An Elegant and Effective Way to Avoid Courtship

I don’t know what state of mind I was in while walking down the corridor.

Oz seemed to be saying something beside me, but honestly, it didn’t properly register in my ears.

It was while I was moving about in such a daze.

“Huh?”

A familiar silhouette quickly passed by at the bend in the corridor.

“High Priest?”

I reflexively called out loudly. The moment Oz and the maids following behind stopped in their tracks, startled.

The disappeared hem of clothing sheepishly reappeared.

“It is you, it is!”

I approached him with quick steps.

Though I couldn’t have a long conversation since I needed to go see Soniel, I couldn’t just let a welcome face pass by.

Of course, Millean was staring at me with a displeased brow.

Even so, such expressions no longer affected me at all.

“Why haven’t I seen you in so long? Have you been well? Where have you been? Where are you coming from?”

As I frantically poured out questions, Millean narrowed one eye and said.

“I don’t believe I need to report my whereabouts to Your Majesty.”

Seeing nothing has changed, he must have been doing veery well.

“Even if you had to report, you wouldn’t have told me anyway.”

“You know me well.”

“High Priest, I have something to tell you.”

Millean glanced at those standing behind me and replied indifferently.

“You seem busy. Don’t you need to hurry?”

“No, I should say what I need to since I don’t know when I’ll see you again.”

But at that moment, Millean stared at me intently, then slightly raised and lowered the corner of his mouth.

What was that?

Did he smile?

It was an expression I’d never seen before.

Neither dumbfounded nor full of annoyance, but a natural smile.

He had always faced me with an indifferent voice and an apathetic face.

“What did you want to say?”

I wanted to demand why he had been so kind to Leonora when we met, asking if I wasn’t a person too.

The more I thought about it, the more irritated I felt, and I wanted to know the proper reason.

But after seeing that fleeting smile, I realized such questions would be meaningless.

Yes, what matters isn’t what voice you use or what expression you make.

“It’s nothing.”

“……?”

“Then I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I’ll be going now.”

Millean tilted his head to one side but didn’t probe further and stepped aside.

But as I was about to turn away, he left a quiet message.

“Please stay calm. You’re in an uncomfortable and difficult position where you must always be conscious of others’ gazes.”

Yes, whether he was kind to me or not, that wasn’t really the important issue.

What mattered was that this man with his surprising and sensitive ability cared about my well-being.

“Thank you.”

After parting with Millean, I went straight to meet Soniel.

Where had they found her? What would she look like now?

Recalling Millean’s advice, I opened my mouth.

“I’ll go in alone from here.”

Oz, standing a step behind me, seemed to understand my intention and quickly replied.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

When I saw Soniel, I would surely be unable to contain my joy, and anyone seeing that would find it strange.

After dismissing all the maids, Oz slowly pushed the door.

In that moment that felt unusually slow, when the closed reception room door opened, my vision blurred.

“……Oh.”

I ran forward, forgetting to pay respects to Ainberg and forgetting that I was wearing an especially voluminous dress today.

“Ah!”

At the place I arrived with a heart full of worry and joy sat Soniel with a terribly thin face.

I had promised myself all the way here that I wouldn’t cry, that I would show the dignified appearance befitting an Empress.

It was all a meaningless resolution.

“Soniel.”

But Soniel faced me awkwardly with a completely stiff expression.

Ah, she’s seeing me for the first time.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and spoke.

“Soniel, it’s me. Though you might not know who I am.”

Oh my, how bewildered she must be with a stranger showing such intense joy.

“I’m sorry, I mean I’m—”

Then Soniel stared at me intently and her mouth gaped.

“Could it be.”

When I nodded while holding back tears, she finally uttered a single sentence.

“Are you the lady?”

“Yes, it’s me. Where on earth have you been? What happened to your face?”

“……Oh, my goodness. How is your health? How are you feeling now?”

Hmm?

I smiled awkwardly and quickly answered.

“Very well. I’ve returned to my body now, and Leonora is very healthy too.”

“Ah, that’s such a relief. I prayed to God every moment. Really…… it’s such a relief.”

Then she stepped back and paid her respects to me.

“I’m sorry, please forgive my rudeness.”

“Don’t say that. Just being able to meet again, being together like this is enough.”

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

She used to enjoy saying such things, but now she was shrinking with a completely stiff expression.

I approached Soniel, who had stepped away, and held her hands.

“Thank you for coming back like this. Truly.”

“……”

“There have been tragic events, but it’s no one’s fault. Anyway, we must live our own time, right?”

“My lady.”

Yes, let’s talk slowly later.

When I opened my arms and embraced Soniel, she slowly began to sob, and eventually started wailing loudly.

For a very long time.

As her crying began to subside, Oz, standing behind me, cleared his throat a couple of times.

“Ahem.”

When I turned around, Oz opened his mouth with a gentle smile.

“Your Majesty, I’ll now escort Lady Viper out.”

After a moment of confusion, I finally properly noticed Soniel’s appearance.

Shortly after, Soniel was led outside by the maids.

It was because her face and attire were completely disheveled.

“Phew.”

After the stormy time passed, only Ainberg and I remained in the audience chamber.

He had been standing with a calm expression throughout, but when I leaned back on the sofa as if collapsing, he approached.

“Your Majesty.”

I rose from my seat and threw myself into Ainberg’s arms.

“……”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

I was grateful not only for finding Soniel but also for calling me before she had finished getting ready.

He must have wanted us to meet as soon as possible.

Ainberg slowly stroked my head as if embracing it and murmured.

“I wish someone else would disappear.”

I looked up at him.

“Don’t say such things even as a joke.”

“But this is a rare experience.”

Was it?

Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever rushed to embrace him first like this before.

“It’s because there are many eyes watching.”

When I whispered, feeling somehow embarrassed, Ainberg spoke again.

“Then should I get rid of all the watching eyes?”

“That joke is even more terrible.”

But contrary to my words, laughter escaped. When I tightly embraced his waist with both arms, a warm scent enveloped me.

“By the way, where did you find Soniel?”

“She was in a quite unexpected place.”

“An unexpected place?”

When I popped my head out of his embrace to ask again, he answered while stroking my bangs.

“She was in a place with no connection to her hometown or boarding school. It seems she really intended to hide.”

“But how did you find her?”

I had believed you would find her somehow, but I expected it wouldn’t be easy.

It wasn’t like there was communication, and if someone decided to disappear, there weren’t many ways to find them. It was a matter that could only rely on manpower.

Then, Ainberg opened his mouth with a peculiar expression.

“I posted a notice seeking a maid.”

“……?”

Wait, someone determined to hide came looking after seeing a notice?

When I looked puzzled as something didn’t seem right.

He smiled brightly and said.

“I said we were looking for a maid to care for a young lady in poor health. I told them they could exaggerate a bit, and it seems the soldiers said she was near death.”

My goodness.

This man…… what is he?

Seeing his proud expression, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

“You recognized that Soniel is a good child?”

“Of course.”

Slightly reddened cheeks, smiles spreading between the two of us holding each other tightly.

And an atmosphere distinctly different from before.

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

This time, Ainberg’s lips moved toward mine.

A warmth that seemed alive—when I closed my eyes, an enchanting scent poured out. A dreamy, distant, and ecstatic moment continued.

“I love you.”