Chapter 34
34. A Proper Boundary2021.12.26.
“Arthur…….”
The murmuring voice against his throat sent tremors through his body. Arthur flinched and went rigid. Her lips were touching his neck. The moment her ticklish breath brushed his nape, Arthur shoved Reina away from him almost violently.
“……!”
Heat rushed to his face. And elsewhere too. As the pushed-back Reina began to tilt slowly and was about to bump her head against the bed headboard, Arthur startled and caught the back of her head with his hand.
“……Haa.”
A sigh of relief escaped him at the same time. Bewilderment spread from the vivid breath and warmth separated by just a single layer of fabric. The sensation he’d startled away from moments ago transmitted back through their touching bodies as he supported her head. She, breathing peacefully and obliviously, burrowed into his embrace seeking his cool skin. His heart plummeted. The memory of holding her five years ago came vividly alive. It unfolded before his eyes like an obvious future he could plunge into right now. Arthur’s fingertips twitched. * * * Bang. Bursting open the parlor door roughly. Arthur entered carrying blankets for two and tossed one at the Crown Prince.
“?”
While the Crown Prince caught the blanket thrown at his face in surprise and stared in bewilderment. Arthur strode over and flopped down onto the corner sofa. Then, ignoring the Crown Prince, he lay down there and pulled his own blanket over his body.
“…….”
“Arthur?”
“…….”
Arthur squeezed his eyes shut.
“……Did you come here to sleep with me?”
The Crown Prince asked slyly. Damn it. Arthur said nothing, just rolled over and pulled the blanket up over his face. * * *
Using the war as an excuse for self-restraint. And incidentally, to keep all the noble ladies who could be candidates for Crown Princess tied down as unmarried for the sake of the unwed Crown Prince. And to spare the young men of marriageable age conscripted for the war duty from feeling disadvantaged or deprived in the marriage market upon their return, for the sake of the nation. The Empire had imposed a marriage ban and a ban on social gatherings targeting the nobility. Commoners could marry freely, but for high-ranking nobles, without formal marriage approval from the Papal Court, they could not wed. And the middle-class families preparing to ascend to the gentry class also voluntarily ceased any interactions that might lead to marriage proposals, to prove their own honor and dignity. That was seen as noble and honorable behavior. Of course, noble marriages weren’t entirely absent. But for nobles to marry even informally happened only when a child was conceived before marriage. That was naturally a dishonorable union without Papal Court approval, so public noble marriages naturally came to a halt. At first, everyone had accepted it without difficulty, expecting the war to end in at most a couple of years.
“……But the war dragged on for five years, and thanks to that, the noble women in their late teens to early twenties—the prime age for active marriage discussions—have all passed their ideal marriage age without wedding. So now they’re all anxiously awaiting the resumption of social gatherings and the lifting of the marriage ban.”
“…….”
Kay continued.
“So…… as Your Excellency said, this spring’s Debutante will be a major event symbolizing victory and the Empire’s normalization. Word has already circulated among the nobles.”
“…….”
Kay was the son of a prestigious noble house. With unwed and married sisters from their teens to thirties, the social news he shared was quite reliable. The other knights, less knowledgeable about noble houses and high society, listened silently to his report to Arthur.
“And for it to open with ‘Lady Christina’ stepping forward makes sense in a way. She’s a 22-year-old lady who missed her Debutante five years ago, she’s Sir Arthur’s bride who ended this war, and she symbolizes reunion with her fiancé after five years apart.”
“…….”
Kay continued cautiously.
“Moreover, with Julius becoming an Elector. So Lady Christina dancing the first dance of the Debutante with Sir Arthur…… it’ll be highly symbolic. For House Julius, it’s an entry into the top echelons of society, and for the nobles, it symbolizes the normalization of the social season.”
In the hesitant pauses midway, Kay’s distress at conveying the unavoidability of the Debutante came through. Having navigated the difficult pass, Kay finally concluded briefly.
“So as Your Excellency said, if an invitation comes, it won’t be easy to decline with just any excuse.”
Tristan thought briefly and asked.
“Isn’t there a male candidate like Crown Prince, who could symbolize similar ‘normalization’?”
“But he has no fiancée, so…… The first dance of the Debutante carries great meaning. With him selecting a Crown Princess candidate this social season, dancing it with family or a specific lady would be…… After all, it would be more natural for Sir Arthur to step forward with his wife.”
Kay glanced slyly and added.
“To put it bluntly…… If Crown Prince were to take the first dance over Sir Arthur, Empress Maria might glare and it could look like he’s stolen Your Excellency’s position…… The imperial family wouldn’t want that either.”
Ah, why is everything so complicated? Lukan muttered in between, as Kay continued.
“……And the imperial family will want to show they’re acknowledging Sir Arthur now by treating him with respect…… Honestly, they probably don’t even consider that Sir Arthur might refuse.”
Arthur leaned back in his chair, eyes closed wearily.
“……If I yield the spotlight to Crown Prince Kyle on my side…….”
Kay shook his head troubledly.
“……No, that won’t do. It could come off as scorning the imperial family’s goodwill. They’d think Sir Arthur is deliberately putting the imperial family in a difficult spot.”
Tristan let out a short sigh.
“Well……. No helping it. By then, this situation will have normalized anyway. The problem is that Crown Prince has already seen the ‘wife’s’ face…….”
Lukan rolled his eyes.
“If it’s just the Debutante, couldn’t you just take the ‘current wife’ there?”
Kay scowled as if it were nonsense.
“That doesn’t make sense. It’s not just going, dancing once, and leaving. You have to stay for weeks, show your face to His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress and their children, and all sorts of nobles, build connections with important people. Would Lady Christina send a stand-in for that?”
Lukan scratched the back of his head.
“Ah, is that how it is? Well, I’m a commoner, so what would I know.”
Kay said.
“Even if relations are delicate now, thinking ahead, the one who’ll manage Julius Territory for life should go. Lukan, you should start paying attention too. You’ll get your barony soon; you’ll need to begin social activities. When you’re introduced to bride candidates, definitely ask me first, and about etiquette…….”
Lukan immediately changed expression and declined.
“Ah, no thanks. Serving noble ladies doesn’t suit my temperament. A wife embarrassed by my vulgarity every night? Pass.”
Kay looked flustered.
“Come on, she wouldn’t be embarrassed by her husband every day, right? Nobles are people too; that’s prejudice against nobility. You wouldn’t marry someone like that anyway…….”
Lukan cut in.
“Ah, enough. I’ll marry whatever girl fate brings me. One at my level, a commoner like me, a pretty one I like. No introductions.”
Tristan laughed.
“Your standards are crystal clear.”
Kay tried persuading.
“How can you pick a bride just by looks? You’ve got plenty of veteran rewards and a title coming, so pretty girls who like you will line up, and you could have much better conditions, a nice bride easily…….”
Lukan snorted shortly and puffed out his chest.
“Then it’s even better. Means I’ve leveled up enough that the one I want won’t refuse me, right? That’s enough. If a pretty wife spends her life happy to have met me, even better.”
Life should be lived enjoyably. Tristan laughed.
“Better to have one clear goal than wanting everything; raises your chances of getting what you want.”
Kay finally chuckled wryly and dropped the pointless advice. Tristan turned back to the main topic.
“Then we’ll have no choice but to tell Crown Prince the truth and ask him to keep it secret.”
The knights chimed in one by one.
“Before that, we need to settle the fake marriage compensation with House Julius and normalize the bride’s position.”
“Feels like there’s a time limit now.”
“Time limit’s on their side. What do we care?”
“…….”
Arthur leaned silently against the chair back. The knights continued among themselves.
“When does the social season resume?”
“Next spring. March. That’s when the Debutante will be.”
“Plenty of time.”
“Not that much. Sir Arthur has to attend the Triumphal Procession in the Capital too. Going to the Capital for that and back to Julius Territory takes at least a month and a half. Then preparing to go back for the Debutante means starting by February at latest…….”
“Hmm……. Lots of back and forth.”
“We don’t need to worry. Julius will handle it.”
“…….”
Arthur had been listening quietly to them all along. Debutante. Wife. Normalization. Tristan, who had been talking with the knights, asked Arthur.
“……Since he’ll find out anyway, should we consider telling His Highness first and figuring out a way?”
Arthur replied immediately.
“No. Keep it secret from the Crown Prince for now. I’ll think of other ways.”
Lukan rolled his eyes, feeling Arthur was putting up too much of a wall against the Crown Prince. Not as much as Arthur, but Lukan and the knights didn’t dislike the Crown Prince who treated them well and was easygoing despite everything. The Crown Prince genuinely liked Arthur amid all the circumstances and wanted to be a support. Sometimes it seemed Arthur didn’t fully appreciate that.
“……Your Excellency. Crown Prince is on Your Excellency’s side. He wants to help.”
“No.”
Arthur cut in calmly.
“Julius is my house now, for better or worse. And the imperial family can be my ‘backer,’ but they can’t be ‘my house.’”
Kay’s expression darkened slightly in understanding. Tristan, grasping it dimly, glanced at Kay’s face. Lukan, not understanding, looked at Arthur puzzled. Arthur continued.
“I know Kyle is sincere. But if the Crown Prince rashly moves the imperial family to help me, and Empress Maria’s side uses protecting me as an excuse to ruin Julius, that’d be my fault.”
“…….”
Lukan shut his mouth. Arthur continued quietly.
“On the battlefield, Kyle could be my family. I know he worries for me personally, and I think he’s a good person humanly. But in the fights ahead, he’s no longer on my side. Regardless of his own will.”
“…….”
A heavy silence fell among the knights. Arthur smiled to lighten the stiff atmosphere.
“……Don’t tell Kyle my situation. That’s the only way to remain friends, not enemies, with him.”
“Yes.”
The knights, including Lukan, replied. Tristan asked.
“……What about Lord Rembrandt? Him too…….”
Arthur rolled the cigar between his fingers, recalling Reina’s words: that he’d promised to keep her unadorned appearance secret.
“…….”
Unadorned appearance. Meaning they’d met when she was a ‘maid.’ Probably, he already knew.
“…….”
「Lady.」
He recalled Rembrandt speaking softly and quickly by her ear.
「Don’t be startled. It’s fine.」
「It’s fine.」
Next, the words as she looked at him while he held her arm.
「I…… Sir Arthur.」
「May I speak with the lady wife briefly?」
And even what he’d heard through Aura, as he took Reina aside.
「Are you alright?」
「Do you…… need any help?」
「The Marquis and Marchioness, or Sir Arthur……」
「Is someone troubling you?」
「……What to do? I have to go back. Your eyes are red. You look like you’ve been crying.」
「What excuse should I give?」
Arthur smiled habitually. His head felt strangely hot. Arthur calmly put the cigar in his mouth and spoke.
“He’s imperial family himself. Especially on Empress Maria’s side.”
“…….”
The knights nodded, their faces saying it was the expected answer. Arthur exhaled a long plume of smoke and tapped ash into the ashtray.
“Be on guard. Keep him away from my wife.”
The knights replied.
“Yes.”
