Blazing flames lit up the night sky. Sparks crackled upward from the stack of logs arranged in a square lattice, rising into the sky as they warmed the air. The music that streamed endlessly around me was a traditional song passed down in this region. Because many of the musicians were inebriated, there was no harmony whatsoever. It was chaos. The keys and rhythms were all over the place, and people jumped in mid-song, ad-libbing nonsensical lyrics.
Nevertheless, it seemed like a lot of fun. Men and women, old and young alike—all were wearing bright smiles.
“Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”
I had been watching the villagers from a distance, and without me noticing, Sir Leonhart had joined me. He was now standing by my side. Both he and I had been busy today, and we hadn’t had the time to walk around the festival together. I had assumed we wouldn’t have any quality time with each other until tomorrow morning at the earliest, so I was over the moon to see him.
I quietly drew close to him, and he immediately hugged my waist, snuggling against me.
“Is everything already settled on your end?” I asked.
“Yes. We finished transporting them, and we’ll begin interrogations tomorrow,” he replied.
After our confrontation with the butler, the lead saboteur, he had fizzled out and become meek. We had assigned guards to keep watch for any rash behavior, but he was like an empty husk. I doubted he had the energy to think about any last-ditch efforts. The men employed for the crime had spilled the beans without any prompting on our end, desperate to lighten their punishment.
Once Sir Leonhart finished filling me in, I breathed a sigh of relief. Excellent. We’ve gathered evidence and testimonies that corroborate perfectly. I unreasonably demanded that Lord Franz reform the Schletter Duchy, so I feel like I need to help him however I can.
“That’s good to hear. We’ll be able to give him a little help,” I said without thinking.
Sir Leonhart’s hand, which was wrapped around my waist, twitched. Did something happen? I looked up. Our gazes locked, and his black eyes were fixed intently on me.
“Leon?” I questioned.
He suddenly turned away. It felt like he’d just snubbed me, and I was thunderstruck.
“Huh? L-Leon?” Panicked, I tried to peer at his face, but he gently stopped me.
He hung his head. “Sorry. Don’t look at me.”
In the darkness of the night, I couldn’t make out Sir Leonhart’s expression. However, based on his tone, he sounded somewhat dejected.
“Did I do something?” I asked anxiously.
“No,” he replied immediately, but he struggled to say the words that followed.
Silence settled between us for a few seconds. I patiently waited for him to continue as I listened to the lively music and laughter.
“I didn’t want you to see me looking pathetic,” he eventually conceded.
“Pathetic?” I echoed, trying to envision what that might look like. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t picture Sir Leonhart looking pathetic of all things. I mean, he doesn’t look pathetic when he’s dazed in the wee hours of the morning or when he’s stifling a yawn. Those are proof that he lets his guard down around me, and I’m totally smitten by it. “I can’t imagine that.”
“You indulge me too much,” Sir Leonhart murmured, finally looking back at me. His lips curved up into a strained smile, and he sheepishly said, “I’ll have you know that I’m a very pathetic man. I more or less know how you feel toward him, and I understand much hardship lies before him.”
Him? Based on what he’s saying, he must be referring to Lord Franz.
“I’m also well aware that you love me from the bottom of your heart.”
The bolt from the blue made me flush bright red.
Sir Leonhart’s brows drooped heavyheartedly. “Yes, I know it very well. I don’t doubt your love when a few words from me can color your cheeks so, and yet...I frequently get jealous over the most trivial things.”
My eyes went round. “Jealous? You were jealous of Lord Franz?”
Sir Leonhart nodded. “I logically know there’s nothing to be jealous of. But an unmarried man getting closer to you is no laughing matter. The fact that he got to walk around the festival with you, and the fact that you want to help him... Honestly, I can’t stand either one of those things. At the very least, I wanted to act composed on the surface, but I couldn’t hide it. I find that part of myself so very pathetic.” His tone was agitated, but after he vented all his bottled-up emotions, he seemed somewhat calmer.
I feel like he’s a little more talkative than usual. I was about to tell him he wasn’t pathetic, but I held my tongue. I may feel that way, but Sir Leonhart won’t be convinced. So, I pondered for a moment and said something else. “Leon, I saw you join the contest of strength,” I said.
The blatant topic change baffled him. “Huh? Oh, you mean during the incident?”
“I thought you were too attractive. You beat such a huge man in a flash, and the entire venue went crazy for you. I was proud to be your wife, but...I got a little jealous. ‘He’s supposed to be my Leon,’ I thought.”
His eyes widened in surprise.
Young women were ogling Sir Leonhart’s majestic form. Obviously they’d be captivated by a hero routing a villain in a fraction of a second. I also agree that he’s insanely cool, so part of me feels happy to have more kindred spirits. That being said, I also want to hog him all to myself.
“Do you think I’m pathetic?” I asked.
Sir Leonhart slowly shook his head. “No.”
“I suspect it’s probably—no, definitely my fault, but you’re always trying to only show me your cool side, aren’t you?”
He burst into a coughing fit. Evidently, he didn’t know how to respond to the sudden bombshell I’d dropped on him. Understandable. If someone accused me of only acting cute in front of Sir Leonhart, I can say with full confidence that I’d faint.
“You never demand anything unreasonable from me, and you barely restrict my actions. But that’s not because you’re neglecting me. In fact, you proactively grant my wishes. You never hesitate to verbally express how much you love me, and you cherish me above anyone else. I think you’re the ideal husband, not just for me but for all women.”
Sir Leonhart quietly listened to me speak. Rather than feeling pleased by my compliments, his expression was uneasy, likely because of my initial statement. He peered at me with the eyes of a dog waiting to be reprimanded, and I couldn’t help but break into a broad smile.
“But it’s okay to look bad sometimes. You don’t have to be understanding all the time. If I do something you don’t like, say so. If there’s something you want me to do, I want you to tell me without reservation.” As I spoke, I pulled out the item I’d kept hidden all day and pressed it into Sir Leonhart’s hand.
“A handkerchief?” he questioned.
“Unfold it,” I said.
He obeyed, revealing an embroidered flower. It was difficult to see its defects since the only light source was the bonfire in the distance, but if he examined it during the day, he would immediately see that it was a shoddy and disappointing piece of work.
“Did you make this?” he asked.
“They’re supposed to be baby’s breath flowers. I actually wanted to embroider something that would suit you, like a lion or a sword, but those would have been too difficult for my skills.” I had wanted to at least express my gratitude that he was always there for me, so I had decided to embroider baby’s breath flowers. My cadence quickened as I hastily explained my line of thought. When I finished, Sir Leonhart pulled me close. He hugged me tightly, burying my face into his shoulder.
“I’m sorry it’s not very good,” I mumbled. “I think I can do a bit of a better job next time.”
“Don’t be sorry. This is perfect... This is what I wanted,” he replied, relishing the moment.
I wrapped my arms around his back. I didn’t want Sir Leonhart to see my flaws either, and I desperately tried to act perfect. It’s still embarrassing, but little by little, I’m going to try to show him my shortcomings. Although, I feel like he’s already seen most of them by now.
“I’ve also prepared a flower for you. Will you accept it once we get home?” he asked.
“Of course! With pleasure.”
When we returned to our estate, Sir Leonhart gave me a bouquet of white roses and a hair ornament. It was a raden accessory with a rose motif that was indubitably Ayame’s work. He had secretly commissioned it from her. It felt like he had condensed all of my preferences into one item, and his gift spoke more eloquently of his love than anything else.