Chapter 41: It Was Awkward After This
On the day of the ball.
I was riding in a carriage with Lily, having left class early. Our destination was the mansion of House Puridi in the Royal Capital. Lily needed to change into her dress for tonight’s ball, and I was there to accompany her.
“You really don’t have to come with me, you know…”
“There might be a chance I could help. For today, just think of me as Lily’s Personal Knight.”
“Personal Knight, huh…”
Lily, resting her chin on her hand and gazing out the window, murmured softly before casting a sidelong glance at me.
“Are you not going to become one? My Personal Knight?”
I didn’t need to ask whose knight she meant. I leaned against the opposite window, mirroring her pose as I replied.
“I turned it down. I want to be by her side as a friend, not as a Personal Knight.”
“Not as a lover?”
“For now, being friends is enough.”
I did have feelings for her that hinted at something more in the future. However, at least until the Succession War was resolved, I wanted to maintain our current relationship.
When I conveyed this, Lily simply replied with a short “I see,” and thereafter, we fell into a comfortable silence as time passed.
About thirty minutes later, the carriage arrived at the Puridi mansion. Around thirty servants lined up to greet Lily, casting me curious glances that seemed to ask, “Who is this guy…?”
Well, I couldn’t blame them.
“Lily!”
At the entrance of the mansion, a middle-aged man welcomed us. His face and stature were faintly familiar from my childhood memories. This man was undoubtedly Lily’s father, Marquis Puridi.
“I’m back, Father.”
“Welcome home, Lily! How have you been at the Academy? You seem to have lost a bit of weight. I never knew living apart from you would make me this anxious…!”
“Oh, you’re being dramatic, Father…”
Marquis Puridi gently patted Lily’s cheeks and shoulders as if checking her health. Though Lily blushed with embarrassment, she let him fuss over her until she finally pushed him away with a gentle smile.
I recalled how he had acted similarly when he reunited with Lily after she got lost in the woods as a child…
Would such an overprotective man truly marry off his beloved daughter to a lecherous middle-aged man…? At the very least, he must have put up a strong resistance. Prince Lucas’s assumptions were likely correct.
However, if there was one thing that didn’t align with the prince’s expectations…
“Please, at least do this when it’s just family. It’s embarrassing in front of the servants and friends.”
“I-I’m sorry, Lily.”
“Honestly… heh.”
Did Lily realize her father’s true intentions without needing Prince Lucas to point them out…? She seemed to feign ignorance about her father’s motives, likely to make it easier for Prince Lucas to manipulate the situation…
If it were Prince Lucas, he might have seen through that with his Skill… but, well, I didn’t know. Overthinking such matters would only tire me out.
“…By the way, who might this young man be? Depending on your answer, I might have to turn you into sword rust.”
Marquis Puridi’s demeanor shifted from doting father to cold interrogator as he glared at me. The way he shifted his stance suggested he was ready to draw the sword at his waist at any moment. It seemed he had some skill in swordsmanship… and he didn’t appear to be joking.
I placed my hand on my chest and introduced myself with a noble bow.
“It’s been a while, Marquis Puridi. I am Hugh, the son of Mike Pnosis, the lord of Pnosis Territory.”
“Pnosis Territory… so you’re that boy from back then!”
“You remember me?”
“Of course! I would never forget a bad bug that clung to my daughter… or rather, a friend of hers!”
I felt like I had just been insulted, but I chose to ignore it.
Regardless of how he phrased it, I was grateful that he remembered me. It meant I wouldn’t have to explain my relationship with Lily from scratch… or so I thought.
“…You’re not seriously here because of that promise we made, are you?”
Marquis Puridi lowered his voice and questioned me. That promise must have been the one I made with Lily when we parted ways as children. I couldn’t believe he remembered it. Just how much does this man love his daughter…?
“Um, what promise are you referring to…? I apologize, but it was over ten years ago, so my memory is a bit hazy. I actually thought this was my first time meeting Lily. She has grown so beautifully since then.”
“Oh, I see. Yes, yes, that makes sense. Lily has grown to be very beautiful, just like her mother. You have quite the discerning eye! How are your father and mother? I’ve been meaning to repay the kindness I received back then.”
“Yes, they are well, thank you. My parents have often mentioned they would like to see you again, Marquis. Please do visit Pnosis Territory when you have the chance. We would be delighted to welcome you.”
“Indeed, yes! I shall make it a point to do so!”
…Perhaps it was a skill I picked up during my days as a corporate slave, but I found myself smoothly engaging in this kind of conversation. Lily was looking at me with eyes that seemed to want to say something, but for now, I prioritized my conversation with Marquis Puridi.
“So, why are you with my daughter?”
“I’ll explain. I reunited with Hugh at the Royal Academy. He is a dear friend of mine, essentially a childhood friend. Therefore, I wanted him to be present on this, the most important day of my life.”
“Hmm? So you wish to invite him to the ball? I don’t see a problem with that, but it seems rather sudden. You could have informed me with a letter beforehand.”
“I thought it would be quicker to meet you in person. If you had known a man was coming home with me, you would have worried, wouldn’t you?”
“That’s… certainly true.”
Marquis Puridi nodded in understanding.
“Well then, I’ll go change into my dress. Hugh, could you wait here with my father? I should be back in about two hours.”
“Ah, sure—wait? Two hours!? Is it really going to take that long just to change…?”
“Of course! Do you think I left class early for no reason?”
“That’s true…”
I had thought she was taking her time leaving class, but I never imagined it would take so long to prepare…
“See you later,” Lily said, leading the maids away from the entrance. Marquis Puridi and I exchanged glances.
“Uh… how about some tea in the meantime?”
“Ah… yes, I would be grateful.”
What on earth would I talk about with this man for the next two hours…?