Episode 118

“N-no, that’s not it.”

“But if I hadn’t been here, the two of them would have been in the kind of mood to share a kiss or two… I’m sorry for being a guard who can’t read the atmosphere.”

Refy gave a bow and an oddly misplaced apology.

She was probably half-teasing.

“S-stop it… Refy, don’t say weird things.”

Alicia puffed out her cheeks and leaned toward Refy.

Alicia’s profile as she glared steadily was cute.

I remembered what Refy had been saying earlier.

A kiss… come to think of it, I still hadn’t done that.

We had slept in the same bed before… but we hadn’t kissed.

…Huh? Is that out of order?

No, but if we’re talking about order in the first place, a lot of things are strange…

There’s no point in thinking about it too deeply.

…But I wonder what Alicia thinks?

As I was thinking that, the coachman showed his face.

“Everyone. Thank you for waiting. We’ve finished dealing with the monsters, so we’ll be departing again. There may be a jolt, so I think it’s better to be seated.”

We obeyed the coachman’s words and sat back down in our seats.

Alicia slid over right next to me, and I couldn’t help but notice her mouth for a moment.

“What’s wrong, Faik?”

“N-no… it’s nothing. I was just thinking it’s good nothing happened, that’s all.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Alicia smiled purely, and though I felt a slight pang of guilt, I sighed in relief that I had kept my impure thoughts hidden.

No sooner had we sat than the carriage began to move and accelerated back toward its original speed.

There had been the mishap of monsters appearing, but after that there were no major problems, and we arrived at the town.

Perhaps because of the direction of the wind, the scent of the sea reached my nose.

It might also be because the town faced the sea.

“Faik, by the way—it’s late to ask, but are you okay with the sea?”

“Yeah, no particular problem.”

“Then that’s good. Once everything’s done, I want to go hang out together.”

I returned Alicia’s little “ehehe” smile.

Indeed, I’d been working pretty much nonstop until now.

Of course, unlike when I was at court, I could set my workload by my own discretion, so it didn’t really feel like I was working.

Still, I hadn’t spent much time playing with Alicia, so I did want to really enjoy myself with her once this problem was solved.

The carriage reached the town gate, passed through it, and entered inside.

I caught a glimpse outside through the window, and perhaps because the duke family’s crest was displayed, we seemed to be attracting attention.

The carriage moved slowly and eventually entered an area lined with what looked like high-class buildings.

Beyond here looked like the nobles’ quarter.

Compared to Barnast town, it was understandably smaller in scale, but there was no doubt that splendid buildings lined the streets.

A particularly large building came into view where the carriage was headed.

“Ah, Faik. I can see it now.”

It’s bigger than any building we’d seen since arriving in this town.

It seemed the town’s largest building was the Barnast family’s mansion.

The mansion we drew closer to was smaller compared to the Barnast main residence… but to me, a commoner, it was still tremendously large.

The gates opened and the carriage drove into the grounds.

When we arrived near the mansion, the carriage stopped.

As I stretched to ease the stiffness from my body, the carriage door opened.

“Everyone, we’ve arrived! Thank you for the long journey!”

The coachman stood smiling by the open door, waiting.

I followed behind Alicia as we stepped out.

Stepping out of the carriage, a heavy heat hit me.

Inside the carriage, magic devices had kept the temperature steady.

But outside, it was clear we were enveloped by much more heat than in Barnast.

Indeed, if you could go swimming in this weather, it would probably feel wonderful.

As I was thinking that, the doors of the mansion opened.

A man appeared, accompanied by soldiers who seemed to be guards.

He had a somewhat stern, severe expression.

He was probably Alicia’s brother, Lord Goral’s son, and the next head—Lord Rigard Barnast.

There was an air about him that made it believable he was Lord Goral’s son.

Our gazes met for a moment.

He turned his narrow eyes toward me, then looked at Alicia.

“Alicia. Have you been well?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that so? Then that’s good. Still, I never expected you’d have a fiancé. You’ve grown up, haven’t you.”

“It’s not like we’re that different in age.”

Alicia answered with a pouty expression.

It wasn’t the atmosphere of being on bad terms, more a teasing tone.

Lord Rigard averted his eyes from Alicia and then turned his gaze toward me.

“The man over there—he is the fiancé, Faik, correct?”

His crisp voice was cold enough to make one instinctively straighten their back.