This wasn't a novel about Dale, but this was a fantasy world full of romance.
Even though Dale wasn't the main character and was an extra, he might have a girlfriend!
And he is handsome.
He is handsome when he looks at me, when he washes his face, when he chops wood, when he sweats profusely.
'Show.
'I can't believe a man like that doesn't have a girlfriend.'
He was a handsome man who would catch anyone's attention.
I looked at Dale, who didn't answer.
“If it's an important secret, don't tell me.
There are times when you should keep it to yourself.”
“…….”
Dale looked at me sheepishly.
“Maybe I should have told you from the beginning.”
“Oh, you don't have to tell me, it's okay.”
“It may not be okay.”
He kept his voice low and looked at me.
His face looked dark under the shadow of his hair, and his golden eyes sparkled with sadness.
He looked weak and his lips seemed dry.
“I actually…….”
“Have you found a new girlfriend?”
Dale froze like a stone.
“I'm afraid you're too reluctant to speak.”
Dale ran a hand through his dark hair and opened his mouth to speak.
“Aunt Marge told me Dale was very popular with the ladies.”
“…….”
“She also said that some of the elders chose Dale to be their son-in-law.”
“I...”
Dale looked at me, touching his cheek with a troubled expression.
“I don't like it.”
His voice was very serious.
“I have never dated any woman or done anything that could be misunderstood.”
When you look at him with a straight face, it looks like he's not lying.
But somehow I felt like teasing him.
I smiled and put my hand on my chin.
“What could be misunderstood?
Dale, do you even know about that?”
“I know.”
He raised his head and whispered.
“Eye contact.”
Dale said looking into my eyes.
“Speak.”
“……..”
“Say I love her.”
I nodded, and listened intently.
He was right.
“But this last one is not a misunderstanding, it is a confession, right?”
“…….”
“If this is a misunderstanding, you are a flirt.”
Dale looked at me and then smiled.
He seemed to be holding back what he wanted to say.
“In Dale’s face, when he says, ‘I like cats,’ or ‘I like dogs,’ or whatever, he will be misunderstood.”
He looked at me.
“I don't think I will be misunderstood.”
"Is this correct?"
“Yes.
And again, I won’t do anything that will make Enya worry……”
I looked at Dale and nodded.
“This is stipulated in the contract, isn’t it?”
The fourth clause of the contract.
I understood what Dale was saying.
He was telling me not to worry because that was a clause in the contract.
“I trust Ald, and I will trust him no matter what anyone says.”
“No matter what anyone says...”
Repeat after me.
“Yes……”
He seemed to be in a better mood and smiled weakly.
"Thank you."
* * *
...Can I trust him?
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
In the morning, a few hours after Dale left for work.
A group of women visited me out of nowhere.
“It's a fake marriage, isn't it?”
“Tell me how you married Dale, he promised us he would never be anyone…!”
Isn't this one-sided?
There was no way Dale could have made such a promise.
I thought about all the women who came to my house after he left for work and made a noise.
“Are you rich?!”
Then a woman screamed.
This was a test to see if I was the right girl for Dale.
I could not understand these women who set their eyes on a newly married man.
'Isn't this too much?'
I suddenly remembered Dale's face.
Suddenly it made sense.
If Jamal Dale were a treasure, it would be a treasure only discovered once every 100 million years.
“You have a lot of money, right?
That's why you bribed him with money, right?”
I don't need to lecture her about how financial transactions are illegal in the Empire, along with the slave trade, do I?
I looked at the woman who asked the question.
The woman was mocking me with a confident face.
“Do you have a lot of money?”
"little?"
“It's not like you have a lot of money...”
I said in a confident voice.
“I have everything.”
The woman's face widened for a moment.
"Did you buy Dale with money?
This ain't love, this ain't, oh, no!"
I slowly shook my head from side to side.
“I didn’t……Dale likes me and I happen to have a lot of money, okay, next question?”
She smiled brightly and knocked on the table.
What was happening in a city that was said to be underpopulated?
The line of young women at my door could stretch over a hill.
“Don't touch the couch, that pillow wasn't Dale's, I drooled on it.”
“Eek!”
“Don't throw it away.”
Bam!
I clapped my hands loudly.
“I'll only answer questions for people standing in line!”
I screamed at the top of my voice.
“I'll kick anyone who throws or breaks things, and I'll tell Dale where they've been and who they are!”
I screamed again.
The women in the house quickly formed a line.
“This is what is required.”
"I……."
“The person in the yellow dress in front comes first.
Now, come on!”
"Yes!
Me!
How long have you and Dale been together?"
“We met five years ago when he was a mercenary and I was the daughter of a rich family.
We broke up because my parents forced us to, then we got back together and got married.
Next!”
“Another question…….”
"Back to class.
Next!"
"What is your name?"
"that!"
It was my nickname.
I answered question after question, but the never-ending line didn't shrink.
“Did Dale say you were his ideal type?”
“Yes, next!”
“Does Dale snore when he sleeps?”
"Pretty guys don't do that.
Next!"
I don't know how much time had passed, but I was feeling tired, so I sat down to rest.
He said he never made eye contact with any girl.
So why do so many girls like Dale?
What would happen if he made eye contact with them?
I let out a long sigh.
At that time, something appeared right in front of me.
“Oh, thank you for the napkin...”
Not a handkerchief?
It was a message.
'message?'
I ignored the message and looked at the woman who had cut the line.
She was standing in the middle of the room in my house, smiling broadly.
She had blonde hair and was wearing a fancy dress, so I assumed she was a noblewoman, perhaps the granddaughter of a lord?
“You are Miss Anne?”
The woman smiled brightly.
“Yes.
I am Anne.”
“It's nice to meet you, finally.”
finally?
I stared at the woman.
Did she know me, or maybe she was from the Emperor?
“My name is Adeline Kydland, daughter of Viscount Kydland.”
“Wonderful……!
Miss Adeline!”
“Miss Adeline, you look great today!”
All the women in line praised Adeline Kydland.
She smiled sweetly, as if this popularity was natural.
Kidland?
“Dale…….”
She opened her mouth to speak and then looked at me.
She looked me up and down, then gave me a weird smile.
"Oh.
I've seen Dale a few times."
Adeline smiled brightly even though she looked embarrassed.
“I heard Dale got married, but I never met his wife.”
She stared at me, and I stared at this suspicious-looking woman.
Why do you keep staring?
"What do you do!"
At that time, her maid next to her shouted.
“Miss Adeline, noble.
Commoners should be polite and bow!”