Episode 11: I Was Grilled by the Marquis
Sergios.
My brother’s name.
The half of me that I lost.
There’s no way I wouldn’t know it.
That time, my brother’s name just slipped out. Or rather, whenever I had to give a name while cross-dressing, that’s what I always did.
Like when I secretly entered the Sword Tournament.
“…Of course. It’s my brother’s name.”
I didn’t tell a clumsy lie.
They’d find out immediately if they investigated. In fact, the Marquis probably already knows.
Why did he ask me first?
Could it be, he knew?
No, that’s impossible. My cross-dressing is perfect—or rather, no one would normally think that. That his wife, who should be at home, would appear in another house in men’s clothing.
“What… about Sergios?”
As I asked that, my brain was working in overdrive.
Is it better to be honest here, or not?
I thought about that intently, waiting for the Marquis to say something next.
I secretly followed Ati because I was worried about her.
I cross-dressed so I wouldn’t be found out.
I was secretly watching Ati when she was in danger, so I helped her.
I hid my identity on the spur of the moment, thinking of your position.
Yeah. It’s all true, so there’s no problem.
I’m just not saying that “I knew Ati would get burned here.”
They wouldn’t believe me even if I said it, and it’s unnecessary.
However—
If the Marquis finds out about this, will I be able to move around freely like this time?
In the first place.
There’s no guarantee that the tutor (Samuel) and the Head Nanny (Maggie) aren’t connected to this Marquis.
What if.
What if this incident wasn’t planned by the tutor (Samuel) or the Head Nanny (Maggie), but was the Marquis’s idea?
The possibility isn’t zero.
The Marquis (this guy) has left Ati alone until today.
He said he loved her, but that love might not be the same as mine.
There are plenty of people who say it’s for the person’s own good while hitting them.
What if he’s trying to solidify Ati’s engagement and make her the Duchess no matter what, even if Ati herself is hurt and twisted in the process—
Where’s the guarantee that this man isn’t thinking that way?
I can’t say it.
Even if I do, it’s not the right time yet.
If I’m going to reveal my identity, it’ll be after I’m sure that he’ll never hurt Ati.
I came to that conclusion just as the Marquis opened his mouth. He slowly approached me.
“Where were you during the day today?”
…He’s ignoring my question from earlier, huh.
I was a little annoyed, but I tilted my head without showing it.
“Ati wasn’t here today, so I was doing things I can’t do when she’s around. I was writing letters to my sisters.”
It’s a lie, though. I was helping Ati during the day. Yep.
“Where are those letters?”
“In my room. I haven’t finished writing them yet.”
Actually, this is true.
I’m usually with Ati, so I don’t have much time, but I’ve been writing letters to my sisters little by little whenever I find a spare moment.
He’s definitely probing me.
But he shouldn’t have any proof. —I need to get rid of the cross-dressing set I have now when I get back to my room later. It’ll be a pain if he finds burn marks on the clothes.
I looked up at the Marquis, pretending not to understand anything.
“Is there something about the name Sergios and my actions?”
The Marquis hasn’t taken his eyes off me since earlier.
He’s staring straight at me.
Is he trying to see through my lies?
Before I knew it, the Marquis was standing right in front of me. Close enough to touch, no, close enough to feel his breath.
I could see that his eyes were the same violet color as Ati’s, at this distance.
Even so, I looked straight back at him.
“What, happened?”
Grill me.
I’ll weasel my way out of it.
Silence.
We stared at each other without moving.
The Marquis was the first to look away.
Yes, I won.
“There was a little trouble. Ati was slightly injured because of it. It’s nothing serious.
Ati and Eric’s engagement will proceed without any problems.
Rest for today.”
After saying only that briefly, he turned his back to me and started changing.
So, that’s the end of the conversation.
There were a lot of things that annoyed me, but I bowed my head to the Marquis’s back as it was, and left the room.
On the way back to Ati’s bedroom.
I couldn’t stop feeling irritated.
It’s fine for me because I know the circumstances.
But the Marquis’s explanation was as good as nothing.
If someone didn’t know anything about the situation, they wouldn’t understand anything.
Why doesn’t that guy explain anything?
He could give a nice explanation like, “I don’t want to worry you.”
But isn’t that just wanting to keep me out of the loop?
Men are always like that.
They don’t say anything important.
Do they think they’re protecting us with this?
Ignoring the person’s own will.
Or is it that they don’t want to be argued with?
Idiots.
We’re not silent dolls, you know.
I suddenly stopped.
And then—
Thud!!
I punched the wall with all my might.
Hearing that sound, a Housefolk came out of a nearby room.
“Madam?! What’s wrong? What was that sound just now…”
“I’m sorry. I just stumbled and bumped into the wall. I’m not hurt, so it’s okay.”
I smiled—applying pressure that didn’t allow for argument. The Housefolk seemed like they wanted to say something, but quietly went back into their room.
I hid my hand, which was numb with pain and oozing blood, in my clothes, and returned to Ati’s room with a face as if nothing had happened.
Ati wasn’t asleep.
She was lying on the bed with a delighted face, grabbing the blanket and rolling around like a bagworm.
There was the incident during the day, and her father gave her a “goodnight kiss” for the first time.
Today will be an unforgettable day for her in a good way.
As if to get rid of the irritation from earlier, I jumped into the bed and hugged Ati, blanket and all, and rolled around with her as much as I wanted.
And I didn’t forget to smell the top of her head!
Ati’s giggling voice is so cute!!
A party for two girls is about to begin!!!
After doing that for a while and calming down, Ati popped her face out of the blanket, and started talking excitedly with her cheeks still bright red.
“Oka-sama, you know, Otou-sama! Good night!”
“Yeah, I know. That’s great. I’m glad.”
“Otou-sama didn’t have a beard.”
“Yeah. He didn’t. Do you like him with a beard? Or without a beard?”
“Hmm…”
Oh, she’s thinking really hard. She’s thinking really hard. Good, keep thinking.
“I don’t know.”
“I see. That’s right. It’s the first time you’ve seen him like that.”
“What about Oka-sama?”
“Huh?”
“Do you like beards?”
…I’ve never thought about it.
Hmm, this is definitely a “I don’t know” case.
It’s not okay to ask Ati and not have thought about it myself.
“Well, I… I think I like him without one.”
Most of my family didn’t have beards, and honestly, beards just feel too much like “something a man has,” so I don’t really like them.
“Then, do you like Otou-sama?”
Do I like the Marquis?
Can I honestly state the truth here?
The answer is NO.
But, if you ask me if I dislike him, that’s also NO.
The answer is “I’ve never thought about it” ☆
In the first place, it’s a political marriage. There was no room to interject personal feelings.
Ever since right after the wedding, I’ve only been looking at Ati. Yeah, I haven’t been looking at him at all.
The Marquis is just “Ati’s father,” and in terms of position, “my husband”?
It’s like a coworker.
No, it’s a little more distant than that. It’s like someone from a different department that I just happened to be working on a project with.
But, I can’t just explain that to Ati honestly.
If I don’t say it, she won’t understand, but it’s still too difficult for her to understand even if I do.
What should I do?
But, saying “I dislike him” here is wrong.
Hmm.
I don’t want to tell Ati unnecessary lies, but—
If it’s necessary for Ati’s Emotional Development, one or two lies are fine. Lightly, that is.
“I like him.”
When I replied that, Ati gave me a soft, melted smile.
Eh. Why? I didn’t say I liked Ati?
Could it be, she’s happy as if it were her own business??
This child is just too much…!!!
“I love Ati so much too!!!”
I hugged Ati’s body, blanket and all, again, and rolled around all over the bed.
That day, strange noises probably continued to be heard from Ati’s bedroom until late at night.