“Master.”
“No.”
When returning, I had Redian in my carriage. Though I had sneaked out myself, the weight of Redian leaving the imperial palace was on a completely different level. I had to promptly return this child to the imperial palace and bury the events of tonight.
“On such a day, I…”
Then, Redian, looking out the window into the darkness, trailed off.
Such a day? Did he remember what he did inside the shop? It was hard to tell whether he stopped because something came to mind or because his memories were vague.
“Such a day? Do you remember what happened inside?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“Master knows I have nightmares.”
However, Redian just smiled mysteriously, not providing an answer to my question.
It seems he remembers. This made me more certain. Unlike the past Redian, who would lose all memories after a rampage, it seemed not this time. The presence of another entity within him seemed increasingly evident.
“Of course, I know. That’s why I always send you the medicine.”
It wasn’t particularly surprising. I’ve lived through not just one or two lifetimes but experienced all sorts of human characters, from multiple personalities to psychopaths. Moreover, I was in an even more hopeless state as a possessed individual. But…
What exactly is their relationship?
It was still hard to determine the relationship between the ‘someone’ inside him and Redian in front of me. Whether it’s two souls sharing one body or if that someone and Redian were one from the beginning.
Either way, it’s not good news.
I thought many things had changed compared to the original story, but of course, it couldn’t just smoothly progress.
“Do you think it makes sense for me to enter the imperial palace with you at this hour?”
Moreover, Redian and I were now arguing about going to the imperial palace. Since it was ‘my Rere’ who had returned, a serious investigation was impossible.
“Above all, we need to return before my father finds out.”
“Did Master leave without informing the duke?” At that moment, Redian slightly frowned.
“It’s because he would have had a tremendous number of knights accompanying me.” I shrugged it off as being too much trouble. I couldn’t tell the duke I went to see Summoner, let alone about the secret of a strand of my hair.
“Master, aren’t you fearless…” Then, Redian, with his arms crossed and leaning against the wall, murmured low. “Or should the duke be punished?”
Though it seemed like a scene straight out of a cover, to my eyes, it was an utterly cheeky posture. But I couldn’t really call it cheeky. Now, Redian was in a position to freely decide whether to punish me or the duke for today’s turmoil.
“My father won’t come to my bedroom anyway.”
The tea on the small tea table inside the carriage was getting cold.
“It’s just a matter of going out quietly for an hour or two; there’s no need to make a fuss, right?” I lifted the teacup, adding calmly.
Redian looked at me with an inscrutable gaze for a long while before finally speaking. “Master, please get married.”
“Huh?” The tea I was sipping almost got stuck in my throat.
What is he talking about? Why did the topic suddenly jump there?
“Shouldn’t there be someone by your side all night?”
Unlike me, who found it absurd, Redian was eerily serious.
“Well.”
I ended up chuckling first. As if the blood-curdling screams from moments ago were all an illusion, we were having this conversation. Am I being clever, or is Redian being nonchalant?
“Why? Do you have a suitable candidate in mind?”
“…”
For a while, I planned to act as usual.
“I had been thinking about it.”
Siani was of marriageable age and unengaged despite being an adult since the duke didn’t interfere with it, which was all the more uncommon. It doesn’t matter since I don’t plan on marrying anyway.
I had been thinking that nominally having a fiancé might be necessary, considering various situations. I just hadn’t focused on it due to Redian’s ascension and other busyness.
“I don’t care much for wealth or status since I have plenty. If he’s handsome, kind, and dotes on me…”
Wait a minute. But as we were talking, one person came to mind.
“Ah, right. Inein.”
I clapped my hands together. Why hadn’t I thought of him before? In comparison to Francis and Vallentin, Inein was limited by his status, but becoming my fiancé would naturally elevate his position. And Inein fits all the criteria: handsome, kind, and obedient.
“Thanks, Redian. I remembered because you mentioned it.”
A name only fiancé would be sufficient.
“Inein is kind and gentle, isn’t he—”
It was at that moment.
“What’s that?”
Suddenly, the carriage lurched with a loud thump, spilling the tea over my hand.
“What happened, Coachman?” I brushed off the moisture and opened the window.
“I’m sorry, Milady. The horse, Los, suddenly got spooked.” The coachman looked flustered as if this was a new experience for him. As he said, the horse pulling the carriage was stomping restlessly.
“It’s not usually like this; maybe it saw something… Giving it water and calming it down should work.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be a serious issue.
“Anything else?”
“No, Milady.”
“Proceed when it’s settled.”
After instructing the coachman, I slowly looked around, seeing only darkness. It would have been troublesome if we had encountered a band of thieves, but there seemed to be no such signs.
“The problem is, as you know, Redian…” I returned to the main topic as I closed the window. “Because of Inein’s status, the nobility council and my father might oppose it.”
Noble marriages required the imperial family’s approval. In other words, if the imperial family allowed it, it didn’t matter whom I married.
“You just need to speak well to His Majesty about it.”
“No.”
His firm response made me reflexively look at him.
“It won’t do.”
Redian, who had come closer, took my wet hand. “As Master said, Inein is too innocent.” Then he gently dried the drops of water on my hand with his own.
Was it because the carriage was dark or because his voice had softened from the rampage? Everything about him, from his tone to his gaze, seemed different from usual…
“He could never satisfy Master.”
Satisfy…?
“Ah!” I gasped slightly. It was because Redian, who had been drying my hand, pressed a particular spot. It was a spot that ached whenever I had been holding a pen for days on end. I had mentioned it in passing once, but to think he remembered.
“Only I know where Master is sensitive, what expressions you make when you’re happy, what your face looks like when you sleep…”
Wherever Redian’s hand touched, the moisture seemed to evaporate.
“No one else knows all that about you.”
Our gazes met, each looking into the other’s eyes. Now, even up close, those blue eyes offered no hints of his thoughts. What was Redian thinking as he looked at me?
“From now on, only I should know.”
The carriage gradually slowed down. Thanks to Redian’s knights escorting us in front, it seemed we had safely passed the imperial palace’s main gate.
“It’s late; you should go inside, Your Highness.”
“To put it nicely…” However, Redian continued without taking his eyes off me. “I wish Master were by my side all night.”
His hand holding mine was gentle yet firm, carrying a deep undercurrent.
“To be honest…”
“…”
“I’m anxious not knowing where Master might disappear to behind my back.”
In the midst of this tension-filled stand-off, a soft knocking came from beyond the carriage.
“Princess!”
Huh? That was unmistakably Moriana’s voice. How could she suddenly appear at this late hour… And how did she know to wait here for Redian and me?
“Princess.”
In a rush, I opened the door, feeling as if the situation was escalating.
“Oh my! You really came.”
Before me stood the empress, holding Moriana in her arms.
“Moriana insisted you were coming and refused to sleep, so we went out for a brief night walk.”
Then, the empress’s gaze rolled toward the inside of the carriage.
“Oh my, it seems the two of you have been together until this late hour.”
For a moment, the empress’s smile seemed rather mischievous.
“I came to deliver something to His Highness. There are still things left at the duchy.” I deftly deflected, gripping the carriage door handle. “Then, I’ll be off…”
“No!”
But this time, Moriana swung her little arms emphatically.
“Goddess must stai the night!”
Huuh? If it had been Redian or the empress saying so, I would have firmly closed the door. But…
“Goddess mus stai with Mori and Brother tonight!”
Faced with the young royal princess’s plea, it was impossible to refuse coldly.
Why isn’t anyone stopping this? I looked towards the empress for help. However…
“I’ll contact the duke and say you were urgently called due to a skin disease, Princess.” Instead, the empress stepped aside, indicating that I should get off, and spoke to me. “It’s good that we prepared a bedroom for you in the crown prince’s palace. Ohoho.”
Those Rixon people…
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