Love Letter From The Future
Chapter 406: Interlude: Gold and Silver 11)

Chapter 406: Interlude: Gold and Silver 11)

0% ‘Love’ was a truly perplexing topic.

Wouldn’t everyone feel the same? The deeper I tried to probe into this intangible emotion, the more ambiguous and indistinct its boundaries became.

It was embarrassing, really.

For a grown man several years past adulthood to internally ponder ‘love’.

Yet, I couldn’t help but question it, no matter how shameful.

What exactly is ‘love’?

Could the words Emma murmured just now possibly have something to do with that?

My mind went utterly blank.

It was just like when Senior Elsie had confessed to me back then.

While I was lost in thought, silence stretched between us.

Only the crackling of the logs in the fireplace marked the passage of time in this place.

Emma didn’t avert her gaze from me for a long time.

She remained silent, breathing softly and sweetly.

Suddenly, I realized how dangerously close we were.

If I leaned in just a little more, what would happen?

Every time Emma’s gentle breath grazed the tip of my nose, my heart fluttered. I found myself wondering if her lips would carry the same sweet fragrance.

To hesitate—

My heart wavered precariously, as if walking on a tightrope. Just as the thought of how dangerous this moment was crossed my mind, I became aware that Emma’s face was still gradually drawing nearer.

What would happen next was obvious.

Yet, I stood frozen, unable to retreat.

My mind became a chaotic mess of conflicting thoughts. I couldn’t decide whether I should surrender to her or step back.

Only several faces flashed vividly through my mind.

Senior Elsie, the Saintess, Senior Delphine and Seria.

This shouldn’t be happening.

But by the time I finally reached that conclusion, Emma’s face was already too close to mine.

I couldn’t retreat even if I wanted to.

Our lips would inevitably touch at the slightest attempt to move.

That’s how dangerously close we were—

Close enough for Emma’s exhale to brush warmly against my face.

Just as I was bracing myself inwardly—

“...Pfft.”

A clear burst of laughter suddenly echoed through the silent bedroom.

The source, needless to say, was Emma.

As if unable to contain herself any longer, she jerked away, clutching her stomach as she burst into laughter.

She looked so amused that tears were starting to gather at the corners of her eyes.

I was so taken aback—no, utterly flustered—that all I could do was furrow my brows slightly.

“Haha—ahahaha! Ian, aren’t you being a bit too serious?”

“...Then, should I have just scoffed instead?”

Feeling strangely disappointed, I curtly replied.

But my grumbling tone only seemed to amuse Emma even more.

Her bright laughter continued for quite some time.

Long enough for my sullen expression to deepen and for Emma to finally wipe away the tears gathering in her eyes.

Only after she’d somewhat calmed down did I ask, letting out a sigh,

“Do you feel a bit better now?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Looking genuinely refreshed, she smiled broadly.

I honestly felt disappointed about having my expectations dashed, but what could I do?

The moment I saw Emma’s blissful smile, my irritation melted away entirely.

Suddenly, I recalled something Emma once told me.

‘Stupid, idiot, dummy. At this rate, you’ll just end up getting taken advantage of by a commoner girl like me.’

Those were the words she spoke when I sacrificed a named Demonic Beast to save her, insisting I expected nothing in return.

Back then, I simply laughed it off, thinking it was absurd.

But now that I reflected on it, her words weren’t entirely groundless.

It was hard to shake off the feeling that her empty warning was gradually coming true.

No matter how I thought about it, when it came to Emma, I was unusually soft.

Of course, nothing else really mattered as long as she was happy.

Eventually, I bit back a bitter smile.

“But don’t you think this was too much? Toying with my feelings with a lie.”

“Hm?”

Emma blinked innocently, as if she had no idea what I was talking about.

All I could do was let out a sigh as I spoke again.

“Emma, no matter how close we are, confessions should always be sincere—”

“But I wasn’t lying.”

Just as I was about to laugh it off, ready to dismiss it as a joke, our eyes met.

And in that moment, I understood,

Emma was completely serious.

My brow furrowed once again.

“I really do like you.”

“But just a moment ago, you—”

“Yes, because you looked so serious.”

Her voice was more earnest than ever before.

I instinctively shut my eyes tight. Somehow, it felt like I had to do that.

Anyone would have done the same when faced with that sorrowful smile.

“I’ve known it for a long time, but now I finally realize it clearly—You and I don’t belong together.”

Deliberately, I revealed no emotions.

All I did was quietly gaze at her.

Perhaps interpreting my silence as some sort of cue, Emma smiled gently and added,

“That’s just how it is, isn’t it? You’re a noble, the Empire’s rising star trusted by His Majesty himself. Meanwhile, I’m just a commoner girl—who is poor and completely useless to you.”

“Emma, you’ve already saved my life several times.”

“Thank you, Ian, for saying that.... but anyone else could have done the same thing.”

Fuuuu, I exhaled deeply.

I’d already lost track of how many times we’d had this conversation—now it was starting to feel exhausting.

Unaware of my frustration, Emma continued her self-deprecating words.

“Yeah, anyone could’ve done it—not just me.... If you threw ten thousand gold at any commoner girl from the Alchemy Department, they would’ve probably managed to do the same, don’t you think?”

“Emma.”

“But it’s alright— I’m good at knowing my place, at least. If I try really hard from now on, maybe I could at least be your concubine? Ahaha... I guess I’ll have to do my best from now—”

In the end, I couldn’t hold back anymore.

I understood Emma’s feelings.

Inferiority was like a monster that gnaws away at your heart. Facing it alone is nearly impossible.

I have experienced it myself.

Because I was a lesser noble, because I lacked exceptional talent.

By some stroke of luck, I managed to surpass those limitations.

But even now, I couldn’t be sure if this role suited me.

A hero destined to save the world?

It felt as though I’d become the protagonist of some outdated fairy tale.

Perhaps that was why I was especially careful around Emma.

Because her self-deprecating tendencies were so similar to mine.

Frightened and suffering, endlessly belittling herself, yet secretly hoping someone would reassure her otherwise.

It just so happened that, for her, that someone was me.

“Stop whining already.”

Emma’s eyes widened in surprise at my sigh-laden remark.

Then her gaze quickly dropped.

With a sorrowful look, as if she’d expected this outcome.

“R-Right? Sorry, I shouldn’t have— Mm?!”

I leaned in, silencing her murmurs by pressing my lips against hers.

It was an ambiguous sensation.

The kisses I’d shared with Senior Delphine had been far more passionate. Compared to the pleasure of entangling tongues, there was little to be gained from a mere brush of lip against lip.

Yet, it felt strangely special nonetheless.

Emma’s lips tasted exactly as I’d imagined they would.

Soft, moist and carrying that familiar sweet breath.

Emma appeared more stunned than ever before.

Her eyes, opened wide, revealed genuine astonishment. Like a sinner caught breaking a taboo, she looked ready to pull away at any moment.

Of course, her resistance was weak at best.

The moment I gently cupped her chin, any trace of her struggle disappeared completely.

A few seconds later—

Our lips parted, allowing us to breathe again.

‘Puhwa’ Emma let out an adorable, breathless gasp. Her face had long since flushed a deep shade of red.

I cautiously asked Emma, who was anxiously peeking at me,

“You’ll stop now, won’t you?”

It was a vague question, missing even its object.

She could’ve asked back, ‘Stop what?’ But Emma didn’t respond at all.

She instead simply slightly turned her head, avoiding my gaze.

When she finally spoke again, there was a faint tremor in her voice.

“I-Ian...”

She sounded as if she’d burst into tears any moment if I left her like this.

I quietly waited for Emma to continue.

“I really think... even being your concubine would be enough.”

Because even that would make me incredibly happy.

Listening to her heartfelt confession, I bitterly smiled to myself.

Suddenly, a single question surfaced in my mind:

But is it really okay for me to do this?

**

I only came to my senses the next day.

“...Have I gone insane?”

Caught up in the atmosphere the previous night, I hadn’t realized it, but thinking back now, I practically caused a huge disaster.

Just counting the women I was already entangled with—

Senior Elsie, the Saintess, Senior Delphine and Seria.

It was already far more than I could handle, yet yesterday, I’d gone and kissed Emma as well.

It was a crime serious enough to justify being ripped to pieces.

If there was one consolation, it was that the issue I’d entrusted to the princess had been successfully resolved.

That was also the reason I was able to face Senior Delphine today.

Late at night as always, Senior Delphine wore a faint smile, as if she found the situation amusing.

“How interesting. So, in short, you’re suggesting that the Yurdina Family should take responsibility for integrating the elves as the subjects of the Empire.”

“It won’t be disadvantageous for the Yurdina Family either.”

I quickly added, worried she might feel offended.

Senior Delphine was, in truth, far smarter than me. She had been groomed as an heiress from childhood, after all.

But maybe the reason I deliberately added an explanation was simply because I wanted Senior Delphine to notice.

To subtly emphasize just how much effort I’d put into this.

Men could be incredibly childish creatures in front of women.

And so, I finally started explaining the plan Leto shared with me.