A Spring Evening (1)

It was time to start preparing dinner.

As we walked toward the house, Alvin said, “Just one last thing.”

“Lydia, I didn’t propose to you because you meet my requirements for a wife. I proposed because I love you.”

I came from a baron’s family in the northeast of the country, on the opposite side of the royal capital. It wasn’t on the frontier, but ours was an insignificant barony that governed a small territory far from the center of the kingdom.

I had left home when I was young, and although both my parents were still alive, they had effectively retired, and my older brother was already acting as lord of the territory. He was married and had several children.

I didn’t think we were on bad terms, but I hadn’t returned home in over ten years because it was so far away.

I hadn’t even told them my exact current address, for fear that my former colleagues might somehow discover my whereabouts.

In short, we had grown distant.

It was certainly true that I fit Alvin’s requirements for a marriage partner perfectly.

However…

“Well, I don’t particularly care either way.”

“Of course it matters,” he retorted.

“But you said yourself that you weren’t planning to get married anytime soon. If you’re not going to get married, then whether or not I meet your requirements for a wife doesn’t really…”

“I’m prepared to marry you whenever you’re willing to accept my proposal.”

“No, thank you. I have no intention of attracting Her Majesty the Queen’s displeasure even after retirement, my lord.”

“Please stop calling me that. It’s Alvin.”

“Lord Alvin, what are your plans for today? Will you just be having dinner?”

“Surely you’re not planning to go back on your promise to take me as your lover? I’m staying the night. In your room.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Insanely busy.”

“Then please go home. It would be terribly inconvenient for me if you worked yourself to death on my account.”

Until now, I’d tried to maintain a suitably polite manner because he was technically a guest, but now that my former occupation had been exposed, I couldn’t bring myself to keep up the pretense and spoke rather bluntly.

Female knights weren’t exactly known for their refined language.

Alvin replied without appearing particularly bothered.

“I’ve already thought of a way to deal with that. You don’t need to worry, Lydia.”

“I’m not worried.”

While we were bickering, we arrived at the house.

“I’ll help.”

“Good grief. Lord Alvin, have you ever held a kitchen knife?”

“I performed all the usual chores during my knight apprenticeship. I was particularly good at peeling potatoes.”

“Really…”

So the Goran Knight Order made even the lord’s son perform menial chores during his apprenticeship.

I was somewhat impressed.

In the royal capital, almost all magic knights came from noble families, so they didn’t perform menial tasks even during their apprenticeships.

As Alvin skillfully peeled potatoes, he asked me a question.

“By the way, what’s on the menu tonight?”

I recited the menu from memory.

“For the appetizer, we’ll have romanesco, broccoli, asparagus, red radishes, and carrots. A selection of spring vegetables served with bagna càuda sauce. Next, garlic shrimp.”

All the vegetables were freshly harvested from my fields.

Shrimp were also plentiful in the nearby lake at this time of year. They weren’t particularly large, so I recommended quickly sautéing them with garlic and eating them whole, shells and all.

“That sounds delicious.”

“It is delicious.”

I nodded confidently.

“And then…”

I paused for dramatic effect before continuing.

“Today, we’re having beef stew.”

Alvin smiled.

“Now that’s something to look forward to.”

At dinner, Alvin made an announcement to Noah, Mirei, and, while he was at it, Dennis.

“Lydia and I have started seeing each other.”

“What? Really? That’s amazing!”

For some reason, Noah was incredibly excited.

“What does seeing each other mean?”

In response to Mirei’s question, Alvin explained,

“It means Lydia and I are lovers.”

Dennis’s eyes darted about uncomfortably.

What on earth was he supposed to make of a twenty-eight-year-old territorial lord dating an innkeeper?

Cassie, who had been listening to the conversation while serving dinner, quietly whispered to me as I stirred a pot.

“You’re not getting married?”

“Too much trouble. We’re not.”

“Are you sure you’re all right with that?”

“Of course. Even if he says we’re dating, I’m sure he’ll get bored of me soon enough.”

Cassie glanced back at Alvin.

I followed her gaze.

“Lovers? So you and Lydia-san are in love!”

Alvin nodded with extraordinary delight at Mirei’s rather precocious remark.

“That’s right. You know a lot about these things, Mirei. Lydia and I are in love.”

Cassie chuckled softly.

“It certainly doesn’t look that way to me.”

After dinner, rather than retiring to the guest room I’d prepared for him, Alvin immediately set about helping with the cleanup.

When we finished cleaning up earlier than usual, Alvin beamed at me.

“Lydia, show me to your room.”

“Surely you don’t seriously intend to sleep in my room?”

Alvin answered casually.

“We’re lovers, so why not?”

“…I suppose so.”

Unable to come up with a clever retort, I ended up saying something utterly pointless.

Somehow, I got swept along by his enthusiasm and invited Alvin into my room.

“Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

Alvin looked around my room with great interest.

Incidentally, it contained a bed, a writing desk, a bookshelf, and a wardrobe. It was a perfectly ordinary room.

“Well, well.”

“What is it?”

“This is the first time I’ve ever entered a woman’s private room apart from my mother’s.”

“Haven’t you ever dated anyone before?”

“Embarrassing as it is to admit, you’re the only woman I’ve ever been close enough to that she’d invite me into her room.”

“I see.”

I’d imagined that a margrave would lead a much more glamorous life, but apparently that wasn’t necessarily the case.

Well, I was hardly one to talk.

“Lydia.”

When I turned toward him at the sound of my name, Alvin was gazing at me.

He placed a hand against my cheek, drew me close, and pressed his lips against mine.

“Alvin…”

When our lips parted, he whispered to me in a sweet voice quite unlike his usual one.

“May I?”

“May you what?”

Before I could ask anything further, he embraced me once more and kissed me.

This time, his kiss was so passionate that it took my breath away.

“…Mmm.”