YSLM 05

Chapter 5

The next day.

After finishing work and returning home, Rea ended up facing someone she was not very happy to see.

“Sir Oscar?”

Oscar Donan was sitting in the reception room of the Flynn mansion with a smile on his face.

“What brings you here?”

“I brought him here.”

At that moment, Raymond, who had been sitting silently in the corner until now, suddenly stood up.

Rea had been so surprised by Oscar’s presence that she had not even noticed her brother was there.

“What?”

“Yeah, do you know how much trouble you caused after disappearing like that? I was so rude to Sir Oscar, and I—”

“Ray. Mond.”

Raymond flinched at the murderous aura coming from her.

If Sir Oscar hadn’t been here, I would have beaten that guy into a pulp.

Of course, considering Raymond’s personality, even if he got beaten like that, he probably still would not have come to his senses.

At that moment, Oscar stood up from his seat and spoke as if pleading.

“Miss Rea, please.”

“Yes?”

“Would you give me just one chance… to properly talk with you?”

Rea had been about to refuse immediately, but the firmness in his voice made her hesitate slightly.

“Then please come up to my study.”

Oscar’s face instantly brightened.

“Thank you!”

Looking at the large man who was radiating happiness with his entire body, something came to Rea’s mind.

He looks like the huge dog from the neighborhood grocery store that always wags its tail whenever it sees me…

Of course, thinking that about him would probably be rude.

Rea did not show her thoughts and guided Oscar to her study.

“Please sit down. Pola, could you bring some tea?”

After Pola left, Oscar looked around the room as if he had come to a foreign country.

Rea sat down in front of the table first and asked him again.

“Please sit.”

“Ah, s-sorry. It’s just my first time entering Miss Rea’s room, so I was curious.”

“I see.”

What is there to be curious about?

Strictly speaking, this was not even her bedroom. It was just a study.

The only furniture inside was a tall, large bookshelf, an old wooden table, and two armchairs.

The moldy wallpaper and the ceiling that looked like it might collapse at any moment were better ignored.

Just as an awkward silence was about to settle between them, Pola thankfully appeared with tea and snacks before leaving again.

“The tea tastes good.”

The tea Oscar had just drunk was an antique that had probably been dried for at least ten years.

Rea felt guilty inside and shook her head.

“It’s nothing. Anyway, the reason you came to see me today is—”

“Miss Rea.”

Oscar took out a document from the inner pocket of his clothes.

When Rea looked closely, it was the official marriage proposal document sent from the Donan family.

“I thought that matter was already over.”

“Yes. I know that too.”

Oscar grabbed the marriage proposal with both hands.

Then—

Rip.

He tore it apart.

“……I do not understand what you mean by this.”

“You probably cannot know how much I regretted it after being rejected that day.”

Oscar raised his head and met her eyes.

Rea quietly stared at his face.

At first glance, he looked full of masculinity, but every part of him—from his speech to his actions—was surprisingly gentle.

It was a strange kind of man.

“Regretted?”

“Why did I suddenly propose such a marriage to you?”

“……”

“Why did I say things that hurt your pride so carelessly?”

“It has nothing to do with my pride.”

“Even if that is true…”

Oscar took a sip of the bitter tea.

“If I leave without properly telling you how I feel…”

He looked at her.

“I think I would regret it for the rest of my life. That is why I came here despite knowing it was rude.”

Rea could not stop a man who spoke with such sincerity.

“Then say whatever you want. So you will have no regrets.”

“Thank you.”

Only then did a smile appear on Oscar’s lips.

“As Miss Rea knows, I am a pitiful nobleman who was not born with magical power. Because of that, my family wanted a spouse with strong magical abilities.”

“Yes, I know.”

“During our second meeting, I said that I had no romantic interest in you at all, and that I only wanted to approach this as a strict business relationship. I told you not to worry.”

Rea nodded.

Oscar’s voice became slightly sad.

“But that was not entirely true.”

“……What?”

“The truth is, I was someone who never even looked at the marriage proposals arranged by my family.”

A faint smile appeared on Oscar’s lips.

“For a long time, the elders of my family kept bringing me various marriage proposals and pressuring me to marry. When they even suggested a marriage where I would basically buy a bride with money, I became angry and asked if they were really trying to marry me off to just anyone…”

Oscar’s eyes met Rea’s.

He looked embarrassed, and his already red face became even redder.

“The elder who brought that proposal said this.”

“‘She is not just anyone. She is that mage lady you often meet because of business.’”

“……What?”

Rea’s eyes widened.

Oscar avoided her gaze.

His face turned even redder.

The image of the calm gentleman disappeared.

Instead, he looked innocent—almost a little foolish.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Haha.”

“The person who always worked the hardest carrying goods whenever the Donan merchant wagons came!”

This was from two years ago.

Back when Rea was just the lowest-ranking employee in the Magic Tower’s supply management department.

‘Supply management’ meant taking care of the magical items purchased by the Magic Tower from merchants.

Because it required a lot of effort and physical labor, everyone avoided the job.

Naturally, the youngest member of the team had to do it.

And Rea Flynn was that person.

Whenever the Donan merchants arrived, unlike other merchants who simply dropped off the goods and hurried away, their employee always carried the items all the way inside the warehouse.

Not only that, he always helped Rea organize the warehouse until the very end.

Rea had thought of him as an angel who descended to earth and felt a strong sense of friendship with him.

He must be some poor young man who came to the capital from a small countryside village with big dreams, only to join a large merchant company and get his energy drained by evil higher-ups.

One day, when she asked his name, the man answered:

“My friends call me ‘Oji.’”

“Oji? That’s a cute name.”

The man named Oji had blushed deeply at her casual response.

Their connection ended after Rea was transferred to the research department.

That innocent countryside young man…

“Was that ‘Oji’ Sir Oscar?”

They were too different.

Of course, Rea admitted she was not very good at recognizing people, but this was almost like a complete transformation.

“You finally recognized me.”

Oscar laughed and scratched his head.

“And you even remembered my name.”

Rea could not hide her shock.

“Wait, what kind of family heir personally carries goods himself?”

Because she was so surprised, her usual way of speaking accidentally came out.

Oscar suddenly laughed.

“Haha. It has been a long time since I heard you speak like that. When I met you at the Magic Tower, I thought your way of speaking was very free.”

Hearing those words, a memory from her conversations with the old “Oji” came flooding back.

“Mage, did you happen to use our products from last season?”

“They were amazing. Donan merchant company products are the best! Loyalty, loyalty!”

“Hearing you say that is already more than enough.”

“No, no. I really mean it. In this era, where else can you find products like these at this price? The people of the Donan merchant company deserve blessings. If I could, I would bow deeply to you, no, actually—”

“Oh my, Mage! Please stand up!”

Memories came rushing in like waves.

Embarrassment covered her like a tsunami.

Rea unconsciously groaned and held her temple.

“Ah…”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“No, it’s just…”

“I liked it.”

“Wh-what?”

Oscar’s eyes softened.

“I truly liked it. So much that I replayed every conversation with you in my head.”

“Ah.”

“That is why, when I learned the marriage proposal was with Miss Rea, I actively stepped forward and said I would marry you.”

What an incredible story.

……No.

This was not a moment to react like an excited fan.

Rea desperately held onto her sanity, which was trying to fly away somewhere.

“But why…”

“Why did I act like I did not know you?”

Oscar smiled sadly.

“Because…”

His eyes contained sorrow.

“I truly wanted to marry Miss Rea.”

Oscar confessed that before proposing, he had investigated Rea thoroughly.

During that process, he learned about her personality as well.

To win over the heart of a realist who did not believe in love, he decided to approach the marriage proposal completely like a business deal.

The strategy itself was not wrong.

Because the Rea from before her regression had accepted his proposal.

“Anyway, although we did not meet often, every time I saw you and talked with you, I was happy. That day became a happy day for me.”

Oscar fixed his gentle gaze on her.

“At that time, you were like sunlight to me. Of course, I know saying things like this might make you uncomfortable.”

“No, well…”

Oscar smiled softly.

“It may not matter anymore, but now that I have finally told you my true feelings, I feel much lighter.”

While Rea thought about what to say, the only response that came out was—

“Haha. I see.”

A meaningless laugh.

Even that reaction was looked at by Oscar with affectionate eyes.

Well, I did like those warm eyes and gentle smiles.

Those kind words spoken in his soft voice.

Even now, they had not changed much.

Those three things were still affecting Rea.

Above all, had she not spent nearly a year as newlyweds with Oscar before returning?

The precious moments she shared with him were still vivid in her memory.

She had built a tall wall around her heart with great effort.

But that wall felt like it could collapse at any moment.

But memories are just memories.

Memories that only she possessed.

Memories that had no meaning now.

As Rea tried to calm her shaking heart—

Knock. Knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Pola, come in.”

Pola entered and carefully whispered into Rea’s ear.

“Sir Kevin has arrived.”