They Say an Age Gap Like This Doesn’t Even Need Matching - Chapter 32

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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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I blinked my eyes twice.
“…You’re joking, right?”
Elhart gazed at me steadily, showing no sign of backing down.
“Conditions mean nothing to me. I’ve always been sincere.”
Yes, I understood.
This was not an atmosphere where I could brush things off lightly.
“….”
As I fell silent, unsure how to respond, he offered a bitter smile.
“But just because my heart feels this way doesn’t mean I should force you to feel the same.”
“It’s probably impossible anyway,” he added in a low voice.
Looking at Elhart, who seemed somewhat dejected, my chest ached with a sharp, piercing sensation.
“Then….”
I barely opened my mouth.
“For now… let’s do a fake marriage.”
“…!”
All eyes, including Elhart’s, turned toward me at once.
“Oho….”
“Huh… Are you serious, Commander?”
“A fake marriage? That’s such a cliché!”
…What’s this “cliché” they speak of? These days’ language is truly difficult to understand.
I opened my eyes wide and emphasized my words to the frozen Elhart.
“It’s a fake marriage. Not a real one. But as you said, it’s actually quite a good method.”
“That….”
Elhart quickly composed his voice, which had cracked and wavered, and nodded.
“I understand perfectly.”
…His demeanor was clearly composed, but the redness at the tips of his ears spread rapidly across his face and neck, and even I felt my face growing warm watching him.
“Even if it’s fake, being able to stand by your side is truly a joy for me.”
I gazed at the smile playing at his lips, then turned my head away.
“We still have time before returning to Bardia, so let’s prepare thoroughly to avoid any mistakes.”
Where we first met, how we fell in love and came to marry.
We’ll need to align our stories in preparation for the flood of questions that will come.
“But Commander, is there really no one who recognizes your face? You left behind so many portraits.”
Kei voiced his concern, and Rick answered.
“There’s no need to worry about that. Not a single portrait from that time remains.”
At his continued explanation, I felt somewhat bewildered.
Kailyb, who ascended to the throne through Mikhail’s abdication, had for some reason collected all my portraits that remained in the Royal Palace.
Moreover, he had all descriptions of my appearance recorded in the archives deleted as well.
There must have been a reason for erasing traces so persistently.
“Then, Your Highness, what prompted you to deduce the Commander’s identity?”
“That’s….”
Elhart pulled out a pendant from his pocket and showed it to me.
“Half of it was because of this. It contains a portrait of Ser Brin.”
“Ah…? That…?”
“Do you recognize it?”
I nodded.
“I gave it to Mikhail as a birthday gift.”
“…So that’s how it was.”
“Where did you get it from? Was it kept in the Royal Palace?”
“Yes. I obtained it from the treasure vault.”
“Could you show it to me for a moment?”
Elhart hesitated briefly, then tucked the pendant back into his pocket.
“No.”
“Huh…? Why?”
“…There are reasons.”
Watching Elhart avoid my gaze, Rick clicked his tongue softly.
That guy seems to know something. I’ll have to ask him quietly later.
“The other half must be due to the Captain’s words and actions. Using magic, carrying a spatial bag, and such.”
“That’s right.”
Elhart nodded.
“I don’t know how things were 300 years ago, but by this era’s magical standards, those were remarkable things.”
“The other expedition members are likely the same as the Captain. They haven’t fully adapted to this era yet.”
I agreed with Kei’s assessment that it would take some time.
“The problem is not knowing what the problem is.”
“Your Highness, please help the Captain in various ways. After all, even 300 years ago, he never experienced anything like an ordinary life…”
“Kei, it’s not that bad.”
“It is that bad.”
How unfair.
I was living quite ordinarily here, in my own way.
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll do my best.”
After that, we discussed at length how we would move within the Imperial Palace, and how we would support each other and achieve our objectives.
Rick and Bella, who understood the current state of the Empire, were of great help.
“I plan to stay in the Imperial Palace for the time being as well. I should be able to play a role in diverting attention.”
“Thank you, Carterus.”
In fact, Carterus could be considered unrelated to the current Bardia.
He must have a strong desire to stay in the Holy Kingdom and guide the Church back to the right path as soon as possible.
Perhaps because we spent a long time together as an expedition team, our affairs no longer felt like someone else’s problem to him.
In response to my thanks, Carterus patted my back gently.
“If I stay any longer, I’ll draw suspicion. I should go now.”
“Take care of yourself. Tone down your personality a bit.”
He laughed and didn’t answer, which makes me slightly uneasy, but he’ll manage just fine.
There was no one in the Expedition Team with as much experience and depth as Carterus.
After seeing Carterus off and stepping into the building, I heard the voices of Elhart and Rick conversing from down the corridor.
They seemed to have lowered their voices as much as possible, but….
“A first love arriving so late is truly frightening, isn’t it.”
“…Was I really that unsightly.”
“It was just… rather shocking.”
I pretended not to see the two of them and returned to my room.
‘You weren’t unsightly at all, Elhart.’
I was simply astonished that his demeanor hadn’t changed at all even after confirming who I was.
How could he manage such a thing.
I found myself thinking that his courage and conviction were truly remarkable.
‘This is all so difficult for me.’
I felt as though I were facing the greatest crisis of my life.
Even when confronting endlessly resurrecting demons, I don’t think I was ever this confused.
‘Perhaps it’s because this is my first time.’
Having lived without even the slightest interest in matters of love between men and women.
Is that why I’m so clumsy at understanding my own feelings.
Even as I find myself not disliking Elhart as he steadily closes the distance between us, I keep taking steps backward.
‘This is troublesome.’
I pressed my palm firmly against my left chest to calm my rapidly beating heart.
“Ser.”
At the sound of my name, I lifted my head and saw Elhart standing before me.
He knelt without hesitation in front of me as I sat on the edge of the bed, bringing his eyes level with mine.
“Have I caused you distress.”
His question, as if he had read my thoughts, made me flinch for a moment, but I concealed it and pretended not to understand.
“Hmm? Well….”
I was indeed troubled, but it wasn’t Elhart’s fault.
The greater blame lay with me, being particularly inept in such matters.
It was I who couldn’t readily accept nor clearly refuse—I who was tormenting him.
“If you dislike this or find it burdensome, tell me now. We can find another way.”
Another way, he said.
True, a sham marriage wasn’t the only method to assist Elhart while concealing my identity.
It was simply that I wanted to reduce the time spent apart from him, and there weren’t many options available to achieve that.
“…Now that I think about it, it’s strange.”
“What is.”
“Why did I think I needed to be by your side.”
At my murmur, his eyes widened.
“You’re not someone who requires my protection.”
I hadn’t known it at first, but now I understood it clearly.
There were very few beings capable of harming Elhart.
Composite poisons and the like—someone like Kailyb or Rick, who came from an intelligence background, would be far better equipped to defend against them than I ever could.
Unlike before, I was now acutely aware of this fact.
Yet I still found myself searching for excuses rather than considering more efficient approaches.
“No.”
Elhart urgently grasped my hand between both of his.
“Protection… necessary, definitely.”
“You?”
At my skeptical question, he quickly nodded.
“Remember the day we first met? If it hadn’t been for Ser Brin, I would have been beaten to death by a traitor.”
“…?”
Beaten to death, he said.
But hadn’t his wounds healed without a trace in just a few minutes back then…?

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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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