I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 591

Gossip among nobles might seem like no big deal at first glance.

However, the very fact that a rumor spread among nobles signified that something had occurred, which, in other words, was ’information.’

If one dug deeply into that information, one could build strong connections, or conversely, pull off behind-the-scenes schemes.

Depending on how it was used, it was crucial enough to alter a tensely drawn political landscape, so one had no choice but to pay attention.

Especially if that person held a large portion of the nation’s power or military strength.

Even if it was merely an ungrounded rumor, it couldn’t be easily brushed aside, so people had no choice but to flock together.

’This is why I hated getting involved in politics.’

Ash grumbled inwardly as she watched the chattering noble ladies.

Like this, once entangled with politics, information inevitably leaked out whether she liked it or not. Feeling like she was being monitored in real-time left her feeling displeased.

Furthermore, she was a world-famous figure beyond the empire. Her love life alone had a high probability of drawing intense interest.

And small wonder, for Ash had rejected the courtships of countless men on the grounds that they were weaker than her, maintaining her chastity.

That alone was enough to focus attention, but for a man to appear toward whom Ash showed favor?

This was a matter that even people disinterested in Ash’s personal life would become invested in.

Because it meant that a man ’truly’ stronger than Ash had appeared.

’If things go wrong, Mr. Grylls might get dragged into harm’s way too.’

Of course, there was a high probability this rumor would have spread through her mother eventually anyway.

Because not to mention Christmas, she had been giggling aimlessly like she was dreaming every day since.

Not just her mother, but the mansion’s servants must have caught on slightly too, so it was only a matter of time.

She wanted to control her facial expressions, but the emotions sprouting for the first time in her life could hardly be suppressed.

"Since when have you been seeing each other? It hasn’t been long since Lady Mercedes resumed her activities."

"Calculating by timeframe, isn’t it six months?"

Had Ash been alone, she would have smoothed it over ambiguously. But because Selena made a slip of the tongue, the situation became twisted.

Since both Ash and Selena had done almost no outside activities up until a year ago.

Ash was just cooped up at home, while Selena was fully occupied fighting her illness.

Since the information wasn’t spreading randomly but had a common denominator, it couldn’t be helped.

’How do I handle this...?’

While elegantly sidestepping the barrage of questions like a tidal wave, Ash glanced sideways at Selena.

Since Selena made the slip, it was better for her side to solve it.

Fortunately, Selena seemed to come to her senses late, coughing dryly before answering wisely.

"Before my illness was cured, there was a doctor who visited. Given the nature of my illness, Count Menethil came along as well."

"An illness? Ah, come to think of it..."

"It might be rude to ask, but what illness did you contract for Count Menethil to visit?"

"That’s right. We knew you were sick, but almost nothing was known about what illness it was."

This is why young noble ladies are terrifying. The obsession to dig for information while pretending it’s nothing.

To someone unaware, it might feel like truly pure goodwill,

but that is what politics is, and this is what social gatherings are for. Both Ash and Selena knew this well.

"I’m sorry, but it’s a condition difficult to diagnose, so it’s hard to explain. I only know the name consists of Central Plains terms."

"You don’t even know the name of the illness you had? Just how rare was it..."

Does that even make sense? No matter how you look at it, that sounds ridiculous.

A certain noble lady asked with that implication. However, Selena remained composed.

"Yes. It was an illness where severe anomalies occurred in my internal Mana Circuits... so a diagnosis couldn’t be carelessly made."

"Ah..."

"If it’s that..."

Mana Circuits were directly connected to human life. If a problem occurred there, it was tantamount to suffering an incurable disease.

Since she had practically survived being on the brink of death, the person asking was bound to be criticized instead.

Sensing that mood, Selena immediately followed up.

"So with a mindset of clutching at straws, we called Count Menethil. Because the Count is also knowledgeable about Mana Circuits."

"Then the doctor you met back then..."

"Yes. That’s why I asked."

"For the record, it’s not that doctor. My taste is firm."

Ash’s appropriate support followed after Selena.

Though a little information was sacrificed, this result was a solid defense.

Furthermore, the burden shifted to the noble lady who had crossed from impropriety to outright rudeness.

Reading the room, Selena bowed slightly and stepped away from the group. Ash likewise followed by her side.

"Why did you say such a thing...!"

"I-I didn’t know it was that serious..."

"For Lady Mercedes to..."

Fortunately, they seemed too preoccupied squabbling amongst themselves.

When three women gather, dishes break—it turned out just as the saying went.

Soon, the two stepped into a lounge suitable for sharing private conversations.

As it was a year-end party, meeting numerous people would make the future easier, but the two were in positions where they didn’t need to do so.

"Fortunately, it seems we handled it well."

"Indeed."

The two exchanged a word each. At the same time, a quiet silence hung in the air.

Selena hesitated as if wanting to ask something, while Ash waited quietly.This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.

Earlier, a sudden situation unfolded leaving no room for thought, but not right now.

Both of them already knew who they were talking about. It was just awkward to bring up recklessly since it was closely tied to romantic affairs.

"...Count Menethil—no, eonni."

Since no one was listening, Selena quietly called Ash.

Ash also anticipated what she would say, but decided to listen for now.

"The part mentioned earlier. Is it really someone I know?"

Up until early this year, the two had been staying indoors due to their respective circumstances.

Therefore, a person known to both of them—specifically a man—could only be one person.

Since they had no connection prior to that, it naturally converged onto a single person.

Ash scratched her cheek, pondering how to respond, before cautiously offering an answer.

"First of all, my mother doesn’t know. She’s just acting like that after seeing my reaction."

"Does that mean nobody knows about him yet?"

"Yeah. Fortunate, if you can call it that."

So it IS him after all. Selena nodded.

Indeed, it was fortunate that there was no room for stories related to Grylls to leak out even slightly.

If Grylls heard this, he would have wondered, ’What on earth...?’

He had stepped outside just once, yet out of nowhere, gossip had spread.

Above all, Grylls spent time with Asella, not Ash.

If it were really that kind of thing, he’d be linked with Asella, not Ash.

’But she said "first of all." That means it really IS Mr. Grylls... when did they meet?’

However, an unsolved question remained. The spread of the romance rumor itself.

Surely something happened on Ash’s end for her mother to leak the rumor.

That the target was Grylls was correct. Hadn’t she consistently sang about marrying him before?

’No matter how rushed she might be, they haven’t even met yet....’

Arranged marriages taking place among nobles. It felt like a situation even worse than that.

With arranged marriages, they at least agree to meet face-to-face, but this wasn’t even that.

Even though there was no mention of Grylls at all, if things went wrong, everyone could end up in a tight spot.

But if, just IF, Grylls saw Ash and accepted...

’...It’s not impossible.’

Aside from her age, Ash was a beauty. A beauty whose mature charm stood out at that.

Furthermore, given her stage of mastery, she would maintain her youth as time passed.

Her age wouldn’t be a major issue if weighed item by item. This too was possible because she was Ash.

Were it not for her firm ideal and her self-consciousness over her age, there wasn’t a man who wouldn’t fall if she determinedly pushed.

"...Do you really intend to marry him?"

"I have to respect his choice too. I’m the one who’s desperate."

"Just what man would dump you, Ash eonni?"

"That man feels like he really would dump me, you know? He was having fun with the Hero just recently."

Ash shrugged her shoulders and moved past it smoothly.

Taken at face value, it sounded close to ’if not, whatever,’ but to Selena, it hit completely differently.

Naturally, physical closeness brings emotional closeness. She had previously heard this from Ash:

That if Grylls ever came outside, the person he wanted to meet first was her.

Christmas was so hectic, plus the time limit was only a single day, so it couldn’t be fulfilled.

’There’s definitely something. Otherwise, that kind of attitude is impossible.’

Crucially, that confidence. A confidence that showed not a shred of impatience triggered Selena’s sixth sense.

Not just her instincts, but her brilliant brain whirred into action alongside them. In many ways, there were suspicious aspects.

With what confidence did such a rumor spread in the first place? This didn’t make sense to begin with.

’Even if they formed a bond on the Gallery, that alone is insufficient.’

Love sprouting on the Gallery was no different from finding beans in a drought—virtually unheard of.

It would only end at favorable feelings or interest; cases of becoming genuine were woefully lacking.

’I’m a slightly different case, though.’

Selena quietly laid a hand on her chest. Thinking of Grylls made her heart thumping.

A person who saved her life without asking for any reward. A savior who granted her a new life.

Favor toward that benefactor shifting into a different emotion would be child’s play. Perhaps the moment they met face-to-face, it would bloom into full flower.

However, openly soliciting a real-life meetup was strictly a ban-worthy offense, so she couldn’t express it directly.

Instead, she wore perfume she crafted herself from World Tree flowers, hoping he would naturally notice in the future.

"You seem to really like him, eonni."

"Ayy. It’s not that far. It’s the exact same as you showing interest in him."

It’s not interest, it’s emotion beyond mere affection. Selena wanted to say that.

She had already brought up Grylls’s story a lot while spending time with her.

Therefore, Ash also knew that she harbored feelings for him.

But seeing how she deliberately expressed it as ’interest’ rather than ’affection’... there was only one reason.

’Rivalry.’

Would Ash really treat her own feelings as merely interest? The answer came swiftly.Read this novel at novelping(.)com for the best experience.

Furthermore, as someone with a track record of serving as Commander of the Royal Guard, grasping human hearts would be effortless for Ash.

She was feigning ignorance because she didn’t want to cause needless conflict.

"Hmm... is that so? Not for me, though."

"H-huh?"

"Because I am sincere. Didn’t I tell you last time as well?"

So she proudly declared it, so that she could no longer feign ignorance.

As Selena spoke with a smile, Ash also exposed a lukewarm, flustered reaction, as if quite taken aback.

Selena’s declaration of war to compete over one man. Since she had never experienced this before, she had no idea what to say.

"Just like you, eonni, I feel flustered too. I never expected I’d end up competing over a single man."

"T-That’s true, right? But isn’t it hasty to say such things when we haven’t even met him face-to-face?"

"You talk as if you’ve met Mr. Grylls in person. Did something happen on Christmas that I don’t know about?"

"..."

In her flustered state, Selena hit the nail on the head. Upon hearing that, Ash needlessly avoided her gaze.

Maintaining a poker face was child’s play, but a situation like this was a first for her as well.

Because there was no room to react, her inner feelings could only be exposed plain as day.

"That’s mean, eonni. I trusted you... you could have at least told me."

Selena was genuinely hurt. To her, Ash was a reliable ally and like a real eonni.

But having come to care for the same man and competing, plus Ash hiding her true feelings, left her heart feeling deeply troubled.

"...I’m sorry. It’s my first time having feelings like this too."

Ash also apologized sincerely. Blinded by greed, she had turned away from another person’s heart.

This emotion was a first for her as well, and the ideal type she had so longed for appeared before her eyes, stealing her heart away.

The unflinching composure she had cultivated for over thirty years crumbled like a sandcastle before love born for the very first time.

At that sincere apology, Selena also nodded. If she apologized even belatedly, it was fine.

"Then will you give him up for your close dongsaeng?"

"Nope."

"Tch."

Business is business, and personal is personal. Selena expressed her disappointment when her demand was flatly rejected.

Was Ash flabbergasted by that reaction? She let out a dry laugh and spoke.

"Little sister. This eonni of yours needs to get married soon too. You’re still young."

"I’m only younger than you, eonni! Being bedridden made me pass marriageable age too."

"How has a twenty-year-old passed marriageable age? It’s perfectly suitable."

"Then will you yield before your little sister passes marriageable age?"

"You should yield to your eonni, who won’t have future opportunities."

"If you lower your standards, eonni, you can marry anytime! Besides, your stage of mastery is higher than mine, so our appearances hardly differ anyway."

The two were talking while smiling. However, those smiles were intensely chilling.

The atmosphere was as cold as ice. It was so bad that even people who briefly visited the lounge turned around and fled without looking back.

Thus, the two had become reliable allies and worst enemies at the same time. However, there was a pressing issue to resolve.

"Instead of fighting like this, the key issue is getting him outside first. We’ll decide after that."

"That would be better. If push comes to shove, I can just enter that place myself."

"That’s so cheap! You’re saying that only because you’re strong, right?"

"You just need to become strong enough to operate in the Forest of the Four Seasons too, right? Otherwise, you might become a nuisance to him."

Although it was a spectacle of reproaching and tearing each other down, surprisingly their bond did not fracture.

Only a fierce battle of wits continued. Ash thought to herself:

’I even gave him a maiden’s first kiss, so he wouldn’t dare entertain other thoughts.’

The first kiss she had cherished and saved for over thirty years.

Whenever she metaphorically expressed that on the Gallery, Grylls blushed in embarrassment.

From what she heard, it was his first kiss too, or something like that. Whenever she heard that, an electric sensation surged through her whole body.

’Ash eonni burnt her bridges. In that case...’

Of course, Selena wasn’t easy pickings either. She also came up with her own tactic.

She was already planning to offer her body and soul, and her parents supported her as well.

After carrying on a sweet conversation in many senses, the two returned to their respective families.

"Father. Mother. I have something urgent to speak to you about. It’s regarding marriage."

"Hmm? Did a man you fancy happen to appear in the meantime?"

"Who is it? Could you tell us?"

After returning to her parents, Selena declared thus:

"I will marry the person who gave me a new life."

"...What does that mean?"

"It’s literally as it sounds. So..."

Selena smiled brightly and said:

"Could you please spread this story?"

Just as her rival had done, she burned her bridges.