Author: Suisei
Translator: Rinkage
Character page: Here
Chapter 224 – I slipped into my girlfriend’s home
After Happiness left, I carefully made my preparations. Tonight, I would be infiltrating the Aquarain family’s estate.
Black clothes, smoke bombs, grappling hooks, chains… none of that was necessary. What I needed was some tea sweets, a few stories to share, and…
…myself.
“No, even thinking that makes me cringe. Let’s not get too fired up. I should just go in normally. What Cecilia needs right now isn’t some try-hard, cool-looking version of me. She needs the version who can sit down, drink tea, and talk.” [Youki]
She was exhausted, after all. I should avoid being the one cracking jokes nonstop. No forced humour. Just be myself.
…Though maybe being too conscious of that would be a bad idea too. If I overdid the consideration, it might only make things awkward. Cecilia was most at ease when I was simply being myself.
So yeah. Being myself is the best.
“Alright, doors locked properly… let’s go.” [Youki]
I headed for the Aquarain estate, walking at a normal pace at first. Once I reached a point about ten minutes away, I switched to full alert. The moment I sharpened my senses of smell and hearing, I confirmed it immediately. Several people were lurking around the estate. They didn’t seem to be guards. More likely, they were newshounds of some sort, hoping to gather information. If I walked straight up to the mansion with people like that hanging around, I’d definitely draw suspicion.
Seriously… just getting to the estate was already this much trouble. Couldn’t the knight order do something about people harassing a noble family like this? …Or was it impossible because they were careful to keep their distance from the estate itself?
I decided I’d ask Raven about it later.
“Alright then… let’s find a loophole.” [Youki]
These people weren’t working together to guard the mansion. There were probably a few small groups, but they didn’t have enough numbers to surround the place properly. They were more like newshounds, loitering around to see what they could dig up. When it came to information, it was first-come, first-served. That was exactly why the path leading to the main gate was crowded with people hoping to get firsthand information. Naturally, that route was out of the question. Avoiding those areas, I carefully chose paths where no one was around. Thanks to that, I managed to get close to the estate without running into anyone.
“And now… Vanishing Wave.” [Youki]
I activated the invisibility spell and slipped inside. After sending that letter, Cecilia had probably suspected I’d come. With that in mind, I made her room my point of entry.
Quietly, I peeked through the window and found exactly who I was looking for. Cecilia was sitting in a chair, reading. Since she was alone, the opportunity was perfect. I decided to have her open the window for me.
“Opeeeen uuup, pleeease~” [Youki]
After lightly knocking on the window three times, I called out in an intentionally high-pitched voice.
I wondered how she would react when…
Cecilia rose from her chair and, without a moment’s hesitation, opened the window.
“You’re here, aren’t you, Youki-san?” [Cecilia]
“Good evening. Long time no see.” [Youki]
“Please, come in.” [Cecilia]
I slipped quickly into the room. Once Cecilia closed the window and drew the curtains, I cancelled the invisibility spell.
“Please, have a seat. I’ll prepare some tea.” [Cecilia]
“Thanks.” [Youki]
Cecilia moved with practiced efficiency, getting everything ready. Normally, this would have been the point where she scolded me or teased me a little. But for us, moments like this had once been part of everyday life. We used to be able to sit, chat, and relax over tea so easily back then.
Well, obstacles like this were nothing to me. That was probably why Cecilia had sent me that kind of letter in the first place.
“Here you go.” [Cecilia]
“Yeah. Oh, here, I brought some cakes.” [Youki]
“Thank you. …These are from the shop you frequent, aren’t they, Youki-san?” [Cecilia]
“Yep. No matter what, that place is still my favourite.” [Youki]
It was the shop run by the siblings Ami-san and the muscle-bound pâtissier, Andrei-san. I was a regular there. I’d even taken Happiness with me recently. Come to think of it, I’d been expanding that shop’s customer base without even realizing it. But the cakes were genuinely good, so it was no surprise the place had become popular.
“Given the current situation, even going to a cake shop has become difficult.” [Cecilia]
“Ah… right.” [Youki]
“Even on my days off, my movements are restricted… and to begin with, I barely have any days off at all. Lately, it’s been nothing but arranged marriage meetings. Even while I’m working, I can feel people watching me…” [Cecilia]
She let out a small breath.
“…You’ll listen to me, won’t you?” [Cecilia]
It was rare to see Cecilia looking this vulnerable. This was one of those moments when she was leaning on me, not as a knight, not as a friend, but as her partner. Was there any reason for me to refuse?
No. Absolutely not.
I took a sip of the tea Cecilia had prepared. As expected, it was delicious.
“It’s completely normal for us to sit and talk like this, Cecilia. If you’re alright with me, then I’ll listen to whatever’s on your mind for as long as you need.” [Youki]
“…Thank you, Youki-san.” [Cecilia]
Cecilia’s expression softened in relief… and then, for just a moment, I caught a sharp glint in her eyes.
Wait… this is kind of—no, very—
“Since the king’s remarks at the wedding, I’ve been flooded with marriage proposals. Not just from people within the Kingdom of Clariness, but from other nations as well. Given who they are, I can’t refuse them without a proper reason. Even with my mother’s help, there are limits to how many can be turned down.” [Cecilia]
She continued without pause.
“I’ve had to squeeze my schedule tighter and tighter between work just to make time to meet them. That’s how I’ve been managing, constantly adjusting, constantly compromising.” [Cecilia]
“Ah… yeah. I get it.” [Youki]
Raven was in a similar situation, too. He’d had to force time out of his schedule just to show someone around.
Yeah. Somehow, this felt…
“Cecilia, maybe take a breath for a second—” [Youki]
“I am calm, Youki-san.” [Cecilia]
“O-Oh. I see.” [Youki]
That smile of hers… wasn’t that the kind she wore when things were not alright? It didn’t feel like Cecilia’s usual gentle smile. No… what am I doing, doubting my own girlfriend? I’ve never even been in another relationship before. I shouldn’t be overthinking things like this.
Cecilia is… just Cecilia.
“There was even a man who approached me while I was spending time with the children at the orphanage. Right in front of them, he started explaining how wonderful life would be if I married him. Some of the children were clearly uncomfortable, and some even looked wary of him. It was quite difficult… trying to keep them from saying something disrespectful.” [Cecilia]
“Y-Yeah… that’s pretty bad.” [Youki]
“The moment that unsettled me most was when it happened at the orphanage we once visited together, Youki-san. The children started speaking honestly then. They said they preferred the big brother who played with them before… and I was pressed for an explanation.” [Cecilia]
“Oh, right. We did go to an orphanage on one of our dates.” [Youki]
That must have been during the time I tailed Duke’s date… Though all I really remembered was the kids mostly flocking to Cecilia while I sat there being consoled by a little girl.
“Was I really that memorable to them? Memorable enough to be compared like that?” [Youki]
“What are you saying? You were wonderful with the children, Youki-san. Since it was their first time meeting you, many of them were nervous and stayed close to me, but there are plenty who’ve said they want to play with you again.” [Cecilia]
“That’s… nice to hear, but…” [Youki]
“The men who came to see me only talked about themselves, or asked to meet me again another day. It was as though the children didn’t exist at all. I think the children sensed that too. None of them tried to interact. Oh, and of course, I made sure not to mention you by name. So please don’t worry.” [Cecilia]
I wasn’t worried about Cecilia talking about me. She wouldn’t do that in the first place. If anything, what worried me was…
“There were even people who didn’t stop at approaching me during work, but waited right outside my home for me to return. When someone suddenly proposed to me like that, I nearly dropped the staff I was holding. Did they really think I’d simply say yes on the spot?” [Cecilia]
“Well… I mean… yeah, that’s pretty bad… Though, considering I confessed when we first met, I don’t really have much room to talk.” [Youki]
“Oh, right. That did happen, didn’t it?” [Cecilia]
We looked at each other and laughed. I really wasn’t in any position to judge anyone else on that front. I could only manage a wry smile, but Cecilia laughed naturally. I was just glad my self-deprecating joke had actually made her laugh. From the sound of it, she really had been through a lot lately, and it had all been bottled up inside her.
“It really does bring back memories. But you and I are properly together now. The people who proposed to me on the spot… you can tell just by talking to them. They’re hoping to take advantage of the chaos, thinking that if they can form even the slightest connection, it’ll be worth it. There were so many times I wanted to say, I already have a boyfriend…” [Cecilia]
“I-I get that.” [Youki]
A boyfriend.
Hearing her say that made my chest tighten in the best possible way.
That boyfriend is me.
I had to suppress my expression with every ounce of effort. This wasn’t the kind of moment where I could let that show. Not now.
“Do people really see me as such a frivolous woman? Someone who would casually agree to an engagement with a man she’s only just met?” [Cecilia]
“No, no, no, it’s nothing like that! It’s just… well, you know. You’re kind, exactly like your moniker suggests, and people see you as dependable. You never treat anyone coldly, no matter the situation.” [Youki]
“Even I have my limits, you know?” [Cecilia]
“Right… you do.” [Youki]
Yuuga and I had both seen what lay beyond those limits.
“There are times when I want to say something is too much, or when I feel that something is simply impossible.” [Cecilia]
“Heh, it’s rare to hear you say something like that, Cecilia. Usually, you end up looking after people one way or another, no matter the situation.” [Youki]
“It’s reached a point where I can’t simply tolerate it anymore. Do you think that’s wrong?” [Cecilia]
“Huh? Why would it be?” [Youki]
No matter how kind Cecilia was, or how saintly people believed her to be, everyone had a breaking point. Thinking something was too much wasn’t wrong at all.
“If something bothers me, I say it bothers me. For you, it might be harder because of your position, but still…” [Youki]
“Even if I’m being… a little complain-y in front of you like this?” [Cecilia]
“I don’t mind at all. Besides, you wrote it yourself in the message you sent through Happiness, didn’t you? That you can be yourself around me. So don’t worry about it.” [Youki]
She had listened to my worries and helped me out plenty of times, too. As long as you were alive, there were moments when you just needed to vent. Letting everything pile up without any release wasn’t good for anyone.
“If Cecilia says she’s struggling, then I’ll come running right away. Really, no hesitation. I’ll be there in a flash.” [Youki]
“And just what exactly are you planning to do?” [Cecilia]
“Well, you know, if you’re having trouble, then I figured it’s my job to step in and deal with it. Quickly and cleanly.” [Youki]
“…Honestly, just the fact that you came all this way in the middle of the night, carefully avoiding being seen, and listened to me, that’s more than enough.” [Cecilia]
“In that case, I’ll stay as long as time allows.” [Youki]
“You said it. Now I’m going to keep you with me until the very end.” [Cecilia]
She wore a smile that said, Be prepared.
Seeing that, I braced myself, realizing it was going to be a very long night. I knew how painful it was not to be able to see the person you loved. Given that, this situation felt too good to be true, so I decided to enjoy it while I could. In the end, Cecilia kept talking until the very early hours of the morning. When I finally suggested we call it a night so it wouldn’t affect tomorrow’s plans, she still looked like she had plenty more to say.
At this rate, it seemed I’d be sneaking into the manor again before long.
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