Liliet had grown up comfortably. Money wasn’t an issue when it came to gifts. What mattered was whether she needed it, whether she liked it.

I’d figured out what kinds of accessories Liliet liked and learned about her tea preferences too.

I needed to show her how much attention I was paying to her.

“Actually, I put a lot of effort into preparing this because I want to get closer to you, Liliet.”

“Everything here is really what I like.”

“Then I chose well.”

I nodded, satisfied. The results of my research on Liliet were satisfying. Liliet gathered up the accessories and tea.

“I’ll buy the tea and coffee today!”

After gathering her gifts, Liliet’s eyes welled up with tears.

“I’m so happy to receive such precious gifts.”

The female protagonist who cried easily.

I knew Liliet’s heart had leaned considerably toward me.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

I didn’t refuse the tea Liliet bought.

Unaware that Fazel’s eyes had narrowed, I sat side by side with Liliet and drank tea.

* * *

The history subject group project was to present the flow of history with a special event as the theme. Fazel organized the event he’d been assigned and showed it to Liliet, Caslan, and Louelle. 

Louelle also took out the materials she’d researched this time. Since Liliet had also organized well, it was easy to understand. However, Caslan, who memorized everything wholesale rather than organizing it, was clumsy at organizing.

“Can I cross out the unnecessary parts?”

Caslan’s face flushed. Even he could see he’d organized worse than the others. Caslan had copied books wholesale.

Fazel eliminated everything containing the author’s personal content. Though Caslan had written the most, when Fazel reduced it himself, it became the least.

“I’ll organize it next time.”

There were many assignments to do going forward. Caslan glanced at Fazel and said carefully.

“It’s okay. Caslan seems weak at organizing, so we’ll help you.”

Louelle spoke kindly. Watching Louelle trying to make a good impression on Caslan, Fazel tensed his hands.

Getting close to Liliet only bothered him a little. But seeing her treat Caslan kindly made him anxious somehow.

‘Huu.’

If they weren’t in a contract engagement, he wouldn’t be this anxious.

Louelle’s status was high. She had many opportunities to choose whoever she wanted. That seemed to make him more anxious.

Fazel organized the documents silently. Since he’d been suffering inwardly for quite a while, his feelings weren’t hiding well.

Completely unaware of Fazel’s heart, Louelle smiled warmly at Caslan and Liliet.

* * *

I knew Fazel was uncomfortable. Though he didn’t express it, I felt it instinctively. Should I call it an intuition that only responded to Fazel?

Caslan said he’d do the presentation. Saying he’d organized the worst so he’d at least present well, he took the final product.

Fazel and I sat side by side on the way home.

“Fazel, is something wrong? Is Caslan making you uncomfortable?”

I asked him. Then Fazel, who’d been looking down, turned his gaze toward me.

“I’m not uncomfortable.”

“But your expression wasn’t good.”

Fazel sighed.

“How did you know?”

“Well, I’ve known you for a long time.”

I smiled brightly.

“What is it?”

I wanted to know everything about him. Fazel, who’d been staring at me, hesitated for a moment then looked at me and asked.

“Did someone you like appear?”

Fazel’s words were truly unexpected.

Who would I like when I have you!

I struggled to hold back words that almost burst out.

“Why would you think that?”

“Well, you’re paying attention to Caslan and Liliet. Even if you want to be friends with Liliet, Caslan is… a man.”

Fazel’s face flushed as he said the last words.

“You thought I liked Caslan and would break off our engagement?”

“Not that, but still, I thought maybe you liked him.”

Wow, Fazel’s bothered because I’m interested in a man!

It seemed like he was worried because breaking off the engagement would complicate things, but I still felt good.

“Not at all! Caslan is cool, but he’s not my type.”

My type is Fazel.

Fazel’s golden eyes wavered.

“You were anxious?”

When I asked with sparkling eyes, he turned his head.

“A little.”

He confessed honestly.

“I got close to Liliet because I want to be friends with her, and there’s no need to be on bad terms with Caslan. That’s why.”

Wasn’t he the man who would become a Sword Master in the future? Being friendly would bring benefits, not harm.

And both Liliet and Caslan had good personalities. They were people who took care of those around them and wouldn’t betray.

I was targeting that aspect.

‘Liliet isn’t the type to be interested in a friend’s fiancé.’

If Liliet and Fazel were fated to be tied together, I planned to insert myself into that.

I would stand against fate and claim Fazel.

Don’t you have to enter the tiger’s den to catch the tiger?

But Fazel wouldn’t know these thoughts of mine.

I didn’t want him to know either.

I grasped his hand tightly.

“You’re my fiancé. And honestly, when we come of age, I want to make this engagement official.”

I spoke my true feelings on impulse.

Fazel was surprised by those words.

“Official?”

“If we’re still engaged when we come of age, that would be fine.”

I spoke quietly so he wouldn’t feel burdened.

“Of course, unless you fall in love with someone else, Fazel.”

The person he would fall in love with was Liliet. He was born with that fate. And I was resisting that fate.

Fazel stood there dazed.

Mm, was it too early to say this?

“You mean I’d have a formal engagement with you? I’m fine with that too.”

Fazel said something different from what I expected.

At Fazel’s words that being engaged was fine, my heart pounded.

“Really?”

I asked him again. Then Fazel shrugged and said.

“There’s no particular reason to stop, and if it’s you, I can trust you with peace of mind.”

I understood his words.

Well, from Fazel’s position, he’d need to have someone trustworthy as his fiancée.

In the original, he’d fallen for Liliet at first sight but denied his feelings.

Fazel himself had thought he couldn’t possibly love anyone.

That thought had taken away opportunities to approach Liliet early on.

I stared at him, recalling the story’s flow.

What about him now?

Would he think he couldn’t love, like in the original?

But I couldn’t bring myself to ask this question. While I was curious about his heart, thinking he might come to love someone other than me didn’t feel good.

Let’s just bury this.

Trying to find out this much felt like crossing a line.

I nodded and saved my words.

Still, knowing his heart wanted to continue the engagement with me—wasn’t that something?

Feeling good, I hummed naturally. Getting off the carriage, I waved to Fazel and entered my house.

Marlene, who’d been cleaning the living room, turned her head.

“Miss, you’re back. But did something happen?”

“No, not really?”

“Your smile reaches your ears.”

Ah, did I smile too obviously? I composed myself.

“Nothing happened.”

“Really?”

“Actually, something did.”

I couldn’t help it—my mouth was itching. I confessed to Marlene what Fazel had said.

“Fazel said that if he doesn’t have someone he loves when we come of age, making the engagement official wouldn’t be bad.”

“Really? Master Fazel is finally starting to hold our Miss in his heart.”

“Huh? That’s not it though?”

Then Marlene shook her head.

“If Master Fazel didn’t have such feelings, he wouldn’t suggest making the engagement official.”

Marlene spoke decisively.

“I had that thought too, but I might be disappointed, so I deliberately didn’t say that much.”

“That’s how much you like Master Fazel, Miss.”

That was right.

A long-cherished one-sided love.

My precious heart that I’d hidden away, thinking I’d confess someday.

It was growing vigorously. Now the heart that had bloomed was fragile. It got hurt and fell at even small shocks.

“I’m scared.”

I was afraid of getting hurt. So maybe I was deliberately eliminating expectations to avoid disappointment.

“Miss, you became an adult too quickly.”

“No. I’m just cowardly.”

Only when it came to Fazel was I so fearful.

I smiled while eating the dinner Marlene made.

Dinner was incredibly delicious.

* * *

Fazel began writing a letter. It was to send to Trean, who’d become his adoptive father, and his mother who’d raised him with difficulty.

Since he’d decided to send letters weekly, Fazel moved his pen slowly.

〈To Mother and Father〉

The word “father” still wasn’t familiar. But Fazel regarded Trean, not Aegis, as his father. He felt more affection for him.

Before going to the Academy, Trean had taught Fazel all the skills he possessed. He’d added to remember after seeing and practice.

What he’d passed down included many practical combat swordsmanship techniques used in actual battle.

Fazel closed his eyes.

He liked Trean, who’d given generously to him.

Fazel held back his trembling hands. He wanted to confess the feelings he had for Louelle, at least to his parents.

“Huu.”

Maybe he was having these thoughts because he’d been paying so much attention lately.

He’d known the day would come when Louelle would make other friends and hang out with boys other than himself. He’d been prepared for it, and prepared to smile then too.

He’d been killing his feelings like that.

But Louelle said such things.

That when they came of age, if nothing special happened, instead of breaking off the engagement, making it official might be good.

Then his true feelings burst out. He wanted to make the engagement official right now.

Fazel clenched his fist. The feelings he’d suppressed leaked out and overflowed onto the letter.

Before he knew it, he’d written an entire page about how lovely and wonderful Louelle was.

“Really.”

Fazel tore up the letter and crumpled it. Worried someone might see it, he conjured fire with magic and burned it. Looking at the paper burned by magic, he wrote again.

He tried to write his feelings about Louelle to his mother and father as simply as possible, but it wasn’t easy.

After that, he burned several more sheets of paper.

* * *

Trean walked around the training grounds correcting the children’s postures.

Since he’d taught Louelle and had fame as a knight, quite a few new students had entered this year too.

But then Suran, who’d finished her class, walked over. Trean was busy so he hadn’t seen his wife’s face often.

At least today Trean’s lunch schedule was empty, so she came to see him.

“A letter came from Fazel.”

“From Fazel?”

Trean smiled slightly seeing the writing that said “To Father and Mother.”

“Cute kid.”

Trean tried to open the letter, but then suddenly felt a stinging sensation.

“Fazel put magic on it. The person who brought the letter said it can only be opened at home.”

What secret did he write that he’d put such magic on it!

Trean finished class, went straight home, and tore open the letter.

There was content about doing well, along with his feelings toward Louelle.

“Ah, Fazel is finally confessing he has feelings for Louelle.”

Trean smiled brightly. He’d already guessed Fazel’s heart long ago, watching him take care of Louelle during training.

“He became aware quite a long time ago but is only now confessing.”

Suran also knew of her son’s change.

Both of them knew Fazel had fallen for Louelle, but they’d pretended not to know until he confessed his feelings directly.

“Should we tell the Lord?”

“Fazel will think the adults don’t know.”

“Right.”

But the Lord already knew too.

No, everyone in the castle might know.

The only person who didn’t know was Louelle.

Louelle didn’t know Fazel’s heart, and Fazel didn’t know Louelle’s heart.

In that sense, both were dense about their own matters.

“When will they get together?”

Trean smiled. Louelle’s heart was cute, and Fazel’s heart was lovely. Weren’t they people who couldn’t confess because they thought of each other?

No, the son couldn’t step forward, and the young lady was the only one who didn’t know she was pursuing Fazel.

“When will Fazel notice?”

“Maybe he’ll never know his whole life. Suran didn’t notice until I told you either.”

“Sometimes I had such feelings too. But because of the past, I couldn’t readily ask. Besides, if I asked and you said no, our relationship could have fallen apart.”

At Suran’s words, Trean smiled brightly.

“I know.”

He stroked Suran’s hair. She was a beautiful wife no matter when he looked at her.

“But shouldn’t we tell Fazel too?”

Suran stroked her belly.

“We should, right?”

The day they sent Fazel to the Academy, drunk with excitement, she’d slept with Trean.

And… Fazel’s younger sibling was created. Since it was a child at an older age, she was being careful. At first it was unbelievable, but since it was a child with her beloved husband, she was taking care of her body.

That’s why she hadn’t taken on more work recently. She’d set deadlines for the work she was doing.

Instead, Trean worked hard to earn money. Esran also gave Trean a special bonus for the future young territory resident.

Suran and Trean wrote a reply to Fazel.

* * *

The reply arrived to Fazel immediately.

Reading the letter, Fazel was shocked.

“A younger sibling!?”

This news was also conveyed to Louelle.

“Fazel’s getting a sibling?”

Louelle recalled the original story’s flow.

‘Wow.’

Now the original was completely twisted.

Then she could no longer use the settings she’d remembered.

“Congratulations, Fazel.”

So from now on, she needed to be even more alert.

Louelle took the dazed Fazel along with Liliet and Caslan to visit famous restaurants and spend time.

Her plan to become the best friend of the male and female protagonists proceeded without a hitch.

Several months passed and the midterm exam period approached.