"Hello! We saw each other last time, right?"
“...”
“Back then, in the study. You may not recall, but it was when I entered the study and my lady…”
The man flailed his hands awkwardly, trying to make himself known.
Alicia looked up at him intently, then soon smiled faintly.
"No. I do remember."
"Is that true?"
“Yes. I remember.”
Looking at the man’s slackened mouth, Alicia subtly touched behind her back.
The man’s face clearly showed signs of joy, but she wasn’t particularly glad to see him acting friendly.
There was only one reason she could think of for a stranger to pretend to be friendly toward her.
It was because he thought she was Cabelenus’s woman.
"Is something wrong?"
“No, it’s not that anything’s wrong; I just saw a familiar face.”
“A familiar face?”
"The young lady looks a lot like someone I know."
“...”
"Uh, saying it like that makes it sound like a cheesy pick-up line."
The man let out a groan as he scratched his head.
Contrary to his large build, the man's smile was as pure and innocent as that of a child.
"Just to be clear, I’m not trying to flirt. I simply want to talk with the young lady."
"What do you want to talk about with me?"
"Well, I know this might be somewhat presumptuous, but first, I’d like to hear the young lady’s name…"
“My name?”
Alicia’s eyes widened.
"Yes, in Roaquin, before having a conversation, you first have to learn each other’s names.”
"That would be difficult."
“Pardon?”
When Alicia’s expression hardened, the man, flustered, took a step back.
"I was told that before giving my name to a gentleman, I should first hear his name."
"…Ah! S-sorry! Now that I think about it, I didn’t even introduce myself. My name is Fenrir… no! That’s not it!"
Flustered, Fenrir covered his face with both hands.
He was usually skilled at dealing with people, but staring into those grey eyes looking straight up at him made his mind go completely blank.
It was like he had returned to the timid child he once was.
“Why are you so nervous?”
“Ah, yes! Yes! I guess I’m just too nervous!”
"You don’t have to be so nervous."
Alicia smiled gently, and Fenrir’s lips twitched.
It was just a possibility, but he couldn’t help feeling hopeful.
Neither the reddish-brown hair nor the grey eyes were anything rare, but just seeing things that reminded him of that child made his heart race for no reason.
“Who do you think I resemble for you to say that?”
“Well…”
“Is it difficult for you to say?”
“It’s not something the young lady would want to hear.”
“If you find it hard to say, you don’t have to.”
It was just something she said out of courtesy, anyway.
Alicia had no intention of talking with the man for long.
“...It’s a child.”
“A child? You look young, but you’re already married—”
“No! It’s not like that!”
Fenrir hastily shouted, cutting off Alicia’s words.
Alicia stared at Fenrir with wide, startled eyes like a rabbit.
Fenrir didn’t miss her moment of fluster and quickly continued speaking.
“I’m unmarried. To begin with, the child I’m talking about is someone I met long ago.”
“Still, if they left such a lasting impression, you must have been quite close.”
“It wasn’t like that. It’s just…”
Fenrir instinctively avoided Alicia’s eyes.
The woman’s sparkling grey eyes were quite different from those of the child he remembered.
Still, just the fact that they were the same colour stirred an unexpected longing within him.
“...There was just something I needed to apologise to that child for.”
“Apologise?”
“Yes. Apologise.”
Fenrir forced himself to calm down and smiled once more.
It was then.
Alicia suddenly staggered.
“A-are you alright?”
He had just managed to fix his expression, but it all went up in smoke again.
Fenrir looked worriedly at Alicia, who was breathing heavily, then froze when he suddenly realised he was holding her.
“Ah, yes, I’m fine.”
Alicia smiled and pulled her hand away.
Fenrir blinked slowly at the warmth that had vanished in an instant.
“Are you feeling unwell by any chance?”
“No. I’ve just been overexerting myself recently, but it’s nothing serious.”
“That’s a relief, but since there might be something wrong with your health, you should see a physician—”
“I’m fine, really.”
Alicia cut him off firmly and stepped back.
Fenrir swallowed dryly out of reflex.
The wary gaze, like that of a wounded beast, made his throat go dry.
Except for hair and eye colour, he thought the woman and the child didn’t resemble each other, but now that he looked again, their gazes seemed somewhat alike.
It was something that didn’t suit a typical noble lady, just like how the child’s gaze didn’t suit a princess.
・・・・・
“You keep running into people from Roaquin?”
“It happens too often to be just a coincidence.”
A slight crease appeared on Alicia’s forehead.
No matter how much she thought about it, the man who kept suddenly popping up from somewhere with a smile seemed suspicious in many ways.
“Was he a young man, or did he look a bit older?”
“He was a young man. He looked slightly younger than you.”
“Then I suppose he’s the escort.”
“Escort?”
“To be precise, that’s just how he introduced himself.”
Cabelelnus slipped both hands into his pockets.
He put them away like this because otherwise, he felt like he’d reach out first.
“So, does that mean he has another identity?”
“He introduced himself as Fenril, but that’s an Imperial name. Someone from Roaquin who hates the empire wouldn’t use a name like that.”
“Maybe he’s trying to make a good impression.”
“If he used the Imperial pronunciation to make a good impression on us, it should have been from a high-ranking officer, not an escort.”
Cabelenus lightly shook his head and continued without pause.
“Moreover, one of the Roaquin chief lord’s sons is named Fenrir.”
“If he’s the chief lord’s son…”
Alicia unconsciously searched through her hazy memories.
It suddenly reminded her of an engagement from long ago.
At that time, the person mentioned in the engagement matter was the chief lord’s youngest son, three years younger than her.
“In a typical kingdom, he’d be considered a prince.”
“Do you think he really is the prince?”
“I don’t know. Unless he reveals his identity himself, it’s just speculation.”
“...”
“Are you worried?”
“Yes, it’s unsettling when you don’t know what someone’s really thinking.”
Alicia wrapped her arms around herself as if to find comfort.
“Don’t worry too much. At least inside this castle, neither you nor Michael will be in danger.”
“...”
“I told you. Nothing within this castle can escape my eyes and ears.”
His eyes, shadowed beneath his lashes, gleamed sharply.
Once was enough to be screwed over by that rat bastard.
His nest would never be ransacked again.
The past eight years were anything but easy.
"It’s okay. You don’t need to hold your breath. Live your life as usual. Do what you want, take what you desire. You’re free to do that, as much as you like.”
After all, he had come to find her because he believed he could do that for her.
With those words, Cabelenus pushed his hands deeper into his pockets.
When she wasn’t around, he missed her; when he saw her, he wanted to touch her — and once he did, he wanted to do whatever he pleased.
But once he started, it felt like there would be no end.
If he wasn’t confident he could stop, it was better not to start at all.
"Hearing you say that puts me somewhat at ease. And honestly, that person didn’t seem to give a bad impression."
She said it with the hope that things would turn out well, but even a light joke quickly twisted the man’s expression into a frown.
"Did he make a good impression?"
"I only saw him briefly, but he smiled a lot, so he seemed pleasant."
“Seemed pleasant, huh…”
Cabelenus’s right eyebrow raised slightly.
"It was even more surprising because he looked about as tall as you. Even in Schwarhan, people as tall as you are rare."
"You must have been paying close attention to that man."
"He just seemed suspicious somehow… Could it be you’re jealous now?"
The crease on Alicia’s forehead deepened.
Even so, Cabelenus nodded naturally, as if he had no intention of denying her words.
"I told you. I get very jealous.”
"Now isn’t the time to worry about jealousy."
"It’s important to me. I'm the one who’s left wanting more."
Cabelenus subtly leaned his upper body toward Alicia.
Alicia’s eyes widened in surprise at the man who approached.
"I guess I was wrong. At first, just being like this was enough, but gradually, I started to desire more."
"Desire more?"
"Yes. Desire. Every time I talk with you, and every time you smile at me, I find myself wanting more and more."
‘Sorry. I’m not a man of a gentle nature.’
Cabelenus smiled bitterly.
If he had known nothing, maybe it would be different, but the man already knew the woman.
The more he knew, the more restless he became, and it felt like he was about to lose control.
“What do you desire?”
"Whatever you think, it's something beyond that."
Cabelenus lowered his head.
Alicia quietly lifted her head toward his approaching gaze.
They were so close that she could feel his breath on her skin.
But that was as far as it went.
Though he seemed just a small movement away from touching her, the man simply stood there, as if nailed to the spot, quietly looking down at the woman.
Alicia watched him and cautiously took a deep breath.
But that alone couldn't calm her pounding heart.
Despite the fierce, almost predatory look in his eyes, she appreciated his effort to hold himself back.
"You were right again this time."
What do you mean?"
"If you don’t want it, I can’t do anything."
“...”
"Because I don’t want to be hated by you ever again."
"I don’t hate you. How could I, when you’re trying so hard like this?”
Alicia’s hand gently rested on Cabelenus’s cheek.
Cabelenus furrowed his brows but quietly accepted Alicia’s touch.
"That’s cheating."
"Why is it cheating?"
"Hearing stuff like that just makes it even harder for me to do anything."
Cabelenus muttered weakly, unlike his usual self.
Alicia lifted both corners of her lips in a smile and gently stroked Cabelenus’s cheek.
Even a man with a body so tough it seemed not a drop of blood would come out if stabbed had a face soft to the touch.
That contradiction made her fingertips tingle for no reason.
"What I say isn’t always right. I’m wrong sometimes, too."
"What did you get wrong?"
"You."
Both corners of Alicia’s mouth curved upward.
"I was wrong to think you would never change."
“...”
"Cabelenus."
“...”
"I believe in you now. You're doing well enough already, and you'll only get better from here."
Alicia extended her arms and embraced Cabelenus’s neck.
Flustered, Cabelenus awkwardly bent at the waist and froze, unable to do anything or decide what to do.
"No matter what happens, you’ll protect me and Michael. And you’ll definitely be a good father to Michael."
Alicia whispered softly into Cabelenus’s ear and closed her eyes.
Her late mother used to say that words have power.
That was why even a single word had to be spoken carefully — because any heartfelt wish, once spoken, had a way of coming true.
Although Alicia didn’t fully believe those words, she fervently prayed that her own words would have power.
・・・・・
"Did you rest well?"
“Thanks to the Grand Duke’s consideration, I was able to get a good rest.”
"Is that so?"
Cabelenus tilted his chin askew and gestured to the maid standing beside him.
The maid skillfully placed the prepared tea on the table.
“It’s Rapsan tea. A tea that helps with sleep.”
“...”
“I’m not fond of these things, but it seems necessary for you.”
Cabelenus’s gaze fell on Fenrir.
Fenrir hesitated briefly under the gaze before stepping forward.
“It appears Your Highness’s castle has many eyes and ears.”
“A guest who doesn’t reveal their identity needs to be treated with caution.”
"Don’t you already know my identity?"
“It’s more of a guess than actual knowledge, so I still need certainty.”
Cabelenus calmly rubbed his chin with his thumb.
It was a gaze like a predator about to pounce.
"Certainty, huh. Indeed, Your Highness is more cautious than I thought."
"If you pronounce 'Fenril' in the Roaquin style, it becomes 'Fenrir,' and coincidentally, the youngest son of the Roaquin’s chief lord is also named Fenrir."
"It's a common name in Roaquin."
Fenrir smiled with a knowing, playful look, but Cabelenus did not.
Rather, he was simply scanning Fenrir slowly, assessing him.
"You do look older than in the portrait I was given."
“...”
"Since the portrait was painted at the coming-of-age ceremony, that’s only natural. In Roaquin, coming of age happens early, so the difference looks even greater compared to the current age."
"How did you come by the portrait?"
"My subordinates are more capable than you think."
Cabelenus nodded lightly.
In Roaquin, coming of age was at fifteen, and this year marked exactly ten years since the chief lord’s youngest son had his coming-of-age ceremony.
Though ten years had passed, and the youth’s face was clearly different from the portrait, the features of his childhood hadn’t completely disappeared.
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