Ares, who was holding my hand, gently asked, “Were you that moved?”
“Haha, I got too immersed. I’m talking about the female lead.”
Oh well. Today, I discovered that I’m quite sentimental. Ares will probably tease me about this for a long time.
However, instead of teasing, I heard a warm voice.
“You don’t shed tears often, do you?”
“Well, I don’t know. I don’t cry easily in front of others.”
Feeling warmth in my chest, I replied.
Because I felt embarrassed about shedding tears easily, I didn’t particularly like people unnecessarily provoking tears in front of others. Probably, Ares might be the only one who has seen me cry, excluding family.
Ares seemed quite pleased with this fact. He tightened his grip on the hand he was holding.
I wanted to express my gratitude to Ares, who showed me a wonderful play.
“Tonight, I want to treat you. Do you like seafood dishes?”
“I’m fine with anything.”
With his enthusiastic agreement, I headed to a seafood restaurant I often go to. And there, we unexpectedly encountered another couple.
“Oh, Bianca?”
“Metis? Hermes’ Emissary is with you too.”
Metis and Obron Hermes’ Emissary, who were casually fist-bumping, looked surprised to see Ares and me. In response to their affectionate pose, we also tightened the grip on our joined hands.
Ares greeted Hermes’ Emissary warmly.
“It seems like you’re finishing your meal, Obron.”
“No, we just arrived. We met someone we know at another table, said hello, and haven’t had a chance to sit down yet.”
Compared to us, the fledgling couple, Metis and Hermes’ Emissary, have been dating since shortly after reaching adulthood until now. In other words, they could be considered a veteran couple.
I wanted to suggest joining tables with the Metis couple if Ares was okay with it. However, he beat me to it and proposed to Hermes’ Emissary.
“If Bianca and the Nereid Emissary are okay with it, can we share the same table?”
Metis responded gracefully, “I’m fine with it. What about you, Bianca?”
“I’m fine too.”
Phew, that went well. I was pondering how to bring it up, but Ares took the initiative, making it easier.
I expressed my gratitude to him with a smile.
Our group was guided to a large table for four. We each took a corner, with Ares and Metis sitting on either side of me, and Hermes’ Emissary sitting across from me.
After placing our orders with the waiter, wine glasses were set in front of us. Metis raised her glass, took a sip of wine, and spoke to me.
“We went to Oberon’s social club. How was it for your couple?”
“We watched a play. It was a tragedy, but quite good.”
“Ohh…”
Metis nodded. Ares then asked Metis, “How was your experience at the men’s gathering with Oberon?”
Instead of Metis, Hermes’ Emissary chuckled and answered. Unlike the calm and refined atmosphere of Ares, Hermes’ Emissary was a robust man exuding a strong masculine vibe.
“It was very enthusiastic. Not like other Emissaries, but my Metis. It was evident that she could enjoy lively conversations on topics that men typically enjoy.”
Metis added with a serene face.
“But the topics of conversation there can be quite heavy. It might be challenging if you’re not well-versed in current affairs.”
Is the social club exclusively a male territory? In places where women gather, topics related to current affairs occasionally become the center of discussion, but the atmosphere doesn’t tend to become overly serious. However, in a club where men are the majority, there are instances of heated clashes of opinions on occasion, making me feel that the attitude towards the same topic varies slightly.
I raised my glass in celebration of Metis entering the social club, fulfilling her wish.
“Congratulations on making your wish come true, Metis.”
“Hehe. Thanks to your lover persuading the Emissaries.”
Ares raised his glass with a playful smile.
“A gesture in return for allowing Bianca to hold hands with me in the salon.”
Hermes’ Emissary also chuckled as he raised his glass, and the four of us clinked our glasses together.
Sharing a meal with friends who are like-minded and with a loved one was genuinely enjoyable and comfortable. Any conversation felt natural, and we treated each other with courtesy.
No matter how close we are, maintaining a certain distance and practicing courtesy makes things more comfortable. Even in such a close relationship, Metis and I can confidently say that we’re friends without any reservations.
Seeing Metis and Hermes’ Emissary engage in laughter and conversation, Ares and I exchanged smiles. Warmth overflowed from Ares’ golden-brown eyes.
The person I love and my dear friends. Will they continue to get along so well after I’m gone? Ares turned to me with a smiling face, and I responded with a smile as well. Warmth filled his golden-brown eyes.
My beloved. And my dear friends. Will they continue to get along so well after I’m gone? Finally, the conversation shifted to a slightly more serious topic. It was a discussion about nobles carrying firearms for self-defense.
Well, we have nothing to debate about since firearms are already quite prevalent in noble society. My father always carries a self-defense revolver.
Firearms are not only expensive but can only be produced and sold by individuals specially authorized by the authorities. There are so-called ‘artisans of darkness,’ but nobles who can easily afford to spend money on legal weapons wouldn’t need to resort to such excessively expensive clandestine channels. Perhaps those who cannot legally possess firearms might need to reach out to these ‘artisans of darkness.’
The problem arises when the firearm is drawn not for self-defense but in a heated argument or an accidental moment of anger. If the trigger is pulled in a fit of rage, everything is over.
So, the suggestion has been made in some circles to carry swords instead of firearms. At least, drawing a sword takes more time than pulling out a firearm from its holster. In my opinion, that might be a more persuasive solution to avoid carrying weapons altogether.
Anyway, Ares and Hermes’ Emissary passionately exchanged opinions about firearm possession. Metis and I added a few words occasionally, but the conversation was mainly led by these two men.
Ares calmly expressed his opinion.
“Even if firearm possession is legally prohibited, as long as there’s a possibility of obtaining firearms through illegal means, I think it’s better to keep the legal avenue open.”
In response, Hermes’ Emissary gently countered.
“Completely prohibiting it legally would make the dangers of firearm possession more evident to the public. Before considering effectiveness, it can also serve the purpose of expressing the authorities’ intentions to the world.”
Listening to such conversations, Ares surprisingly seemed practical. He appeared to be more than the romantic man I thought he was when he confessed to me. It was quite enjoyable to discover this aspect of him.
I asked Ares, “Do you carry a firearm as well?”
“Of course. Even street criminals have guns, so it’s only right for self-defense weapons to be at least as good as theirs.”
Some women also carried firearms, but since obtaining a firearm required strict qualification checks, most women just carried small daggers. Moreover, firearms were heavier than expected, making it difficult to carry them in a handbag.
Metis chuckled, saying, “I’d love to see Sir Stanley’ marksmanship someday. When will the shooting competition be held?”
“From what I know, it’s around early summer, shortly after the Imperial Palace banquet ends,” Hermes’ Emissary answered with a deep voice instead of Ares.
Although Hermes’ Emissary wasn’t particularly supportive of firearm possession, he was a renowned marksman and also skilled in fencing. Despite his reservations, he was an excellent hunter. Metis fell for him during a hunting competition, and that pretty much summed it up.
I mentally organized the special events that would happen this year. Perhaps among these, the ‘pillar’ of the novel would emerge.
Firstly, the Imperial Palace banquet in May, followed by the hunting competition…
“Bianca, do you know how to handle a gun?”
Ares suddenly asked me, snapping me back to attention. I replied after gathering my thoughts.
“I’ve handled a hunting rifle a few times, but I don’t know how to use a pistol.”
I didn’t particularly enjoy hunting, so I hadn’t handled a rifle more than a few times. My knowledge of firearms was limited to a cultured understanding to participate in such conversations.
Except for me, those three quickly returned to discussing firearms. As my knowledge was shallow, I only responded briefly to occasional questions and didn’t actively engage in the conversation
I hadn’t hunted enough to become proficient, so even handling a shotgun was a rare occurrence. My knowledge of firearms was limited to a cultured understanding, and I wasn’t deeply knowledgeable on the subject.
The conversation quickly shifted back to firearms, leaving me as a passive listener. They occasionally asked me simple questions, and I answered without actively participating.
Despite that, I didn’t feel excluded from the conversation. If anything, attentively listening was sometimes more desirable than awkwardly interrupting. They approached the conversation considering my limited knowledge of firearms, and I gracefully accepted their consideration.
As I silently listened, it became apparent that Ares was exceptional at shooting, even among noble gentlemen. Hermes’ Emissary, proficient in all physical activities, showed deference to Ares in marksmanship. Watching them, it seemed like Ares was in a league of his own when it came to shooting. Metis looked at her lover in disbelief and asked, as if she couldn’t believe it.
“Are you really less accurate than Prince Stanely?”
“Unfortunately.”
Hermes’ Emissary replied bluntly, his lips curling slightly. Metis glanced at me as if she were about to explode.
Hmm. Ares is quite skilled, indeed.
But then, Hermes’ Emissary added something.
“Still, I can protect you, Metis.”
“Oh my, Obron…”
Oops, my grip loosened, and I almost dropped the fork I was holding.
Why does this serious conversation end with such a sticky exchange of glances between these two?
After the enjoyable meal with the Metis couple ended, we bid farewell in front of the restaurant. Metis, with her flushed face from drinking quite a bit of wine, leaned against Hermes’ Emissary.
“Take care of Metis, Hermes’ Emissary.”
“Don’t worry.”
With her sturdy lover by her side, she seemed relaxed enough to get tipsy like this. Considering she hardly showed signs of being drunk even at the party, this was quite a rare sight.
As the two departed for where they kept their carriage, only Ares and I remained in front of the restaurant.
“You’re not even tipsy.”
Ares muttered in a somewhat powerless voice. I tend to have a relatively high tolerance for alcohol, so I rarely get drunk easily. Perhaps Ares wasn’t aware of this.
“I didn’t drink that much today. Besides, I can handle alcohol pretty well.”
“…Is that so?”
Huh, he knew about me, so why does his shoulders seem even more slumped?
While riding the carriage back home, Ares asked me.
“Were you uncomfortable because it wasn’t a topic you liked?”
“No, I’m fine. I enjoyed listening. Besides, it wasn’t that difficult because you and Metis were considerate.”
“Good to hear.”
He smiled warmly.
Heh, I’m not a child who needs to be taken care of like that.
At that moment, I suddenly felt like Ares was treating me as Leia again. It wasn’t the first time I had this feeling while talking with Ares.
I froze as if cold water had been poured over me.
Did I overthink this? Am I reacting too sensitively because I’m overly conscious of Leia?
As I kept pondering, an uncomfortable feeling settled in.
