Only You

Morning.

I was dressed sloppily, having only pulled on a shirt and trousers, but I successfully left the bedroom quietly without waking Shitoen.

I then walked down the second-floor hallway while yawning.

“Oh my.”

The one coming up the stairs was Eaton.

Since she was carrying a basin and towels, she might have come to wake Shitoen.

“Shitoen is still sleeping. She went to bed late yesterday… Let her sleep a little longer.”

“Well, well. Even though she has been sleeping ever since you left the living room at that hour? She went to bed late?”

“Urgh…”

“Shall I prepare a bath?”

“…Y-yes.”

I hesitated a little before answering. Saying “Well, well” again, Eaton went down the stairs. Somehow… my face felt hot. No… well, she would need… a bath.

Maybe I should take a cold bath too.

Thinking that, I went down the stairs.

When I roughly scratched my head, I noticed I had quite the bedhead. Huh…? What kind of way was I sleeping?

When I went down to the first floor, perhaps it was shift-change time. Several sleepy-looking members were gathered together, passing along some sort of report.

“Good morning, Captain.”

“Good morning. Good work.”

When I returned the greeting, they laughed. Hm? When I wondered why, it seemed to be because of my bedhead.

“I’m going to take a bath.”

“You should do that. Also, check various things.”

“Hm? Ah.”

Huh. Am I that bad? My beard? Is it my beard?

Bath, bath. I wonder if Raul is still asleep.

When I showed my face in the living room where everyone had drunk and made noise last night, Vandel was sitting on the sofa, drinking coffee while looking out at the scenery beyond the window, and Raul was writing something at the table.

“Good morning.”

When I called out, the two of them turned toward me.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, my best friend. That is some impressive bedhead.”

Vandel laughed as he returned his cup to its saucer.

“Yeah, it is. Raul, I want to go take a bath.”

“Yes, yes. After I finish writing just this…”

I watched him clicking away at the abacus, then turned my face toward the scenery Vandel had been looking at and suddenly remembered.

What I had felt last night when I saw Shitoen looking at the full moon.

“If you like, shall we go take a bath together, Saryu?”

Vandel stood up and tried to cling to me, so I pushed him away, saying, “You’re annoying from the morning.”

“I’m glad you seem to have slept well. During your official duties, you probably couldn’t relax because of Princess Consort Shitoen’s security and so on. At least in this villa, you should take it easy.”

While glaring at Vandel, who flicked my bedhead with his finger, I still ended up murmuring, “That’s… true.”

The situation where Shitoen might continue to be targeted from now on would not change…

Shitoen would disappear.

She would vanish and be gone.

I would absolutely never allow that.

But.

In that process, if.

If I died…

Then what would happen to Shitoen?

I did not know why, but I just could not break free from that thought. No matter what I did, I became fixated on it.

As if driven by that anxiety, I opened my mouth.

“Hey, Vandel.”

“What is it?”

“If something happens to me, take care of Shitoen. You too, Raul.”

“Huh?”

The one who raised his face and asked back was Raul. Vandel was looking at me with his brows furrowed.

“No, it just came to mind. Shitoen has been targeted all this time, hasn’t she? Of course I’ll protect her, but… there’s a chance I might die in the process, right? If that happens—”

“You idiot!”

“Gafun!”

Vandel suddenly punched me in the jaw.

“Wha! Wh-wh-wh-wh—”

“You absolute fool!”

“Dah!”

Raul threw his notebook at me, and it hit me squarely in the face.

“What an unbelievably short-sighted man. You have me and your knight order to protect you. So you just focus on protecting Princess Consort Shitoen!”

Vandel, who was always joking around, glared at me with rare anger in his eyes.

“That’s right. What are you even saying? Just as you protect Princess Consort Shitoen, we protect you so nothing happens to you, Captain. It would be a problem if you died on your own. Also, pick up that notebook, Captain.”

Raul pointed at the notebook that had fallen at my feet and ordered me.

“You protect Princess Consort Shitoen, who is precious to you. We, who are precious to you, protect you. That simply continues forever. Isn’t that right?”

Vandel snorted.

“Besides, having someone die while protecting her on his own would surely be even more painful for Princess Consort Shitoen.”

Stab.

It pierced my chest.

That was right.

The person Shitoen had loved before.

He had died protecting Shitoen, hadn’t he…?

As a result, Shitoen had regretted it again and again…

“That might be true… Thank you, Vandel. …You’re right. I… kind of got ahead of myself.”

I smiled and tapped Vandel on the shoulder.

“If your life is ever in danger, I’ll save you!”

“What joyful words…!”

“I don’t need a hug! Don’t put your face near my neck!”

“Ah.”

“What is it?”

Since he froze for a moment, I slipped out of Vandel’s arms in that opening.

“Haaaaah… I truly cannot do this anymore.”

Vandel shook his head in an exaggerated gesture and sat down heavily on the sofa.

“Hey, Raul. Prepare a bath for Saryu. I can’t bear to look at him anymore. It seems his wife loved him quite thoroughly yesterday.”

“Haaaaaaah?!”

“Ah. Captain, you have a kiss mark here. Ah, ah, honestly. Before the other members notice, change clothes and go to the bath… Ah… You’re such trouble from the morning…”

Just as Raul stood up as if it were a bother, the sound of Mone and Roze running noisily through the open hallway could be heard.

“Good morning.”

When I called out, Mone let out a grand sigh, and Roze crossed her arms and glared at me.

Huh. Isn’t she being incredibly aggressive?

“Listen, Prince. Don’t make things complicated from the morning.”

“What, did I…?”

Just as I was about to say, What did I do? Mone spread out what seemed to be Shitoen’s outfit that she was holding.

“I was thinking of having Shitoen-sama wear this today, and yet… because the Prince left kiss marks all over Shitoen-sama’s body.”

“Urgh…”

“We have to choose her clothes all over again, honestly!”

“It seemed like it would be hot today, so I thought something with an open neckline would be good, but that… The pool will be impossible too, I suppose.”

“Poor Shitoen-sama.”

“Even though Shitoen-sama said her skin is weak… Unbelievable.”

The sisters spat those words out, and I opened and closed my mouth, feeling utterly uncomfortable.

“Ah, ah, honestly. Causing trouble here and there. Come on, we’re going to the cold bath.”

When Raul stood up, light footsteps came pattering closer.

“Ah.”

A voice slipped out without thinking.

Shitoen was moving while covered from head to toe in something like a sheet, accompanied by Eaton.

“Ah…”

When our eyes met, Shitoen turned bright red, lowered her eyes, and pulled the sheet deeper over herself.

“Come now, you mustn’t make too much eye contact with such an indecent winter bear.”

“Shitoen-sama, let’s go take a bath together. His indecency might spread.”

Mone and Roze made fun of me, so I yelled at them.

“What’s with treating people like infectious germs!”

“That’s right! How dare you say that about my dearest best friend!”

“Why are you clinging to me? You’re annoying!”

“Ah, ah, ah, honestly… What a pain…”

There was shouting, anger, and laughter.

Before I knew it, the whole villa was in an uproar.

It was annoying, and in the first place, I wondered how it had even turned into this.

There were times when I thought it was a bother, but.

Still.

If Shitoen could spend her days happily amid days like these.

I watched Shitoen disappear down the hallway, led by Eaton and the others, and wished strongly.

In this life, and in the next.

Only you are precious to me.

Only you do I want to make happy.

I will absolutely protect you.

Even at the cost of my life.

So.

Those who are targeting Shitoen.

It is about time we settle this.