Chapter 24

Today, Fil was wearing a gold ear cuff.

The fact that he still had it on suggested that he had spent a long time not as a knight but as the real Fil.

Probably, he had forgotten to take it off before coming here.

I shouldn’t be looking, but my eyes are drawn to the pattern engraved on the ear cuff.

It’s unusual for a man’s accessory to be shaped like a flower.

I had assumed it would be something like a family crest, depicting an animal, so I end up examining it closely. I even lean in to get a better look.

"...Lucia, it’s hard to keep my wits about me when I’m caught off guard like this."

"Oh, you were awake!?"

I quickly pull away, and Fil opens his blue eyes with a snap.

"Sorry. At this distance, I can’t help but wake up."

"If you’re awake, open your eyes. I wanted to ask you about breakfast!"

"...Ah, you said that, didn’t you?"

You must have heard it from the beginning, right!

Even though I glared at him, Fil just looked troubled and averted his gaze, then stood up in one fluid motion.

He quickly folded the blanket, tucked it under his arm, and stretched lightly. Then he turned to me.

"I don’t need any food. While I was being held by my brother, my sister and sister-in-law kept feeding me. I’m not a growing teenager anymore, you know."

"Would you like a drink?"

"I’ll just have some water later."

Fil yawned softly.

He looks very sleepy.

Even though he heard my voice, it seems he was really asleep.

"Fil..."

"Hm?"

"Are you... getting married?"

Fil, who had been stretching his neck, stopped and slowly turned to me.

"Did you hear that from Alves?"

"Yes. Even though I said I didn’t want to hear it, he kept talking about it."

"I see. ...That’s a problem. Your voices are too relaxing. I didn’t notice at all."

Fil, now fully awake, put the blanket in the corner of the room and plopped down in a chair.

He was deep in thought, but then he noticed I was still standing and pulled a chair over for me.

"Sit down."

When I sat down obediently, he ran his hand through his disheveled silver hair and sighed deeply.

"...I don’t want to get married yet. At least not to someone my brother recommends. But I can’t keep living alone and carefree forever. If I stay single, it just encourages people with strange ambitions. ...It’s a hassle."

Fil isn’t looking at me.

He’s staring blankly at the fire in the hearth.

"It was a miracle that I didn’t have a fiancée until now. But probably, I’ll get married soon... within a year. Well, it’s not a big deal. I understand the meaning of the family I was born into. But..."

Fil smiled emptily.

"...If I get married, I won’t be able to come here anymore. That’s what’s hard."

His voice was so sad that I couldn’t help but lean forward.

"My brother will surely welcome you. I’ll welcome your wife and children too!"

"Thank you. But that’s not easy, and I don’t want to drag you into power struggles. ...Actually, I shouldn’t even be here now. I know that, but it’s comfortable here, and..."

He suddenly stopped speaking.

It was as if he had almost said something he shouldn’t.

He seemed to have sealed it away with his reason.

Fil was still looking at the fire.

Eventually, Fil stood up.

When he turned around, he was back to his usual self.

"Sorry. I guess I’m still tired. I’m going to sleep! I’ll borrow some well water to cool my head."

"Sure, a cold bath is refreshing. It clears your head."

A voice came from the doorway.

It was Brother Alves, with a cloth over his shoulder and water still dripping from his hair.

He seemed to be leaning casually against the door, but his eyes were fixed on Fil.

...How long had he been there?

"Lucia, you should go to bed. We’ll take care of the rest."

"But—"

"Yeah, Lucia, you can rest. ...Or do you want to admire me half-naked, dripping with water? I’m confident in my body, so I could let you stay if you want."

"Please take care of the rest. Good night!"

I turned my back on Fil.

As I passed by Brother Alves, he sighed and then went inside.

---

"Lucia, I’m sorry about yesterday!"

The next morning, as soon as I stepped out of my room, Fil apologized to me.

In the dimly lit hallway, being greeted like this as soon as I opened the door was quite a shock.

My sleepiness vanished instantly, but my heart was pounding.

"My family said a lot of things, and I guess I was a bit off. I even said some strange things. I’m really sorry!"

"Well... I don’t really remember much of what we talked about yesterday. And you weren’t that different from usual, right? ...I think."

Even though it was painful, I lied.

Life is full of all sorts of things.

Fil needs to let out the things he’s been bottling up inside. If the only people he can do that with are Brother Alves and me, then we should listen quietly.

In return, I’ll forget it quickly.

I looked up at Fil.

He was slightly bowed, and he didn’t seem to be in high spirits.

On closer inspection, he had dark circles under his eyes.

"Did you have trouble sleeping? You’re more sensitive than I thought."

I laughed, and Fil smiled just a little.

"I can be nervous too, you know?"

"Considering that, you do well as a knight."

"I’m tough when it comes to combat. I think the military guys can’t even imagine me looking like this."

...Is that how it works?

Then, let’s help you regain that toughness and get back on your feet.

"Since you’re up early, would you mind fetching some water?"

"As you wish, my princess."

Fil placed his hand over his heart and bowed respectfully.

As expected of a real knight.

It makes me feel like a princess.