Daily Routine (3)
“Why do you hate it? What exactly? The duke’s position? That ethics of mine that got completely shattered last night? Or… is it because you dislike me?”
“…….”
“Why, why why why why why why why. Why why why, why?”
…My mind was on the verge of a full breakdown.
It wasn’t just talk. Lottie might not have been glued to my side all day long since there was plenty of work for me to handle, but that didn’t mean the time we spent together was scarce.
I still met her at meals three times a day, dropped by the office in between, and finished with the good-night kiss before bed.
“…….”
Yeah… Thinking back on that third one alone made my head spin.
Absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt, I would never have suggested it myself.
After all, I’d been trying to keep our relationship as “sibling-like” as possible from the start. How could I have come up with something so lewd?
Of course, Lottie had begged me to do it, and if I’d said no, she would’ve caused a scene. So I’d had no choice but to go along.
“Haah…”
Either way, after everything we’d been through, that’s where we ended up.
Was I really not exhausted? The same little sister who pouted like a spoiled child, following me around the house all day long—Charlotte Havertz.
I sat at the desk in my office, papers in one hand, and gently pushed Lottie’s forehead away with the other.
It had been almost a month since the Havertz family’s underhanded scheme.
Since that scorching first night with her, it had been around twenty days now…
“……Lottie.”
“Hm? Why?”
“I’m in the middle of work right now. Interfering like this is going to make things awkward.”
“What can I do?”
“…….”
By now enough time had passed that Lottie wasn’t scared of me anymore.
No, my feelings toward her had always been absolute goodwill.
It was just that I’d been terrified she’d one day turn me into a puddle of blood the moment she decided to reject me.
Now I knew. Lottie’s affection for me ran far deeper than I’d imagined, and because of that, she wouldn’t hurt me.
“…….”
Probably.
According to the remark she’d spilled a few days ago, if I didn’t play around with any other girls, there wouldn’t be a bloody incident.
And since I had no intention of building a serious romantic relationship with anyone else right now…
‘So, no need to worry, right?’
I wasn’t completely certain, but the feeling was close enough. Lottie wasn’t that terrifying Blood Witch I knew.
I glanced at her sideways and thought that.
Her face, squished from being pushed away, was absurdly cute. If I thought that, maybe I was severe, too.
Even if I couldn’t stop the title of the Blood Witch from sticking, it wouldn’t go any further.
To prevent that, the day a month ago—whether I survived it or not.
“Haah…”
My mind was cluttered with all sorts of thoughts, but this was fine. At least, under the circumstances, I could handle it.
Knock, knock.
Today, too, I was focused on paperwork, holding a steaming cup of tea—until…
“Lord Duke, may I enter?”
“Himmel.”
Himmel entered my office with a stiff, unusually solemn expression and bowed politely.
“…That old bastard…”
Lottie looked coldly at us, clearly displeased that we were being interrupted during our alone time, but I had shoved her under the desk.
“…Huh.”
I had barely lowered my head when she transformed into a gentle cat, rubbing her cheeks against my knee with a purr.
After dealing with the little sister without the old attendant as a temporary knee pillow, I turned to Himmel.
“What’s going on? Why that scary face?”
“…….”
Himmel didn’t answer right away and took a moment to think. His expression was thoughtful, and he kept glancing back over his shoulder…
‘Hmm.’
Wait a second, there was something that felt off.
Someone other than the personnel stationed at the main residence…
Was in the first-floor reception room.
‘An outsider?’
I couldn’t hide my bewildered expression as I asked Himmel.
“I remember no visit was scheduled. Wasn’t it?”
“Eek.”
Himmel’s eyes widened in genuine shock, bigger than before.
“H-how did you know? I haven’t even told you yet…”
“Don’t underestimate the perception of an 8th Circle mage. More importantly, who exactly is it that you let in?”
“……That’s.”
The moment the topic of an outsider came up, Lottie subtly lifted her head and looked at the floor with a sharp expression.
I knew that wouldn’t reveal anything, but as the Blood Witch, who could say what she might be doing with her eerie blood power.
To handle any unforeseen situation, I probably needed to go down myself.
I shuffled the piles of documents on the table and stood up from my seat.
“If you weren’t waiting outside and instead let the steward in yourself… that person must be pretty important.”
“…….”
“……Someone from the Emperor?”
“Ah, no.”
Himmel frantically waved his hands at my quiet question. I asked about his guess because of the ‘maybe’ in my mind, but whether it was fortunate or not.
It didn’t seem like the Emperor had come with some scheme again. After all, the guy needed time to sort his own thoughts.
“Then who exactly—”
“……Miss Adelaide.”
“…….”
“The, the fiancé of Lord Duke is currently in the reception room…”
“Ah…”
I nodded blankly, my voice carrying only one percent of my soul.
Yeah, fiancé. Adelaide Teyran?
Um…
Um…
‘…Why on earth did she suddenly come here?’
I was genuinely bewildered. I looked back at Himmel with a blank expression.
If two grown men exchanging eye signals saying ‘Really?’ and ‘Yes, really’ was amusing in itself, it was funny.
“……Huh?”
In the end, the person we both checked was Lottie.
Unfortunately, Lottie, the Havertz family’s lady-in-waiting, was right there with us.
And both Himmel and I knew her feelings for me better than anyone…
“……Your Highness, please calm down first. If it’s an outsider from a family of similar status, it’s proper for Lord Duke to welcome her…”
“Yeah. Lottie, don’t suddenly pop out. Since she’s my fiancé, I’ll meet her first.”
We both spoke the words quickly, as if rehearsed.
“……My fiancé?”
“…….”
“…….”
Unlike Himmel who only mentioned the truth, my single line had caused an unnecessary backlash.
The air in the office suddenly turned icy. Was it my imagination?
‘No, it felt like the space itself was freezing—’
Crack, crunch…
“…….”
The moment I thought that, the edge of the table was covered in crimson ice.
Where in the world could such an ominous-colored ice crystal even exist?
But it was my precious younger sister’s power, so I shouldn’t call it ominous…
The exact moment my soul wandered, filling my head with meaningless nonsense.
“I should meet her too, that woman.”
“Lo-Lottie. Wait a sec—”
“I’ll go down first, brother.”
“……Lottie?!”
Flash!
There was no time to stop her with words or even physical force. A bright red light flashed, and Lottie vanished without a trace in the next instant.
…Short-range teleport. Not as advanced as warp, but still a technique that had to be rated as high-tier.
I swallowed hard.
What exactly was she hiding?
“Lo-Lord Duke.”
“…….”
“Rushing is…”
No matter what, this was not the time for Himmel’s words to snap me out of it.
I was already one step behind, but I still had to follow. I hastily drew the mana sigil and folded space to connect to the reception room.
Whoosh!
“……Hey, Adelaide Teyran.”
But as I said, I was already too late because I had been dumbstruck.
“By what right did you come here? After doing that thing back then.”
“…….”
“No need for anything. Break up with my brother right now.”
“Ha…?”
The reception room was already in chaos.
Drip, drip…
The streams and droplets of water falling like a broken heart.
Her clothes, her hair, everything above the waist soaked through, her golden-haired beauty twitching her facial muscles.
Finally, with a water cup pressed to her eyes—
The Blood Witch, our own sister, who had torn my eyes wide open with her crimson gaze.
‘…I’m done.’
I had no choice but to press my forehead.
“What the hell is she hiding, anyway?”
“Gah, Lord Duke.”
“…….”
“Rushing is…”
Himmel’s words were right this time.
But I was already late.
I hurriedly drew the mana sigil again and folded space toward the reception room.
Whoosh!
“……Hey, Adelaide Teyran.”
I was too late.
I had been dumbstruck.
“By what right did you come here? After doing that thing back then.”
“…….”
“No need for anything. Break up with my brother right now.”
“Ha…?”
The reception room was already in chaos.
Drip, drip…
The streams and droplets of water falling like a broken heart.
Her clothes, her hair, everything above the waist soaked through, her golden-haired beauty twitching her facial muscles.
Finally, with a water cup pressed to her eyes—
The Blood Witch, our own sister, who had torn my eyes wide open with her crimson gaze.
‘…I’m done.’
I had no choice but to press my forehead.