On the way ho.
“I told you not to get involved with him, didn’t I?”
Cedric finally let out the words he had been holding back.
“Do you even listen to ?”
“I’m the victim here too! I was just walking alone when he ca and decided to join on his own…….”
At my words, Cedric's eyes imdiately sharpened, but I didn’t back down.
“No, then should I have run away? Like I’d seen a monster, should I have freaked out and sprinted to the eting place?”
“Of course.”
“Oh wow, like you would’ve done that, brother!”
He’s the one who acts like nothing happened even in the most awkward situations.
Perhaps having nothing to refute, Cedric only moved his lips silently. He let out a deep sigh and glared at Leon, who was confidently standing next to .
“……More importantly, why are you following us?”
“It feels like it’s been a while since I last greeted Lord Blua. What, is that a problem?”
“Of all days, why today?”
“Lord Blua dotes on , after all. And do I need your permission just to say hello?”
Today just wasn’t his day.
Unlike usual, Cedric found himself at a loss for words again and ended up rubbing his face in frustration.
Then, as if finally finding sothing to say, he turned his attention back to .
“So, what did you talk about with him?”
Leon also seed curious about the topic, as his gaze imdiately turned toward .
“I should be honest, right……?”
“Well, obviously.”
“Isn’t that a given?”
Their answers ca at the sa ti.
Would it be okay to say it while both of them were here?
“Don’t regret it later.”
“I won’t.”
I wasn’t completely sure it was the right call, but answering the question felt like the natural thing to do.
“He talked about what happened during the Academy days.”
“……!”
Their expressions scared for so reason, so I lowered my head and fidgeted with my fingers.
I didn’t have the courage to explain the details of what he ntioned.
Fortunately or unfortunately, both of them seed to have a rough idea and didn’t press further.
The silence weighed heavily on my shoulders. I tried awkwardly to lighten the mood but gave up quickly.
‘No matter how I think about it, keeping my mouth shut is probably the best option…….’
* * *
Grandfather seed quite surprised to see Cedric and Leon return to the Roygin Estate together.
〈You didn’t fight on the way, did you?〉
Even though I said no, he didn’t look convinced.
Well, that was understandable.
The air on the way back had been filled with such oppressive silence and an unspoken tension.
Even I could feel it, so Grandfather must have noticed it imdiately.
As proof, the mont we got ho, Cedric went straight to his office without saying a word to Leon.
In the end, the task of entertaining the guest fell entirely to .
Though, all I did was stare silently at Leon, who wasn’t saying anything either…….
Ti passed aninglessly like that. After a while, Leon cautiously broke the silence.
“Bianca.”
But he hesitated for a long ti, unable to continue. Watching him, I interrupted.
“You want to ask if I believe what Lord Glaster said, right? I don’t.”
“That’s what I was going to say, but more than that…….”
While I blinked blankly, Leon struggled to speak.
“Sorry.”
“Huh?”
I was montarily stunned by the completely unexpected apology.
“It’s not pleasant hearing stories about soone you know from soone else.”
“…….”
“If I had known, I would’ve told you myself first.”
Leon gave a bitter smile.
“I wasted ti just wanting to seem like a good person to you.”
“Th-that wasn’t a waste.”
“What you truly wanted was a family. If I had cleared things up with Cedric sooner, you wouldn’t have had to feel so uncomfortable between us.”
Guilt washed over his face.
I stared at Leon and spoke without thinking.
“But you knew it was all a misunderstanding, didn’t you, brother?”
What the—! I thought only Grandfather and I knew that!
“I swear to the gods I’m innocent.”
Leon shrugged lightly.
“Even so, he treats like a thief. If that’s not a misunderstanding, then what is it?”
“B-but why…….”
He answered flatly, as if it were the most obvious thing.
“To him, I’m already no different from a thief. There’s no going back to the days when we just traded silly jokes.”
“But it’s still unfair!”
I had no idea who was being treated like a thief right now.
Unlike , who was anxiously fidgeting, Leon looked as calm as ever.
“You should at least explain yourself.”
“You think I can beat that guy with words? I’d rather get into a fistfight.”
“And what about Lord Glaster? If he can casually talk about you to , he’s probably saying worse things behind your back.”
“Oh dear, looks like I won’t be getting married in this lifeti.”
Why do people around , like Grandfather, just accept their circumstances?
If sothing unfair happened to them, they shouldn’t just take it quietly.
“It’s not too late. Let’s find proof that you’re innocent.”
I jumped to my feet.
“Where are you going?”
“Anywhere that might have the evidence!”
“Should I show you the way?”
It was an unexpected offer. Leon stood up with and smiled brightly.
“You wouldn’t listen even if I tried to stop you, so it’s easier for to just go with you.”
“It’s nice that you know so well.”
I glanced around and whispered softly to him.
“To be honest, I kinda want to see another side of Cedric too.”
Like, maybe a flustered look…….
Or the face of soone who felt terribly sorry.
Of course, he probably wouldn’t react that dramatically.
But thankfully, Leon gave a small chuckle.
“That does sound a little tempting.”
Perfect. I was fired up, and now all I needed was the evidence to make everything fall into place.
* * *
“You seem to be in a good mood lately.”
Elliot glanced at Ricardo, who was unusually lively.
“…Nonsense.”
Elliot’s gaze dropped to the paper spread across Ricardo’s desk.
It was a neatly written list of restaurants and cafés.
The kind of thing Ricardo wouldn’t have cared about—unless the capital was under siege.
But lately, he’d been taking an interest in what the capital had to offer.
He asked which places were good and even accepted recomndations.
Elliot had answered casually, assuming Ricardo wouldn’t rember.
‘I never thought he’d write them down!’
He’d barely managed to get so places off the list—places he wouldn’t dare recomnd, especially ones where knights drank after work.
Clearly, this was all because of Lady Bianca.
Now that he thought about it, Ricardo always overreacted when it ca to her. What seed minor to others always got a rise out of him.
‘I wonder if the lady is doing okay…’
Actually, sothing had been bothering Elliot.
Back when he’d last t Bianca, he’d said:
“His Excellency has really brightened up since eting you.”
He didn’t even know why he’d said that. Couldn’t rember the context. But he clearly rembered her expression.
…She looked miserable.
That stuck with him. He’d known what she was going through, yet still said sothing careless.
‘I hope she resolved things from her past.’
But with his master’s lack of tact, that was unlikely.
Still, if he hadn’t, Ricardo wouldn’t be acting like this.
‘Well, I’m sure he managed sohow.’
Shaking off unnecessary thoughts, Elliot cleared his throat.
“Ahem, there are museums in the capital too. If you want to broaden your horizons, there are plenty of places worth visiting.”
Ricardo didn’t seem to be listening, but Elliot knew better now.
Even when he looked uninterested, he was paying attention.
And later, sure enough, Elliot’s prediction ca true.
Ricardo silently repeated his words in his head—while picturing, for the first ti, a future full of hope.
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