A Dangerous Jest

After I finished persuading Ethan, it was finally settled that Seimus would take on the role of the Knight.

Ethan seemed exceptionally displeased, but he soon burned with a competitive spirit, declaring that he would eventually grow taller than Seimus. Once it became clear that Ethan wasn’t too deeply heartbroken, Seimus seemed to put his mind at ease. He must have felt like he was stealing something from a younger child.

In any case, Ethan began seeking out ways to grow taller and announced he would learn swordsmanship. He had heard that Duke Berringen grew up learning the sword, and seeing that most knights possessed superior physiques and height, he must have decided that was the path to follow.

Thus, the moment lessons ended, he would dash back home to practice his swordsmanship, which meant the time he spent clinging to me had decreased.

“Seimus, do you have time today as well?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then rest for a bit and come up to my room.”

After Ethan left, I always called for Seimus to converse. Our talks centered on the ritual to be performed on the first day of the Holy Festival.

I explained the order of events and what he needed to assist with; the clever, studious Seimus memorized the sequence in no time.

Of course, even if he were to forget the order, the priests would be by his side to give subtle cues, but since it was his first time, I wanted him to memorize it perfectly lest he cause an accident out of nervous haste.

‘Though, given Seimus’s personality, I doubt he’d ever act in a flustered manner.’

He was so calm and quiet by nature that I couldn’t even imagine him hurrying about in a panic. Regardless, when I checked his memorization of the sequence today as I did every day, he still knew it perfectly.

Ethan, perhaps due to his impatient and impulsive nature, took quite a long time to memorize things… I felt I understood the heart of a teacher who favors a star pupil, and a small smile escaped me.

“Then let’s end here for to—Seimus?”

“Eh, ah! Ah, yes!”

Seimus had been staring blankly at my face, only to snap out of it with a start when I looked at him and called his name. Wondering why he was looking at me like that, I arched an eyebrow and scrutinized him, causing his face to flush crimson.

“Is something the matter?”

“Ah, no. It’s just……”

Seimus scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed look. His hair, which Count Taranto must have set neatly before sending him to the palace, became ruffled and messy. Unaware—or perhaps indifferent—to this, Seimus gave a sheepish laugh.

“I was just… imagining what it would feel like to look into a mirror every day with that face.”

Hmm? What was that supposed to mean? Unlike his mother, the Countess, Seimus didn’t know how to dress up or sugarcoat his words, so this was undoubtedly his sincere thought. However, the phrasing was ambiguous enough to be interpreted in two ways, so I tilted my chin up and asked back with an arrogant air.

“I see. And what was the result of that imagination?”

“……I don’t know.”

“…….”

“I just thought… that perhaps other people’s faces might look like flat surfaces in comparison.”

As he spoke, he continued to scratch his head, causing even more of his hair to dishevel into a bird’s nest. At that innocent sight, I let out a smirk.

“Well, now.”

“Pardon?”

“That is a rather fresh seduction.”

It was meant as a joke, but perhaps because of my serious tone, Seimus’s face went blank for a moment before turning a violent shade of red. Watching his face ripen into a deep scarlet, I suppressed the urge to laugh and maintained my haughty expression.

I knew I was beautiful, and I had heard many people tell me so directly, but this was the first time I had heard it phrased in such a roundabout way, so it felt novel.

“No. Th-that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what is it? Are you saying I am not beautiful?”

“No, no! You are beautiful. But that… ‘seduction’ part……”

“Hmph, I see. I am beautiful, but not possessing a face worth seducing.”

Seimus’s eyes trembled slightly at my words, and sensing he had fallen into an inescapable trap, he made a piteous face. He kept saying “No, that’s not it,” but he seemed to be desperately agonizing over how to speak to avoid my “wrath.”

“It’s not that I’m not seducing you, it’s just……”

“So you’re saying you will seduce me?”

“Th-that is!”

“Speak clearly. Will you seduce me, or will you not?”

“That…… I will not.”

“Hmm, then you’re saying you have no intention of becoming intimately involved with me.”

Eh? Seimus’s eyes widened at the unexpected turn of phrase. I leaned back deeply into the sofa, resting my interlaced fingers on my lap, and gave a thick smile.

“And here I thought you wanted to seduce me into an intimate relationship because I was so beautiful.”

Et, at, ye? Bewildered and lost for words, Seimus couldn’t even squeeze out a proper sentence. I continued to smile, watching to see what he would say.

“I shall take it as you never wishing to be in an intimate relationship with me for as long as you live.”

“No! That’s…!”

Seimus’s cheeks flushed a bright pink as he blurted out the denial reflexively. His face took on a dazed quality as he imagined something, only to turn even redder.

“Speak plainly. Do you have such intentions, or do you not?”

“……It seems, it’s not that I have absolutely none.”

Seimus, whose ears and neck had ripened to a dark red, bowed his head deeply and covered his face with both hands. I couldn’t hold back my laughter at that naive reaction. A bewildered Seimus looked up at me and only then realized he had been teased.

“You’re… you’re too much.”

“It’s because you are so much fun.”

Seeing Seimus pout, it seemed he had become quite comfortable around me. Before, he would have been frozen stiff and unable to say a word.

Once I stopped teasing him and complimented his intelligence, he seemed to cheer up a bit.

Just then, I heard a rattling sound and turned around to find Chase standing there. It seemed he had moved after overhearing our conversation while he was waiting.

‘Oops.’

I had completely forgotten Chase was there and teased Seimus right in front of him. A chill ran down my spine at the thought that he might misunderstand and think I actually had feelings for Seimus. Especially since he’s already agonizing over Seimus, isn’t he?

I snapped back to reality and told Seimus it was time for him to leave. As I nudged the two of them along, telling Chase to see him out, Seimus—though puzzled—bid me farewell until tomorrow and departed.

“Sigh.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have teased him. Why did I suddenly feel the impulse to do that?

Regret was pointless; the deed was done.

Seimus walked along the now-familiar path toward his family’s carriage. He didn’t really need an escort anymore, but whenever Aillen saw him off, he always sent Chase along with him.

Today, as usual, Chase was walking beside him. Strangely, however, his expression was grim.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Seimus had been getting worried lately because Chase had become so tight-lipped. But before Seimus could strike up a conversation, Chase spoke first.

“Young Lord.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you like His Highness?”

“Uh……?”

Was it my imagination that the eyes looking up at him were a bit cold? Not knowing how to answer, Seimus’s lips moved soundlessly.

He realized that the meaning behind those words was different from liking wild flowers, a rainy day, or the scent of dry laundry.

If so, what did he mean? It was a difficult answer for him to give yet. He was still a green youth who hadn’t even experienced a proper first love.

“Well.”

“…….”

“How could anyone not like the Crown Prince?”

How could one not revere someone so beautiful, arrogant, dignified, and kind?

If it were the Seimus from before he met him, he might have said it was certainly possible, but now he could declare with certainty that such a person couldn’t possibly exist.

However, to label this as “love” was premature; the fruit had not yet ripened. Therefore, even though he understood the intent behind Chase’s question, Seimus had no choice but to give an ambiguous answer. He didn’t quite know the answer himself.

Chase tilted his head slightly, then turned his gaze away as if lost in thought. But it wasn’t for long.

Regaining his composure, Chase took a step closer and spoke with a serious face.

“If it’s just that, it’s fine. But do not desire anything more than that.”

A faint trace of rejection surfaced on Chase’s face as he spat out the words. Seimus was bewildered by this guarded attitude, and at the same time, a flare of anger rose within him.

No matter if he and Aillen were brothers, there was no reason for Seimus to hear such things from Chase.

“What do you mean by that?”

“…….”

“Whether I desire something more or not has nothing to do with you, does it?”

Hearing the anger in Seimus’s voice, Chase gave a weak, mocking laugh. Just as Seimus was about to lose his temper at being ridiculed, Chase looked him in the eye and spoke.

“But you are of the Noble Faction, aren’t you?”