Chapter 78

I’m spending days that aren’t much different from usual.

For some reason, the Imperial Princess who continues to stay in Eristirol spent time with someone.

Of course, not with me but with Kyle.

“…”

“Sofia…?”

“Yes.”

While I was watching the two of them talking from behind, the Imperial Princess suddenly called me.

Is she trying to play a trick on me again?

If so, I’ll do it like last time again.

Seeing the Imperial Princess’s reaction last time was so good, so doing it one more time should be fine.

She didn’t particularly say anything about what I did.

“Why do you keep looking like that…?”

“I was just staying quiet as usual.”

I was really just watching the two of them talking from behind.

I was just looking at them because Kyle and the Imperial Princess were having some fun conversation.

What do you mean, looking like that?

It wasn’t much different from usual.

“You’re really glaring…”

“Is that so? I’m sorry.”

I apologized to the Imperial Princess.

I don’t know if I was glaring, but if she says so, I guess that’s what it was.

“Ugh… Young Lord Kyle, why is she suddenly acting like this?”

“I don’t know either.”

“Don’t just laugh alone, tell me too!?”

“Haha.”

Kyle laughing while talking with the Imperial Princess.

Somehow, that sight was uncomfortable to look at.

I wonder why.

He’s already talked with the Imperial Princess many times.

“……”

“Young Lord, I’m scared!?”

“It’s okay. Nothing will happen.”

“Urgh…”

After another 30 minutes, the two of them finally finished their conversation and got up from their seats.

On the table where they had been sitting, there were teacups showing their empty insides and a few pieces of dessert left.

It’s natural since they talked for nearly an hour.

Unnecessarily sweet desserts can be a driving force to keep conversations going.

You can use them as topics like what do you like, what food do you dislike, etc.

Though I don’t like them.

It was just my preference.

I’ve disliked sweet foods since before.

Especially foods like chocolate.

It wasn’t to my taste at all.

That taste, far from the sweetness of fruit, was uncomfortable in my mouth.

Just like the sight of Kyle and the Imperial Princess talking with smiles.

“Young master, if it’s not rude, may I ask a question?”

“Of course. Anything Miss Sofia is curious about.”

Kyle smiling at me as he says that.

It was a different smile from the one he gave to the Imperial Princess.

Anyway, my question wasn’t anything special.

“Until when will Her Highness the Imperial Princess be staying?”

I was curious but couldn’t ask the Imperial Princess directly.

It could be taken with a nuance similar to asking when she was going to leave to her face.

I had no intention of causing such a misunderstanding.

I was really just curious about how long the Imperial Princess would stay.

“Hmm… Her Highness will probably leave soon. She’s already toured the domain sufficiently. I think the initial purpose has now been fully accomplished…”

I see.

I thought the Imperial Princess would stay much longer.

I thought she would just stay for about a month, but she’s leaving soon.

Is that a relief…?

“Ah and… never mind. I’ll tell you about this later.”

“What is it about?”

“You don’t need to know yet.”

“…?”

What could it be?

Why won’t he tell me?

Is it something important?

If it’s that, I could understand.

After all, I told Kyle I would quit soon.

If it’s something extremely important, he probably wouldn’t tell me.

I understand.

But still… I’d like to know.

“By the way, Miss Sofia, why did you keep looking at Her Highness?”

“Pardon?”

“When I was talking with her, you kept looking at Her Highness the Imperial Princess. Why did you keep looking like that?”

Both the Imperial Princess and Kyle, why are they asking this?

I can look a bit, can’t I?

It’s not like they’ll wear out if I look at them.

I can look at the two of them talking from behind…

To begin with, it’s my job to stand quietly behind them watching from the back as usual.

Just helping them when they call for help.

“There’s no particular reason.”

Why are they saying something about me watching the two of them today?

I’ve always watched them.

Why?

“I was just watching the two of you talking.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I was just a bit envious of Kyle and the Imperial Princess talking.

Because I’m in a position where I can’t speak first at such a gathering.

Just standing in place quietly and occasionally opening my mouth.

Last time, I asked for understanding and played a prank once, but even so, it was unavoidable.

Kyle and the Imperial Princess are clearly nobles, royalty, but I’m a commoner.

An ordinary commoner with no power or strength.

A person who doesn’t match with Kyle.

No matter how much Kyle says he likes me, no matter how much he whispers in my ear that he loves me, no matter if he kisses me like before.

That was something that wouldn’t change.

Even if I ended up with Kyle, other nobles would probably see it as strange.

They would see it negatively.

They would see it as a woman with no use except her body seducing a duke.

And Kyle would look like a stupid heir who fell for such a woman.

“…”

That wasn’t good.

The most important thing was Kyle, whom I’ve raised and taught for 8 years, and then me.

Rather than Kyle being cursed, criticized, and becoming a subject of nobles’ gossip because of me.

It would be better not to accept him.

As always, the one beside Kyle should not be me but someone matching like the Imperial Princess or Catherine.

“Miss Sofia.”

“Yes.”

“What are you worried about?”

“…”

I wonder.

Could he have read the thoughts I was just having?

No, that couldn’t be.

There shouldn’t be anyone who can read people’s thoughts.

He’s probably just asking.

I can manage my expressions well.

Even now, I’m probably making an expression that’s smiling slightly at Kyle normally.

“It’s nothing.”

It really is nothing.

It wasn’t some extremely special logic, peculiar delusion, or mysterious plan, it was just reality and facts.

Suddenly, the words Kyle said to me the day before yesterday came to mind.

Kyle telling me one by one the reasons why he likes me.

If he had said such words to other women, they would be dying of happiness.

More than someone like me who can’t even properly accept Kyle.

Why am I suddenly having these thoughts today?

Is it because I heard Kyle’s words recently?

Or is it because I was suddenly kissed by Kyle?

Or is it because I saw the Imperial Princess talking with Kyle in a very comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere?

“…”

I cursed “fuck” inwardly.

I don’t understand why I keep having these thoughts.

Even though they’re thoughts that arose in my mind, I don’t understand.

I don’t think of Kyle romantically at all.

I just think of him as a younger brother I’ve taught since he was young.

Why do I keep having these thoughts?

It’s not my fault.

Everything was Kyle’s fault.

It was the fault of Kyle who likes me, who has nothing and doesn’t seem to know how to do many things properly anymore.

“Young master, I don’t seem to be feeling very well.”

It’s a lie.

There was absolutely no problem with my body.

I felt like there wouldn’t be any problem with exercising even if I exercised with Elin.

But I deliberately said this.

“I’m sorry, but may I return to my room and rest today?”

It wasn’t even lunchtime yet.

It was after eating breakfast, helping Kyle process documents, and spending time having tea with the Imperial Princess.

A time when not too much, not too little time had passed.

There would be lunch in about 2 hours, but right now just…

“I’m sorry.”

“Miss Sofia.”

“Yes.”

While continuing my thoughts and words, Kyle called me.

Since I had been looking at the floor, I raised my head again and looked at Kyle as I answered.

As always, Kyle was looking into my eyes.

Eyes as clear as a cloudless sky.

Even though I had been seeing them for years, Kyle’s blue eyes were fascinating every time I looked at them.

How could they be such clear eyes?

They were completely different from my red eyes.

“…”

“Miss Sofia.”

“Yes.”

Kyle calling me once more.

Why is he calling me?

I want to go back to my room and cool my head.

What does he want to say, looking at me with eyes that look at someone he loves?

Why does he keep showing such eyes to me?

There should be many people much better than me.

Why?

“Don’t worry.”

He didn’t say what…

And to say so, there were too many things I was worried about.

But does Kyle know that I’m worried?

“Do you know what I’m worried about?”

How does he know that I’m worried, and how does he know what I’m worried about?

I didn’t directly express my thoughts.

No, I’ve rarely expressed them, so he shouldn’t know.

To begin with, I didn’t really like Kyle being uncomfortable with my useless worries.

If I don’t express it, he won’t know, so Kyle won’t be uncomfortable.

“I don’t know.”

That’s right.

If someone could know all my thoughts, they would be a god or a being equivalent to a god.

As great as Kyle’s specs as a man are, Kyle is not a god.

He’s just a human and a man.

“But.”

“But?”

Kyle’s eyes as he spoke seemed to shine, beyond clarity, like one could express them as radiating brilliance.

“The fact that I love you, Miss Sofia, won’t change.”

“…”

Kyle gently embracing me as he says that.

When Kyle embraced me, the discomfort from before seemed to slightly disappear.

I wonder why.

“Despite appearances, I’m a successful man. I can easily handle the things Sofia is worried about.”

“I’m not… worried about anything.”

“Even so, even if there’s nothing, I’ll help you.”

Kyle continuing to speak near my ear while embracing me.

Is it because he spoke from close by, or because he’s embracing me with a body so warm it’s almost hot?

Kyle’s voice that I heard at my ear felt so warm today.

It wasn’t words with some logic, or extremely flowery words.

Just a few words to reassure me.

Thump…

But that voice, those words were enough to shake my heart.

I couldn’t make excuses.

At Kyle’s words just now, my heart raced.

I couldn’t even think of a rebuttal.

Because of Kyle… my heart raced.