Regina Lena – To the Unforgiven - Chapter 30

Why don’t we get engaged?

Rena’s voice was so soft.

“… Huh?”

But the question that the voice made was quite embarrassing.

An unfamiliar sound escaped Lynn’s mouth at the unexpected words. His eyes grew infinitely large, and his hands lost their strength, and he let go of Rena’s tight grip.

Contrary to the way he had been speaking gratefully earlier, Lynn’s face at the moment was like a startled cat.

‘I didn’t mean to embarrass you…’

But I’m a little pissed off because you made me confused.

Rena glanced at Lynn’s surprised face and his released hands alternately, then moved her gaze softly.

“Mr. Lynn, I didn’t expect you to be so surprised.”

At Rena’s mischievous remarks, Lynn came to his senses belatedly. No, he had been trying to regain his calmness, but the troubled look was still there.

“Or is that your best answer?”

“… Sorry, it’s a bit unexpected.”

When Rena asked the question again, Lynn answered barely.

Realizing that they were negotiating, he bought time with an apology. Then he quickly figured out Rena’s intentions.

‘Get engaged? Is she serious?’

He looked at her to make sure, but Rena just smiled as usual and didn’t show her true feelings.

Therefore, Lynn would rather ask directly.

“Why get engaged?”

“Well, that’s the cornerstone of an alliance, isn’t it?”

Rena’s answer was light, and Lynn slowly exhaled his breath.

Fortunately, Rena’s voice was objective. And it was common sense. Marriage, after all, was a powerful means of alliance.

‘But the person involved shouldn’t have said that themself…’

Lynn was taken aback by Rena’s aggressiveness and continued speaking.

“If that’s the case, another way…”

“You mean we can’t get engaged?”

As Rena read her sign of escape, she asked again. When Lynn couldn’t answer, Rena intentionally put on a sad expression.

“True, I made an unreasonable request to be the fiancee of the Eastern Duke.”

“No, that’s…”

“That’s right, you’ve already warned me before not to like you too much.”

“Why are you talking about that…”

“But it’s not because of romantic feelings, so you can rest assured.”

“Wait just a moment…!”

Lynn hid his face in embarrassment as she recounted the past. However, despite his face being covered, the nape of his neck revealed a deep shade of red.

Under the bright moonlight, the demure Eastern Duke hid.

Rena looked proud at her own achievements. As expected, Mr. Lynn on the shy side looked much better than the loud one.

Rena was about to stop at this point, but she added a few more words because Lynn was cute.

“I’m saying this because it’s already a thing in the past, but it was really rude to tell me not to feel romantic feelings. At that time, I laughed it off, but in my heart I wondered if I was that bad.”

“No, I never meant that. Rather…”

“Rather?”

Lynn was surprised by Rena’s belated complaint and tried to explain. However, the explanation did not end properly.

Lynn looked at her, regretting the words he had unintentionally spoken out of his mouth.

Unlike himself, who had given birth to shame, Rena was relaxed. Besides, she was deliberately mischievous.

She was definitely more playful than usual. Lynn wondered why Rena was acting so grumpy all of a sudden, and then he realized that he had been too unkind.

The fact that he had told her not to like him before, that he had avoided this marriage topic this time, and that he had deliberately left out the important points, no wonder she misunderstood.

Therefore, thinking that it was his fault, Lynn decided to explain.

“Let me explain it again. It’s not because of you that I said that before, the same goes with marriage…”

“Yes?”

“I’m the problem.”

Lynn misunderstood thinking that Rena was upset, and Rena asked for the reason unconsciously.

Lynn hesitated at that, but he quietly confessed.

“I can’t have a companion.”

Suddenly, a wind blew through the forest. There was a sound of the rustling of the soft grass.

He whispered again before the wind could subside.

“Probably, forever.”

Rena looked at Lynn, whose hair fluttered in the air.

Lynn smiled softly.

Rena was at a loss for words as the atmosphere was about to be broken.

After choosing what to say for a while, she muttered softly.

“It’s not that I want to get married…”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t it a one-time alliance for the conquest of the Tomb in the first place?

Lynn’s eyes widened at Rena’s words. At that naive reaction, Rena tilted her head.

“Did you think of getting married?”

Rena asked earnestly, and Lynn’s face turned white.

He asked with a contemplative face.

“Then what will happen after the conquest?”

“Of course break up.”

“That…”

Lyn was speechless at Rena’s resolute reply. He rolled a number of words in his mouth, and only managed to vomit a sentence out.

“Is it that easy?”

“If we agree with each other and nothing else is intertwined, it’s not difficult.”

“But your reputation…”

“I don’t care, but Lynn’s position may be different.”

“I don’t care either… Wait, that’s not what’s important…”

“Did you think that I really proposed to you?”

Rena’s confirmation made Lynn want to scream at her. In fact, his soul was already screaming from before.

For the young man in the East who valued courtesy, marriage was a promise close to eternity. So he believed that the engagement that Rena proposed would also lead to marriage.

Lynn realized his own misunderstanding and fell into a shortness of breath.

In the end, Lynn, the initially attacking party, was fatally wounded, and Rena, who didn’t intend to torment him this much, felt a little sorry for him.

“It’s okay. It’s normal. I think my words can be easily misunderstood…”

Rena’s consolation was subtle, and it made Lynn a little more tormented.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong…”

Lynn groaned in a hoarse voice.

After a while, Lynn calmed himself from the feeling of confronting a storm alone, and raised his head.

Ironically, Rena was smiling. Lynn looked at the lady for a moment, then let out a long breath as he had barely made up his mind.

“Is that the kind of engagement you want?”

The voice that asked carefully was sincere.

Rena didn’t answer. Instead of waiting, Lynn slowly added.

“If that’s the case, that’s fine.”

Rena’s smile deepened at the added words.

‘If that’s the case, that’s fine. Does it mean he agrees?’

The sudden engagement request must have been embarrassing, but Lynn did not give in and stuck to his alliance proposal.

Thanks to that, Rena, who was trying to avoid answering, was put in a more difficult situation.

Lynn was waiting for her answer. She couldn’t prolong this anymore.

So Rena bit her lower lip and smiled, then she slowly opened her mouth.

***

‘Why is she not here yet?’

Past midnight, Uni, who was left alone in the room, was waiting for her lady with open eyes.

After waiting for a long time, a strange noise was heard outside the terrace. It was the sound of Rena coming up from the garden.

“My lady!”

Uni heard the sound and went out to the terrace. The young lady, who normally climbed up easily with a few leaps, was draped over the railing as if she had lost her strength today.

Uni hurriedly ran and grabbed the lady’s arm.

With her help, Rena climbed over the railing and leaned back. So Uni asked while supporting Rena’s back with her body.

“My lady, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay…”

“You’re lying!”

Uni bit her lip and supported Rena.

As soon as Rena entered the room, she collapsed on the bed.

Rena took a deep breath and Uni brought her towel. Then she wiped Rena’s sweaty forehead.

Rena muttered in embarrassment at Uni’s actions.

“This much height is usually nothing.”

“That’s why you should’ve rested today. With this body…!”

Uni nagged and unbuttoned Rena’s clothes. Her beautiful porcelain-like bare shoulders that were exposed under the lamp, were stained with bruises.

Rena returned with serious injury from the Tomb. These bruises were the result of Marquis’ poison.

It was a terrible poison. It was a poison that would have killed an ordinary person instantly.

“Ugh!”

“I’m sorry, does it hurt?”

As Rena flinched when Uni applied the medicine, she removed her hand.

Rena held her breath to endure pain, and Uni complained again as she applied the medicine.

“Avoid what can be avoided, please.”

“I would. Actually, I really almost died this time. Inside the Tomb too.”

“… Are you laughing now?”

Rena’s voice was still light, while Uni felt resentful seeing her lady’s too carefree attitude.

Rena believed the best way to survive was to have the head start. It was a conclusion she had made with her body while enduring alone since she was young.

Whether people or animals, fear is inevitable. So this time, the young lady was overworked as usual as she tried to tame her father, who was nothing more than an animal.

Since she was exhausted, she should’ve rested at night. However, she dared to lead this body to Lynn in order to announce her well-being.

“So, how’s the meeting with Mr. Lynn?”

“Well, so-so…”

“Did you check it too?”

“Yeah, I don’t think he passed on to anyone else what I said.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, then I can still call him Mr. Lynn, not Bastard Lynn.”

Uni was angry towards Lynn for putting a burden on Rena.

The day before the expedition, Rena gave Lynn considerable information.

It was a risky move. There was plenty of room for entry if it went into someone else’s ear. She didn’t regret helping him, but the crackdown was still necessary.”

“Did Mr. Lynn not tell anyone?”

“Well, I didn’t ask myself.”

“But how are you sure?”

“He suggested an alliance.”

Asking for an alliance means that you want to share a secret. Fortunately, Lynn was a heavy-mouthed person.

Meanwhile, Uni’s eyes widened at the word alliance.

“So what did you say?”

“I haven’t answered yet.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

Rena replied with a sigh and smiled.

In fact, she already admitted it in her head. An alliance is definitely a good proposition. Lynn convinced Rena enough, and Rena mostly agreed with him.

Still, Rena couldn’t make up her mind. Because she was nervous.

“I’m telling you, the suddenness struck me too hard.”

Rena laughed and blamed Lynn. In fact, from the moment Lynn took the initiative and approached her, she felt a sense of rejection. It wasn’t Lynn’s fault. To borrow his words, Rena was the problem.

There is a difference between doing a favor and holding hands. It’s just unfortunate if a favor is rejected, but it’s painful to let go of the hand you’re holding. And Rena was a person who couldn’t stand such a thing.

“I just want it to stay like this.”

Rena wanted Lynn to remain her friend, not her ally. She just wanted to meet, talk, pat, and help sometimes.

She didn’t want to make an alliance to give him a chance to betray her. She didn’t want to give him the qualification to use and throw away.

That’s why she brought up an engagement in a bizarre way. She thought that he would say no. She wanted to create a situation where they both knew that it was not possible from their standpoint, and that they should step back one step at a time. She wanted to hide her innermost thoughts and cover them up like that.

But Lynn also seriously considered her improvisational offer.

So when he accepted her condition, Rena ran away. And the story was not concluded that way.

‘I feel so stupid.’

Rena, who looked into her messy heart, finally laughed at herself.

She thought she was strong enough, but there were still weak spots.

Rena was a little sad about that.

***

At the same time, Lynn returned to his residence and was thinking blankly.

‘Is she in a bad mood?’

Lynn chewed the conversation he had had with Rena with a blank face.

Rena’s flirtatious puns were always a thing, but today was somehow different. After he talked about the alliance, her mood was strange in the middle, and before they separated, she certainly looked annoyed.

‘Why?’

Lynn tried to point out what he had done wrong, but nothing came to mind.

He had made a silly mistake, but his misunderstanding was quickly cleared up, after which he gladly agreed to Rena’s offer.

Actually, an engagement was a pretty good offer.

Rena, who is in conflict with the Marquis, can use her identity as the fiancée of the Eastern Duke to gain advantage.

And the Eastern Duke can break free from isolation by establishing a relationship with the Southern Representative.

This was beneficial to both parties, so when Lynn said it was okay, he was being sincere.

‘But why is she angry?’

Lynn put his chin on his clasped hands and pondered.

Just a few minutes ago, Lynn said to Rena.

If that’s the kind of engagement you want, that’s fine.

Then Rena bit her lower lip, smiled, and replied:

At this point, he thought Rena was accepting the offer.

– But can I think more about it? No matter how much the deal is, one can’t just get engaged with anyone.

But what followed was a bit strange. So he wanted to ask her what she meant, but Rena smiled so beautifully that he could only keep his mouth shut.

‘… Why?’

Lynn couldn’t understand Rena’s feelings.

In fact, what was more incomprehensible was Lynn’s own feelings.

He felt as if he was being dumped now.