Chapter 53
I sat the two of them down and poured water for them. Elber wetted his dry lips and asked his first question.
“Um… do you… do you have someone who needs to be punished? If you do, I’ll help you!”
“See? You’re spouting nonsense again.”
“It’s not nonsense! I’m just worried because of the kidnapping incident!”
“Father came and found me right away. It ended quickly, so it wasn’t that hard.”
He had tracked Rupe’s trail, broken down the door, and rescued me.
…but while I was speaking casually, I suddenly remembered my first meeting with Elber.
The only reason Elber ended up in the orphanage was because the duke had abandoned him on the streets. Of course, he must have had a reason, but could abandoning a child for weeks really be justified?
Ugh, what if my words ended up hurting Elber?
“Um, Elber? By any chance…”
“You were thinking about the orphanage? About me being abandoned?”
“…Yeah.”
So quick-witted, Elber.
He gave a soft chuckle and patted my head. Compared to the duke’s hand, it was much smaller—and far more gentle.
“Saying I was fine would be a lie. I still sometimes dream about being shoved off a cart by Father.”
“Elber oppa…”
“But, unlike me, you were rescued right away by Father after being kidnapped. I was kind of jealous.”
“…”
“But when I think about it, it’s fine. Maybe Father actually did change for the better. And most of all—thanks to you!”
“Ah…”
He wasn’t being sarcastic. Elber’s smile was still as pure and bright as ever.
“If Father truly protects you… then maybe I won’t regret bringing you from the orphanage anymore.”
“Elber oppa…”
Are you seriously an angel? Can I check if there are wings on your back?
I almost hugged him out of sheer emotion when Benen let out a long sigh and cut between us. Hm? He’s got something to say?
“Elber, about when you were suddenly abandoned and sent to the orphanage.”
“Hm?”
“Father had received a threat from a rival family saying they’d kidnap his youngest son. He did it to protect you. He had to use a route that couldn’t be traced in order to keep you safe.”
“…”
Elber and I froze at the unexpected truth. Benen smirked and added a few more words.
“But don’t go reevaluating Father. When I asked if I should reveal this, he said, ‘A successor of Schlaeger should be able to deduce at least that much on their own.’”
“…That sounds exactly like him.”
“Right? He’s not someone to waste time being disappointed or moved over.”
Exactly. He’s not someone who’s going to change now. But… we could change.
Like Elber, who wanted to protect me. Like Benen, who could now say “successor” in front of his younger sibling without anger. Looks like these two reconciled when I wasn’t looking.
“What’s with that weird uncle-like grin, Sol?”
“It’s because you’re both so cute.”
“You really sound like an uncle. Anyway, time for our second question.”
Wait, there’s more? Elber spoke again.
“…What’s your relationship with Kai?”
Now that’s truly nonsense! I squeezed my cheeks with both hands.
“What are you suspecting me of? You already know! We only exchanged letters a couple times!”
“Isn’t it weird for someone to come all the way here just from letters?”
“Maybe his grandfather sent him to build connections with the duke’s family!”
“…Really?”
Thankfully, it looks like they didn’t notice that Kai had come over last time.
Besides, I was planning to cut contact with Kai anyway, so there was no need to bring up the Cardinal Dragon.
“When I talked to him at the festival, I realized he’s boring. I’ll just slowly forget him after a few letters.”
“He was that bad? Did he do something wrong to you?”
“Are you worried, or happy?”
His words were worried, but his lips were smiling. Elber lightly smacked his own mouth and said,
“Both.”
“Honest of you.”
“I also worried that you might marry into the LaFrande marquisate.”
“That’s way too far in the future!”
“You’re sixteen—you could already get married. Usually it’s after twenty, but in LaFrande’s case… well, circumstances.”
Ah, that’s right. Kai has no parents.
“I guess the marquis would want to quickly settle succession and bring stability.”
“That’s one reason. And… I think Kai probably feels lonely.”
“…”
“Besides, Sol, you’re a good person. I can understand why he’d want to keep you close…”
Elber trailed off, lowering his head.
…They say only someone who has been lonely understands another’s loneliness. Elber’s words about Kai were really just about himself.
I squeezed Elber’s hand tightly.
“Elber oppa, I’m not going anywhere until you become an adult.”
“And when I do?”
“Then you’ll probably be the one to go somewhere.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll meet someone really wonderful.”
I could guarantee it. An angel like him would find a woman just as angelic. Not a twisted, trauma-ridden adult like me.
And then—
“Ahem, ahem!”
The twisted adolescent over there deliberately gave me a look. I took Benen’s hand as well and spoke.
“As for you, Benen oppa…”
You died miserably, going against the protagonist. No one stayed by your side. It was inevitable, after all the destruction you caused.
…But this time.
“Please raise me well.”
“Huh?”
“I’m more naive compared to you, right? So until I learn enough not to get swindled, teach me properly.”
I couldn’t promise that Benen would find a good partner.
But… I could help him become a good partner to someone else.
Benen looked dumbfounded.
“Did you really just call yourself naive?”
But his lips curled upward ever so slightly. Maybe that was his answer.
“Are your questions all done now?”
The two of them reluctantly nodded, gripping the armrests of their chairs as if afraid they’d be thrown out of the room.
Haha, don’t worry. I’m not kicking you out.
“I just want to ask something. Earlier, you said the ball-throwing game ended without a winner, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then… can’t I dance with both of you at the same time?”
“…Sol?”
“If it breaks etiquette, then I guess not.”
Before the festival, three people had asked me to dance. But the only one I danced with was the duke. The younger brothers had asked sincerely too—wouldn’t it be too sad if I wasted their chance?
They glanced at each other, hesitant. Was there some legend like “dancing in groups brings bad luck”? Well, if so, I guess that’s that…
But just then, both of them knelt before me.
Benen spoke first.
“Lady Schlaeger, would you grant me the honor of one dance?”
“Of course.”
“Lady Schlaeger! I too ask for one dance!”
“I accept that request!”
“Why do you answer him so differently?”
“Because you sounded like you were issuing a challenge! Right, Benen oppa?”
“Yeah, more like a duel request.”
“Ugh!”
With that shout, without anyone needing to say who first, we grabbed each other’s hands and ran out of the room.
We dashed through the hallways, up the stairs, until we reached the wide balcony at the top of the tower. The night wind, mixed with floral scents, wrapped around me.
As my skirt fluttered, Benen and Elber held tightly onto my arms. Laughter burst out of me.
“I’m not going to fall, oppas!”
“…It’s not like I was worried about that.”
“Sol is light, so you really might fall!”
Even their silly words, so different from the roles I’d given them, were adorable. I laughed freely and moved forward.
Below us, the duke’s garden spread out like a painting, as if I were standing atop a bed of flowers.
Far away, the city still glittered with golden lights like marigolds, the festival not yet over. Even without music, just that sight made my heart pound.
I was happy. Before all the lights went out, I wanted to dance quickly.
“Oppas, do you know how to dance with three people?”
Elber pondered seriously, but Benen snapped back,
“There’s no such thing.”
“So that means you don’t know, right?”
“…I’m telling you it doesn’t exist.”
“It does. Because I’m about to make it exist.”
“What? W-wait—huh?”
I immediately pulled Benen toward me.
Dancing with many people? Simple. Just hold each other’s arms and spin around together. Once you start, no one can stop.
Elber adapted first, his peals of laughter drowning out Benen’s short yelp. Soon even Benen’s sighs sounded cheerful—was that just my imagination?
With every spin, the white flowers blooming in the garden below peeked through my skirts. The moon shone beautifully over their shoulders.
Everything in the world was beautiful. Was I sparkling too, right now?
Like a true lady of House Schlaeger.
…And like the Schlaeger brothers, Benen and Elber, who held me as if they’d never let me go.
* * *
Latiger hated festivals.
For one, they were budget-devouring monsters. Unlike building libraries or fixing roads, there was no tangible result. And it was a relief if no brawls broke out.
On top of that, the whole city became noisy. What was so fun that everyone had to keep drinking until the dawn moon rose?
…Not that he didn’t understand. Back when Latiger was a “relatively” normal boy, he’d once gotten caught up in the festival spirit and asked a girl he’d just met that day on a date.
That girl became his wife a few years later, so he didn’t regret it… but still.
“…”
The reason Latiger was dwelling on the “harmfulness” of festivals this morning was simple.
As soon as he woke up, the events of last night began replaying in his mind.
“Did I… really dance in front of the entire territory at my age?”
Before the festival, he had promised Sol that he would “escort” her. But he only meant accompanying her for the finale and helping with the fire-lighting.
So how had he ended up dancing?
A man who had nearly forgotten how to dance, spinning in circles with a little girl who also couldn’t dance—the sight must have been… entertaining in many ways.
“…How foolish of me!”
Latiger pressed his flushed face with his cold hands.
