Proposed by the most beautiful you in the world [Comprehensive]

It seemed that overnight, the whole city knew the news that poor old Dantès had achieved great luck.

Of course, this news is really shocking.

Probably only God knows how Louis Dantès got the good fortune to be able to show favor to a down-and-out nobleman when he was young. All in all, the good deeds at the beginning have been rewarded now, and the son of the nobleman specially found him Come here and pay a solemn visit.

While the whole city is envious of the good fortune of old Dantes, some people are sincerely happy for him. Among them, there is Morel who has been running around for the unfortunate Dantes family from the very beginning. gentlemen.

He had the honor—yes, it’s hard to imagine that he got such an honor—as the guide who led the earl and the earl’s fiancée to visit Louis Dantès. , said to the count: "Mr. Earl, thank you very much for coming. If you come, Mr. Dantes' condition may improve."

Speaking of this, he still hesitated and reminded vaguely: "Before you came, the situation of the Dantes family was very bad. Later, if you see the rather difficult environment, please..."

"Okay, I'm ready. I'm glad I didn't arrive too late."

The earl had already expressed his surprise and intolerance at what happened to this elder, and at this time, he naturally showed a sad expression, so as not to arouse suspicion from others.

He also solemnly thanked Mr. Morel for his extra attention to Louis Dantès, but Morel waved his hands again and again, saying that he followed his heart.

However, seeing that he was about to arrive at the door of the house where Dantès was renting, M. Morel hesitated for a moment, but still could not restrain himself, and added in a low voice:

"One more thing, Mr. Earl. The elder you want to see is bedridden because of long-term worries, and even started a hunger strike in the past few days..."

The count nodded silently, raised his eyes and looked forward, and the door of Dantès' house came into view.

"It doesn't matter, after meeting me, Dantès...uncle, you can definitely get back together."

This place can also be regarded as the residence of the poor, and the gorgeous carriages cannot drive in, so they actually came all the way on foot.

During the whole journey, Mr. Morrel only talked to the Count of Monte Cristo who was walking aside, and he didn't even dare to tilt his eyes.It's not surprising that he behaved like this, not because he was too reserved in front of Mr. Earl, but because there was another person walking with them.

The count's fiancée also came.

The most powerful person who had robbed the Count of Monte Cristo himself of the limelight during that rather shocking ball was this beautiful person who was now at the Count's side.

"She" is wearing a veil, which does not reveal her complete true face, and her beautiful voice seems to exist only in the fantasy of people other than her fiancé.Almost everyone is guessing that she has a more mysterious identity than the earl. Some say that she is the daughter of a nobleman, while others speculate that she is actually a princess of a foreign country... There are different opinions, all of which focus on nobility and beauty.

Because, in the imagination, only the most extravagant and rich soil can breed a person with such beauty.

Before coming here, the Earl's "fiancée" stepped out of the carriage, but she was actually wrapped in an airtight cloak without any gaps.However, when she was about to walk to the door of Dantès' house, away from countless secretly cast eyes, "she" probably felt too stuffy, so she took off the hood that covered her face, revealing that she was not covered by the veil. Fully covered eyes, and hair as long as blue seaweed.

Mr. Morel's heart skipped a beat when he gave "her" a quick glance.He didn't dare to look at it again, not only because he was amazed, but also because the Earl seemed to mind very much if other people's eyes fell on his fiancée for more than half a second.

The appearance of "she" made this simple and rough place even more eclipsed.Mr. Morel saw only out of the corner of his eye that the earl was always holding his fiancée's hand to prevent her from tripping over the unevenness of the ground.

"--arrive."

His thoughts gathered, and Mr. Morell's voice sounded immediately, announcing that their destination was in sight.

The door was not closed, because the news that the earl would come had already reached here.In the poor and cold house, old Dantès was still bedridden, and Mercedes stood by the old man's bed, worried about the arrival of the Count of Monte Cristo, but also hopeful.

"I don't remember which noble person I helped when I was young. The Earl may have found the wrong person."

Old Dantès kept repeating these words, although his eyes were a little brighter because of confusion, but they were still lifeless, and the darkness of death had not yet given up leaving his sick and withered body.

He really couldn't think of it, and was unwilling to accept that it was undoubtedly a blessing from heaven for others.Now, what can support old Dantès to open his eyes with the last energy is the expectation of the Earl himself who probably misidentified or misremembered the name.

I hope that the count is kind and kind, and willing to give him a chance to express his grievances for his son Edmund Dantès—although he subconsciously knows that it is useless to gossip about foreign counts, but old Dantès and May Celestes still held on to this faint ray of hope.

Downstairs, the dilapidated door seemed to collide with the wall.

There was also a harsh creaking sound from the stairwell.

Someone was coming, and his footsteps were approaching the small and dark room on the second floor.

The girl sitting by the bed stood up quite nervously, and had no choice but to hold her skirt tightly with her hands that had nowhere to rest.And old Dantès sat up reluctantly, and the dark eyes almost sunken into the sockets stared at the door without moving.

Boom, boom, boom.

The sound of footsteps getting closer - finally, they stopped at the place where their eyes met.

The count, who had white hair and a handsome face that was also too pale, stopped there.

He's not the one who should be here.

Not only because he looks prominent, he shouldn't step into the humble place where this poor person lives.There are many more, more complex reasons.

He really stood here after spanning the ten years, decades, or even longer periods of time that separated him from the two people in the room.

He also met their eyes at this moment.

*****

Airlie stayed on the first floor and did not follow Edmund up.

This was a decision made after deliberation. He felt that this reunion was extremely important to Edmund, and it was best to leave time and space for them.

Mr. Morel had sent them over and left, for he had company business to attend to.Ellie, who was left alone, found a small wooden stool with a lame leg on the first floor, and moved it to the open door, which let in a light. He didn't mind the rather bad environment here, and sat down with his knees in his arms. .

This wooden stool was really short, but I couldn't find a taller one, and the hem of the skirt, which was already dirty from stepping on the road, was dragged directly to the ground.Ellie still had to fish out the skirt, and sat in this awkward position for an unknown amount of time.

The passage of time was not obvious to him, because it was so quiet that the conversations upstairs could not be heard below.

At first Ellie was staring at the threshold in a daze with nothing to do, but later, for some reason, he pulled back the thought that had been temporarily thrown out of his mind.

If it wasn't for the "accident", he would probably have left by now, and there would be no one by his side, let alone—

"I have to think about it."

he said to himself.

You should really think about it carefully, wavering or long-term hesitation will violate his original intention of "don't hurt others again", and it is also an evasive and extremely irresponsible performance.

However, the process of re-starting the decision was still so unsmooth, as if he was doomed invisibly, and he couldn't come to that decisive and firm result.

It seems that when the conversation upstairs didn't last long, someone came down with messy steps.

It was Mercedes, the woman who had been Edmund's real betrothed.

At this point in time, not long after the Edmond Dantès of this world was arrested, Mercedes was still a haggard but beautiful girl.Ellie raised his head suddenly, his slightly surprised eyes just happened to collide with the girl's eyes in mid-air.

"..."

The girl's eyes seemed to be in a daze for a while at the moment she met him, and she herself was also stunned for a long time before recovering from the inexplicable envy and loss.

Airlie didn't know what they said on the second floor, and naturally he didn't know why Mercedes didn't leave directly after going downstairs, but after hesitating for a long time, he plucked up the courage to ask him——

"Miss, please forgive my presumptuousness... I really want to know, may I ask you, have you really... known the Earl for a long time?"

Airlie was taken aback, but it was precisely because of Mercedes' words that he suddenly realized that Edmund hadn't told her the truth.At least he didn't tell Mercedes the truth that he was Edmond Dantès.

But Mercedes probably noticed the clues from certain details. She rationally confirmed that this young and handsome earl would not be Edmund who was in prison at this time, but she still hesitated emotionally. That's why I couldn't help but ask Airlie.

It was reasonable for Edmund to conceal the truth.

If there is concern about maintaining the normal continuation of the general trajectory of the world, Mercedes cannot know what happened to Edmond Dantès at this time.However, Airlie thought he would.

He thought that Edmund would recognize these two people who, even though they had been separated from him by accident, still occupied an important place in his life.

But now the fact that he noticed was completely opposite to his guess, Mercedes still had a hopeful gaze on him, and after he was stunned, somewhat complicated emotions first surfaced in his heart.

It was inconvenient for him to speak in this state, so Ellie just nodded.

The light in Mercedes' eyes dimmed a bit, but she was still asking:

"My lord Earl said that since we met, his heart has been on you all the time, is that true—oh, no, what I mean is... If this is true, I really envy your happiness. "

Airlie's fingers hooking the corner of the skirt inadvertently tightened.

He almost asked a rhetorical question, really wanting to know what Edmund had said to old Mr. Dantès and Mercedes during the period just now.But when the words came to his mouth, he stopped them temporarily, because at this moment he realized that the answer to this question was actually too obvious.

The answer is in his heart.He was just trying to stop himself from thinking about it.

So, this time—Airlie nodded silently again.

The light of hope in Mercedes' eyes was completely extinguished.

She looked at Ellie with confusion in her heart. She didn't know why a tear fell from the corner of her eye, and she didn't understand why the eyes of this noble person who was offended by her rude question were more than hers. more complicated and difficult to understand.

Well, it was really too obscure. I didn't understand why sadness fell into such clear and beautiful eyes, and Mercedes' heart was also stabbed deeply.

Guided by this grief, she couldn't help asking the last question.

"Do you love him?"

This question no longer carries her own emotions, but she desires from the bottom of her heart...

"It's like his love for you. Even I can feel that—repressed but passionate love."

I hope that the Earl who made her lose her mind just by seeing her for the first time... can find happiness.

"..."

Ellie fell silent again.

If you just nod or shake your head, of course it is very simple.However, the meanings represented by these two movements were so heavy that he could hardly move the slightest bit.

Yes, the answer is in the heart.Already there.

In the final analysis, it can be counted as the same as the "answer" he found just now.

The original decision was that he wanted to shake his head, but he didn't want to say it, as long as he took this emotion as nostalgia and left with him.But there are so many "obstacles", the biggest invisible obstacle is standing in front of him at this moment.

……

—I'm going to be selfish again, aren't I?

He thought so.

However, in reality.

It was obviously the same movement as just now, and it was also silent, but from this simple movement, it seemed that he could see the relief of venting all the dullness that he had suppressed for a long time.

Ellie stood up and nodded slowly towards the direction of the girl.

In that direction, Mercedes is not the only one.He looked past the girl, and stared at the dilapidated staircase covered by dark shadows that lost its original color, and his eyes seemed to be cast with the same deep and helpless shadow.

Mercedes didn't realize that Airlie was forced to make an extremely important decision in advance because of her inquiry.

She only breathed a sigh of relief after getting the final answer, and then expressed her blessings.

"great."

"You and the Earl will definitely love each other and be happy."

Mercedes leaves.

On the first floor, in a rather dim house, Airlie stood alone.The door of the room was still open, but the sunlight at this time had also dimmed with the passage of time, and the meager last ray of light remained under his feet.

Rubbing, rubbing, it seemed to be struggling reluctantly, but in the end, this ray of light still moved backwards, and was about to retreat behind the threshold until it disappeared completely.

Ellie looked down and saw the light that was about to leave him.Not knowing what kind of mood he was in, he turned his body slightly, raised his hand and pressed the door handle.

Do you want to pull the door open, or close the door gently... Which one is it? At this moment, it is doomed that there will be no result.

"boom--"

The heavy sound of the wooden board hitting the door frame sounded beside him. Before him, another man stretched out his hand, right in front of his eyes, and mercilessly pressed all the gaps left by the door to death.

It will also completely block the way to leave or retreat.

The man who didn't know when came downstairs immediately grabbed Ellie's wrist without giving him any time to react.

"follow me."

His voice seemed to be deeper than usual, as if he was restraining his inner emotions that were about to lose control.

Edmund dragged the stunned Airlie up the stairs, but he didn't bring him into the room where old Dantès was. Instead, he paused for a while at the stairs, and then changed to the opposite direction.

There is another room on the second floor.

Old, messy, the sparse furnishings in the room seemed to have been searched recklessly several times by someone, everything was scattered on the table, floor, and beside the bed, and cobwebs had long been hung in the corners.

However, from the details, it can be seen that the owner of the room where he lived here is a passionate and sunny young man.

He was also a sailor who sailed with hope.

Ellie was still in a daze when she was dragged into this room.Afterwards, when he was dazed, he found that he was pushed to sit on the edge of the bed by Edmund, and the cloak that had been on him all day was untied, and even the gorgeous long skirt inside was about to be stripped off——

"E...Edmund?!"

Airlie was clearly taken aback.

Although he knew that Edmund would definitely know the content of the conversation between him and Mercedes downstairs, and the reaction would definitely be intense, but he still didn't expect it to be this intense.

The dress was uncomfortable, and he found it cumbersome, but... at least, Airlie wasn't ready to ask Edmund to take it off now.

He called Edmund several times in a row before the man with a stern face, who was obviously immersed in his own world and hadn't regained his senses, reacted half a beat later.

Of course, it wasn't Ellie's reluctance to react, but—his own move was too easily misunderstood, and Ellie had already misunderstood it.

Edmund: "..."

After taking Airlie's skirt halfway off, he actually turned to his cloak and unbuttoned his shirt.The fingers that were still on the button and had not moved away froze for a few seconds without any trace, and then seemed to have nothing to do——they slammed into the palm of the hand as if they had been electrocuted.

"I didn't want to do it—cough."

At this time, the man's pale cheeks added a little strange redness, and this imperceptible redness even spread to the roots of the ears.

He coughed twice rather abruptly. He didn't think too much before, but now he couldn't do it anymore. His originally calm and indifferent eyes quickly moved away from the beautifully curved collarbone that Ellie was forced to reveal.Perhaps in the process of moving away, I couldn't avoid looking at other parts more, so that the blush that I could barely cover up before was a bit more difficult to cover up now.

"I want to take you to meet my father."

Although saying this at this time seems to be making excuses to cover up, but it is the truth.

Edmund wants to take Airlie to Louis Dantès.

This idea had already appeared in his mind the moment he stepped into the old house, but originally he thought that after a while, he would introduce Ellie to his father slowly.Otherwise, it might be difficult for Old Dantes to accept the sudden meeting of his son Edmund from the "future", and before he recovers from his recovery, he suddenly learns that the lover Edmund brought is a man.

Just as Mercedes can recognize Edmund by his voice, old Dantès, the father, is more perceptive than Mercedes.

He can overcome all factors that are simply absurd to ordinary people, regardless of any reason, and recognize this man the moment he sees a white-haired man who has almost changed his appearance.Even if Edmund said that he was not the real Edmund Dantès, but a "heroic spirit" whose time had already stagnated, the ordinary but great father would believe it without hesitation.

Edmund thought a lot after all.

Mercedes, his own father, and Airlie—everyone, he thought about it.

But there was an unexpected turn of events that he hadn't expected.

That is--

Airlie, "admitted."

……

What are you waiting for.

What are you hesitating about.

Not willing to hesitate for a second, Edmund wanted his father to see this person right now, this person who made him suffer, made him despair, made him dream about, and made him feel the torment of love .

However, Edmund didn't want Airlie to appear in front of his father in this posture.

Of course, it is possible to temporarily pretend to make the old man think that such a beautiful person should be a noble and gentle lady, and that is really happy.

But he still did.

"Don't force yourself."

He took off the clothes that hadn't changed since he became a Heroic Spirit, and gave them to Ellie.On the other hand, he opened the wardrobe that hadn't been opened for a long time, and found out the clothes left by the sailor Edmund.

It didn't fit well, and there were patches on the corners, and, as far as Heroic Spirits were concerned, it was very simple to change into an additional outfit-but he put it on anyway.

"I like you just the way you are."

"It doesn't matter gender, appearance... what I love is the real you."

Putting on the clothes he once wore, the man seemed to still have the shadow of a young sailor in his quiet eyes.The phantom came from his eyes, as if on a clear day, when he raised his head on a ship sailing on the sea, the blazing and dazzling sunlight he could see burned in the dark depths of his pupils.

Edmund knelt on one knee in front of the bed, half kneeling in front of Airlie.He looked up at his sweetheart who had finally opened his heart, whispering in his mouth, and his palms were stroking his sweetheart's soft and beautiful face.

"Airlie..."

"Please give me your hand and let me take you to my father's side. I long for his tolerance and pray that he can understand. He will like you, because you are my lover."

How bright is the staring gaze, how can the person being watched refuse.

He would never refuse again, never leave again.

When he just nodded, Airlie's last hesitation disappeared quietly.

"Ah, this action, and these lines, are you proposing to me?"

Thinking about it, Ellie couldn't help chuckling.

"Dear Master, you rejected my marriage proposal back then, but now, unexpectedly, it's the other way around..."

"yes--"

Edmund showed a slight embarrassment on his face, he didn't know there was such a thing at all.

"If I refuse, is it a small revenge?"

"...No! This revenge is too—"

"It's okay, I forgive you," Airlie said.

"Then, I agree."

*****

The Count of Monte Cristo will officially marry his fiancée in Marseilles—once the news spreads, it quickly becomes a big news that shocks the whole city.

It is said that Mr. Earl was really fed up with others coveting his beautiful fiancée, and during the journey, his love for his fiancée became more and more intense, to the point where it was hard to control himself, so he simply did not stop doing two things, simply Let's hold the wedding.

In private, many people still let go of their dirty thoughts, speculating that the young and energetic earl was actually impatient, and wanted to openly rip off his fiancée's dress.After all, the speed was too fast. Even the elders of the family were not present, so the old Dantès, who had recovered from his illness and looked radiant, was simply allowed to sit on the seat that should have been the groom's father.

Moreover, he didn't even pay attention to the place where the wedding was held, and directly chose the Reserve Restaurant—that is, the place where the son of old Dantès just held a half-time wedding banquet a few months ago.

Some people might find it unlucky, but no one said so many unnecessary words in front of the count who seemed to be equally radiant and much rosier than when he first saw him.

Different from the uproar caused outside, the earl's wedding banquet was more low-key than expected.

He only invited a few people, but no one knew who he had invited except the guests.

Mr. Morell's family was present, occupying most of the only table in the restaurant.Old Dantès, who was sitting in the main seat, was full of energy and had piercing eyes, but when he saw the couple walking towards him, he couldn't restrain his tears.

"Even if this is a dream, I am content and willing to die after the wedding!"

——Ah, father, please rest assured.Of course it wasn't a dream.

——Although, I was also in a trance, so I doubted it.

……

Wedding night.

The count really eagerly tore open the clothes of his fiancée—now his wife—as some outsiders said. The smell of cigarettes, flowers, and other smells mixed together to form an indescribable smell. The smell of confusion.

"Huh... You have already, it is impossible to leave me again."

At night, it is completely different from the politeness and reservedness shown to ordinary people during the day, and the viciousness of the vengeful ghost is undoubtedly displayed here.

Sweat wet the eyelids and eyelashes, Ellie didn't want to open his eyes at all, and he didn't want to move his fingers that were locked tightly.

He could only sigh helplessly in his heart.

——Edmund... I have been chained here by you, I can't leave, and I dare not leave.

Because, Airlie realized.

Leaving him, the impact on this man will be more painful and tragic than staying...

Where can he go?