9. Spilt Water Never Returns (覆水不返) - 02
9. Spilt Water Never Returns (覆水不返) - 02
I once watched a pair of cats going at each other on the street. Two strays circling without the slightest drop in their guard, measuring the distance, raising their front paws and tails to project menace as if they were seasoned warriors in an arena—it had genuinely grabbed my attention.
In truth, it was simply too entertaining to walk past. Where else could you watch two cats, cute enough to belong anywhere, tearing at each other's vitals without any hesitation, all for the sake of crushing the other? They say watching a fire and watching a fight are the most amusing spectacles, so long as they have nothing to do with you.
But right now, I was being forced to realize just how arrogant my past self had been. It was only a fascinating spectacle from the perspective of a human third party. For the cats actually involved, their fight must have been literal blood and flesh—a desperate, brutal struggle, not mere entertainment.
Maybe I was never even qualified to treat a cat brawl as a show in the first place. After all, I was currently stuck in the middle of women whose murderous intent was far more fearsome than the hostility between those strays. This had to be the karma my past self had racked up. What on earth had the old me done to make the current me suffer through this?
"...Love."
At Bianca's words, Aria's face hardened as if she'd been struck by a heavy blow. The dim light in Aria's eyes was a terrifying sight, enough to send a chill down my spine. Even so, Aria's expression was one of the milder ones. The looks on the Imperial Princess's and Ariel's faces were far beyond appalling—there was scarcely a word for them.
"...Hoh, Bianca del Castana. If what you claim is true, that is quite the intriguing tale. I find myself wanting to hear in detail exactly what passed between you and Kain that night."
At those words, the Imperial Princess fixed her sharp glare not on Bianca but on me, and my heart shrank to a pitiful size. Only moments ago, she had looked overcome with joy at seeing Ariel again—but seeing that expression now, I had a sinister premonition that round two with Bianca was about to begin.
"...Love? You mean to say Kain told you he would love you for all eternity?"
Ariel was a shade more frightening than the Imperial Princess. In all my memory, I had never seen her make such a terrifying face at anyone. Ariel was the woman who was always composed, unhurried, and smiling warmly at everyone.
Even when she had been baring her fangs at the Imperial Princess just moments before, only her tone had been sharp while her expression remained unchanged. So why was she wearing a face like this now? What part of Bianca's remark had gotten under her skin?
"Hmph. It's simply pathetic for the two of you to come at Kain and me about it at this point. The past in which he and I shared our 'first' love has long since become an unchangeable fact. Ah, but since we do have a year of history together, I am willing to show a little mercy. Yes—how about the position of a concubine? That's acceptable to you, isn't it? Kain?"
Bianca was grinning maddeningly, spouting off with an arrogance I couldn't tell was a request or a decree. I instinctively shut my eyes at the sight. No matter how I looked at it, her words were sheer madness—like holding a flame to a fuse.
"...Kain, it turns out you're a first-rate womanizer. Your first kiss was with Sarah Sernad, and your first night was with Bianca del Castana? Hah. So who's next? Care to explain who you plan to do what with next?"
"....."
The Imperial Princess was interrogating me in a highly agitated tone, as though her blood had gone to her head. Setting everything else aside, why was she dragging Sarah's name into this?
"...Hah. First night? Bianca, you were Kain's first?"
Ariel let out a hollow laugh, apparently floored by Bianca's words.
"What unbelievably brazen words. I see it really is difficult to tolerate the sight of a loser, who suffered defeat after defeat and curled up in a corner like a dog with its tail between its legs, running her mouth. Your ignorance—your firm belief that you are his first—I can find endearing. But if you start yapping out of turn about being a concubine or whatever, you might make things a little awkward for Kain. Don't you think, Bianca?"
"...Ariel Tiere. Are you quite finished?"
Given that Bianca was one of the foulest-tempered talents in the empire, there was no way she would take that lying down. My room rapidly turned into a battlefield, rendering Ariel's strict orders that I needed absolute rest completely meaningless.
"....."
At least Aria was sitting quietly beside me, staying out of that battlefield. That fact gave me a small measure of peace.
"...Let's go, Aria."
"Yes, Kain."
Fortunately, the three women were too busy raising their voices about who was the best to pay any mind to Aria and me slipping out of the room. No matter how much I thought about it, "terrible" felt like an understatement for the relationships among the women around me. I wasn't expecting them to laugh and chat in perfect harmony, but wasn't this a bit much?
'Kain von Estel, you bastard.'
Just how had my past self swept up women to make them act this way? No, Bianca aside, why were the Imperial Princess and Ariel acting like this? Did it mean the old Kain von Estel really was some wretched scoundrel who couldn't be satisfied with one woman and chased after anything in a skirt?
"...Kain, are you all right? Are you still feeling unwell anywhere?"
While I was deep in serious thought, Aria was looking at me with worried eyes, as though she assumed I was still hurting somewhere.
"...No, I'm fine. Aria."
As I answered, I studied Aria standing properly beside me. Her overall appearance wasn't much different from usual. She seemed to have grown a hand's width since I'd last seen her, and looked slightly more mature overall, but apart from those things, she was practically the same. Her manner of speech, her aura, her presence—all of it was the same Aria from the past, the one I had known.
...Then who was the Aria I had faced right before I lost consciousness? The one who had exuded an aura distinctly different from usual, and whispered, "Thank you"—was she truly...?
"....."
My head was growing muddled. Was the Aria before my eyes the sweet maid of the Estel Duchy and the exclusive mage apprenticed to Sir Karl? Or was she merely pretending to be the Aria I knew?
What made it all the more of a headache was that whichever proved to be the truth, I had no ability to press Aria for answers. Aria was no longer the powerless girl who had lost all her memories and trembled just at the sight of me. Even though she had narrowly lost to Bianca, she was a mage of terrifying skill—one who had clashed with her head-on and reduced the entire terrain to ashes.
In the end, the only thing I could do right now was treat her with an attitude largely unchanged from usual. It was a truly disheartening way to handle things. How had my life come to this? A Young Duke, reduced to the miserable existence of watching the faces of the women around him.
I let out a soft sigh and entered the reception room with Aria. Regrettably, someone had already taken a seat there. Even more regrettably, the guest was a face I was not very happy to see.
"Why are you loitering around here, Lucian? It's still broad daylight—are you allowed to be idle already?"
"...So you've finally awakened. Kain von Estel. And I am staying here as a guest of House Estel. I believe I have explained multiple times that I am not a vassal of the Estel Ducal House."
Frowning as if something didn't sit right with him, the fellow looking at me was none other than Lucian von Turnizen, the next heir of the Turnizen Ducal House—who held the record of being unilaterally beaten by me back in the imperial capital.
"...As far as my memory serves, I don't recall ever unilaterally beating you."
"Still all talk despite being a loser."
I casually brushed off his retort and dropped into the seat across from him. But Lucian's reaction was a little strange. Normally, he would show more visible agitation at my words, but today he seemed unusually guarded, which was deeply awkward.
"What's the matter? Why are you muttering to yourself?"
At my question, Lucian frowned, then whispered to me in an exceedingly careful tone.
"Her Highness the Imperial Princess is currently residing here. For the honor of the family, ought we not refrain from any rash behavior in her presence?"
"....."
I was faintly curious what kind of face Lucian would make if he knew the Imperial Princess he so revered was actively engaging in rash behavior in my room, but that was not what mattered right now.
"Hmm, Lucian. Do you have a moment? I think there is something I need to discuss with you in private."
"...Could we not discuss it here? Where exactly are you thinking of going?"
I didn't answer Lucian's puzzled question, and merely shrugged my shoulders.
"Let's go see my father together."
It seemed there were a few things I could not decide on my own.
****
"...Hmm, so you have finally awakened. Ariel was right, after all. She confidently predicted you would regain consciousness within a day or two."
When I faced my father again after roughly two months, he showed only an indifferent expression, despite the startling news that his only son had come to.
"Why are you reacting so calmly?"
I had not expected him to welcome me with open arms, but I could not help feeling a little let down.
"I have been staring at your unconscious face enough to be sick of it. Do you realize that as recently as this morning, I went in person to visit my son, who had not come to pay his morning respects?"
Father clicked his tongue at me, then studied my face with a solemn expression.
"At any rate, I heard the whole story from Bianca. Is it truly a fact that you made that nauseatingly sappy confession to her—that you would stay by her side for all eternity?"
"....."
I realized anew that hearing my own confession from someone else's mouth was more embarrassing than I could have imagined. But having come this far, I could hardly run away, so I steeled my resolve and nodded.
"...Yes, it is true."
Whatever the circumstances, I had shared love with Bianca. That meant it was only natural for me to take responsibility for her. How could a man cast aside a woman he had once held in his embrace?
But at my manly, forthright answer, Father's expression grew complex.
"Hmm, but about that. Bianca aside, what on earth is going on with Her Highness the Imperial Princess and this woman called Ariel?"
"...Why are Her Highness's and Ariel's names coming up here?"
"Because Her Highness said that you and she are in a considerably deep relationship. She stated that His Majesty has already half-acknowledged it. Is that truly the case?"
"....."
It was the most preposterous, unheard-of claim I had ever encountered.
"Bianca, Her Highness the Imperial Princess, Aria, and even Ariel, who is renowned as a Saintess candidate. Hoho, I never imagined my son's abilities were so outstanding. It is not too late. If there are any more women you are hiding, do name them. Yes, even if you have secretly wed an elf and pledged her your eternal life, I shall understand."
"...Why are elves coming up here?"
From the start, a high-and-mighty elf would never fancy an inferior human, would they?
"A mere figure of speech. In any case, if there are women you are hiding, confess whenever you are ready. Do not even think about secretly making them your mistresses."
"....."