"Lady Elena"

"Y-Yes!"

Did I startled her?

"Actually, I wanted to ask.....are you really ready for this engagement? I mean are you fine with this?"

I made up my mind and asked Elena what I could come up with. I am no expert.

"Of course I am perfectly fine with this. But....do you....like someone else Lord Kai?"

She replied right away, and also asked me an unexpected question. Now what does she mean by it?

"There is nothing like that, you already know all my friends, I don’t have anyone like that"

I honestly gave her the answer. There’s no need to make unnecessary lies. I don’t want to create new problems with lies.

"Then....do you dislike me? Have I been annoying to you?"

"Of course not. I don’t dislike you or anything, I just don’t want you to get into this engagement when you don’t like it"

I tried imagining myself from her position but I still understand her thinking. They show it so easy in the movies but girls are truly difficult to understand!

[Author: please don’t ask me what kind of movies. The variety I watch even amazes me sometimes]

"Why would I not like it?"

Huh?

"I mean, wasn’t your dream to become a Sage? I don’t want to hinder it, you should just do what you like"

I admit that I am really bad at this.

I didn’t know how to follow up so I gave whatever answer I could make up and.....

"Lord Kai, you are thinking too much!"

I don’t know what I said to make her angry- more like agitated, as she said this in a very assertive manner.

I was just trying to ask her opinion so I can put off this engagement. Why does she look displeased?

[Author: dude has fallen under false consensus effect, imao.]

"Please stop worrying about it, I have no problem with this engagement at all"

I don’t know what to say now. If I push too much then it can cause irreversible effects. It might damage the friendship of both families.

But I can’t let it keep going like this, otherwise there will be no way out of it.

"I think you are undermining it Lady Elena, things will become much different than now if we get engaged"

I tried to explain it to her that she is underestimating the situation but...

"I understand that and I am perfectly fine with it"

Elena said until here and looked directly in my eyes. I don’t know why but I feel a little flustered by her gaze.

"Actually if it had been someone else then I would have definitely not agreed for the engagement, but if it is you Lord Kai, then I am rather glad because you are someone I can trust completely"

As she said this, it felt like I was struck by something, the words I was trying to say didn’t come out.

’You are someone I can trust completely’

Her words made me realize how different our thinking was.

No Elena, I am really not someone you can trust. I am really not as good as you think of me.

Now I feel like I am a pathetic coward!

Really, what did I mean that I wanted to know her wish? It was not because I was thinking of her wishes or anything but because I was.....

I was really afraid of getting involved with her.

Although I changed the scenario of the game, the real culprit still exists and it is possible that it will target Elena. And there are still some other remaining events that may causes her fall.

Maybe I was just trying to ignore her to avoid the trouble but here she is, putting her complete trust in me.

"Lord Kai?"

Elena asked worryingly after not receiving any reply from me. But I didn’t give an immediate answer.

Instead I took a long breath and finally after gathering my thoughts I reply.

"You are right, I have been thinking too much about it."

How can I be so unconfident in myself?

She is not just nobody but an important friend of mine. If there is really a danger to her life then I should protect her.

And isn’t it better this way?

I can protect her better if she is my fiancee.

[Author: I don’t know dude, I can only see your death flags rising]

Matter regarding love and marriage can be handled later, after all we still have more than a few years for that.

And it is not completely impossible to cancel the engagement if ever needed to.

There have been several examples both in the game and in the past.

[Author: now he is the one undermining the engagement, isn’t he?]

"I am sorry for causing such trouble. If you are fine with it then should we tell them our decision"

I asked Elena as I stood up and held out my hand in an elegant manner like a true gentleman.

I learned to act completely like a noble gentleman to avoid conflicts that original Kai causes with his arrogance in the game.

But I am still not that good at it.

......

I haven’t expected this. It’s going way too fast!

As soon as we agreed for the engagement, both my and Elena’s parents brought out engagement presents.

They came completely prepared!

In this world, there are no real rituals for the engagement as it is more like an agreement between two people or two families.

No ring exchange or anything like that.

Most rituals are conducted in the actual wedding.

So just like this, I got engaged with the supposed villainess.

Well now that I have decided to take the responsibility, I will not let her fall on the path of evil.

Since I already know the events that cause it, I will try to completely avoid triggering any of them. And if it’s triggered, I will just need to deal with them. As simple as that.

But my problem is that it’s really going too fast, at least give me a breather!

Not like my parents are going to listen even if I say that.

*sigh*

After that as soon as we returned to our villa, I hit the bed, exhausted.

I felt completely overwhelmed from what just transpired and even agreed to it in the flow of emotions but now that I think about it.

I could have bought more time, couldn’t I?

Let’s just forget about that and sleep now.

Starting tomorrow, I also need to prepare for the entrance exam.

.....