Chapter 61
“Your Highness.”
A little while later, in the middle of Liana and Marquis Diago’s conversation, Berche, who had been occasionally adding short interjections, called out to Liana.
“Hm?”
“I have something to give you.”
“To me?”
Berche gave a small nod and took out a small, long box from the inside of his coat.
“Congratulations on your marriage. I don’t know if it will suit your taste, but…”
“You didn’t have to give me something like this. Still, thank you, Berche.”
At Berche’s slightly hesitant words, Liana looked a little dazed for a moment, but soon softened her gaze and smiled as she accepted the box.
When it was in Berche’s hand, the box had seemed small, but in her hands, it felt surprisingly large.
“Can I open it now?”
“Please do as you wish.”
Yesterday, she had received a lot of gifts from Ian Hart, and today, she was receiving one from Berche.
“Berche, when did you even prepare a gift for Her Highness? Without telling your father at all?”
“I don’t feel the need to report every single thing to you.”
“What? … I see, so you’re all grown up now, is that it?”
“… I’ve been grown up for a long time. I’ve told you before that you’re the one treating me like a child.”
Listening to the quiet exchange between father and son, Liana carefully loosened the silver ribbon around the light purple box.
Sssk—
The lid opened smoothly.
“…Oh my.”
At Liana’s small exclamation, both father and son turned their attention to her.
For once, a faint tension appeared on Berche’s usually impassive face.
Liana slowly picked up the gift.
It was a pair of white leather gloves—soft and smooth to the touch.
Most leather gloves tended to be a little bulky, but Berche’s gift was thin like silk, yet not floppy.
The wrist area was adorned with small blue gemstones set in an elegant design, giving it a refined touch.
“Berche, can I try them on now?”
“They belong to Your Highness. There’s no need to ask me.”
The way Berche politely gave her permission was exactly like the upright, steadfast boy he had been in his early teens.
“Well then.”
Liana, who wasn’t particularly interested in clothes or accessories, didn’t know what material the gloves were made from.
Ironically, she was far more knowledgeable about the materials used for swords, armor, and protective gear.
“Oh, they’re really warm!”
The soft lining warmly wrapped around her hands, while the smooth matte exterior drew an involuntary murmur of admiration.
Berche’s stiff shoulders seemed to relax slightly, and he let out a silent breath of relief.
“I heard winters in the Empire are much colder than in Rone. Since Your Highness has delicate skin, I thought this might help.”
“You still remembered that?”
At Liana’s slightly surprised question, Berche only gave a faint smile.
The fact that he used to carry a lightly scented fruit hand cream every day for Liana—who had complained about her hands getting dry in winter—was a secret he kept to himself.
“Right, you had skin that cracked easily too. You were so well-prepared that you always had cream with you, so thanks to you, my hands were soft too.”
At Liana’s nostalgic smile, Marquis Diago gave his son a look that was equal parts pity and exasperation.
Berche ignored his father’s gaze and spoke again.
“It’s been magically treated, so the color won’t fade or get damaged. And it’s designed so you can grip a sword without discomfort.”
“Really? I didn’t even prepare you a gift…”
“There’s nothing for me to be congratulated for.”
“What do you mean? You got promoted.”
“… You already sent me a gift back then.”
“That was just a by-product I sent because I happened to remember you needed it.”
Berche had become the commander of the 2nd Knight Order nearly half a year ago.
When she heard the news, Liana wanted to send him a gift.
When she asked what he wanted, Berche said congratulations were enough, but unwilling to let it go, she thought long and hard about it.
Then she remembered he had mentioned needing new armor, so she sent him the bones of a top-grade magical beast.
“Oh, speaking of which, did you get your new armor made?”
“Yes. I don’t have it now, but next time… Ah.”
As he was about to promise to show it to her next time, Berche remembered there weren’t many “next times” left with Liana.
Most high-ranking figures already knew the date when Liana and Ian Hart would be leaving for the Empire.
“Hm, then I’ll visit the Knight Order tomorrow or the day after. Show me then.”
“… I can’t. I’m leaving on a mission tonight.”
“What? Is that old man senile?!”
Berche had just returned from a mission yesterday, and now they were sending him out again?
Her reaction—getting angrier than he was—made the corner of Berche’s mouth twitch upward ever so slightly.
“… But I should be able to see you off on your departure day.”
“See me off?”
“Yes, I’m assigned to escort you then.”
That send-off would be the last time he would see her before they were separated by national borders… but Berche hid the bitterness in his heart and continued the conversation.
“See you in a few days.”
“Yeah, have a safe mission. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
After a brief hug with Liana, Berche left the palace with Marquis Diago, putting more and more distance between them and the palace.
Before long, their pace slowed. Walking alongside his son, Marquis Diago let out a sigh.
“… You foolish boy.”
At his father’s reproach, Berche calmly looked back at the palace where Liana was.
The feelings that had accompanied him for half his life had never once been spoken aloud, remaining buried in his heart.
“… Why not just confess? If you keep it bottled up, it’ll only eat away at you, son.”
Marquis Diago quietly spoke as he put a hand on his son’s now-broader shoulder.
He treasured Liana as his beloved disciple, but his son was just as precious to him.
Berche had been a boy who rarely smiled. The only time he showed faint expressions was in front of his mother, and otherwise, he was like a block of wood.
But after he started training with Liana, his face had grown a little brighter, and his emotions more expressive.
At the late queen’s request, Marquis Diago had become Liana’s teacher and had quickly come to genuinely cherish her.
Despite her poor circumstances, Liana’s cheerful and dignified nature made her call him “Master” without hesitation, and she followed him well.
Feeling sorry for Liana’s friendless situation, he brought his youngest son—who was of a similar age—to the palace.
“Berche, today you’ll be meeting Her Highness, the First Princess. You must treat her with courtesy and respect. Understand?”
“Yes, Father.”
Berche replied calmly, but that day, for the first time, he thought someone other than his mother was beautiful.
“… Father, when are we going to the palace again?”
“Hm? Her Highness’s swordsmanship lessons are twice a week.”
At those words, the nine-year-old Berche pursed his lips briefly.
Noticing the unusual reaction, Marquis Diago narrowed his eyes and deliberately teased,
“Hmm, now that I think about it, Her Highness needs a sparring partner for her lessons… I’ll have to find someone from my Knight Order.”
“I’ll do it.”
Sure enough, the boy who had been hesitating moments earlier quickly raised his hand at the thought of someone else being chosen.
From then on, Berche accompanied his father to the palace twice a week to train with Liana.
It was only natural that two children of similar age would become close.
While Marquis Diago was reminiscing about the past, Berche too recalled a certain memory—one from about three years later, after he had recovered from a strange fever.
“Berche!”
“Your Highness?”
“I heard you were sick! I was so worried. Are you okay now?”
Wearing her training uniform, Liana ran up to him, grabbed his shoulders, and examined him closely.
Seeing his slightly gaunter face after a week of illness, she looked more upset than he did.
“Your face looks so thin… I’ll take today’s lesson alone. You should rest more!”
“I’m fine now. I’ve fully recovered.”
