And also, it was fatal for him to not investigate Erika and Juno’s aim even though he felt that their very abrupt long-term stay was inexplicable.
If an explanation was needed, then this was due to the negligence Harold brought upon himself, exactly because he knew that in the original work, Erika hated injustice and going around the truth. He had never thought even in the least bit that she or her attendant would act like spies.
If he had paid close attention to Erika and Juno’s movements, if he were to become aware that the information about Clara and her daughter being alive had gotten out, at the very least, the possibility of the situation falling into this state would have been low.
As a result of magnificently ignoring all these various factors, Harold would foolishly choose the move of heading to the Sumeragi territory once again out of his own will.
The start of it was when close to 3 weeks had passed from when Erika had come to learn of Clara’s survival, that is, when about a month had passed since Erika had started staying in the Stokes mansion. It was a command given out by Harold’s father, Hayden.
「I should go to the Sumeragi house?」
Like the other day, after Hayden had asked Harold to come to his study, the subject he talked in a serious manner was about how he wanted Harold to escort Erika, who wasn’t feeling well, back to the Sumeragi, and how this time, he wanted Harold to stay over at their place to deepen their relations.
The former was just a front while he was aiming for the latter. Hayden thought her bad health was just to the level of her being homesick.
「That’s right. Because I can’t go this time. But it’s necessary for the sake of showing good faith」
(Good faith, is it? Most likely, he just wants to appeal to the surroundings that the relationship between me and Erika is favorable by making me accompany her……..)
It had already been officially announced in the Stokes territory that Erika was Harold’s fiancee. Due to that, sure enough, the emotions of the people towards Erika shifted to pity.
He couldn’t help but be amazed at how his popularity in his own house was non-existent. He had no confidence to change it to a positive assessment.
「Understood. Then it should be fine to make preparations for the departure as soon as possible」
「Hahaha, to think that you would be so worried. It seems as though unknowingly, you have become surprisingly intimate」
Obviously, that wasn’t the case. In the first place, since Erika had secluded herself inside the room for the whole time, he had no chance to get close to her, but it seemed as though Hayden interpreted it to something which was convenient for him.
Although he wanted to remark sarcastically about how naive his thinking was, since there was no way that this annoying mouth which feigned obedience in front of his parents would ever allow it, Harold, with Hayden laughing in a good mood in his peripheral vision, treated this visit to the Sumeragi house as a chance. Shall I wager on a match here- he was eager about it inwardly.
Although he was impatient inside, that was a very rash decision. It might also be that he became conceited because he had found a clue to solve the situation even when there was still a pile of problems.
That is to say, it was like stepping on the greatest landmine. He should have been more calmer before taking action.
Even such basics had been forgotten by Harold at this time. He still didn’t know that due to his actions he would invite a new death flag.