“Kyle.”
“Yes?”
I’ve been thinking about something lately.
It was related to Kyle and me.
“Can we talk? Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
We walked into the bedroom where we’ve been staying lately.
It wasn’t really a conversation to have around people.
And if the Princess heard it, it would just be a funny moment waiting to happen.
That’s why we came here.
“How many years have we known each other now?”
“Since I was twelve, so about eight years.”
“Right.”
I wasn’t asking because I didn’t know.
I asked because I knew it very well.
Eight years—it felt like such a long time.
For Kyle, it was almost half his life; for me, about a third.
I never thought it would turn into such a long relationship when I first entered Eristirol Castle.
“What was I hired for at first?”
“As a private tutor.”
“Yes, and also as a direct servant and a bodyguard, though I hardly did any of that for years due to lack of exercise.”
Still, I think I’ve done enough as both a tutor and a servant.
“I first met you when you were twelve. As your teacher.”
Most people wouldn’t call a private tutor a teacher, but I was Kyle’s!
Of course, I made sure he learned all the essentials of etiquette.
I taught him magic and swordsmanship with the help of others.
“Even if you suddenly confessed and things have turned this way now… I’m still your teacher, the one who has helped you for years.”
It wasn’t that things have been bad or that I dislike anything happening lately with Kyle.
“What do you think of me that you keep trying to kiss me and touch me?”
It made me ponder seriously if I looked like some easy target.
I mean, I have some dignity too!
Why does he keep acting like I’ll easily back down?
“Have I taught you that over these eight years?”
“That’s not it.”
“Right, I know, but why are you behaving like this? Can’t you show a bit more consideration and proper etiquette?”
“…”
This wasn’t just a simple teacher-student issue.
Honestly, I thought Kyle’s behavior was problematic even as a temporary lover.
“Even if we’re just pretending to date, it’s been too much lately.”
“That’s…”
“I’m not done speaking.”
Sorry, but I had more to say.
In fact, I had so much to say that it could be an entire novel, but for now, I’d stick to the essentials.
“Just yesterday! We kissed once and then suddenly you wanted to kiss again!”
It startled me, but there was no way to resist; I had to accept the kiss.
And it wasn’t just yesterday that was an issue.
“Every time it’s just the two of us, you keep hugging me!”
“What about it?”
“And if we’re lying on the bed, you whisper sweet nothings in my ear, and if I don’t like it, you just do weird stuff again!”
I thought it had gotten really out of hand these past few days.
I’m older than Kyle!
It felt like he was looking down at me.
“Hey!”
Kyle didn’t say a word.
Yeah, I figured he must have felt he had crossed the line.
He was a good kid. If I told him to stop, I thought he’d get it.
“If you understand, then can you hold back a bit? Got it?”
“…”
“Got it…?”
“Why can’t I?”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t it okay for lovers to hug a bit?”
“Uhm…?”
I didn’t expect him to go there.
“You said you didn’t dislike it, so that’s why I kept doing it.”
“…”
He never actually said he disliked it.
In fact, he hadn’t said those words at all.
“…”
“So there’s no problem then.”
“Still, I’m older than you…”
“So what?”
“Huh?”
“No one sees me as older when we’re out and about.”
“What?”
“Do you know what one of the new servants said about Sophia?”
“… What did they say?”
“They asked when Sophia’s coming-of-age ceremony would be.”
“Ugh…”
Wasn’t that just too much?
It wasn’t like I had just entered Eristirol!
“That was three years ago.”
“…”
“Plus, when Adela first saw Sophia, she asked how old she was because she looked so young.”
“…”
“How can someone who doesn’t even look older than me, and faints after one kiss, be seen as older?”
“…Well, still…”
But I really am older…
If you consider my past life, I’m definitely 100%—no, 200% older!
“Is it reasonable for someone older to be breathless after a single kiss?”
“No, that’s just because I hadn’t kissed before…”
“I was a beginner too! What kind of excuse is that?”
“No, that’s…!”
I had no comebacks.
It’s true!
We were both newbies, but I was the one who ended up flustered.
“It’s possible! Are you good at everything?!”
“Well, yes.”
“…”
What the heck is this arrogant attitude?
Did this genius pick up everything I didn’t teach him all by himself?!
No, still, that can’t be right…
“…”
I was getting angry.
Both at the fact that I was being pushed around and at Kyle daring to talk back, and I couldn’t object.
“Alright, Mr. Perfect Duke Kyle, why don’t you just go ahead and suggest how good you are at everything!”
I was fired up!
But there was no turning back now.
It wasn’t like I was looking to win every argument today.
“I’m going to tell the Princess and sleep in a different room!”
-Slam!!
Slamming the door behind me, I stormed out of the bedroom.
I was seriously annoyed.
Can’t he just give in a little?
He’s usually so agreeable…
“Tch.”
Honestly, I didn’t need to share a room with Kyle.
I just went along with it because he wanted to, but I would have been fine by myself.
*
“…So you came to see me?”
“Yep.”
I had requested to meet the Princess, and fortunately, she was still in the palace.
If she hadn’t been… I would probably have ended up sleeping on a bench somewhere.
“Ugh…”
“Is it really not possible?”
In that case, I had no other option.
I’d really have to sleep on a bench.
Sleeping outside would be unbearable in Eristirol’s cold, but in Borusia, as long as you dress well, you wouldn’t catch a cold.
“Ugh…”
The Princess let out a sigh.
Was she feeling a bit awkward…?
Sorry about that…
For her, it must be strange to have a guest asking for another room suddenly.
“I’m sorry. If it can’t be done, then I’ll just find a bench…”
“Wait, hold on!!”
I was about to stand up.
But suddenly, the Princess shocked me by stopping me.
Could it be okay after all?
“Well… there are plenty of rooms. I’ll let you use one.”
“Oh, thank you!”
I bowed 90 degrees to express my gratitude to the Princess.
Thanks to her, I wouldn’t have to sleep on a bench.
The Princess might actually be a nice person after all.
She always laughed at my awkwardness due to Kyle but seemed like a genuinely good person.
The future of the Empire really was bright!
“Long live the Empire!”
“Ugh… why is the Duke’s son acting like that all of a sudden…?”
Exactly.
If Kyle had just said a few words, we wouldn’t have ended up like this.
And even though we’re temporary lovers, we are still lovers. Isn’t it common sense for him to offer at least a word or two?
This is why inexperienced people like him have such trouble dating.
He simply lacks experience.
“Sigh… my fate….”
In front of the Princess, I couldn’t help but give a sheepish laugh.
If it weren’t for Kyle, I wouldn’t find myself in this situation.
“Um… by the way, Sophia?”
“Yes.”
“When are you planning to end this ‘temporary’ relationship?”
“Uhm….”
I hadn’t really set a date.
It just kind of happened, and I was hoping we’d figure it out along the way.
I’m not exactly a very planned-out person…
“You haven’t decided?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“….”
“….”
The Princess suddenly went quiet and just sat there.
Was she thinking about something?
“Anyhow… just go in.”
“Yes.”
As I followed the Princess’s instructions and left the room, her attendant guided me to a new one.
“Whoa….”
Is a room supposed to be this big when you’re alone?
No, it seemed the same size as the room I shared with Kyle, but somehow it felt much larger.
“Is it just because there’s no tall guy around?”
That might be true.
Kyle’s height took up so much of my view.
“Can’t he just give in a little? I mean, he’s a guy….”
I didn’t even realize what I had just said right after making that remark.
A guy’s subject…?
What a girlish thing to say…
“Still, he could at least give in once.”
After all, there was no reason he couldn’t let up just once….
“Sigh.”
I flopped back onto the bed.
Since there was no one around this time like when Kyle was here, I could roll around freely, lying on my side without disturbing anyone!
Honestly, maybe it had been wrong to share such a big room in the first place?
A big room feels larger when you’re alone in it.
“I heard the shop owner called for me tomorrow….”
Now, how should I face Kyle?
Even though we’ve ended up with separate rooms now, we still have to see each other tomorrow.
I couldn’t just skip it…
“Hmm….”
What does one do in this situation?
The ideal scenario would be for Kyle to apologize and clear the air.
He should apologize, really.
“After all, I’m an older teacher he’s known for years….”
He indeed was at fault.
So there you go.
Everything wrong going on was solely Kyle’s fault—his attempted intimacy and all the weird stuff he’s been doing lately.
Ugh! What a dilemma!
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