Chapter 06
What on earth happened over the past six years?
I heard he went from one battlefield to another as soon as he came of age… did he really go insane from swinging a sword too much?
If that were true, it was honestly a little pitiful. Then again, a title like World’s Strongest wouldn’t come easily.
Mio sincerely prayed that his memories would never return.
That was the best possible route—for both Aletheia and herself.
“I know what kind of relationship we had… but for now, I’d like you to be careful.”
“Ah, of course. Don’t worry at all.”
Now relaxed, Mio smiled freely and even lifted both hands slightly.
I’m planning to stay out of your sight as much as possible, after all.
Aletheia raised his eyes and looked at her. Strands of golden hair stuck out from beneath the bandages.
Perhaps because she’d just heard that what lay under them was basically a newly adult boy, he looked oddly youthful.
That said—Aletheia was still Aletheia.
“More importantly, where’s the dressing room? Over there? Oh—no, no, you don’t need to get up. Absolute rest, Lord Aletheia. Today, I’m the one taking care of you. Just lie back and relax.”
Mio rattled on without pause and immediately turned toward the dressing room.
Aletheia’s quiet voice followed her.
“But… you are human, right?”
“…What?”
“N-No, never mind. That was strange of me to say. It’s just… I can’t hear anything from your side at all.”
What was he talking about?
If he couldn’t hear her voice, how had they been talking this whole time?
Mio stopped and turned only her head to look at him.
Aletheia was murmuring to himself with vacant eyes.
“Yes… someone like that. That must be why I even wrote an oath document…”
“……”
“That’s why the engagement…”
Unable to stand it any longer, Mio turned back and shuffled to the bed.
Then, with movements that were bold yet careful, she pushed Aletheia back onto the mattress.
Since he’d only been sitting upright, it didn’t take much strength.
The care was mostly to avoid provoking his temper.
“Gah!”
But the moment Mio touched him, Aletheia widened his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath.
That scared me.
Mio immediately pulled her hands away and asked nervously,
“…Are you hurt?”
Only then did she remember that he’d fallen from a horse.
Aside from the head injury, could there be other wounds?
Objectively speaking, the force she’d used wasn’t enough to warrant a gasp like that.
“Should I call a physician? I’m sorry. I wasn’t careful enough.”
“N-No. It’s just… I was startled.”
Mio looked down at Aletheia on the bed with suspicious eyes.
The uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.
What was that?
When Mio stared silently, Aletheia—who had been gazing into empty space—closed his eyes.
Mio nodded slightly and spoke softly,
“All right. You’ll feel better after a nap. Sleep well. I’ll tidy up the room while you rest. A clean environment helps patients recover.”
And please, don’t let your memories come back.
“……”
Whether uneasy or not, the fact that Aletheia had stopped watching her couldn’t have worked out better.
Mio shook off the strange feeling and entered the dressing room.
I’ll start by checking the clothes he wore yesterday.
He’d tried to go to the temple immediately after returning from the banquet, so he probably hadn’t had time to change.
After the riding accident, he might’ve changed clothes and dropped it somewhere.
It might even be in a coat pocket.
With determination, Mio began digging through the dressing room.
This is a uniform… another uniform… and this too? A uniform…
Why was the wardrobe full of nothing but military uniforms?
There were occasional formal outfits, but no matter how hard she searched, she couldn’t find the clothes he’d worn to the banquet.
Were they sent to be laundered?
If he’d fallen from a horse, they would’ve been filthy.
That made sense.
Leaving the dressing room, Mio carefully checked the situation in the bedroom.
Aletheia was still lying flat on the bed, just as she’d left him.
Still asleep.
Standing on tiptoe, Mio slipped out of the room.
The knight guarding the door acknowledged her.
“Oh, are you leaving already?”
“I’m planning to stay a bit longer.”
“Heh. I see.”
The knight gave her a knowing, almost suggestive smile.
Mio frowned slightly at the unreadable signal.
Still, now wasn’t the time to worry about strange looks.
“Um… where’s the butler?”
“If you mean Sir Simon, he’s probably at the entrance—or maybe in the dining room by now.”
The knight thought for a moment, then smiled and stepped forward.
“I’ll guide you. This way.”
“Thanks. But is it okay for you to leave your post without a replacement?”
Unable to suppress her curiosity, Mio asked.
The knight burst into laughter, as if she’d said something ridiculous.
“Come on. Did you forget whose door I was guarding just now? It’s Lord Aletheia. Not just anyone—our Grand Duke.”
“Well… that’s true.”
“Honestly, I was only standing there for show. My real job in this castle is… standing.”
“……”
She was far more talkative than expected.
Mio nodded vaguely.
Despite the half-hearted response, the knight continued chatting.
“Simon’s the butler. Filippo’s the gatekeeper. And I’m Jamie—Lord Aletheia’s knight.”
“Wait. Don’t tell me there are only three people working in this entire castle. Don’t joke.”
Even the Duke of Kelt’s castle had countless servants.
A Grand Duke managing with just three people was absurd.
“Oh, I’m not joking. Well, it’s definitely unusual. Things might change once Lord Aletheia marries Lady Mio, but for now, there really are only three of us working here. Lord Aletheia is a bit… special, you know?”
“Oh. So you know.”
Mio covered her mouth with her hand.
She’d thought only she saw him as insane.
Jamie clicked her tongue and wagged a finger.
“How could I not? I can tell at a glance. After all, I’ve been with Lord Aletheia on every battlefield.”
As they talked, they passed through the entrance hall and arrived at the dining room.
From inside, the smell of delicious food wafted out.
Jamie dashed into the room with the stove.
“Simon! I brought Lady Mio!”
“What?!”
After a clatter of noise, Simon appeared.
Looking awkward, he spoke,
“H-Haha… Lady Mio. What brings you to see me…?”
He had his sleeves rolled up, as if he’d been cooking.
One of his hands was a prosthetic.
Mio deliberately looked away and said,
“I lost something at the banquet yesterday. It’s quite important. I was wondering if it might’ve ended up in the Grand Duke’s clothes while we were dancing.”
“In the Grand Duke’s clothes?”
“Yeah. It wasn’t in the dressing room.”
“If it’s what he wore to the banquet… I already sent those to the laundry. I washed them myself, and there was nothing in the pockets.”
“Really?”
Then it wasn’t the clothes.
If the oath document had been in them, the butler would’ve brought it straight to Aletheia.
And Aletheia wouldn’t have said he didn’t know where it was.
“Yes. More importantly… would you be all right with lamb chops for lunch?”
“…Lunch?”
“Yes.”
Simon spoke with an embarrassed smile.
“You’re the first guest this estate has ever welcomed. And you are Lord Aletheia’s fiancée, after all. I’m confident in my cooking. If you have time, would you consider staying for a meal…?”
Jamie cut in enthusiastically.
“That’s right. Simon’s cooking is amazing. Please stay and eat.”
“Oh… my goodness.”
Mio couldn’t help being stunned.
She almost forgot that this was the most polite and normal meal invitation she’d ever received.
From what she’d seen and heard so far, three things were clear.
Aletheia… I didn’t take you for someone this exploitative.
Whether it was due to his personality or something else, Simon—the butler—wasn’t just a butler.
He was also the chef.
And even the laundry servant.
Making someone with a prosthetic hand handle all of that work…
Just how in the world was this household even functioning?
