“Episode 27”
“Joshua, I understand that you are very kind and value old friendships.”
「Yes, of course.」
“But it feels like you’re speaking too intimately right now…”
「Hmm…」
He drew out his voice, as if pondering my words.
「But, Alicia,」
Then he hit a blind spot I hadn’t considered.
「We’re trying to show people that we’re very close, right?」
“That’s… true.”
「Like an engaged couple.」
Joshua reiterated as if to confirm my hesitation, perhaps thinking I hadn’t fully understood.
“I understand what you mean.”
「So, Alicia, I’d like you to get used to it.」
“What?”
「We need to appear very affectionate to everyone.」
Ah.
It felt like a bell rang loudly in my head.
「So, Alicia, please accept it.」
“Oh…”
「I’m prepared for the long haul, so to speak.」
His voice carried a hint of laughter.
My body shivered.
Why did he have to phrase it that way, implying our confrontation with Lucas might be prolonged?
‘I’m doomed.’
In both my past life and current one, I was surrounded by people who were either stoic or not straightforward. Now I realized…
‘I have no immunity to kind words…’
*
“You seem to be enjoying yourself…”
Joshua’s aide, Taylor Wheaton, who had been suddenly dismissed earlier, looked at his master with a complicated expression.
“Yes, I’m having fun.”
Even without hesitation, Joshua cheerfully responded to the sarcastic comment, making Taylor’s stomach twist even more.
He placed the documents on the desk with a light sigh.
“Because she’s as lovely as ever.”
Ugh, during these times, his master tended to be unusually verbose.
“It’s astonishing how oblivious she is to the affection others show her.”
Joshua’s tone dripped with affection as if she was utterly endearing.
Taylor gritted his teeth.
It was truly hard to bear, especially from someone who worked day and night without any romantic involvement!
Taylor, who knew the sharp and ruthless side of Joshua Medelaike before he met Alicia, wanted to listen to his master’s story out of goodwill.
At least when he visited the Blante Marquisate, Joshua seemed more like a normal youth.
But with each passing year, Joshua Medelaike was becoming increasingly bizarre.
Alicia forgetting about him every time they met, yet finding that endearing.
Her seeing his overt affection as merely a political proposal, which he found charming.
It was a severe case of love, extremely severe.
The last thing Taylor heard from Joshua made him think people could indeed go mad.
‘But now she remembers and looks at me, doesn’t she? How much progress is that?’
Joshua had said this when Taylor asked why he did things that made Alicia wary.
‘First, I need her to be aware of me, don’t I?’
Ordinarily, this would be a blow to one’s pride, but Joshua saw it as part of Alicia’s charm.
Taylor didn’t have the hobby of eavesdropping, but he could easily guess what Joshua said during their conversations.
Joshua Medelaike, who was skilled in smooth talk with others, was bluntly straightforward with Alicia.
Even though Alicia Blante oddly didn’t seem to understand Joshua’s feelings, her obliviousness only made him happier.
“No matter what I say, you won’t listen properly, but rather, you’ll want to be even more obvious.”
Joshua wore a dazzling smile that would make many women blush.
But Taylor felt a sharp pang in his stomach and also felt sorry for the innocent ‘Miss Alicia.’
‘Didn’t she get involved with the wrong person? She sees Joshua as a kind person.’
That dark beast being mistaken for a white lamb…
‘Maybe Lucas is, in a way, purer…’
Taylor evaluated his master in his mind. He valued his paycheck and career too much to say it out loud.
“So, Taylor,”
Joshua picked up the documents Taylor had stacked.
“How can I make Miss Alicia feel more loved?”
“…Your Highness.”
Taylor, who had been holding it in, finally spoke up.
“You sound like a real perv… no, I mean, you sound very strange right now.”
Despite Taylor’s words, Joshua wasn’t fazed at all, only maintaining his pleasant smile.
He continued filling out the documents with a sweet tone.
“First, I hope Alicia likes my gift.”
*
After the stormy conversation with Joshua, I sat dazed.
‘He’s really such a kind person.’
Although I was briefly flustered, I didn’t forget the purpose of contacting him.
‘Joshua, do you really still have no change of heart? You know my brother is in the capital now.’
Although my brother, Cesare, didn’t show much interest in me, he was very concerned about the honor of the Blante Marquisate.
If I got involved with Joshua, it might lead to troublesome conversations with my brother.
‘Is there nothing else that bothers you?’
‘Of course, there are other things, but that’s the biggest one. You aren’t afraid of Prince Lucas, and it could be beneficial for Joshua, but…’
‘Then it doesn’t matter. I’m more worried about Alicia. Compared to the royal family, or even without comparison, the young marquis is just a kind brother to you.’
A kind brother?
I felt a bit puzzled but didn’t ask further, thinking that my usually aloof brother might have put on an act in front of Joshua, a prince.
I sighed once again.
Having set the future direction, I knew I’d be quite busy, being in an alliance of sorts with Joshua for a while.
“Huh? No, it’s not hard.”
