“No, when did I say I didn’t like silver hair? I just think of blonde hair when I envision a Prince charming in fairy tales.”
“Okay, let’s go with that.”
Ludger spoke to Judy affectionately while responding to me with a hint of dryness.
“I made a reservation at a restaurant specializing in Le Meridien cuisine. Will the Princess like it?”
“Is this food from Le Meridien’s hometown?”
“Precisely. Since it’s a coastal area, there are many seafood dishes. Do you dislike fish?”
“No! I love fish!”
“That’s fortunate.”
To be honest, I was worried that Judy and Ludger might feel awkward together, but my concerns were unfounded. They quickly warmed up to each other, as if they had known one another for ages.
‘Judy’s eyes were completely wide open…’
Well, even as a child, I would have melted in a puddle of water if a cool older brother treated me that way.
Given our short lunch hour, the restaurant Ludger chose was within walking distance from our knights’ office.
To my surprise, the exterior of the place was quite plain. I expected a more upscale restaurant, similar to the one we visited last time.
As if he could read my thoughts, Ludger explained,
“His Highness Jacques and I sometimes go undercover to discover little-known eateries. This is one of those places.”
“Oh…”
It was unexpected to learn that the First Prince and the Young Duke enjoyed eating out together.
‘By the way, these two are really close friends. I thought their relationship was more business-like.’
Upon entering the restaurant, we were guided to a private room sparkling with sunlight streaming through the window. As expected from a popular spot, both the terrace and hall were bustling with patrons. I was already confident in the food’s quality.
Once inside the private room, Ludger elegantly seated Judy in the best spot. He then offered to help me sit down, but when he noticed I had already pulled out my chair and settled in, he looked slightly embarrassed.
“The silver-haired Prince said he would escort me,”
Judy chimed in.
“The formality has quite a lasting effect.”
Ludger quipped.
“I am so narrow-minded that my bowl is smaller than a teacup or saucer. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
It was a serious sentiment, but Ludger took it lightly and sat beside me, stifling a laugh.
After asking Judy and me about our preferences and finalizing the menu, he explained the details of each dish as it was served, including special products from Le Meridien, relevant information, and anecdotes. Both Judy and I listened with great interest.
Since it was a restaurant endorsed by the First Prince and the Young Duke, the food was impeccable. Although it wasn’t very close to the knights’ office and the prices seemed steep, I thought it would be nice to bring the others here in the future.
With that thought in mind, I took a sip of the non-alcoholic sparkling wine made from Le Mer apples. I wondered if dessert would be served soon.
“Come to think of it, you were supposed to discuss ‘that meeting.’”
“Oh, yes.”
“So captain, is that date okay?”
“First of all, it’s the weekend. Unless there’s a special task, I have free time.”
I could have simply stated that I had a prior engagement, but if Alphonse found out, wouldn’t he be furious? That I had dared to turn down the offer of his beloved woman.
“…… I see.”
Ludger nodded slightly.
“Okay, then I’ll try to set a time.”
“You don’t need to push yourself too hard, Young Duke.”
“It’s within a reasonable range, so there’s no need to worry about it.”
The conversation was friendly, but his tone was oddly arrogant. Indeed, he was a high-ranking noble.
“But Your Highness could have just told me the schedule and finished it. You came here in person all the way, albeit being so busy.”
Ludger smiled faintly and replied nonchalantly,
“Well, I just wanted to meet you in person, Captain.”
Hey, could you please clarify your purpose? What do you mean by meeting me in person?
As I suspected, Judy covered her mouth with both hands, looking awestruck. Judy, it’s not what you think!
“Are you setting up a date? Are you and the Prince dating?”
“Well, does it seem that way?”
Ludger asked Judy, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“It does! You two look like a Prince and Princess!”
I felt a bit concerned about Judy’s comparison of me to a Princess. I sighed and attempted to clarify.
“That’s not it…”
“Then you don’t have to worry! Sister, You don’t have to marry a bad person!”
“……?”
“Because you are going to marry the Young Duke!”
“Judy!”
When I shouted, Judy blinked and tilted her head.
“No…”
“That… ugh, Sister told you to keep it a secret…Right?”
“I kept it a secret from Dad! But Sister and the Young Duke are dating. So shouldn’t he know?”
“…….”
Now that I think about it, I only asked her to keep it a secret from her dad.
Judy did nothing wrong. I wanted to punch my past self for not being clearer and for keeping it a secret from everyone else.
“That… Please keep it a secret from everyone…”
“Oh! Yes, I will… I’m sorry.”
Judy apologized, her expression flustered. I shook my head to reassure her.
“No… And the Young Duke was just teasing Judy. We’re not dating or anything…”
“Really? But you two look so well together…”
“Umm…”
As I forced a smile, there was a knock at the door. Dessert had arrived.
I sighed inwardly, concerned about Ludger’s thoughts, he hadn’t spoken a word since a while ago.
Let’s just get through this quietly…
“Sir Clara.”
I guess I wouldn’t be getting through it.
Ludger called my name in a low voice that only I could hear.
“… Yes?”
“What’s backstory about you that I don’t know?”
“…….”
I felt goosebumps. It was the first time in a long while that I glimpsed the cold, dark side of the villain.
If there had been a significant change in my life, Ludger would certainly want to know.
“But isn’t it true that people’s hearts can change at any time? Another temptation might arise, and you might feel that selling yourself out to it is worth it.”
“…….”
“So I want to know about it. That is, I want to ensure that no ‘other temptations’ can reach you.”
I answered slowly, recalling what Ludger had said before.
“It’s nothing special…”
“Well, I don’t think the idea of the Captain having to ‘marry a bad guy’ sounds insignificant.”
“…….”
Ludger’s mouth smiled at me, but his eyes were not smiling.
‘Ha, okay. Anyway…’
In the end, I prepared to swallow my pride and tell Ludger everything.
Now that it had come to this, I would just think that the time we had been preparing for had arrived a bit sooner than expected.
“…… Can I take Judy to the short room later and tell you about it?”
“Let’s do that.”
A lump formed in my throat as the reality of the situation hit me suddenly.
Because of that, I couldn’t even properly savor the tart made with Le Mer apples.
***
Judy quickly realized she should stay quietly in the room and went upstairs first. This left me with little time to prepare myself.
I led Ludger to a quiet alley beside the entrance of the single-room building. The reality that our knights’ office didn’t have a single conference room still gnawed at me.
“Well… I’ll keep it short since Your Highness is probably busy too.”
“You can take your time.”
“…… No, I want to finish quickly since lunch time is almost over.”
“Well, I don’t mind. Do whatever you want.”
‘It’s not my imagination; I’ve felt an unusual coldness since a while ago.’
Chewing on an odd sense of disappointment, I summarized the situation.
The head of the family with whom I had cut ties with, was scheming to file a lawsuit to establish blood ties and have me re-registered…
Afterward, how I learned he intended to sell me to some wealthy nobleman as part of a dowry.
I felt even more miserable as I spoke, but I deliberately tried to convey only the facts without showing any emotions.
I didn’t even mention Gustav. Even if that bastard had dropped out of this business, there was no way the eldest son, the next Viscount Rudelman, would stop pursuing the lawsuit.
“I consulted with a lawyer, but… they said there’s no legal way out.”
“…….”
“I even thought about leaving the Empire and going into exile. Haha, but that’s not realistically possible.”
Ludger, who had been observing me with a hardened expression, swept a hand under my eyes. The cold sensation made me shiver for a moment.
“……Your Highness?”
“Your face looks like you’re about to cry…”
“I’m not about to cry! I’m not a child…”
I looked down to avoid eye contact and desperately continued speaking.
“Nevertheless, so… I was thinking about asking the Young Duke.”
“What?”
“I was wondering if… if it were the Duke, he could pressure that bastard to prevent the lawsuit or something…”
“…….”
“I know it sounds threatening as I’m holding on to your secret, but I’m desperate too…”
“Sir Clara.”
His soft voice rang in my ears, and that alone made me feel as if my whole body was bound and immobile.
“…… Other than that, there must be an easier way.”
“Yes?”
A hand came down and cupped my cheek.
“I guess we will be getting engaged soon.”
Yayyyyyyyyyyy