Have you forgotten how to knock?
I was simply dumbfounded by Cedric's tyranny, barging into the room without even waiting for an answer.
“Is there a problem?”
Like I ever did that!
Back then, he would've even brought up the names of the etiquette tutors that just passed by.
“There isn’t.”
……But I wasn't as confident in speaking as Cedric.
When I put down the invitation I had been holding, Cedric spotted the emblem and immediately asked,
“Are you thinking of attending?”
“That’s the plan. What do you think, brother?”
“That’s a relief. I dropped by to confirm your intention.”
He had only asked out of courtesy about my attendance, but his answer was unexpected.
No way.
“……Are you going too, brother?”
Cedric gave a slight nod.
“Why, why?”
“Is it somewhere I’m not allowed to go?”
I just wish you wouldn't go……
Of course, I didn’t say that out loud.
“Haha, that’s great.”
“……”
“It’s really nice. It's always better and more comfortable to have someone you know, right?”
As Cedric raised his sparrow-like eyes and stared at me, I exaggerated.
“Seems like you have some business there.”
At my words, Cedric hesitated. It was the first time I’d seen him falter like this, so I became a bit flustered.
“How much do you trust the Young Marquis Owen?”
How much do I trust Leon……?
“He’s like family.”
I spoke honestly about what I had thought all along. He was practically my benefactor. Not only did he pull me out from being locked in the room, but he was also the one who reached out to me when I was alone.
But Cedric didn’t seem pleased with my response.
“……I see.”
“Didn’t you also trust the Young Marquis in your own way, brother?”
If not, he wouldn’t have entrusted me to him during the ball.
Cedric didn’t answer for a long time.
“It’s because of the thing Brother Leon stole, isn’t it?”
It was a subject I’d never brought up before. Well, I had cluelessly asked about it a few times in the past, but Cedric wasn’t fond of it, so I stayed silent for a while.
“……Yeah.”
He let out a deep sigh as if it was a headache. After pondering for quite a while, Cedric finally opened his firmly closed lips.
“What he stole was an award I received back when I was at the academy.”
“……What?”
“It’s not exactly a pleasant memory.”
“Young Lady, I brought dessert and tea!”
Just then, Emily’s voice rang out. I quickly came to my senses and told her to come in, and she opened the door with a cheerful smile.
But as soon as she saw the unexpected guest, Cedric, she bowed her head deeply.
“You came at the right time. Please bring a cup for my brother as well.”
“Y-Yes!”
He leaned back in his seat and turned his gaze out the window. His eyes were filled with worry.
Emily, now awkwardly stuck with me, tried to lighten the mood by speaking up.
“It’s nice to see the two of you together.”
“R-Right? Brother, you heard Emily, didn’t you? Let’s do this more often.”
“You couldn’t spend time together back when you were at the academy, so now that you can, it’s more than enough.”
Cedric paused.
“At that time, Lord Blua was so proud of the Marquis……”
Emily wiped the corners of her eyes and bowed.
“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me!”
After she left, only silence remained in the room.
‘……Right, that’s how it was.’
In the past, Leon used to click his tongue at Cedric’s indifference toward me. He practically took on the role of an older brother in his place.
Back then, Cedric always seemed rushed. Even his demeanor was so sharp that it was hard to approach him.
He was also quite stubborn, so although he didn’t need to, he somehow managed to get into the Imperial Academy.
Usually, nobles who couldn’t inherit their family line went to the academy and became vassals of the imperial family.
Even though it was obvious that he would succeed the Roygin family, Cedric still graduated from the academy with excellent grades.
I hesitated, then quietly spoke.
“I don’t think Brother Leon is the kind of person who would steal an award……”
“He thought I cheated.”
Cedric calmly began to speak about the past.
“He believed that I took the award he should’ve received and didn’t expect he’d stab me in the back while hiding that grudge.”
“There must’ve been a misunderstanding. Neither of you are like that.”
“Misunderstanding?”
He sneered.
“He had an inferiority complex toward me, so there’s no doubt he approached you on purpose. And all that is just a misunderstanding?”
I could understand what he was feeling. But the Leon I’d seen all this time wasn’t that kind of person.
He had looked after me for years.
To say he approached me purely out of inferiority was too much.
I wanted to say that Leon’s actions toward me were sincere.
‘……But how do I say that?’
Cedric wouldn’t believe me.
“He seems to want to investigate Drimokan in Cardiff.”
“With no backing?”
“As if.”
Well, of course. It’s Cedric we’re talking about.
“He’ll be there, so I figured it’d be better if you came along too.”
As if he had nothing more to say, he rose from his seat.
So, in summary, he wanted to take me along because it would be awkward to face Leon alone?
It was the moment when the sudden invitation made perfect sense.
“G-Great.”
I was already looking forward to how drained I’d be between the two of them.
Really……
* * *
Not long after Cedric left, I brought out Arkan.
[Hooh, finally!]
“About that rule where you can only be asked three questions a day—does that still apply? Ah, this isn't one of the questions, just casually asking!”
Afraid of wasting a precious turn, I spoke rapidly.
[Thinking that my lady values conversations with me so dearly makes me, Arkan, incredibly happy! Now that you're my companion, you don’t need to bother with those rules anymore~!]
[Since I’m turning a blind eye to it, feel free to be grateful!]
Yeah, really, I’m so touched I could cry……
“You said you could modify the records in the library. What exactly does that mean?”
[You can take it literally, but was there a problem with my explanation? Or is it a matter of my lady’s comprehension~? These moments are truly tricky!]
I felt it for a while……
Arkan had a peculiar talent for getting on people’s nerves.
I was just a little irritated, but I forced a smile. Then Arkan drew a teary-eyed expression.
[Every time you make that face, it’s slightly terrifying.]
[Humans make mistakes sometimes, don’t they? The same goes for guides. It’s natural to make errors when dealing with vast records! Of course, I could never admit it was because of my own bias.]
[It’d be really great if my lady could check the records in my place, since I’ve lost objectivity!]
So it was like a history book.
Then how was something like fate—basically the future—recorded?
But it was supposed to already be predetermined.
Listening to him, it seemed like he was recording the present……
I had more than a few questions, but decided to start with the most important one.
“So if I go to the library, does that mean I can edit past or future records too?”
[As expected, my explanation was perfect!]
[However, if there’s something to mention, it’s that you lack one condition.]
“What condition?”
[You’ll find out gradually! If you were to learn about that condition now, you definitely wouldn’t go to the library.]
Just as I was about to open my mouth, full of suspicion from his words, Arkan quickly erased the text in the frame.
It was a firm sign he didn’t want to continue the conversation.
“So you think you can just say what you want and be done with it!”
I wished he’d pop out and argue, but he remained unyielding.
See?
He really was a master at getting under someone’s skin.
Feeling spiteful, I put Arkan away out of sight.
‘Anyway, I really need to take care of that soon……’
My eyes naturally turned to Ricardo’s robe.