Her head was spinning.
Slowly, Beramund pulled away. Sensing he was trying to see her face, Sigrid bowed her head deeply.
"Siri?"
He called her softly. Sigrid bit her lip and turned her head away. As Beramund tried to look at her face from different angles, Sigrid adamantly refused to show it, making him burst into laughter.
"Sigrid, Sig, Siri, let
see your face. Hmm?"
Then he took her face in both hands and turned it towards him. Sigrid desperately kept her gaze averted to the side as she spoke.
"L-let's stop this."
"I love you."
At those words, Sigrid slowly turned her gaze to look at him.
'Ah.'
If she hadn't looked, she might have regretted it.
Beramund was kind, gentle, tender, and how else to describe it?
He was radiant.
That's how he was smiling.
"I love you."
He whispered once more.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.
As if saying all the words he couldn't say until now, he whispered repeatedly. His words scattered like flower petals.
Like standing amidst a storm of white petals blowing from flowering trees lining a spring road, overwheld by the beauty and unable to speak. Those small words enveloped her lightly yet overwhelmingly, like flower petals.
"I-I do too."
Sigrid said softly, panting. Beramund bent down to kiss her. Though it was the sa kind of kiss as before, it felt completely different.
'It feels like fireworks are exploding in my head.'
The pressing heat and weight weren't frightening at all. Even the lting pleasure felt comfortable. As the two bodies collided and slid against each other, Sigrid quickly reached her peak.
Beramund stopped kissing. Sigrid was gasping with her mouth open. Her flushed face, dilated pupils, and the bright red tongue visible between her lips.
He lightly licked her lips and let out a groan. His lower half felt painfully tight. But he had no intention of going all the way like this.
No, more than that, he felt so good just from kissing...
'I wonder if I could maintain my sanity if we went further...'
Sigrid buried her face in his chest. He could see her shoulders rising and falling steeply. Beramund slowly stroked her back.
He couldn't believe the current situation.
Until just monts ago, he thought it was completely over. That he had lost Sigrid.
But in an instant, he was lifted from the floor to the ceiling.
Sigrid?
Likes him?
It was unbelievable. But Sigrid's face and gestures were telling him it was true.
If he wasn't dreaming right now, that is.
'A dream? Could this be a dream?'
Was he seeing an illusion because he wanted it so badly?
Or did "Let's date" an "Let's date as best friends"?
Just then, Sigrid peeked up and asked.
"Since when?"
"Hm?"
"Since when have you liked ?"
At Sigrid's question, Beramund tilted his head as if finally realizing it and answered.
"For quite a while? I don't ask won I don't like to date . Even if it's a contract."
"T-then why did you say it was a joke—?"
Beramund made a strange face, then poked her cheek gently as he spoke.
"I thought you were dating
reluctantly, so I wanted to make it easier for you, miss."
"Reluctantly?"
"You drank the poison, didn't you?"
His question carried certainty. Sigrid flinched and tried to make an excuse, but seeing his expression, she closed her mouth.
"Yes......"
At her answer, he let out a sigh that sounded like a groan. The arms holding her tightened, then barely relaxed.
Though he knew, having it confird was different.
"My information was leaking. If it was leaking, it had to be you, which ans you not only risked your own life but surely threatened others' lives too."
Beramund's voice was calm. Feeling anxious, Sigrid clung to him and said.
"I wasn't trying to betray you. I never intended to. I—"
"I know."
He answered shortly with a smile. The tension left her shoulders and she felt relieved.
"So I thought you were pretending to date , even though you didn't want to, to extract information from ."
"That's not it!"
Sigrid said loudly. She continued, stamring.
"I-I thought you were joking. Certainly, I'm not an interesting partner... And Beramund is skilled, you could date any number of won better than , so, so, so I thought I wanted to date even if it was a joke... But, well, that was too much to ask......"
"I lied. I'm sorry, I'll apologize."
Beramund apologized readily. Sigrid continued, dissatisfied.
"I was really shocked then......"
"Yes, I shouldn't have done that."
He didn't want to experience such a thing twice either. As Beramund spoke quietly, Sigrid nodded. He asked.
"So when did it start for you?"
"What?"
"When did you realize you liked ?"
"Well, um, in earnest... during that rainy day date......"
"Ah, I thought you hated or despised
that day."
"No! I was just so surprised, my heart was beating so fast, I felt like I wasn't myself anymore."
Sigrid stopped speaking and looked at him, feeling wronged.
"I'm the only one who gets weird."
"Hm?"
"I keep, only I, when I think of Beramund I get strange, I can't think straight, but Beramund is always calm—"
As Sigrid cupped her cheeks with both hands and vented her frustration, Beramund bent down to lower his gaze, looking up at her as he spoke.
"I'm not calm at all."
"......But......."
"Really. You can say it confidently. 'I can bring Beramund Lunatil to his knees with just one smile.'"
"Beramund!"
"It's true."
Saying this, Beramund knelt on one knee and kissed her hand.
"You're the only one who can make
kneel and beg like this. I'm not calm at all. I'm just pretending."
Sigrid looked down at him, not knowing what to do. Beramund smiled and stood up.
"Well, I should go back and sleep."
'If I stay here any longer, I don't know what I might do.'
Muttering inwardly, Beramund lightly kissed Sigrid's forehead.
"How are you planning to leave?"
"I know how to move silently. I can even climb over walls."
Beramund mimicked walking with his fingers and said.
"Sleep well."
"Y-yes."
Sigrid nodded. Instead of using the door, Beramund opened her room's window and slipped out that way. Sigrid stared blankly at the window where the breeze was coming in. The lace curtains fluttered, bringing a faint scent of spring flowers.
After standing there for a while, Sigrid slowly closed the window and latched it.
'It doesn't feel real.'
So are Beramund and I lovers now?
"Wow......"
Sigrid exclaid without realizing it.
and Beramund? Lovers?
Wow.
Sigrid got into bed, pulled up the covers, and thought again.
Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
She pulled the covers all the way up and bit her lip to stop herself from bursting into laughter.
I have to tell Lowengrin and Marie-Chez soon.
What will they say?
Marie-Chez will probably say, 'See, what did I tell you?'
The thought made her laugh again.
Sigrid hugged her pillow tightly and rolled around on the bed before burying her face in the pillow.
Lover.
Lover.
Beramund Lunatil's lover.
She rolled those words around in her mouth, on her tongue, before falling asleep.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Seeing Beramund who had rushed in at the break of dawn, Serios said.
"I just got out of bed, you know?"
"It's important."
"Speak."
At Serios's words, Beramund looked around. Serios raised his hand to dismiss the servants and said.
"What's the matter?"
"I think we've found evidence of the immortality magic."
"—!"
Serios was suddenly wide awake. He looked up at Beramund. Beramund explained what Sigrid had discovered. Serios asked with a doubtful expression.
"Isn't it a trap? Is that woman really trustworthy?"
"Yes."
At Beramund's imdiate answer, Serios made a long "Hmm—" sound as he sat on the bed and crossed his legs.
"In that case, I'll send word to the nobles first. To the Western Nobles Alliance too. Let
know as soon as you confirm it. We'll move as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
Beramund nodded.
"You're confirming it today?"
"Yes. I'm eting Siri this afternoon."
"......."
"Why that face?"
"Are you dating that woman?"
"Uh...... Sothing like that?"
As Beramund was thinking he wanted to define it as more than just dating, a deeper relationship, Serios asked.
"Isn't this a honey trap? Are you sure it's okay? I don't want to lose you by sending you into enemy territory. We've already lost Rudinal, if I lose you too, I—"
"It's fine, Serios."
Beramund shrugged and smiled.
"Don't worry."
Serios let out a long sigh.
"If we get that evidence, I plan to have Rudinal testify too. He should be properly punished for that death as well. Being royalty, he'll probably avoid execution at least."
Serios continued gloomily.
"He'll likely be confined in a temple or exiled."
He sighed and raised his head.
"Well, I suppose I should be relieved that I don't have to kill my brother with my own hands."
Saying this, Serios stood up.
"Then we need to move right away. There hasn't been any movent in the central palace, so there's a good chance they don't know we're aware yet."
He would bring troops into the imperial palace to strike first. So this was a kind of rebellion, a coup d'état. Though it was sothing they had always planned, now that things were in motion, anxiety washed over him. Serios took a deep breath to push it away and said.
"Go, Beramund. Do what you need to do."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Beramund bowed politely and left the Crown Prince's palace. He planned to return to the Imperial Guard, have the mbers stand by, and et Sigrid later.
'Once this is over, slowly.......'
He could date her slowly.
Leisurely holding hands and going on dates....... This ti, they should properly ride a boat. He wanted to make Sigrid very happy.
Beramund smiled faintly.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Sigrid quietly slipped out of the Imperial Guard room. She intended to check once more before eting Beramund. What if sothing had changed in the anti?
If so, it would be right to stop the operation imdiately.
She cautiously headed towards the outer palace. And there was soone secretly following her.
It was Morris.
'Where is she going?'
Morris followed her at a considerable distance.
The Second District of the Imperial Palace.
She slipped into an area where any noble could go. And now she was heading towards the outer palace, which was barely used these days.
Morris followed Sigrid carefully, anxious about being discovered by her. Soon after arriving at the outer palace, Sigrid began touching the walls. Morris lay flat in the garden, observing her actions. Sigrid circled the wall, looking at the back of her hand.
'The back of her hand? No, her finger? A ring?'
Was she checking a ring?
At one point, she stopped abruptly. Then, as if noticing sothing, she quickly but quietly disappeared into the inner part of the palace, as if lting into the shadows.
'Oh—!'
Did I lose her?
A flustered Morris waited for a mont, then raised his head with a sigh. Perhaps it had been too much to try to follow Sigrid with his skills. Just then,
"What little mouse do we have here?"
Hearing a sudden voice from behind, Morris grabbed his sword hilt and turned his body. Or tried to. But before he could, a shock ca first.
As everything went dark before his eyes, Morris lost consciousness.
'Morris!'
Watching in hiding, Sigrid unconsciously covered her mouth with her hand. Otherwise, she felt she might cry out.
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