Chapter 8

I first heard the name Yuris Schneider, I believe, when I attended a salon at around fifteen years old in my second life.

At that time, Aurelia, who was trying to improve her social skills, was gathering various information from girls of the same age, and that was when she first heard about Yuris.

To put it simply, Yuris is "extremely frivolous and a womanizer who is crazy about cute women."

At the time, he was eighteen and working as a knight on the frontier, but apparently, he was also constantly flirting with women there.

Later, he returned to the capital, and Aurelia had seen him a few times... but she didn't want to get too close to him, who always had women around him.

(How could such a gentlemanly and kind person become a womanizer in just five years...)

While eating sweets next to the trees with Yuris, Aurelia was deep in thought.

He is one of the few examples of someone still unmarried eight years later, but he is definitely a risky choice.

In her second life, Aurelia had heard many stories of women who had cried over Yuris Schneider. The fact that there were no illegitimate children was perhaps the only saving grace.

Glancing to the side, she saw that the current thirteen-year-old Yuris was quietly eating his sweets. The handsome young man he would become, exuding charm, was still in the process of growing, and he still retained the unique charm of a boy.

...Noticing that she was staring, Yuris turned to Aurelia and smiled.

"Being stared at so intently makes me feel shy."

"U-Uh, no, I'm sorry. It's just that... Yuris-sama is so handsome..."

It was a desperate excuse, but the fact that he was handsome was true, whether in his youth or as a young man.

But Yuris, with wide eyes, suddenly turned away.

(What? Did he dislike it...?)

"A-Are you...?"

"...I'm sorry. I'm not used to being told such things."

"Eh?"

Thinking she had been disliked, Aurelia was shocked, but upon closer inspection, Yuris's ears, visible through his hair, were slightly red, and his cheeks were flushed.

(Is he... blushing? Could it be that the charming Yuris Schneider...?)

"W-Well, I thought Yuris-sama had a lot of romantic experience..."

"Absolutely not! I often hear that, but I've hardly ever even held a woman's hand."

"Eh... Really?"

"Today, I reluctantly attended at my uncle's urging, but I couldn't really fit in with the surroundings... So I thought I might as well enjoy the delicious food and go home."

"..."

It was unexpected.

(Maybe Yuris-sama was like this during his youth...?)

The information Aurelia knew about Yuris started from when he was eighteen. She didn't know what he was like before that, and she certainly didn't expect him to be more interested in food than in women.

"...Are you not looking for a fiancée, Yuris-sama?"

Deciding to ask boldly, she felt Natalia, who was nearby, flinch. But since she didn't intervene, it should be fine to continue the conversation.

In response to Aurelia's question, Yuris, still slightly blushing, nodded.

"I don't intend to rush. Besides, though I am a relative of the Schneider Duke, I am aiming to be a knight. Unlike my cousin, who is the heir, I think it's fine to remain single for life if it comes to that."

"...Is that so?"

"What about you, Aurelia? You seem younger than me, but are you already looking for a fiancé?"

The use of "young" rather than "child" or "young" conveyed Yuris's gentlemanly demeanor.

"Yes... My parents have suggested someone else as my fiancé, but I just can't get into it."

"Did you meet the person and find you couldn't like them?"

"No... I only saw them briefly today."

"..."

Yuris fell silent.

(Does he think it's strange for a noble lady to refuse a fiancé for such a reason...?)

A cold feeling washed over her, but after a moment of silence, Yuris spoke.

"Well, that's how it is, I guess."

"Eh?"

"Isn't it fine to decide based on intuition? ...People often say, 'It's better to try and regret than to not try and regret,' but I think the opposite. Trying is often praised, but why is that?"

"...So, what about Yuris-sama?"

"I prefer not to do something if there's a possibility I'll regret it. In any case, I don't want to live a life where I blame others for my own failures, even if I make a mistake after making a choice."

Yuris's words pierced Aurelia's heart.

(What a remarkable person...)

Throughout her life, she had gradually started to make her own choices, but in the end, she had been swayed by "Raul's opinion." In contrast, Yuris already had a clear sense of his own thoughts after just one life.

"...It's wonderful."

"...Eh?"

"Ah, no, it's just that I'm not as composed as Yuris-sama, so I think your thoughts are amazing..."

"...S-Sure. Thank you."

Yuris turned away and started eating the remaining sweets on the plate in silence. Aurelia also quietly ate the sweets, except for the pink cake she had saved for her brother.

In the lively garden party, silence surrounded Aurelia and Yuris.

However, she didn't particularly mind this silence.

"...Miss Aurelia?"

"Yes?"

"I am also being advised to marry by my uncle."

Handing the plate with only the pink cake left to Natalia, Aurelia looked at Yuris.

"I am the Duke's nephew, but even if I become a knight, I don't have a strong backing. It wouldn't hurt to find someone who can be my ally early on... My uncle is probably saying this out of kindness, but it is painful for me."

"Painful...?"

"I don't mind being expected to do things, and I understand my uncle's point. ...But sometimes, I feel uncertain about myself. When I think about it, I feel lonely..."

Aurelia's heart raced.

(The current Yuris is just an ordinary boy... Could this kind of pressure be shaping the Yuris of eight years later...?)

The Yuris who had women around him seemed to be having fun, but the current Yuris looked sad.

Being expected is nice, but it can also be painful.

He has things he wants to do, but sometimes he is overwhelmed by vague anxiety.

The way he confided in her... for some reason, he seemed very attractive.

Her heart pounded with tension.

"Yuris-sama"

Without thinking, Aurelia's mouth moved.

"Will you... become my fiancé?"

Before she knew it, she had said those words.