Already Familiar With It
I watched my father’s back as he heartlessly left the drawing room, abandoning me to my silent screams. He had committed the one unforgivable sin a matchmaker should never make—leaving two introverts alone together. Swallowing a sigh, I turned my gaze away.
My eyes met those of Lady Floverhart, who was smiling brightly. Forcing my stubbornly sealed lips to part, I spoke.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Kallion del Helios.”
She must have chosen the lesser evil just as I had, yet how could she smile like that? It was honestly impressive.
“I am Serena Phil Floverhart of the Floverhart barony. This is our first proper greeting, Sir Kallion.”
Why was she addressing me so familiarly on only our second meeting? Just sitting across from her was already giving me a headache. And Serena, of all names. It screamed protagonist. If that wasn’t the name of the heroine—or at least a lead—then that would be even more shocking.
“I didn’t get the chance to thank you last time. You seemed to have an urgent matter to attend to.”
You really are good at running away. I was genuinely surprised.
“…It wasn’t anything worthy of thanks. Lord Artolis had behaved rudely, so I simply pointed that out.”
Do you have an axe to grind? It wasn’t because of you. I just didn’t like him.
It was a fierce battle with no room for compromise. Serena simply kept smiling sweetly.
“I see. Still, I was grateful.”
“…I’m glad it helped, even if unintentionally, Lady Floverhart.”
I could never admit the truth. The moment I did, it felt like there would be no turning back.
“Um… by the way.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Don’t you think calling me Lady Floverhart feels a bit too distant? You can just call me Serena.”
“Shouldn’t there be some distance? This is only our second meeting.”
We hadn’t even exchanged proper greetings last time. This was the first time we’d even learned each other’s names. And honestly, I’d prefer we never become close enough to casually use first names for the rest of our lives.
At my loaded response, Serena let out a small, amused chuckle.
“We’re going to be family soon. You’re being rather cold.”
“…You never know what might happen in life, do you?”
No one could predict the future. A couple who had been happily dating could break up over a single argument. Someone who seemed incapable of cheating might suddenly do exactly that.
Of course, I already knew Serena’s future. She would meet a capable, handsome man who loved her endlessly and reach a happy ending. That fact didn’t upset me. If anything, I welcomed it.
If things go well, I won’t be held responsible for breaking the engagement.
If I played the part of a heartbroken man and shut myself in my room, even my father would have nothing to say. Naturally, Serena and the male lead would have to take responsibility for the broken engagement, but if I stopped my father from demanding too much, they probably wouldn’t face severe consequences.
That was why I needed to maintain a smooth, amicable relationship with Serena until then. I couldn’t give anyone ammunition to blame me for the breakup later.
Of course, I would continue calling her Lady Floverhart. Now and in the future.
“Sir Kallion, does the idea of being engaged to me not sit well with you?”
Yes. Immensely.
I swallowed the words that nearly burst out and answered calmly.
“Not at all. I’m simply saying we cannot be certain, Lady Floverhart.”
I wanted to speak my mind, but if I did…
“Hic, he said he hated me? I was so hurt, hic…”
“What? I’ll have his head!”
Slice.
A chill ran down my neck. I had no desire to experience having my head separated from my body even once.
“Hmm… I really don’t mind if you call me Serena.”
“My heart still feels quite distant. I hope you can understand.”
“I see.”
“Indeed.”
And that distance will never close in this lifetime. I’d appreciate it if you remembered that too.
I kept my true thoughts hidden and looked at her with a neutral expression. Serena nodded as if she understood, then slowly set down her teacup and stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“I thought I’d speak with the Marquis.”
“…Pardon?”
Wait a second.
“I have no way to soothe this upset heart. Don’t you think talking to someone might help ease it?”
Oh. That attitude showed she perfectly understood her position and the current situation. She really was sharp enough to win my father’s approval.
“You can talk to me, Miss Serena.”
Unconditional surrender.
“Shall I, then?”
She had looked somewhat downcast when she first stood up, but the moment she heard my words, her face brightened into a radiant smile and she quickly sat back down.
…My head hurts.
“I feel better now.”
“…I’m glad, Lady Floverhart.”
“Or maybe I’m starting to feel bad again…”
“Miss Serena.”
“I’m fine now.”
She was toying with me like a puppet. I stared blankly at Serena’s bright, smiling face before letting out a long breath and reaching for my black tea. I hadn’t even done anything, yet I felt completely drained.
Still, there was one silver lining—she would soon return to her own family. If she stayed in our house any longer, I would have been fully justified in running away from home.
“It’s a shame, but I should be heading back soon.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“You seem rather pleased about that?”
“…Not at all.”
Oops. I let that slip without thinking.
Serena, who had glanced out the window, gave me a sidelong glare after hearing my reply. I quickly composed my expression and answered nonchalantly. She narrowed her eyes and stared intently at my face.
Please stop looking at me like that.
When I stood up to escort her out, Serena was once again smiling brightly, as if nothing had happened.
…She really is ridiculously beautiful.
Since my ideal type was a rich, beautiful older woman, her appearance certainly checked one of the boxes. But still… getting involved with you would only complicate my life.
With that thought in mind, I opened the drawing room door to escort her.
“Hm, it seems you two had a good conversation, Lady Floverhart.”
“You may speak comfortably, Marquis.”
“Then I shall.”
We happened to run into my father right outside the drawing room. He and Serena already seemed quite familiar with each other and began chatting warmly and amicably.
I’m the son of this house, so why do I feel like the one being left out?
“Kallion.”
“Yes.”
My father, who had been happily chatting with Serena, finally seemed to remember I existed and turned his gaze toward me.
All that was left for me now was to see Serena off. Then I could return to my peaceful garden… no, I’d been through too much today. I should head straight to bed. I could already imagine the soft feel of my blankets. I’d turn on the refreshing cooling magic, crawl under the covers, and just roll around. The thought alone made me happy.
“Go with her to the Floverhart estate.”
“…Pardon?”
Are you kidding me? Why are you doing this to me?
“You don’t look very pleased, Sir Kallion.”
“…Not at all.”
I gave a small reply to Serena, who was smiling brightly at me, and barely managed to suppress the sigh rising from the pit of my stomach as I turned my gaze out the window.
‘Even if it’s only in name, shouldn’t we still get permission from the Floverhart baron and his wife?’
What a nice way to put it. It was nothing more than a flimsy excuse. From the beginning, the baron and his wife had been so deep in gambling that they paid no attention to managing their territory. Wasn’t that exactly why Serena was trying to support the Floverhart barony by selling herself to a high-ranking noble?
He simply didn’t like the idea of me staying home.
“Sir Kallion.”
“Yes?”
“Well…”
What a strange woman. She had been so bold and confident in front of my father—the very man everyone else feared and trembled before—yet now she was hesitating to even speak a single sentence.
Even though I could guess that whatever she was about to say wouldn’t be particularly pleasant, I turned my eyes toward her.
“Take your time.”
I straightened my posture and waited. Serena seemed to calm down a little and slowly began to speak.
“If you visit our family… and happen to meet my parents…”
“…”
As expected, it wasn’t a pleasant topic. She must have known that, which was why she was hesitating like this.
“Please don’t be too disappointed.”
“…Disappointed?”
“No, that’s not what I… I mean…”
“Don’t worry.”
To be honest, I still firmly believed I shouldn’t get involved with Serena. My dream was to marry a rich, beautiful older woman and live comfortably as a kept man. She, on the other hand, was—frankly—poor and only beautiful. She seemed exceptionally capable, and I didn’t know what the future held, but she was already destined to be with someone else. There was nothing to gain from getting entangled with her.
But.
“I’m already used to it.”
The reason I said that might have been because, for a moment, I saw someone else in her.
“Pardon? Used to… it?”
“I misspoke. What I meant was that you don’t need to worry.”
For the first time, I offered her a faint smile. Serena looked at me for a brief moment before nodding.
“Yes… that’s what you meant?”
“That’s what I meant.”
I looked away from Serena’s face, which seemed slightly relieved, and turned my gaze back out the window.
Today as well.
The sky was blue.
Through the slightly open window, I thought I could faintly smell the scent of forget-me-nots.