<Episode 136>
Just before my two arms could touch his body, his hand stretched out and pulled me towards him.
Rue tightly embraced me, taking my breath away. He left a deep kiss on my forehead, as if stamping it, and then gently kissed my eyelids and the area below my cheekbones.
Then, at one point, something incredibly soft brushed against my upper lip, sending shivers down my spine.
Startled, I instinctively leaned back.
W-what was that? Did it just touch me?
I looked up at Rue with wide eyes, and his expression was surprisingly nonchalant, so I wondered if I was being too sensitive.
‘Really, what was that?’
Was it just my imagination? My mind felt fuzzy from the overwhelming display of affection I’d received in that brief moment.
Hmm. If I felt that touch just one more time, I think I could be sure…
“Hello, Daisy. Nothing beats direct touch, doesn’t it?”
Mm. That certainly seemed to be the case…
Naturally, Rue wrapped his arm around my shoulder and extended his other hand towards me.
“Hand.”
Do he want my hand? I handed it over.
“Head.”
Head? How do I give that? Instead of my hand, I raised my head. Soon, a large palm came up and gently brushed my face and hair.
“Well done.”
I felt a mix of joy and annoyance at his laughable compliment.
“Am I a dog?”
“I don’t usually treat dogs like this.”
Then he pulled me by the waist and lifted me lightly in his arms.
Maybe it was because I’d experienced this a few times now, but I wasn’t that startled. I was instinctively going to wrap my arms around his neck, but suddenly remembered my position as a Viscount.
“Wait a minute. Let me down. This doesn’t uphold my dignity as a Viscount.”
“Dignity? Who’s watching for all that?”
What? Both maids and servants are still human! As I began to push his shoulder away, I noticed a cloudiness in the eyes of the servant who’d been guiding me and the one with Rue.
‘…Are they under a spell?’
Rue, you’re always an outlaw regardless of time and place.
Without hesitation, Rue turned his body in the opposite direction and walked slowly. He was heading out of here.
I gave up and hugged his neck with both arms. When his hair, thin and soft as a thread, touched my cheek, I remembered the time I’d crossed the rain on his back when he’d become a wolf.
It was a strange thing.
Even in Astrosa, a land far away from the Empire, I hadn’t felt the emptiness I’d been feeling just a few moments ago.
“What are you thinking so hard about with that little head?”
Emptiness.
‘I think I know now.’
The emptiness I felt was loneliness.
Yes, sometimes I was painfully lonely.
“Miss Daisy.”
“…I wasn’t thinking of anything else. I was thinking about Rue. You really seemed like a prince just now.”
He appeared in the light.
I know it’s a very embarrassing expression, but no matter how much I racked my brain, there was no more appropriate word than that.
Rue chuckled, his shoulders shaking slightly.
“A prince? I can play that role for you at times, but I can’t give up the position of princess.”
“I don’t want that anyway.”
“Of course. I’m already serving our Miss Daisy. If she also becomes a greedy princess, how can I handle it?”
I raised my face, with a slight wrinkle on my nose, and looked at Rue.
Rue, with the appearance of Count Serenier, seemed like a part of this Imperial palace. Beautiful, dignified, and graceful… It’s not that his original appearance isn’t like that, but it’s more like that suits the darkness of a swamp rather than a chandelier.
“But are you going to keep talking like that?”
Rue moved his eyes to look at me and gently pressed his cheek against my chin before answering.
“Hmm? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I understand that you like me a lot, but now that you’ve become the esteemed leader of a noble family, you should maintain your dignity. Act with proper manners.”
It was a subtle way of saying, “Stop talking so informally.”
“I’m trying to maintain my dignity, but the Count won’t let me.”
“Consider it an honor. There’s no other creature in the world that I carry around like this.”
The warmth that seeped through his skin was unbelievably comforting. Just his body temperature and the presence of his voice alone brought such peace to my heart.
I hoped Rue felt this way because of me too. The sense of relief that comes from not being alone and the fulfillment of an empty place…
“Are you going to have an audience with the Emperor?”
“I am a valuable guest who will announce the diplomatic alliance between the kingdom of Astrosa and the Empire.”
“And will you participate in the hunting competition?”
“I plan to. But I wonder if a delicate and physically weak pretty boy like me can achieve impressive hunting results.”
“It might be challenging. You’ll need to form a team with two people.”
“Are you trying to say that Miss Daisy’ team is ranked fourth because of your dependable team members?”
Ahem.
“…We’ll turn the tables soon.”
“Is that so? I’ll be rooting for you. Since I’ve been reading not only the scores but also the newspapers, just to let you know.”
The newspapers again? Those provoking headlines had even reached the Emperor and reached all the way to Rue’s ears.
I can feel Rue’s gaze staying on my face. He was definitely waiting for something.
I needed to start explaining this from somewhere, so I tried to organize my thoughts, but Rue, who ran out of patience, spoke first.
“It seems you’ve sinned a lot in my absence, Viscount Weatherwoods.”
“I… I’m innocent. I didn’t even hold anyone’s hand once.”
“That’s obvious. Wasn’t there someone you promised to marry in front of his Majesty, the king of Astrosa? You must not forget that defying the king is a great sin.”
At that moment, I remembered the improvised marriage vows we’d made in Astrosa in front of the Marquis of Horse-dung.
‘That was just an act, right?’
Was he being serious? Or was it just a simple joke?
As I realized my own confusion, frustration welled up within me.
‘He always says things so casually. It’s confusing. What’s the truth?’
To be honest, there was nothing I found particularly romantic about marriage or proposals.
Love blossomed between people even on the battlefield where dead bodies formed a mountain. Their most desperate desire was not expensive wedding rings or extravagant ceremonies, but each other’s safety. Even if one of their arms was severed by a demon, as long as they kept their lives, it was enough.
Was it because I was sick and tired of seeing such things?
I was already grateful enough for the fact that Rue never left my side.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable at times. What should I say?
‘Should I say that sometimes it feels like he regards me as special out of obligation?’
In fact, it wouldn’t be strange in a way to interpret all of his words and actions as a sense of duty. In a moment of furiousness, I shouted into his ear.
“For a married man with a wife and even children… to complain about defying the king? If you want to keep a young, beautiful, and capable woman like me by your side, you have to take some risks!”
It was a complaint I made with all of my sincerity, but the response was unfairly calm.
“Oh, of course.”
Rue responded with an expression of faint regret.
“It is said that in order for a princess to win a prince, she must overcome her obstacles by cutting down her enemies with a treasured sword. Even the Count of Serenier enjoys such challenges. The exhilaration felt after overcoming them can greatly excite a person. It’s an emotion he’d long forgotten.”
He put me down on the floor. Next were the stairs leading downstairs, so we had to part ways for a while.
I looked up at Rue with a sudden sense of unease that overshadowed the anger that had dominated my mind until now.
“How exactly are you supposed to overcome them?”
At the same time, I recalled the voice that had talked about killing Raphael a few days ago.
…wouldn’t it be okay even if the source of his affection was a sense of duty?
“That’s not exactly an obstacle, Rue. I feel like you’re misunderstanding something, but it’s a necessary process in its own way, so you should just let it be…”
“Is that so? I shall go back then, my lady. The Emperor must be waiting eagerly for me.”
With a flick, Rue turned his back and led the unstable servant, who creaked like a doll, back along the path they had come from.
“Oh, right. Viscount Weatherwoods.”
And soon he stopped walking and looked back at me.
“This castle is filled with a very unpleasant energy. Please be careful, as we don’t know what might happen.”
It was advice he wouldn’t normally give, so it stuck deep in my mind.
‘Unpleasant energy.’
What could it mean?
I stared at Rue’s back as he moved away and then slowly descended the stairs.
When I arrived at the main camp of the hunting competition, the fluffy white clouds that had swelled up like cotton candy had dispersed.
Soon after, Rowayne, who was ranked fourth in skills but first in heart, approached me.
“Viscount Weatherwoods.”
“Good morning, Sir Rowayne.”
Rowayne, with a stoic face, hesitated about something for quite some time, which was unlike him.
Did he have something to ask me? I waited patiently, without saying a word. Just as I was about to tease him, Rowayne quickly brought up the matter.
“My mother… she was concerned about your hunt today, and she sent a handkerchief she personally embroidered for you.”
What, was he embarrassed to give a handkerchief as a gift?
“She’s given me such a precious gift. Please convey my gratitude.”
“Yes.”
Under Rowayne’s gaze, I unfolded the handkerchief and wiped my neck.
Naturally, Andert’s handwriting was written on the handkerchief which I briefly glanced at.
『Always be vigilant against your surroundings and prepared for any incident.』
I love them so much. The soft flutterings and affections… and that soft thing Daisy touched was definitely his lips hehe
Thank you for the chapter!
I have a premonition, that Natasha will make an entrance as a party crasher.