Is Protecting Me What Your Heart Wants?

"Oh my. You prepared it in advance?"

I had seen that look on Arie's face before. It was, without question, the expression a cat wears while batting around a mouse trapped in a jar. I was shaking harder than I had the first time I ever closed my hand around a hammer.

"First, I would be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grateful if you refrained from any strange misunderstandings."

"Oh my. Are you saying this is the sort of thing that invites strange misunderstandings?"

Instead of answering, I drew the brooch from my pocket.

"Huh?"

"This, too, is my heart."

And with that, I had gone and done it.

I had clearly held the brooch out to Arie, and yet it was still in my hand. There was only one reason for that. She still hadn't taken it.

"Hmm..."

Perhaps that was why her smile had grown even more frightening.

"Mr. Karon?"

"Yes, my lady."

"I'm afraid I don't see a brooch just now."

"Pardon?"

Cold sweat broke out at an answer I couldn't begin to parse.

"You did say it, didn't you? That you had prepared it. In advance. For me."

"Yes. That is correct."

"Then shall we hear the reason first?"

Her gaze dropped to the brooch.

"A brooch identical to the one set into Eris's staff. Why would you try to give such a thing to me?"

I already had an answer prepared for that question.

"First, I wished to impress the bond between the two young ladies upon the other noble daughters."

"And?"

"And against whatever might come, I inscribed a single wind spell into this brooch, in the hope it might stop even an attack you could not answer yourself."

Setting a brooch into the staff had put a collar on Eris. Even so, the variable called what if still refused to leave my head.

"Oh my. You thought even of my well-being?"

"Well... yes."

A brief silence settled between us.

"And?"

That was as far as the reasons I had prepared in advance would take me. Arie was demanding more.

I have to manufacture a reason somehow. Arie has to end up with this brooch, no matter what.

I wrung my brain for all it was worth, and at last I found one—the most inoffensive reason that surfaced.

"So that, when you are betrothed, the grand duke in question might find you beautiful to behold..."

"A~ha~"

Something was off. She smiled even more prettily, and that only made her more terrifying.

"To me—the one who asked how anyone is supposed to fall in love with a person whose face they don't even know—you offer a brooch for a reason like that...?"

I had completely forgotten. My head was a tangle as it was. How was I meant to remember something I had tossed off in passing three days ago?

"If that's the reason, I'm afraid I can't accept it."

"Uh..."

"I have no wish to make myself pleasing to some grand duke whose face I've never even seen."

I was fucked.

"My lady. But—!"

As if there were nothing further worth hearing, she spun sharply on her heel and made to go to Eris, who was practicing magic outside.

"I've given you quite a number of chances, you know."

Chances, my ass.

With no other choice left, I decided to bet everything on one last throw.

"My lady."

"Yes?"

"Do you know what a brooch means?"

Her footsteps stopped dead.

"And why would you ask me that?"

"Because I make weapons, armor, and accessories alike. I know the meaning precisely."

"Hmm~"

The steps that had been carrying her toward the door turned and came back to me.

"Wouldn't I know the meaning of a brooch better than you?"

"Pardon?"

At my question she laughed, as if the answer were obvious.

"Do you imagine that no one, in all this time, has ever offered a brooch to a woman as learned, as beautiful, and as gifted in magic as I am?"

"Ah... yes."

"The bloodline isn't bad either. A duke's daughter, imagine."

The space between us narrowed until barely a hand's breadth remained.

"And yet I have never once received one."

"May I ask the reason?"

"The meaning of a brooch. 'I will protect you.'"

A pleasant breeze seemed to stir around Arie.

"There simply hasn't been anyone, until now, worthy of that line."

I nodded, for lack of anything better.

"Ah... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then perhaps some other accessory..."

"No."

She sat down in a chair with her arms folded.

"Speak."

"Speak of what?"

"Why did you ask whether I knew what a brooch means, Mr. Karon?"

Instinct told me this was the last chance I was going to get. I swallowed hard, and answered in a voice that shook.

"Because I want this brooch to keep you safe, my lady."

Every word of it was sincere.

"Hmm..."

But the instant the words left me, the smile vanished from her face.

Did I fail?

I scrambled at once for the next plan.

Do I beg Sir Joaquin? Or Eris...?

"Mr. Karon."

"Y-yes!"

"You said it a moment ago. That this, too, was your heart."

She wasn't wrong.

"That is correct."

"Then—is wanting to protect me what your heart wants?"

The answer was obvious.

If you live, Eris doesn't go dark. And I get to keep this stupidly cushy life.

I couldn't possibly say the real reason aloud. The words, however, were the same.

"That is correct."

The moment my answer ended, she turned away again. Only this time, the brooch was gone from my hand.

"I'm making a special exception in accepting it."

"Pardon?"

"Just as you feared, I shall keep it on my person always, so..."

Her voice thinned away at the end.

"My lady. If you would finish—"

"..."

She glanced around, and her eyes landed on the empty potato basket.

"Keep it filled with potatoes every day. I'd rather not go hungry again from waiting too long."

"Ah. Yes. Understood."

"Ahem."

She cleared her throat, turned back just slightly, and left one last line behind her.

"You're the first."

"I'm sorry—the first what?"

"The first person I have ever accepted an accessory from. That's you, Mr. Karon."

"Ah..."

And what was I supposed to do with that.

"I'm simply telling you, that's all."

"If there's some particular answer you were hoping for..."

"There isn't."

"Yes, ma'am."

Arie went outside and came back into the smithy with Eris and Joaquin in tow. Eris was so worked up that little huffs of breath kept escaping her nose all on their own, and beside her Joaquin was regarding me with open pride.

"Mr. Karon."

"Yes, Sir Joaquin."

"Might I offer you my sincere thanks, on Lady Eris's behalf?"

This was getting a little heavy.

"Ah... I didn't do it in hope of thanks."

"Hahaha! It really does seem to be true."

"What does, sir?"

"That you are finally growing up, Mr. Karon."

Laughing, he drew a document from inside his coat.

"These are the facilities and armaments His Grace the Duke has marked as requiring payment."

"Ah, is this what you mentioned the other day?"

"Yes, quite so. By tomorrow, I expect my daughter will arrive with the servants and deliver the armaments first."

At the same time, he produced a second sheet. The paper was nothing like the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one I had just been given—different in pattern and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠texture from the first glance, plainly expensive.

"And this."

"A personal letter from His Grace the Duke, sent to you, Mr. Karon."

"Uh... did I do something wrong?"

Joaquin answered with a grin instead of words.

"Wrong is one word for it."

"Pardon?"

"Did you not say it yourself? That you would see to the other young ladies' armaments ahead of the Debutante."

"And why is that something wrong?"

"Because His Grace and I were quite certain you would never grow up. Hahaha!"

I hadn't thought I was living all that badly in this romance-fantasy world. So why did nearly everyone who knew me seem to think otherwise?

"Was I... really that unbearable?"

"Not unbearable, exactly. More like..."

The answer came from Arie's side.

"Like he'd crack your skull with a hammer if you stepped too close?"

"The young lady has the right of it. Hahaha!"

Doing my best to ignore the pair of them, I unfolded the letter the Duke had sent.

"Huh?"

By the time I reached the end of the letter, a sound escaped me all on its own. The contents were not what I had expected.

"What? What's wrong with him?"

Eris looked startled too. Though I doubted anyone in the room was more startled than I was.

"Mr. Karon. What is the matter?"

Joaquin asked it with worry written plain across his face.

"There were two matters."

"Two? Not one?"

"Yes..."

Slowly, I lowered the letter I had been holding.

"One was a request that I take care in how I deal with the other young ladies."

"And?"

Before I answered, I stepped over to Arie.

"Mr. Karon?"

"My lady. Would you stand right here for a moment?"

"Pardon?"

I slipped in behind her. Then I looked at Joaquin.

"There has been talk of a marriage."

"Hoho... His Grace looks after you very carefully indeed. Well, you are twenty now, Mr. Karon. It is a subject that might very well arise."

That was not the problem.

"Sir Joaquin."

"Yes?"

I swallowed, kept my eyes on the floor, and went on.

"As for the other party... your daughter's name was mentioned."

"D-don't draw it. Please."

"I have not drawn it."

"A-and don't come any clos—AAAAAH!"

Joaquin was eating up the ground toward me, one hand already set on the hilt of his sword. I had expected that much.

"M-my lady. Sir Joaquin, if you would—"

"Me? Why?"

I had not accounted for the possibility that Arie would decline to shield me.

"That's..."

She sidestepped, neat as anything.

"I could stop him. For the moment, though, I'm taking Sir Joaquin's side."

"Pardon?"

"You have my thanks, my lady."

At this rate I was going to die before the Debutante ever began.

"No! This isn't even something I wanted—"

"I am aware."

"Then why are you coming at me!"

"Because I could not possibly do such a thing to His Grace."

"What?"

At that utterly deranged answer, Arie nodded.

"A wise course, Sir Joaquin."

"My lady. Might I ask you to take Lady Eris outside for a moment? It will not take long."

"Huh. But I want to watch."

"No, Eris. You're still too young to see something that rough."

"Wait!"

If those two walked out, it really would be the end of me.

"Whatever is the matter, Mr. Karon?"

"Please hear my final argument."

Arie and Joaquin traded a look. Then, as one, they dragged chairs over and sat down in front of me.

"Utter any nonsense, and I will cut you down on the spot, Mr. Karon."

"Say anything strange, and I'll drive you straight into the wall."

Joaquin, I understood. But why in the world had she pulled out her staff?

I couldn't make sense of it. Survival came first.

In my own house.

"It is true that talk of a marriage arose."

"And~?"

"However, he granted me a choice."

"A choice, you say?"

Joaquin's brow creased.

"Yes. He said that if there was someone I wanted, he would see that matters were arranged. It was in that context that your daughter's name came up."

"And why, precisely, did my daughter's name come up."

"As you yourself said, your daughter will be visiting the smithy tomorrow with the servants, and so, while the opportunity presented itself..."

Shring—

"...Huh?"