abcnovels
Chapter 3: Homecoming (3)
Chapter 3: Homecoming (3)
Chapter 3: Homecoming (3)
It was something beyond Elrics comprehension.
The first thought that came to his mind was about how she had been living for the past 10 years.
The fact that the marriage had not yet been annulled meant that, for the past ten years, she had lived in the Portman Mansion as his wife.
It meant that she had spent those long years without a husband, continuing to wait without any certainty in her conviction.
Although it was a question as to why she had done such a thing, there were bigger questions that overshadowed it for now.
Lets go inside for now.
Why didnt she ask him about anything?
Those were the first words she said to her husband, seeing him for the first time after he ran away on their first night as newlyweds?
These questions threatened to rise up his throat, but he couldnt bring myself to ask them out loud.
It was too rude a question to ask her about it as he was the one who had run away and came back.
Wouldnt those questions have been a mockery to the woman who had waited for him to return for whatever reason?
Elric glanced briefly at Tyria, who appeared to be at peace, her steps a little too straight as she turned and walked away.
For a moment, he felt the shame that he had felt ten years ago rising inside his body.
He hadnt thought that hed ever feel it again, but the embarrassment that naturally arose from the contrast between her calm appearance and his shaky body and mind made him feel ashamed.
Arent you coming?
Ah, yes, sorry about that.
She tried to force a smile, but it didnt come out naturally.
With a snap, he grabbed his cane and tried to steady his limp as he caught up to her.
However, his body was still in pain, so he could only walk slowly.
Whether she noticed it or not, she began to slow down her pace significantly, matching his slower gait.
But, because she was walking a few steps ahead of him, all he could see was her back.
The distance between them created a sense of awkwardness in the surrounding atmosphere.
Thus, Elric focused on his own heartbeat.
Its not racing.
Even though he was looking at his wife, who had become more beautiful than ever, he didnt feel as overwhelmed as he did when he was a boy.
It was a mystery whether it was because of his growth or fatigue.
Whatever it was, he was glad that he no longer appeared to be a foolish boy.
That momentary calm soon started to challenge the awkwardness.
Why were you in the wheat fields?
Because she didnt ask anything, he pretended to be calm and tried to ease the awkwardness between them.
I was checking on the condition of the wheat. Its almost harvest time.
Oh, did you check it yourself?
Yes.
That was it.
No more words were exchanged between them.
The silence became even heavier than before, and Elric chastised himself for his awkwardness.
Damn it.
If only hed kept his mouth shut, it wouldnt have become so awkward.
Walking through the wheat fields burning in the sunset, the moment felt like an eternity to Elric.
He honestly would have preferred swinging a sword on the battlefield to this.
In those moments of treading the line between life and death, he wouldnt be burdened with trivial worries.
He endured such discomfort for their entire walk back to the mansion.
As with the week on the train, time passed by diligently.
It was a more frustrating passage of time than back then, but, in any case, Elric had finally arrived at his destination.
Please wait a moment whilst I fetch the butler.
Tyria didnt say anything afterwards and disappeared into the mansion.
Only then did Elric take a deep breath and belatedly looked up at the mansion.
The three-story brick building, which boasted a fountain in the courtyard, washed away his worries.
Ah.
It was still there.
As his discomfort related to Tyria disappeared, what filled the void was, as expected, his nostalgia and memories.
Even though he had been gone for 10 years, everything about the mansion, from the number of stairs to the way the rooms were decorated, and even some stains in certain places, began to come to his mind vividly.
A wry smile tugged at the corners of Elrics lips.
It was at this moment.
Hmm? Who are you?
The voice came from behind him.
Elric turned and his eyes widened.
There stood an old man with graying hair, well-dressed in a black tuxedo.
His wrinkles had deepened with age, but even so, Elric recognized him instantly.
Looks like their paths crossed.
It was apparent that he and Tyria had crossed paths at some point in time after Elric had run away.
He was Aldio, a butler, Elrics most trusted ally, and the man who had taken the place of his cold father.
Elrics heart sank at the reunion.
His voice dripped with emotions as he spoke.
You dont recognize me?
Aldios eyes narrowed.
Slowly, his expression began to change.
At first, he seemed guarded, deepening his wrinkles, but then his mouth opened in a daze, and finally, his eyes widened in astonishment.
My Lord!
Aldio stepped forward and grabbed Elric by the shoulders.
Lord Elric! Is it really you?
The old mans voice was filled with all sorts of emotions.
Joy, regret, sadness, and excitement.
Such a violent reaction stirred another wave of emotions in Elric.
Elric thus wrapped his free arm around the old man and hugged him.
Long time no see, old man. Im back.
The old man trembled whilst Elric felt the warmth of his embrace.
It was some time later that Aldio truly came to.
Taking in a deep breath, he regained his composure and spoke with a completely clear face.
I almost didnt recognize you. You have changed so much, My Lord!
Elric chuckled heartily.
The last time he had seen Aldio, he had been just a boy who could be barely recognized as a man.
It was natural that he didnt recognize him.
If he had simply grown bigger, he would have said something.
But, the past 10 years that Ellic had lived through were harsh on his body. To survive on the battlefield, he had to train hard and use his control over mana to his advantage.
As a result, his skeleton had grown due to the recoil, and, unlike the past when he was skinny, his body had become more muscular, and above all, his pupils were blackened blood-red due to the effects of his mana.
Those who had only known him from 10 years ago would find it difficult to recognize him at first glance.
Ive changed quite a bit, so I understand why you would.
For a moment,
He hesitated
Elrics voice trailed off.
Hmm? Is there something wrong?
Aldio asked, but Elric couldnt answer so easily.
It was because he had just realized something strange after speaking out loud.
Elrics gaze shifted to the mansion.
More precisely, towards the entrance that Tyria had just gone in.
Didnt she recognize me at first glance?
She had recognized him at once, even though he hadnt done anything to give away his identity.
The first and last time she had actually seen his face was on their wedding day, but she was able to recognize him immediately even with his significantly changed appearance.
How could she recognize the boy shed only seen once in her life, even though hed changed so much?
This stirred a doubt in Elrics mind.
Milord? Are you okay?
Oh, no. I just had to think about something for a moment.
She probably just had good eyesight.
Elric cleared his throat to clear his thoughts.
Tyria watched Elric through a window as he talked to the butler.
Even though she hadnt seen him in ten years, she had recognized him immediately
How could she not recognize the face of the man she had waited for all her life?
His brown hair, the languid expression that was always on his face, the upturned bridge of his nose, and the scar by his earlobe were all as she remembered them.
Tyrias heart was still pounding.
She had been startled by his sudden presence standing there as she emerged from the wheat fields.
She had feigned calmness, hoping he wouldnt see her panic, but on second thought, it seemed a bit awkward.
All she could do was hope that he hadnt recognized this.
With a slightly nervous heart, Tyria took a deep breath.
As she did so, she was thinking back to the moment of their reunion, wondering if she had made any mistakes.
How come?
As soon as those words came to her mind, Tyrias shoulders trembled slightly.
Her delicate eyebrows furrowed.
She pursed her lips, and her gaze shifted to the smiling Elric outside the window.
It was a face that he had never shown to her.
He had only evoked an uncomfortable silence as they walked together.
It wasnt just now, but even before they reunited even on the day he had left.
At the wedding ceremony, the corners of his mouth had turned downward in a blatant attempt to conceal the fact that he was unhappy about getting married.
And when he had finally put on the ring, his face was full of wrinkles.
She had cried alone in sadness. But the thing that had really made her sad was what happened afterwards.
That night, Elric had left the mansion and never returned.
Her chest tightened.
She pressed her hand firmly against her chest, but it didnt help.
Her joy due to the wedding was short-lived. What had followed was reality. [1]
Even after ten years, his return had not been what she had hoped for
All she had been met with was a questioning look on his face as if he was hoping to be absent from this place.
The bright smile that he had never shown her, the way he hadnt questioned anything.
A sad smile tugged at the corners of Tyrias mouth, filled with bitterness.
As expected.
Even after all this time, it was obvious that she was not a satisfactory marriage partner to him.
To realize this fact was painful for her.
And even worse than that, she couldnt, or rather, wouldnt let him go, even in the future.
As she had done for the past ten years, Tyria would continue to wait in vain for the day when his heart would turn towards her.
Perhaps, a more difficult time than before would unfold now.
Now, even her faith that he would come back smiling whilst embracing her has shattered.
Holding an unreciprocated heart in her arms was more painful than she could have ever imagined.
[1. Woah woah woah, wait a second, so youre openly admitting to having fallen in love with a kid? Child predator alert! (MC was 14 at the time of the wedding.) (And yes, I know that this is probably something that is normal in the world the story is set in, but still)]