I Possessed The Villain’s Childhood Friend

68 – Reina Rogelia – 8

A twilight sky illuminates the office.

Rickard finished all his official duties for today, and quietly gazed at the red-stained ceiling.

‘… Reina is not a doll for Duke Rickard.’

‘Where is a parent who knows that she is in pain, but still forces it on her child?’

‘If she knows she’s having a hard time, isn’t it normal for her to find a solution when she has time to talk about things like duty and weight?’

‘Everyone I met in Arcana is a precious relationship to me. I’m sorry for the trouble with the faction this time, but I don’t want to give up on my friends.’

‘If I can’t figure out the answer by the time I graduate, I will do everything my father tells me. I will walk the path of nobility that my father said. So give me a chance.’

‘Yes. I want to find my way.’

Ricard quietly recalled what Rayna and Ike had asked her to do a few hours ago.

“Maybe I was wrong this time too.”

Ricard sighed and opened the left drawer of his desk.

There lay an old pipe on top of neatly arranged letters.

“Alicia. We may already be too late.”

Her wife gave it to her as a gift for the first time.

However, looking at the item he hadn’t taken out since that day, Rickard sighed.

★

Richard Rogelia.

As the eldest son of the Duke of Roselia, he was very proud of his family.

That’s why he never had any doubts about his family’s education.

For nobles, fate is a weakness.

So you must be alone.

The family needs an heir.

Therefore, a son must be born.

The teachings of his father, the former duke, were nothing short of absolute revelations to Ricard, and he naturally took them for granted.

And the person who got married through an arranged marriage.

As Alicia, the second daughter of the Marquis of Skir, had a similar mindset to Rickard, his values became even more solid.

After inheriting the title, he reduced the frequency of his meetings with Ados.

He was the only one whom Rickard could call a close friend, but for him, ties were his weakness, so he kept his distance.

When Alicia was pregnant, she was disheartened to hear that she was a daughter.

Because I needed an heir to succeed the Roselia duchy one day.

Still, Rickard thought he loved his daughter in his own way.

But the family needed an heir.

For a nobleman, daughters have to leave home after all, so he just didn’t pay much attention to them.

Raina’s talents won’t be able to be displayed in the Roselia duchy anyway.

After 7 years, Alicia had her second child.

Upon confirmation, it turned out that she was a son.

Richard was relieved.

Following his father’s teachings, he is now able to train an heir.

My son, from the day Rupert turns five, I will do my best to educate him, just as his father did to him.

Rickard had such a promise.

The evening after celebrating Rupert’s second birthday.

As Rickard lay down to sleep, Alicia entered the room, pale.

“… What have I been doing?”

Then he muttered something incomprehensible.

“What is it, Alicia?”

Despite Rickard’s question, Alicia didn’t answer and pulled the blanket over her head.

And a few days later.

Alicia was eating lunch when she collapsed.

Alicia was originally a sickly woman.

However, she did not interfere with her daily life, and her doctor said that she would have no problems as long as she continued to take medication and eat healthy.

However, after Alicia collapsed, her condition quickly deteriorated.

It was a speed that the attending physician could not have predicted at all.

And finally, after lying in bed for about two weeks, Alicia closed her eyes forever.

Alicia had a splendid funeral as she was the Duchess.

She was even visited by a cardinal from the Central Church of Martires.

Ricard wept as she mourned the death of her wife, whom she loved, even though she had a arranged marriage.

Rupert did not understand his mother’s death and followed Rickard by the hand.

And Reina was calm enough to give goosebumps in the eyes of others.

Seeing that cold atmosphere, it was only then that Rickard could fully understand Alicia’s will. He

Was able to realize her own guilt.

But when she realized that, Reina had already completely closed the door of her heart to her family.

The unique sweet scent of wine surrounds the office.

Ricard was in a situation where he hadn’t even started his pile of official duties.

Three days had passed since Alicia’s funeral, and it was time for him to resume his duties.

‘Do you know what happened to Rayna on Rupert’s birthday?’

But only Alicia’s will lingered in Rickard’s mind.

There was no way I could handle public affairs perfectly with this spirit.

‘On the way back to her room after her birthday party, I saw Raina fall. As she fell, she rolled badly as if she got caught in the rug.’

Then Alicia was lying on the bed, gasping for breath and weeping.

‘She was so badly injured that the flesh of her knee was completely turned over. To the extent that it’s not strange at all even if she cries. But she said Reina didn’t cry. Rather, she woke up as if nothing had happened.’

Rickard could have imagined that too.

Reina stood up in her lap, calm enough to give her goosebumps as her blood spilled all over her.

‘There were definitely servants around…. But no one came forward to help her Rayna.’

The first time he heard Alicia say that, Rickard couldn’t understand.

She thought she heard it wrong.

‘Do you know why?’

But even Rickard could see now that it was real.

After the funeral, I went to all the servants and asked them.

They all answered the same.

‘She herself is not a member of the Roselia dukedom, so Reina-sama ordered her not to be bothered at all.’

All the servants who tried to help Reina, saying her nonsense, were slapped.

Richard wanted to ask if that made sense, but it was the stark reality.

‘Even if she didn’t have an heir, Raina was definitely our lovely daughter. What did we do to her? Why didn’t we know that she was so driven by Reina?’

And it was definitely Rickard and Alicia’s karma.

‘Please, honey. Please let Reina live happily ever after. She doesn’t think this can redeem her, but please….’

That was Alicia’s will.

“Why did this happen?”

Ricard poured the remaining wine into his mouth, took a pipe from his back pocket, put some tobacco in it, and lit it.

“Whoa.”

Now they are from different families, but Rickard also had two younger sisters.

However, Ricard’s younger sisters were famous for their lively personalities even within the Roselia duchy.

I was obviously just acting as I was taught by my father, but what did I do wrong to become like this?

Richard was in such agony.

“… Not good.”

As he sipped the pipe that Alicia had given her for their first wedding anniversary, Ricard noticed that her taste had changed.

I didn’t accept the smell of cigarettes from my body to the point where I felt nauseated from inside.

In the end, Rickard threw out the tobacco without burning it twice, and put his pipe tobacco in the drawer of his desk.

The closed drawer never opened after that.

★

“Happiness, Ira.”

After that day, Rickard thought that he had been thinking a lot in his own way.

What must Raina do to be happy? She

What is she? What can she do?

Because I only thought about that for close to a month.

The answer Rickard gave was simple.

Let her teach her what she learned from her father.

He decided that what he thought he would only teach Rupert, she should do the same for Rayna.

From how to conduct official duties, to etiquette that you must know because you are the Duke of Roselia.

The reason why he forcibly cut off contact with Ike, even breaking his promise, was the result of Rickard’s own consideration.

After Anna left, Raina’s condition became noticeably unstable. She

She doesn’t know when Anna will come back, she thinks that if Ike loses contact with her, she thinks Raina will be really hard.

Then she meant to quickly get used to solitude.

I can assure you that Rickard had no ill intentions.

Because she believed that that was the life Rickard had lived, and that she had lived happily in it.

“This is really difficult.”

But even that wasn’t happiness for Reina.

Ricardo had no choice but to bow her head.

“Ricard. I’ll go in.”

The door to the office opened with a squeaking sound.

“Who….”

Riccard raised her gaze to see the savage trying to get in without her permission.

“… Addos. Nia.”

“It’s been a long time since I visited Heros in person like this.”

“I will.”

The man and woman who entered the office were Ados, the head of the Duke of Axus, and Nia, his wife.

“This time, my son caused trouble.”

“Yes. You look just like the old ones.”

“Well, it wasn’t like that before. After all, children change in an instant. You think so too, Rickard?”

Addos snorted at her and raised the corners of her mouth.

Nia also covered her mouth and let out a weak laugh.

“… Addos. I just want to ask you one question. Where did I go wrong?”

At Rickard’s question, Addos looked at him with his eyes wide open.

It’s true that Ike sent Rickard hoping to change his decision, but he never thought that Rickard would question him.

The Duchess of Roselia basically has the value that aristocrats should be lonely.

After the civil war, she became obsessed with the title itself, not the honor of being a noble.

For that reason, he has no hesitation in kicking out the people around him if he thinks it’s necessary.

So Roselia was obviously the 2nd duke along with Axus, but she had too many enemies around her.

“Okay.”

Ados and Nia slowly sat down on the sofa and looked at Ricard.

“Honestly, we knew how Miss Reina grew up.”

It was for this reason that Addos and Nia treated Reina as if they were their own daughter.

But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t argue with Rickard.

At that moment, it will lead to a family clash.

“To put it simply, I am deeply disappointed in you and Alicia.”

Still, the reason Ados tried to stop Reina from taking a leave of absence by sending Ike away was because of the story he had heard from Leon.

It was said that Reina’s reputation in Arcana was greatly rising, and thanks to this, the factions who had a bad opinion of the Roselia duchy had some hesitation.

The Duchess of Roselia must never collapse.

It wasn’t that Addos was thinking that way simply because he was childhood friends with Rickard.

Because Ados knew that the Duchess of Roselia made numerous contributions to the Empire beyond what she could see.

The moment Roselia collapses, the development of her empire will definitely be put on hold.

So Addos sent Ike to stop Reina from taking a leave of absence.

To reduce Roselia’s enemies even just a little bit.

‘And to think that Rickard would question himself.’

Ados applauded his son in his heart for sending him a harvest that exceeded expectations.

“But if you realized it even now, wouldn’t it be okay to change from now on? I think so.”

Thinking it was such a simple yet difficult statement, Ricardo slowly shook his head and opened his mouth.

“That is impossible. ‘Cause I’ve been living like this my whole life No matter how much I realize my mistake, it is difficult for me to change.”

Rickard knew himself well.

I could have predicted that if I tried to change myself forcibly, the worst outcome would come out.

“… So, for now, I should end it by quietly cheering for Reina’s choice from behind. So that I do not interfere.”

Rickard quietly took a pipe from a drawer, put some tobacco in it, and lit it.

And after almost 10 years, I put a water beak in my mouth.

The smell of cigarettes entering his body after a long time made Ricardo’s head dizzy.

But it didn’t feel as disgusting as the last time I smoked it.

Rickard dumped his cigarette into the ashtray and put his pipe into his back pocket.

“Since you both have been here for a long time, how about a drink?”

“I do.”

“I like it too.”

Ricard slowly got up from his chair, and although he was clearly weak, he was smiling.

★

A week after running away.

“It’s been a long time since we met together. He’s obviously a fiancée.”

“… Sorry.”

I came to the imperial palace and saw Your Highness face to face.

It was a seat created at my request.

“Well, it’s okay. I was thinking of visiting Miss Reina sometime soon.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Yes. Did you say you had a favor?”

“Yes. It’s embarrassing, but it is.”

I was thinking of asking for a breakup on this spot.

After realizing that she liked Ike, she tried to forget somehow, but it was impossible.

On the contrary, recent events have made that feeling even stronger.

With this kind of heart, I thought that holding the position of Crown Princess was no different from deceiving her Highness.

He had already told his father everything except his feelings about Ike.

I thought he would definitely disagree, but my father nodded his head saying yes without saying anything.

So, all that was left was to tell His Highness everything.

“Okay. I’ll do as much as I can for your request.”

His Highness replied with a bright smile.

But will you tell me that it’s okay even if you listen to my request from now on?

Concerned about that fact, I swallowed quietly.

“But before that. I want you to listen to my request first, Miss Reina.”

“Oh, yes. Whatever Your Highness says.”

I know what a rude request I will have to make in the future.

So I had no intention of rejecting it.

But.

“Miss Reina. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to break off the engagement with me when the second semester starts.”

Seeing Your Highness smiling and talking, I was at a loss for words.