Chapter 25: Rough treatment is sometimes necessary (2)
“Margaery-sama, you really love His Majesty, don’t you?”
Margaery was momentarily surprised by the cheerful statement. As soon as she understood, she gasped and exclaimed.
“What, what?!”
She sensed Julius looking over at them, so she quickly covered her mouth. When she peeked, he tilted his head curiously, but then returned his gaze to the trees.
‘It’s okay. He didn’t seem to hear the conversation.’ Margaery breathed a sigh of relief and used the same excuse as before.
“N-No, that’s not it! I’m just fulfilling my duty as the Prime Minister’s daughter. I don’t have any special feelings for Yuri-sama.”
The ‘failure’ on the night of the graduation ceremony was a kept secret. In addition, she wanted to put her relationship with Julius on hold until she could avoid the death flag.
So she explained to Flora that she was ‘tasked by her father to connect Julius and Serge’ as the reason for wanting to reconcile the two. She thought it was a good excuse, but for some reason, Flora seemed suspicious.
“But you and His Majesty are close, right? Even today, you brought the Wolf King to the picnic.”
“Well, since I took on Flora-sama’s request, I’ve had a few opportunities to talk to His Majesty. I was able to ask him for a favor.”
“But Margaery-sama is really trying her best. Even today, you were so determined, saying ‘even if the world turns upside down, I’ll drag His Majesty out of the castle!’”
“That’s why there’s no ulterior motive!”
“Besides, that’s it.”
Margaery was about to argue back with a rough breath when Flora playfully poked her with her index finger, but she swallowed her words.
Flora laughed cheerfully and said with conviction,
“Today, Margaery-sama has been following His Majesty with her eyes all the time, haven’t you?”
“Wha-!”
Margaery couldn’t help but gasp. She was aware that it was a hit on the mark.
(No, no! I was looking at Yuri-sama, but only because I was wondering if I could talk to Serge-sama. There’s no deeper meaning to it…)
She tried to come up with excuses, but her confidence began to waver. Since the incident in the garden, she had been strangely conscious of him.
…But, in the first place, Julius was her favorite character from her past life. She happened to become close to him and learned various aspects of him. She even accidentally spent a night with him and hugged him like that.
That’s why she was excited. She was just excited and restless.
So…
“Absolutely not.”
Her heart was pounding and it was painful.
Margaery pressed her chest tightly and gently averted her moist eyes.
“I definitely don’t like him…”
The wind blew through the trees, shaking her silver hair. Margaery’s figure, shrinking and holding her chest, was like that of a love-struck maiden, but unfortunately, she was not aware of it herself.
Flora looked at her beloved friend with affectionate eyes. Then, suddenly, she clapped her hands.
“Well then! Shall we ask His Majesty too?”
“…Huh?!”
“Yes! I have a question for His Majesty!”
Without waiting for a response, Flora energetically raised her hand.
Meanwhile, Julius, who was as idle as ever in a distant place, blinked and looked over here.
“What about me? What is it?”
“What kind of relationship do His Majesty and Margaery-sama have?”
“Huh?”
“Hold, Hold on a second!”
She interrupted in a panic, but it was already too late. Serge had also been curious for a while and was clearly interested, glancing at his brother.
As for Julius, who was asked, he blinked slowly in surprise. His eyes briefly turned to Margaery.
‘Please don’t say anything strange.’ Margaery sent a silent plea, blushing. Whether it got through or not, Julius let out a relieved smile.
Then he shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing.
“I confessed that I like her, but her response is on hold. That’s the kind of relationship we have.”
“Yuri-sama likes Margaery?!”
‘What kind of relationship is that?’
Margaery held her head in her hands, and Flora’s eyes sparkled happily with a “Well!” expression. Serge, on the other hand, turned to his brother with a startled expression.
“Is my brother in love with Margaery?!”
“That’s right. I want to complain a little about whether it’s unrequited love or not.”
“My brother has unrequited love… Is that so…?”
“What do you think of me?”
Julius glared at Serge with red eyes. Serge shook his head in a panic.
“N-Nothing! I just realized that even my brother has that kind of thing.”
“What do you think of me?”
Julius sighed and dropped his shoulders in exasperation at Serge’s surprised expression.
“Oh my, look at that,” Margaery noticed. The two of them, who had been so awkward before, were suddenly talking naturally. They seemed to have realized it late themselves and looked at each other in surprise.
While everyone else was surprised, Flora, as if she had known from the beginning, put her hands together as usual and suggested they talk more while eating.
“Shall we talk more while we eat? I’m getting hungry.”
Margaery was taken aback but then urged Julius to join in.
“I-I’m in too! I prepared a lunchbox, after all. Right, Yuri-sama?”
“…Sure.”
Julius seemed tense for a moment, but then nodded as if he had regained his composure. He turned to Serge, who was still blinking, and tilted his head.
“Let’s go, Serge. It’s a man’s shame to keep a lady waiting.”
“Y-Yes!”
Serge’s eyes widened in surprise as his name was called.
For a moment, Serge was stunned, but then his face lit up and he quickly followed his brother’s back as he started walking.
“Yes, brother! I’m also very hungry!”
“That’s good. Sit down quickly.”
Serge happily sat next to him, while Julius treated him coldly. However, it was clear from his slightly reddened ears that his attitude was just a cover-up for his shyness.
It was like they were already close brothers.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Flora whispered to Margaery.
The fun picnic had only just begun.
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