Chapter 11.6

That woman, Lusellion—comparing what Garzen had with what he had, Perian’s irritation only grew.

Why was his life so full of boredom?

His secretary, who should serve him, was diligent but hopelessly stupid and no help at all. Meanwhile, Lusellion and Garzen had clever dogs who followed their foolish masters. Their loyalty was beyond question.

But what about that woman?

Perian pondered, recalling the women left in his bedroom.

Born of noble Roetan blood, Perian never spared a glance for lowborn women. Even if they acted cheap in bed, the women he held were still nobles. It was a shame they came from families only interested in clinging to a prince for some benefit.

‘Which side is she on, I wonder?’

Perian smiled wryly, fiddling with his nails. As the birdsong filling the office started to grate on his nerves, the secretary rushed in, one hand holding whiskey, the other a cigar.

“Your Highness! Here, I brought whiskey and a cigar.”

“…Ah, at least you’re quick with errands.”

With a crooked smile, Perian rose to greet his secretary. The parrot Ardi, flying about the office, landed prettily on Perian’s shoulder.

“Give it here.”

Perian accepted the lit cigar, exhaling smoke with a deep sigh. Through the haze, the Second Prince grinned slyly.

“Ardi.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Hurry and write an invitation.”

“An invitation…?”

Perian gave a wry nod.

“I need to invite the Rontiano lady to my palace. I’m really in a foul mood right now.”

Invite. Invite!

The parrot Ardi sang in a sweet voice, nodding at the secretary.

The haughty prince’s parrot cried for a while, then spread its elegant wings and soared through the air, as proud as its master.

* * *

The carriage carrying Brienne and Herace stopped a little distance from Peterman Station. Brienne, holding Herace’s hand as she stepped down, looked around in a daze.

The street, with a small river running along one side, was lined with trees tinged blue every few steps. The row of wooden shops, unlike the bustling central shopping street, gave off an old-fashioned, timeless atmosphere.

It was a completely different impression from the lively streets she’d visited on her first day in Roeta, and on the day she met Diashi.

Brienne, unable to close her parted lips, spoke.

“Herace, you should’ve told me about a place like this sooner.”

The gently flowing river, the birdsong overhead, the green leaves falling in the breeze—it was a place where just standing and looking brought peace to the heart.

Herace smiled as Brienne openly showed her delight.

“I wanted to come here with you, so I never mentioned it. I didn’t expect you to like it this much. I’m glad you do.”

“How could I not like it? I never imagined there’d be such a quiet street near that noisy shopping area. How did you find this place?”

“It’s a secret spot I used to visit often while studying at the Academy.”

“A secret spot?”

It was hard to believe such a quiet, beautiful place could be so empty. When Brienne asked in wonder, Herace offered his elbow to her.

“Yes, only locals come here, so few people bother to seek it out.”

Smiling softly, Brienne placed her hand on Herace’s arm, accepting his escort.

“I see. With so few people, it feels like we’re on a secret date.”

“A date. Then, may I hold your hand while we walk here?”

“Hmm….”

Brienne glanced playfully around at Herace’s whisper, then shook her head.

“No, that’s not allowed. We might run into someone from the Academy.”

“…In such a quiet place?”

“Of course, we’re here, aren’t we?”

Herace let out a faint sigh as he looked at Brienne’s smiling face.

“I never imagined it’d be this hard to hold your hand outside.”

“Does that make you sad?”

“Yes, a little.”

The light laughter carried by the river breeze tickled Brienne’s ears. She looked up at him, hiding her excitement.

“You’ll have to bear it, Herace. We’re proper adults, after all.”

“That makes it sound like I’m being childish.”

“That’s how it looks to me.”

“Then, does that mean you find me cute, Brienne?”

“…What?”

Brienne blinked her wide eyes, then let out a soft laugh. “Cute” didn’t seem to suit Herace at all.

But, worried that telling the truth would make Herace even sadder, Brienne quickly nodded.

“Alright. Let’s say you’re cute.”

Herace gave a wry smile.

“Once again, that agreement doesn’t sound sincere. At this point, I don’t know if it’s normal for me to enjoy even your reluctant compliments.”

“It’s normal. So let’s go eat now. I’ve been hungry for a while.”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

Brienne thought for a moment, then shook her head.

“I’d rather go wherever you used to frequent. I’m curious about how you spent your time in Roeta.”

At her words, Herace paused. Brienne tilted her head, wondering why, as Herace looked down at her with a gentle smile.

“…Were you curious about that?”

“Of course. You’ve been here alone for four years, haven’t you?”

Just moments ago, Herace had sounded genuinely disappointed, but now he didn’t seem that way at all. He met her eyes and whispered kindly.

“Alright, if you’re curious, I’ll tell you.”

Herace resumed walking and stopped in front of a shop with a small wooden sign hanging above the door. It was a tiny bistro with a handwritten menu board set up outside.

Brienne looked around with fascination. When she opened the door, a clear bell rang, and a middle-aged couple appeared from the back of the shop.

“Well, look who it is! It’s been ages since you last came!”

“How have you been?”

“Oh, we’re fine! We’ve had fewer customers than last year, but it’s still enough to keep the shop running. Ah, but who is this?”

The couple, welcoming their long-time regular, suddenly turned their gaze to Brienne. Brienne, who had been inspecting the cozy interior, quickly turned her head in surprise.

“Oh, hello. I’m his companion….”

“She’s my lover.”

Herace’s words, spoken at the same time, made it impossible for Brienne to finish her sentence.

Companion and lover.

With their answers pointing in completely different directions, the couple exchanged awkward glances. The wife shot her husband a look, and he set the menu down at a window seat.

“Haha, well then… Please have a seat, look over the menu, and ring the bell when you’re ready. I’ll be in the back preparing ingredients with my wife.”

After the polite owner in his apron hurried away, only Herace—whose thoughts were a mystery—and Brienne, looking awkward, remained.

Brienne rolled her eyes and quickly pulled him to the table the owner had indicated. After a brief silence, Herace was the first to speak, wearing an unfamiliar smile.

“…So, Brienne, you were just my companion.”

Oh no. Brienne, fiddling with the water bottle in embarrassment, hurriedly poured him a glass.

“Herace, you know that’s not it. I was just being cautious. If rumors about our relationship spread, it could affect us at the Academy.”

“Our relationship?”

“Yes, our relationship.”

Brienne nodded earnestly, holding her own glass. Herace tilted his head slightly, gazing at her sincere eyes.

“And what kind of relationship is it, exactly?”

Gulp—Brienne, trying to calm her flustered heart, took a sip of lukewarm water and fell silent.

* * *

“Thank you. Take care, and come again!”

A warm farewell echoed behind Brienne as she left the restaurant. With a gentle smile, Brienne bowed slightly to the couple.

“Thank you, too. I’ll definitely come back next time.”

“Yes, such a lovely young lady!”

The owners of Herace’s favorite restaurant were as talented in their cooking as they were kind. Brienne didn’t leave a single bite of her meal, and the couple kept bringing her complimentary dishes, saying she was so charming.

Unable to refuse their hospitality, Brienne kept eating until she was completely full, only finishing her meal when she felt she couldn’t eat another bite.

Herace had told her several times not to overdo it, but she hadn’t wanted to disappoint such kind people, which was why she ate so much.

“Shall we return to the Academy now?”

Herace, having paid inside, asked. Brienne checked the time, hesitated, then gestured toward the opposite street.

“Shall we walk a bit? I’m too full to get in the carriage right now.”

“Sure.”

Herace nodded and, with a smile, naturally took Brienne’s hand. Brienne’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Herace, I said earlier about holding hands….”

Brienne, flustered, tried to pull her hand away as she glanced around, but Herace tilted his head.

“Don’t worry. I checked—there’s no one around. And, it was you who said we’re becoming lovers, wasn’t it, Brienne?”

Brienne’s cheeks flushed as she detected a hint of mischief in Herace’s face.

<Becoming lovers… that kind of relationship.>

After Herace’s question about what kind of relationship they had, Brienne had bought time by pretending to cough on her water.

She finally found a plausible answer as she accepted the napkin Herace handed her.

Somewhere between just before becoming lovers.

That somewhat vague answer fortunately accomplished its purpose of lightening Herace’s mood.

<Becoming lovers…>

Herace muttered with a wry smile, looking rather satisfied.

<Then I’ll try harder, so I can win your heart completely.>

But did his efforts really have to take this form?