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Chapter 23
It was not uncommon for nobles to accompany the imperial family on their summer retreats.
However, the intention behind deliberately using the term “young noble ladies” was transparent—bordering on shamelessly blatant.
While Alexis slowly chewed his biscuit along with the emotions surging inside him, Marisa attempted an awkward mediation with a forced smile.
“Now, now, Cecil. Young ladies are all well and good, but how about we start by organizing the other lists first?”
“But aren’t the list of young ladies the most important, Mother? If Alec is to succeed in stabilizing his mana as soon as possible.”
“……”
“I truly believe this retreat will be a very important opportunity for Alec.”
“Oh?”
He finally failed to hold back and let out a flat, emotionless exclamation.
Cecilia smiled brightly at him and began briskly moving her pen across the paper.
Number One
Elegant cursive appeared on the page.
“So, about that—”
“Wait, Cecil.”
Surprisingly, Marisa cut her daughter off and sprang to her feet.
The Empress, who had spent many years navigating high society, concealed her agitation flawlessly. As a mother who had raised two children, she even displayed the foresight to sense the imminent sibling quarrel—and promptly remove herself from it.
Bravo.
He almost wanted to give her a standing ovation.
Alexis irritably ran a hand through his hair.
“I just suddenly remembered a matter I need to discuss with Armand.”
“What? Ah—yes.”
“I’ll leave the list of young ladies and young lords to you, Cecil. We’ll put together the lists of nobles and noblewomen together later.”
With that, Marisa fluttered out of the sitting room. It was obvious even without looking that her steps were far quicker than etiquette allowed.
…What a farce—an Empress’s private room without the Empress, leaving behind only two guests.
Alexis slowly pulled the teapot toward himself and poured tea into his cup until it nearly overflowed. The liquid was as red as his mood.
“Alright then. Shall we find out your ideal type? Let’s start with appearance.”
Cecilia carefully wrote ‘Appearance’ in large, neat letters before looking up at him.
Appearance…
Leaning back in his chair, Alexis crossed his long legs. He sipped his tea in that lax posture while his endlessly patient sister waited in silence.
Since the question’s been asked, I suppose I should answer.
He lifted his gaze and examined the woman seated across from him.
The beauty of Lucerne, the noble bearing of Fontrep, the incarnation of the seasons—a reincarnated goddess who once roamed the world.
At the sight of her exquisitely crafted appearance, as though painted with painstaking care, he felt the urge to reach out and strip away the artificial black sheen.
Silver—faintly shimmering like moonlight.
He could imagine that the moment her original color returned, her beauty would take on an entirely new dimension.
Her hair would be winter, her eyes summer. Her cheeks spring, her lips autumn.
While Alexis continued to pester her with his gaze out of sheer spite, a gentle cough snapped him back to his senses.
“Alec?”
“Let’s say… an ordinary person.”
“Hmm. I’m sorry, but what exactly do you mean by ‘ordinary’? I was asking whether you prefer a cold impression, an aloof aura—things like that.”
Cecilia asked, slightly displeased. Alexis responded while grinding down on his biscuit.
“How would I know?”
“So then, you don’t place much importance on appearance?”
“You could say that.”
Because you are beautiful no matter how one looks at you.
At his indifferent response, Cecilia rolled her eyes.
The expression of someone about to scold him flickered across her pretty face. He admitted that the sight was endearing—but that didn’t mean he wanted to show any enthusiasm in this situation.
His insides were already being torn apart.
This time, propping her chin on her hand, Cecilia tapped the paper lightly with her pen.
“Next, number two: personality. I’ll ask about personality. What kind of person do you like?”
“Personality…”
“Yes. The kind of trait you absolutely want them to have. Someone sharp, calm, passionate—things like that.”
Number Two
As she scribbled it down, Cecilia issued a stern warning.
“I’ve given you plenty of candidates, alright? Answer using something similar.”
Alexis noticed his teacup was empty. He poured himself another full cup.
Personality.
This one was easy.
He smiled faintly, his eyes curving beautifully. Bathed in a single beam of sunlight filtering through the skylight, he answered willingly while gazing at the elegant woman seated before him.
“A bad woman.”
“……”
“A twisted disposition. A warped personality. Cruel enough to hold a blade to her tongue.”
“……”
“An arrogant, stubborn fool.”
As he spoke so casually, the smile never left her lips.
After listening with a smile, the woman finally offered her verdict.
“She’d suit you.”
“Would she?”
“Yes. Your personality is awful. Wouldn’t it be shameless of you to hope your wife has a good one?”
“…That’s a bit harsh. You used to dote on me endlessly when I was younger.”
Cecilia snorted softly and rested her chin on her hand in a posture mirroring his own.
Perhaps because her head was tilted, her hair spilled down gently.
“I thought you hated being treated like a child? I can start again if you want.”
“I’ll pass.”
The reply came out instantly. Whatever amused her so much, she laughed for quite some time.
When she finally stopped laughing, Cecilia calmly crossed out everything she’d written.
“If you’re not going to answer seriously, just say you don’t want to talk, Alec.”
Well. Those were quite sincere answers, actually.
“If my interference was presumptuous, I apologize. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not that you were presumptuous…”
It was simply meaningless. Truly.
He failed to finish his sentence, lips moving soundlessly.
“Alec?”
“It’s nothing.”
Her golden eyes narrowed at his vague response, but Cecilia didn’t press him.
“Then I’ll put together the list of young ladies myself. That’s fine, right?”
“Do as you wish.”
“And the young lords? Anyone you’d like to get closer to?”
Alexis tilted his head slightly, signaling that no one came to mind.
Cecilia began jotting down several names.
With one hand she moved her pen, and with the other she absently played with the ends of her hair.
Her lowered lashes showed just how focused she was.
Blanche Houston.
The name written at the very top.
So. She really was compiling that damned “list of young ladies.”
Grinding down a curse along with his biscuit, Alexis finally snapped and flicked his finger.
At the same time, the pen flew from Cecilia’s hand and hovered midair. With a smooth gesture, he caught it and spun it once.
The lingering warmth of her hand transferred from the smooth surface of the pen to his palm.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Who knows?”
“…Give the pen back.”
Alexis straightened and stood up.
As he walked around the table toward her, Cecilia flinched slightly, her shoulders tensing.
It was such a minute change that one would miss it without careful observation.
Delighted, Alexis continued watching—catching even the defiance and stubborn pride glinting in her golden eyes.
Her pale hands remained frozen: one as if still holding the pen, the other still touching her hair.
He placed the pen back into her hand.
Leaning against the table, he brushed her hair aside without hesitation. The strands slipped smoothly between her slender fingers.
Her full earlobe and the lush hair at the nape of her neck were fully revealed—yet she didn’t protest.
She simply stared.
So clear and lucid that he found himself idly wondering what color would form if purple and gold melted together.
Savoring the sensations rippling through him, Alexis spoke as calmly as he could.
“If you plan on bringing Blanche Houston, Sister…”
“……”
“You should also bring Thierry Estier.”
“Is that so?”
“If there’s a mage in the group, there should be a knight capable of restraining that mage should they lose control.”
Cecilia slapped his hand away.
“Mother may be able to handle me, but she won’t be able to handle Blanche Houston and me at the same time.”
“……”
“And Father won’t be attending the retreat. Or rather—he can’t. He’s far too busy.”
“I see. Thank you for telling me.”
Her reply was flat and composed, as if nothing unusual had occurred.
“Anything else I should know?”
Their hands hovered just short of touching. If he leaned in now, their breaths would tangle.
Lean in further, and those infuriatingly calm lips would no longer remain so calm…
Alexis smiled.
“Nothing in particular. Then I’ll leave the list entirely in your hands, Sister. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.”
He straightened from where he’d been leaning.
Just before leaving the room, he turned back and offered praise in the voice of the most affectionate younger brother imaginable.
“Your earrings are beautiful today, Sister.”
“When am I ever not beautiful?”
“…Fair enough.”
Chuckling, he bowed politely and left.
The moment the mercurial man departed, Cecilia clenched her pen tightly and buried her face in her other hand.
It was especially difficult to maintain composure in front of that child. The effort it took to act calm still left her shivering. She hadn’t realized suppressing her emotions could be this hard…
A long sigh pooled between her fingers.
‘Your earrings are beautiful today, Sister.’
Cecilia lifted her hand to touch her earrings—drop earrings adorned with pearls and emeralds.
There was nothing wrong with the earrings themselves. Yet simply because he had complimented them, an overwhelming urge to take them off surged up inside her.
She bit down hard on her lip, rubbing at it.
…Take them off.
Don’t.
Take them off. Take them off. Take them off.
Just take them off already, Cecilia Lucerne.
She was about to remove them when she bit her lip again. The thought that it was childish, at her age, struck her belatedly.
Taking off earrings just because her younger brother complimented them—good heavens. She wasn’t twelve anymore.
Her hand, which had been fidgeting with the earrings, finally dropped limply.
Cecilia slowly composed her expression.
Then, once more, she calmly began writing down names.
