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“Lucious.”
“……”
“Lucious?”
We had long since left the Imperial Palace, but Lucious still sat there with his expression stiff. I called out to him again, but he seemed so lost in thought that he didn’t even hear me. With no choice, I got up and sat down beside him, gently turning his face toward me. Only then did he finally look at me.
“…Tiana?”
“What are you thinking about so seriously? You didn’t even hear me calling you.”
“Ah… I’m sorry. I was just… lost in thought.”
“What kind of thought?”
“Well, I was wondering if perhaps I was disrespectful to Grandfather earlier…”
His words trailed off and his expression darkened. Of course—that figured. I had been planning to praise him for doing well, since it was so unlike his usual behavior, but that familiar timidity of his was already threatening to resurface. I quickly cut him off before it could.
“No, that’s not it at all. Lucious, you did really well earlier. You only spoke the truth.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. If anything, the Marquis was the rude one. Like you said, he should have considered the place and occasion. To speak so carelessly in such a setting—he was thoughtless.”
“…That’s true.”
“And besides, he even spoke slightingly about His Majesty and Angelica. If you hadn’t said something, I wouldn’t have stayed silent either. So, you really did well.”
“I just couldn’t sit still without saying anything… It was the first time I’ve ever done that. Grandfather must have been quite shocked as well.”
Even with his subdued voice, the shadow did not lift from his expression. Understandable, really. Not only had he addressed the Marquis with an unaccustomed form of address, he had also never once directly gone against Calvino Marquis’s will until now. No wonder he was unsettled.
But to me, this was a very good sign. It showed he wasn’t just a passive boy dragged around by the Marquis, like in the original story. Little by little, he was starting to express his own thoughts and will. That made me happy.
“Do you regret what you said to him earlier?”
“No. I don’t regret it. I believe what I said was right.”
“Then that’s all that matters. You expressed your own thoughts. As long as you believe it’s right, you should stand by it. Having different opinions and making different choices from the Marquis doesn’t make you wrong. He is himself, and you are yourself, Lucious.”
The reason he found the Marquis so difficult was because of the deeply ingrained memories of being watched and suppressed by him since childhood. Though he had stood in place of a father, he had never allowed Lucious any comfort. And because of his ties with Rayel, he must have suffered even more harassment from the Marquis.
Honestly, the fact that he hadn’t turned twisted long ago was a miracle. Anyone else would have fallen into what they call “darkening.”
“The Marquis’s choices aren’t yours, and your choices aren’t his. There’s no need to conform to him. What matters most is your own choice—your own will.”
“…Tiana.”
“You chose me, didn’t you? Don’t ever doubt the choices you make of your own will.”
“I would never doubt you, Tiana.”
“Then don’t be afraid just because your thoughts differ from his. They were always different to begin with. Put what matters most to you first.”
As I softly pressed my forehead against his, he drew me closer by the waist and murmured,
“What matters most to me is you, Tiana. The path I walk with you is what’s most important.”
“Good. Just remember that—no matter what choice you make or path you take, I’ll be with you. And that the one who will be with you for life… is me.”
“…Thank you, Tiana.”
His voice was husky with emotion as he whispered to me. Relieved by the smile that finally returned to his face, I kissed him. Almost at once, he deepened the kiss, and I felt a faint heat rise from him.
When I tried to pull away at last, his lips clung stubbornly, and when I shifted in my seat he caught me by the waist, stopping me with a low voice.
“Don’t move away.”
“L-Lucious, we’re almost at the checkpoint… Isn’t it a little risky to be seen like this?”
Of course, I didn’t want to let go of him either. But the carriage was about to arrive at the inspection post. After such a heated kiss, our appearance was bound to look disheveled—if we didn’t fix ourselves up, it could be problematic. No matter what, we couldn’t be seen like this.
“…All right.”
At my words, he glanced out the window, saw the checkpoint drawing nearer, and reluctantly loosened his hold. After fixing each other’s clothes, I stood to return to the opposite seat, but he stopped me, still holding my hand.
“Stay here. Sitting side by side, holding hands—that’s harmless enough.”
“All right. I’ll keep holding on.”
That much was fine—we always did, after all. Settling back beside him, I leaned my head lightly against his shoulder. The smile of satisfaction that crossed his face made me laugh softly.
We were still playing idly with each other’s hands when the carriage rolled up to the checkpoint. Once the inspection was complete and we were about to move again, I noticed a familiar figure outside the window.
“Sis!”
“Reno?”
Renox came running up, waving eagerly. Lucious had the coachman stop the carriage, and when Reno reached us, I quickly opened the window.
“Reno!”
“It really was you, Sis! I saw you from afar and ran over just in case.”
He grinned broadly, then offered Lucious a polite greeting.
“Your Grace, it’s an honor. May I ask what brings you both to the palace together?”
“We were paying respects to His Majesty, young lord.”
“Ah, I see. Oh dear, I hope I haven’t interrupted your return.”
“Not at all. We aren’t pressed for time.”
“That’s a relief.”
His expression of relief was so cute I couldn’t help but smile. No matter when I saw him, my younger brother was always so endearing. I noticed he had removed his robe and was carrying it in his hands, so I asked,
“Reno, are you finished for the day? You’re not wearing your robe.”
“Yes, Sis. I just finished and was heading home.”
“Oh? Then why don’t you ride with us? We can drop you off on the way.”
“Huh?”
While he looked startled, I glanced at Lucious. He smiled and nodded.
“That sounds fine. Please get in, young lord.”
“Ah, but…”
“It’s no trouble. The Ducal estate isn’t far out of the way.”
“It’s not that… I just worry about intruding on the two of you…”
I could feel Reno sneaking glances at our still-clasped hands, clearly worried he’d be a bother. His thoughtfulness was both sweet and amusing.
“It’s fine, you’re not intruding. Come with us—I want to catch up and hear what you’ve been up to.”
“…All right then.”
After a little hesitation, he agreed. Lucious stood and personally opened the carriage door for him.
“Please, come in, young lord.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Looking slightly flustered, Reno climbed in and sat down. The carriage started again, but his stiff posture betrayed how tense he was. Lucious spoke gently,
“Please, be at ease.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“……”
“……”
Lucious’s attempt at easing him only made the silence more awkward. Watching the two of them sit there, both tense and overly aware of each other, was so funny and cute I almost burst out laughing. After a long moment, they both ended up glancing at me.
“Tiana…”
“Uh, Sis…”
Calling me at the same time, they both froze, stiff as statues. Their darting eyes and helpless looks were so desperate that I finally couldn’t hold back.
“Hahaha! What are you two doing? You’re both way too self-conscious.”
Anyone who saw them might think they were fighting. At this rate, they wouldn’t talk until Reno got off. I had no choice but to break the ice myself.
“So, you finished early today? It seems earlier than usual.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right, Sis. I only had a small task to handle today, so I wrapped up quickly. There haven’t been any big assignments lately.”
“I see. Did you eat lunch yet?”
“No, I was going to eat once I got home.”
“Really?”
That gave me an idea. It would be a good chance for the two of them to grow closer. Sharing a meal together might make things more comfortable. I turned to Lucious, who was still a little stiff.
“Lucious, how about we have lunch with Reno?”
“…That sounds good, Tiana.”
Fortunately, his expression softened a little as he nodded. Yes—this would be much better than simply parting ways.
“What do you think, Reno? Wouldn’t it be nice to eat and chat together?”
“Lunch? If it’s all right with both of you, then I’d be glad to.”
He accepted more easily than I expected, which made me happy. Smiling, I turned back to Lucious.
“Where should we go then? Shall we eat at your estate?”
“Or how about that restaurant we went to last time?”
“Oh, that would be nice! Do you think the same room will be available?”
“I believe it should be.”
Excitement bubbled up inside me. The food there had been truly delicious—especially the desserts. Since Reno loved cold and sweet things, he’d surely enjoy them too.
“Then let’s go there—”
“Um, Sis.”
“Hm? What is it?”
I was just about to tell the coachman our destination when Reno, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up. He hesitated for a moment before blurting out,
“What if we went to our house instead—the Ducal estate!”
“O-our house…? You mean… home?”
“Yes…!”
His nervous face made it clear he’d struggled to say it. By “home,” he didn’t mean Lucious’s estate—he meant ours. The Celeste Ducal House, the home that belonged to Reno and me.
I was so caught off guard by the unexpected suggestion that I was momentarily at a loss for words.
