ATPL 41

Cesar slowly rose and knelt on one knee before her.

“I know this must be confusing for you, Miss Fleur. With your lost memories, you might think I forced this engagement.”

“T-that thought…”

She had thought something along those lines—but still.

“You didn’t think that. I’m glad.”

The magician smiled, visibly relieved.

His face looked so youthful and beautiful that Anais froze for a moment. No, she was entranced.

Any urge to say “Actually, Anais did think something like that!” vanished without a trace.

“Honestly, until just now, I planned to keep the engagement certificate as a memento.”

Anais shut her eyes briefly, then reopened them and gave a small shake of her head. The magician looked up at her and whispered gently,

“But Miss Fleur, after speaking with you, even briefly, my heart changed. For personal reasons.”

A personal reason?

Anais tilted her head at his words, then realized what he meant.

Of course. It would be awkward to end an engagement after revealing his… particular preferences.

And while Judy was just a servant, she had served as a witness to the engagement certificate. And somehow, word of it had gotten out.

“Because it’s not something we can keep hidden forever…?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Cesar lifted his hand, silently asking for hers, and she instinctively placed her hand in his palm.

Elliot, who had been holding her shoulder, glanced at the exchange, thought for a moment, then quietly stepped back.

Cesar continued.

“I truly loved my master. Of course, I don’t expect Miss Fleur, who lost her memories, to carry those feelings. But I was deeply moved by what you said.”

“Um…”

“That I’m just a little different from others.”

“Ah…”

“Excuse me, about what you just said.”

Elliot cut in abruptly, his voice sharp with irritation.

“If you’re building up to some heartfelt proposal, may I leave now?”

“P-proposal?!”

Anais shrieked in shock. Cesar gave a sheepish smile.

“It’s hardly grand enough to call a proposal. But now that you’ve said it, I’d prefer you stay.”

“…Then please make it quick.”

For a conversation between two handsome men and a woman on the verge of panic, the mood was oddly grim.

Cesar had taken Anais’s kind words to heart, if only for a moment.

He thought of the woman in front of him, a pitiful young lady who had lost her memories and might soon lose everything else.

Most people in her place would recoil in disgust upon learning they were engaged to someone… like him.

But even while flustered, Anais had tried not to hurt his feelings. Whether it was genuine or not, Cesar couldn’t help but notice.

Her kindness was different from that of his master, but wasn’t it kindness all the same?

He looked at Anais, then gently kissed the back of her hand.

Her fingertips twitched nervously. Cesar spoke again.

“Won’t you give me a chance?”

“What… kind of chance?”

Anais’s voice trembled slightly.

They both did their best to ignore the Dragon Knight Commander standing nearby, glaring like he wanted to say, ‘Didn’t I tell you to make it quick?’

Anais had a vague idea of what kind of moment this was.

The kind of moment nineteen-year-old Anais Fleur had once dreamed of in all her girlish innocence.

She looked into Cesar’s rose-colored eyes. His eyes, like spun sugar, shone with unmistakable affection.

A face beautiful enough to be the embodiment of a maiden’s dream. Graceful movements. A gentle smile. A soft, romantic glow…

Anais’s heart fluttered. Around Cesar, flowers seemed to bloom once again, bright and vibrant.

The magician whispered, summoning blossoms more vivid than any Anais had ever seen.

“The chance to be your lovely dog, my master.”

“…Give back Anais’s dreams and hopes!!!”

Anais shouted, completely losing her composure. Even Elliot flinched.

Only Cesar remained calm, smiling sweetly. Had he expected this much?

What was wrong with this pervert’s brain? Wasn’t he supposed to be delicate? Didn’t he run away from his home country? Why was he so unshakably bold?!

Anyway, none of that mattered right now. This situation needed to be resolved—quickly.

Anais tried to speak to Cesar in a calm tone.

“I… I’m allergic to dogs.”

Of course, her calm explanation failed to land. She could see Elliot narrowing his eyes in the background.

Fighting back tears, Anais tried again.

“I know you’re not a dog, Lord Rezaie, but how should I put this… The idea of caring for something small and devoted that blindly follows me is just…”

She paused and looked up at Cesar.

Though he towered over her, he immediately dropped to one knee again to be at her level.

But it was too late.

The room fell into silence. Then Cesar gave a faint, bittersweet smile.

“Using the engagement certificate as leverage is practically blackmail, isn’t it? I assumed it would be a burden to you.”

“Ah, then…”

“But I won’t give up.”

Give! Up! Already!!!

Anais wanted to scream.

But something told her that yelling wouldn’t make a difference. Maybe she was imagining it…

Cesar remained kneeling. He looked up at her, eyes bright, and took her hand once more, pressing it to his chest.

“Feel this. My heart is still beating.”

To be honest, his robes were so thick and finely made that she couldn’t feel a thing.

“I can’t tell.”

Despite Anais’s dry response, the magician smiled and said brightly,

“If you spend time with me, don’t you think you’ll come to feel my heartbeat?”

“Does Anais really need to know that?”

“Miss Fleur, before you lost your memories, you told me you liked my face. A lot. I believe those kinds of preferences don’t change easily. So…”

“No! I like people, not dogs!”

“Ah, but I am human, Miss Fleur.”

Anais avoided his gaze, forcing a nervous laugh. Cesar chuckled as well.

“I’ll be a proud dog who doesn’t need care. Just spare me a single glance.”

“Couldn’t you just be a person instead of a dog?”

“If that’s your wish, I’ll become one, Miss Fleur.”

His rose-pink eyes sparkled.

“I’m confident.”

“Confident about what?”

“Well, I happened to notice earlier… Lord Resalonica offered to guarantee you, didn’t he?”

“Yes… don’t tell me.”

Cesar rested his chin on his interlaced fingers, eyes glinting.

“I’m wealthy.”

“…If you’re referring to the Rezaie Magic Guild, that’s not your asset. It’s national property.”

Yes! Nailed it! Anais silently praised herself.

But Cesar didn’t falter.

“Even without the guild, my wealth is about ten years’ worth of Rezaie’s national budget.”

“…”

“And aside from that…”

Pong. Pong-pong-pong.

Illusions flared again, this time, not flowers and fairy lights, but gold coins and blossoms raining around Cesar.

Glittering… shimmering gold…

“My magical power is infinite.”

“…”

“How much? How much would it take?”

Gulp. Anais swallowed unconsciously.

Then she quickly looked at Elliot, worried he’d judge her.

But surprisingly, Elliot simply stared at Cesar with no particular reaction.

Anais found herself calling out to him without thinking.

“…Lord Resaloniki?”

“Yes?”

Is it okay to accept this? Would it really be okay? She wanted to ask, but stopped herself.

She wasn’t anyone special to Elliot Resaloniki, just a former victim of possession. There was no reason for her to seek his approval.

If anyone’s permission she needed, it would be her parents’.

So then, why…?

“Lord Resaloniki, don’t you want to retrieve the eternal ice you embedded in the Fleur mansion’s Great Hall? I think I could serve as guarantor instead.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Thump.

Anais’s heart skipped a beat.