[ENG] Yuukai Saresou ni Natte Iru Kou Tasuketara, Oshinobi de Asobi ni Kitte Ita Ohimesama Datta Ken V1 Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Secrets and Fiance

After finishing dinner and cleaning up, I was watching anime with Luna.

She really seems to like anime, and I can't help but smile seeing her seriously focused on it.

However, it seems that she likes being close to me, as she was clinging to my arm the whole time we were watching.

On top of that, she rested her head on my shoulder, so I couldn't focus on the anime at all and ended up paying more attention to Luna, with the content barely sinking in.

My heart kept racing uncontrollably.

"──How about we start preparing dinner soon?"

Thanks to watching anime, I hadn't realized it, but before I knew it, it was already evening.

It felt a bit early, but since I was going to cook with Luna, it was better to give ourselves more time than less.

"Yeah... I guess so."

Luna nodded to my words but then glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.

She didn't seem too enthusiastic.

"Are you not really hungry yet?"

I asked Luna, since it wouldn't make sense to cook if she wasn't hungry.

"No, it's not that... I just thought it was about time..."

About time?

What could she mean by that?

──That's when it happened.

The intercom rang.

"Ah, someone’s here... Sorry, I’ll go check."

After telling Luna that, I went to the entrance and opened the door, and there stood──

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Seito-sama."

──It was Aira-chan.

Behind her stood Rion, looking very displeased.

"What’s going on...?"

"I should be the one asking that."

Unable to hold back, I asked, and Rion furrowed her brow and tilted her head.

I had a feeling, but it seemed she didn’t come here of her own volition.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her this upset...

"I thought it would be smoother if Rion-sama also joined in on the conversation, so I took the liberty of inviting her here."

It was Aira-chan who answered that.

I didn’t expect her to know about my relationship with Rion...

"Then why did you drag me around all this time?"

It seems that, just like I was with Luna, Rion had been with Aira-chan the whole time.

That’s probably why she’s still in her school uniform.

"Since it’s been a while since you two reunited, I thought it would be best if there were no third parties around."

"Eh...?"

I understood what Aira-chan was saying, but Rion, who knew nothing, obviously didn’t agree.

Although she’s generally kind to girls, she seems to be a little harsher with Aira-chan because she was dragged around without being told anything.

I would like them to get along since they’re in the same class, but... Aira-chan doesn’t seem very good at interacting with others...

She’s polite and respectful, but she seems to lack much interest in other people.

"I followed you around because you said you’d explain your relationship with Alford-san and Seito if I came with you."

"Yes, I will fulfill that promise now."

I see, so she used a trade-off to drag Rion around...

"In that case, can you explain it quickly?"

"Please don’t rush. Seito-sama, may I come in?"

Aira-chan asked with a cool expression, staring straight into my eyes.

Although it was a question, it felt like there was no real choice.

If I wanted her to explain about Luna, I had no choice but to let her come in.

"Sure, please come in..."

"There’s no need for honorifics. You are, in a sense, like my master."

When I used honorifics, she urged me to stop.

"Like my master"… It seems to be related to why Luna has been so clingy.

──Wait... Could it be that her engagement comment wasn’t a joke...?

"In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer. Rion, you too..."

"Yeah, I understand. I have plenty of questions I’d like to ask you too."

When I called out to Rion, she looked at me with a half-smile.

Yeah, she’s definitely still pretty angry with me...

Well, given how ridiculous things have gotten, it can’t be helped.

"Sorry."

For now, I decided to apologize first.

In the meantime, Aira-chan entered the room with an uninterested look.

"Even if you apologize... Anyway, who is that girl, the one calling herself your fiancée?"

It’s only natural for the person involved to seek answers at a time like this.

However, I couldn’t give her an answer.

"I don’t know either..."

"Ha... I thought so... What on earth have you gotten yourself into...?"

Maybe because she’s my childhood friend, Rion surprisingly seemed to realize that I didn’t have an answer.

The cold atmosphere softened, and I could tell she was concerned about me.

"Gotten caught up in something... I’m not sure, but... I don’t think those girls are bad people..."

"People who suddenly declare themselves as fiancées? Just because they’re really cute, you shouldn’t be swept away."

I understood what Rion was saying.

It’s unbelievable for someone to suddenly claim to be your fiancée, so it’s natural to be suspicious.

But I wanted to trust Luna, based on the time we had spent together.

"For now, let’s hear them out. They said they’d explain."

"Honestly... your kindness is a problem sometimes. And your parents aren’t much help either..."

It seems Rion had contacted my parents before coming here.

That makes sense, though, since someone claiming to be my fiancée suddenly appeared.

"What did they say?"

"They just said not to worry. But I’m sure they know something and are keeping it from us."

Ah, so this must be the real reason Rion was upset.

Her attitude toward me softened because she understood that I wasn’t hiding anything from her.

If my parents know about this, then the possibility of this "fiancée" situation becomes all the more real.

"──I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but how about coming inside first?"

While I was talking to Rion in the hallway, Luna suddenly spoke up.

Her demeanor had completely changed from the clingy, childish side she had shown earlier. She now exuded an air of elegance and nobility, with a gentle and refined presence.

It seemed she really did turn into a completely different person when she was with others.

"...A tough woman..."

The words Rion murmured upon seeing Luna were probably only loud enough for me to hear.

"──So, can we finally get an explanation?"

Luna and I took our seats on the sofa, and Rion brought a chair in front of us, narrowing her eyes and tilting her head.

It was clear she was doing this on purpose, trying to be intimidating.

Rion knew not to let her guard down in situations like this.

Aira-chan stood at the position between us and Rion, but not to block us. Instead, she stood diagonally in front of Luna and Rion.

"Excuse me, but I, Aira Sylvian, will be the one to explain. Luna-sama, if I may?"

Aira-chan bowed and glanced toward Luna.

Luna responded with a kind smile.

"Yes, please."

I had thought Luna would be the one to explain, but it seemed that Aira-chan would be doing it instead.

As Aira-chan had mentioned she was a caretaker, and seeing her attitude toward Luna, it seemed that Aira-chan was more of a servant or attendant.

To think that someone like her could be a servant... There sure are a lot of different cultures in the world.

Aira-chan bowed again, then glanced back and forth between me and Rion. She slowly opened her mouth and began.

"First, let me introduce the person before you. This is Luna Sweet Christina Hart Arcadia-sama. She is the Seventh Princess of the Kingdom of Arcadia."

──She said something far beyond anything I could have imagined.

"A princess...?"

At this unbelievable revelation, I couldn’t help but look at Luna, who was sitting next to me.

Upon noticing my gaze, Luna returned it with a gentle smile.

Wait... is this not a joke...?

Indeed, Luna exuded a certain elegance in her appearance and mannerisms.

Now that I looked at her again, the clothes she was wearing also seemed to be from an expensive, high-end brand.

But above all, Aira-chan’s otherworldly aura.

It might be more fitting to call her royalty rather than nobility.

"Why is a princess here in Japan? There hasn’t been any news about it on TV or social media, though?"

It was impressive how, while I was still shaken by the revelation, Rion, who had no prior knowledge, remained completely unfazed.

She calmly asked Aira-chan, pointing out the inconsistencies in her explanation.

"Of course, I will explain everything in due time. But to answer your question first, there were, of course, reasons for this."

Aira-chan, too, had little emotional fluctuation, answering Rion’s questions in a similarly calm manner.

With these two in the room, there was an uncomfortable tension, making the atmosphere quite awkward.

The only comfort was Luna, who, with her kind smile, was sitting next to me.

"Could you explain the situation to us first, then?"

Rion crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes skeptically as she tilted her head.

She seemed so determined to be difficult, but her pushing for an explanation actually worked in my favor in this situation, so I decided to remain silent and let her handle it.

"…………"

Aira-chan glanced briefly at Luna.

Upon noticing this, Luna nodded with a gentle smile.

With Luna’s approval, Aira-chan turned her attention back to Rion.

"As Seito-sama is probably already aware, this is Luna-sama’s second visit to Japan."

When Aira-chan said this, Rion glanced briefly at me.

She was likely connecting the "Luna" reference from before to the Luna sitting here now. She probably assumed that the event in which Luna and I became engaged must have happened around that time.

"So, the second time means you came here for Seito, then? What about the first time—why did you come to Japan?"

It seemed that Rion thought Luna came to Japan only to meet me. But would a princess really travel all the way to Japan just for that?

…Could it really be about the engagement issue after all?

"The official reason for Luna-sama’s first visit to Japan was to make memories by visiting the sacred sites of her favorite anime," Aira-chan explained.

Though this was the stated reason, we had no idea if that was the full truth. However, it seemed there was something more behind it, given how much care Aira-chan took with her phrasing.

I was starting to feel a bit apprehensive about asking further questions.

"And the real reason?" Rion asked without hesitation.

In situations like this, Rion never seemed to be the least bit intimidated.

She sure was bold in asking those kinds of questions.

"To annul her engagement and search for her destined partner," Aira-chan stated with a composed expression, once again dropping an unbelievable revelation.

Annul the engagement...?

Wait, according to what they’ve said, doesn’t that make me the fiancé...?

Did she come all the way to Japan just to annul her engagement with me?

—No, that’s impossible.

Luna and I didn’t have any connection before this, and the second time she came to Japan, she was happily talking about our engagement.

Moreover, my family is just an ordinary one, with my father being a regular office worker.

There’s no way we could have ties to the Arcadian royal family.

So that means Luna must have been engaged to someone else originally.

She’s very beautiful, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she had been part of a political marriage, given her royal background.

"So, Seito ended up being chosen as her destined partner… I’d like to hear more about that, but… well, we can leave that for later. More importantly, if she really is a princess, wouldn’t such a thing be unacceptable?" Rion set aside the question of why I was chosen and returned to the main issue.

She was probably more concerned about that.

In response to Rion’s question, Aira-chan nodded gently.

"Yes, ordinarily, such actions wouldn’t have been permitted."

When Aira-chan said that, Luna lowered her head.

Then, slowly and quietly, she reached out and took my hand.

It seemed like something had happened on her side.

I gently grasped Luna’s hand in return.

Then she looked at me with a happy expression.

Yeah, Luna really does look best with a smile.

I don’t want her to have a gloomy expression.

"However, Luna-sama has always made a conscious effort to behave like royalty from a young age, listening attentively to the queens. Luna-sama is dignified, graceful, and exceptionally talented, which has earned her strong support from the people, second only to the first princess who is to become the next queen. Even the queens could not dismiss her so easily."

So… does this mean Luna is very popular, and if they treated her poorly, the people would complain?

And wait, Luna has eight sisters? That's impressive…

"So, she came here as your fiancée, Seito? That seems a bit too convenient, doesn't it?"

As I struggled to keep up with the conversation, Rion quickly seemed to organize the information in her mind.

"Of course, it wasn’t as simple as that. The fact that Luna-sama was already engaged was a serious matter… Since the engagement had been decided, Luna-sama continued to express her objections, but she was unable to convince the queens. Instead, permission for her to travel to Japan was granted."

Luna, who had acted with royalty’s dignity, was hard for me to understand, but the Luna I had lived with was a very feminine and dreamy person. She had shown longing for things like dating, so it made sense she would have such dreams about marriage as well.

She must have disliked the idea of others deciding her future, and given how good she is, she’d been following her parents' wishes until now, but this was one thing she couldn’t compromise on.

As I was processing this in my mind, Aira-chan continued her explanation.

"And when she visited Japan, Luna-sama took a gamble. She won that gamble brilliantly, and upon returning to Arcadia, she continued negotiations for nearly a month. In the end, two key factors decided the outcome, and that’s how she was granted permission."

As Aira-chan explained this, she glanced at my face briefly. I must have been involved in some way.

"And what are these two key factors?"

"The first is that Luna-sama was supported by the first princess, who dotes on her, as well as the second through sixth princesses, and the eighth princess, who is Luna-sama’s younger sister. With all the princesses on her side, it’s easy to imagine how difficult it would be for the queens to oppose her."

Indeed, it would be difficult for any ruler to oppose the future heirs of the kingdom. After all, they would be the ones taking over after the queen, and having poor relations with them could jeopardize her own future.

Well, Luna wouldn’t do something like seek revenge, but not all the princesses are the same. If she were up against someone like Rion, who can’t let things go without retaliating, the situation would be even more delicate.

As I idly thought about this…

"And the second reason is that… Luna-sama and Seito-sama have been intimate."

—A bombshell was dropped by Aira-chan.

"...Oh, intimate, huh…?"

As soon as Aira-chan's bombshell was dropped, Rion turned to me with a gaze colder than any she had given before. It was the coldest look I had ever received from her.

Because of that, I was drenched in cold sweat.

"Wait, what the heck…!?"

Of course, since such a thing is not true, I raise my voice—however...

"When we first saw Luna-sama in this room, her attire consisted only of a shirt similar to what Seito-sama usually wears to school—and underwear."

As Aira-chan said this, Rion’s cold gaze turned toward me again.

Her eyes seemed to imply, "If she was wearing his shirt, it’s pretty much clear this was after the fact."

Naturally, my cold sweat intensified, flowing like a waterfall.

"No, it's just that Luna wanted to wear that outfit—!"

"At that time, Luna-sama explained that you two had shared a bed and embraced each other gently. And I confirmed with Seito-sama as well—since Seito-sama acknowledged it, we concluded that you two indeed have such a relationship."

Aira-chan explained this emotionlessly, her face expressionless.

In other words, because Luna was in Seito’s shirt and claimed they had embraced and shared a bed, it was indirectly interpreted as having a physical relationship. Furthermore, since I had confirmed it with my own words, it seems that they had come to that conclusion with certainty.

Even though we hadn't actually had a physical relationship...

Despite seeing Luna’s enticing appearance, I had held myself back, trying my best not to act on it.

"You certainly seem to have been enjoying your life on your own."

Rion’s eyes had lost their light, and she tilted her head with a cruel smile at the corners of her lips.

Her expression, with her eyes and mouth at odds, was terrifying.

I could easily imagine the future where I would be cornered later.

"Even though Luna-sama has an engagement, if it became known that she had relations with another man, it would harm the royal family's prestige. And no matter how much you try to hide it, the other party would find out immediately. Therefore, the queens decided to annul the engagement and chose Seito-sama as her new fiancé."

The "other party" must refer to her former fiancé.

If Luna were to marry, it would be clear whether or not she had already been involved in such activities, so it makes sense that the engagement was canceled.

And now, I’m the new fiancé... huh?

"How am I still safe after all this…?"

If I had really done something to a princess, wouldn't I normally not get off so easily...?

It feels like I could be kidnapped and judged by their laws at any moment.

"Since Luna-sama was visiting Japan incognito, we couldn’t afford to treat her too delicately. More importantly, Luna-sama herself desires to marry Seito-sama. We certainly couldn’t kill the one whom Luna-sama loves, could we?"

At the moment she said the word "kill," Aira-chan’s expression finally shifted.

And it was a subtle, mocking smile, a "heh…" with a meaning behind it, like a mischievous, teasing grin.

This girl—could she actually be a bit of a handful…?

I want to know what that smile meant, but at the same time, I’m not sure I do…

"Was meeting Seito really a coincidence?"

In the midst of all this, Rion calmly asked a question.

It’s truly impressive that she could remain so calm even after everything up until now.

"Yes. Setting aside appearances, Luna-sama was actually on a journey to find her fated partner—and by chance, she was saved by Seito-sama, which made her develop a strong interest in him."

Listening to Aira-chan’s explanation, a certain phrase pricked at my chest.

It might be something trivial.

But I couldn't help but be bothered by it.

"Saved, you say?"

"Luna-sama, while visiting anime pilgrimage sites starting from Tokyo, was looking for an opportunity to escape. She managed to escape here in Okayama, but was caught by the guards within a few hours."

So that's why she was in Okayama instead of Tokyo, where Akihabara is located... I had been wondering about that.

Okayama is also the setting for a certain romantic comedy anime, and there are several pilgrimage sites here.

It seems Luna came to Okayama for that purpose, and with Aira-chan's help, she escaped.

—Huh? Guards...?

"Wait, the people I defeated... were they the guards, not kidnappers!?"

"Oh? You noticed?"

Aira-chan tilted her head in surprise at my question.

Well, Luna kind of let it slip earlier...!

But I really wanted to think it was just some mistake...!

"No way... I seriously did something terrible, didn't I...?"

"I see, it seems you only realized it later."

Seeing my reaction, Aira-chan concluded that I hadn't noticed when I helped Luna.

And of course, that was true.

"Well, even though you didn’t know, you did interfere with our attempt to take the princess back... If we’re being honest, your life wasn’t guaranteed."

This time, Aira-chan flashed a sweet smile.

Ah, this girl—she's harder to read, but she’s definitely a sadist.

She's enjoying teasing me in her mind.

"Aira, stop troubling Seito-sama."

Seeing the situation, Luna admonished Aira-chan.

As a result, Aira-chan cleared her throat with a soft cough.

"My apologies. Of course, that matter has been forgiven, so please don't worry."

It seems that the issue of defeating the guards has been overlooked.

Since Luna said it was fine, I should trust that.

But still...

"Even so, I need to apologize to those people... Even though I didn’t know, I still hurt innocent people..."

If they weren’t bad people, then I felt I had to properly apologize for hurting them.

"I anticipated you might say that, so I've already called them."

With those words, Aira-chan opened the door.

Two men in black suits were standing there.

Yes, the two I had defeated.

"Isn’t that a bit too prepared!?"

"Reading the situation is part of my job," Aira-chan said, adjusting her glasses with a quick flick of her finger.

Of course, Aira-chan wasn’t wearing glasses.

What’s up with this girl? She’s so expressionless, yet actually kind of funny...!

"Aira-chan, who are you... You're amazing..."

"Aira-chan is a very competent person," Luna replied with a smile, looking quite pleased.

It was clear that Luna held Aira-chan in high regard, almost with a sense of pride.

"I’m nowhere near Luna-sama’s level," Aira-chan said modestly, though it was clear from her tone that she was confident in her abilities. She gestured for the two men to approach, and they moved to stand beside her as instructed.

Despite being men who seemed old enough to be called uncles...

"Uh, I’m sorry... for using violence..."

Since the opportunity was given, I lowered my head to apologize to the two men.

Then, unexpectedly...

"We are the ones who should apologize...!"

Both of them suddenly dropped to the floor in a full kowtow.

"Uh...?"

I was caught off guard by their reaction and instinctively looked toward Aira-chan.

"Seito-sama is already Luna-sama’s fiancé. As I mentioned earlier, to us, he is someone very close to our master. Of course, our primary master is Luna-sama, so she will always come first."

I see. That’s why the intimidating men in black were acting so submissive.

This is kind of awkward...

"I’m just an ordinary person, and I’m not important, so you don’t have to be so formal. Please just treat me like a regular boy. That’s enough for me."

Not used to being bowed to, I smiled and said that to the two men in black suits.

It didn’t feel strange for Aira-chan to speak in formal language because she seemed younger than me, but it felt uncomfortable when people who looked much older than me acted like this.

So, I just said what I felt...

"Truly... Luna-sama has chosen such a remarkable person... Your generosity is beyond measure...!"

"To forgive us for our disrespect and speak such kind words...!"

For some reason, my standing had gone up in their eyes.

What kind of environment do these guys normally live in...?

"You two can leave now. This conversation isn’t going anywhere."

"“Yes!”"

After I apologized, it was as if Aira-chan considered the matter settled and had the two men step back.

Perhaps the reason they were so obedient was because they were afraid of her.

"Now, let's return to the matter at hand—"

"Before that, Aira-chan, let me speak first."

Just as Aira-chan was about to continue explaining, Luna interrupted.

In response, Aira-chan bowed her head.

Seeing this, Luna smiled and turned her gaze toward Rion...

"Earlier, Aira-chan mentioned that Seito-sama and I have a physical relationship, but rest assured. That is not the case."

Luna had directly cleared up Rion's misunderstanding.

"Luna-sama..."

It was surprisingly Aira-chan who reacted first to Luna's statement.

Despite her expressionless face, she seemed a bit dissatisfied.

It seems that, while Luna is her master, Aira-chan isn’t entirely obedient.

"I understand Aira’s intentions, but leaving such misunderstandings unaddressed would cause trouble for Seito-sama. It would also harm your own position."

Luna said this and briefly glanced at Rion.

It seemed Luna had anticipated that Rion, upon learning about the supposed relationship between Luna and me, might start questioning or treating me coldly.

"Well... I didn’t believe it, because Seito isn’t the type of person who would do something like that."

Rion seemed to trust Luna’s words without question.

But wait.

The cold look in her eyes earlier... There’s no way Rion didn’t think that Luna and I had a physical relationship.

I could tell, having known her since we were children.

"But the queen and the others believe it, don’t they?"

With the misunderstanding cleared up, Rion’s pressure had lessened, and she now looked at Luna with a probing gaze.

Since Luna had taken over the explanation from Aira-chan, she probably directed the question to her.

"Yes, that’s correct. The only ones who know the truth are Aira and my older sister, the First Princess."

Luna specifically referred to her older sister as the "First Princess," likely because she thought we wouldn’t recognize her name.

Aira-chan had also referred to other princesses separately, and it seemed Luna and the First Princess had a particularly close relationship.

"To go so far as to get engaged to Seito... Was your former fiancé really such a terrible person?"

"No, that’s not the case. As I mentioned earlier, Luna-sama is very popular among the citizens. Despite being the Seventh Princess, she is second in line to the throne. So, in the unlikely event that something were to happen to the First Princess, Luna-sama would inherit the throne. Because of this, her fiancé had to be chosen very carefully."

Perhaps because the explanation was a bit long-winded, Aira-chan interrupted again.

It seemed like she would continue explaining from here.

"So, someone carefully selected means... probably the eldest son from a powerful noble family?"

"Yes, that’s right. He comes from an ancient and prestigious noble family in Arcadia that has supported the royal family for generations. He’s also known as one of the most handsome men in the country. Of course, his personality is also impeccable."

After listening to Aira-chan’s explanation, Rion turned her gaze to me.

Without saying anything, she shifted her eyes to Luna.

"Given that kind of person exists, why did you need to break off your engagement? Especially when the person you chose is just a student from an ordinary family in Japan, I don’t understand."

I felt the same way as Rion.

I had assumed that Luna must have broken off the engagement with someone terrible, someone who could have made the royal family her enemy—but from what I’ve heard, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

In fact, the person Luna had been engaged to sounded like someone she would have wanted to marry willingly.

"I want to choose my own partner. I cannot accept an engagement decided by others."

For the first time, Luna showed a quiet anger.

It seemed there had been some conflicts, and she must have had a lot on her mind.

"Well, I understand your feelings, but..."

It seemed that Rion recognized that Luna’s expression wasn’t just an act, and she didn’t fully deny Luna’s stance.

However, she still didn’t seem entirely convinced.

Luna, as a member of the royal family meant to lead the nation, had been provided with a partner of excellent character. Yet she rejected him simply because he wasn’t the one she chose. Depending on how you look at it, that might seem childish.

But at the same time, it was clear that this was something Luna could not compromise on.

From what Aira-chan explained, it seemed that until now, Luna had been playing the role of what a royal should be, working hard to uphold that image.

The way she acted when it was just the two of us was probably closer to the real Luna, while the persona she showed in front of others was the image she had to maintain as part of the royal family.

She had managed to keep up the facade so well, but when it came to this issue—choosing her fiancé—she couldn’t back down.

Considering Luna’s dreamlike, idealistic personality, it made sense that she wouldn’t want to give up on this.

"It’s no surprise there was a dispute."

Rion brought up the fact that Luna and the Queen had clashed.

Her stance seemed to lean more toward the Queen’s side.

It made sense, since Rion had only seen Luna from the outside.

"Originally, Luna-sama asked to choose her own fiancé from a young age, and the Queen and others had agreed to respect her wishes, promising not to arrange an engagement for her."

"Then why is an engagement being arranged for her?"

Rion immediately questioned the part that didn’t make sense to her as Aira-chan explained while defending Luna.

"Because, seeing Luna-sama as someone who had always obediently followed the Queen’s wishes, they likely thought that if they arranged a fiancé and filled in the outer barriers, she would eventually go along with it. The Queen and the others likely misunderstood Luna-sama’s true feelings and thought this was the right course of action..."

Aira-chan paused and looked at Luna.

It seemed the queens didn’t truly know Luna’s real nature.

They probably never imagined that Luna would take such a strong stance.

"...I think I understand now."

It seemed that Aira-chan had decided not to continue speaking any further.

Rion, on the other hand, took it upon herself to bring the conversation to an end.

However, it didn’t seem like it was completely over yet.

"Assuming everything you've said is true, and we're to consider you as Seito's fiancé, wouldn't that be a one-sided decision? You’ve already obtained the consent of our parents, correct?"

Up until now, everything had been happening on Luna’s side.

As Rion pointed out, in order for us to be considered engaged, the consent of our parents was necessary.

Being part of the royal family, they could potentially ignore that and use forceful methods, but I didn’t think Luna would want that.

And from the reaction I’d heard when Rion spoke to my parents on the phone...

"Yes, I have already explained everything, including the compensation, and have received their approval. It seems Rion-sama happened to be absent, so it’s not surprising that you weren’t aware of this."

"Happened to be absent, huh..."

Rion narrowed her eyes in response to Aira-chan's words.

It wasn’t surprising that Rion felt suspicious.

She didn’t like going out much, and preferred to relax in her room on her days off.

During the summer vacation, she had hardly gone out at all.

The only time I could think of when she went out for a long period was the day she came to my room, and it seemed too unlikely that it would have coincided with that day.

It made sense to think that the timing had been deliberately chosen to coincide with her absence.

More importantly, it was strange that my parents hadn’t explained anything to Rion.

"The mention of compensation also bothers me. Does this mean my parents essentially sold Seito for a large sum of money?"

"The compensation includes not only the money for helping Luna-sama, but also a portion to thank them for agreeing to our request. However, it’s not just because Luna-sama is a member of the royal family. She’s an unparalleled beauty, as well as a person of great character. Surely, when considering your son’s happiness, wouldn’t most parents choose the path of engagement?"

"........."

Aira-chan tilted her head slightly and gazed at Rion, who glared back at her, clearly dissatisfied.

However, Rion didn’t retaliate.

—No, perhaps she couldn’t retaliate.

Though my own wishes weren’t taken into account, it was true that no parent would likely refuse such favorable conditions.

"Have you come to an understanding now?"

Seeing that Rion had fallen silent, Aira-chan pressed her, perhaps hoping to get a response.

In response, Rion...

"Yes, I understand. As for my parents' approval, I have no objections. But there is still one question that remains. Would you mind answering that?"

──It seemed that, even after agreeing, Rion still had something to say.

Since she mentioned there was only one question left, it would probably be fine to let her ask it.

As long as Rion was satisfied, that was enough.

"Choosing Seito as your fiancé... isn't that a compromise?"

The final question Rion asked was about the part that had been bothering me earlier.

"Compromise?"

It wasn’t Luna who asked, but Aira-chan.

Luna wore a gentle smile, almost as if saying, I expected you would say that, showing an air of composure.

"Well, it's not unreasonable to think that, right? Arcadia-san intended to travel and find their destined partner. But realistically, opportunities like that don't come easily, and even sneaking away from the guards once is likely the limit. So, isn’t it possible that you’ve forced yourself to believe Seito is your destined partner, as a compromise?"

It wasn’t unreasonable for Rion to think this way.

After all, Luna and I were mismatched in every way—status, family, and even appearance.

It would be strange for anyone to see Luna choosing me as her fiancé.

Now that I understood the situation Luna had been in, it seemed like she had chosen me to avoid marrying the fiancé that had been arranged for her, rather than finding her destined partner.

If she had returned to Arcadia without finding her destined partner, she might never have had the chance to choose her own fiancé again.

That part had been bothering me as well.

"Luna-sama wouldn’t be the type of person to—"

"Aira, please hold your tongue. I will explain this myself."

When Aira-chan seemed about to deny it in frustration, Luna stopped her with a gesture.

It seemed that from here on, Luna herself would explain.

"It’s understandable that you would make such an assumption, as you are not aware of the full details."

"What do you mean by that?"

"First, I contacted Aira and the others and had them come to fetch me. In other words, if I had wanted to, I could have continued searching for my destined partner."

As Luna said, she had informed them of her location, and a short time later, they came to retrieve her.

Her whereabouts had likely been unknown until then.

If they had known where she was, they would have come to bring her back immediately.

"So, you’re saying that choosing Seito wasn’t a compromise? But Arcadia-san must have known that it’s not easy to find a destined partner. It’s still possible that, given the circumstances, you simply settled for Seito, who had helped you."

It seemed that Rion still wasn’t convinced and was questioning Luna’s claim.

Since I was on Rion’s side, I kept my mouth shut and didn’t interfere.

"Seito-sama immediately came to my aid when two large men were restraining me. Without hesitation, he helped me, and even though he had no idea of my status, he didn’t doubt me and hid me without question. From that alone, I believe Seito-sama’s character is worthy of great respect."

Luna explained why she had developed feelings for me—yet Rion didn’t seem convinced.

"Isn't it because Arcadia-san was cute?"

"Rion-sama, do you think Seito-sama would change his willingness to help depending on how the person looked?"

Without missing a beat, Luna returned Rion's question with a smile.

As a result, Rion was left speechless, taking a sharp breath.

"Well... I don’t think that’s the case..."

"Neither do I. It’s easy to tell when someone has ulterior motives. But Seito-sama helped me with pure intentions."

"That's something we can't know for sure... I only know because we've known each other for a long time..."

"No, I’m sure of it. Earlier, Aira said it—when I was in that shirt of his, Seito-sama didn’t make any advances. Even though I had been sleeping in the same room with him for several days."

When Luna explained, Rion’s gaze, full of things she wanted to say, shifted back to me.

Well, I understood what she was getting at...

"It wasn’t just that. I didn’t know how to wash myself, and even when I appeared before Seito-sama in just a bath towel, he didn’t show any sign of wanting to assault me. I think that proves Seito-sama has no ulterior motives. And over the time we spent together, I came to think of Seito-sama as a wonderful person, and I wanted him to become my fiancé."

It seemed I had been tested by Luna.

Though she appeared to be a bit naïve, it turned out she was more calculating than I thought.

...I'm glad I didn’t fall for Luna’s temptation...

To be honest, there were some risky moments when we were sleeping together.

There’s no way a man wouldn’t be stirred by a cute girl hugging him in just his shirt.

"Isn’t it a bit much to wear his shirt and a bath towel to test Seito?"

Rion’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she gave Luna a reproachful look.

Though usually cool, it seemed she had no tolerance for matters like this, and just talking about it embarrassed her.

"I’ve always had a personal admiration for wearing his shirt, and the bath towel situation wasn’t a lie—I really didn’t know how to wash myself, so it was an unavoidable circumstance. It wasn’t intended as a test, it just ended up that way."

It seems I had misunderstood Luna’s intentions. She insisted that she wasn’t testing me after all.

Aira-chan then spoke up to clarify further.

"Luna-sama believes that intimate relations should be reserved until marriage. She would never carelessly expose herself to a man—when she wore Seito-sama's shirt, it clearly means she had developed feelings for him. If he had been someone she had compromised with, she would never have done such a thing. And besides, a shirt like that has no meaning unless it’s from someone she has affection for."

With Aira-chan’s explanation, I began to recall the details.

Luna had worn my shirt after the first bath, so the bath towel situation came first... did it?

For a moment, I thought Aira-chan’s explanation didn’t quite add up, but upon further reflection, I realized that Luna had taken the shirt before entering the bath.

In other words, Luna must have liked me even before she revealed herself in the bath towel. It seems she warmed up to me during our meals together.

"Well, there are still a few things I’d like to comment on... but I understand now that, as for Seito, it wasn’t a compromise."

It seemed Rion was satisfied, and now she turned her gaze toward me.

"So, what about you?"

"Eh...?"

I tilted my head in confusion at Rion’s question.

"Your partner is fully prepared. Our parents have both agreed. But Seito didn’t know anything about the engagement, right? I’m asking what your feelings are."

She was right. I was now in a situation where all the external matters were settled, and no one had asked me about my own feelings.

That’s why Rion had asked me.

I closed my eyes to think.

My feelings for Rion were still not fully sorted out.

But Luna’s presence had become so significant in my life that I couldn’t help but carry those feelings with me, even after we were separated until we reunited.

I didn’t want to get involved in royal matters, but if I could live happily with Luna, then becoming her fiancé wouldn’t be such a bad thing...

"Well... I’m happy to be Luna’s fiancé."

Saying this, I thought it might finally give me closure on my feelings for Rion, and I smiled and nodded.

At that, Luna’s expression brightened instantly.

"Seito-sama, is that... really alright...!?"

"Yeah, I’ve been waiting for Luna, too. It’s what I’ve always hoped for."

Though there was a part of me that wondered if I was good enough for her, or if this really wasn’t just a compromise, I knew that these weren’t things I needed to say out loud.

For now, the right thing to do was simply return Luna’s smile.

"I see... Then, I have no objections. Congratulations on your engagement."

With those words, Rion stood up and began preparing to leave.

Her attitude changed so drastically from earlier when she was pressing me with questions.

"It’s rather quick for you, given that your older brother is getting engaged, isn’t it?"

Aira-chan, seemingly puzzled, tilted her head and asked Rion.

"Well, this is Seito’s issue, isn’t it? If he were being deceived or forced into something against his will, I would oppose it. But now that I know that’s not the case, I have no objections. If Seito is going to be happy, then that’s all that matters."

Rion said just that and left the room.

After hearing that, I wondered what I was supposed to think…?

I couldn’t help but feel a complex mix of emotions as I looked at my childhood friend, who was still as kind and caring as ever, while I, already turned down, grappled with my feelings.

"Well then, it seems the discussion is settled, so I’ll be taking my leave now."

Just as I was thinking this, Aira-chan also started to head for the door.

"Are you sure you don’t want to have dinner together?"

Since it seemed like everything was settled, and as Luna’s attendant, I thought it was normal for her to stay by her side.

So, I called out to her, but...

"Please consider Luna-sama’s feelings as well. She has worked so hard to reunite with Seito-sama, and she finally managed to do so. I think she would want to spend at least the first day alone with you, wouldn’t she?"

"Ah..."

So, that’s why Aira-chan didn’t eat with us earlier...

She wasn’t just dragging Rion around to pass the time.

I briefly glanced at Luna.

Perhaps because Rion had left, Luna’s composed and mature expression had faded, and she now looked up at me with a shy, eager gaze, fidgeting.

It seemed this was a side of her that she was okay showing to Aira-chan.

"I will have my meal with my subordinates, so please don’t worry. From tomorrow on, I’ll join you."

With that, Aira-chan left the room without any further hesitation.