Episode 57

When I knocked on Alicia’s room, Alicia came to greet me immediately.

Refy was in the room, but when she saw me she slipped out quickly.

Once we were alone, I promptly told Alicia what I had come for.

“Alicia, when I brought the sword to Lord Goral earlier… he said he would acknowledge me as your fiancé.”

“…What?!”

Alicia looked at me in surprise. Her voice leapt with happiness.

“R-really?”

“Yes. He did warn, though, that he hasn’t approved the marriage itself yet.”

“I see.”

Alicia wore a smile on her face.

…With that, she now had a legitimate reason to ward off other prospective suitors.

That was fine from Alicia’s perspective. I was glad I could fulfill her original request as well.

…I realized Lord Goral was genuinely thinking about Alicia’s well-being.

All the more reason I decided to ask her.

“Alicia. About the fake fiancé… it’s about that.”

“Huh? Ah, yeah.”

What was that, like you forgot?

“…I was wondering whether it’s right to keep this relationship as it is.”

I said that, clouding my words vaguely.

…I was a bit overcome by embarrassment.

Still, I couldn’t keep beating around the bush. My chest tightened, but I stared steadily at Alicia.

“……”

Alicia looked at me intently as if thinking about something.

Then she turned toward me and bowed her head with a small nod.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

I was taken aback by the sudden apology. Alicia looked up, her face bright red, her pink lips trembling.

“…Th-that time, well—I got embarrassed and tried to cover it up.”

“You covered it up…?”

What on earth did she mean? I tilted my head, completely unclear what Alicia was trying to say,

“…Back then, there was something I really wanted to tell you properly.”

“What was it?”

When I asked, Alicia’s face flushed even more.

She turned so red I thought she might faint, yet she peered clearly into my eyes.

“…I like you.”

Those four words hit me like a blunt blow to the head.

“Really… I always watched you at the court. The reason I kept going to see you wasn’t because I liked the smithing, but because I liked you.”

…Hot. A heat surged as if my face were being set alight.

‘L-like’… that means romantically, right? I couldn’t possibly ask such a clumsy question in this situation.

Alicia was staring at me as if waiting for my answer.

Her eyes were glistening as she looked at me.

…How much courage must it have taken to say those words.

“…Alicia.”

“Wh-what?”

Having just confessed, Alicia’s voice trembled with anxiety.

Her earlier composed tone had vanished; her voice wavered like a frightened child’s.

When I looked closely, Alicia’s hands were shaking, so to calm her I hugged her tightly.

Her small, soft body fit in my arms. A gentle warmth and a faint scent tickled my nose.

My heart pounded with tension and embarrassment. I wondered if all of that was being conveyed to Alicia through our contact.

Or perhaps, it would be better if it was conveyed—maybe it could serve as my answer.

With such embarrassing thoughts flickering at the edge of my mind, I spoke.

“I like you too, Alicia.”

“…Huh?”

“The reason I could stay at the court and keep working was because of you… The only thing I looked forward to was when you would come visit sometimes. So, I like you too. I love you—I always have.”

At first I chose my words carefully and tried to cover things in various ways.

But that was the best way to honestly convey how I felt.

“…S-stop it. Don’t say it so many times…”

Alicia’s ears turned scarlet and she was so cute I held her tighter. Modestly, she hugged me back.

“Alicia, from now on, let’s be together properly… that’s okay, right?”

“That’s fine…. No more fake fiancé—it’s okay to be genuine fiancé and fiancée.”

“…Yeah.”

Hearing those words filled my chest with a warm feeling.

As expected, being with Alicia put me at ease.

My worn-out heart was soothed by Alicia. Because she was there, I somehow managed to survive until today.

And from now on, I’ll live my best life for her.