Beramund accepted his glass and gestured for the maid to leave. As the reception room door closed, silence fell. Sigrid gently swirled the cold glass in her hand. The ice made a cheerful sound.
She raised her head to look at Beramund.
"Beramund, I would rather die than have my honor tarnished."
"...I know. You'd die to fulfill a mission, for a friend, things like that."
"But... I was thinking earlier..."
Sigrid continued with difficulty.
"What, you can't die for ?"
As Beramund tried to lighten the mood with a joke, Sigrid's eyes widened. Beramund unconsciously said, "Oh."
"Really?"
Ah, wow, this hurts quite a bit.
Beramund lifted his glass to drink, hiding his face. Sigrid said:
"Even if my honor were tarnished, I think I could live if I were with you, Beramund."
"—!"
Beramund looked at Sigrid in surprise. His hand tightened on the glass. Sigrid, with an expression that was hard to read as either troubled or perplexed, said:
"That's really... I an, being a knight is important to — I couldn't bear that, so I'd rather die— but if Beramund asked
to live together... only Beramund..."
"......"
As Beramund's mouth opened slightly, Sigrid's face turned bright red. She squeezed her eyes shut and almost shouted:
"A-and kissing or heart-pounding things! All of that— everything, I only want to do with Beramund! I don't want to do any of it with anyone else! It might be nothing to you, Beramund, but for , it's all so, so important— I always get weird around you—"
"Sigrid."
Beramund called her na quietly, and Sigrid bit her lip.
How embarrassing.
Laying bare her innermost feelings like this was so embarrassing.
"Siri."
Beramund called her again. Sigrid glanced at him, hoping her bright red face had cald down a bit.
"Yes—"
As she answered, her voice ca out with a hiccup, and Sigrid's face reddened even more. She covered both cheeks with her hands and said:
"J-just a mont, please—"
As Sigrid tried to say she needed ti to calm down, Beramund spoke first:
"Let's get married."
"......"
Sigrid unconsciously gaped at Beramund.
"No, will you marry ? No, let's get married."
"What...?"
"I know. You said you don't want children. Yes, this is the first ti I've been glad to be the second son. I'm quite good at estate managent, you know? I'm sure I can be of help. And—"
What else could be helpful? As Beramund wracked his brain, Sigrid stared at him blankly.
Marriage?
Marriage?
Marriage?
Sohow, her mind wasn't working properly. As Sigrid stumbled over her words, Beramund was also stumbling. The proposal had suddenly burst out of his mouth.
He should have at least prepared a ring!
Beramund berated himself as he desperately spoke to Sigrid. If she rejected him here, it would truly be over.
"Of course, I'll continue to support you in your knight duties—"
"Beramund."
As Sigrid called his na, shaking her head, Beramund startled like a rabbit and quickly answered:
"Yes?"
"Um, well, I'll think about it a bit more."
"Ah... Yes... Sorry. I was too hasty—"
Having co to his senses, Beramund felt like crawling into a mouse hole. Sigrid chuckled, rembering Marie-Chez's words. Beramund watched her expression and asked:
"Why...?"
"No, it's just that Marie— She raised her voice earlier, asking about candles and orchestras— Ah, of course, I don't want that."
Sigrid waved her hands. But even that was enough to make Beramund want to faint.
What kind of proposal was this, really?
All the romantic events he had planned and the sweet words he had prepared to whisper had vanished. But it was sincere. Those words had co out naturally.
I want to marry you.
I want to live with you forever.
Let's live together until we die.
Be buried in the sa place even after death.
Not just passing by each other, but being bound together for eternity.
Beramund swallowed a sigh. Sigrid gulped down her tea, emptying her glass, and said:
"Th-then, can we go back to the original topic?"
"Ah? Yes, yes."
Beramund nodded.
"So—! For now, I'm thinking of going down to Conwills estate for a month."
"If it's a month, I'll give you leave."
"Is that alright?"
"I can work a bit more."
"But you hate working, don't you?"
"I do. But I can do that much."
"I understand. If it looks like it might take more than a month, I'll let you know."
"Alright."
Beramund nodded. Then he subtly opened his arms and said:
"Won't you co here?"
"?"
"Here, to the seat next to ."
At those words, Sigrid unconsciously looked around. Of course, there was no one else in the reception room, and she stood up. As she moved to sit beside Beramund, he pulled her arm and hooked her ankle, throwing off her balance. Sigrid, falling onto his lap, cried out:
"Beramund!"
"What?"
"This isn't beside you!"
"No, it's above ."
Having seated her on his lap, Beramund grinned. Sigrid tried to push him away but then sighed. Beramund wrapped his interlocked hands around her waist and said:
"And? Anything else besides that?"
"Ah, I told you about the girl I t yesterday who talked about estate issues, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, Arkana said—"
Sigrid briefly explained the situation, and Beramund humd, thinking for a mont before nodding.
"Well, in terms of finances, Arkana might be right, but Lord Rivans has probably been managing the manor since the previous generation. In such cases, it usually falls into two categories."
"Two categories?"
"One is becoming a strict and old-fashioned person who doesn't forget they're just a proxy. The other is becoming soone who wields power, just as that tax collector said."
"I see. We can't say for sure that he didn't embezzle money or abuse his power."
"Are you certain he didn't embezzle?"
"It's about the clothes that girl was wearing yesterday. They were really shabby. If I were a father with money, I wouldn't let my daughter wear such clothes."
Sigrid rolled her eyes once and whispered:
"Unless I had my old personality, that is."
"It's unlikely for two people to have that kind of personality."
Beramund murmured, kissing her temple. Sigrid giggled at the ticklish sensation and continued:
"Anyway, I need to sort out that issue, and I have more interviews tomorrow. Arkana says we need at least four or five people."
"Hmm, that should be good. Actually, it would be nice to have soldiers or military force too. Since you're a Master."
A Master is worth a hundred n. A thousand n.
If the opponent isn't a Master, there shouldn't be much to worry about. Plus, isn't Arkana—a magician—going with you?
"I'll have to make the soldiers there my own people when I go."
"As a Master, that should be easy."
The respectful gaze towards an aura user is easy to draw from those who wield swords.
"Once you have control of the military, the rest becos easier. Besides, you're already the lord of that place. You have the authority."
"I see."
"Hmm, shall I go with you?"
"What?"
"I'll help you for a month. When are you planning to go down?"
"I was thinking of going down in two weeks."
"Really? Then shall we go together~"
As Beramund kissed her temple and hair repeatedly while speaking, Sigrid pushed his face away with her hand, saying, "Wait, Beramund."
"It's unthinkable for the captain and vice-captain of the Imperial Guard to be absent at the sa ti."
"We can leave it to the captain of the 2nd unit. Nas used to fill in for
a lot."
"Still—"
Sigrid briefly recalled Nas's face, who had been happy that his work had decreased after becoming captain of the 2nd unit. Beramund, marveling at his own idea, said:
"He could take care of all my paperwork in the anti. Ah, this is really a good idea, isn't it?"
"Beramund."
"Yes, I'm sure he'll do a great job. Ah. This is good. I need a vacation too, and a month off should be fine, right? I've been working too hard lately."
"Beramund—"
"What? It's true, isn't it?"
Sigrid looked like she didn't know what to say, and Beramund nodded.
"Yes, that's a good idea."
Sigrid finally let out a deep sigh. In truth, she didn't dislike the idea of him coming along. He would be much more helpful in these matters.
Beramund held her chin, turned her face, and lightly kissed her lips before saying:
"Is there anything else to talk about?"
"Ah— You heard about Awen, right?"
"I did."
Beramund's face stiffened slightly. Sigrid asked:
"Why?"
"It's nothing. It's just that things are going too much according to Serios's wishes. Think about it, Sigrid. Right now, your biggest patron is Serios. He's the one who gave you the title of countess. Erial is also favorable towards you. And now he's entrusting Awen to you? It looks like he's placing him under his own surveillance."
"That wasn't the intention. Awen brought it up first."
"Then Awen must be clever."
It was the sa opinion as Arkana's. Sigrid thought for a mont and then shook her head.
"He didn't seem like the type to calculate like that."
"That's your opinion."
"Well, yes, but he's a child who lost his mother right in front of him and can't sleep at night."
At those words, Beramund smiled faintly.
"That's right. From that detached perspective, he is pitiable. Yes, maybe I'm being too calculating. Anyway, being Awen's guardian. Make sure you receive the child support paynts."
"He already said he'd provide them."
At Sigrid's words, Beramund nodded, saying, "As he should."
"You'll stay for dinner, won't you?"
Beramund whispered, and Sigrid nodded without even thinking about it.
Really, why is this man's voice so nice?
Thinking this thought she'd had before, Sigrid looked at Beramund with an aggrieved expression. Beramund just smiled sweetly.
"Then let's exercise a bit before we eat."
"Up and down exercise?"
Beramund said with a laugh, and Sigrid tilted her head and said:
"No, I an sword practice."
"Of course you do. I didn't think that would work."
Beramund lightly pinched Sigrid's cheek and then let go, asking:
"But in those clothes?"
Sigrid looked down at her clothes with an "Oh no" expression. It was good clothing. A silk shirt made from northern mountain spider silk.
She had heard this was even difficult to wash.
"I guess we can't..."
Sigrid sighed deeply. She couldn't let these clothes get soaked with sweat.
"Let's talk instead."
As Beramund said this, hugging her tightly, Sigrid nodded.
"Yes, let's talk. A lot. If you'd loosen this first."
"I don't want to."
Beramund kissed the top of Sigrid's head, rested his chin on it, and said. Sigrid made a blank face. But she didn't dislike the arms embracing her, the body pressed close to hers.
Sigrid reached out and hugged Beramund. She felt him flinch. She hugged him and let out a deep sigh.
'He really has a great body.'
Why is there such a difference between won's and n's bodies no matter how much they train? No matter how hard she tried, it would be impossible for her to develop muscles like Beramund's.
The muscles trained for swordsmanship weren't too large and were balanced for practical use. Sigrid could feel the body without an ounce of excess fat even through the fabric.
She felt sowhat aggrieved. It's not like she trained less than Beramund.
"Siri?"
"Look at this."
Sigrid grabbed Beramund's wrist and made him touch his own side and abdon. Though puzzled, Beramund obediently followed her lead. Then she moved his hand to touch her body here and there.
"Siri?"
"We probably train for similar amounts of ti, but it's completely different, isn't it?"
"Uh, yes. That's right. It is."
"I'm lucky to at least have aura."
Sigrid sighed deeply.
"I like that we're different."
Beramund murmured. His hands stroked down both sides of Sigrid's body from her back.
"I like that you're soft, and that your waist is slim—"
His gaze fell on Sigrid's chest, but he didn't make any comnts. Instead, he stared for so long that Sigrid pushed his head with her hand, turning it to the side.
"Stop looking."
"Hmm, I want to shout and brag about it, but at the sa ti, I don't want to show it to anyone."
"You don't need to feel that way."
Sigrid said firmly. Beramund chuckled.
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