Chapter 56
Rattle, rattle, rattle—
The table shook, and a faint vibration spread across the floor. After silently enduring the constant noise, Ares finally put down his fountain pen.
“Again? What is it this time?”
Despite speaking with a smiling face, a thick vein stood out on his forehead. The target of his compressed anger was Lucas.
As Ares’s aide, Lucas shared the same office. For the past several days—no, almost a month—his close friend hadn’t been able to focus on work at all.
And once again, even when his superior asked a question, the brat didn’t respond. Ares seriously considered docking his salary.
“Lucas.”
Instead of responding because his name was called, Lucas spoke because he had something to ask.
“Ares, have you ever seen Marquis Casper somewhere before?”
Ares clenched his molars so hard he practically spoke through ventriloquism.
“Jus dunt rimmber. Butt if you don’d get back to work I’ll cut your sallary— (Don’t remember. And if you don’t work, I’ll cut your salary…)”
“Don’t just answer roughly—really think about it. You’re sure you haven’t?”
With a furrowed brow and a grave expression, Lucas stroked his chin. Ares let out a long sigh and surrendered.
“We’ve run into him a few times for work. Or at social gatherings.”
“Hmm… I feel like I saw him somewhere else though.”
Lucas tilted his head, unsatisfied.
“Why? Trying to dig up dirt this time?”
“No, it’s just… sometimes when Marquis Casper goes on dae—d, deuhte—on a date with Lucia and drops her off, I run into him. And every time, I feel like I’ve seen his face somewhere.”
Lucas lowered his voice as he tried to say “date,” grinding his teeth. Brother-obsessed, as always.
He cleared his throat, trying to return to normal.
Every time he saw Bern (Casper), he felt a strong sense of familiarity—but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pinpoint the memory.
“…I think I saw him at the academy.”
Hearing him mumble, Ares also tried recalling.
“Could be. He’s only one year older than us—our senior. We probably passed him on campus.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Nothing serious. Why are you overthinking it?”
“…Feels like something’s there though.”
His curiosity was somewhat solved, but something still bothered him—more than just the fact that Bern was an upperclassman.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
One of the Lydia family’s attendants entered.
“What is it?”
“A visitor is here for Assistant Lucas.”
“A visitor?”
Lucas blinked—no one should be visiting him.
“Yes. A woman named Becki. Should I send her away if you don’t know her?”
The moment he heard his lover’s name, Lucas jumped up in shock.
“Uh—”
He was happy she came—but it was work hours, and she hadn’t warned him. It was awkward to leave.
He glanced nervously at Ares, who waved a hand with a defeated look.
“Go.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You haven’t been working anyway. Go refresh yourself with your girlfriend. I’ll make sure to record every unfinished task today—just so you know.”
He grumbled, but it was a clear approval for leave. Lucas grinned and clapped Ares on the shoulder.
“Thanks, Ares. I’ll work twice as hard tomorrow.”
He puckered his lips to give a playful kiss of gratitude—Ares recoiled, punched him, and Lucas staggered out while laughing.
After packing up and stepping outside with the attendant, he finally saw Becki.
She brightened instantly.
“Honey!”
Lucas swept her into his arms and spun her around. Her cheerful laughter rang out.
“Haha, people are watching.”
“I’m just happy! What brings you here?”
Realizing why she came, Becki handed him a box.
“This is…”
“I bought snacks from the bakery. You said your brain stops working around this time of day.”
Inside were slices of cake and muffins. Lucas looked touched.
“You brought all this… for me?”
“Well, that—and I wanted an excuse to see your face.”
She winked. Lucas puckered his lips dramatically and kissed her cheek.
“Really, thank you. I’m touched.”
“You always react so big—it makes doing things for you worth it.”
They showered the world with sugary affection. Even the attendant quietly slipped away, unable to endure it.
After a long while in their own bubble, Lucas suddenly remembered something.
“Ah—right. Becki, do you know Marquis Casper?”
“Marquis Casper? Sure. He’s the one your sister got engaged to.”
“No, I mean personally—or any rumors? You went to the Imperial Academy too.”
Becki thought about it.
She entered the academy a year after Lucas, so she overlapped with Casper’s generation.
“Hmm… not really. Why? Is something bothering you?”
Lucas froze.
Half the women he ever dated dumped him because he was too obsessed with his little sister.
“Is your sister more important? Or me? Pick one!”
He had heard that line too many times.
He didn’t want Becki to know he was a sister-obsessed brother.
He’d managed to hide it for months since he had been in the duchy with Ares.
He wiped sweat from his forehead and lied, poorly:
“J-just! My sister’s getting married soon, I’m nervous. I don’t want her marrying someone strange.”
Thankfully, Becki accepted that as the normal worry of a caring older brother.
“Makes sense. Rumors… I can look into it for you.”
“…Really?”
He blinked—surprised by the positive answer. Becki laughed at his stunned face.
“Rumors stick like labels. I’ll find something quickly.”
Overjoyed, Lucas hugged her tight. Becki squealed with laughter.
“Brother, what are you doing?”
A voice interrupted.
Becki’s expression sharpened immediately.
They turned toward the voice. On the central staircase stood Arista.
She had called out the moment she saw Lucas, only noticing Becki in his arms afterward.
Arista froze halfway down the stairs, staring at Becki, who stared right back with icy hostility.
Lucas, oblivious to the tension, greeted her cheerfully.
“Oh, Arista!”
Realizing this was the Lydia family’s young lady, Becki eased up—only a little.
“I was just heading out.”
“Heading out? At this hour?”
“Really? You’re off work?”
The two women spoke at the same time, then stared at each other.
Becki quickly clung to Lucas more tightly and looked up at him.
“Yep. I got special leave today. See—coat and everything.”
“…Oh. You’re right.”
Becki fussed with his jacket.
Arista slowly stepped back, feeling as if she had intruded on a private world.
“Sorry to interrupt. I’ll be going—”
“Arista! Wait.”
Lucas stopped her. She bit the inside of her cheek and turned back.
“…Yes?”
After asking Becki to wait a moment, he walked up the stairs toward Arista.
She grabbed her skirt tightly as he approached.
“Here.”
He placed a box in her hands.
“My girlfriend bought snacks. Share them with Ares.”
Her fingers trembled. She looked up at him.
He was smiling brightly, as always—like sunlight.
She glanced down to see Becki below with folded arms, smirking proudly.
Arista’s lips moved stiffly.
“…We’ll enjoy them. Should I thank her for you?”
“Yeah. There’s a lot of good stuff inside, so eat some too, okay? I’m heading out. See you later.”
Lucas patted her shoulder and hurried down.
Becki instantly latched onto him again.
“You bought those for us to eat—why give them away?”
“We got to have this date thanks to Ares. We should bribe him at least a little.”
Becki accepted that with only a slight pout.
Then, loudly enough for Arista to hear:
“So, what exactly is your relationship with Lady Arista?”
“Relationship? She’s just my friend’s little sister. You know how close I am with Ares.”
“…Still, you seem very close. I might get jealous.”
“Why be jealous? She’s just a friend. And she’s my sister’s friend too. Funny, right?”
Becki hummed suspiciously, then turned to look behind her.
Arista was still standing there, staring blankly at the desserts.
Becki curved her lips.
“So really—nothing going on?”
“Nothing. She’s just a close younger sister.”
Satisfied, Becki wrapped her arms around Lucas’s waist and walked off with him.
From behind, Arista watched them until they disappeared.
Then she let out a weak laugh and looked at the dessert box in her hands.
Her shoulders sank—but after a moment, her eyes hardened.
She turned and marched away.
Without knocking, she barged into Ares’s office.
“Whoa—jeez! Ever heard of knocking?”
Ares flinched, looking appalled. She ignored him, dropped onto the sofa, and tossed the dessert box onto the table.
“Eat that.”
“…What is it?”
Ares sat across from her, opened the box, and widened his eyes.
“Cake? What’s gotten into you?”
“I didn’t buy it. Lucas’s girlfriend gave it. Told us to eat it.”
“Really? I’ll have to thank her later.”
He hummed as he ordered tea.
Arista, still sulking, leaned sideways on the sofa.
“Hey.”
“What.”
“…Has Lucas been dating her long?”
“Lucas?”
Ares, mid-bite of a muffin, mumbled:
“Nah. Maybe two or three months? Why?”
“…Their affection seems a bit intense.”
“Ah, well, Lucas is just like that.”
As someone who had witnessed Lucas’s entire dating history, Ares easily agreed.
“He’s like a kid in his first love—gives everything. But for some reason, his relationships never last long. What was the longest—six months? It’s not like he cheats. The girls always dump him.”
He muttered, finding it strange, then sipped tea and enjoyed dessert.
“…It never lasts long, huh.”
“Hm? What’d you say?”
Ares hadn’t heard her. Arista shook her head.
“Nothing. Just eat.”
