When Derek called me just plain “Princess,” with that edge in his voice… If memory served me correctly, that was back when he truly hated me—during that period when I’d visited Uncle Dearest as a child.
Keeping his distant and indifferent demeanor, Derek continued, “What ails you, Princess? I don’t believe you and I are on a first-name basis…”
What ails me? More like, what ails you, my dude!
He was still polite as ever. Derek was maintaining respectable distance befitting a noble and a princess.
But—
“What about our little arrangement?”
Derek frowned. “Arrangement…you say?”
“You promised you’d be my—”
The rest of the words got stuck in my throat.
You promised you’d be my fake boyfriend.
Derek…did you completely forget?
It’s no use. I have to say it.
“You promised…that I could introduce you as my lover today.”
“……”
Confusion…and a fair amount of disgust flashed in Derek’s eyes.
“Princess! Please, stop jesting. You are well aware that you and I are not in a romantic relationship.”
No shit, I’m aware!
I was at the end of my rope.
“Derek…,” I whispered, on the verge of tears…then Derek suddenly looked different.
His hand was pressed to his temple. His face was twisted in pain.
“Derek?”
“Nngh… Damn you!” he cursed, as if he was fiercely fighting something.
Klifford’s sword, still in its sheath, pressed itself against Derek’s neck.
To keep him from getting any closer to me.
Because Derek’s arms had lashed out to grab my shoulders.
But Derek didn’t even seem to notice the sword.
“Ngh… Listen to me, Octavia. I’m just like…Sirius…”
Derek’s brown eyes pierced mine dead-on.
Derek… It’s really him. The Derek I decided to trust.
“Please… Don’t trust me.”
Just like…Sirius… Has Derek’s memory been tampered with?
“Dere—”
But before I could finish his name, his demeanor changed before my eyes. He look around curiously. Klifford lowered his sword.
“…Lord Derek. Do you remember what you just did?”
Derek blinked a few times. “My deepest apologies, Princess. Did I do something to offend?”
“No… Everything is fine.”
I firmly gripped Blackfeather’s handle.
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence fell.
Then there was a knock at the door.
“Your Highness? It’s almost time.”
That’s Matilda… It’s almost time for me to come out with my lover.
“Well, I’d best take my leave,” Derek said.
“…Yes.”
Derek gave a very duke-like bow. It was no different from any bow he had given before…and yet.
I had a realization… Derek had become quite friendly with me, but he had started talking to me like this only recently—at the junior ball. Whenever Derek was with Sirius, he always kept me at a respectable distance, just like now.
I feel so stupid…taking this long to notice.
“Are you both ready, Your Highness?” Matilda cracked open the door and gestured to the throne room.
What do I do…?
I squeezed my eyes shut. Then they shot open.
“Might we have just a little more time?”
Bewilderment flashed in Matilda’s eyes, but she nodded and said, “Understood, my lady.”
I was at the edge of a cliff. The crisis of a lifetime.
I paced the length of that tiny room over and over.
This means whoever tampered with Derek’s memory is nearby, right? And not just Derek’s memory—Sirius’s, too.
Was it somebody who didn’t want Derek to be my lover? But nobody else knew. Unless this was a coincidence and Derek’s memory just happened to be tampered with at this very moment? Did this have something to do with that young man?
Questions popped into my mind one after another.
My one saving grace is that neither Derek nor Sirius are in any mortal danger, so it’s not like I have to act immediately here. It’s just their memories… That’s the only thing they’re lacking. But because of that, I need to tread carefully. Ironically, it was a good thing Derek became a second victim. Now I know firmly in my heart that something needs to change.
I took a deep breath in and out.
So that means, at present, my biggest problem is: How do I make it through this presentation?
I couldn’t find a new fake boyfriend this late in the game.
Should I go ask Alec? After I already told him Derek was my boyfriend? And when he was acting weird yesterday? Am I really gonna rope my baby brother into my drama just to save my ego?
Maybe I should just march up to the throne and pick some random guy from the lineup of guests…
I shook my head.
Some random guy… What a laugh…
I bit my lip.
No such guy exists.
Then Klifford entered my field of vision.
No, wait… He does exist.
But I quickly shot myself down.
No. Never Klifford. That’s the one command I don’t want to give him, because I know he would be forced to say yes, even if he didn’t want to do it.
“……”
I snapped Blackfeather shut.
There really is only one way.
I was hesitant since the quaint little Meet the Parents I had envisioned had blown up into such a big public spectacle…
But I was only in this mess in the first place because when Sirius accused me of not understanding his love, I got salty and insisted I was in a relationship.
I have to swallow my pride and tell the truth: “I was lying. I don’t have a boyfriend.” It’s the only way…!
I’ll probably want to spend the next several days holed up in my room, but they’ll probably let me do that.
I’ll need to find another way to figure out where they took Hugh…
“Please make use of me as you wish…”
I looked at the speaker with a start. The man who never spoke out of turn unless I prompted him—Klifford.
“Do you remember what I said, Your Highness?” His indigo eyes searched mine.
Of course I remembered.
“I am a unique Adjutant. Do not take my service lightly. Please make use of me as you wish.”
“Of course I remember.”
“Then give me a command.”
I knew what he was trying to say… The hidden implications.
Use my command…to make Klifford my fake boyfriend?
“I don’t want to do that.”
“…Why not?”
I swallowed my words.
Because…it makes me sick?