Chapter 2

Lara’s situation was different from the man’s. She only blinked, her face gone pale. Too much information had rushed into her head all at once. And among it were things so bizarre, like the sort of joke children might tell, information about bird droppings and vomit and such.

No, excuse me. First of all, how can you say such absurd things to someone you’ve only just met? That was what Lara wanted to say to the man. But the man spoke again before she could.

“Ah, don’t tell me……?”

Don’t tell……?

“Have you forgotten everything, even that you said you would take responsibility?”

“W-what did you say?”

“You said that since you’d take full responsibility, I should entrust my one-night experience to you, Noona.”

“N-Noona?”

At those words, Lara’s mouth fell open.

Apparently, I, who is older than this handsome man whose fully grown frame is so large I would have to crane my neck to look up at him, spent the night with him while babbling shameless things like that.

“N-no. Setting the age thing aside. That’s even stranger than all that talk about bird droppings. I said that? No, I’m already beyond shocked just from waking up n*ked here. You’re saying I was the one who came onto you first? It wasn’t you who completely, um, did that to me? Even if alcohol wiped my memory…….”

Lara had a lot she wanted to say. But before she could even get half of it out, she froze. Because memories of last night came at her with their mouth wide open.

Lara’s eyes met the man’s.

The man smiled at Lara once again, as she stood frozen like someone struck by a petrification spell. It was a very cute smile with eyes that drooped even further downward.

***

In Lara’s dry, tasteless daily life, which passed by without any particular incident or fun, things that could truly be called special did not happen often.

But today was a day that deserved to be called fairly special. It was the birthday of Sian, her colleague in Accounting Department 3, which managed the lower-ranking knights of the Imperial Knight Order of the Empire—or rather, her comrade-in-arms.

This year marked exactly the fifth year since Lara had begun working as an accountant for the Imperial Knight Order of the Empire, and she was employed in Accounting Department 3, the division that handled all money related to lower-ranking knights—a group that was the largest in number, yet whose role was not considered very important.

Department 3, which managed the lower-ranking knights, had fewer accountants than the other departments, but exactly five times as much work. That did not mean they were paid any more. Their treatment among the other accountants in the Order was so poor that people said they were being ostracized. All because they were low-level officials with not even the tiniest scrap of title or wealth, and even their exam scores had been mediocre.

Considering how the people of Department 3 spent all day being pushed around from every side and doing nothing but work, it was only natural, in a way, that they had gone beyond ordinary workplace relationships and formed bonds like comrades on a battlefield.

To celebrate that comrade’s birthday, the accountants of Department 3 made a truly big decision and booked a table at a splendid restaurant. It was the most popular place in the capital these days.

And so it was in that restaurant, where she entered together with her colleagues that evening, that everything began. That story of how she ended up lying on the same bed with a handsome man whose name she did not know.

“……Huh?”

While chatting merrily with her coworkers, Lara happened to spot someone in the restaurant by chance, purely by chance—her longtime lover, Max.

However, Max was not alone. He was with a young woman who had a cute impression, like a puppy that had only opened its eyes a month ago. The sight of Max grinning foolishly, as if he had been scooping up sugar with a ladle and eating it, made Lara feel sick.

Lara thought that perhaps that pretty girl was Max’s cousin. The fact that their clasped hands were resting on top of the table was strange, but that much, well, could still be covered over with, What close relatives they must be. That was, at least, in a situation where she was so shocked her judgment had dulled.

So Lara approached Max and the girl wearing a face that looked as if she were delighted to death by this coincidence. Then she greeted them in a bright voice.

But Max’s reaction was strange. A very deep embarrassment spread across his face when he saw Lara. Only after a short but intense awkward silence passed did Max smile at her. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not—it was a fake, businesslike smile. The one he only showed when dealing with customers.

At that moment, Lara understood. These two…… they were that kind of pair?

“To run into each other like this all of a sudden. Good to see you, Lara.”

With the same smooth, polished face as ever, Max greeted Lara.

“You should introduce me too.”

The young woman whispered to Max in a small voice. A smile mixed with curiosity and kindness hovered around her lips.

“Ah…… right, I should.”

To the woman, who was looking at Lara with sparkling eyes, Max introduced Lara.

“Lara White. An old friend of mine.”

Like that.

“And this is Lady Jeruna Bloom.”

No particular explanation followed after the woman’s name.

Lara’s gaze landed on the wide-eyed woman, Jeruna. Bloom, Bloom? Come to think of it, it was a familiar surname. Lara did not know much about nobles, but even she knew the family name of the ducal house that had produced outstanding mages for generations.

But she could hardly interfere by abruptly asking Max why he was with a young lady from such a great ducal house, who was not even his relative.

“You look…… very young.”

With a foolish expression, that was all Lara could say.

“Ah, I turned twenty-one this year. Please speak comfortably.”

Jeruna’s smiling face was brighter and fresher than the cut surface of the fruit set on the table. Unlike Lara’s own gloomy complexion, worn down by work.

“……I’m curious what kind of relationship you two have.”

Lara spoke while forcibly tugging up the corners of her mouth.

“Ah. Well…….”

There was no need to hear the rest. Jeruna’s face had already flushed red as she said it.

After that, everything became a blur. A few words were exchanged, but Lara could not remember a single one of them.

Max told Jeruna that he would go exchange a few words with Lara, then soon pulled the dazed, frozen Lara out into the restaurant lobby. He had not erased the fake smile he had been wearing before.

“Why do you look so shocked?”

Max spoke to the speechless Lara. His face clearly showed that he was watching her reaction, yet his voice alone was remarkably bold.

“……Are you cheating on me?”

“What are you talking about?”

Max answered in alarm at Lara’s words.

“Do you think my eyes are just for decoration? Did you think I wouldn’t notice how strange the atmosphere between you and that girl was? The sweetness hanging in the air was enough to clog my nose and mouth.”

“……Yeah. I-I’m seeing her. Uh, I am.”

Though he stammered, it was a very quick admission. Max hurried on, as if asking her to understand his circumstances.

“She’s the youngest daughter of a very important, very important ducal house to our merchant company.”

“What?”

“She confessed to me, saying she liked me. How could I possibly reject that?”

“…….”

“You may not know, but the Duke and the younger sibling beneath him…… you have no idea how nasty and frightening those siblings are. If even one tear were to fall from the eyes of their precious youngest sister, they’d burn down the whole capital district. If I rejected her confession and she ended up heartbroken? Huh? What do you think would happen?”

Max shook his head.

“She’s just helpful to the merchant company, and if I reject her, major damage might come to it, so that’s why I’ve just been trying to keep her in a good mood like this……. No, what’s the point of going on and on explaining all this to you.”

“Are you joking? You should be breaking it down word by word and laying it all out in front of me, and even that wouldn’t be enough…….”

“She may love me, but I don’t love her. Lara, that’s all you need to know.”

“…….”

“Are you worried that I’ll date only you, whom I’ve been with for nearly ten years, and then in the end do something trashy like throwing you away after you’ve missed your marriageable age? If that’s what you thought, then I’m a little dis…… disappointed!”

Whether Lara’s expression rotted away like spoiled fruit or not, he kept talking.

“We’ve already known each other for fifteen years, fifteen years. And yet even now, there are still this many things that apparently need to be explained in words.”

Max let out a small sigh.