Ch.144Chapter 144. Feelings Conveyed for the First Time

“You got a house?”

“Yes. My lord bestowed her favor upon me. Reika was truly delighted too. She said she’s happy just to have a kitchen where she can cook freely.”

“Ah, right. Reika bakes really good bread.”

On a bench in a small park within Einhart Castle.

There, Irene and I were spending a peaceful time together in private conversation.

From what I heard, she had apparently been appointed as the deputy commander of the occupation forces.

Only after hearing this did I fully understand the conversation Serpina had just been having with her subordinate commander.

Being the deputy commander of occupation forces meant sharing some military authority even if not being the commander, so it certainly wouldn’t look good from the perspective of existing personnel.

Moreover, Irene had, one way or another, replaced two rulers already.

She was surely receiving strange looks, being lumped together with me who had replaced three.

That’s why Serpina must have been making various statements to protect us.

‘Still, I’m glad she seems to be handling it quite bravely.’

Well, people gossiping here would be nothing compared to what she faced.

After all, she had been in an even more ridiculous situation in the Brans army.

As we talked, my gaze naturally drifted to the red knight uniform she was neatly wearing.

The Einhart family crest engraved on the silver steel protector covering her chest now felt quite familiar.

‘But… it’s certainly strange.’

While living with Irene, I had noticed she wore compression bandages on her chest—

Considering her original breast size, that protector must be quite constraining.

Though seeing how well she was managing, perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all.

Or maybe she had overcome even that pressure through physical training?

Come to think of it, somehow my lord—that is, Lady Serpina’s chest had pressed against my body once.

It was certainly an oppressive size that could be said to be beyond that of an ordinary woman… but having always observed Irene with her world-shattering bust size, I didn’t think it was extraordinarily large.

“Swen…?”

“Yes?”

“Do you perhaps have something troubling you? I feel like I’ve been talking about myself without considering your position, rather thoughtlessly…”

I could tell from her awkward fidgeting.

Apparently, my contemplation of her chest had made it seem like I was troubled about something.

I couldn’t possibly admit I was momentarily distracted from our conversation because I was pondering the enormity of Lady Irene’s chest.

“No, it’s nothing important, so please don’t worry.”

“Really? That’s good then… but still, if something’s bothering you, I’d like you to tell me. Either me or Reika would be fine.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

After several topics were concluded.

“Ahem, hmm.”

“…?”

Seeing her clear her throat unnecessarily, I naturally felt like I knew what she was thinking.

It’s been a while. Since we rarely have opportunities to talk like this, just reading her behavior gave me a sense of familiarity.

“Seems like you have something to say?”

“Huh?! Ah, no… well.”

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

Irene bowed her head with a flushed face and remained silent for a while—

Then, with what seemed like a resigned smile, she looked up at me slightly.

Her pink lips, which were beginning to speak, looked remarkably moist.

“Swen. You… truly seem to see right through me.”

“Of course. How long have we lived together?”

“I suppose so. Anyway… so.”

Even after that, Irene hesitated for quite some time.

I waited patiently for her to speak first, without rushing her.

Any wait would be fine, as long as it wasn’t waiting for her to return safely from the battlefield.

“Swen. So… right now, the situation is still unsettled, so I’m not suggesting anything immediate. After some time passes and things stabilize somewhat…”

And finally—

Looking straight into my eyes, she confronted me with her raw emotions.

“Would you… live with me…?”

“Together?”

“No, that’s… I mean… there are many rooms! The annex building is bigger than expected. There are many spare rooms, and quite a few maids to help, but somehow I feel lonely… Of course, I’m not inviting you just because there are spare rooms, I…”

Seeing her waving her hands and looking embarrassed, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’d be happy to. I think I can just notify my lodging that I’m moving out.”

“Really? …That’s a relief.”

As she sighed with relief, a curiosity arose in me.

“But why are you being so hesitant about this?”

“Hm? About what…?”

As she tilted her head, her red side-locks shifted slightly toward the floor.

Her purple eyes looking up at me seemed strangely cute.

“We’ve been living together since we first met. In a way, this is the unusual situation, and we’re just returning to our normal state, aren’t we?”

“Well Swen, that’s true as you say…”

Irene hesitated as if embarrassed about something—

Then carefully parted her lips.

“Until now… it was just the situation that made it so.”

“The situation?”

“At first, you came to my house because Lynn ordered you to. And then after that, Yurie provided us with a house. …I was never able to formally propose living together with you.”

“This is the first time. The first time I’ve… properly conveyed my feelings to you.”

“…”

The moment I heard those words—

My head felt hot.

I felt my body warming up.

—How lovely.

This person is such a lovely person.

“So… it can’t help but be difficult. Because it’s the first time.”

Irene said that with a faint smile.

“For me… telling you one word, Swen, is more difficult than gripping a sword and risking my life on the battlefield. Isn’t that foolish? Because I’ve lived a ridiculous life of forever watching someone who doesn’t look back at me… dealing with people feels like the hardest thing in the world.”

“No.”

That’s not foolish.

“I don’t think so.”

Not for a single moment have I thought Lady Irene was a ridiculous person.

“Lady Irene is an amazing person.”

Just for enduring and not breaking down in situations where ordinary people would have despaired.

No one can point fingers and call you ridiculous.

“I’m glad you told me first.”

And.

Thank you for trusting me and following me when you realized you had been abandoned by your lord.

“I’d like that.”

“You would? So that means…?”

“Yes. Let’s live together.”

“…!!”

Her eyes sparkled upon hearing my words.

They were rippling like the Milky Way in the night sky, as if meteors might fall at any moment.

I had never before seen such clear eyes.

“I’m so glad… truly, truly glad.”

“Is it really such a relief? I think it’s only natural.”

“But… because of the circumstances, I always thought you were just living with me because you had no choice… because that was the situation. Always, constantly.”

I could feel her voice becoming increasingly choked.

While it wasn’t much from my perspective, it seemed she had been struggling quite a bit in her own way.

Irene was more of a crybaby than she appeared to be.

In fact, when we lived together, she always apologized to me, saying it must be uncomfortable.

That it must be difficult to deal with her because we were different genders and she was my superior.

Even in a situation where she had to suddenly take in a subordinate of the opposite gender by order of her ruler—instead of getting angry or mistreating me, she kept apologizing.

But.

“That’s not true.”

I can declare that not once did she make me feel uncomfortable.

I liked seeing her smile. I was glad to see her regain her confidence.

Rather, these past few days have been empty.

Empty enough to make me realize how important she was in my life.

Hoping these feelings would be conveyed well.

I quietly placed my hand over Irene’s.

She was startled for a moment—

—but she doesn’t reject my touch.

“Actually, this place might not be our final destination. But wherever we are, I want to stay with you, Lady Irene.”

“Me too…”

“Please stay by my side no matter where we are. I’d be troubled in many ways if you weren’t beside me, Lady Irene. Understood?”

“…Yes.”

I firmly held her hand as she nodded.

During our time in the Brans army.

Despite making the greatest contribution to conquering the central continent of the Brans army, she was demoted.

Yet she never gave up and continued to strive for recognition—that fragile, precarious Irene Juliette no longer existed.

Instead, before my eyes was—

A woman who was stronger than anything, looking at me with an unwavering, steadfast heart.

* * *

In the night when everyone was asleep.

Serpina, in her bedroom not far from the royal castle, had been thinking all day about the test Swen had given her, forgetting even to sleep.

The clothes she was currently wearing was a negligee that was slightly see-through.

It was an extremely private attire she would never wear anywhere except in her bedroom where no one could approach.

Not a single person would have seen her in such a state.

The precarious lines of the negligee revealed her nearly perfect feminine figure.

What she was doing now was examining the current political situation between countries after spreading out a map.

If her country were to form an alliance, which country would benefit the most—

‘The Brans army.’

After minimizing the front lines as much as possible, they could block the southern offensive without worry.

After all, the Aeshus army didn’t have enough troops to launch a full-scale offensive against Brans.

Nevertheless, he had argued that forming an alliance with the Brans army would be beneficial to us.

And he said I was in a position to fully understand why.

‘Even though it clearly benefits the Brans army, if it’s truly beneficial to us as well… perhaps, from within Brans, they might not see it that way…?’

Serpina thought about how she would perceive this situation if she were in the Brans army.

Apart from strategic benefits, if she belonged to the Brans army?

If she were Lynn Brans, or one of her subordinates?

‘…!!’

Serpina rose from her seat as if she had realized something.

‘…Could it be…’

“Isn’t there something you would inevitably feel if you were in that position?”

“Lady Serpina. I believe you’ll quickly understand the convincing reason. I trust you, Lady Serpina.”

‘I think I understand why you said that, Swen…!’

If a plausible conclusion had been reached, it was now time to put it into action.

‘If… if things really work out as I think, then at that time…!!!’

Serpina laughed with a deeply flushed face.

In her heart, a unique emotion she had never felt in her life was filling up.