Kitten Blue Eyes (2)

Alicia let her words trail off at the ice-cold touch of his nape beneath her fingertips.

Her flustered face gave a tiny shake.

“Because I made a scene in the Emperor’s audience chamber.”

Reichardt looked down at the worried face in his arms and gave an awkward smile.

Contrary to his courteous face, his destructive choice of words puzzled Alicia.

“Ma—made a scene…….”

There was a lot she wanted to ask Reichardt.

How severe was the pain.

Was this perhaps a Rua cycle—if so, was it even okay to be like this now?

Even a royal could not enter the Emperor’s audience chamber armed.

Anything that could serve as a weapon was not allowed in.

So how did you “make a scene” in there?

Alicia tried to suppress her offbeat curiosity.

Reichardt whispered toward her curiosity-filled face.

“Everyone’s looking at us.”

Gazes from all around were pouring onto the two of them.

“……!”

At his words, Alicia started and withdrew the arms she had wrapped around Reichardt’s neck.

Backing away quickly, she then startled again and snatched up Reichardt’s hand.

Eyes were still fixed on them.

As he often said, “for a moment is fine,” Reichardt took Alicia’s hand in return.

That very gesture pained Alicia’s heart.

She felt sorry for Reichardt, who was enduring an unbearable pain.

She wanted to hide her changed hand, just a little, from how it had been before.

“Would you guide us to the Marquess’s household?”

“Yes.”

Shaking off her thoughts, Alicia nodded.

“…….”

“…….”

Originally, when the Grand Duke of Tessen visited, he was to be taken straight to the hall.

The new Marquess Rain and their retainers had planned to properly show courtesy to a royal.

Reichardt had been looking only at Alicia since he was on horseback.

The moment he dismounted, he headed straight for Alicia.

Alicia’s throwing herself at the Grand Duke bewildered everyone.

Since returning to the marquessate, Alicia had said nothing whatsoever concerning the Grand Duke.

Thus they assumed it was a marriage of convenience the two houses needed.

Whatever Reichardt said, Alicia changed direction and headed to the South Annex.

That was where Alicia resided.

Reichardt’s eyes, as he held Alicia’s hand, were filled with tenderness.

It stayed very quiet for a long time in front of the fountain.

“……Y—you young people these days…….”

Breaking the silence, a gruff voice grumbled.

On the face that spoke, the sense of loss was greater than reproach.

“Lord Elgin….”

Someone called out in a tone meant to restrain him.

It wasn’t just the retainers who were shocked.

Marchioness Marine, Felix, and Harry all seemed greatly shocked by the youngest’s romance.

All in Rain stood rigid for a moment at the shock of Alicia being snatched away by the Grand Duke of Tessen.

Into that stillness, Roderick stepped forward.

“Your Excellency the Marquess. I am Roderick Rosa, aide to His Highness the Grand Duke. May I discuss His Highness’s schedule here in Rain?”

Roderick had an impression that won favor whether with men or women, elders or children.

“Sir Roderick. A pleasure. I am Harry Rain. Does His Highness the Grand Duke date the lady and leave the work to his aide?”

Harry replied with a slight lift of his lips.

His voice was gentle and his manner mild, but the words had an edge.

Harry extended his hand for a shake.

“Yes. His Highness is a grand duke—what is wrong with that. I, for one, hope His Highness meets the lady even more often.”

Unruffled, Roderick answered with leisure.

A crunch rang from their clasped hands as if bones might snap.

Walking through the maze garden, Alicia looked to the side several times.

Each time, her eyes met Reichardt’s.

“Are you in pain?”

Every time she met those amber eyes, Alicia’s brow creased with worry.

“I’m fine.”

Taking in that face brimming with concern, Reichardt swallowed a peculiar feeling.

There were many around him who worried for him.

But there had been no one who tried to care for him as purely as Alicia did.

Everyone wanted something from him.

At the very least, they wanted him to take responsibility for the duties he bore.

“If you’re in pain, shall we go into a room?”

“Go where?”

At Alicia’s words, Reichardt straightened his face.

“A room.”

Alicia answered lightly.

“Don’t say something that’ll cause trouble—let’s walk.”

Reichardt flicked his gaze aside.

Alicia only showed puzzlement as she followed the direction he walked.

Reichardt held Alicia’s hand firmly and walked straight along the maze.

He only glanced at the violet eyes sending him a questioning look and gave it no heed.

Judging by what Alicia had done, the space in front of the fountain was likely to be a silent battlefield.

Since the imperial delegation had departed for Rain, the Rain side had steadily brought up the Grand Duke’s lodgings.

They would “host him in the best and most private place” of the marquess’s residence.

Or, they would “like to host him in the largest and most luxurious room.”

Between the lines it was plain they meant the detached South Annex was unacceptable.

Even though there must be countless rooms in a detached building.

As for invisible sparring with the Marquess of Rain’s household, Reichardt did not particularly care how it turned out.

“Rua will rise soon. From Rain I’ll return to Baden, then go to Tessen. I wish to spend this cycle alone. You need not worry. I know Alicia has much to do here. So leave me be and stay here. By the way……how is it?”

Reichardt stopped where the glass conservatory came into view.

At his words, Alicia parted her lips, then closed them.

She tried to speak again, but hesitation continued.

It was hard to decide what to say first.

“Your Highness, have you ever taken revenge?”

Alicia asked with difficulty.

“Yes.”

The answer came back too quickly.

Alicia almost asked, When? On whom?

But it was not a matter one could ask so lightly.

“How far could you go for revenge?”

Alicia’s question was cautious.

“I can do anything.”

“Anything?”

With a gesture, Reichardt seated Alicia on a wooden bench.

He lowered himself not at her side but before her.

Kneeling on one knee, Reichardt took Alicia’s hands.

“When taking revenge, I can personally swing a blade and hew an enemy’s neck. Even aside from revenge, the path I’ve walked has been to bring down, with an axe, the head of a boy-soldier who looks like he knows nothing, simply for the sake of my duty. Pushing someone to their death has been my work. That is why, behind my back, they all call me a demon.”

In a quiet voice, he calmly recited his sins.

“I do not hesitate to kill others for duty alone—so what could I possibly not do for revenge. I owe a debt to countless lives. But unlike what others say, I do not regard myself as a demon. I strive not to become one. Alicia, do you need an axe to take your enemy’s head?”

The low whisper felt absolute.

It seemed that if Alicia pointed at the neck to be brought, he would fetch the head in an instant.

“No.”

“Truly?”

“I can do it.”

Alicia spoke evenly.

In the deep-set violet eyes, unrest still drifted.

“Do not hesitate to take revenge. Do not be sorry, and do not bear guilt. If the other side regarded me as an enemy and acted, then they acted prepared to be repaid. If they acted without such resolve, they take the world far too lightly. So, Alicia—when you take revenge, look farther ahead and leave not the slightest after-trouble so the other side can never come at you again. You will do well.”

Encouraging her, Reichardt looked like a beautiful reaper.

“Isn’t the usual advice more like, forgiveness, my own happiness above all, time will make it fade, revenge begets revenge……?”

Alicia spoke with a doubtful look.

Reichardt rose and sat at Alicia’s side.

“What do you think a royal is?”

A wry smile flowed over Reichardt’s face.

His face was full of bitterness, as if both smiling and grimacing at once.

“…….”

At the difficult question, Alicia gave a small shake of her head.

“It may be so anywhere in the world, but within the palace the factional strife never ends. Cut one down and a new one appears; cut one down and an ally amicable until yesterday may become an enemy. In the strife of royals and nobles, will they spare me because I forgive? Can I endure and focus on my little personal happiness—while in the very center of strife?”

A ripple of wryness crossed Reichardt’s face once more.

For some reason, Alicia wanted to offer words of comfort.

“…….”

But she could not open her mouth.

“Political strife is no different from war. If you sit alone in peace with no defenses, you will only be swept away by enemy attacks. On a battlefield you die only once, but if in strife you make no preparations, then whenever a new enemy appears you will be attacked and made to suffer shame like death. It is no different from dying multiple times.”

Alicia was already in the very midst of strife.

She had made her preparations, to a point, yet she had been struck by an unexpected raid.

If she did not set a proper defense here, she would be hounded by hardship and dragged to death.

“Thank you for your good counsel.”

With a face somewhat lightened, Alicia looked at Reichardt.

“Your Highness, I have something to tell you. There’s a chance my prophecy will go awry. So I think we should stop the deal……”

As Alicia spoke, Reichardt lifted a hand toward her speaking face.

It meant for her to stop.

“Do you not remember my confession, or are you pretending not to.”

The man’s brows were furrowed.

“I do remember.”

Seeing a rare, thoroughly royal arrogance on Reichardt’s face, Alicia spoke a bit peevishly.

Reichardt did not relax his expression.

“Are you proposing to break our engagement?”

“The deal—”

“Do you not remember my confession? You remember, yet you’re ignoring it?”

“I’m not ignoring it, it’s just—the deal……”

Alicia felt as if she’d fallen into a roundelay.

“Do not say such things again.”

“B—but the deal……”

“The deal will continue. Even if Alicia fails to fulfill the terms, the betrothal will go on. Do I look like a fool who would break with the one I like? And with the first prophecy alone, that deal was a good one. I proceeded thinking it wouldn’t matter if every remaining prophecy proved wrong.”

Every time Reichardt mentioned the deal, it grated on her ears.

“Your Highness, did you distrust me that much?”

“I mean that the first alone was sufficient. And didn’t we agree to use names, Alicia.”

At the ambush-like words, Alicia wavered for only a moment.

“Thank you for coming to Rain, Reichar… dt.”

When she spoke Reichardt’s name, strangely, her breath hitched and her tongue felt like it would tangle.

It was terribly embarrassing, but not wanting to retreat, Alicia forced herself to finish.

She felt the heat rising from her neck, her face flushing red.

“I know you’re not okay, but I keep wanting to ask. Are you okay, Alicia?”

The moment she heard Reichardt’s words, the troubled feeling vanished as if it had been a lie.

Alicia could not answer.

Before she could do anything, tears spilled from her eyes.

The edges of her closed lips trembled uneasily.

She didn’t even have the little composure to put on airs and say, He wasn’t much of a father anyway.

As he watched Alicia’s face grow wet with tears, Reichardt extended his arms and drew in her trembling back, shaking with sobs.

“Then count this as simply treating me.”

Her shoulders, held in Reichardt’s embrace, rose and fell soundlessly.

His steady hands carefully soothed Alicia as she cried, making only the faint sound of breath.

Alicia poured out the sobs she had been holding back, as if finally letting them go.