While the customary regular meeting convened, I stifled a yawn just as usual and sat down. Since the guarding incident, I felt that the attitudes of the Knight Order and the Royal Palace Magic Order towards me had changed, but it was just for a short time, and it had returned to just as before.
The topic of this time’s meeting wasn’t grave, so it continued normally. There was nothing of concern to the Technological Magic Order. I absentmindedly observed the progress of the meeting. Before, my pastime was to sneak peeks at Legato, but after getting along well with Legato, I refrained from killing time in that manner.
The reason was that Legato had begun to take a slight interest in me, and often met my gaze when I looked at him. It happened multiple times, and I stopped looking at him out of embarrassment.
Meeting gazes in a place where there were other people was extremely embarrassing. It was obvious that I was looking at him.
Ever since I’d joined bodies with Legato, I’d feel guilty every time I saw him in the Royal Palace. I knew, under Legato’s clothes, what a good body he possessed and how hot that body felt.
In reality, I was the one who had invited him but I hadn’t expected that Legato would accept it. Legato had a serious demeanor, but in hindsight, that might not really be the case. Unlike his cool and serious appearance, he was unexpectedly passionate at night.
The act with Legato was a test of stamina. We’d done it many times since then, but it was long each time. Legato often said things like 「It was good」, but I had mixed feelings.
Legato must have said such things out of consideration for me. Even after Legato entered me, he wouldn’t cum that easily. I suspect it was because my body wasn’t that compatible.
I’m not a woman, so compared to a woman’s body, mine wouldn’t be that comfortable to embrace. If it’s not good, it’d be alright not to do it, I thought, but when I invited, he readily accepted and lately even the other side had started being proactive in asking for it. Well, when it comes to male relationships, there’s no future trouble, and if it can be enjoyed in its own way, then it’s fine.
Having such close bonds with Legato gave me insurmountable happiness. I now knew very well that I loved Legato.
However, I do not intend to impose those feelings upon him. I knew that Legato didn’t hold the same feelings towards me. The feelings Legato held towards me were those of friendship. No, something a little more than ordinary friendship.
The frolicking, the kiss, and the secret affairs I began were so intense that they couldn’t be rejected.
I was, as usual, taken advantage of by Legato’s kindness, or rather his pace.
Legato and I didn’t get along that well, but I had no complaints. I didn’t intend to get married in the first place and had decided to spend my whole life in the Technological Magic Order. It was nothing but my good fortune that in such a life I had found a partner whom I hadn’t imagined in the wildest of my dreams would reach out his hand to me and to whom I could pour my affections on, even if it was momentarily. He wasn’t the only heir, but he was still a noble and was a person who’d rapidly succeed in life from here on. Even as a joke, there were no problems for him to have a relationship with me.
In the situation that Legato lost interest in getting along well with me, or found a companion he liked or wished to marry, I intended to wash my hands of it at once.
Till then, I shall be grateful for my good fortune and enjoy our rendezvouses for as long as possible.
「So then, is there anything else?」
While I’d been half-heartedly listening, the day’s meeting had ended, and the Prime Minister was speaking.
However, nobody raised their hand, indicating a 「No」.
Just when I thought, Well, it’s over., the Prime Minister continued his words.
「So, we have an important matter to hear from the King.」
At the words of the Prime Minister, I raised my gaze with my hood pulled over my eyes. I wondered what it was, and when I looked at the people around me, everyone had a confused expression.
The King, who was at the head of the table, leaned forward in a more eager manner than usual on receiving my gaze.
「Lastly, I want to ask a very important thing!」
The king spoke forcefully. At that time, because a few people seemed like they’d laugh, I knitted my eyebrows.
「Legato!」
「Yes!」
Because the king had called out Legato’s name emphatically, Legato had been caught by surprise and stood up for some reason.
「Also, Nidel!」
「Yes?」
My name was called out next and my body shook in surprise.
「Is it true that the two of you are going out?」
The place fell into dead silence.
My face turned pale as a sheet at the words of the King. I didn’t understand what he’d said. Going out…going out…are Legato and I going out…the King asked… The King’s words played multiple times in my head until I finally understood the situation.
The King is asking about Legato and my relationship! That, in a meeting with everyone present! King! Just what are you thinking!?
I glared at the King, dumbfounded. The king had a grin unlike any other I’d ever seen on his face. Seeing that face, I realised that that person was simply amusing himself.
When I looked at my surroundings, the other person in question, Legato, seemed to be more confused than I, and simply stood in a daze. Leaving aside Legato who was like that, when I looked over at the other people, I received an even greater shock.
Nobody had a surprised expression. The Prime Minister had an expression of indifference, the Royal Knight Order lot were grinning, the ones over at the Royal Palace Magic Order either had sour or amused faces, the upper echelons of civil servants also feigned ignorance with a grin, and the other people present likewise were smiling in general.
Seeing that, I understood.
Seemed like that King had informed everyone of this story, before saying it aloud.
Cold sweat flowed down my back. If it’s like this, it might not just be limited to them— it must have spread through the whole palace. But Legato and I weren’t going out.
I frantically racked my brains as to why this got leaked out. I’m quite careful whenever I visit Legato’s room, and Legato too wouldn’t tell this to the people around. The greatest possibility was of someone having seen the both of us on that bench outside one day before the day of the Coming of Age ceremony. I clicked my tongue, thinking, Dammit, I was careless.
「The King is asking. The two of you, answer.」
The Prime Minister had an indifferent face, but his voice couldn’t hide his mirth, and he pressed us for an answer. As expected, he is also having fun.
「Legato, you answer. What is it? Are you going out?」
The King asked, and Legato drew his face. Hey hey, don’t you dare admit to it! I screamed in my heart, facing Legato. If he doesn’t confess, everything will work out in the end, and I can somehow dodge the question. Moreover, it isn’t as if Legato and I were going out. Sure, we did this and that, but our relationship was that of friends. At least Legato seemed to think so.
「Legato! Be clear!」
「No, um—」
Seeing Legato completely shaken from being rebuked by the King, I opened my mouth beside him to deny 「We aren’t!」. But at the same time, Legato shouted out—
「Yes, the both of us are going out!」
Idiot!!!
I banged my head on the table. I thought, Why did you admit to it!, but a feeling of resignation too surfaced, as I felt it couldn’t be helped… He truly was an honest fellow. Maybe he couldn’t dodge the question when grilled by the King like that.
In any case, we’d done this and that, there must be some guilt within Legato’s heart too.
The moment Legato admitted to it, the meeting room burst into excitement. Sounds of laughter and teasing came to life. I placed a hand on my forehead and hung my head. I don’t have the courage to maintain an indifferent look in such a situation after all.
「Well—, it turned out to be true!」
「It’s quite the gossip. The Captain of the Knight Order and the Leader of the Tech Order being a couple, this the first instance since the founding of the country.」
「It’s too unexpected, I couldn’t believe my ears when I first heard it.」
「There’d been no signs up until now, so I couldn’t believe it.」
「Well, but both of them are of the same age. I think they’re well matched.」
「You’re right, I, too, think they’re surprisingly not a bad pair.」
Happy chatter flew about the room. There was enough excitement, more than what I’d ever seen in a meeting, with different people giving their own opinions.
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