Chapter 3: A Growing Bond
THE weekend seemed to last forever. But finally, it was time to see Siraiya again.
How was I going to broach the subject of inviting him to my house? Without knowing how he felt, perhaps the request was inappropriate in the first place. The idea of upsetting him terrified me.
But more than any of that, I was just eager to see him again.
I hurried to our spot behind the schoolhouse, doing my best to quiet my racing heart. But that was where I found another boy waiting in his place.
“Oh, you’re actually here. I guess the rumors were true. You really do hang out behind the schoolhouse.”
His name was Lord Pierre Roy, the third son of Earl Roy. He was one of the boys interested in becoming my fiancé and had started speaking to me more recently.
“Good day, Lord Roy,” I greeted him as etiquette required. “I have plans to meet with a friend, so if you’d like to speak with me, it will have to—”
“Yeah, you’re meeting up with Siraiya Brooke, right? He’s not even a legitimate son, you know. Hanging around him could hurt your reputation, Lady Cynthia.”
Staying anywhere near a young man who addressed a young lady by her first name was much more likely to hurt my reputation.
Even if I hadn’t met Siraiya, Pierre would be my last choice of a husband. He was practically competing with Eddie for the lowest grades in our class. He wouldn’t be capable of managing my family’s land in the slightest. I’d long since disqualified him as a candidate, but he was still the son of an earl. I needed to make him give up on me as gently as possible…
But judging by the way he was acting, gentle wasn’t in the cards.
“Lord Brooke is an honest, intelligent, and wonderful person. I can hardly wait to speak to him again today, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.”
I couldn’t let something so trivial eat away at my limited time with Siraiya. I tried to walk past Pierre, but he stepped to the side and blocked my path forward.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to get engaged to that bastard! What good will it do your family to take in a reject who’s been ostracized by his own family? Now, I could offer you rich ties to the Roys. My parents adore me, and I’m close with my elder brother, who is set to inherit the title.”
“Can you please move out of my way, Lord Roy?” I requested, my tone crisp.
“Come on, don’t be so cold. You Rhuddlans have all that money, but you never participate in high society at all. That must put you at a disadvantage, right? If we got engaged and you provided my family just a little bit of aid, the Roys would happily look out for you in high society.”
Suddenly, Pierre reached for me. When I realized he was trying to put his arm around my shoulders, I jumped back.
“Please stop this, Lord Roy. It’s impolite to touch a lady without permission. I also ask that you address me by my family name.”
“Excuse me? Who do you think you are? You think you’re so important just because you get to be the next viscount? You’re a viscount’s daughter, and I’m an earl’s son. That means you have to do what I say!”
This time, he reached for me with clearer intentions.
I didn’t want him to touch me. But I doubted I could outrun him.
Should I yell for help? Or should I do something unladylike and sprint away?
But I didn’t have to decide because a tall figure wedged itself between Pierre and me.
That back… It’s…
“Don’t you understand? Lady Rhuddlan wants you gone.”
His voice was deep and icy cold. The polar opposite of how he spoke to me. The adorable Siraiya I knew transformed into someone robust and towering when it came time to protect me. The thought made my heart skip a beat and melt a little.
“Wh-Whoa. W-Was he always this tall?”
Indeed, Siraiya was incredibly tall. It was hard to tell since everyone kept their distance from him, and because he was always a bit hunched over, but when he stood up straight, he was far taller than any of our classmates.
Siraiya would have absolutely been the most beautiful and handsome young man of all if only he wore a tailored uniform, stood up straight, and cut the bangs that shrouded that gorgeous face of his.
“Are you all right, Lady Rhuddlan?”
“Yes, thanks to you, Lord Brooke.”
I smiled back at him, drawing a relieved smile from Siraiya in response. I could only imagine how happy life would be if I could marry this wonderful person before me.
“Hmph… What, think you’re some hero straight out of a novel, do you?”
Siraiya was a hero in that moment, and Pierre was the villainous nobleman. For whatever reason, Pierre seemed displeased by that. He made no attempt to hide his irritation.
“What right do you have to attend classes for nobles in the first place? You ought to join a commoners’ school instead. Well, I doubt you’ll find anyone else rejected by their own family, even amongst the commoners.”
“……”
Siraiya hung his head weakly. He was like a different person compared to just a moment ago when he was protecting me. Peeking behind his long bangs, those green eyes told of how he was used to giving up in times like these.
“Coming in hot, but you wimp out immediately after? What a pathetic man you are.” Pierre’s arrogance only grew when he realized Siraiya wasn’t going to respond. “You’ll never be anything more than a side character, much less a hero. Now go fade into the background and keep your mouth shut. Understood?”
I couldn’t bear it anymore. Even if his family held a higher-ranking title than mine, I refused to hear such ills spoken of the man who just came to my rescue—the man I so adored.
I stepped in front of Siraiya and made use of my frightening face to glare at Pierre. My features were designed to suit a villainess, after all.