Chapter 72: I don’t understand
In the end, was it because I am Duke’s daughter or because Julian-sama protested that I was only given a five-day suspension? Surely he understood what I didn’t want at that time. The punishment of a mere lady is different from a quarrel between royalty of different countries.
Throughout the long history of the world, there are countless examples of wars that began with trivial things that couldn’t even be remembered why.
No matter the era, it’s just the way people are.
Thanks to the bribe that my parents donated to the school under the guise of a large amount of aid, I have no roommate. Although it’s a comfortable and cozy room for a dormitory, at times like this, it can be seen as a disadvantage of regression to suddenly become lonely.
As I sit on the sofa in cactoire(?) staring out the window absentmindedly, I hear a faint knock on the door. When I opened the door, there stood the dormitory mother.
“Lady Quatra, I have come to deliver a message from His Highness Stratis. He wishes for you to come to the common recreation room after noon.”
“But I am currently under suspension.”
“There is no one else at that time except for me. Rest assured that I will never disclose anything due to His Highness’s command.”
It’s not like that, but there’s no point in pressing the dorm mother further. She was just asked by Julian-sama, and if I were to refuse, she would be caught in the middle.
When I nodded, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief and left.
Although the dormitory is separated by gender, there are several shared spaces. This entertainment room is one of them and is supposedly designed as a wholesome place for students to interact with each other.
“Alise.”
Julian-sama rushes towards me as soon as he sees me. My heart sways complicatedly as I look into his narrowed gray eyes, filled with relief.
“You came.”
“So as not to cause trouble for the dorm mother who entrusted me with a message.”
“I’m sorry for making you do something like this.”
I haven’t seen his soft smile in a while. I try to hold back my tears from falling just by seeing it.
I used to cry easily, but when did I become so good at enduring things?
“Julian-sama is so good at acting, isn’t he?”
“Alise…? What do you mean by that…?”
“Between the cold expression you directed at me in front of Princess Chai and the one you’re showing me now, which one is your true feelings?”
Now that I’ve realized I have feelings for Julian-sama, I find myself comically dancing to his every move.
My wish, to never have a miserable death again, has changed.
I want to do everything I can for his happiness.
He smiled at me, whispered that he loves me, and gently rubbed my head.
Just from that, I have already forgotten the feel of the cold floor from back then.
“I’m sorry to have made things hard for you. But I…”
“You don’t need to apologize. Please act as you wish. If you decide to engage Princess Chai, I will leave gracefully.”
“… Please don’t say that, Alise.”
He has a childish side to him. He looks at me with sad eyes, as if begging me not to abandon him.
Even though it’s me, not you, who’s in danger of being abandoned.
“I don’t intend to blame Julian-sama. I just want him to stop giving me mixed signals like this.”
“There’s only Alise for me. I don’t care about anyone else. I can’t imagine and don’t want to think about a future without you.”
His fingertips, which were extended towards me, hesitated and wandered through the air without touching me. I can’t help but be happy that his always calm expression easily crumbles in front of me.
“I don’t mind dying for you.”
The words that were muttered were spoken in a voice that sounded like it was full of madness.
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