Because I Want to XX
Because I Want to XX
There was an old saying that life was full of things that didn't go as planned, so sometimes it helped to run away.
It meant that when you couldn't get what you wanted no matter how hard you tried, it was better for your mental health to let go halfway and observe rather than desperately cling.
Having realized that, albeit late, Daniel decided to accept his current situation.
After all, at the point where he was being hailed as a hero who'd saved a child in an enemy city, it seemed impossible to lower his reputation no matter what he did.
Ten days passed as Daniel worked with the air of someone who had attained a kind of enlightenment about life, and he summoned Lucy, who was out in the field, to his office.
When Lucy arrived at the office, she thought Daniel would say something about work, but the reality was different.
"Adjutant? If it's all right, could you set aside some time tomorrow?"
At the sudden request to free up her schedule, Lucy simply blinked, not understanding what he meant.
Daniel, watching her, realized his explanation had been lacking and went on.
"Professor Meranto invited me to his mansion to mark the last day of the festival. He said it wasn't just me, but a gathering of Lakedrapol's intellectuals. You can think of it as a sort of banquet."
"Ah. You mean a banquet. Do you need an escort?"
"It's not that. Public sentiment isn't turbulent enough now to warrant an escort. But the banquet Professor Meranto is hosting is more of a couples' gathering."
A question mark floated over Lucy's head.
"...If it's a couples' gathering, doesn't that mean there's no reason for me to attend?"
"I said the same thing to Professor Meranto, and he told me it would be fine to bring a lover. He said if I didn't have one, it'd look better to at least bring a partner for appearances' sake, so I said I understood."
Daniel let out a low breath.
"To be honest, I detest things like banquets and don't want to go, but I'm not in a position to refuse his goodwill. I'll be serving as the occupation zone commander in Lakedrapol for some time, so I should build close ties with the local notables, shouldn't I? And..."
Daniel kept talking, but Lucy didn't hear him.
More precisely, she couldn't spare the attention.
Because words like 'lover' and 'couple' were running wild in her head as they pleased.
Just imagining it was so embarrassing that her face subtly flushed.
'Am I attending as Daniel's lover...?'
Wouldn't attending a couples' gathering imply a relationship that promised marriage?
For some reason, she felt everyone would see it that way, and her heart was pounding without her realizing it.
As she was letting her imagination run wild by herself, she heard the sound of Daniel tapping on his desk.
"Adjutant? Are you even listening to me?"
Her thoughts shattered, Lucy quickly came back to her senses.
"...Ah. I'm sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment."
"What kind of thoughts... Anyway, what do you think of my suggestion? You seem tired lately with all the work, so if you don't want to, you can refuse."
Lucy shook her head.
There was no need to refuse.
"I will go. I'm interested in that banquet as well."
"Is that so? Well, since it's a gathering of the city's intellectuals, you might get some help with your work. Then I'll count you in."
Daniel pointed at a box placed on his desk.
"Take this."
"May I ask what is inside?"
"It's the dress you'll wear at the banquet. You can go in your uniform, but I thought it might draw unnecessary attention, so I purchased it separately. I'll be wearing a suit as well."
Lucy nodded and walked to the desk, carefully picking up the box.
Watching her, Daniel leaned back in his chair.
"Wear that tomorrow and arrive at the front garden of Professor Meranto's mansion by 7 PM. It's basically an outdoor banquet. Do you have any questions or anything you'd like to ask?"
"Nothing in particular."
"Good. Then you may return to your field duties."
Lucy gave a small nod.
"I will see you tomorrow."
Having said that, Lucy turned and walked out of the office.
After closing the office door, Lucy took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart.
Just attending a couples' gathering with Daniel was overwhelming enough, but receiving a dress on top of that made her feel strange in so many ways.
Lucy, having barely regained her composure by breathing slowly, lowered her gaze.
'I wonder what kind of dress it is...'
When she opened the box out of curiosity, a silk evening dress revealed itself.
As she gently lifted it by the hanger, she saw elaborately decorated crystal ornaments flowing along the waistline like a stream.
They shone like stars in the night sky.
Gazing at the tasteful decorations, Lucy's eyes softened and narrowed.
'You remembered. Daniel too...'
It was from memories of the past.
It was from a playful conversation they'd shared back when Daniel was a butler and Lucy was a young lady.
That someday, when they were free, they would enjoy a party in a grown-up way.
Back then, when Daniel asked what kind of dress she would wear, Lucy had once declared she would wear a beautiful dress that held the starlight of the night sky.
Daniel had remembered that and prepared this dress now.
'It must have been just one of countless conversations.'
Gratitude welled up inside her toward Daniel for remembering without forgetting.
'This is why...'
She couldn't help but love Daniel.
*
The following evening.
Daniel, who had arrived at the front garden of Professor Meranto's mansion on time as promised, spotted Lucy.
Her figure in the blue evening dress with exposed shoulders looked elegant.
Because of Lucy's large chest, the dress was a little tight, but it didn't look bad.
He could see the amber necklace he'd gifted her in Penbark around her neck.
'Looking at you like this, you've adorned yourself with things I've given you.'
Daniel approached with a low laugh, and Lucy, sensing his presence, turned around.
"Ah. Division Commander..."
However, she couldn't meet his eyes properly.
Her voice was also much quieter than usual, making her seem lacking in confidence.
It was because she was inexplicably embarrassed about wearing a dress that boldly exposed her shoulders.
Aside from her childhood, Lucy had spent her entire life in assassination suits or uniforms.
So there was no way she could easily pull off such feminine clothing that revealed her figure.
In fact, wearing a dress of her own accord was practically the first time since childhood.
Of course, in Daniel's eyes, it simply suited her very well.
"You're beautiful. Perhaps because clothes make the woman, your beauty seems to shine even more than usual."
Lucy's eyes widened.
Having never expected to receive a compliment so directly, Lucy broke into a cold sweat and fidgeted with her hands.
"Ah. That..."
But the words wouldn't come out properly.
She felt a rush of heat, as if her head were spinning.
Not wanting to make the atmosphere awkward, Lucy forced her lips to move.
"...You are pretty too, Division Commander."
Hearing Lucy's words, Daniel tilted his head.
"Pretty? Me?"
Only then realizing she had misspoken, Lucy covered her mouth in surprise.
She was supposed to say handsome, but flustered by the sudden compliment, the words came out wrong.
In a cold sweat, Lucy let out a small voice.
"Ah. That's... not what I..."
Watching Lucy ramble incoherently, Daniel couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.
"Why are you so nervous, unlike yourself? You could just act like you normally do."
"I'm sorry."
"You really have a lot to be sorry about. More than that, we should soon go greet Professor Meranto..."
Daniel stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth.
Because just then, Meranto, who had been enjoying the banquet, approached with his wife and child.
"Oh! Isn't it General Daniel!"
Daniel, meeting Meranto's eyes, gave a light bow.
"Professor Meranto. Thank you so much for inviting me to the banquet."
"I can't tell you how grateful I am that you accepted the invitation. But who is the person next to you?"
"Ah. This is my adjutant, Major Lucy Emilia."
As Lucy gave a nod of greeting, Meranto let out a sound of admiration.
"Is that so. I've heard rumors as well—that there is a beautiful woman who stays by the General's side. As rumored, you have red eyes."
Meranto, glancing back and forth between Daniel and Lucy, smiled.
"You two suit each other very well. There's something about your atmospheres that seems similar somehow."
Lucy's face flushed faintly.
Daniel also couldn't decide how to answer and let out a dry cough.
"More importantly, didn't you say you had something urgent to tell me?"
"Ah, ah. Of course. First, may I take a turn around the front garden and introduce General Daniel to my acquaintances? There are many people attending tonight's banquet who wish to see General Daniel."
Daniel, finding nothing particularly difficult about it, nodded.
"Yes. Then I shall accompany you, Professor."
Just as they were about to move, Meranto's young daughter Rabi whined.
"I don't wanna. I want to stop walking."
Because of that, Meranto looked down at Rabi, flustered.
Indeed, they had been constantly moving around to greet guests for a while now, so it was understandable that her feet hurt.
"Then will you rest nearby for a little bit? Daddy will go with the General and come back quickly. But leaving you alone is a bit..."
Meranto, about to tell his wife to stay, hesitated.
Because Lucy had quietly raised her hand.
"I will look after her."
"You mean Major Lucy?"
"Yes. I don't have anything else to do anyway."
Even if she stayed by Daniel's side, being not much of a talker, she would only be a hindrance, so this worked out well.
Meranto, after a moment of thought, reasoned that if she was Daniel's adjutant, it would be fine to entrust the child to her, and nodded.
"Then please bear with it for just a little while. I'll make the introductions and return quickly."
Having said that, Meranto took Daniel and walked off somewhere.
Thanks to that, Meranto's young daughter Rabi was left alone with Lucy at the bustling outdoor banquet hall.
At first, Rabi was happy to spend time with a pretty older sister, but she soon began to feel scared.
Because Lucy was looking down at her with an expressionless face.
Though Rabi was somewhat terrified, Lucy had no intention of scaring her.
'Cute. If I marry Daniel, could I have a child like this too?'
She was simply thinking of the child with pure affection.
Anyway, from Rabi's point of view, not knowing Lucy's thoughts, it was a terrifying situation if there ever was one.
"Ah. I suddenly remembered something I have to do..."
As Rabi stealthily backed away, Lucy lightly caught her by the shoulder.
"You can't go. Your father and the Division Commander agreed to come back here."
To Rabi, that felt like a threat somehow, and she gulped.
Only then noticing something strange, Lucy spoke with puzzlement.
"...Could it be that I'm scary?"
Rabi nodded.
That gave Lucy a small shock.
Hesitating out of awkwardness, Lucy knelt on one knee and met Rabi at eye level.
"Big sis isn't a scary person. I stayed here to help you."
"...Like big brother Daniel?"
"Yeah. Now that you mention it, the Division Commander saved you. It was almost a disaster, so I'm glad you weren't hurt."
Hearing Lucy's kind voice, Rabi's face brightened.
Because she realized Lucy wasn't a bad person.
"I think so too. But, you know. Big sis, are you close with big brother Daniel?"
"Probably?"
"Then do you know everything about big brother Daniel?"
"Not everything, but to some extent..."
"Wow. Then can't you tell me what kind of girl big brother Daniel likes?"
It was a difficult question to answer.
"...Why do you ask?"
At Lucy's counter-question, Rabi spoke brightly.
"Because I want to marry big brother Daniel later. You'll help me, right?"
Lucy flinched in surprise.
Even knowing it was childhood folly, it was a question she couldn't readily answer.
Breaking into a nervous sweat and hemming and hawing, Lucy couldn't bring herself to lie.
"Sorry. I can't help you with that."
"What? Why?"
"Because I too..."
Her face reddened without her realizing it.
Embarrassed but not wanting to run away, Lucy let out her true feelings.
"...Want to marry Daniel."
It was a light whisper, but its sincerity was a statement heavier than anyone else's.