I Proposed to My Childhood Friend After Regressing - Chapter 36

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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 My Regression, I Confessed to My Childhood Friend
Episode 36
Perhaps it was because she’d turned her head with such unwarranted confidence—Beatrice’s glasses slipped slightly down her nose.
“Oh!”
Holding a notebook in one hand and Cassian’s hand in the other, she tilted her head back sharply.
It seemed she hadn’t even thought to simply let go of Cassian’s hand for a moment.
Her nose twitching slightly as she adjusted her glasses, she squeezed through the parting crowd with a satisfied smile.
As the path opened more smoothly than expected, Beatrice let out a soft exclamation of wonder.
“Oh. It really works. You’re right—no experience is wasted. This is all thanks to having that popular friend from Academy days. The one I… well, you know.”
To be honest, it was more that people had instinctively made way for them, but that hardly seemed the point.
Then, in that very moment—
“Pfft—ah, ahahaha!”
Cassian, who had been letting himself be led along with a somewhat bewildered expression, could no longer contain his laughter.
At the sound of his sudden mirth behind her, Beatrice turned to look.
His usual cold, composed bearing had vanished entirely; Cassian was smiling so brightly he could melt the snow atop a mountain.
“My apologies.”
He drew a light breath and continued, eyes crinkling at the corners.
“I’ve never been rescued quite like this before.”
“Oh, w-well. It wasn’t really anything grand…”
The word “rescued” would have suited Cassian better—him spiriting her away when Claude was interrogating her—not this.
Though even that situation had been a misunderstanding, of course.
Looking sheepish, Beatrice scratched her head.
Watching her, Cassian’s lips curved upward further, softness playing at their edges.
“Is that so? It looked more gallant than any knight’s deed I’ve witnessed.”
His voice still carried traces of laughter.
Though it was clearly teasing, Beatrice’s body stiffened slightly.
She’d never exchanged banter like this with any man other than Claude or her brothers.
‘Though I can hardly punch Cassian in the stomach the way I would with Claude or the others…’
She was just awkwardly rolling her eyes behind her glasses when—
A murmur rippled through the crowd that had gathered around them.
“Did Cassian just laugh?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile like that before.”
“…Is the Territory Lord going to hold a grand celebration before the year ends?”
In the glances and whispers exchanged between the two of them, a delicate current of excitement thrummed beneath the surface.
Though they spoke with a certain earnestness, Beatrice accepted it all as affectionate teasing.
After all, she and Claude received the same treatment whenever they ventured into the Territory.
‘My goodness! Are you two sneaking out again? At this rate, you’ll be eloping together!’
‘What? The Young Lady and Claude are eloping? I knew it! I said they were in *that* sort of relationship!’
‘Young Lady! Is the rumor true? Have you really set your heart on Claude? Why? That orange-haired fellow you came with last break had such good chemistry with you.’
Recalling those people’s eager fixation on her love life eased her tension somewhat.
Thinking that Cassian likely faced similar situations helped close the distance between them a little.
‘I wondered why he didn’t stop people from swarming like that. They must be quite close.’
That this place had once vanished without a trace, branded with the curse of betrayal before her regression… the thought stirred complex emotions now.
First came the wonder of whether she would have remembered it at all without Claude’s mention—then relief that she’d been able to prevent it this time.
While Beatrice lingered in these feelings, Cassian began swiftly managing the situation.
“Ahem. Everyone should return to their posts for now, I think.”
“Oh!”
“If we remain clustered like this, someone else may be injured in the press. Anyone with further business should wait in an orderly fashion—I’ll address it shortly.”
At Cassian’s words, the crowd exchanged knowing glances before nodding obediently.
“No, no, that’s quite all right! We understand perfectly!”
“We’ll be going then!”
…Understand perfectly?
Beatrice knew exactly what that response meant.
But before she and Cassian could even correct their misunderstanding, the crowd had already dispersed.
The two exchanged an awkward shrug and a brief meeting of eyes before forcing uncomfortable smiles.
“Well… it’s fine! I think I’ve been rather too forward with you, that’s all.”
“That’s not it. I should be the one apologizing. However, Miss Lia Kruger…”
“Yes?”
“You can release my hand now, if you wish.”
“Oh! Ah—”
At his words, Beatrice suddenly realized she was still holding his hand, and her face flushed crimson in an instant.
She quickly let go, offering an embarrassed smile as she spoke.
“Well, shall we head inside? Goodness, we’ve lost quite a bit of time.”
“Yes, let’s.”
Beatrice ignored the faint trace of amusement in Cassian’s voice and moved forward briskly.
Climbing the Entrance Hall steps, she opened the door and stepped into the Treatment Center with Cassian beside her.
Though only a single door separated them, the air inside the Treatment Center was distinctly different from outside.
“Ahhh! It hurts, it hurts!”
“Please bear with it. Come now, just a bit longer, a bit longer…!”
“I can’t!”
—Crash!
The first thing that caught her eye was patients writhing in distress from the treatment itself, while caretakers struggled to manage them.
Yet despite the chaos among the patients, the interior of the Treatment Center was remarkably well-ordered.
The beds, arranged at regular intervals, were immaculate, and all the medicines and tools laid out bore the mark of careful handling.
‘The workflow is incredibly efficient too. They’ve clearly given this a lot of thought.’
Beatrice’s gaze turned to the monks moving busily between the patients.
They worked with practiced efficiency, swiftly clearing away bloodied cloths and instruments, checking on patient conditions, and verifying supplies.
As she watched them pour every ounce of their effort into their work, Beatrice felt genuine admiration stir within her.
“Cassian?”
A monk who spotted the two of them approached with a warm expression and greeted them.
“It’s been ages! You’ve come in person today! Is it the Treatment Center’s situation you wanted to see?”
“You’re working hard. Yes, I wanted to observe the situation myself, and also to help if there’s anything that needs doing. Surely more hands are always better, are they not?”
“Haha, you never change.”
The monk smiled gratefully, then turned his gaze to Beatrice and bowed once more.
“Ah, this is Lia Kruger, the Young Lady who came to support the Marquessate alongside the Crown Prince. She’s the one who helped us greatly by discovering the danger to Orhakon.”
“Ah! I’ve heard about you! So you’re the one! I never thought I’d meet you in person. Thank you so much for taking time to visit us despite your many other duties.”
“Oh, no. I merely had good fortune in finding it. Thank you for thinking so kindly of me.”
“What humility! Kalbaron will surely bless you, sister. I am Jeremiah, serving as deputy director of this Volunteer Group.”
Jeremiah greeted them warmly, but before he could speak again, a patient’s cry pierced the air from the other side of the room.
He reflexively turned to check on the patient, then opened his mouth again with a troubled expression.
“Ah, I… I’m truly sorry to say this right upon your arrival, but we’re critically short-staffed at the moment.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. With the patient numbers rising sharply, we’re trying to create temporary accommodation spaces.”
Hearing Jeremiah’s explanation, Cassian gave a brief nod.
“I’ll help with that.”
“Oh, I’ll help too!”
Seeing Beatrice raise her hand without hesitation, he smiled once more and spoke carefully.
“If you don’t mind, sister, might I impose on you for a different task? Creating the temporary spaces requires considerable physical labor.”
“Of course!”
His expression brightened at her ready agreement. And the task he proceeded to ask of her was…
“Then while I create the temporary spaces with Cassian, would you mind keeping watch over this person in the Storage?”
“…I beg your pardon?”
He was asking her to guard someone.
And not just anyone—Baloa Croford.

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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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