Chapter 72

“…Ah.”

I’ve made it to in front of Kyle’s room, but I’m hesitant to enter.

I need to go in and wake him up, but…

It’s not easy.

But… I decided to go in anyway.

If I keep standing here and Kyle wakes up and opens the door, that would be more problematic.

How would Kyle see me!

He would certainly see me as someone who couldn’t come in because of embarrassment.

He would definitely see me as a female who can’t do anything because she’s embarrassed by a confession!

That really wasn’t the case.

“Right, what’s the big deal? I’ve even explored dungeons before.”

Knock, knock

“Young master, I’m coming in.”

As always, I knocked on the door and entered.

And then I stopped in my tracks.

“…”

Normally, he would still be asleep when I enter.

He was always sleeping until I woke him up.

Not awake like now.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“…Yes.”

“You don’t look good.”

“…Thanks to… no, never mind.”

For a moment, I almost said “thanks to you.”

But I shouldn’t go that far.

Even though I’m struggling because of Kyle, I shouldn’t say such things.

After all… he’s doing this because he likes me.

Yes, no matter what, speaking my mind like that would be too much.

I’m the adult here.

I decided to show leniency.

“Let’s get you undressed.”

“Are we moving to that stage already?”

“…Young master.”

“I understand.”

Kyle smiled and casually took off his clothes.

As always, I helped Kyle put on his clothes, and Kyle dressed as usual.

If we just didn’t talk, there wasn’t much difference from usual.

“Young master, in the morning, as usual, you have breakfast with Her Highness the Imperial Princess.”

“And are there any other schedules?”

“Hmm… Knight Elin said she wanted to have a sword training session after a long time, but there are no conflicting schedules.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, the family head has sent a few documents to you, but they’re not particularly difficult documents, so they’ll be easily completed if I help you.”

It was just preparation for what Kyle would have to do when he becomes the family head.

Well, anyway, all Kyle would have to do is sign.

Everything would already have been reviewed below, and Kyle would just make the final decision.

“So my schedule is completely free in the afternoon.”

“That’s right.”

Yesterday’s events are yesterday’s events.

For now, I decided to focus on what I needed to do.

Since Kyle wasn’t doing anything special either, there was no problem.

“Then shall we go on a date in the afternoon?”

“…”

How does he say such things right as I think about them?

Can he read my mind?

Is there telepathy among magic?

“Well, there’s no need for a date. Processing documents together is a date too.”

“Hah…”

“Right?”

“Young master, please don’t act like this in front of Her Highness the Imperial Princess. No matter what, we should be courteous in front of Her Highness.”

My biggest worry now was whether he would say such things anywhere.

If it’s just the two of us, only I would be troubled, but what if there are other people?

Especially in the case of the Imperial Princess or the family head?

Depending on the situation, I could be in big trouble.

“Please… read the situation.”

“I understand.”

Yes, that’s a relief if he understands.

It seems sufficient as long as he doesn’t show this side to other people.

Thus, we walked through the corridor and arrived at the dining hall where the Imperial Princess was already seated.

As always, the Imperial Princess, wearing a gorgeous dress from the morning, was a perfect example of what it means to be elegant.

Yes, such a woman would suit him.

The position of a ducal family’s wife was one that could only be filled by someone like the Imperial Princess, or someone slightly less.

Not a strange person like me, but a truly noble young lady should be brought in.

“Young Lord Kyle, did it go well yesterday?”

“Hmm… I think it wasn’t bad.”

“Hoho… That’s good.”

The Imperial Princess laughing while covering her mouth with her hand.

I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but the atmosphere between them wasn’t bad.

If such a harmonious atmosphere continued, it wouldn’t be a problem if things flowed in that direction between the Imperial Princess and Kyle.

Perhaps if I continue to act normally when Kyle keeps saying strange things to me, he’ll become closer to the Imperial Princess instead of me.

That wouldn’t be bad.

“Miss Sofia?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly during the meal, Kyle called me, and I went closer to Kyle.

The Imperial Princess looked at me with curious eyes as I came closer.

What was so curious?

“Her Highness the Imperial Princess says she has something to say to you.”

“Pardon?”

“Exactly what I said. Sofia?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Suddenly she has something to say to me?

In the middle of eating?

Why?

“Sofia, so when is the wedding going to be?”

“…”

Kyle…

I clearly told you to be moderate in front of the Imperial Princess.

No, why did you tell the Imperial Princess about such things?!

Although I couldn’t say it out loud, looking at Kyle’s expression, he seemed to roughly guess what I was thinking right now.

What should I answer to the Imperial Princess?

My brain stopped working.

No, to begin with, a wedding?

There wouldn’t be one.

“I will not be marrying the young master.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

“Yes. The young master should meet a better noble lady, not a commoner like me.”

I answered the Imperial Princess with a really serious expression.

The Imperial Princess should let it go with this much.

I believe she won’t keep saying strange things like someone in our castle.

“But Young Lord Kyle keeps saying he likes Sofia too much, what should we do?”

“…Young master.”

“It’s okay. Her Highness and I have been talking about this for some time now.”

So…

That’s why this situation arose despite my telling him to maintain proper etiquette.

“Huhu…”

“Young master, I have no intention of dating you, becoming your lover, or marrying you, so please stop.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Yes, this was the right attitude to have when Kyle keeps saying strange things.

An attitude as if it doesn’t bother me at all.

An attitude that says no matter how much you confess or show affection, I will never give in.

“Well, I think you’ll come around eventually if I keep trying.”

“…Your Highness, why are you doing this…”

I’m already struggling because of one person.

And now a woman who is about the third most powerful person in the empire is joining in.

Is Louise my only ally?

“Then you won’t feel your heart racing or anything no matter what I do?”

“That’s right.”

Of course.

It’s not like I’m a female, so there’s no way my heart would race because of what Kyle does.

There’s absolutely no way.

I’ve never had my heart race for a man until now, so why would that happen just because Kyle does something?

It absolutely won’t.

“Pft… Kik… Hahah…”

“Your Highness, please don’t do that while eating. You might choke.”

“But Young Lord! Sofia is just too funny!”

“…”

What part of what I just said was funny?

It was a really serious statement…

Could it be that in the Imperial Princess’s eyes, I look like a female whose heart races for Kyle, whose lower abdomen trembles, and who will fall for him?!

Me?

Me who has never experienced such a thing in my life?

I don’t understand why she sees me that way.

It’s unfair.

I just felt it was unfair.

I haven’t known the Imperial Princess for long.

The time I’ve talked with the Imperial Princess is even shorter.

So why does she have such a misunderstanding?

“Please don’t go too far. Miss Sofia is someone who will really not fall for me. Right?”

“That’s right. So, young master, it would be better for you to look for another lady.”

After that, for some reason, the crazy teasing show of the Imperial Princess and Kyle, who were misunderstanding me, continued.

Looking at the two who were teasing me, I really felt wronged.

I’m not the kind of person who falls easily…

To begin with, I have no interest in men at all.

I really felt wronged.

“Young master, when processing documents, you don’t need to read them slowly like a book. Most of these documents have already been reviewed by the servants and the head butler below. For documents that haven’t, you’ll receive a separate notification, so you can go through them quickly.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

After breakfast ended, and after Kyle roughly finished exercising with Elin, I was teaching Kyle about paperwork.

I wonder if this isn’t something the family head should be doing, but since the family head doesn’t do much work to begin with, I ended up doing it.

Well, it’s not that difficult, and it’s just about giving tips and precautions for doing paperwork.

We were in the study.

We came here simply because the atmosphere suited doing this in the study.

I used the study a lot when teaching Kyle before.

It brings back memories.

“Miss Sofia. Sit here.”

“…?”

As I was thinking that, suddenly Kyle tells me to sit next to him.

I don’t know what he’s trying to do, but I followed Kyle’s words and sat next to him.

Sitting next to him, I could smell the distinctive post-bath scent since he had washed after exercising.

It was fragrant.

“…”

“It’s nothing special, I just wanted to sit together. Until now, Miss Sofia was always standing, and I was sitting.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, actually, I felt uncomfortable every time I saw it.”

I don’t think there’s any need to feel uncomfortable.

Our positions are different to begin with, so why worry about it?

It’s stranger for a servant to sit near their master during working hours.

“How difficult is it to see the woman I love standing all the time?”

“Young master… Did you seat me like this to say that? Do I really seem like someone who would fall for such words so easily?”

“No. It’s because you’re not easily swayed that I keep doing this.”

“…”

I covered my face with both hands to hide my expression.

I really felt like I was going crazy.

It was really strange because of Kyle who says such things to me whenever he does anything.

For real.

Thump…