I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 50

Edgar quietly watched his childhood friend, who had been silently moving for a while without saying a word.

Had the moment of strolling through the castle’s corridors ever felt this heavy?

More than the pressure of facing the head of a grand family, the suffocating atmosphere surrounding her was unbearable.

At a glance, she looked resolute, like a warrior about to face a great battle, but to Edgar, she was anything but that.

If he had to describe it, she seemed like a child trying hard not to show her fear, her eyes full of tension.

“Ariel.”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Relax. You’re going to break your neck like that.”

Edgar playfully patted her back and pointed to her shoulders with his chin.

Realizing then that she had been overly tense, Ariel awkwardly smiled and lowered her shoulders.

In that moment, Edgar felt an unprecedented sense of disconnection.

‘If it were any other time, she would have definitely shot back at me.’

She would have retorted something like, “Do you think I’m nervous or something?”

However, her willingness to comply with his words was proof that she was indeed anxious.

As they continued walking down what felt like an endlessly long corridor, a familiar figure approached from the opposite direction toward their group.

As a shadow suddenly fell on her, Ariel, who had been eyeing the ground, lifted her head, and her expression brightened when she made eye contact with the figure.

“Welcome back, Ariel. You two must have had a hard time.”

After giving sincere thanks to the two who had accompanied Ariel, Helene embraced her tightly.

Feeling the warmth of her mother after such a long time, Ariel belatedly remembered to ask about her father’s whereabouts.

“Mom, where is Father…?”

“He’s in his office. He’s receiving a report on work from Lord Elpelt.”

The mention of the office seemed to trigger an unpleasant memory for Ariel, causing her face to pale as she mumbled discreetly.

Understanding the hint, Helene smiled sadly and stroked her daughter’s head, suggesting they go to the office together.

“Ed, Shuri. You’re free to return to your rooms. I’ll take Ariel with me.”

At first glance, it sounded like a considerate remark for the two who had just returned, but not a single bright expression appeared on either Edgar or Shuri’s faces.

Instead, Shuri, with a lot to say but unable to voice it, cautiously opened her mouth.

“Um, but, my lady…”

“Shuri, do what Mom says.”

Cutting off Shuri’s words firmly was not Helene but Ariel.

As if she didn’t want to show the current situation, she looked up at Shuri, forcing a weak smile.

Noticing this, Shuri bit her lip and, realizing she couldn’t oppose her master’s words, bowed her head in gratitude.

After sinking Shuri’s spirits, Ariel turned her gaze leftward to look at her childhood friend.

It was a glance that seemed to say, ‘You understand without me having to say it, right?’

When Edgar averted his gaze and prolonged his reply, Ariel chuckled softly and eventually spoke up herself.

“Ed, you too…”

“No, I’ll join you since I have nothing else to do.”

However, Edgar coldly dismissed her request, responding in a manner that felt almost too frigid.

Ariel’s voice quickly rose in indignation.

“Just relax and stay in your room! Why don’t you listen even when I’ve made an effort for once? You idiot!”

“I’m saying I’ll go with you because I’m not tired. Why won’t you listen? You foolish girl!”

“Don’t twist my words. I’m being serious right now.”

“Don’t you talk nonsense. I’m serious too!”

Ariel glared at Edgar, her anger suddenly flaring up, while Edgar met her gaze with a cold stare he had shown her numerous times before.

Shuri was caught in the midst of this unexpected quarrel and felt like she was at her wit’s end.

Ultimately, seeing the atmosphere become too heated, Helene intervened to mediate between the two.

Honestly, she could somewhat anticipate Edgar’s reaction, so she wasn’t too surprised.

“Alright, stop fighting. Since it’s a rare occasion, why not let Edgar come along too? After all, he has been wanting to see you.”

“Yes, I wanted to meet him as well,” Edgar added.

What exactly did that imply?

Since she was a child who had never acted according to her predictions, there was a mixture of anxiety and inexplicable anticipation.

Meanwhile, Ariel still looked worriedly at her mother.

Noticing her daughter’s anxiety, Helene reassured her with a gentle pat on the back, sending Shuri back to her room, and the three of them headed towards the office together.

As they reached the door, Ariel couldn’t stop fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

Noticing this, Edgar reached out, grabbed her wrist, and nodded silently.

Now slightly calmer, Ariel shifted her gaze confidently towards the firmly closed door.

Having waited for her daughter to relax, Helene finally knocked on the door, and a deep voice from inside permitted them to enter.

Creak.

It seemed the door hadn’t been oiled in a while.

The office door squeaked open, revealing a middle-aged man with gray hair sitting at a desk and Lord Elpelt standing by his side.

“I apologize for making you come twice, my lady.”

‘My lady.’

Edgar raised his eyebrows slightly at that title.

That meant this man was Yulken Robeheim, the head of the Robeheim family.

‘He’s imposing.’

Edgar condensed his first impression of Yulken into those two words.

He wasn’t referring to his physique or presence.

Just standing in front of him made the weight of Yulken’s life and experiences apparent.

It felt as if a massive mountain was standing before him.

Edgar had felt something similar when he met Creed, but this felt even clearer and more majestic.

“Let’s not dwell on that. You’ve brought the child you were looking for, so let’s talk.”

“Hmm.”

Yulken stood up and approached the three of them but, instead of greeting his daughter, he extended his hand to Edgar first.

Although Edgar furrowed his brows at this unfamiliar scene, he tried not to show it and shook his rough hand.

“I’m Yulken Robeheim. I’ve heard a lot about you from my wife, and I’m glad to finally meet you.”

“I’m Edgar Billhark. It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace Robeheim.”

“Just Yulken is fine. I don’t wish to receive excessive courtesy from the benefactor of my daughter.”

Contrary to Edgar’s expectations, Yulken’s reaction and actions were rather normal.

He appeared almost like an ideal father who cherished his daughter.

It was just that he seemed brusque because his emotions were not readily evident.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Edgar, Yulken’s gaze shifted to where Ariel, who appeared to feel like she had committed some sin and was bowing her head, was standing.

“Ariel, it’s been a while.”

“Yes… Father. I’m glad to see you well.”

A stark contrast to how she was with Helene.

Watching the father-daughter conversation feel like it was taking place across a wall, Edgar could only fidget his dry lips.

“By the way, how have your studies in magic and martial arts been?”

Instead of asking about his daughter’s well-being after such a long time, Yulken immediately inquired about her progress in her studies.

Though Ariel had anticipated this, when it actually happened, her mind went blank.

“Um, actually, I have made considerable progress in magic, but with martial arts…”

“…Still?”

Yulken repeated Ariel’s trailing words, pressing her for an answer.

She wanted to keep her lips sealed, but knowing that one of his pet peeves was dodging answers, she grew anxious and opened her tightly shut lips.

“I still haven’t made any real progress… I’m sorry.”

“You’ve had plenty of time. Do you really believe that there has been no progress whatsoever?”

“…No, it’s all my fault for being negligent. I’m sorry, Father.”

Ariel bowed her head as she pleaded for forgiveness in response to Yulken’s icy voice that was like an ice shard from the ruler of the North.

Edgar, who had been watching this exchange, clenched his left hand tight and grit his teeth.

Their conversation felt less like a father-daughter exchange and more like a master-servant relationship.

There was no simple father guiding his child but only a sovereign rigorously chastising a subordinate for failing to meet expectations.

When Edgar’s suppressed anger met Helene’s gaze, she lowered her eyes and shook her head slightly.

She probably wanted him to disregard the implications of her husband’s words for now.

“I see you took the liberty of treating the castle like your own playground in your father’s brief absence. Don’t you have a sense of responsibility as his heir?”

“…!”

“Dear! What are you saying to our child!”

Those were words Ariel had never wanted to hear from her father.

Realizing her husband had crossed a line, Helene finally intervened, albeit a little late.

Yulken threw a brief glance at his wife, then silently looked at Ariel again, who had bowed her head, and walked past the three without a word as he left the office.

Bang.

The door slammed shut, and Elpelt, who had been watching this scene from a distance, hurriedly followed Yulken out.

Cold silence engulfed the office afterward.

“Ugh… Huh.”

The sound that finally broke the seemingly eternal silence wasn’t anyone’s voice or the book falling off the shelf.

It was simply the sad sobbing of a girl.

Edgar took out a handkerchief from his pocket and silently offered it to her.

Thud.

“…Put it away, I don’t need it.”

However, Ariel coldly swatted it away, wiping her tears with her sleeve instead and lifting her head to meet his gaze.

Her normally vibrant red eyes were gone, replaced by bloodshot orbs filled only with sorrow.

Those eyes seemed to silently ask why he had treated her that way, leaving Edgar speechless.

“That’s why I told you not to follow me… I didn’t want you to see me like this, all pathetic.”

“Ariel, calm down. This isn’t Edgar’s fault.”

“I know! I know that!”

Ariel was not a foolish girl.

If anything, she was smarter and more intelligent than most of her peers.

That’s why feeling pathetic about herself and having no way to express it led to her outburst of anger.

Showing this pitiful side of herself to a friend she had known for over ten years—

Even knowing it wasn’t his fault, she was frustrated without any place to vent her anger.

Every bit of her felt so pathetic that she was filled with self-loathing.

“Ed, you should probably go back now. Once Ariel calms down, I’ll have Shuri call for you…”

“No, I should be the one to take Ariel with me. This is my fault, so I think I should resolve it.”

Edgar understood what she was feeling as her longtime friend.

She was a girl with a strong pride, a solid self-esteem, and someone who was reluctant to let anyone around her see her weaknesses.

It meant that she was a woman who admired being strong, resolute, and noble.

Even now, her anger was directed less at the friend who had followed her mindlessly than at her own sense of humiliation and shame for being discovered in such a state.

Therefore, the only person who could ease those feelings was the one who understood her current emotions best.

“I’m so sorry, my lady. I made a blunder by intruding like this and causing this disaster…”

“That’s not it. In a way, it’s more his fault. However, I can’t just keep blaming my husband, so I’m just frustrated.”

Edgar felt a strange sense of déjà vu at Helene’s words.

It was as if she knew that the reason Yulken was so stern with her daughter wasn’t just about educational policy.

But now wasn’t the right time to pry into that.

And prying into someone else’s family affairs didn’t suit his character either.

Ideally, it would be great if Ariel could provide the answers herself, but given her current state, that seemed unlikely.

It looked like a complicated situation was at play here.

“Ariel, let’s go for now.”

“…No. Just leave me alone.”

“Alright. I’ll let you be alone, but let’s at least go to your room first. If you find me uncomfortable, I’ll even call for Shuri.”

It would be terrible to criticize her for staying alone in this situation.

The right choice was to pacify her enough to create a situation where they could be alone together and then attempt a conversation once she calmed down.

Thus, Edgar intentionally mentioned Shuri’s name, conveying that he would step aside as soon as she wanted.

Finally, Ariel seemed to calm down a bit, nodding her head lightly and stepping out of the room into his embrace.

It was also the first day that, even while nestled in Edgar’s arms, Ariel felt no warmth.