A Strange Love Triangle (8)
I was truly relieved that this mock battle ended with someone forfeiting.
Thank goodness neither I committing high treason nor the princess's cavalry killing my lord had come to pass… If it had wrapped up like some other match with one side killing the other, the atmosphere going forward would've been impossible to salvage.
But…
"How about we grab dinner together today? You've worked hard, so I'd like to treat you. If you're really against it, I suppose there's nothing for it…"
"…Hmmm. Well, it's not like I hate the idea or anything…"
"Then I'll go make some preparations. Head over once you're done and wait for me."
"Yeah, sure…"
Why were they suddenly all over each other like that when no one was looking?
Dinner plans, huh…?
No matter how I sliced it, this screamed "time for me to bail." Even if I hadn't noticed, I'd have run for the hills—but knowing full well and sticking around like an oblivious third wheel? No thanks. That could trash the mood worse than anything in the mock battle.
Might need to scout a place to crash tonight…
As those thoughts swirled, Professor Montecuccoli finished feedback for the last student, glanced down below, and said,
"Albert and Erna, stay behind a moment."
What was that about? I tilted my head, clueless, and suddenly all eyes from the murmuring students poured my way. Being stuck among them suddenly felt even more awkward.
Library it is, then…
I couldn't enter the dorms anyway, so I needed somewhere to kill time—and the library was my default. No club meeting today, either.
But no meeting didn't mean no tag-alongs. Like today's teammate, sharer of victory's glory: our princess.
"Where are you off to?"
I shrugged once and replied,
"Gonna be late back to the dorms tonight. Just scouting options."
"Oh? What happened?"
"Act of God. That's all I'll say."
An act of God, indeed. Fiancés or not, suddenly inviting her to the dorms for dinner? I'd heard beastkin were more open about that sort of thing, but still—did it fly or not?
Judging by how naturally he suggested it, my lord's got a sneaky aggressive streak…
I had no idea what had gone down to bring them so close lately, but meddling wouldn't net me anything anyway.
"Fair enough. Anything you can't fix yourself might as well be an act of God."
"Why do you sound like you know?"
"'Cause I saw?"
"Saw what?"
The princess, mid-stride as we walked out, tapped her chin and said,
"You two whispering face-to-face in the mock battle?"
"Oh, merciful heavens."
No wonder the arena had felt chaotic when I emerged. Not the match itself—something like that had happened? I'd just assumed it was strategy talk and left well enough alone rather than throw stones.
Now I get why Professor Montecuccoli called them…
Filming love and war smack in the middle of a mock battle? Yeah, they'd catch hell for sure.
"Gives me even more reason to skip the dorms tonight."
"So where will you stay?"
"Make excuses and crash at an inn. Bound to be one with space."
"Pfft. Isn't that a bit too obvious an escape?"
"Better than obliviously wedging in beside them."
That's how I saw it, at least. Whatever those two got up to was their business. I'd step up to help if my margrave slipped and needed it, but playing third wheel in their budding closeness? Pure sabotage.
But our princess seemed to ponder deeper.
"Y'know, we won the mock battle, but it kinda feels like we lost? Like we just helped those two out?"
"That's life. The ones who weren't there lost from the start. Winning one mock battle changes nothing."
"Whoa, that was ice-cold and self-deprecating. You know that, right?"
"…You're the one who started it."
"You joined in too! Don't you remember?"
"I… remember, yeah."
As I grumbled, she burst into giggles. Before I knew it, we'd synced steps and were naturally heading to the park.
"Weren't you going to the library?"
"Your Highness seemed park-bound."
"I didn't say a word."
"Then where else would you drag me? Back to the arena?"
"Ooh, that could work?"
She kept laughing without changing course. She'd hit her quota for the day, and more importantly, she had something to say.
"About that mock battle earlier. Why no call for reinforcements? Looked dicey."
"No messenger to send that far."
"Liar. If it was urgent, you'd have made one."
True enough. If I'd really wanted to, I'd have scraped up some way to call for help.
But I hadn't felt the need. Because
"We'd divvied roles clear. Everyone just had to do theirs. Begging for half-assed help would've been riskier."
No matter how green the margrave was, his troops weren't vanishing. Botched teamwork could've tangled us up—if my lord landed a lucky punch, we'd be in trouble.
"Erna was probably pulling 1.5 shares, no?"
"Huh?"
"Didn't notice? Seemed like her team funneled resources to her. Margrave's side was army-less."
"Felt tough…"
I'd panicked when they seemed to falter despite not needing to—turns out that was why.
"So they arrived quicker than expected because of that?"
"I rushed extra. Thought about blowing past, but nah. Reasons same as yours."
"Wait, so you carried Your Highness this time?"
"Mm… Can't deny it. But I got there fast and kept you safe, so we're even?"
Comparing notes, my spot had been the shakier one. Without that improv, I'd have been headless courtesy of the young lady. Chilling just thinking about it.
Resource funneling, though. Erna didn't seem the type to demand that.
My lord's doing?
Made sense—he'd hand off what he sucked at. But from the board, I'd thought I was predicting them. What if they'd predicted me and laid traps accordingly? My lord scheming that? Shocking.
"That's probably why the professor called us out—said it was touch-and-go."
One team had skills and trusted each other. The other lacked on one side but backed that one fully. The first overtrusted without real talk; the second tangled helping. Neither true collab—both shaky, per the prof.
"It's fine. If we meshed too perfect, we'd be unbeatable—other students would hate us. Gotta show some human side sometimes."
She puffed her shoulders high. Next thing, prof'd tell her to tone it down.
"Hey, Hebel Baron—no, Werner."
She called my name sudden. Werner von Hebel. A title only the margrave used, strange from her lips—I tilted instinctively at the dissonance.
"What's with the sudden? Full name and all."
"Sorry, but I wanted to try."
"Eh, not that rude…"
My tepid reply tilted her head too.
"Not used to it, but… nitpicking a name now's petty. You're the princess, after all."
"So you'd let me 'cause I'm princess?"
"Nah… probably not."
Princess or not, she was my lord's lord's daughter. I could treat the boss's boss's kid nice, but her rank didn't let her boss me.
I answered blasé.
"We've stuck together weeks. Dropping formal speech ain't hard."
"…Hnnngh."
She hummed high, inhaled deep. Then,
"Got it. So we can be 'friends'?"
"That how you phrase it…?"
Sounded cringy. I swallowed comment, nodded once.
Her eyes flickered—something there and gone. Not negative, at least.
"Sorry. First time with this sorta thing."
"?"
I whipped around; she eyed me odd.
"What? That face?"
"N-no, just flustered…"
"Everyone lacks friends sometimes."
She pouted; my mind blanked but one thought.
She really never had any…?
Status or whatever, maybe. Explained her initial high-handedness. Maybe she just never knew how to treat people.
Thinking back, she seemed kinda pitiful.
"Pfft."
Rude, but I couldn't hold the laugh.
"…Why the laugh?"
"Nothing."
"Liar! You mocked me!"
"Wind in my face, just wind…!"
Bald-faced lie—she wouldn't buy it. After baring her soul like that, mocked? She puffed cheeks, glared.
"People watching. Don't make that face."
"Sometimes you sound like my maid."
"Just stating facts…"
Whatever—I saw the people. I stepped ahead, blocking her from view.
"Sorry, sorry. Won't laugh. Ease up."
"Hmph."
A spring breeze wafted, floral scent brushing my nose. A nameless white petal settled atop her hair, then fluttered off.
I alone saw it—a remnant of some scenery even she missed.
"Just this once."
"Sure, sure. Wouldn't dream otherwise."
I answered fittingly, careful not to stare.
Seen this way, she's really pretty.
Tucking away that mildly cocky thought.