Chapter 10

“When you enter the Imperial City, you won’t need a personal bodyguard anymore, right? Then Nia, no, Serenia, will be unemployed?”

After a period of awkwardness, why was Lucien suddenly calling Serenia by her childhood nickname? Serion narrowed his eyes at Lucien, trying to figure out what he was plotting. Lucien only smiled like that when he was up to something troublesome…

“She won’t be unemployed. Mother wants her to stay at the mansion and continue overseeing our security, but I think differently.”

“…What are you planning?”

“To be honest, considering Serenia’s skills, it’s a waste for her to just be the family’s chief of security. She passed the officer exam just like you, but we kept her at the mansion out of our own selfishness.”

“You said you couldn’t send her to the battlefield because it was too dangerous. But you sent me just fine.”

“Of course. I could send you, but how could I send Serenia?”

Listening to Lucien, it sounded like Serenia was the youngest in the family, not him. It wasn’t late-blooming puberty jealousy; Serion just laughed at his brother’s stubbornness. He knew that, despite what Lucien said, if Serenia ever tried to go to war, Lucien would be the first to oppose it.

“So I thought about asking Princess Erisa to let Serenia take the Imperial Knight Order exam.”

“Wow, that’s basically a special appointment, isn’t it? Using power for personal gain?”

“You really say anything to me, don’t you? She passed the officer exam. The only reason she couldn’t take the Imperial Knight Order exam was her status, not her ability, and you know that as well as I do.”

“So you’ll ask for a letter of recommendation? Since she needs an imperial endorsement to fill the gap in qualifications?”

“Serenia should get an honorable job and finally settle down.”

The word ‘settle down’ strangely irritated Lucien, who crossed his arms with a sour expression. It probably meant getting married and starting a family, but why did it annoy him so much?

Serion clicked his tongue at his brother’s sudden sulkiness but refilled his empty teacup.

“What, are you jealous now? When Mother and I kept telling you to join the Imperial Knight Order instead of the military, you didn’t even listen…”

“That’s because Nia—! No, never mind. It’s all in the past.”

“…? Why are you sulking again? Every time you do that, I wonder if you’ll ever get married. Maybe Serenia will get married before you.”

“…You really have no clue.”

Lucien glared at Serion, annoyed that he was talking about Serenia getting married when she was suffering because of him. Serion, clueless about the reason, just looked confused.

“Anyway, you’re not taking Serenia to the Imperial Palace. I’m taking her with me.”

“You? Don’t be ridiculous. Do you know how hard I worked to keep her from going to war? No matter what, you can’t.”

“War? That’s ancient history. There’s no war these days—just a few pirates to deal with.”

“Pirates, huh… Anyway, no. I’m not letting Serenia go anywhere dangerous.”

Serion, who usually smiled gently and never got angry, now looked unusually firm as he dismissed Lucien’s words. Lucien, expecting resistance, just leaned back on the sofa with a relaxed expression.

“Don’t you know? I only do desk work these days. All the dangerous stuff is handled by the lower ranks. I just give directions; I’m not on the battlefield anymore.”

“Is that something you say when you’re high up?”

“You should watch yourself too. Even if Serenia was like the youngest daughter in our family, she’s not actually family on paper. You want to ask for special treatment for another woman right after getting married? Are you out of your mind?”

“What are you talking about… Princess Erisa has known our family for years. Do you think she doesn’t know about Serenia?”

“It’s different when it’s someone else’s family versus your own, or your husband’s. Even if you and Erisa understand, what about everyone else? If rumors spread in the Imperial Palace, both Erisa and Serenia could get in trouble.”

Serion, who had first laughed off Lucien’s suggestion, now looked uncertain as Lucien continued without blinking.

The Imperial Palace was a place where even baseless rumors could catch fire, and for both Erisa and Serenia, gossip about such matters was particularly sensitive; it was hard to guarantee it wouldn’t happen.

“So she should just stay at the mansion…”

“Like you said, Serenia should get an honorable job. How long are you going to keep her tied to the family? Honestly, of all the positions she could take, the one I’m suggesting is the safest and best.”

“…You really only do desk work?”

“I’m telling you, the big pirate clean-up is finished, and now it’s just patrols, training subordinates, and regular instruction. It’s perfectly safe.”

For the first time, Serion saw his younger brother as his actual age. He’d always thought Lucien was immature, but now he was surprised by how persuasive he sounded.

“Isn’t that still abusing your authority?”

“So what?”

“You always told me not to give special treatment to friends because of rumors.”

“You’re married now, and I’m just a single guy. What does it matter if there are weird rumors?”

“……”

Serion couldn’t argue, but Lucien’s smirk as he talked about rumors was unsettling. He didn’t even seem aware he was smiling, which made it all the more eerie. Serion felt an urge to grab Serenia and tell her to run away immediately.

“So I’m taking her.”

“Is Serenia an object? You can’t just take her as you please.”

“Did you hear anything I just said?”

“I heard! I’ll talk to Serenia first. If she agrees, I’ll persuade Mother.”

Such a stubborn guy… He hadn’t gotten a definite answer, but Lucien had still achieved more than half of what he wanted, and nodded with a triumphant expression.

“Alright. Good luck with the wedding preparations.”

“If you know that, hey—hey! That guy…”

Lucien, smiling brightly and waving his hand, walked out with a lighter step. Serion, knowing how busy he was with the wedding, was annoyed that Lucien had wasted his precious time, but Lucien had already dashed out of the room. Serion shook his head with a deep sigh.

Does getting older always mean becoming an adult? When will he ever grow up…?

Serenia, who had grown up too quickly, and Lucien, who still seemed far from adulthood.

Serion thought, for a moment, that they were a strangely different yet well-matched pair.