Chapter~28
Eleventh, Realizing My Heart
I had come to like Pierre.
And right now, we were pretending to be a fake couple.
For what purpose?
To fend off those who would pester Pierre.
What’s required of a fake couple?
A strictly businesslike attitude.
And yet, how was I behaving right now?
“…….”
Cold sweat ran down my back.
“Why is that, Sonnet? You don’t look well.”
“…I guess I’m just tired. I’ve been meeting so many people…”
I was truly screwed.
And on top of that, disdainful glances were sure to follow.
I had confidently declared that this would never happen—and now, here I was.
Completely ridiculous!
“Is that so? Then come inside and rest for a bit. I’m worried.”
“Yes… yes… I’m sorry.”
I absolutely could not be found out.
The moment I made that decision, a system window appeared before my eyes.
[You have reached a route branching point.]
A route?
What route?
Am I going down the X route?
[Rewards for reaching the romance route branching point will be granted.]
[You can claim them from the gift box.]
Now was not the time to check that.
Besides, calling this a romance route seemed ridiculous.
A failed romance ending was practically guaranteed.
Was this really something to celebrate?
“Thank you… I’m sorry…”
“I’m the one who should apologize for pushing so hard. I probably won’t even be able to escort you all the way to the Count’s house…”
“…No, at least one of us should stay behind.”
In the meantime, his hand patting me was unnecessarily warm, and it made me want to cry.
Pierre guided me to the carriage.
“We should probably get Mabel as well.”
“I’ll find her… oh, she’s already on her way.”
At that moment, toward the garden, I saw Mabel running toward the carriage.
The little angel threw herself into my arms.
“Sis!”
“Going back now, Mabel?”
“Yeah, I’m sleepy. How about you?”
“I’m going back too. Pierre was kind enough to look after me.”
“Then let’s go together!”
Mabel smiled brightly, filled with joy, as she climbed into the carriage.
Pierre instructed the driver to be careful, and watched me off with a wistful expression.
Perhaps because people were watching, he acted even more convincingly.
As I sat inside, gazing out at Pierre disappearing into the distance, Mabel, who had seemed to relax, began to speak sleepily.
“Sis, do you like Pierre?”
“The Young Marquis?”
“Yeah.”
Her green eyes, beautiful and piercing, looked up at me as she leaned against my thigh.
It felt as though even a lie could not escape her gaze.
“I do like him.”
“Really a lot? Enough to leave me behind?”
“No, that’s not it. I like you a lot, Mabel. Were you upset?”
I gently stroked her hair.
The soft, well-kept strands tangled between my fingers.
“I was jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“Yeah. But I’ll hold back.”
Mabel, half-asleep, murmured as she hugged me.
“I want you to like this place more.”
Her voice was drooping with fatigue.
“So stay here.”
Before I could ask what she meant, her rhythmic, even breathing told me she had fallen asleep.
I adjusted her posture quietly, ensuring she stayed comfortable, and looked silently out the window.
Meanwhile, at the Edenrosa Marquis’ estate.
Pierre, having silently seen Sonnet’s carriage off, clenched his fist when it was out of sight.
“There was… a reaction…!”
The multicolored flames in the sky reflected off Sonnet’s face, which was more flushed than usual.
Seeing her awkward, noticeable reaction to him made him quietly cheer inside.
Indeed, attacking the face was effective.
Pierre congratulated himself for making such an excellent choice.
“But….”
‘Her face had gone pale immediately.’
Had there been a problem? Perhaps she felt uncomfortable with my sudden approach?
Or maybe I had been mistaken in thinking it was a success…
He swung between joy and disappointment, fumbling internally.
“I’ll need to observe her more closely starting tomorrow.”
Anyway, he simply hoped she would come to like him.
Silently, or rather, very loudly in his heart, he wished for it, and turned to the dull banquet hall.
Maintaining neutrality was no easy task.
Meeting the princess, the Cartier Marchioness, and countless others could be exhausting.
The next day, during the day.
“Did you rest well yesterday?”
“Yes, thanks to Pierre. Thank you.”
“I said you could rest for a few days, but you’ve worked hard.”
“As a member of the Knights, I must do my duties.”
Recently, my security and escort duties had all been assigned near him by my superior.
“Don’t overwork yourself.”
“Yes.”
Though being near him was mentally taxing, I couldn’t show it.
Additionally, since yesterday, the other knights had been teasing Fey for me instead.
‘Hey! The princess’s little dog!’
‘Haha, she’s completely bewitched him!’
‘No!!!’
Well, that was my own doing.
“Sonnet.”
“Yes?”
“Did you enjoy yesterday’s meal?”
“It was extremely satisfying.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
He smiled softly, moving his pen.
Even while working, he would sometimes speak to me.
Short, casual conversations.
Even alone, it seemed consistent, as if for appearances.
Perhaps to maintain a smooth relationship?
“Sit here too.”
Lately, when we were alone, he seemed to act more intimately.
Even during breaks, he insisted I sit nearby.
“Thank you, but it’s fine.”
“I prefer this. I cannot overwork my lovely partner. Rest a little.”
“Yes.”
Even now, in a private moment, it felt so personal.
Was he doing this deliberately to be thorough? Just to tease me?
Or did he perhaps misinterpret something, as before?
Before, I could ignore it, but now, I had to suppress my rising emotions.
“You said you preferred fruit tea, right? So this time, I prepared peach tea.”
Ah, yes.
The conclusion was simple.
Why he did this, whether he knew what he was doing, or whether he already knew my feelings… I wanted to know the answer to all of it.
I was curious about his heart.
“Sweet. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Does it suit your taste?”
“Yes, really.”
Perhaps he knew a way to figure it out, which made me more flustered.
I glanced at the system window in my peripheral vision.
[Heart Analyzer ×3]
Given as a reward for reaching the route branching point, the Heart Analyzer allowed me to perceive another person’s thoughts and emotions for ten minutes.
If used subtly…
…No, still, peeking into someone’s heart without permission felt wrong.
One misstep could reveal everything.
“The black magicians are still being pursued, so don’t worry.”
“Yes, I’ll try not to rush anything. Since things are hectic recently, I expect they’re in hiding.”
“The Royal Court is conducting a thorough search, so they won’t appear openly for some time. Relax your mind.”
“Yes.”
I was deceiving him, acting calm, yet I wondered if he might be deceiving me instead.
I thought it selfish of myself.
“I’m always grateful to you.”
Remember this:
What I needed to do was raise my reputation as a knight for a happy ending.
And to grow stronger while remaining part of the Knights.
For his sake, unnecessary feelings had to be hidden.
Even for the sake of returning home.
“Don’t overdo it. It’s also for me.”
So, as a knight, I had to perform my duties flawlessly.
I couldn’t afford to be dismissed.
“Even so… treating a mere knight with such kindness, Young Marquis, you truly deserve my loyalty.”
I would keep my distance.
Careful enough that it wouldn’t look strange to others.
I silently put a smile on my face, determined.
