In my hands, Marie let out a voice that bordered on a scream. Still, I didn’t stop.
I pressed her head into my palm and confined her in my chest. The more tightly I held her, the more I felt her body stiffen, and I mocked myself.
"Sorry. This is the last time."
I ran my hand through her hair just once. Then, I released her.
Marie didn’t run away. She just stood there, dazed. Her expression, in a word, was confusion—I apologized again.
"…Y-Yes… No…"
Marie looked down, her body shrinking.
She looked terribly uncomfortable, almost lost. Was she trembling?
I was ashamed of my inability to control myself.
She was the fiancée brought here by her parents. A girl who had been sold into a marriage she couldn’t refuse, a proposal from a noble family she couldn’t turn down.
This was a political marriage, and Marie believed she couldn’t escape—thus, she couldn’t refuse me. Even if she detested me, she couldn’t refuse. I wanted to protect Marie, but what could I do if she was afraid of me!?
I hurriedly put some distance between us.
"It’s okay, I won’t do anything. So you don’t need to be afraid. Don’t run away."
Ah, this sounds like something a pervert would say, doesn’t it?
Marie was confused again. She seemed unsure how to take it. She looked down and mumbled quickly.
"Um… Is your work… Are you going away again soon?"
Was this a subtle way of telling me to leave? It’s fine, you don’t need to be so afraid.
I needed to reassure her. I don’t particularly like talking about work, but there was no choice.
"I won’t be going on any long trips. I’ve already secured the inventory and completed the handover. But I need to send thank-you letters to the guests attending the engagement ceremony. Since it involves multiple languages, I’ll be holed up in the library for a few days."
"Then, I’ll finish everything."
Ryu-Ryu said something like that, didn’t he?
Trouble. Now I don’t have an excuse to leave the mansion.
What should I do? If I stay by Marie’s side, I’ll probably end up hugging her again…
Frowning, I groaned. Marie seemed to misunderstand something. She gasped and bowed deeply.
"I’m sorry! I acted rashly!"
"Huh? No, what you did was incredibly helpful. It must have been tough."
"No, I like writing letters… and…"
"…And?"
Marie stopped mid-sentence.
When I prompted her, she blushed terribly and whispered.
"To be of help to… Kyros-sama…"
Her face, still lowered, was flushed.
I reached out with both hands, but missed. Marie quickly turned and darted out of the room like a squirrel. Her voice, unusually rapid, came from the other side of the wall.
"Does this mean you’ll be staying home for a while?"
"Ah, yes. I packed everything I needed. I’ll be here until the engagement ceremony."
"That’s good. You must be tired. Please rest well today. Well, then—"
"No, I’ll have tea with you too."
I tried to follow her, but she was already gone.
"That’s right. Let’s go together."
A voice came from around the corner. I called out, but she was still gone. A strand of red hair peeked out from behind a marble statue.
I ran over silently, spread my arms to block her escape, and peered around the back of the statue.
There, of course, was Marie. She had curled up, her back to me, and said:
"What will today’s tea snack be? I’m looking forward to it."
"Marie, can I hug you one more time?"
Marie shrank even smaller.
And we were stuck in a deadlock.
How long it lasted, I don’t know. Mio came to call us, saying, "What are you two doing?" and we stayed there until then.
We moved to the dining room and gathered around the tea and snacks with everyone in the castle.
Kyros, Marie, Mio, Ryu-Ryu, Wolfgang, Zetsu, Toppo, Tunic, and Johan were all there, making for an unusually lively table.
I, of course, sat next to Marie, and everyone else sat close around her.
Marie seemed to have gotten along well with them. She smiled and chatted, and the servants joked with her. Tunic suddenly stood up and started braiding Marie’s hair. Marie didn’t object, and her twin tails were completed. The women chorused, "So cute!" Marie, without being modest, looked around for a mirror, asking, "How does it look?"
I took out a small silver dagger from my pocket. The polished blade could serve as a mirror. Reflecting her face, I said:
"Cute."
Marie stiffened. She suddenly fell silent, blushed, and looked down.
…What? This awkwardness. Could it be that I’m disliked…?
Perhaps sensing my shock, Marie hurriedly shook her head.
"N-No, that’s not it. I… I’m not used to this. I don’t know what face to make or what to do."
"I see… I understand."
Indeed, she had been told she was ugly by her real parents before she could even think for herself, and she believed she wasn’t cute. She had little interaction with people outside her family, so she probably had very little experience with compliments in general.
I could understand why she would stiffen, but perhaps that’s just how women are.
"I get it. I’m sorry for making you nervous. I’ll try to be more patient."
"Y-Yes… Thank you…"
"Hey, the blueberry tart is ready! Oh, Lady, your hairstyle is so cute. Good job!"
"Really? Thank you, Toppo."
"Wait. Why?"
I narrowed my eyes, but I remembered that the servants had been saying things like "cute," "beautiful," and "good figure" to Marie all along, and she was genuinely happy about it. Why? I wanted to say it too.
Is this… a difference in intimacy?
Thinking back, since Marie came to this castle, I had been away most of the time. Of course, I had given instructions to the servants to make her comfortable and ordered gifts for her, but the days I actually talked to her could be counted on one hand.
To Marie, the servants were like family—only the lord of the castle, me, was… could it be…
I was stunned. But I couldn’t be negative.
I said:
"Marie, from now on, we’ll be together all the time."
"Huh? …Ah, yes…"
I wanted to push back on the "Huh?" but held back.
A slight smile, at least she wasn’t refusing. That’s enough. We can start from here and take our time to get closer.
What should I start with? Maybe I’ll take out that tea set again…
And then, Mio, who was sitting at the far end of the table, stood up. She put down her teacup and walked over to me, bowing deeply.
"Sir, I’m sorry to disturb you just as you’ve returned from work and are finally relaxing. …I have a request."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"I want to take a vacation. I haven’t had a break for a long time, just like you."
"You can take a break whenever you want. Why are you asking now?"
"No, I’m thinking of leaving the castle for a while…"
"Wh-What! No way!!"
The one who let out a particularly anguished cry was Marie. She quickly covered her mouth but stood up and clung to Mio.
"Kyros-sama’s work is done, and Mio has come back, right? I thought we could finally be together, but you’re leaving again. I’ll be lonely."
……
If it were me, I’d do anything to stay, but Mio shook her head coldly.
"I’m sorry, Lady Marie. I’ll hand over my duties to Wolfgang and the others, so please understand."
"I’m fine, I can do most things myself. But I’ll just be lonely. How long will you be gone?"
"I’m thinking of visiting a distant place. Eight… no, nine days."
A distant place…? That’s unusual. Mio usually stays in the castle except when she’s on business with me. Where is she going all of a sudden?
Nine days round trip… on horseback, that’s quite a distance. For example, if she went straight out of the capital and back, it would be around the Shadaran territory—
Mio chuckled.
"I have someone I want to see, too."
"Oh, how wonderful! I didn’t know! I’m sorry for trying to stop you."
"No, I’m glad. Lady Marie, from now on, as you prepare for the engagement ceremony, you’ll be spending more time with Sir."
Hearing this, Marie stiffened. She sat down, looking down, and mumbled.
"Y-Yes… I’ll do my best."
……
Tunic, propping her cheek, watched me silently sip my tea with a full smile.
"It’s a relief that Mio has a boyfriend, isn’t it?"
……
Mio said she would eat dinner in the castle and then leave for the capital immediately, renting a carriage. When I offered to use the castle’s carriage and driver, she refused, saying it was for personal use. She finished her usual tasks with her usual expressionless face and, as she was about to leave the room,
"Mio, take this."
I threw a gold coin at her. She caught it in mid-air and frowned.
"I have savings."
"Just use it. And the castle’s carriage too. And take one more person with you."
"I’m strong."
"I know. But it’s to avoid using your strength. —Don’t be the villain."
Mio smiled. It was more of a wry smile, but her lips did curl, and she chuckled.
"Understood, Sir. Thank you.
I’ll be gone for a while. Please deepen your relationship with Lady Marie while I’m away."