“Your Highness.”

Claudius, who had been watching Ellen’s departing figure, said:

“The lady doesn’t seem to have much interest, does she?”

But Crescent shook his head.

“No. She’s clever.”

“……Clever?”

“She’s trying to raise her price.”

At Crescent’s analysis, Claudius nodded with an “I see” and said:

“Her price. How much are you thinking of accommodating?”

“Well. I thought someone like you would be decent compensation…… For now, I need to keep a close eye on brother’s movements. I just need to offer one level higher than whatever brother offers.”

“Understood. I’ll convey that.”

“I want to have that hand. Seeing her today made me covet her even more.”

“……I’ll do my best.”

With an uneasy premonition that things wouldn’t flow smoothly, Claudius answered while unable to hide his somewhat uncomfortable feelings.

* * *

“Your Highness. To think you really came all the way here.”

Ellen scolded Kaiden for not listening to her. However, he seemed to recall how Crescent had been flirting and instead became indignant and shouted:

“But I really was worried, what could I do? Your excellence is already well-known, and you said you were going to a party. Sure enough, someone like Crescent stuck to you!”

“But isn’t it fine to cause some confusion? As much as he pays attention to me, his attention will be diverted elsewhere.”

“That’s certainly true, but I’m concerned about the risks that come with it.”

Kaiden said with a deep sigh.

“Take today alone. What do you think was Crescent’s reason for specifically introducing Claudius? It’s obvious what’s in his head, so how can I just stand by and watch?”

But at his complaint, Ellen tilted her head and asked:

“Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to drag out the time without Sir Baroque’s marriage being decided?”

“Of course that’s true, but……”

As he fumbled for words, unable to find a rebuttal, Ellen thought for a moment and asked:

“Your Highness. Are you perhaps worried that I might betray you?”

“What, no, no!”

He was startled as if he had heard something unthinkable.

“Betrayal. That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“Naturally—”

I just don’t want to show you to others.

“Naturally?”

“Naturally……”

Just before the rest of his words could slip out, he barely managed to stop his moving lips.

“Your Highness?”

As he trailed off without being able to answer, Ellen, puzzled, urged him on.

It would have been better to keep hiding you in the castle. Even if it was pitiful to see you in pain, I could help you. You could stay with me in the place I prepared for you.

When his wildly racing thoughts reached a certain image, he was startled and squeezed his eyes shut.

“……Your Highness? Is there somewhere you’re not feeling well?”

When Ellen asked with a worried face, he shook his head.

“No. It’s nothing.”

“Are you really alright?”

“……I’m fine.”

He could see Ellen approaching closely to examine his complexion.

Eyes sparkling as they reflected the light, the vitality overflowing from her confident manner of speaking.

“Do as you wish.”

Because only I, who shares all these situations, would know that woman’s such aspects.

“As I wish? I thought you were worried about my potential betrayal.”

“I said that wasn’t it. It’s just that you’re the prophet and I’m the one who executes it. Those at sea know best the value of a lighthouse.”

In the ending that woman draws, probably only I will be holding hands with her.

So it’s fine.

Don’t think any further.

He showed a kind smile as he always had.

* * *

What greeted Elsier upon his return to the academy was a murderous schedule.

May looked at Elsier’s dark circles that had reached the tip of his nose and asked in shock:

“……Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m tired.”

“Then why do you keep coming?”

“Because it’s necessary.”

Elsier said while rubbing his stiff eyelids.

After his conversation with May Sorbon, Elsier had been making time to hover around May as much as possible.

When he first received her timetable, he was honestly a bit overwhelmed.

The reason they had been distant until now was there—they had no overlapping classes at all.

Oh, damn it.

Elsier saw the coming days flash before his eyes like a panorama.

Anyway, following his sister’s request, he hovered around May as much as possible.

And on the day when he attended all the lecture halls she attended with the tightest possible schedule….

He immediately went to find all the professors of those subjects to request auditing.

[Professor. I have been complacent. I want to gain as much as possible while I can learn here. Please allow me to have this opportunity.]

Since he had actually had a very good learning attitude despite oddly clashing with fellow students, all the professors readily granted his auditing request.

When May saw him attending class together with her on the first day, she asked him with a fed-up expression:

[Are you really going to listen to all of this?]

[Yes.]

Elsier hadn’t wanted to perform such an insane schedule either.

But after performing the schedule together on the first day, he immediately made up his mind.

The influence of the Periwinkle gang that she had been feeling was excessively greater than what he had felt.

The classroom atmosphere toward her couldn’t be called good even as empty words.

If she had originally been someone who didn’t get along with others, he would have considered various things, but from his experience, she was quite bold and easy to befriend without reserve.

For such a person to face this blatant atmosphere…. It was a creepiness that couldn’t be explained by simple disputes between ordinary students.

So from then on, he decided to perform a schedule that squeezed him to the limits of his physical strength, and the current situation came about.

“You’ll collapse at this rate.”

“I know because I’ve collapsed before, but it’s not that bad.”

“Would a count’s young master born with healthy limbs have occasion to collapse?”

When May looked at him with disbelieving eyes, Elsier glared at her as if asking why she was being like this and said:

“It happened when sister first left home for her marriage.”

“Really? For what reason?”

“Because I wanted to quickly become someone who could do my part. I made a fuss saying I’d become a knight and go to my sister. Thinking about it now, I should have studied other things more then.”

“Well…… you were young enough when your sister got married.”

May shrugged her shoulders.

“Just being able to focus on something like that was amazing in itself.”

“Right. I’m grateful you evaluated it that way, and anyway I’m fine so don’t worry about it.”

“Do as you like.”

The two continued walking while bickering like this.

Elsier recalled his sister’s request.

[Periwinkle is someone who will do something to my pride no matter what. The more he can’t have something, the more he’ll rage and charge in, so don’t provoke him too much. Got it?]

His sister seemed quite worried as she held his hand tightly and said:

[While maintaining an appropriate level that won’t hurt your body, it’s important to prove that they tried to harm her.]

[How?]

[Well. If they take direct action, you’d need witnesses who can prove it, and if they bribe someone, you’d need to secure witnesses related to the bribery. This case would be easier. There must have been exchanges of payment or items for identity verification.]

Anyway, so Elsier began acting as if he had suddenly become a different person.

[Why are you suddenly acting like this? Is it because of your sister’s matter? It was resolved well anyway.]

His roommate, Oz Garnet, asked as if frustrated, but Elsier’s answer was consistent.

[It’s for the family’s honor. You don’t need to worry about it.]

Because of this, people around him sent pitying glances, thinking he was under pressure due to his sister’s divorce.

When the tired Elsier took the wrong path after rushing over as soon as his class ended, May called him to a stop.

“Where are you going? Sword practice.”

“Ah.”

“If you’re very tired, why don’t you skip practice for just today? You’ll really get hurt at this rate.”

Elsier checked his physical condition and said with a sigh:

“……Should I? Will the pairs match without me?”

“If they don’t match, the professor is there. When you’re not here, that’s how it’s always been.”

“That must have been quite inconvenient.”

“Rather, it was fortunate to be able to cross swords with a higher-level expert.”

When she spoke nonchalantly as if it was nothing, Elsier also chuckled and replied:

“Thinking about it that way, that’s true too.”

“Right. So rest today.”

“Let me speak to the professor.”

Fortunately, the sword practice professor readily told him to do so.

“Right. You did seem to be overdoing it. Since you’re an auditing student anyway, rest for today.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

“Then I can have a practice match with May after a long time. I need to see how much her skills have improved.”

“Please guide me, Professor!”

But contrary to their expectations, there was a student who volunteered to be May’s partner.

“Professor!”

“What is it?”

“My partner also said he’s not feeling well.”

“Really? Then it works out perfectly. Tell that student to come to me, and you pair up with May for practice.”

“Yes.”

And that was the beginning.

“Ugh!”

“May!”

As soon as the practice began, he started continuously aiming near her face as if by mistake.

“Ah, sorry. There’s quite a height difference between you and my partner, so I can’t adjust well.”

“……Got it.”

May gritted her teeth and re-gripped her sword.

“Then I’m coming again.”

She leaped straight toward his front.

Clang!

The swords clashed head-on, and May’s relatively lighter sword bounced once.

But she immediately changed her sword path and struck again.

Swoosh!

The touching blade edges slid against each other, and she lowered her body more than the opponent’s sword which occupied a relatively higher position, digging in from below.

“Ugh!”

At the sword immediately aiming for his neck, he stepped back greatly and created distance.

“Wait!”

He raised his left hand that wasn’t holding the sword to request a break.