent, while establishing a buffer zone between the Dukedom and the mountains to gradually increase the distance between them.
Simultaneously, he suggested assembling experts versed in Demonic Energy and healers to treat patients, systematically documenting information about the mysterious illness.
“House of Dauner defends against threats from both the Dark Mountains and neighboring nations with limited forces. Your decision to establish a blockade deserves nothing but admiration. However……”
“This matter has grown too large for us to handle alone! No need to spare my pride. I prayed in gratitude to the gods the night the Grand Duke extended his helping hand! There’s one thing I wish to ask.”
The Duke’s eyes gleamed with predatory sharpness as he fixed Clyde with a measured gaze.
“Is the Crown Prince truly prepared to remain in a place where safety is not guaranteed?”
“Naturally. His Highness has already made all necessary preparations.”
Clyde answered the Duke with a grave expression, then softened his tone with a gentle smile.
“Moreover, we have His Highness’s steadfast family—Grand Duke Alec—here as well. The Grand Duke will surely lend his strength. Won’t you, Your Highness?”
It was a trap with no escape.
Beatrice naturally shifted her gaze toward the Grand Duke.
He seemed delighted by Clyde’s wit and let out a low chuckle before breaking into a bright smile and nodding.
“Of course. If there’s something I can help with, I’ll gladly offer my strength.”
Gold and blue.
Two irises of different colors met and gleamed with affection.
Two beautiful men made more beautiful still—the sight should have doubled in radiance……
‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’
Beatrice rubbed the goosebumps that had risen on her arms and shook her head.
This sort of thing was far outside her area of expertise.
* * *
What followed was arranged swiftly.
Now that the decision to accept Clyde’s proposal had been made, all that remained was preparing for the new arrivals and refining the details.
“Well then, let’s all disperse! Some of you have traveled far to get here, and you deserve rest.”
“We appreciate your consideration.”
“Yes, the guest rooms are prepared. We’ll speak later.”
As the Duke spoke, the gathering began to break up.
Beatrice took the opportunity to slip away quietly.
She planned to follow the maid out with Sharon as her aide and hole up in a room for a while.
She was buying time until the arrival of Crown Prince Crowell and his trusted maid, Nao……
“Miss Lia Cruger?”
“Ah……. Yes?”
“Spare me a moment, won’t you? We have rather a lot to discuss.”
Of course.
Things were never going to be that simple.

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