Qualifications of a Knight (7)
It was embarrassing that I'd made such a grand declaration about escorting her anywhere, because the place Camilla and I ended up going was just a restaurant outside the academy.
"Can I really come to a place like this...?"
"Hehe, don't you think you need to get used to this much, as the future son-in-law of a duke's family?"
Of course, it was one of those restaurants where commoners wouldn't even dream of setting foot.
The place took up a massive area, but there were only a handful of customers—and none of them looked like ordinary folk.
"Your order."
"The most expensive thing on the menu."
"Understood."
Unlike me, who was glancing around curiously since it was my first time in a place like this, Camilla ordered with complete familiarity—without even looking at the menu, just the priciest option.
"...Is the money okay? You're not straining yourself on my account, are you?"
"What?"
"No, just... I didn't want you forcing it because of me..."
"Ahahaha!"
"Don't laugh that hard..."
I had no idea which part of what I'd just said had tickled her so much.
Still, seeing her laugh so brightly instead of the weary look she'd had earlier made even me feel happy. It was that kind of pure, radiant smile.
Camilla wiped the tears from her eyes after laughing so hard and spoke.
"Rion, you haven't forgotten what family I come from, right? I'd be pretty upset if you had."
"How could I? Croizen family—the top among the empire's ducal houses."
"Exactly. And you're the fiancé of that Croizen family's eldest daughter. Hmm... since you'll be joining our family. Rion de Croizen?"
Camilla seemed genuinely delighted by the fact that I was her fiancé. She'd emphasized it multiple times in just that short exchange.
...Does this mean I really have no choice but to marry her now?
Erin's plan had been to get Camilla to reveal her true feelings and then call off the engagement.
But I'd gone and ruined that plan on my own, and now the only option left was to actually go through with the marriage.
Imagining a wedding with Camilla... even just the thought was terrifying.
Erin, who looked ready to blast the ceremony with magic, Alessia, who could do anything without it seeming out of place. And I wondered what Lucia would do—would she congratulate us, or sabotage the wedding to stop it?
Even if we somehow pulled off the marriage, I wouldn't have any regrets. It was all the result of my own choices.
There was no reason for me to regret it.
Instead, I'll have to grovel big time.
Alessia and Erin were already mentally planning the wedding and honeymoon. I'd probably have to get on my knees and beg for mercy.
If they still wouldn't forgive me, then I'd just have to stick with the Croizen family.
"By the way, how did you get permission for this engagement? Did your family okay you marrying a commoner like me?"
In the previous timeline, I'd started as Lucia's knight and ended up treated like a war hero.
But that was all in the past. Right now, I was just a run-of-the-mill commoner student at the academy.
Camilla, who'd been humming contentedly at my question, answered.
"I didn't ask for permission."
"...Then?"
"I wrote them a letter saying I'm going to marry you, so prepare accordingly. And if they didn't approve... the next thing I'd send would be my head."
I stared at her in shock at the chilling words she delivered so casually, desperately hoping the word "joking" would come out of her slowly opening mouth.
"Not a joke."
"Haa..."
Imagining the uproar in the Croizen family when they got that letter, a sigh slipped out of me unbidden.
Camilla gently took my hand.
"As long as I have you, that's enough for me. I don't need anything else. If you just stay by my side... I'll give you everything I have."
Listening to her, one thought crossed my mind: There really isn't a normal person among them...
※ Ever since she started training Rion, the nightmares had kept her up all night, and her condition had only worsened.
Even so, Camilla had no intention of stopping.
It was her choice to teach him spear arts. And she thought it was better for Rion to have the strength to protect himself.
It was painful and agonizing, but she believed she could endure it as long as Rion was by her side.
Then came Rion's sudden date invitation.
Camilla knew he didn't truly like her.
She even knew accepting his proposal came with some ulterior motive behind it.
That's why she'd given up on any lover-like behavior, just as he'd suggested.
As long as Rion stayed by her side, everything else could be fine without it.
So his date invitation surprised her.
Especially when he removed the magic tool that had been stuck to her ear—the one she hadn't even realized was there.
"How do you eat this?"
With perfectly grilled meat and all sorts of unfamiliar side dishes, Rion had no clue and could only look to Camilla helplessly.
Even his flustered reaction to the new foods felt adorable to her.
In the previous timeline, Rion had always seemed so calm and mature, like an adult. But now, he felt almost childlike.
"Here, give it to me for a sec."
Camilla took the plate from him, sliced the tenderest, juiciest part of the meat into bite-sized pieces, mixed the accompanying sauces in the right proportions, speared it on a fork, and held it out to him.
"Here, say aaah."
"Ah... aah?"
Camilla held out the fork with the lovingly prepared meat.
Realizing what she wanted, Rion awkwardly did his best to play along, accepting it like a baby bird.
"...I'll eat it myself now."
"Okay, okay, got it."
Camilla watched fondly as Rion took the plate back and started eating just like she'd shown him. Then, under the table, she began nudging his foot with hers.
Rion ignored it at first, but when she kept at it, he finally spoke up, unable to hold back.
"It's starting to hurt."
"Shh. People are staring."
"...You started it."
"Then I'll stop. Who else would do this?"
Camilla grinned mischievously. Seeing her expression, Rion couldn't help but chuckle.
From there, the conversation flowed naturally.
"Being here just the two of us... it feels really nice."
"We were alone together just yesterday too, though?"
"That... doesn't really count as being alone. And it wasn't a proper date like this."
Rion had nothing to say to that, so he took a sip from the glass beside him.
Camilla didn't want to press him further on it. As long as he had come to her of his own accord, despite knowing she'd pushed him into it.
She didn't care what else he'd done.
She already felt guilty toward him anyway.
Rion, who'd moistened his throat with water, spoke up.
"This isn't bad at all."
"Not bad?"
"...What more do you want?"
"Hmm?"
Rion thought for a moment, then raised both hands in surrender.
"Fine... you win."
"So, your answer?"
"Well, this is actually better than I thought. Nice atmosphere... delicious food. And the person I'm with is great too?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected compliment, Camilla ducked her head.
Her ears, though, turned bright red, impossible to hide.
Then, in a small voice, she asked,
"Do you regret it?"
"Regret what?"
"Saying you'd... marry me."
Camilla couldn't lift her head.
She felt like if she did and heard his answer, she wouldn't be able to control her expression.
No matter what it was.
Rion smiled and said,
"You've been close to me for a while now. You should know what I'm going to say."
"Yeah..."
It was the phrase he'd always had on the tip of his tongue.
The one that represented his conviction, his will.
I don't regret my own choices...
She hadn't even needed to hear it—she already knew the answer.
That's why she couldn't look up.
If she did now, she'd surely be wearing a foolish smile.
※ And a little while before now.
Right after Rion removed the magic tool.
Erin froze mid-sentence.
"...What happened?"
"Ha... haha!"
The absurdity of it all made her burst out laughing, long and hard—enough that Alessia, watching from the side, took a step back.
Eventually, the laughter cut off abruptly, and all expression drained from Erin's face.
What filled the void was pure rage.
She'd mustered the resolve to help him even while he was looking at another woman, but now he'd gone and derailed the plan at the last second.
Erin hated when plans went awry.
Hated it—no, despised it.
And this time, the one who'd begged for her help had personally wrecked it by falling head over heels for another woman.
Not her, but someone else.
"Alessia."
"Y-Yeah...?"
Alessia responded more cautiously than usual. Erin's aura was so vicious it subdued even her.
"We're going to grab him right now. Pack everything you can."
The grand mage was on the move to capture Rion.