Elliot

Ever since the day I talked to Emma about my brother, a subtle breeze of change began to blow through the House of Louis.

“Oh my! Miss, I brought His Grace’s book by mistake. Would you mind returning this to the study for me?”

“Pardon? Oh, sure, I guess……”

And in the study where I went at Elliot’s request.

“Evelyn?”

“Brother?”

I ran straight into Gervan, who was reading a book.

“Miss, the hydrangeas are blooming in full glory in the flower garden. Won’t you go take a look?”

“I have things to do today……”

“Oh, honestly, Miss! You can put off your work just for a little bit!”

And in the garden where I was dragged by Emma.

“……Brother? Elliot?”

“I see the young lady has also come to look at the flowers!”

Without fail, I ran into Gervan again.

“This is a secret place that only the servants who have worked here for a very long time know about. It would be wonderful if the young lady visited occasionally too……. Oh dear, Your Grace?”

“…….”

Even in the blind spot of the garden where Emma had led me, calling it an ‘invisible secret space,’ I ended up running into Gervan, who was enjoying his private contemplation.

No matter how I looked at it, Emma and Elliot seemed utterly hell-bent on making Gervan and me closer.

‘I’ve caused myself unnecessary trouble.’

I had only asked out of genuine curiosity, but I could understand their intentions to some extent. Especially since Emma and Elliot were the only people in the Ducal estate who truly cared for me, it made sense that they would be worried. But apart from all that…….

“Miss, the chef is unwell today, so we couldn’t prepare a separate meal for you.”

Emma stole a glance at me and peeked her head up slightly.

“Would you mind dining with His Grace just for today?”

“…….”

It was incredibly difficult to pretend I didn’t see through such an obvious scheme.

The chef is sick? Although I had only seen him a few times passing by, I distinctly recalled him looking like someone who wouldn’t easily catch a simple cold. Anyone can fall ill, but the timing was entirely too suspicious. Plus, there was Emma, who was constantly stealing glances at my face.

When I met her with silence, Emma pressed me for an answer.

– Please? Miss?

“…….”

– If it’s truly uncomfortable, I can bring you some bread and fruit instead……

“No.”

I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut.

“Let’s do that. Alright.”

– ……! You mean you’ll dine with His Grace?

“Yeah.”

Emma’s face brightened visibly, and she practically bounced on her feet.

– T-then I’ll go tell the chef……. No, I mean, the kitchen maids! Please come down in a bit, Miss.

Without even waiting for a response, she shot downstairs like an arrow.

After some time passed, I headed downstairs to eat. The delicious aroma and bustling noises suggested that the meal preparation was in full swing.

When I pushed open the dining room door, Gervan was already sitting familiarly in his seat. He looked a bit flustered upon seeing me.

“Evelyn?”

“Sorry. Let’s just eat together for today.”

Leaving behind Gervan, who was awkwardly rising from his seat, I took a spot in the chair to his right.

Soon, all the dishes were served, and the meal began. Only the clinking of silverware softly layered over the heavy silence.

The quality of the food was incomparable to the meals I used to eat alone in my room. Perhaps because they used premium ingredients, the food felt like it was melting the moment it touched my tongue.

Despite that, my only impression was…….

‘This is painfully awkward.’

At this rate, I would have preferred to starve.

We were already awkward to begin with, but after the events of the past few days, the air felt even chillier. Since they were helping entirely too noticeably, Gervan was likely feeling just as uncomfortable as I was.

‘Let’s eat quickly and go upstairs.’

Just as I was having that thought—

“How is your body?”

“Huh?”

My brother suddenly initiated conversation.

Startled by the sudden question, the knife in my left hand nearly slipped from my grip.

“What do you mean, my body, all of a sudden?”

“I’m asking if you’re alright.”

I raised my head and locked eyes with Gervan. His gaze was still cold, carrying no particular emotion.

“The night you stayed out. I heard you stayed in Barakan.”

“Ah, right.”

It seemed Elliot had told him.

‘So he’s asking if I’m hurt anywhere after spending the night in such a rough place.’

Who on earth compresses all of that meaning into just four syllables: “How is your body?”

“I’m perfectly fine. I told you. Enoch protected me.”

“…….”

The moment that name left my mouth, Gervan’s hands, which had been slicing his steak, came to a dead stop. He spoke.

“I heard rumors that his attitude during training is quite poor.”

Enoch? My mind had been so cluttered by Emma and Elliot over the past few days that I hadn’t checked on Enoch at all. Was it naturally difficult for him to blend in among the officially appointed knights?

Fearing that Gervan might say he was kicking Enoch out of the Knights, I hurriedly changed the subject.

“B-Brother! About Enoch. He knows how to manifest Aura.”

“Aura?”

“You know what that means, Brother.”

Gervan raised his head in disbelief. Aura was something that could only be manifested by those born with the talent of a Sword Master. My brother would know the significance of that better than I did.

“He did it even though he’s never been properly trained. Since he lived in the slums, it will be hard for him to adjust right now, but if we watch him slowly……”

“Evelyn.”

A sharp thud echoed as he set down his knife.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to marry that fellow?”

“What?”

I raised my head, my voice half-dumbfounded and half-startled. Gervan’s gaze looked incredibly serious at a glance. Just how was he this sharp?

“Don’t call him that. He has a name. Enoch Helios.”

“You never even brought home a stray animal when you were little, so what sudden wind has blown into you?”

“It’s rarer for a noble lady to not have a personal knight. I thought I should have one too.”

At that, he nodded lightly, as if my words carried some merit. Shortly after, Gervan continued.

“But that man has to be trained from scratch, from the very basics. You’re going to wait for that? When you could have an experienced, official knight right now……”

“Forget it.”

I cut him off and answered.

“I need someone who can be entirely on my side.”

“…….”

“Because I’ll leave the Ducal house someday too.”

It was incredibly common in this world for noble women to take trusted subordinates with them when they married out. Usually, they would marry and leave with the maids who had been with them since childhood, or the personal knights who had protected them like shadows.

However, the moment those words were uttered, Gervan’s expression began to stiffen rigidly.

“Why would you ever have a reason to leave this house?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of getting married?”

At that moment, a ding sound resonated, and choices appeared.

◎ 1. (Laughing as if it’s absurd) Marriage? Of course not.

2. (As if caught off guard) Huh? We aren’t exactly at that stage yet…….

3. (In a sly tone) When I live with a man like you, Brother, how could any other man catch my eye? ◎

‘…….’

Today’s options are truly awful.

Marriage? Since the only courtable man was Enoch, I couldn’t say it was completely out of the question……. But that didn’t mean I could picture a future with Enoch either. To be precise, I’d just be pretending to love him for the sake of the ending.

Even excluding all those auxiliary reasons, I couldn’t pick number 2. Because my brother didn’t trust Enoch yet.

‘And what on earth is number 3?’

If I chose that, I felt like his likability would drop exponentially.

As I hesitated to answer, Gervan set down his teacup with a loud rattle. At his gesture, looking ready to return to his office immediately, I hurriedly selected number 1.

“Haha. Marriage? Of course not.”

“Is that true?”

Gervan’s sharp eyes glinted like a snake’s.

“Naturally. It’s barely been any time since we met.”

“Which means your mind could change if you see him for a long time.”

No, what is wrong with him today? The way he was interrogating me so stubbornly made him look exactly like a brother with a sister complex.

“That won’t happen.”

“Do you swear it?”

“…… death.”

Was it okay to use a word like ‘swear’ so lightly?

Faced with his flashing gaze during that brief hesitation, my mouth moved before I could stop it.

“I swear it.”

Ding.

◎ Likability increased by 5%! ◎

◎ Gervan’s current likability is 31%. ◎

‘……Huh?’

Behind the flashing system window, I distinctly witnessed it.

“Let’s eat.”

Gervan’s lips, slightly curved upward in absolute satisfaction.