“I didn’t expect you to come in person,” Kasion said while still lying on his side.
I tried to get up. But I struggled awkwardly as Kasion’s hand had somehow pressed against my waist.
“Ariel, get up.”
Thanks to Serhen holding out his hand, I managed to get up. Serhen pulled me close into his embrace. Kasion remained lying there with a relaxed expression.
“Ariel. Didn’t you go out to look for things needed for the house you’re going to live in?”
“Yes…”
“Then why did you come back so late?”
“Wouldn’t your sister dislike it if you started monitoring her schedule?”
Kasion, who was lying on the bed, threw out the comment. Serhen’s eyes twitched, but he couldn’t bring himself to scold his friend and benefactor, so he just sighed deeply.
“Ariel, I wasn’t monitoring you.”
“I know. There are craftsmen here from the Mellin Merchant Guild.”
“Yes, I came to make a new contract with them today, and I heard you were here, so I stopped by.”
Oh no, I forgot. There were many craftsmen here who were contracted with the Mellin Merchant Guild. They regularly made and delivered new furniture, and Serhen always personally took care of it. It just happened to be today.
“Sorry.”
“You went out early. Why are you back so late?” Serhen acted as if Kasion wasn’t even there.
“Huh? Well…”
“I delayed her by having tea with her in the afternoon.”
That clueless… or maybe sly b*stard!
Kasion revealed the truth. He got up from where he was lying down. The muscles in his forearms stood out as he adjusted his clothes.
Those arms had wrapped around me as we danced earlier… Crazy! I shook my head quickly.
“Ariel?”
“Remember what I said before? On the wedding day, in exchange for borrowing the priest reserved for the ducal family, I agreed to have teatime three times.”
Serhen sighed deeply. He had been overly sensitive lately because of Kasion, and now that I’d snuck out, the usually kind man was acting frightening.
“Kasion, didn’t I ask you a favor?”
“So, I called her out during the day.”
“And then you two ended up lying in bed together where others might see?”
Kasion shrugged. Horrified, I waved my arms in front of Serhen.
“No, Brother! It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! We were just checking if the bed was sturdy!”
Or maybe it’s better to be misunderstood? Given Serhen’s deep trust in Kasion, it was somewhat of a relief to see them at odds like this. If he kept being cautious, he wouldn’t end up with his heart pierced by the sword from his blindly trusted friend.
“Kasion isn’t at fault!” I stood between Kasion and Serhen, spreading my arms. Serhen’s eyes widened in surprise. “So, stop being angry.”
Standing like this made me imagine something absurd. It felt like a girl standing up for her boyfriend in front of her disapproving father.
At that moment, a large hand settled on my shoulder. I turned my head slightly to see Kasion smiling. That familiar face, full of a sense of victory. Why? I looked at him in confusion, and he stepped forward to block Serhen.
“Serhen. Ariel is an adult now. She’s going to live independently soon. You’re not planning to keep her coddled like a baby chick forever, are you?”
“Of course not.” Serhen’s eyes rested on my shoulder.
“Right, I know you support Ariel’s independence too. So, this time, you’re going to the ball separately.”
“Since Ariel wanted it.”
“Exactly, that’s what I’m saying. Ariel wanted to step out of your shadow, and that’s why she asked me to be her partner, right?”
Before Kasion could even finish his sentence, Serhen’s eyes widened in shock. He looked truly stunned. It was as if his world had crumbled.
* * *
In the carriage heading home, Serhen sat across from me. It was silent. Serhen had a look on his face as if he had lost everything, making it hard for me to start a conversation.
“Brother…” Still, I mustered up the courage to call him.
I felt a little hurt. All my hard work was to save him. Though it couldn’t be helped that he didn’t know the situation, it was hard to hide my disappointment.
“Ariel.”
“Yes?”
“Did you really ask Kasion to be your partner?”
“Yes.”
Again, Serhen fell silent. After a long pause, he asked me.
“Do you like Kasion?”
“Huh? No, it’s not like that…”
“Ariel, you know, both you and I didn’t grow up in a normal family.”
“That’s true. Our parents passed away early. Because of that, we faced threats from relatives trying to take over our family, we were kidnapped, and we had many terrible childhood experiences. Each time, Kasion saved us.”
Whenever we talked about our childhood, Kasion’s name inevitably came up. I expected Serhen to react unpleasantly again, but this time he didn’t.
“Yes, Kasion too. He lived each day full of anxiety, just like us.”
“He’s a pitiful person.”
That’s probably why he became so twisted.
“Yes, exactly. Moreover, with his pact with the imperial family, he could be sent to a dangerous situation at any time. The emperor can send him to war whenever he wants, and Kasion has no right to refuse.”
A pact with the imperial family? That was news to me.
No one in society knew about that either. But Serhen had been entrusted with this by Kasion. They really were bonded by deep trust. It was still hard to believe that Kasion would be the one to break that trust in the future.
“So, how anxious would Kasion’s wife be?”
“Right? They’d always be worried that Kasion might die on the battlefield.”
“Exactly.” Serhen’s eyes brightened a bit. “I don’t want you to live with that kind of anxiety.”
“Huh? Why would I?”
“I respect and really like Kasion, but I don’t think I could bear seeing my sister become his wife.”
I blinked. Finally, I understood why Serhen had been wary of Kasion. It wasn’t the instinctive rivalry between males that I had hoped for.
Oh no. Why did I make such a foolish move and upset my precious Serhen?
“I have no intention of doing that either.”
“Really? Even if it might be a chance to become a duchess…”
“I don’t want to get married. I’d rather stay by Brother’s side and live happily while looking after my nieces and nephews.” I gave a bashful smile. That was my true feeling.
What kind of life would I have if I married a terrifying man like Kasion? Imprisonment, a somewhat coercive relationship, and dreadful obsession. I wasn’t confident I could handle those.
“Then why did you ask him to be your partner?”
“Well…”
It’s a long story… No matter how much I’d like to, I couldn’t tell him that I remember my past life or that this is a world in a book.
“I just wanted to see Brother and Lady Lireania dance for the first time! Just thinking about it makes my heart race!”
“You said you’d go with the knights or by yourself.”
Oh no, that’s not working.
“Still, I need to bring a decent man to ward off the villains, don’t you think?” I indirectly mentioned my position in society.
Come to think of it, I was also worried about the princess and other noble ladies. Once Serhen got married, my position would be even more ambiguous. They might take out their frustration on me for taking Serhen away.
At those words, Serhen hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry. I must be weak for not being able to protect you perfectly.”
No, I didn’t mean to make you feel guilty. But it was a relief. It seemed like Serhen was finally at ease.
“Now that I’m all grown up, I’ll protect you, Brother.”
I meant it. For my precious family, who has cherished and protected me like the world’s most precious jewel.
* * *
More or less, the turbulent period passed. Serhen, who had become highly sensitive, was now more relaxed. He was back to handling Kasion’s name naturally, and his relationship with Lireania deepened. Sometimes, I’d even catch them in the midst of an intimate moment and sneak away. It was getting to the point where I needed to move out and give them space. Kasion seemed busy too, not meeting Lireania.
Time passed, and the Harvest Festival ball day arrived.
[I request that you wear a necklace on the day of the ball. If possible, the cross necklace you wore back then.]
That was the letter I received from Kasion the day before. There was no specific reason given. And it wasn’t an order, just a request.
Even until morning, I hesitated whether or not to grant his request, but in the end, I wore the cross necklace. This necklace was a gift from Serhen on New Year’s a year ago, so it held special meaning.
After spending the morning diligently dressing up with Lireania, I sent Serhen and Lireania ahead.
“Phew…”
I felt strangely nervous. The sapphire brooch on my chest made me feel even more so. For some reason, my heart was pounding.
Everything was going smoothly, so why did I feel so uneasy?
“Milady, the duke has arrived.”
“Alright.”
Today’s main character was Kasion. So, I was planning to leave leisurely.
I walked slowly down the corridor on the third floor. Kasion was climbing the stairs.
“Ah, Kasion.”
He stopped when he saw me. His nose immediately wrinkled.
Oh no, did I do something wrong again? I wore the brooch he gave me and the necklace too. Was he upset that I’d made a mistake and would now insist on dancing the first dance with Lireania instead?
“Let’s go.”
Fortunately, he didn’t say anything. But when I linked arms with him, the wrinkles on his nose deepened. His neck also turned red as if he was holding his breath.
“Kasion.”
“What?”
“Do you not want to be my partner?”
“That’s not it. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have climbed up to the third floor. I came to personally escort you because I was afraid you’d trip on the stairs.”
At his sarcastic remark, I unlinked my arm. I couldn’t take it anymore. It felt like he always treated me like a smelly girl.
“Then why do you always wrinkle your nose whenever I come near you?”
For the first time in my life, I saw Kasion flustered. This was the first time I’d seen his golden eyes shake like this.
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