A Vow [Illustration]
—So judge wisely.
That day, at my grandfather’s advice—no, warning—
I kept my mouth shut, even though there was plenty I wanted to say.
Because I judged that it was still too early to be considering marriage talks, and that even for the sake of smoothly clearing the game’s story in the future, there would be nothing good about setting myself against Grandfather.
Still, I was disheartened inside.
It had been confirmed for me all over again.
Just how firm Grandfather’s will was, that he would not accept Yeon Haneul….
‘He says Haneul can’t because she’s an Ain? What era does he think this is? What’s wrong with Haneul…?’
It was frustrating.
It seemed it would not be easy to obtain a future where I could be with Yeon Haneul.
I resented Grandfather.
‘I can’t even tell Haneul….’
It would only hurt Yeon Haneul’s feelings for no reason.
For her sake as well, I intended to keep my mouth shut.
It was enough for me alone to suffer because of Grandfather.
But, somehow….
It seemed she had vaguely noticed too.
One day, not long after I returned from the evaluation meeting, she abruptly asked me.
—What did the Family Head say?
—Huh? Why bring up the Family Head all of a sudden?
—It’s just… you seem kind of down lately…. I was wondering if maybe the Family Head scolded you at the evaluation meeting…. Did something happen?
—…Nothing happened. I’m fine. Thanks for worrying about me. I guess you really are the only one I have.
—Then that’s a relief….
At the time, despite my vague answer.
Yeon Haneul seemed to accept it outwardly, yet inwardly did not believe me.
Her face was not bright at all.
As if… she were steeped in sorrow.
I could only feel sorry toward her, and my heart ached.
‘What should I do… to persuade the Family Head…?’
I don’t know.
It was a worry that was not easily solved.
And while that worry deepened, summer vacation flew by like an arrow.
The second semester began.
It was on one such day that the chief secretary, who served as one of Grandfather’s closest aides, came to see me.
“Hello, Young Master Do Gyeonu. Are you adjusting well to the semester? Ah, before that… since the weather is hot, shall we order something to drink first? If there’s anything else you want, feel free to tell me. What would you like to drink?”
“No, I’m fine without a drink. I don’t think I’ll be here long anyway, so please just tell me what this is about.”
“…”
A cafe in District 23 of Academy City.
The chief secretary greeted me from his seat.
Even at my unfriendly attitude, he maintained a smile from beginning to end, revealing none of his emotions.
Then he offered me a seat.
“Is that so? Then shall we talk right after you sit down?”
“…Yes.”
I sat down.
Soon, the chief secretary pushed a document envelope across the table.
“What is this?”
I only glanced at the document envelope and did not reach out to open it.
Then the chief secretary answered while taking out the contents from within.
“These are the women Young Master Do Gyeonu is to meet from now on. We narrowed them down to women from prestigious families and renowned households that maintain amicable relations with the Divine Sword Do Family. As for age difference, we have placed the initial range within four years above or below you. Naturally, all of them are unmarried and have no fiancés.”
“…”
“If you would prefer a different age range, please do not hesitate to tell me. Other conditions are also fine. I will do my best to actively reflect them. However, Ains are not permitted. This is the Family Head’s instruction.”
“You’re telling me to go on marriage interviews?”
“If you are asking whether you must meet them with marriage in mind… yes, that is correct. However, it does not mean you must marry right away. Young Master Do Gyeonu, you are still young, so it would not be too late whenever you choose. If feelings develop, then you marry; if not, then you do not. It is simply… that the Family Head wishes for you to experience meeting many women until that time comes, and to hone your eye for choosing a good woman.”
So please do not worry too much.
You need not think of it as something heavy.
The chief secretary added.
I glared at him for a long while.
He paid no mind to my gaze and was still smiling.
‘How annoying.’
If I had my way, I would have kicked back my chair and left.
However, I could not treat someone sent by Grandfather carelessly.
In the first place, he was nothing more than a messenger.
There was no use protesting to him.
In the end, I stopped our staring contest and looked over the documents, if only as a formality.
‘There are so many….’
Not only Baek Jimin of the Flash Sword Baek Family, but No Hyowon of the Crimson No Family, and even Gwon Boram of the Iron Fortress Gwon Family….
There were many people I knew.
A hollow laugh escaped me of its own accord.
Then I asked, as if provoking him.
“There’s no one I like. What should I do?”
“In that case, you must meet them all. It may be different once you meet them in person.”
“What if I don’t want to meet them? What if I refuse to obey?”
“In that case…”
The Family Head said this.
After briefly wetting his throat, the chief secretary continued.
A threat seeped into his voice.
“You will never again be allowed to utter the name of the Divine Sword Do Family.”
“…”
“If you are a member of the Divine Sword Do Family, you must naturally fulfill your responsibility. Do you understand?”
It meant that if I defied the family’s order, I could be expelled.
Reading Grandfather’s resolute will, I could not help but pause.
The chief secretary said nothing more and rose to his feet.
“It would be unreasonable to decide immediately, so please take your time and look them over. Once you have chosen, contact me, and I will arrange a meeting with the lady in question. Then, I hope you judge wisely. I, the Family Head, and the family all have high expectations for you, Young Master. I shall take my leave now. Please return safely.”
The chief secretary passed by me.
I did not see him off, only looked down at the table.
The documents were not even in my thoughts.
‘What should I do…?’
I closed my eyes and sank into thought.
Before me lay a fork in the road.
The safe path I had walked until now, and a dangerous path where I did not know what would happen.
If I chose the former, I could make Yeon Haneul unhappy.
On the other hand, if I chose the latter, I would have to struggle even more than now to reach the future I wanted.
Even so.
‘I can make Haneul happy.’
My hesitation did not last long.
I had decided.
Perhaps it was impulsive.
But that was fine.
At this moment, I would simply follow the feelings welling up inside me.
I would not regret it.
I immediately left the cafe.
My destination was Sin Seora’s workshop, located in District 23 of Academy City.
“Seora noona!”
“Hm? Gyeonu, it’s you. What brings you here so suddenly?”
Sin Seora had just come out of her studio to take a break.
I blurted out a request to her, who had her sleeves rolled up.
“Noona, make me a ring. With whatever materials you have right now. The payment can be around this much.”
“Huh? Why a ring? Are you giving it to Haneul?”
“Yeah, it’s urgent, so could you make it as quickly as possible?”
Sin Seora tilted her head.
Then, as if there was no stopping me, she shrugged.
“Left ring finger? You know Haneul’s finger size, right? They say you can adjust it with mana, but it’s better if it fits from the start.”
“Of course. Naturally.”
I answered.
First, I would just go through with it.
* * *
[♥Gyeonu♥]: Do you have time right now?
[Me]: Huh?? Right now?
[♥Gyeonu♥]: Yeah.
[♥Gyeonu♥]: I don’t think it can wait.
[♥Gyeonu♥]: There’s something I really want to say.
Do Gyeonu suddenly asked to meet.
To Yeon Haneul, it was nothing but puzzling.
‘Something he really wants to say… could it be….’
There was one thing that came to mind.
Ever since he had returned after attending the evaluation meeting at the main house of the Divine Sword Do Family.
Do Gyeonu had not shown it outwardly, but he had seemed to be agonizing over something.
There was no way Yeon Haneul would fail to notice the worry lingering on his face.
Perhaps, at the main house, the Family Head had said something about disapproving of his relationship with her.
She could easily guess that much.
So the reason he would suddenly ask to meet at this point was….
“Is he going to break up with me…?”
Perhaps he could not ignore his family’s opposition and intended to tell her goodbye.
In her heart, she did not want to believe it, but it was not as if there was no possibility at all.
She could not deny it completely.
Having thought of an anxious possibility because of needless worries, Yeon Haneul muttered gloomily.
Her rabbit ears drooped.
“What?”
Yeon Bada, who had transferred into the academy starting in the second semester and was visiting Yeon Haneul’s room, looked dumbfounded.
Exasperated, she asked.
“Unni, do you really think Gyeonu would do that? Why would he say he wants to break up? No, how do you understand him even less than I do!?”
“I know, I know, but…”
“You worried before you started dating Gyeonu, and you worry after you started dating him…. Seriously, you’re my sister, but you’re so frustrating. Some people can’t even date Gyeonu! Unni, if you’re going to be like that, just switch with me! I’ll date Gyeonu!”
Yeon Bada threw a childish fit.
However, unlike her behavior, Yeon Haneul could feel her consideration in trying to cheer her up.
Although there was not no selfish intent hidden within it, it was only to the degree that she could accept it as her younger sister’s cuteness and let it pass.
“You little…. That won’t do.”
Thanks to her, her mood improved.
Letting out a giggle, Yeon Haneul flatly refused.
Then, as soon as she finished getting ready, she went to the meeting place.
Do Gyeonu was waiting.
“Gyeonu.”
“Ah, you’re here?”
As if seeing each other alone made them happy.
The moment their eyes met, both their faces brightened.
The two of them held hands and walked along the path, chatting about trifling things.
Then, midway.
“Today, I received an order from the Family Head.”
“…”
Do Gyeonu brought it up.
For an instant, Yeon Haneul swallowed her breath.
Then, pretending it was nothing, she asked in a trembling voice.
“…What did he say?”
“He told me to fulfill my responsibility as a member of the Divine Sword Do Family. He told me to go on marriage interviews. If I don’t, he’ll kick me out of the family.”
“…I… see…. Then you’ll have to… go on them….”
Do Gyeonu smiled bitterly.
Yeon Haneul felt her heart drop.
She could not respond calmly.
No longer able to hide her emotions, she lowered her head deeply.
The hand that had been holding his went slack, all strength leaving it….
Right then.
“But I’m not going to.”
“…Huh?”
As if he would not let her go.
Do Gyeonu firmly caught Yeon Haneul’s hand just as it was about to slip free.
He answered while interlacing their fingers.
Having heard an answer she had not expected, Yeon Haneul could not help but be bewildered.
Half dazed, she lifted her head and blinked as if seeking confirmation.
Then he emphasized it again.
“I’m not going on the marriage interviews.”
“Why…”
Why won’t you?
You said the family won’t stay quiet.
What are you going to do if you’re expelled….
The words did not come out as she thought them.
Yeon Haneul’s lips trembled.
Reading the rest of what she wanted to say, Do Gyeonu spoke as if to reassure her.
“What do you mean, why? Because you’d hate it. I hate it too.”
“…”
“I told you, didn’t I? You’re the only one I have. Who would I meet besides you?”
“But, still…”
“There are no buts or stills.”
In a tone that said he would never regret it, with a voice that did not waver, he assured her.
Do Gyeonu pulled Yeon Haneul into his arms.
Then he held out a gold ring adorned with a red jewel.
Her eyes, which held the same color as the jewel on the ring, widened.
“This is…”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can promise to let you live without lacking anything and do whatever you want. I won’t have the Divine Sword Do Family at my back from now on. Maybe… even if we don’t have to worry about making ends meet, you might end up living a harsher life than you imagined.”
“…”
“Even so, if you’re okay with that, Haneul… will you marry me?”
“Ah…”
“I want to share the future with you. This one thing, I can promise. I’ll make you happy, no matter what.”
At the confession filled with sweet emotion.
Yeon Haneul’s rabbit ears perked up.
An exclamation escaped her on its own.
Her face became dyed with joy.
Amid that.
Do Gyeonu added, as if making excuses.
“I know marriage is early at our age, and I know this is sudden. I know I’m not prepared enough. Even this ring… it’s a little ugly, right? I’m sorry. I commissioned Seora noona in a rush, so the materials weren’t ideal, and I didn’t have much money. I didn’t want to rely on the family…. Of course, Seora noona did say I could pay her back later, so I didn’t have to pay right now…”
“No, I’m fine.”
“…”
“You prepared it for me, didn’t you? I’m happy. Thank you, really.”
What did money, status, power, or background matter at all?
The most important thing was the heart.
Not wanting to see Do Gyeonu apologizing and trying to lower himself, Yeon Haneul shook her head vigorously.
Then she nestled into his arms.
“If you say that, what does that make me? I’m the one… who doesn’t have much I can do for you, Gyeonu.”
“What do you mean you don’t? Do you know how much strength you give me…”
“It’s the same for me. Do you know how much strength you give me? So don’t say things like that.”
“…Okay, I understand. Then… will you marry me?”
Unlike a moment ago.
The voice coming from above her head was tinged with nervousness, as if he feared he might be rejected.
Yeon Haneul curved her lips into a smile.
Do Gyeonu was….
So very lovable.
She lifted the back of her hand.
“Put the ring on me.”
“…”
From the beginning, since a very long time ago.
Her answer had already been decided.
So she was not afraid of the uncertain future, where she did not know what would happen.
Not at all.
She would not regret it.
For her, as long as she had Do Gyeonu, that was enough.
That alone was fine.
With that feeling, Yeon Haneul answered his proposal.
“I want to share the future with you too. I’ll make you happy, no matter what.”
“…”
“So let’s be happy together. I love you, Gyeonu. More than anything in the world.”
“…Me too. I love you.”
“More than anything in the world?”
“Yeah, more than anything in the world.”
Yeon Haneul smiled, and Do Gyeonu smiled.
The two exchanged rings and passionately pressed their lips together.
* * *
The very next day.
The main house of the Divine Sword Do Family, the Family Head’s office.
“Ha…”
The Family Head of the Divine Sword Do Family, Do Yeik, could not suppress a sigh as he looked at the parcel that had arrived before him.
He sought confirmation from the chief secretary.
“So… you’re saying Gyeonu sent this? There’s no mistake?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
So as not to offend him in the slightest.
The chief secretary answered with a respectful attitude.
“It seems this brat…”
“…”
“He must have gone well and truly mad.”
Do Yeik, so dumbfounded he could only laugh hollowly, clicked his tongue.
Soon after, wrinkles formed between his brows, and fierce anger surged up within him.
Of course, it could not be helped.
Because inside the parcel Do Gyeonu had sent….
There was a marriage certificate with Yeon Haneul and the metal plaque of the Ultramarine Sword.
In addition, there were items related to the Divine Sword Do Family, and even cards….
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss