The Monologue Of A Certain Personal Attendant

Late that night, I secretly slipped out of the manor and made my way into a forest some distance away.

I had already made contact during the day, but before I could explain the matter, she had said that she wanted to meet and speak in person.

After checking that no one was nearby, I took a sheet of stationery from my pocket, quickly ran my pen across it, then pressed the crest of House Ark Gate three times with my finger.

Without much delay, a golden light spread out before me.

I had seen it several times before, but she was the only person I knew who could use this magic.

Emerging from that dazzling golden light in the darkness of night, her black hair swaying, was the head of House Ark Gate, Leticia Ark Gate-sama.

With the golden light unfolding behind her, she looked so sacred that it was almost as though a god had descended into this world.

The gate closed, and her black hair blended into the darkness of the night, but for some reason I could still see her expression clearly.

As always, she wore that artificial smile that—though it would be rude to say so—somehow struck me as suspicious.

“It’s a lovely night, Tanya Restor.”

At Leticia-sama’s words, I instinctively bowed my head.

“Good evening, Leticia-sama.”

I did not raise my head so easily.

Because I knew very well just how terrifying this woman could be.

“So? What is it?”

At Leticia-sama’s brief words, delivered with the imposing presence of one who stood overwhelmingly above others, I quietly exhaled and calmed myself.

“It’s from Nova-sama. May I repeat his words exactly as he said them?”

“You may.”

I raised my head and repeated Nova-sama’s words exactly.

“He said, ‘It’ll depend on Shia’s schedule, but I know Saria fairly well, so I think I could show Shia around since she’s from Norzampshon.’ In other words, Nova-sama wishes to invite you on a date, Leticia-sama.”

In that instant, the crushing pressure weighing on my body vanished as though it had never existed.

When I glanced toward Leticia-sama with only my eyes, the woman who stood as an absolute existence not merely within this country but throughout the world was beaming.

“Nova-san… a date…”

The artificial smile from moments ago had disappeared without a trace.

Leticia-sama’s cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled with unmistakable affection, making it obvious that she was truly in love with Nova-sama from the bottom of her heart.

“When shall we arrange it?”

Since I already knew perfectly well that Leticia-sama’s answer would be yes, I asked about the date and time, and her expression abruptly changed as she began to think.

Just moments ago, she had looked like an ordinary young maiden in love, so I really wished she would stop suddenly radiating the absolute presence of a god.

“Let’s see… Tomorrow would be fine. Can you tell Nova-san in the morning?”

“That won’t be a problem.”

I nodded at the answer I had expected. Nova-sama had no plans over the next few days to begin with.

Precisely because that detestable House Fols treated him so coldly, he was given neither work nor responsibilities; all he had were his sword training and his self-directed studies.

That did not change whether he was staying at the main residence or at Nova-sama’s own manor.

If I told him about his date with Leticia-sama, I was sure he would be delighted.

“That is all I wished to discuss.”

“I see.”

I thought that would be the end of our conversation, but Leticia-sama clasped her hands behind her back and began to walk slowly.

Despite having secured a date with Nova-sama, her atmosphere had not softened. If anything, it had become slightly more tense.

“So? How are Nova-san and House Fols doing?”

“Nova-sama is the same as always. House Fols, on the other hand, seems unable to determine why you are approaching Nova-sama or what your true intentions are.”

“Oh? Nova-san hasn’t told them?”

“I doubt he intends to. Nova-sama himself appears to harbor certain feelings toward House Fols.”

Personally, I thought it was a good thing that Nova-sama had not told them about his past with Leticia-sama.

Nova-sama was kind even to someone like me, so I had worried that he might still feel indebted to the family who had treated him coldly all these years, but apparently that concern had been unfounded.

“Fufufu.”

Suddenly, along with a suffocating pressure, it felt as though the temperature around us had plummeted all at once.

With a smile that sent a chill down my spine, Leticia-sama continued walking.

Her steps were casual, almost light. And yet, along the way, she deliberately stepped on fallen branches with perfect accuracy, snapping them beneath her feet.

“Travis Fols, who branded Nova-san a failure.”

She stepped forward once. A thin branch snapped loudly beneath her foot.

“Kairas Fols, who treats Nova-san as though he doesn’t even exist.”

Another step. Another thin branch snapped with a sharp crack.

“And Zeroad Fols, who has tormented Nova-san.”

Her final step was somewhat stronger. A slightly thicker branch shattered beneath her foot.

Radiating an oppressive aura like absolute zero and wearing an artificial smile terrifying enough to make one tremble, Leticia-sama turned back toward me.

“But it’s all right now. It took a long time, but at last I can repay Nova-san. I can give him so much more. That is why I became the head of House Ark Gate. That is why I ended the war so quickly. That is why I made contact with you, and that is why I proposed marriage to Nova-san.”

Normally, anyone would have found her terrifying.

An ordinary person would surely have twisted their face in fear.

And yet I knew that I was smiling, looking at Leticia-sama with shining eyes.

The only person to whom I offered my absolute loyalty was Nova-sama.

No one else but that great man who, ever since we were children, had repeatedly sacrificed himself to help me.

But if I had to choose a second person to whom I would pledge my loyalty, I would choose Leticia-sama without hesitation.

She was the woman who had appeared before me about a year ago and became my patron.

By borrowing even a tiny portion of her power, I had regained my resolve and gradually became able to improve the circumstances surrounding Nova-sama.

Nothing frightened me anymore.

I could reprimand and dismiss servants who badmouthed Nova-sama behind his back.

I could even flatly reject the vulgar advances of that piece of garbage named Zeroad.

After all, I had come to know someone far more terrifying than he was.

Well, when Leticia-sama asked whether I harbored romantic feelings for Nova-sama, I thought I was going to die, and even now, Nova-sama’s jokes occasionally made me contemplate my own mortality.

Even so, as long as Nova-sama was happy, I wanted nothing else, and I believed there was no one besides Leticia-sama who could truly make that happen.

And so I asked the absolute being who inspired such awe within me:

“Leticia-sama, how far do you intend to take Nova-sama?”

With everything she possessed, she could surely make Nova-sama into anything she wished.

She could probably even hand him this entire country and make him king if she wanted.

After all, there was no one in this country… no, in this entire world who could rival her.

But Leticia-sama erased her suspicious smile and shook her head.

“I will simply grant whatever Nova-san wishes for. It isn’t as though I want to take Nova-san anywhere myself.”

I realized that hidden beneath those words was the implication, If Nova-san wishes for it even a little, I’ll take him there, but I said nothing.

Because I had no problem with that at all.

“To do that, you’ll first have to win Nova-sama’s heart.”

“Huh? D-Did Nova-san say something about me?”

The suffocating atmosphere from moments before vanished without a trace. Leticia-sama asked nervously, looking utterly unsettled, and from any angle she was nothing more than an ordinary woman living for love.

Smiling sincerely at her, I tilted my head slightly from side to side.

“He seems concerned about the difference between the two of you. You are the head of House Ark Gate and are even hailed as a hero. Nova-sama, on the other hand, is merely the third son of House Fols.”

“Muu…”

Leticia-sama pursed her lips in a way that was impossible to imagine from her behavior until now.

The fact that only my master could draw out this adorable true nature from Leticia Ark Gate, a woman feared throughout the country, made me very proud.

“Everything I’ve done has been for Nova-san… I knew it had been a long time since we last met, so I thought he would need time to sort out his feelings, but I didn’t realize there was another problem as well.”

“Ah, Nova-sama told me that your meeting was only meant to be an introduction, but that was what you were thinking?”

“Yes. I learned from books that there’s a chance men dislike women who come on too strongly.”

So she learned it from books rather than from another person.

Well, I could hardly imagine Leticia-sama talking to anyone else about her romantic feelings.

“No, I think you made the right choice. Nova-sama still seemed unable to fully accept the situation, so giving him some breathing room was a good thing. As proof, he said that tomorrow’s date would be a chance to get to know you more deeply.”

“He wants to know me… more deeply…”

As I watched Leticia-sama blush and smile shyly, I occasionally found myself wondering whether this really was the same person as before.

She became a completely different person whenever Nova-sama was involved. Truly.

After all, until moments ago she had been a cold and merciless empress, and now she was clenching her fists to psych herself up.

“Then I’ll have to do my best tomorrow.”

Leticia-sama exhaled and lowered her hands.

By then, she was once again giving off the atmosphere of an empress.

“That will be all for tonight, then. Until tomorrow.”

With that, Leticia-sama summoned another gate and stepped into it.

After putting one foot through, she turned only her head toward me and directed another artificial smile my way.

“Ah, one more thing. Please continue keeping our relationship secret from everyone around you. Nova-san included, of course.”

“Understood.”

No one else was allowed to know.

That was the very first agreement Leticia-sama and I had made.

She occasionally reminded me of it, but I had not the slightest intention of breaking it.

Besides, by deliberately keeping my relationship with Leticia-sama hidden from Nova-sama, I got to hear his slightly mistaken impressions of her, which was rather amusing.

So I bowed my head and answered, but Leticia-sama said nothing more and simply disappeared into the gate.

She truly had absolutely no interest in anyone besides Nova-sama.

After confirming that the light had completely vanished, I let out a deep breath.

As always, meeting Leticia-sama was extremely exhausting.

And yet my steps were light as I made my way back to the manor, and I could tell that my expression had softened.

I could hardly contain my excitement for what was to come.

If Nova-sama could finally escape the miserable circumstances he had endured until now… no, if he could reclaim even more than what had been taken from him, then nothing could make me happier.

When I raised my face slightly, I saw a full moon hanging in a cloudless sky.

Looking at it, I remembered that the night when we first met had also been graced by such a beautiful full moon, and with that thought in mind, I secretly made my way back to the manor.