BOAD 09

9. Someone Who Shouldn’t Be Here

Dinner was better than I expected.

All sorts of dishes that I didn’t think could be found in such a small village were laid out on the table, and they tasted good.

Maybe I was just hungrier from the fatigue of traveling.

I tried most of the food without much hesitation and left almost nothing.

The amount I ate was surprising even to Leofric and Betty, who served us, and even to myself.

“We should give the chef an award.”

“Really, Miss—no, Your Highness, I’ve never seen you eat this much before!”

Leofric looked satisfied as he gazed at the empty plates.

Betty nodded beside him, egging him on.

It was just that my appetite was unusually good today.

I smiled awkwardly and shook my head.

“I guess the long journey made me hungry.”

“The schedule must have been tough. I didn’t think of that. Tomorrow, we should take it a bit easier.”

Leofric apologized with a serious face to the excuse I hastily came up with.

Wait, is this really something to apologize for…?

“No, it’s not like that, Your Highness.”

“But you said you’ve never been outside the capital.”

“That doesn’t seem to have anything to do with my appetite.”

“Well, maybe if you slowly look around the surroundings, you might find something enjoyable besides food.”

“It’s alright, Your Highness. I can’t let my schedule get delayed because of me.”

I firmly shook my head at his suggestion to find other travel pleasures with a smile.

The journey had already been delayed more than expected just because the destination changed.

If we go slowly to the carriage from here?

The delay in schedule would only push unexpected events even further out.

Most of what I did right after marriage in my previous life was to secure Lloyd’s position.

Considering that, Lloyd probably thinks I’ll move for him.

The ball hosted by Marquis Perze, the hearings for the imperial-supported projects, the tea party of Duchess Alois who leads the anti-emperor faction…

All the events starting exactly a month from now must be attended.

No matter how long he has planned this trip, I must return to the capital before the ball at Marquis Perze’s mansion—the event where many pro-emperor nobles gather and would be perfect to ask for support.

Thinking I need to organize the upcoming tasks once again, I stood up.

“I’ll get up first, Your Highness. Please take your time.”

“Hm? No, I’m done too. Are you going back to your room?”

“No. I thought I’d look around a bit.”

“Then let’s go together. It’s dangerous alone in the dark.”

“Alright, that sounds good.”

I wanted to clear my head a little by lightly walking around, and having company wouldn’t be a big problem.

When I nodded politely, he blinked again.

Did he not expect me to agree again?

“That’s strange, Your Highness. Why do you keep thinking I’d refuse…?”

“Maybe because, as you said, our relationship is not ordinary.”

He smiled somewhat bitterly.

Then, blankly staring at me, he extended his hand for escort.

“Let’s go, Amelia.”

Leofric smiled with a slight bow of his waist, like a prince straight out of a children’s storybook.

…Well, he actually is a prince.

Chuckling inwardly, I took his hand.

His hand in mine and his steps ahead somehow felt filled with excitement.

It was funny, and even made me think he was cute.

…Cute?

That thought made me hesitate in following him.

After all, Leofric is at least a head and a half taller than me.

For such a tall person to be cute…

Thinking that suddenly made me hurry my steps like someone chased.

Repeatedly telling myself not to get careless, I hid my awkward feelings as best as I could.

Smiling calmly so he wouldn’t notice as I approached him waiting a few steps away.

The area around the inn was ordinary.

People on the street were returning home one by one as dusk deepened.

Only the lights spilling from buildings filled the street, faintly supported by the dim moonlight.

Between us walking silently, an endless silence filled the space.

A long silence that started in the carriage.

But is it strange that I didn’t feel uncomfortable?

When with Lloyd, my endless talking filled the space, seeking his agreement or sympathy.

He only gave appropriate responses.

Even though it was a somewhat one-sided conversation, I was glad it wasn’t silent.

But with Leofric, I felt this long silence wasn’t bad.

Maybe because our personalities are so different.

Unlike sociable and easygoing Lloyd, Leofric was serious and heavy.

His quietness felt natural.

I turned to look at him on a sudden impulse, and our eyes met as if he had been watching me.

“…Ah.”

The gaze that had been fixed on me wavered slightly the moment our eyes met.

From that wobble, his face slowly flushed as if watercolor spreading.

I wasn’t the only one startled by the sudden change.

Seeing him blush, I too looked away in embarrassment.

What was he thinking while looking at me to turn so red?

In the heavy silence, unable to look away or speak, suddenly—

“…I’m sorry.”

The words came out after a brief pause, an apology with no clear reason.

His voice, heavy and wrapped in a faint blush, stirred my heart for no reason.

Suppressing the flutter in my chest, I slowly exhaled.

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

“I just didn’t expect you’d be so surprised…”

I was more embarrassed than surprised.

But I didn’t interrupt his awkward words.

“If you felt bad, I’m sorry.”

Leofric hesitated as if wanting to say more but unexpectedly closed his mouth.

I said a brief “It’s okay” and also fell silent.

A heavy silence, different from before, filled the space between us.

Feeling strangely awkward, I glanced around, and he walked quietly ahead.

“…Um,”

“…I,”

I was about to say something.

As if on cue, our eyes met again, and we each took a step back.

“You go first, Your Highness.”

“No, you.”

“I really wasn’t going to say anything…”

“But I want to hear it.”

With a faint smile, he urged me.

I didn’t open my mouth for a special reason.

I just wanted to ease this awkward moment.

Desperately racking my brain under his gaze,

“Um, I was just curious what you want from me.”

“What I want from you?”

“Yes. Since you and His Majesty gave instructions, I thought it’d be good if we were on the same page.”

“On the same page?”

“You said you want us to get closer, right? It won’t happen overnight, so we should pretend well in front of them.”

I thought it was a decent topic.

We wouldn’t often be alone like this.

If I could learn specifically how to help him strengthen imperial authority, that would be even better.

I know everything about Lloyd Alois, but not as much about Leofric Reinhardt.

However, Leofric remained silent for a long time after my question.

When I turned to look at him again in the strangely long silence,

“You seem to have already decided that we can never get close.”

His tone was heavy, like a thud.

I was speechless, staring at his somewhat resentful eyes.

Maybe because those eyes looked wounded.

Why?

Why would he blame me?

Suddenly, I felt he might resent me.

Though there’s no reason for it, just memories overlapping from a previous life.

“I…”

Scrape — the sound of his shoe dragging on the floor.

Unable to meet his gaze, I looked away.

Unconsciously, I took a step back.

“I-I’ll go back to the inn first. You can look around some more, Your Highness.”

“Amelia.”

Ignoring him reaching out to me, I ran straight back to the inn.

I needed time to think.

To think about this husband who kept acting like a different person.

“No matter how I think about it, this isn’t right…”

Didn’t I return to the past?

Didn’t God give me another chance to save him?

Then everything should go as I know it.

Why does he seem so different, and why do I feel like I’m being tossed around?

I ran away from Leofric without going into the room and lingered behind the inn.

I worried I might run into him again.

A strange unease wrapped my body, as if things were subtly going wrong.

It was already quite dark, and the scene should have been scary, but I didn’t even think to look around.

I just kept pacing, trying to shake off the unease.

That’s why—

I didn’t even notice the gaze watching me continuously, or how he was looking at me.

If the person standing far away hadn’t called me and just kept standing there, I probably would’ve fainted from shock.

Not that I wasn’t surprised when he called my name.

“Mel.”

When I heard my name called in a voice so calm it was unlike him,

I staggered on the spot, startled in many ways.

Someone who shouldn’t be here.

A voice I never expected.

I slowly, very slowly, turned toward him with a face I couldn’t believe.

“…Lloyd?”