Chapter 14………………………………..
Because I Love You
“I didn’t think you’d come.”
A few days later, inside the carriage headed for the Heinstein ducal family’s winter villa. When a sign indicating the location of the estate flashed past outside the window, Lowell—who had kept his mouth shut the whole time—finally couldn’t hold back and spoke.
“It would be discourteous to decline after receiving an invitation.”
Leon lightly ignored Lowell’s gaze and looked out the window. On his face, as he took in the passing scenery, was a relaxed expression—as if he were visiting his own villa.
“……”
Seeing that, Lowell couldn’t help recalling what had happened at Heinsteinger a few days earlier.
“Please come visit the villa.”
When Aria had made that suggestion to Leon, Lowell had actually been about to refuse right away. After all, in his current unsettled state, it was difficult for him to face Aria comfortably.
“Then I will gratefully accept the invitation.”
But Leon had extended his hand politely before Lowell could even voice his refusal.
Startled, Lowell turned his head to the side and found Leon wearing an unexpectedly gentle smile. It was such a soft, affable smile that one could almost read exactly what Leon was thinking.
“You’re really trying to get close to our young lady, aren’t you?”
Shaking himself out of his brief reverie, Lowell snapped at Leon.
“Of course. There’s nothing to lose by building ties with the young lady of Heinstein. In fact, it’s an enormous gain. This could even lead to a connection with the ducal house.”
It was meant to be a reproachful question, but Leon answered immediately, without missing a beat.
“Wow.”
And so Lowell failed completely to achieve his goal of reprimanding him, letting out a sound that was neither admiration nor a sigh.
During the short time it took for the carriage to arrive at the estate after that, Lowell thought things like How can he be that shameless?—but he only glared at Leon diligently, never voicing the thought aloud.
“……”
Of course, Leon, seated opposite him, could fully sense what Lowell was swallowing back from that sharp stare. Still, until the carriage stopped, Lowell didn’t openly criticize him.
“Lowell! You came early!”
A little later, after arriving at the villa and being guided by servants into the sitting room, the two were greeted by Aria approaching them with a bright smile.
“It’s been a while. Lady Heinstein.”
Leon placed a hand over his chest and inclined his body slightly in a formal bow.
“Oh, yes. Thank you for coming all this way.”
Aria shifted her gaze from Lowell and inclined her head slightly in return.
“Lowell, have you eaten?”
“No, not yet…”
“Then let’s eat first. I asked them to make trout stew—the one you like.”
Aria’s eyes sparkled as she took Lowell by the hand and pulled him along.
The Heinstein family’s winter villa. This place had been personally bestowed upon the Heinstein family by the fourth emperor of the Khan Empire, in recognition of the achievements of Heinstein’s magic knights, who had pushed up the border with the demon race and greatly expanded the empire’s territory.
Throughout the villa were antique decorations bearing the weight of time, and the round pillars supporting the ceiling—along with the golden ornaments wrapped around them—looked impressive enough to rival even imperial villas.
“You must be tired from coming all this way, so please eat plenty.”
And now, in the lavish dining hall of the splendid mansion, Lowell, Leon, and Aria—the lady of the house—were just about to begin their meal.
Seated across from Leon and Lowell, Aria maintained a calm, gentle smile, fully embodying the dignity of a ducal lady.
Hmm.
Seeing her like that, Leon thought she truly was befitting of “someone from a ducal house.”
It was an old custom in the Khan Empire to use honorific speech when addressing knights of the knight order or holy knights of the temple, so Aria speaking formally to Leon wasn’t wrong. However, he had been expelled from the knight order.
And yet she continues to speak formally, considering the other party’s position…
Leon found himself slightly impressed as he looked at Aria’s golden hair, which seemed meticulously groomed.
“Sir Knight?”
When Leon briefly fell into thought, Aria shifted her gaze from Lowell to Leon and raised her eyebrows, her well-trained etiquette evident in her expression.
“Ah, yes. I will eat gratefully.”
Only then did Leon offer a faint smile and pick up his utensils.
“Have you had your injuries properly treated?”
Afterward, in the quiet atmosphere where only the occasional clink of cutlery could be heard, Aria—having finished her meal first—wiped her hands and asked Leon.
“Yes. I treated them as soon as I returned.”
“That’s a relief.”
Aria lifted her glass and smiled gently.
“Did you report that man to the garrison?”
Leon watched her for a moment, then recalled the battered state Andy had been in when Leon saw him leaving the estate, and asked.
“Ah, I just left him there. Whoever dragged him into this probably didn’t want to make things bigger either, so they likely took care of it themselves… Besides, knights aren’t exactly trustworthy.”
After finishing her words casually, Aria flashed Leon a bright smile. Something about it felt artificial, and one of Leon’s eyebrows slanted upward.
“Uh… how long will you be staying at the villa, my lady?”
In the midst of the awkward conversation, Lowell—who had been tense the entire time—forced a bright tone and changed the subject. It was the first time his lips, which had been unnaturally tight throughout the meal, finally parted.
“Hmm, I was originally planning to stay only briefly, but I think I’ll have to remain longer. I received word from the knight order that war preparations are being prolonged. It was rather sudden.”
As Aria set her glass down, she picked up her handkerchief again and lightly dabbed at her lips, then frowned as if displeased by the sudden notice.
“They’re probably still deliberating over the timing of the campaign. If they’ve already declared the opening of hostilities within the order but are saying preparations are needed.”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, I was just explaining in case you weren’t familiar with the knight order, since you’re not a knight, my lady.”
At that moment, Leon set down the knife he had been using to cut his steak and casually joined the conversation, his tone oddly firm.
“…Come to think of it, you were with the Third Knight Order until recently. You really do know a lot about war. While you’re staying here, could you tell me more about the knight order? As you said, I don’t really know much.”
Aria looked straight at Leon and spoke a little more slowly. The smile of a ducal lady still rested on her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“……”
After that, a tense silence settled over the dining hall. Now there wasn’t even the sound of cutlery clinking—just complete stillness.
“Ah, haha. Then that works out. Let’s all get along.”
Drying up in real time under the silence, Lowell finally clasped his hands together and laughed exaggeratedly.
“……”
But despite his effort, Aria merely gave Lowell a faint smile, and Leon cast a dry glance his way. The silence didn’t lift.
“Ha ha…”
Lowell felt like he might actually wither away and die.
“What on earth are you doing?!”
In the room Aria had prepared for them, Lowell shoved Leon back against the wall and snapped as soon as they returned.
“What is.”
Despite the rather rough movement, Leon only asked indifferently, looking past Lowell’s shoulder.
“Are you trying to pick a fight with the young lady?!”
Now Lowell was right under Leon’s chin, practically shouting. He stomped his feet as if trying to make eye contact, but the height difference made it impossible.
“Well…”
Seeing Lowell fuming for so long, Leon felt he should at least meet his eyes and say something. But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to look directly at him, and instead recalled what had just happened.
Leon hadn’t intended to create that kind of atmosphere at all. In other words, he had never planned to engage in a battle of wills with someone he needed to stay on good terms with.
“Knights aren’t trustworthy.”
But when he heard those words, as someone from the knight order, he couldn’t just let it slide. So his mouth had opened before his thoughts had fully formed.
Still, Lowell was right—it had almost turned into an unnecessary argument. Leon had even regretted it briefly after the meal.
Just as Leon was reviewing his mistake, Lowell spoke first in a hoarse voice.
“The young lady didn’t mean it on purpose. Over the seven times she’s gone through regression, the knight order has never once managed to protect her. That’s why she can’t trust them.”
Lowell’s eyes dropped limply to the floor.
“And she already seems suspicious of us as it is…”
Lowell knew Aria had noticed the unnatural tension between himself and Leon. There had been a subtle hint of doubt in the way her eyes had swept over the two of them.
I can’t let the young lady find out that our relationship is based on a contract.
Lowell pressed his lips together tightly and stared at the floor. He didn’t want to add disappointment in himself to everything else Aria was already struggling with.
“……”
Meanwhile, Leon silently watched Lowell’s body tremble slightly. As he observed that unease, Leon felt an unfamiliar sting settle on his skin.
“I….”
It seems I was wrong. With the stinging sensation intensifying, Leon was about to say that.
“That won’t do.”
“……?”
But as always, Lowell was a step faster. Grabbing Leon by the collar, Lowell pulled him close in an instant, their bodies nearly pressed together.
“We have to make it so she can’t suspect anything at all.”
“What—what do you mean?”
“That we married because we’re in love!”
Before Leon could fully process the meaning of those words, Lowell brought his lips close to Leon’s neck—so close that even the slightest movement would make contact.
Leon’s sharp intake of breath and the moment his hand behind Lowell’s back lost its way happened almost simultaneously.
Bang.
“Lowell, how about going out for a walk—”
At that perfectly timed moment, Aria opened the door and came in.
“……”
Since Lowell and Leon were leaning against the wall opposite the door, it was only natural that Aria would witness their display of affection the instant she entered.
“My lady.”
Lowell quickly pulled his lips away and turned around, perfectly acting out a face that blended surprise and flustered embarrassment.
“…Oh. I—I’ll just go by myself.”
Confronted with the scene, Aria stiffened like a malfunctioning machine. Her eyes darted around before shifting to the doorway, and soon she murmured, “Sorry,” and left the room.
“Phew.”
Once the door closed, Lowell straightened up and let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, their fiery newlywed act seemed to have worked.
“……”
Behind the self-satisfied Lowell, Leon was practically frozen solid. It felt to him as if even his brain had stopped functioning—so much so that he couldn’t even feel his racing pulse.
“She won’t think anything strange now, right?”
Lowell turned to Leon as he tidied his rumpled clothes.
“You—you really are….”
Leon stared at Lowell, trailing off mid-sentence. For a moment, he thought his eyes might be trembling pathetically, but he wasn’t in any state to worry about that.
“I heard footsteps in the hallway and thought it was the perfect chance. Even so, it was really sudden, wasn’t it? I’m so—”
Regardless of Leon’s condition, Lowell lowered his eyebrows and put on a sincerely apologetic expression. He didn’t forget to look deeply into Leon’s blue eyes now that Leon was finally meeting his gaze.
Bang!
But it seemed to have backfired. Before Lowell could finish speaking, Leon shut the door and left.
Left alone, Lowell could only blink and finish his sentence to the empty room.
“…sorry.”
