Translated by d6y (ko-fi)

Chapter 21

Except that tomorrow was a new day, and a new year, not much has changed since Lancer's confession.

Honestly, whether or not Lancer and I were attracted to one another didn't matter, because we were already spending time like how 'lovers' would. 

Plus, our families knew each other very well.

So I thought, 'We already seem like we're dating, our family knows one another, so what else should we do..?'

After thinking about it for a while, I came to a complacent conclusion,

'Maybe I should just stay put.'

It was my best conclusion at the time.

If my relationship with Lancer continues like this, I will have to marry him one day.

No one knows exactly when that 'someday' will be. It's not like we're getting married anytime soon.

As with all aristocratic love affairs, simply liking each other didn't mean you could get married.

We had to take major imperial events into conclusion, and it had to be carried out after I had properly inherited the duchy.

And most of all, we both still had time before our coming-of-age ceremony, so there was no need to rush.

It's not going to happen anytime soon, so I don't need to tell my parents.

My parents would always say "Why don't you just get married?"  whenever they saw Lancer and I together.

I wondered what would happen if I told them that we were dating.

Maybe there would be a lot of drumming and bell ringing, they'd cling to my legs, sobbing, and singing day and night, "My lovely daughter has finally found love at last!"

I wanted to slow down that mess as much as possible.

Having my mind made up, I didn't tell anyone that Lancer confessed to me.

Over the next few days, I spent tea time with him as I always did.

Most of these tea times took place at the Kaerun Duchy, the reasons were due to several dignitaries arriving at Soli Duchy's mansion at the start of the year, as well as Lancer's brothers also inviting their friends for small social gatherings.

Thus my house without my parents, who sailed to the southern seas, became our abode for the meantime.

"But shouldn't you be attending the guests?" I asked Lancer. We sat down to dinner after spending the day.

He merely shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay, my brothers are there."

"But your eldest brother will be busy with wedding preparations, shouldn't you go and greet the guests instead?"

"It's okay because I have a second brother. Besides, I'm the youngest, so no one cares."

"Oh, okay, your second brother also came home since it's the beginning of the year."

I recalled Lancer's second brother. His name was Hubert, and he was two years older than us.

When we were younger, he would often take us out to play.

But that was only when he was a kid. When he turned thirteen, Hubert suddenly set off to join the Imperial Knights with grandiose dreams of becoming the best knight in the Empire.

He would occasionally send me a long letter of regard and I would simply reply.

A new year has begun, and all families are gathering and having fun.

except for my family.

That thought popped into my head.

Despite their hectic schedules that they couldn't eat meals properly, Lancer's parents made time to spend new years with their family, even though Lancer's eldest brother is busy preparing for his wedding, and Hubert is busy with his knight's apprenticeship.

But why is my family like this?

Why do my father and mother leave their only child alone to go on vacation among themselves?

Before my parents left for their trip, I bluntly told them.

"Duke Soli said that since it was new years, the whole family was going to gather to spend time together."

So don't go.

Though it's unusual, I want you to spend time with me.

Don't just have a meal with me regularly and be done with it. But let's have small talks, go to the garden together to look at flowers, and go out to the nearby suburbs as most families do. 

Those are the words I wanted to say, but my useless pride prevented me from doing it.

My parents didn't understand what I was trying to convey, so they smiled and replied,

"We see each other every day, so there's no need to do something special at the beginning of the year, is there?"

"On the contrary, since it's new years, why don't you let Mom and Dad spend some alone time, Skyla?"

At their answers, I shut up and walked away.

I had always wanted to ask, 'Why do I feel like a stranger in this family? Why does it feel like I'm in the way between my parents?'

Thank goodness for Lancer. And I meant that. If it weren't for him, I would have started the year off alone.

I tasted the onion soup that had been served as an appetizer and turned towards Lancer.

"You shouldn't be in my house too much, your guests might start to think you're rude."

"No one talks to me anyway."

Lancer replied nonchalantly. I unconsciously swallowed the silence that followed.

I knew full well why none of the guests had approached him.

"Lancer, the Archmage of Soli Duchy!"

To the public, Lancer was known as the once-in-a-thousand-years archmage.

As such, people often look at him with a mixture of curiosity and reverence.

But most of those who actually encountered him were terrified of him.

He would glare at everyone who spoke to him, so people naturally avoided him.

"Ah, right."

After dipping a warm slice of baguette into his onion soup, Lancer wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

"Some guy kept trying to talk to me."

"An old man?"

"Yeah. There's a wizard from the Hebnia Kingdom among the guests my parents invited this time. I don't like him because he keeps asking me questions."

A wizard from the Hebnia Kingdom?

That one sentence piqued my curiosity.

The Hebnia Kingdom was our empire's neighbouring country.

Unlike our empire, where mages were a rarity, all nobles in Hebnia possessed magic power, it was a land of wizards.

"What did they ask?"

"He keeps asking me if I can do this or that with my magic."

A servant pushed a silver tray cart into the dining room.

One maid stepped forward to collect the soup bowls that were placed in front of us, and another set down plates with the main dishes.

A lemon-peppered salmon steak and roasted Brussels sprouts were on a platter with an elaborate gold rim.

"The wizard must be very interested in you."

Carelessly muttering, I stamped down my fork along the grain of the salmon steak.

The pale pink meat, still warm from the oven, fell away gently.

"I'm not interested in anyone except you, Skyla."

My hand halted to a stop when he spoke, his words bounced back to me like a reflection.

I would have heard them and let it slip without a second thought in the past.

But not now, not anymore.

"Uh, Skyla, what's wrong with your face?"

"Oh, it's nothing!"

I hastily turned my face away from Lancer.

My ears flared up, and my cheeks were flushed red as if someone had sprinkled them with hot pepper powder.

"Your face is so red. Are you sick?"

"I-It's just hot!"

"But it's winter?"

"You don't know that! And you shouldn't do that, Lancer. Social life is about being polite to people you don't care about, the least you could do is to answer what they ask, don't you think?"

I didn't want Lancer to know of my feelings, so I raised my voice unnecessarily and rambled on.

It wasn't uncharacteristic of me, but I was desperate to change the subject.

Lancer replied while munching on a cabbage,

"I wonly kare avout tha pheople I lhike."

"Don't talk while eating."

He swallowed his cabbage.

"I only care about the people I like."

Lancer said, wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

"You..!"

I was momentarily flustered and quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching.

I don't want to tell my parents yet, but if the maids find out, then it's over.

Fortunately, there was no one else in the dining room but us. The servants who served the main dish had already left to prepare dessert.

"What's wrong with you,  Skyla?"

He tilted his head as he watched me sigh in relief.

I glanced at him.

"What's wrong with you, Lancer?"

"Huh, what?"

"Why did you say that, I mean."

"What I said?"

Lancer stared at me in confusion.

His jewel-like eyes were devoid of any speckles.

For the umpteenth time, I had to rephrase what he had said.

"You told me you like me."

"So?"

"So? What do you mean by 'so'? You can't just go out there and casually say things  like that when other people might overhear."

"Ah… I can't just say I like you?"

"No. Someone else might hear you."

"But what can I do if I really like you? I can't say I don't like you."

As he spoke, Lancer's blue eyes held contact with mine.

"..."

For a moment, nothing came out of my mouth.

It was a flash of epiphany.

Lancer had only been looking at me the entire meal.

No one else was in his line of sight, not even the maids who came in to serve and push the tray carts.

"... Only say that when we're alone."

Before I knew it, the words came out of my mouth.

Sh*t. I never thought there would be a time when I'd say that. My embarrassment feels worse than butter melting on a griddle.

"I can only say I like you when it's just the two of us?"

"Yeah."

I grabbed the glass in front of me. I felt thirsty for no reason.

My tutor had pointed out several times to me that it was impolite to drink water during meals, but I couldn't be bothered with manners right now.

I don't know why, but the thought of Lancer telling me he liked me in front of others made my face burn.

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