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She didn't want to fall in love with him and have to worry about it. But it was a feeling that had already happened, so all Louise could say was,

"Hmmm."

She just sighed.

"…You don't want me to go."

“It's official business, isn't it?”

“But you don't like it."

"Am I giving that kind of look?"

“You are.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It's alright. I'm glad you made that kind of face for me.”

“But it's so mean.”

“I know. But it's fine.”

“Yes, but–“

“By the way, Louise.”

Ian glanced up for a moment. The loyal Sweeney maid stood firmly by Louise. The maid had taken care of Louise since she was a child, and knew Ian's face. She was the same one who changed Louise's clothes when Ian was hiding. In any case, this was not a flexible person. She was probably worried that Ian prey on Louise if she left her charge alone with him.

But of course he would.

"Please lend me some interesting books. It'll be boring in the carriage.”

“Interesting books?”

“Yes. I'd like a book that has a great knight as its main character. I want a story with a happy ending even if there is a lot of hards.h.i.+p."

"Oh, there are some books just like that in the study."

Louise clapped his hands and whispered something to the nearby maid. The maid nodded and finally left the drawing room, with a comment asking her to wait.

“Now I realize why I have to cherish my time at the Academy.”

Ian stood up and grumbled somewhat disappointingly.

"Why?"

“Because this is very rare."

He leaned down, resting both of his hands on either side of the chair where Louise sat. His face was silhouetted darkly by the window.

“Because now there's no chance.”

In a moment, his face became near. So close that she could feel him breathing.

“I won't see my fiancée for the next few weeks.”

“You regret it?”

“I do.”

Then he kissed Louise lightly on the forehead.

“I had a plan. I was going to say the most perfect words that you would love.”

“The most…"

“I wanted you to pay attention to it.”

“Why?”

“I don't want to lose it to the sly princes from the fairy tales.”

“The princes in fairy tales aren't sly at all.”

“They are because you like them so much.”

He had a pouting expression and Louise laughed.

“You'll circle it with dark blue. Right?”

This girl! He wanted to draw in about five circles.

…And he'd like to draw two more in purple.

*

*

* 

The day had arrived when he had to leave for Count Lapis. Fortunately it wasn't raining, which lightened the workload of the servants.

“It must be a long way.”

Ian shook hands lightly with Simon, who had come to see him off.

“It's okay. I borrowed some books."

Ian opened the door of the carriage and showed him a neat stack of reading on loan from Louise.

“I hope you'll come back safely.”

“I will.”

“And…"

Simon hesitated, debating whether to speak. Ian stared at his friend's strange behavior. Simon's continued to stay silent, and eventually, Ian couldn't stand it anymore and tried to encourage him.

“It's all right, talk comfortably.”

"…The former queen…”

Simon could barely open his mouth.

“Our paternal grandmother?” 

“She arranged a marriage proposal.”

Ian grimaced. Marriage talks by the adults were usually arranged according to the interests of the family.

“You don't have to be swayed by that, Simon. I don't know who you like, but you have the right to meet who you want–"

“Louise.”

He spoke a very familiar name in a very faint voice. Ian could almost hear sweetness to the way Simon said it, but it must have been an illusion.

“My partner is Louise Sweeney. And I–"

Simon spoke clearly, not avoiding Ian's gaze. It was a completely different manner from the way he was speaking previously.

“I accepted the offer.”

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