Urged by Sion Rena came here, and saying so quickly bowed her head. Seeing that itās clear sheās reflecting, and that she understands that Freed and Sion came to an agreement, thereās nothing more for me to say.
Freed also generously nodded, and smiling same as me, with just the words āEnoughā he finished.
Like this somehow the talk was settled, and for today we decided to return to the Royal Castle.
Unfortunately, looks like Iāll have to visit Ms. Delris another time.
Still, not wanting the youkan I had specially prepared to go to waste, I decided to ask Cain.
āSorry. Iām at fault, but could you bring this youkan to Ms. Delris? Itās a new work. Iāll go and visit her another day. Tell her Iām sorry about todayā
āGot it. Well, it couldnāt be helped today. I think granny also knows thatā
Saying so, Cain looked up towards the sky. When I followed his gaze, I understood a crow I recognized was circling in the sky.
Itās Ms. Delrisās familiar. When that crow noticed my gaze, it flew away just like that.
āItās trueā¦ As expected of Ms. Delrisā
Sheās not called a witch just for show. Feeling relieved, I handed the gift to Cain, and told him to convey my greetings.
To be honest, I wanted to bring it to her myself, but as expected of this situation, I canāt just raise my hand saying āWell, thatās how it isā and leave.
Even the me who canāt read the air understands that much.
Promising to find the time to talk later, Cain went towards Ms. Delrisās house.
After seeing him off, I turned to Freed waiting near.
āIāve kept you waitingā
āNo, itās fineā¦ I feel apologetic towards the witchā
āWhen I looked up just now, her familiar was flying around, so I think she understands the situation. I also handed the gift to Cain. Iāll go there on another opportunityā
āI understand. Then, shall we go back, Lidiā
āYupā
With Freed leading me by the hand, we went towards the middle gate together.
Weāll get into the carriage thatās waiting at the middle gate and go back.
Sion and Rena arenāt here. Weāre alone.
He went to the inn to get his luggage, and will go to the Royal Castle later.
Sion buoyantly said āMy travelling expenses were running out, so I am savedā, but I think itās absolutely a lie. Thereās no way heād fail at planning like that.
Thatās why we parted from them as they immediately went to get their luggage, and I and Freed went back to the Royal Castle first.
When we returned to the carriage, the knights who were standing by stared at Freed in wonder.
āEhā¦ Huh? Y, Your Highness!? Why are you here? There should be no plans for you going out todayā¦ā
Thanks to his black hair, they couldnāt tell who he was for an instant.
But, once the knights saw Freedās face, they immediately realized itās him.
The knights nodded to Freedās words and respectfully opened the carriage doors.
The two of us sat down nestled closed to each other in the carriage. Freed isnāt saying anything.
Honestly, I found it ominous.
ā¦ Honestly, I donāt know what I should do.
When we return to his room, I will surely be asked all sorts of things. Itās a matter of course, especially now that heās got a connection with Cain.
Things like how I noticed that Sion is the tactician, Iām getting a stomach ache thinking Iāll be suspected.
After all, I donāt know how I should answer.
I canāt think of an explanation that will satisfy Freed.
The reason I realized Sion is the Tarim tactician was originally tactics from my previous life. And because I had been acquainted with Senpai.
Thatās pretty much everything.
As Cain said, his surname is not enough to conclude that heās the tactician, so Freed shouldnāt be convinced either. You can conclude that he was an important person in Tarim, but not that he was the tactician.
Because unlike Freed I didnāt know the tactician absconded from Tarim. There are too few reasons to make the connection that the singer=tactician.
No matter how I look at it, I have to gloss over it. On the other hand, I donāt want to lie.
I promised not to lie to Freed, and I myself donāt want to do it.
While I was at a complete loss with my thoughts going round and round, the carriage arrived at the Royal Castle.
Without reaching a conclusion, I forcibly moved my heavy feet.
Uuā¦ What should I do.
Shit, should I just leave it to chance?
With such a feeling I all but gave in to despair, but for some reason when we returned to his room Freed didnāt ask anything.
Just, as soon as we entered the room, I was strongly hugged.
āDonāt worry so muchā
I was only weakly rebuked like that.
After that Freed returned to work, and when he came back in the evening, he only fell asleep hugging me closely.
ā¦ What the hell happened to Freed?
I didnāt say it aloud, but I received a huge shock.
Itās that ridiculous that he didnāt do anything.
Even though I was looking forward to the exhausting sex called absolute punishment.
I wonder if Iām strange to be thinking that.
It was a complete letdown.
How could he just hug me and go to sleep.
Sadly, on the contrary I canāt sleep.
Surely itās only today. Tomorrow he should be back to usual.
I thought so, yet his strange behavior continued.
I havenāt been embraced by him for only a few days, but because it was almost natural to do it every single day, not being embraced feels just a little strange.
A sigh escaped me as I noticed Freedās marks of ownership, that he put on like it was a daily routine, started lonesomely fading.
Really, whatās up with Freed.
Nevertheless, since I havenāt been asked anything or embraced since then, conversely I strangely started feeling apologetic towards him.
At first I had no intention of talking about my past life, and was only thinking of how to avoid it, but as Freed wouldnāt question me, I came to think itād be better if I talked about my previous life.
ā¦ Butā¦ Right.
I havenāt yet consulted with Ms. Delris.
Would Freed really believe if I suddenly confessed that I have memories of my previous life.
Itās not that I doubt him, but Iām hesitant since Iāve never told anyone.
I continue uncharacteristically worrying.
Since then, Sion came to the castle as planned, and was given a guest room in the general area to stay. Of course, heās together with that beastman child Rena.
Because Rena insisted on taking care of Sion, she seems to have been allowed to do as she likes.
Listening to Brotherās talk about his room arrangement, I became concerned about his situation. However, itās not really because heās my ex-boyfriend. I simply wanted to once confirm with my eyes how he feels here and if there are any inconveniences.
As for Cain, he came to visit me frequently without any concern. I normally call out to him even during daytime. Heās been recognized by Freed, so it seems to be a great relief for Cain too. Still, for the time being, we decided to keep him a secret from everybody aside of Freed. This is also what Cain wants.
āSorry Princessā
In the afternoon of a day when we finally had enough time, Cain said so and formally bowed his head to me.
āErr, about what? ā
āWithout getting Princessās permission I got in touch with the Crown Prince of my own accord. I donāt regret it, however itās the fact I did without saying anything to Princess. My badā
As Cain sincerely apologized, I also said to him.
āThen Iām sorry too. When I spotted Sion, I didnāt listen as Cain tried to stop me. Nevertheless, it was extremely reassuring having you escort me laterā
āā¦ Princess is my master, so you donāt need to apologize for that. Besides, I wasnāt escorting alone since the middle. The Crown Prince was with meā
Imagining him hiding together with Cain, my mouth loosened.
That conspicuous Freed hiding so that nobody can find him might be a slightly interesting sight.
Noticing that I smiled, Cain too raised the corners of his mouth as if drawn in.
āI joined up with him at that curry shop. When I said Princess is having a meal together with a man, he rushed there. I was surprised, since I absolutely didnāt think heād comeā
āI was surprised as wellā
Hearing he leapt there in a fluster, I felt more happy than annoyed.
Looking at my face, Cain sighed.
āReally, Princessās face is easy to understand. Well, thatās fineā
āI, I wonderā
I have no idea myself.
As I reflexively held my cheeks, the door opened and Freed came it.
Looking there, Cain said.
āAh, the husband has returned. Then, call me if thereās anything elseā
āY, yupā
Heās already unashamed. Freed too didnāt say anything.
Seeing Cain leave the room, he came to me.
āIām back, Lidiā
āW, welcome backā
He smooched me on a cheek.
I found it unsatisfactory.
Just a little while before heād give me a deep French kiss that left me amazed, and it wasnāt rare for him to push me down. And yet suddenly heās holding back from touching me, I have no idea what heās thinking.
Although I have no idea, it feels good inside his arms hugging me, so itās not like physical contact disappeared.
He still kisses me on a cheek and hugs me, so I think itād be strange to expressly point that out, in the end I couldnāt ask.
Sitting on the sofa, we talked about our days.
It was a coincidence, but for the first time in a while Sion came up, so while at it I tried asking.
āNow that you mention Sion, heās already in the Royal Palace, isnāt heā¦ I wonder if I could meet him once?ā
I may have said that, but I was almost sure Iād be refused.
As the Crown Prince he made a decision to welcome Sion, but as Freed I remember him burning with jealousy towards Sion.
When Sion reached out his hand, he only warned him to āGet awayā. He must not want him to get close to me.
For some reason, he isnāt jealous of Cain, but itās different towards Sion.
If Freed actually knew heās my ex-boyfriend, Iām certain itād be terrible. I shudder just from imagining itā¦ Yup, no matter what happens I will never say that alone.
Thatās why I resigned myself to being refused, but Freed readily nodded.
He was even smiling.
āā¦ Fine. Heās staying in a guest room in the general area, so you can meet whenever you want. He must be bored as well, so wonāt he be happyā
āEhā¦ Can I?ā
I absolutely didnāt expect such an answer, so in my surprise I asked him again, but Freedās answer remained unchanged.
āOf courseā¦ I believe he is a trustworthy manā