Episode 65

Alicia’s fingers felt unnaturally cold, and it was probably because my body temperature had risen.

“Don’t tease me so much.”

“Heh, I’m not teasing you or anything, you know?”

Hearing that happily, I lost the urge to be angry as well.

Wasn’t that a bit over the top for revenge from earlier?

I’ll pay her back later for this.

Alicia’s cheeks were flushed too… but this time I took it as my loss and didn’t point it out.

Alicia wiped my hair with a towel to remove the moisture.

Of course the towel was soft, but under Alicia’s gentle touch I was completely helpless for the moment.

“Okay, done.”

A little time passed, and I heard Alicia’s report that she was finished.

With Alicia’s soft hands fiddling with my hair and still waking up, I almost fell back asleep.

After rousing myself again, I stared at the mirror.

Not only the bed hair but my whole hairstyle had been neatly fixed.

With this, no one would have any complaint.

“Anything weird?”

“I think it’s fine.”

“Then that’s good. …Um, Faik, you look cool.”

As we looked at each other through the mirror, I heard Alicia’s voice say that.

She sounded slightly embarrassed, and I felt the same.

“…R-really? Anyway, thanks. You’re really good at this.”

“You can say that anytime.”

I turned toward Alicia, who said that, and smiled.

“Yeah. Thank you so much. I really do love you, Alicia.”

“Ugh!?”

When I said that, Alicia’s face reddened.

The surprise attack worked.

I smiled at her as she mumbled with her mouth.

“You’re completely red up to your ears, Alicia.”

“…W-were you teasing?”

“Well, who knows.”

“Mmm. …So it wasn’t serious then.”

“…N-no, my feelings are serious.”

“… R-really? Then… well, I forgive you.”

Alicia smiled happily, and I wondered if I should have answered the same earlier…

B-but for now, this makes it one win each… right?

I don’t really know what meaning increasing these wins has, though.

“Well then, I’ll go change—could you wait in the hallway?”

“Yeah, understood.”

Alicia nodded obediently and went out into the hallway.

I took my clothes out from the wardrobe and slipped my arms into the sleeves.

Thanks to the servants, the clothes had not a wrinkle. I was careful not to dirty them as I put them on and stood in front of the mirror.

After a quick look and confirming there were no problems, I went out into the hallway.

Alicia, who had been waiting, came to stand beside me.

“Anything odd?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Then shall we go to Lord Goral’s place? Where is Lord Goral now?”

“Father is in his study.”

“Got it.”

We left the room together and headed to Lord Goral’s study.

“Alicia, don’t you get bed hair? Your hair’s long, right? Wouldn’t you get a lot of bed hair?”

Alicia’s hair was long enough to reach her shoulder blades.

At that length, I thought she’d get a lot of bed hair.

“Hmm. But I don’t think it’s that different from when it was short. In the end, it’s probably about sleeping position… maybe?”

“You used to have short hair, Alicia?”

“There were times when it was about shoulder length.”

Alicia held her hair up to show it, trying to recreate how it looked when it was short.

I imagined Alicia with short hair at about shoulder length.

…It would probably suit her quite well. In fact, any hairstyle would likely suit Alicia.

As I indulged in that daydream, Alicia leaned in to peer at my face.

“By the way, Faik, do you prefer long hair or short hair?”

“…I’ve never really thought about it.”

I had overheard such conversations when I was in the court.

Whether long hair is better or short hair is better.

There were debates so heated they might start a brawl, but I thought the best hairstyle was the one that suited the person.

“Think about it. I want to match Faik’s preference. I want you to be more interested in me.”

Faced with Alicia’s determined question, I hurriedly tried to think.

But my conclusion didn’t change.

However, saying “either” would be a disservice to Alicia.

“…I think the way you are now is best.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. I’m most used to this Alicia and I think it’s the best.”

I said that clearly, albeit sheepishly.

Alicia, who was smiling happily, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Ah, we’d arrived. When I looked up, Lord Goral’s study door was right in front of me.

Alicia knocked and called out.

“Father. I brought Faik.”

“Is that so? You may enter.”

Lord Goral’s voice echoed, and we opened the door and walked in.

Lord Goral, who had been sitting and writing in some documents, stopped and looked up when he noticed us.

The usual imposing presence and sharp gaze.

Facing him naturally made my spine straighten.

“You’re here.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No, don’t worry. I’m the one who called you suddenly.”

Having said that, Lord Goral folded his arms.

Even so, I wondered what could have happened to make him call us like this.

Was he going to ask us to do something outrageous?