My Fiancée Was Just Like Me After All! (Nope) (3)
My Fiancée Was Just Like Me After All! (Nope) (3)
When I stated I wanted to break off my engagement with Kir, the Duchess gave me an incredulous look.
"No matter how much you hate it... *sigh*. Er, you sound like a total doting parent right now. Didn't you even teach him the proper mindset of a noble?"
"...."
At those words, my shoulders hunched slightly. Deep down I knew that throwing a tantrum about not wanting to marry was just my stubbornness, ignoring the family's circumstances.
But I couldn't give up. If I got married like this, I'd be led by the nose and stuck at home for the rest of my life, and I'd rather die than that.
"It's not just me who doesn't want it; Kir said she doesn't want to marry me either! I think that marrying when we both dislike each other will only make us unhappy!"
"...Is that true, Kir?"
"Y-Yes...."
"I see I'm not in a position to blame Er. *Sigh*...."
The Duchess let out a few sighs as if astonished.
She stepped out for a moment and came back, bringing Mother with her.
"Now, let's have a little talk."
* * * * * *
The four of us sat around the parlor table facing each other.
I sat opposite the Duchess, and Kir sat opposite Mother.
"So, Yune, you don't like Kir because she isn't ladylike? Because her personality is like a boy's."
"Yes!"
"Kirschblüte, you also said you don't want to marry Yune."
"Y-Yes...."
I spoke according to the plan we'd hatched, and Kir followed along in a tiny, dying voice.
While Duchess Schmut nodded with understanding, Mother looked at Kir with genuine bewilderment.
"...How could any woman refuse Yune? He's so adorable. If I had been engaged to a boy like Yune when I was young, I would have been sincerely grateful to the parents who arranged it."
"Er, you sound like a total doting parent right now."
"Let's hear it anyway. Why does she dislike Yune?"
"You're completely ignoring what I'm saying?"
It was embarrassing even for me to hear, but Mother's expression was serious.
In contrast, Kir, facing her...
"E-Eep...."
looked genuinely terrified.
Well, even though Mother's expression had softened a lot lately, she still looked a little scary.
And from her perspective, this was like... to put it in Ryu Si-u terms, it's like telling a terrifying mother-in-law that you don't like her daughter, right?
It was understandable she was scared.
But I silently cheered her on.
'Hang in there...! I'll back you up, so just say anything!'
"Um, well...."
Maybe sensing my silent encouragement, after a long pause during which her lips twitched, Kir finally spoke.
"Um... Since Yune doesn't want to marry... you can't force someone who dislikes you to marry, right...."
"Hmm."
It was a rather passive statement, 'He doesn't like me, so there's no helping it.' It wasn't the most desirable answer, but for her, scared stiff as she was, this was probably the best she could do.
I stepped in to back up her weak statement.
"In the first place, I like Mother much more than Kir."
As I said that, I clung tightly to Mother's arm. She reflexively began stroking my head.
Feeling her gentle touch, I slightly glanced at Kir, then at Duchess Schmut.
"I love Mother most in the world. If I'm going to marry anyone, it'll be Mother."
""...!""
The expressions of both of them changed.
First, the Duchess. She looked a little surprised and asked Mother:
"Yune is ten. No, soon to be eleven. And he likes his mother this much, not even his father? You haven't been giving him some weird upbringing, have you?"
"I have done nothing improper, I swear on the name of Nordkirchen, so do not look at me like that. As for why he follows me so unusually... I don't know either."
"Then start educating him now. Yune will grow up and become more manly soon. If a grown noble young master clings to his mother like that in front of people, what will they think?"
"...I shall bear that in mind."
With that, as if agreeing with the Duchess that I needed educating, Mother gently pried me off her arm.
I pulled away with a slightly disappointed look. The Duchess rested her chin on her hand and studied me, then asked:
"Yune, what exactly do you like so much about a blunt, thirty-six-year-old woman like her? Do you have a thing for older women? Or do you actually like big breasts?"
"Schmut. What vulgar nonsense—"
"Mother is strong, beautiful, kind, and loves me. I'm simply returning that love. Age doesn't matter. As for breasts... they're soft when I hug, so I might prefer larger ones, maybe?"
When I answered her question honestly, Mother turned red up to her ears and lowered her head. The Duchess looked slightly discomfited.
"...."
"Uh, um. I see. Maybe because he's so innocent, he says such risqué things so brightly...."
Unlike the two adults, Kir wore a slightly different expression.
'Huh? What's with Kir?'
She still looked scared of Mother, but there was a subtle emotion flickering in her eyes.
If I had to define that emotion, jealousy seemed the closest.
But for her, who doesn't want to marry me, to be jealous of Mother...
'Ah. Breasts.'
Only then did I realize she was staring back and forth between Mother's chest and mine. She must be suddenly conscious of her own small chest.
I could understand. For the Empire's nobility, breast size was a source of pride, and even among commoners, many thought large breasts were a woman's charm.
To analogize in Ryu Si-u terms, it's like men's pride in their muscles and height.
So it was natural for her to cast jealous glances at Mother. I often secretly envied my family's height too.
Given her masculine style in dancing and clothing, it was a little surprising she cared about this.
But she must have her own complicated reasons.
'...I'll have to secretly tell Kir later to drink lots of milk.'
* * * * * *
Our four-way discussion ended without a clear conclusion.
"If you ever find someone you truly like, I'll reconsider then. Understood?"
"But I already like Mother...."
"Don't say things you'll regret and kick your blanket over ten years later. Anyway, you never know how feelings might change. There's no need to decide at your first meeting, right?"
"Ugh... Fine."
The reason it fizzled out was that the Duchess coaxed me, saying that talking about breaking off the engagement after just the first meeting was overly hasty.
It was too reasonable for me to argue.
After that little commotion, it was five o'clock.
With winter making it grow dark early, Mother and I decided to head to our lodging.
"You could stay the night here. It's probably better than most lodgings."
"I'll decline. The Steinadler Merchant Company prepared a decent lodging. I'll just borrow your carriage and coachman for the trip."
"Alright. Feel free to use it while you're in the capital. ...Oh, right. The coachman who brought you here resigned immediately. Did something happen?"
"...Nothing happened."
Mother and the Duchess chatted by the main gate of the estate.
I extended my hand to Kir, who was fidgeting.
"Then goodbye, Kir, my comrade in pursuit of freedom."
"Uh, okay...? But we'll see each other again at the Founding Festival banquet anyway."
"Tsk. True. See you then."
"Yeah. And... I'm sorry for making you do that, as a boy."
"You're still on about that? I told you it's fine. Whenever we're alone from now on, I'll personally teach you how to dance, so engrave this kindness deep in your heart. Ahem."
"Uh, um, okay...."
We exchanged farewells.
Then I glanced around and brought my mouth close to her ear.
-whisper-
"And... this is a secret, but drinking lots of milk helps you grow faster, you know?"
"...!!"
Kir flinched, maybe because my breath tickled her.
But soon, seeming to grasp the true meaning behind my words, she stared at me intently.
...Honestly.
"You just thought, 'What does a kid shorter than me know?' didn't you?"
"N-No."
"What do you mean no? Hmph. Just because you're a tiny bit taller now, you're all high and mighty. Just wait. I'll eat tons of cookies and milk and grow much taller than you. Then you'll beat your flat chest in regret, and I won't care."
"I told you I didn't think that...."
As I grumbled, Kir kept waving her hands, insisting that wasn't what she meant.
Mother and the Duchess, having finished their conversation, watched us with strange looks.
"For two people who said they don't like each other, you seem to get along quite well...."
"We just don't want to marry. As comrades... no, as friends, we don't mind each other. Right, Kir?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Really. There's no such thing as friends between a man and a woman."
"I agree with that."
After that brief exchange, we parted, promising to meet again at the Founding Festival.
"Young Master, I've returned."
"...Ah, Chloe."
'Come to think of it, I'd forgotten I sent Chloe on an errand. Sorry, Chloe. I almost left without you....'
Chloe had just finished my errand at the perfect moment.
-whisper, whisper-
"Hand me what you bought later, secretly."
"Yes."
After picking up Chloe too, we boarded the carriage and headed to our lodging.
* * * * * *
"This is the first time I've seen you in the capital, Young Master. Are the accommodations to your liking?"
"Yes! You're the best, Nibuer!!"
Standing before me in a business suit—or, by Ryu Si-u's standards, a maid outfit—Nibuer smiled.
The lodging she prepared was incredibly luxurious.
Of course, the building was a bit small, but in terms of appearance, it was comparable to our family's estate.
When I asked how she found such a place, she replied that she had purchased a fallen noble family's mansion. Something about keeping it for entertaining nobles.
"And Grand Duchess. As you ordered, I've prepared everything to ensure your stay is comfortable. But are you sure you don't need to hire guards for the residence?"
"I have my own arrangements in mind, so don't worry about it."
"Understood. Still, if anything happens, please summon me immediately. I'll be on standby with the servants and will rush over like the wind if called."
Nibuer, having finished talking with Mother, was about to withdraw.
I raised my hand right away and called out to her.
"Nibuer!"
"Yes, Young Master."
"I sweated earlier and want to wash up right away. Where is the bathroom?"
"I'll show you. As for the servant who will assist with your bath..."
"Not needed!"
"Yes. Young Master Yune is a 'manly man' who bathes alone. I spoke out of turn. Now, please follow me."
Since I'd sweated profusely from showing all those dance moves and felt sticky all over, I followed Nibuer to the bathroom to wash off the sweat.
-plod, plod-
And Mother followed behind me.