Peter gaped like a fool.

“You… Is that really the reason?”

“It’s just a happening. You don’t know Estelle, but she has high standards.”

“……”

Before coming to the imperial palace, Peter had expected him to be hurt in his pride. But that wasn’t the case at all. His condition was more serious, to the point of denying reality.

“You’re underestimating Estelle too much. She’s a proud lady despite her poor environment. The fact that she initially rejected my proposal is proof. If she hasn’t fallen for me, she won’t fall for anyone.”

‘Isn’t it just… because she doesn’t like you?’

Peter looked at Lexion strangely, seeing his arrogant boasting. The once cold and rational Lexion was now being as stubborn as the kid he always teased.

“It seems the Alexis brat is trying hard to make advances on Estelle, but the person she loves is me. The poor fellow just doesn’t know it yet.”

Lexion continued with calm eyes.

“Well… I’ll just have to correct his misunderstanding. The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.”

Lexion’s red eyes looked as clear as a poet singing of hope. Unlike someone who had just spouted nonsense.

But Peter found this clear-eyed lunatic appearance more frightening than his expression of anger.

* * *

“Good morning!”

Estelle greeted Jeff with a refreshing voice when they met at the restaurant.

“Yes… Estelle, good morning.”

With shadows under his eyes, Jeff was visibly exhausted to anyone who looked at him. He had gone through numerous contemplations until just before sunrise but couldn’t find any answers.

“You don’t… seem to have slept well. Was the bed very uncomfortable?”

Uncomfortable? Jeff sat down at the table with a somewhat aggrieved expression. Despite showing such a shocking appearance, she seemed completely at ease.

Estelle is not a commoner but a noble. Even though her family wasn’t wealthy, it meant she was a lady who had received basic etiquette education. Of course, not all nobles lived maintaining their dignity as described in textbooks. Even nobles were humans, and humans instinctively pursued pleasure.

Abundance without lack created monotonous daily lives, so nobles who had to maintain obligatory nobility sought strong stimulation behind closed doors, and there were quite a few who enjoyed more promiscuous s*xual lives than commoners.

Jeff didn’t want to condemn their dirty deviations, but he didn’t think well of them either. He was a nobleman close to the orthodox standard who had been educated in proper etiquette.

In his view, regardless of how close they had been before her regression, Estelle’s behavior of exposing her bare skin to a man was inappropriate. However, he didn’t feel displeasure. Just… surprise.

‘Unless we were lovers…..’

Rather than being disappointed by Estelle’s behavior that could be misunderstood, he was most curious about whether such behavior was limited to him alone or if it applied to all men.

‘If interpreted positively… she did it because it was me…..’

Then another big question mark arose in Jeff’s mind. Why is this positive? He felt like he was wandering in a complex maze.

Estelle, who had been quietly observing Jeff’s stiffened face, watched him cautiously before speaking.

“Um… was it very shocking?”

Jeff, who gave her a somewhat reproachful look, answered in a small voice.

“…Of course.”

Estelle let out a low sigh.

“Yes. I understand your confusion too. They were such major events… I think I was too excited about being able to share my secrets. I should have been more considerate when speaking……”

“……”

Jeff looked embarrassed like someone who had just remembered that secret. In fact, he had completely forgotten the content of what she had said. His mind was filled entirely with Estelle’s sensual image.

“The chef is scheduled to start working tomorrow… I apologize for the inadequate food.”

The innkeeper set down plates of warm soup, sausages, and toasted bread before leaving. At that moment, Jeff solemnly parted his lips as if having made a decision.

“Estelle.”

“Yes?”

“I’d like you to answer honestly.”

“About what?”

“We… weren’t just friends, were we?”

Jeff tensed his eyes with a serious face, but cold sweat ran down his spine while his heart shriveled with a subtle flutter.

Unlike the highly tense Jeff, Estelle blinked her eyes with an expression as if she had heard something completely out of the blue.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well… the way you treat me is, um… too close, so I was wondering….. Wh-whether we might have been in a serious relationship……”

“Why did you suddenly think that?”

Jeff’s ears turned red, feeling as if his noisy thoughts had been exposed by her interrogative tone.

“Yesterday, you… in front of me, y-your clothes……”

“Ah… that.”

As Estelle let out a small laugh, Jeff heard her voice saying “sucker” like an auditory hallucination.

“Well, about that… how should I put this……”

She showed a troubled expression as she dragged out her words. That appearance seemed… extremely ominous to Jeff. It was as if she was trying to wrap up his great shame before making it public.

“Jeff, I understand everything.”

Jeff made a dumbfounded expression at Estelle, who suddenly showed generous tolerance. He thought that the more time he spent with Estelle, the more he felt like someone lacking in some way.

“Wh-what……”

“The Goddess doesn’t view different kinds of love as heresy. She acknowledges that forms of love can be different. Of course, I know society tends to condemn it for moral reasons, but I’m proud of you for being so confident. The viscount I knew before used to do such things secretly behind closed doors. And this was a man who hadn’t even been married for a day.”

“Estelle… I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Well, before the regression, you considered the marriage ceremony of pledging eternal love to be very sacred. It’s natural, but you know the reality of nobles well. That marriages are strategically arranged according to the circumstances and obligations of ordinary houses, not like fairy tales. But you opposed loveless marriages even if it was the duty of House Alexis.”

As the introduction lengthened, Jeff’s anxiety increased, but he agreed with what she was saying now. Generally, it was common for nobles to develop affection after marriage, but Jeff didn’t believe that love which didn’t exist in the first place would suddenly appear just because of marriage.

The idea of mixing bodies with someone he didn’t even like was unthinkable for Jeff, whose convictions were firm. He couldn’t ignore everyone’s wishes, but at the very least, he wanted to choose his life partner himself.

“That’s right. I believe that rather than straying after marriage, one should avoid creating such a situation in the first place. But… what does that have to do with this?”

“Well… among the nobles of Alphion, rumors have spread.”

“What rumors?”

“That you have a somewhat special kind of love.”

“Special how?”

“I’m worried if it’s right to reveal this now in case you might be experiencing confusion about your identity but……”

After some hesitation, Estelle finally parted her lips.

“You’re a homosexual. I think I treated you casually because I knew you liked men….. Since I wouldn’t be seen as an object of that kind of gaze by you.”

“……”

Although it had been a continuous series of surprises and shocks since meeting Estelle, he had never felt such despair as if facing a natural disaster until now. Jeff was completely dumbfounded, like someone who had been stabbed while defenseless.

“I should have been more careful about this issue, but it seems like you misunderstood that I was trying to seduce you or something….. I’m sorry for bringing this up so suddenly.”

“I, I, I like men……”

“Yes……”

“Huh……”

It was hard to find any hint of joking on Estelle’s clear face. With her serious gaze, she was clearly only speaking the truth.

Jeff sat there, tugging at his hair and contemplating seriously.

‘I… view men with the same equipment as romantic interests?’

Jeff immediately began to consider the men he knew around him, wondering if there was even the slightest possibility.

“Aack!”

Goosebumps spread across his body as Jeff shuddered violently.

“I’m sorry. I……”

“Wait—! Estelle! Don’t apologize first. Because it’s not true, it’s not! It’s not!”

Jeff spoke with a terrified expression, as if having a seizure, but in a tone full of conviction.

“It’s absolutely not true. I’ll vouch for myself on my honor. It must definitely be a false rumor.”

“Well……”

Jeff looked at Estelle, who was moving her lips helplessly, with eyes full of terror.

“You declared it yourself. In front of your retainers. I didn’t deliberately eavesdrop… I just happened to hear it.”

“…What?”

“You clearly stated with your own mouth that you were a homosexual. That’s why the atmosphere in the conference hall that day was really chaotic. There were even people who fainted with their eyes open. And for good reason, since it meant the end of a Guardian’s lineage.”

The manifestation of special abilities had to be through the bloodline of those with special abilities, and it didn’t manifest in collateral lines, only direct descendants.

If Jeff didn’t have children, it would be as good as cutting off the Guardian lineage of House Alexis.

“Jeff, what I want to say is that I understand you completely. Before being a Guardian, you’re my most beloved friend. I respect your choice.”

“……”

“I hope you meet someone you truly love and be happy. Your life is more important than your family’s duty. And the only one who can say that is me, who cherishes you more than House Alexis does. I want to support you.”

“……”

Jeff stared blankly at Estelle, who was smiling broadly.