Life has been uneventful as usual.
For some reason, I spent time with the Princess who keeps hanging around Eristirol.
Of course, it wasn’t me; it was Kyle.
“….”
“Sophia…?”
“Yes.”
While I was watching from behind as the two talked, the Princess suddenly called out to me.
Is she trying to prank me again?
If so, then I’ll play along just like last time.
I mean, judging by the Princess’s reaction last time, it was pretty great, so doing it once more should be fine.
She didn’t really complain about what I did last time, after all.
“Why do you keep staring…?”
“I was just standing quietly like usual.”
I really was just observing their conversation.
I just thought it was amusing to watch Kyle and the Princess chatting.
What’s so interesting?
It was pretty much the same as always.
“You’re staring intensely….”
“Is that so? I apologize.”
I said sorry to the Princess.
I don’t know if I was really staring hard, but if she says so, then I guess that’s how it is.
“Ugh…. Duke’s Son Kyle, why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“I don’t really know.”
“Don’t laugh alone; tell me what’s going on?!”
“Haha.”
Kyle was laughing and chatting with the Princess.
It made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.
I wonder why.
We’ve talked several times already.
“……”
“Duke’s Son, I’m getting nervous!”
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”
“Ugh…”
They finished their conversation and stood up only after another 30 minutes passed.
The table they were sitting at was left with empty teacups and a few leftover pieces of dessert.
Of course, after talking for nearly an hour, that was to be expected.
Those unnecessarily sweet desserts serve as fuel to keep the conversation going, after all.
Eating while discussing preferences—like what they like or dislike—works great for small talk.
Of course, I didn’t like it.
It’s just my taste.
I’ve always disliked sweet foods.
Especially chocolate.
It was my absolute least favorite.
The taste, so far removed from the sweetness of fruits, was uncomfortable for me.
Just like watching Kyle and the Princess laugh and chat.
“Young Master, if it’s not too rude, can I ask you something?”
“Of course. Anything you’re curious about, Sophia.”
Kyle spoke to me with a smile.
It was a different smile than the one he used with the Princess.
Anyway, my question was nothing special.
“When is the Princess going to leave?”
I was curious, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask her directly.
It might be taken the wrong way, like asking when she plans to leave.
I didn’t want to invite misunderstandings.
I just genuinely wanted to know when the Princess planned to stay.
“Um… I think she’ll probably leave soon. She’s already seen enough of the territory. I believe she’s accomplished her initial purpose….”
I see.
I thought she would stay for a while longer.
I figured she’d be here for about a month, but she’s leaving soon.
Is that good news…?
“Oh, and… no, I’ll tell you later.”
“What is it?”
“You don’t need to know yet.”
“…?”
What could it be?
Why isn’t she telling me?
Is it something important?
If that’s the case, I could understand.
After all, I told Kyle that I would soon quit this position.
If it were super important, she probably wouldn’t share it with me.
I understand.
Still… I wish she would tell me.
“By the way, Sophia, why do you keep staring at the Princess?”
“Yes?”
“When you were talking to me, you kept looking at her. Why were you watching her?”
Why are both the Princess and Kyle asking me this?
Can’t I look occasionally?
It’s not like I’m going to wear a hole in my eyes by looking.
I mean, isn’t it part of my job to observe them from behind?
I just stand there watching unless they need help.
“I have no particular reason.”
Why are they questioning my watching them today of all days?
I’ve always watched them.
Why now?
“I was just watching the two of you talk.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I was just a little envious of their chatting.
In that situation, I couldn’t just jump in and speak up.
I could only stand still, occasionally opening my mouth for a response.
Last time, I got a bit playful by asking for permission, but even so, it was unavoidable.
Kyle and the Princess are nobility and royalty, while I am just a commoner.
A completely ordinary commoner with no power or strength.
Someone who doesn’t fit in with Kyle at all.
No matter how much Kyle says he likes me or whispers that he loves me, even after kissing me like last time.
That part doesn’t change.
Even if I were to connect with Kyle, other nobles would see it as strange.
It wouldn’t look good at all.
A woman with no use besides her body possibly seducing a Duke?
And Kyle would just seem like a foolish heir who fell for such a woman.
“…”
I didn’t want that.
The most important thing to me was Kyle, whom I’ve nurtured and trained for eight years, and after that, it’s myself.
If Kyle gets criticized or made fun of because of me, then it’s better for him to not accept me at all.
As always, it would be someone on his level, like the Princess or Catherine, standing by his side.
“Sophia.”
“Yes.”
“What are you worried about?”
“…”
What could it be?
Did he read my mind just now?
No way, that can’t be it.
There’s no one who can read minds.
He probably just asked.
I can manage my expressions pretty well.
Right now, I’m probably smiling gently at Kyle.
“Nothing at all.”
It really is nothing.
It’s just the reality and the facts, without any special logic, odd delusions, or mysterious schemes.
Suddenly, the words Kyle said to me the other day popped into my head.
Kyle was listing all the reasons I was good.
If he had said that to any other girl, they would have been over the moon.
Much better than someone like me who can’t even accept him properly.
Why am I suddenly thinking like this today?
Is it because I heard Kyle’s words recently?
Or because I suddenly got kissed by him?
Or did I just watch him laughing and chatting comfortably with the Princess?
“…”
Internally, I cursed.
I don’t know why I keep thinking like this.
These thoughts keep popping up in my head, and I don’t understand why.
I don’t think of Kyle romantically at all.
I just see him as a little brother I’ve taught since we were young.
So why do these thoughts keep lingering?
It’s not my fault.
It’s all Kyle’s fault.
It’s his fault for liking me, who has nothing going for her and seems to have forgotten how to do anything properly.
“Young Master, I don’t think I’m feeling well.”
That’s a lie.
I was perfectly fine.
Even working out with Elin didn’t seem like an issue at all.
But I said it anyway.
“I’m sorry, but can I go to my room and rest today?”
It was still before lunchtime.
I had eaten breakfast, helped with Kyle’s paperwork, and spent time with the Princess having tea.
Time hadn’t passed too much or too little.
In about two hours, it would be lunchtime, but for now…
“I’m sorry.”
“Sophia.”
“Yes.”
While I was lost in thought, Kyle called out to me.
I was looking down at the ground, so I lifted my head to look at Kyle.
As always, he was gazing into my eyes.
His eyes were as clear as a sky without a cloud.
Even after several years of seeing those eyes, Kyle’s blue eyes seemed magical each time I looked at them.
How can someone have such clear eyes?
They were so different from my red ones.
“…”
“Sophia.”
“Yes.”
Kyle called me again.
Why is he calling me?
I want to go back to my room and cool my head.
What could he possibly want to say while looking at me with such loving eyes?
Why does he keep looking at me that way?
There are plenty of better people than me out there.
Why?
“Don’t worry.”
What could… he mean by that?
I didn’t say anything.
But I had plenty of worries.
But would Kyle know what I’m worried about?
“Do you know what I’m worried about?”
How could he know what I’m worried about without me saying anything?
I rarely express my thoughts.
No, I hardly express myself at all, so there’s no way he could know.
Moreover, I didn’t like the idea of Kyle feeling uncomfortable because of my pointless worries.
If I don’t express myself, he wouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable either.
“I don’t know.”
Of course.
If he could know all my thoughts, he would be a god or something close.
Kyle’s quite impressive as a man, but he’s not a god.
He’s just a human, a guy.
“But.”
“But?”
Kyle’s eyes, as he spoke, gleamed with a brilliance that felt almost holy.
“My love for you will never change.”
“….”
As he said this, Kyle gently embraced me.
As he held me, that earlier discomfort faded a little.
I wonder why.
“Despite looking like this, I’m quite the catch. I can easily handle whatever Sophia is worried about.”
“I’m not worried!”
“Even so, even if you say you’re not, I’ll help.”
Kyle continued speaking close to my ear while holding me.
Maybe it was because he was speaking closely or because his warm body was hugging me tightly.
Kyle’s voice in my ear today felt so warm.
There were no fancy words, no elaborate speeches.
Just a few words to reassure me.
-Thump….
But his voice, those words, were more than enough to stir my heart.
I couldn’t deny it.
At Kyle’s recent words, my heart raced.
I didn’t even think of a rebuttal.
Because of Kyle… my heart raced.
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