Afterward, we decided to eat a late lunch together. I quickly had the chef prepare enough food for four people and then we all sat down around the table.
“Alan, how’s Phil supposed to eat if you keep glaring at him like that?”
“Then he simply doesn’t need to eat.”
“Oh, you. Phil, don’t worry about him. Eat as much as you like.”
“It’s fine. My chest always felt like it would burst when I had meals with you, so I’ve never been able to eat a lot.”
“I...see...”
He said it so casually that my cheeks began to heat up. Phil never ate much so I thought that was just how he was. But it seemed that he usually ate more. He cheerily told me that I was cuter than anything when I enjoyed my meal, so he was satisfied just watching me eat.
“I thought it was cold outside but phew, man, is it heating up in here,” Rex said. When no one replied to his jest, he smiled nonetheless and played it off with, “This salad is great.”
Next to him, Alan looked like he was torn as he cut up the main dish. The meat was sliced up so much that it was as if he had a grudge against it, and it looked quite grotesque. In any case, I decided to focus on the delicious food in front of me. But right as I decided that, I saw celery—my worst enemy—inside of the salad.
“Lady Viola, you mustn’t be picky!” The chef always said that. The servants of House Westley did their best to give me all that I asked for and more, but they were strict when it came to discipline. I started to bring the celery to my mouth, smiling like always, when I noticed Phil looking at me as if he wanted to say something.
“Phil, is something the matter?”
“I thought I’d secretly eat your celery for you.”
I didn’t expect those words at all and I blinked in surprise, a soft sound escaping my lips. I had never told anyone outside my family about the foods I disliked, because I was embarrassed at how childish it was. Even Jamie, who always ate lunch with me at school, praised me for how I ate everything that was placed before me.
“How did you know that I don’t like celery? I was always hiding my feelings for it.”
After I asked my question, Phil looked at me like he couldn’t understand what the issue was.
“I’ve spent my whole life watching you, Viola. So I can notice even the smallest change in your demeanor.”
“Ah...”
He declared it as if it wasn’t anything special. I was so embarrassed by how candid he was that I could no longer even register the taste of vegetables on my tongue.
“And there you have it. Did you hear what he said?” Rex said, grinning.
“I didn’t want to hear it...but I did,” Alan replied, his irritation clear.
Phil looked at me like he was the happiest man on the planet. With those three at my table, lunch was a strange and slightly stressful affair.
✦ ✦ ✦
Because Alan wanted to spend the rest of the day observing Phil, I was a little worried about what the four of us could do together to pass the time. But after we finished lunch, Alan stood up.
“I’m going out for a bit. You, come with me.”
“All right.”
For some reason, he called out to Phil. Phil nodded obediently and put on his jacket.
“Hey, where are you two going?” I asked.
“We’re just going to take a stroll around the neighborhood,” Alan replied.
“May I come with you, then?”
“I’d love to spend as much time with you as I can, Viola, but there’s something I’d like to discuss, man to man.”
Though Alan said that he wanted to take a stroll, he was having the servants prepare a carriage. Where were they going and what did Alan wish to discuss? I was both curious and worried.
“Phil, are you sure you’re all right?” I whispered to him.
“Yes. Everything’s fine, so please don’t make that face.” He smiled at me after he said that. “I was the one who started this mess in the first place. I’m going to do my best for him to acknowledge me as your future husband.”
“I understand... Thank you so much.”
The two of them left the manor without another word. Left in the room, I turned to Rex, who was casually drinking tea.
“Do you think Phil and Alan will be all right alone? Just the two of them?”
“Yeah. Alan just likes you so much that he can be a bit extreme, but he’s a nice guy. I’m sure he’ll understand once he gets to know Phillip better. I think things will actually turn out better if the two of them had the chance to say what’s on their minds.”
“Is that how it works?”
Rex was right; both Alan and Phil were kinder than anyone I knew, and they were both amazing people. There was also the possibility that once Alan knew how kind Phil was, he’d accept him as part of the family. Rex placed his teacup down and stretched both arms into the air before he yawned loudly.
“Welp, let’s relax and take a nap or something while we wait for them. I bet that the two of them will end up pals.”
“Huh? No way.”
Of course, I’d be delighted if things turned out that way. But I just couldn’t imagine them becoming friends, considering Alan’s personality and history with Phil. However, Rex had a very confident expression on his face.
After that, we moved to my room and Rex fell asleep on the sofa. I wasn’t in the mood for a nap. Unable to settle down, I decided to continue the embroidery that I was working on earlier.
✦ ✦ ✦
After leaving the Westley mansion with Alan, the two of us got into a carriage, which took us to the knights’ training grounds. Apparently, Alan knew one of the higher-ups because it didn’t take much effort for him to reserve the space. I wasn’t sure what to refer to him as. When I tried calling him “Lord Alan” earlier, he got angry at me and said it was gross for me to attach “Lord” before his name.
“Take this.”
For some reason, he handed me a wooden sword. I stared at it in confusion, unsure of his intentions, and Alan explained further.
“I’ve never been the eloquent type. That goes for you as well, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“My grandfather was a knight and he told me that men should converse with swords rather than their words. I cannot entrust Viola to you if you’re weak, anyway.”
“Very well,” I said after ruminating on what Alan said.
In other words, I simply had to duel Alan and win. As someone who had just as much trouble with words, I was grateful for the opportunity to prove myself in a way that was easy to understand. I immediately took up the wooden sword and put some distance between us. I learned swordplay since childhood so there wasn’t any issue. However, it was clear from the way Alan was standing and acting that he had considerable skill as well.
“We’ll only do one round. Come at me any time you wish.”
With his words as the signal, I tensed up my right hand, which wielded the sword, as well as my legs. Then in the next moment, I ran forward, getting myself up into Alan’s space. Our swords clashed, and the dull sound of wood against wood sounded through the air.
“You—! You’re a lot more aggressive than you look!” Alan exclaimed.
“I simply want you to approve of me.”
I took a small breath and then immediately doled out my next strike. Alan parried my move and upon seeing an opening, he slashed down toward me, his movements sharp and precise. Taking our respective builds into consideration, he was superior to me in terms of his strength and his stamina.
I focused on attacking quickly, getting in as many hits as I could so that my blade could land upon Alan. It seemed like Alan didn’t expect me to be able to attack as much as I did, because it looked like I threw him off his game.
We continued our duel, attacking when we could and defending when we needed to, until finally, the tip of my sword brushed against Alan’s neck. He took a sharp intake of breath, eyes widening in surprise, before a humble smile appeared on his face.
“It’s my loss...”
“Thank you very much for the duel.”
Though I managed to emerge as the victor, I had been moving on sheer willpower at the very end. If we dueled again at a later date, there was no telling who would win. Even so, I was very relieved that I’d won. If I’d lost here and was told that he didn’t approve of my marriage with Viola, she’d surely be hurt and anxious. I was able to understand, albeit only a little, just how important Alan was to her. Eventually, Alan placed his sword down, heaved a deep sigh, and then ran his hand through his bangs.
“Ah, sheesh. Well, a man never goes back on his word... Do you have time later?”
“Yes.”
“We’re going for some drinks.”
“Huh?”
I was taken aback by the unexpected invitation. But I didn’t have the option to turn him down. Afterward, Alan took me straight to the bars downtown.