Sion led Letier to a quiet place.
Letier looked up at his back, noticing how tense he seemed.
She had been a bit all over the place herself, but Sion looked even more unsettled.
Finally, Sion turned his head with a complicated expression and opened his mouth.
“I hadn’t planned to say this today.”
What kind of conversation is this going to be?
Letier quietly raised her eyes to look at him.
“I’m not usually the type to rush things.”
“You seem that way.”
Letier answered.
Sion frowned slightly, gave a small smile, and continued speaking.
“But this is the first time I’ve felt so anxious.”
What could be making Sion so nervous?
Letier looked up at him with worried eyes.
“Miss therapist!”
“Yes, Sion.”
“…I would like to pursue a serious relationship with you.”
Huh…?
At his unexpected confession, Letier blinked, her eyes widening slightly.
“From the moment I first saw you at the palace banquet, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you.”
“Ah…”
“You might have to return to the Trillante Empire soon, but I couldn’t keep these feelings inside any longer.”
Sion closed his eyes tightly.
His thick neck and both ears were flushed red.
“Is there any way you could stay? I really like you, miss therapist!”
At his sincere confession, Letier felt her face grow warm too.
But… his words didn’t make her heart race or flutter.
Letier lifted her head awkwardly.
Finally, she opened her mouth in a small voice.
“Sion…”
Just from that, Sion seemed to understand what her answer would be.
His expression crumbled, helpless and hollow.
Seeing the clear change on his face, Letier couldn’t hide her guilt.
“I’m sorry. I’ve… never thought of you that way.”
Sion lowered his head.
“You’re a good friend to me. You’ve shown me so many fun and interesting places in Eustian, and introduced me to lots of delicious food. I’m really grateful, but…”
“……”
“I can’t treat you the way you want me to.”
Letier explained, hoping it wouldn’t hurt him too much.
But no matter how she said it, she knew it would hurt.
Sion, still looking down, let out a gloomy voice.
“Is it… because of His Highness?”
“Huh?”
“The reason you can’t accept my feelings… Is it because of Prince Dante?”
Letier couldn’t answer right away.
She thought — no, she believed — that it wasn’t the case. It couldn’t be.
She forced strength into her voice and opened her mouth.
“No. It has nothing to do with His Highness.”
At her words, Sion slowly lifted his head.
“Miss therapist… you’re not being honest. Or maybe you haven’t realized your own feelings yet.”
“……”
Letier looked up at him silently.
She didn’t know what to say.
No, maybe she did know, but she was just choosing to ignore it.
After finishing his words, Sion gave a bitter smile, then quickly shook his head and cleared his expression.
“You’ll regret rejecting me.”
“Huh?”
“You’ll definitely regret turning down such a great guy like me!”
Sion said with a strained, joking smile.
“Sion…”
“I have a proper job here in Eustian, and there are plenty of women who like me! I can cook well too! I’m great with elders!”
“I know all that very well!”
“You wouldn’t find a man like me even if you searched all across the Trillante Empire!”
“Of course!”
Letier exaggeratedly nodded.
“One day, even if you come looking for me, I might not take you back.”
Sion teased.
Letier couldn’t help but burst into laughter at that.
“Sion, I hope you meet someone even better than me. Someone who knows your true worth.”
“Obviously!”
“Thank you for telling me how you feel. And… I’m sorry I couldn’t accept your heart.”
“No, if anything, I’m the one who should apologize for burdening you.”
Sion scratched the back of his head and gave his usual bright smile.
“But until you leave Eustian, please keep talking to me. Even if it’ll be a little awkward.”
“Of course! And you better not avoid me either.”
“Yes, miss therapist! I’m not the type to hold a grudge. I’m a cool guy, you know?”
Letier smiled softly at Sion, who was flashing a wide, toothy grin.
****
“Then, please head inside!”
“Thank you for walking me back, Sion.”
In front of the palace building, Letier lightly waved her hand at Sion.
Sion waved both hands in return as he slowly walked backward, then turned around and disappeared into the darkness.
Letier turned around, feeling an odd sense of relief and freedom.
“So, you finally show up.”
“Eek!”
Startled by the sudden voice, she let out a small shriek.
Dante, more surprised than Letier, quickly reached out to catch her as she nearly slipped.
“Are you okay? Sorry for scaring you.”
“W-When did you get here?”
Letier placed a hand over her pounding heart and let out a small breath.
“Since you were walking so sweetly with that secretary.”
“Ah…”
“You two had a very touching farewell.”
Dante spoke in a stiff tone.
“It wasn’t like that.”
Letier averted her gaze from him, feeling awkward.
Maybe it was because of what happened behind the tent, but being alone with Dante felt overwhelmingly awkward now.
‘Please, please don’t bring that up, Your Highness…’
Her heart, which had finally settled a little, started racing again after his sudden appearance.
“We have something to talk about, don’t we?”
Dante cut straight to the point.
No, no, no…
Letier nervously rolled her eyes, desperately thinking of a way to escape.
What do I do?
“It seems you’re trying to find a way to escape from me.”
“Huh? No! Not at all!”
Startled, Letier raised her voice.
Does he read minds or something…?
“About earlier—”
“It was a mistake! What happened earlier, with that perfume that’s supposed to seduce the opposite sex — it must have affected me! I wasn’t thinking straight!”
Letier hurriedly cut him off and shouted.
It was better to take the lead before he could say more.
But at her outburst, Dante’s face hardened immediately.
He opened his mouth, his voice icy.
“…A mistake?”
“Yes! That perfume… they said it didn’t really work, but maybe it actually had some effect? I, I should analyze what compounds they used.”
Completely flustered, Letier started rambling.
“D-Do you think they’ll sell it again tomorrow? Maybe… it’s the work of mages! If I can figure out the formula, the magicians of the Trillante Empire could easily—”
As Letier babbled, Dante reached out and firmly grabbed both her arms, turning her toward him.
In an instant, she was facing him, and she closed her mouth, looking up.
Dante was staring down at her with cold, heavy eyes.
After taking a deep breath, he spoke slowly.
“You said it was a mistake?”
“Huh? Ah…”
“What happened between us earlier… you’re calling that just a mistake?”
Letier bit her lower lip.
The hurt in his eyes made her chest ache.
Ah, I should…
She should say it wasn’t a mistake.
“……”
But deep inside her, her defense mechanisms kicked in again.
Forcing herself to open her mouth, Letier said,
“…If it wasn’t a mistake, what difference would it make?”
“What?”
“If it wasn’t a mistake, what would change?”
Dante, his eyes burning darkly, stared quietly at her.
Letier deliberately avoided his gaze and spoke again.
“You have a fiancée. If you now say it wasn’t just a mistake with a palace skin therapist… what difference would it make?”
“Letier.”
“Since the last time… you’ve been unfair. You keep creating these moments, keep teasing me.”
“You think I’m teasing you?”
Dante asked.
Letier forcibly twisted her arms out of his grasp.
“Yes. You’re teasing me. I may be easy to tease, but please… don’t do this.”
She spun around and began walking toward the palace entrance.
Dante hurried after her, quickly stepping ahead to block her path.
When Letier sighed and turned right, Dante moved to block her again.
When she bit her lower lip and tried left, he was there once more, cutting off her way.
“…What are you doing?”
“Letier.”
Dante called her name.
“Was it really nothing to you?”
“……”
“When I tried to kiss you… did it really mean nothing?”
Letier thought she heard a slight tremble in his low voice.
Even though he was probably more composed than he seemed.
She tightly shut her eyes before forcing herself to speak.
“It meant nothing.”
Even as the words left her mouth, it felt like her heart dropped with a heavy thud.
“……”
Dante clenched his jaw and balled his fists tightly.
He hadn’t expected it to hurt this much.
“Please move.”
Letier said firmly.
When Dante still didn’t budge, she turned and took a wide arc around him.
Letier walked into the building without looking back once.
She didn’t think about anything, she simply focused on remembering the direction to her room, walking forward step after step.
