Swoosh. Lark quickly opened the desk drawer and took out a first aid kit.
As expected, it looks like he went to get that.
“Sorry for waking you up. Go back to sleep.”
“Wait!” I swiftly got up and snatched the kit from Lark’s hand.
“Rubette.”
“Oh my, how did this happen….” Why bother asking? It must be from dealing with the assassins planted by the 2n Prince. “Please have a seat. I’ll take care of it.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Hurry.”
“…” Lark glanced at me speaking in annoyance, and reluctantly sat down.
“Hmph.” A pained groan escaped from Lark’s mouth as I wiped away the blood. Clearly in considerable pain, he gritted his teeth tightly.“Sigh.”
“…”
Feeling his gaze as I stared at the wound with a conflicted heart, I looked up, and our eyes met.
“Haha.”
“What’s so funny…”
“Look at this.” Lark, who had taken something from his back pocket, waved it before me as I disinfected the wound. At a glance, it appeared to be a map-like paper with a jumble of X marks in red pen. “I got them all.”
“What?”
“The last team was composed of skilled individuals, so it was challenging, but I got them all.”
“You’ve already finished?”
“You wanted to go to the ball, didn’t you?”
Huh. I blinked my eyes in astonishment, and Lark smiled mischievously. “I should let you go. After all, it’s your first and last debut stage in high society.”
“…”
“It will be grand. It will be a memorable party. I put in some effort for your sake.”
“…? Are you in charge of the ball preparations? Usually, it’s done by the princesses.”
“That’s right. But this time, Lisbeth is the organizer of the ball.”
“Ah.”
Instead of Lisbeth, who was on probation, it seemed that Lark had taken on the burden. I couldn’t fathom how he managed to handle such a hectic schedule that might trouble even ten people.
“…Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
With a heavy heart, I couldn’t say anything else and continued examining Lark’s wound. Sitting in an uncomfortable position with his arms crossed behind him, Lark occasionally let out a groan of pain whenever my hand brushed against his injury.
“Your Highness.”
“…Hmm.”
“You said you trust me, right?”
“Yeah.”
As he responded without hesitation, I paused while applying a dressing to his wound. “Why? What if I betray you…”
“Haha, if you wanted to betray me, you would have done it earlier. Didn’t you choose the difficult path by picking me, even though you knew that Nathan would rise to the throne?”
“Well, that’s true.”
As I began wrapping the bandage around Lark’s waist, I felt a pang of unease.
Lark, who was chuckling before, spoke quietly, “I’m sorry.”
“What?”
As I paused while wrapping the bandage, I glanced up, and Lark’s eyes were unexpectedly filled with sadness. His hand gently touched my cheek.
“Just… I’ve only thought that I should become a cool and decent man until you grow up and nothing more. I’ve been forgetting while thinking about that.”
“…”
“If I had found you a little earlier…”
“…”
“Things might have been different.”
Perhaps Lark, without asking me anything directly, had guessed in his own way.
“Perhaps you wouldn’t have experienced so much pain in your life.”
My wish to Wishit was an empty one. It wasn’t a glimpse into an unrealized future but rather a regression that rewound the events I had already experienced…
In affirmation of his speculation, I nodded. “Still, it’s alright. We have another chance now.”
“Heh heh, that’s right. Ow, gently… take it easy…”
“No need to be so dramatic.”
Despite only wrapping a few layers of bandage, he quickly flinched again. As I searched for a fresh bandage, Lark called me softly, “Ruby.” In a somewhat tender tone.
“…Yes?”
“For finding me… thank you.”
“…”
“No matter what happens this time… I’ll protect you.”
Lark’s sincere confession made me feel somewhat embarrassed. In the end, without saying a word, I continued to wrap the bandage…
With each wrap of the bandage around his waist, the sensation of his chest brushing against my cheek oddly caught my attention.
“Hmm.” I tried my best to remain calm as I quickly finished the treatment. “It’s done—”
And then… Lark gently grabbed hold of my arm as I tried to move away.
I froze in place. His face was right in front of me. His beautiful and enigmatic golden eyes shimmered dangerously.
…Anyone could see that this is the perfect timing for a kiss. Nervousness quietly coursed through my throat.
“…”
Slowly, Lark’s face drew closer. Along with it, a familiar scent permeated the air. I closed my eyes.
…
But I was still without the lips that I expected to touch mine. I slightly opened my eyes, and the distance between us was suffocatingly close. Lark’s gaze was fixed directly above my lips, as if in deep torment.
How many seconds had passed?
He hesitated and then let out a wry smile as he pulled away.
“This is driving me crazy.”
“…”
Lark, who was wiping my cheek with a smile, stood up. Then he said to me, who was still sitting there, “I need to graduate as your business partner, and soon.”
***
Ordinary everyday life.
Ordinary days.
Even without Rubette, time went as fast as before.
“I’ll be back, Brother. Today, Lillia will be the center of attention!”
“Brother Viego, expect Ricky to represent the family name proudly!”
“Oh my, children. Don’t get too excited. Let’s go together.”
“Hurry up, Mom!”
The twins, who had been eagerly awaiting the debutante ball for days without sleep, set off for the palace early in the morning.
‘Have Grandma and the twins already forgotten about Rubette? How could they be so carefree.’
Watching the carriage carrying Molga and the twins depart from the second-floor window, Viego chuckled.
‘We don’t even know if Rubette’s alive or dead…’
It had been a month and a half since Rubette was kidnapped. Now it seemed like everyone had forgotten about her.
“At this rate, you’ll die first. Rubette will be safe, so stop worrying about her. Focus on your tasks.”
Even Father…
“Hmph, she’s not dead. Rubette is probably alive. When the time comes, she’ll return. Take care of yourself, Brother.”
And Victor too.
“Rubette…”
Lost in shock, Viego was the only one still thinking about Rubette.
And then…
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
With light footsteps, the door swung open.
“Brother!”
“…Victor?”
At that moment, Viego’s heart started pounding. Victor had organized the imperial knights and was searching for Rubette in his own way. Could it be that he found a trace of Lubert…
“Come out quickly! I found Rubette! She’s downstairs right now!”
“What?”
“We found her this morning. Didn’t I say so? Rubette is safe.”
“Is, is that true? Wh-where? No, it can’t be.”
Now was not the time for this. Almost pushing Victor aside, Viego stepped out of the room. His hurried steps were precarious, as if he could slip at any moment, but somehow he managed to reach the first floor.
“Viego.”
“Ah, Young Duke. You’re here.”
In the silent living room, contrary to Victor’s words, there was only Leonard, Lark, and… A single unfamiliar woman with an excessively glamorous appearance.
“Your Highness!” Rushing toward Lark as if he were insane, Viego tightly grabbed his shoulders. “Is it true that you found Rubette? Where, where is she? Where is that girl right now?”
“Huh?”
“Kgh, huh, where… huh…”
Guilt. Longing. Relief. The jumbled emotions surged uncontrollably. Like a young child, he started sobbing, and his vision quickly blurred.
“Huh, ah, ughhh. Rubette, qu-quickly…”
“Y-Young Duke, calm down.” Lark, who was sneakily observing Leonard’s dissatisfied expression, discreetly guided the woman who had been standing behind him to step forward.
A strange woman suddenly appeared in Viego’s blurred vision. Her slender figure and alluring red hair fleetingly crossed his tear-streaked sight, but… Did he have time to spare to scrutinize the face of an unfamiliar woman?
Seeing a completely unrelated woman instead of the sister he longed to see, he felt frustrated.
“Step aside.”
“Urk!”
He pushed the woman’s shoulder somewhat nervously, forcefully moving her to the right.
“Are you okay?”
“Phew, yes.”
Although Leonard had caught the woman who was about to stumble and fall, Viego wasn’t concerned about her. He looked at Lark again and pleaded, “Your Highness, please, quickly. Show me Rubette right away. Right now…”
“But, sir, the princess is right here.”
“Yes?”
“Hahaha!” Victor, who had followed behind, held his stomach and burst into laughter for some reason. Leonard frowned at Victor and gave him a stern look.
“Huh, well, no, it’s funny, you know. What do they call this? Are you blind?”
“Stop fooling around.”
As Leonard scolded him, Lark, who had been watching the situation, awkwardly smiled and advised Viego, “Come on, sir. Wipe away your tears. It’s hard to see the road ahead like this, right?”
“Rubette…” Viego, with a restless heart, wiped his eyes roughly with his sleeve. Why weren’t they showing Rubette quickly when the child had suffered so much?
“Yes, that’s right. Focus your eyesight. And let’s look at this again.” Lark once again guided the woman by her shoulder and stood her in front of Viego.
After wiping away his vague vision, the woman’s face finally came into focus.
“…?”
Clearing his blurred vision and looking at the woman again, her completely unfamiliar face…
“Rubette?”
…wasn’t so unfamiliar.
Skin as white as sugar. Golden eyes and red hair. Even the small mark under her left eye… Her body had slimmed down completely, different from the last time he had seen her, but her face was undoubtedly Rubette.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“You, you… who are you!?” What could have happened to Rubette after she was kidnapped? What kind of despicable people caused her so much suffering, leaving her in such a state?
“Why…”
Viego had many questions he wanted to ask, but he shook his head. Whatever had happened, whatever hardships she had endured, it didn’t matter now. Rubette had returned safely. To this home. To the embrace of her family.
That was all that mattered.
Viego tightly embraced the Rubette with his trembling arms.
“B-Brother?”
Tears streamed down his face once again.
Any semblance of regal dignity was insignificant. After all, it was alright for him to cry like a young child, at least once, to let it all out.
“Ugh, ah, aaaahhhh…”
“…”
He had cried profusely every night, soaking the pillowcase because he felt sorry for Rubette, even for sleeping well.
“Oh, no… Please don’t cry. It doesn’t suit you. What if someone sees?”
“Rubette…” Viego, restraining his burst of tears under Rubette’s comforting touch on his back, finally opened his mouth, “I’m sorry.”
“What?”
It was the words he had wanted to say so badly.
The words he had planned to say first when Rubette returned.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
“…”
“I’m sorry. Sorry…”
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