Chapter 23

Hmm. I’m sleepy.

The lack of sleep from last night is really catching up with me.

Aleks fell ill and had to stay in bed—though in reality, he had received a secret order and set off on a journey—so the dinner party was canceled. Since the concept is for the whole family to eat together, when a family member can’t show up, the dinner party itself is called off.

So, I had a quick dinner in my room, took a bath, and went to bed, ending up going to sleep two and a half hours earlier than my usual schedule.

But I couldn’t sleep…!

Thinking about the upcoming semi-ball, which I haven’t attended in a long time, made me even more alert. Would I meet Rust? Would I make any mistakes? Even though I’ve resolved myself, could I endure being treated like a middle-schooler because of the "Black Fan"? And then…!

It was the same in my previous life. The night before a big event, like a school trip, I would be so nervous and anxious that I couldn’t sleep. I would finally feel extremely sleepy in the early morning, fall asleep, and then be woken up by the alarm clock. I would then face the event with a lack of sleep. This morning, Sasha woke me up instead of the alarm clock!

Still, by the time I had put on my chosen battle gear, styled my hair, and done my makeup, the sleepiness had completely disappeared.

It came back just now.

After boarding the grand four-horse carriage heading to the "Paradise in the Sky," where the semi-ball is being held.

---The pleasant swaying of the carriage, transmitted through my body, was lulling me to sleep.

The carriage, being one of the royal family’s, was modified for comfort, which, in this case, was a drawback.

The seats were designed for long periods of sitting, with cushioned backs! The chairs were just the right length to lie down on!

And let’s not forget the skill of the driver!

Even though the main roads are well-maintained, there are still rough patches and traffic. If the carriage gains speed, it can shake violently. It’s not just a matter of a few bumps; motion sickness is common.

But today’s carriage was shaking only minimally, even at a decent speed. …I should ask the driver’s name for the next time I use a carriage.

“……”

Analyzing my sleepiness was pointless.

Everything was inviting me to sleep for the hour until we arrived, even if it was just for a nap. “Come on, Octavia, go to sleep!”

No, no, that’s not good. This box-shaped carriage has large windows on all sides.

There are no blind spots! The inside of the carriage is completely visible!

Moreover, during the journey, seven skilled soldiers, besides Clifford, were riding horses around the carriage to provide security. Three in front, three in the back, and one on each side.

I can’t sleep…! I have bad sleeping habits and sometimes talk in my sleep! I don’t have the nerve to show my sleeping face!

First of all, I’m wearing the formal attire that Sasha and the others finished for me. My hair is mostly down, but part of it is tied up, and it would get messy if I lay down.

But if I just close my eyes… No, no! If I close my eyes, I’m confident I’ll fall asleep while sitting!

I have to endure, endure….

That’s it! I’ll look at the scenery outside! I’ll move to the side.

“……?”

Suddenly, I was captivated by the landscape.

---From behind, a two-horse carriage was swaying and coming at a considerable speed.

We were heading in the same direction. The road was wide enough for several carriages to run side by side. On the day of a semi-ball, there are no strict rules about carriages overtaking each other based on the social status of the passengers.

Some nobles even deliberately try to overtake the royal carriage on such days, but the atmosphere today was different.

One of the rear wheels had come off, and part of the box section was in direct contact with the ground.

That wasn’t all. The driver wasn’t holding the reins. His arms were hanging loosely, and he seemed to have lost consciousness. The horses were still moving forward without a driver, but the box section was tilting and shaking violently.

The carriage door was open—

What?

“…Sir Sil?”

My sleepiness was completely gone.

A clearly male but androgynous beauty appeared from the out-of-control carriage. It was Sir Sil, my brother’s lover and the protagonist of the original novel. Sir Sil was trying to reach the driver’s seat, but the violent shaking was preventing him.

Oh no, Sir Sil is holding onto the wooden door with one hand!

“Clifford!”

I shouted to Clifford, who was riding alongside the carriage.

“Take control of that carriage!”

Clifford didn’t respond, but he changed the direction of his horse and approached the out-of-control carriage. However, the speed of the carriage I was in slowed down, and we were being left behind.

Carriage accidents are common. No matter how sturdy they are, wheels can come off, and horses can suddenly go wild and become uncontrollable. So, what should you do if you encounter a runaway carriage?

---Don’t get too close!

If it collides with something, the carriage will definitely stop. The priority is to prevent the accident from expanding by getting too close and being caught in it, rather than ensuring the safety of the passengers.

So, the driver was right to slow down and keep his distance.

“Driver! Don’t lose sight of that carriage! Try to run alongside it if possible!”

The runaway carriage sped down the road, and my four-horse carriage followed, a bit behind. The horses seemed to be getting excited, and the speed of the carriage Sir Sil was in was increasing. Moreover, the other rear wheel, which had been the only one left, was also starting to come off due to the load.

…What about Clifford?

I looked ahead. Clifford had brought his horse close to the side of the driver’s seat and managed to ride alongside it. He jumped over! I think he grabbed the reins. The speed of the out-of-control carriage slowed down a bit.

My four-horse carriage and Sir Sil’s carriage were running parallel to each other.

If it kept slowing down…

“!”

Finally, the other wheel that was about to come off flew off.

The straight part of the road was about to end. If it didn’t slow down in time, it would enter a gentle curve. Even though Clifford was holding the reins, it was uncertain whether the carriage, now with only two wheels, could withstand the curve.

“Bring the carriages closer!”

I called to the driver and grabbed the golden handle. I opened the carriage door, and the wind hit my face. Fortunately, the driver was skilled, and the distance between Sir Sil and me gradually closed. This should work!

“Sir Sil, over here!”

“Lady Octavia?”

The carriage hit a large stone and shook violently—more than just a shake, it bounced. Sir Sil grimaced, almost being thrown out.

“Hurry!”

Sir Sil grabbed my hand. With his right hand, he held onto the door of my carriage and put his foot on the edge. Before the curve, Sir Sil managed to transfer from one carriage to the other.

Immediately after, the carriages entered the curve. Both carriages made it through the turn, but the box section of Sir Sil’s carriage had tipped over and was being dragged by the two horses.

A close call?

Carriage accidents are scary.

After the curve, the runaway carriage soon stopped. It was now pulled to the side of the road to avoid blocking traffic. The two horses, which had been out of control, were now being petted by Clifford, looking content. The horse Clifford had been riding was also smart and had returned to its owner on its own.

Once safety was confirmed, Sir Sil and I got out of the royal carriage to deal with the aftermath. Since we were already involved, I couldn’t just say, “I’m glad you’re safe, goodbye!” and leave.

The result was that there were no casualties.

One of the causes of the accident was the wheel coming off, causing the carriage to lose balance. The other was that the elderly driver had a seizure and lost consciousness, making it impossible to control the horses. It’s unclear which happened first.

The driver regained consciousness after being tended to, but I asked one of the soldiers to have a doctor examine him.

I thought all that was left was to send Sir Sil back to my brother, or call my brother. In the worst case, if my brother couldn’t come due to official duties, someone would be sent immediately.

So, I asked Sir Sil, “What do you want to do?”

But the answer confused me.

He said no to both options.

He wanted to continue to the destination?

“Without telling my brother? Is that really okay, Sir Sil—”

I was about to say more but stopped.

The light in the eyes of the skilled soldiers who were guarding us.

Curiosity! Despite trying to remain professional, they couldn’t hide their curiosity!

“—You all, please stand a bit further away.”

I asked them to move to the side of the road and led Sir Sil to where the royal carriage was parked.

This way, we could talk without worrying about the soldiers. Clifford, as a guard, stayed at his usual distance, just in case.

“…Clifford”

“Confidential, right?”

“Yes.”

I faced Sir Sil.

Usually, when we met, my brother was always with us, so this was the first time we were alone.

The sunlight made his dark blue hair shimmer. His eyes were hazel. These colors, which didn’t quite come across in the illustrations or novel descriptions, were truly different in real life.

—Sir Sil’s formal name is Sil Burks. He is the third son of the Burks baron family. The vague way of speaking is because Sir Sil has a secret about his birth. The Burks family is also known for its extramarital affairs. Sir Sil was taken in by the Burks family right after the baroness lost her third child in a stillbirth. He was raised as the third son, but his real parents are unknown.

Incidentally, readers learn this quite early in the story, but it’s not revealed in the plot for a long time!

This time, Sir Sil was heading to a semi-ball as a member of the Burks family. …What a coincidence! The semi-ball hosted by the Earl of Readington!

However, his name was not on the list of attendees I saw.

That’s because Sir Sil had decided to attend at the last minute.

Moreover, I suspect he did it without telling my brother?

Sir Sil usually stays in the capital, not in the Burks baron’s territory. Nobles with territories often have a mansion in the capital for temporary stays. He left from there to arrive on time for the event.

The group consisted of Sir Sil, a long-serving driver of the baron’s family, and a freelance guard hired for the trip. A total of three people.

Considering his position as the third son of the baron, this was reasonable. However, as the lover of a prince rumored to be engaged, the number and quality of the group were a bit concerning. At this stage, it’s unlikely that Sir Sil could borrow Esfia’s soldiers, and my brother would have to arrange it.

Moreover, the freelance guard, who could be hired by anyone, didn’t do much more than his pay. In fact, he had fled when he realized the carriage was out of control, leaving Sir Sil behind. …Well, he might be shaken when he realizes who he abandoned later.

If my brother had known, he wouldn’t have let Sir Sil go alone, given this situation.

“Sir Sil. —Given this accident, I think it’s best to inform my brother.”

The safest place for Sir Sil is by my brother’s side. Whether there were any signs of tampering with the wheel, whether the driver’s seizure was a coincidence, and the whereabouts of the fleeing freelance guard—my brother would investigate all of this.

“Even so, you don’t want to tell him?”

“…Yes.”

The answer to my question was a firm one. His hazel eyes showed no wavering.

“You’re not fighting, are you?”

I recently remembered seeing them passionately kissing in a corner of the castle.

Sir Sil nodded, then seemed to realize something and became more reserved.

“Lady Octavia. —I apologize for my rudeness the other day.”

“If those words were about my brother’s statement, Sir Sil, you don’t need to apologize.”

Love or something? My brother said that, and he’s still my brother! Sir Sil is still Sir Sil!

“More importantly, Sir Sil, you haven’t told my brother about attending the Earl of Readington’s semi-ball, have you?”

“Yes…”

Sir Sil admitted, seemingly resigned.

“Serious… Your Highness has been on edge lately and doesn’t like me going out. He only allows the castle and the baron’s mansion… If I told him, attending would be out of the question.”

He shook his head and sighed.

Oh! My brother, you’ve been outsmarted by Sir Sil! Oops, I shouldn’t have thought that. Sir Sil had just been in an accident, so it wasn’t a time to be happy.

I tried to hide my smirk with a fan and composed my face! The dignity of a princess. The dignity of a princess!

“You don’t need to call him ‘Serious Your Highness’ just because I’m here. —You managed to slip past my brother’s watch, didn’t you?”

“Derek helped me.”

“Derek, the son of the Duke of Nightfellow…”

One of my brother’s friends. Derek Nightfellow?

“He’s also attending the Earl of Readington’s semi-ball. It would have been safer for you to ride with Derek. If you had asked…”

There would be two carriages, one for the older man and one for Derek. It would be much safer.

“That would have led to unnecessary speculation. I am Serious’s lover.”

The scales fell from my eyes.

That’s right…! This is the capital of Esfia!

In this world, when two men are together, it’s more likely to be suspected as a romantic relationship rather than a friendship!

I was too hasty in my thinking…!

The lover of the first prince, Sir Sil, riding alone with the next Duke of Nightfellow in a carriage! “A love triangle! Is Sil Burks swaying towards the next duke!” That’s what people would think…

Well, carriages have windows, so it’s not like they can secretly cuddle inside! It’s completely visible from the outside! Even if they lower the curtains, it would be like announcing, “We’re doing something suspicious inside!”

So, carriages are polished to a shine, but there are no unnecessary decorations on the windows. Even if they lower the curtains to block the sun, they make sure the inside of the carriage is visible.

Feel free to look! That’s how carriage travel works in Esfia! It’s a space where you can’t make any mistakes!

There are also covered carriages and shared carriages, so it’s different if they have a specific purpose.

However, if a royal or noble family’s personal carriage is seen without windows or with hidden windows, it’s considered a scandal and viewed with suspicion.

In such cases, it’s better to be seen cuddling in a completely visible carriage. Of course, this applies only to married couples, engaged couples, or lovers.

Some people even use this visibility to show off their relationship, riding together to hint at their connection.

“—I understand the reason you were alone. But why do you want to attend the semi-ball so badly?”

It seemed more than just a small act of rebellion or a break from my brother. Sir Sil seemed determined.

“It’s….”

“…You can’t tell me, can you? Not even your brother?”

In the original novel, when it came to matters related to his birth, Sir Sil showed incredible determination. Not knowing who he was was his main concern throughout the series. Even though he loved my brother, there were many scenes where he couldn’t fully reciprocate, and the reason was this. He only revealed his birth to my brother when the issue of succession became serious. Is this related to that?

In the later chapters, the protagonist’s secrets might finally be revealed along with the events that unfold…! I haven’t read that far yet…

As a reader, I had deeply empathized with Sir Sil and imagined his true identity.

He might be related to my brother, leading to an incestuous plot. …That’s not possible. I realized this after becoming Octavia. I also considered the possibility that he was the illegitimate child of a neighboring kingdom’s king. That was my top guess!

“Family…”

Sir Sil, who had been looking down, raised his face as if he had made a decision.

“I’m not a member of the Burks family. I’m an adopted child. But in most cases, adoptees have a verified background. In my case…”

“Sir Sil?”

“My origins are completely unknown.”

Wait… What? Is it okay, Sir Sil? Haven’t you told your brother this yet?

“So, Lady Octavia, you must think I’m not suitable for your brother, Serious… I understand why you wouldn’t approve.”

What…?

“—What would it take for you to accept me, Lady Octavia?”

The question Sir Sil asked me two days ago. Did he mean it like that?

Was it more like this?

“—What would it take for you to accept (someone with completely unknown origins), Lady Octavia?”

I don’t understand, Sir Sil!