Screeeech…….

A sinister noise interrupted Ion’s words, and then—

Splash! Whoooosh—!

The arch that had seemed perfectly fine collapsed. To make matters worse, the resulting splash from the arch falling into the lake drenched both Ion and Erika.

Ion was soaked through, looking like a drowned rat.

Erika figured she didn’t look much better herself.

But rather than feeling unpleasant, she felt like laughing.

It was as if something heavy that had been sitting on her chest had been washed away.

“Pfft…… hehehe……”

“Don’t laugh……”

“Snrk. Okay. I won’t laugh, pffhahaha……”

“I said don’t laugh!”

“I got it, okay? Heh.”

Ion puffed his cheeks like a sulking child.

He looked like a child who didn’t know what to do when all his careful preparations went awry.

‘Cute. Huh?’

Erika quickly shook her head to dismiss the thought. The idea that this tactless, rude Ion could be cute was absurd.

“Did you really need to propose? This is a political marriage, isn’t it?”

“It’s, it’s the manual!”

“Manual?”

“Y-yes. The imperial manual……”

“Ah. So you’re practicing?”

Ion’s face turned bright red as he sharply turned his head away.

Erika shrugged nonchalantly.

She’d never heard of such an imperial manual before, but someone as practical as Ion wouldn’t waste time without reason.

He must need to practice under the guise of a date.

“After the proposal, there’s supposed to be a pledge kiss, right?”

At Erika’s words, Ion’s face burned as if it might explode.

“I-I-I w-wasn’t g-going to go th-that far.”

It was fun watching Ion desperately making excuses.

Was teasing him this entertaining?

It was refreshing to see Ion being so cautious.

“Let’s go back.”

Erika recalled the scene when Gerick had proposed to Evelyn here and kissed her. It wasn’t on a small boat like this but on one specially made for proposals. When they kissed, mages had shot fireworks into the air…

Erika felt relieved that the collapsed arch had given them a different memory from those two.

She didn’t want to keep remembering them whenever she thought about proposals.

Gerick’s proposal was something anyone with money could do, but Ion’s proposal seemed like it would become a special memory, different from theirs.

When they reached the shore, Jessie and the servants quickly rushed over with towels.

Though they hadn’t fallen into the lake, the weight of the arch had caused so much water to splash that even their undergarments were soaked.

“……I was planning to take you to lunch……”

“You had a next destination planned?”

“Yes. I made reservations at a place that makes great steak, which you like……”

Erika checked the position of the sun and then said to Ion,

“I’m not hungry yet, so we can change clothes and go.”

“Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? We’re both unemployed now, and time is all we have.”

“Unemployed?”

“It’s a thing. Come on, let’s go. My clothes are sticking to me uncomfortably.”

By now, quite a crowd had gathered around the lake, glancing at Erika and Ion.

Ion hurriedly helped her into the carriage and climbed in after her.

***

Ion took Erika to Turkis, a famous steak restaurant in the capital.

“This place makes great steak, which you like. The sauce is especially delicious.”

That was the second time today.

First tomatoes, now steak. Yes, she liked both, but why was he so certain?

They’d barely ever eaten together.

‘Did he really hire an information broker?’

It seemed like he had too much confidence for some information he bought with money.

Erika thought about asking but decided against it.

Ion, who had been sulking with drooping shoulders, finally returned to the Ion she knew once they arrived at the restaurant.

“I reserved a private room on the second floor.”

“Welcome! I’ll show you the way.”

“I wanted to reserve the entire place, but since I was arranging this in a hurry……”

“Just getting a private room here takes three months, doesn’t it? Getting a room at all is impressive!”

Despite Erika’s words, Ion’s expression didn’t improve much.

“Here we are.”

The room the waiter opened for them was clearly designed for couples.

Cute decorations, all pink and frilly.

Pretty to look at, but quite overwhelming for Erika, who was allergic to pink hearts.

“Ah……”

Ion blushed and scratched his head.

It seemed he had only thought about the steak and hadn’t considered the room’s interior.

Or had he?

Erika noticed the same flowers Ion had given her that morning decorating the table.

Come to think of it, these flowers had been at the pavilion earlier, and on the boat too.

The same flowers everywhere they went meant Ion had put in effort…

“Ion. Did you prepare these flowers?”

“Huh? Y-yeah.”

“What are they called? What do they mean?”

“Lisianthus. They have the meaning of ‘unchanging love’……”

Though the room’s lavish interior somewhat diminished the flowers’ beauty, they definitely made an impression on Erika.

Seeing him blushing and stammering made something tickle inside her chest.

‘Why is he being so sweet? We’re not even that kind of couple.’

However, Erika’s thoughts were interrupted by an unwelcome intruder.

“That unchanging love isn’t directed at you but at me, so I’m sorry about that.”

Gerick and Evelyn emerged from the room opposite the one assigned to Ion and Erika.

Gerick’s interference naturally made Erika’s face crumple.

Partly because of Gerick’s arrogance, and partly because Ion hung his head without saying anything in response.

“A man who clings to an old flame while having a wife by his side after marriage is really pathetic. Evelyn, are you okay with this?”

Evelyn, who had been biting her lip while looking at Gerick, glared coldly at Erika.

“Lady Erika, if you hadn’t interfered, none of this would have happened. Perhaps we should reconsider who’s really clinging to whom?”

“Oh my, Evelyn, you’re fierce! Showing your true colors now? Tell me honestly. Your marriage is political, isn’t it?”

At Erika’s question, Evelyn pressed her lips shut, glancing nervously at Gerick.

“There you go again. You talk as if we betrayed you, but you’re the one who betrayed me. You said you loved me with your mouth, but then you got narrow-minded, got upset, and turned your back on me first.”

Erika’s forehead throbbed with anger at Gerick’s words.

Who was the one who broke promises? And now he was blaming her?

“Hah…… Let’s stop. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Erika pushed Ion into their room and closed the door.

She felt she should say something first, seeing Ion’s dejected face from earlier, but she was too angry to speak.

They ate their appetizers, salad, and main dish without exchanging a word. Only the sound of forks and knives clinking filled the space between them.

Erika dabbed her mouth with a napkin and said,

“If this is what dates are like, they’re not bad.”

“……Did you like it?”

“Yes. I’ve never done any of this before, except with you.”

“……”

Ion stared at Erika with an unreadable expression.

“Are you pitying me again? Thinking I’m pitiful because I dated Gerick for so long but never got to experience a date like this?”

“No. I just realized that I’ve never done this before either.”

“……Really?”

“Yes.”

“Your life too…… Why did we live like that?”

Most of Ion and Erika’s memories involved running around with swords in hand.

Unlike Ion, who took up the sword to survive, Erika wielded hers because she wanted to be the best, but there were hardly any days when swords weren’t in their hands.

They used those swords to cut down enemies, monsters, or at the very least, practice dummies.

“Everything is a first…… I wanted to do it well. This new beginning with you.”

Ion muttered softly with a bitter smile.

Erika realized that her actual relationship with him was starting today.

Until yesterday, they had been too busy making a hasty contract and getting back at Gerick to think about each other.

Even when Ion came in the morning saying it was the first date of their 90 days, Erika hadn’t thought much of it.

It was a political marriage after all.

Who would try so hard to impress a political marriage partner?

Erika had simply followed Ion’s lead, thinking of it as going through the motions.

They had to have these mandatory meetings before the political marriage, and she needed to find out whether Gerick had lied or not.

“I’ll take you home.”

“Is this the end of today’s date?”

“Are you disappointed?”

“As if.”

Erika gave Ion a sidelong glance at his playful words.

The carriage carrying them arrived at the Sparta grand ducal residence.

Ion, who had been sitting quietly, helped Erika down and said,

“I’ll come pick you up tomorrow afternoon.”

“Tomorrow too?”

“Of course. Ninety days isn’t that much time to get to know each other.”

Erika pondered Ion’s words for a moment before nodding.

“True. Even after knowing someone for over ten years, people remain mysteries. See you tomorrow.”

Ion got back into the carriage after watching Erika’s retreating figure as she waved goodbye.

He had wanted to give her a wonderful, memorable date, but it had been ruined.

Why did the arch suddenly collapse?

Why did they have to run into that annoying Gerick at the restaurant? He should have reserved the entire place after all.

And why did it drive him crazy that Erika didn’t deny Gerick’s words?

— “That unchanging love isn’t directed at you but at me, so I’m sorry about that.”

He knew it was too early.

It had only been a little over three months since Erika discovered Gerick’s betrayal. During that time, though she had been suspicious of their relationship, she probably hadn’t completely let go of her feelings for Gerick.

Wasn’t that why she had proposed this political marriage to him—for revenge?

Knowing all this, knowing what he was getting into from the start, why did it hurt so much?

***

The next day, Ion really did show up in the afternoon. It was well past lunchtime.

Erika had dressed more carefully than yesterday. She felt she should show some sincerity to Ion, who was now her person.

Ion quietly kissed the back of Erika’s hand and led her to the carriage.

The carriage carrying them drove vigorously toward some destination.

Erika didn’t ask any questions. The diligent Ion would have prepared something with care today to make up for yesterday’s mishaps.

She didn’t understand why he was so dedicated to these dates for a political marriage, but there was no reason to refuse his good intentions.

The carriage gradually came to a stop, apparently having reached their destination.

Ion got out of the carriage first and extended his hand to Erika.

Perhaps because they had started late, or because they had traveled quite far from the Sparta grand ducal residence, it was already dark all around.

The restaurant located on top of a mountain was full of couples on dates, but they were all too busy whispering sweet nothings to each other to pay attention to anyone else.

Like yesterday, Ion had reserved a private room in advance.

“Is it difficult to make reservations here too?”

“Very. You usually need to book at least six months in advance.”

“So how did you manage it?”

Ion leaned forward with a grin.