Why did you kiss my ear? I’d wanted to say, but I hadn’t been able to force out the words.
“Why, indeed?” Reynaldo responded simply, a soft smile dancing on his lips. “It seems a great many things are troubling you, but you needn’t worry about those matters too deeply. You are your own person, after all.”
He kissed me on the forehead as though it were an afterthought. My head might explode as I struggled to comprehend Reynaldo’s behavior. These were the actions of a man coming onto a woman, but he didn’t seem to have those intentions.
While I forced my addled brain to start functioning again, someone knocked on the office door twice, killing the mood. Reynaldo and I had been staring at each other for an endless moment, but he finally pulled away from me.
“Enter,” he called.
“Pardon me,” the newcomer said. “Ah, you already had another guest. Please excuse my intrusion.”
“It’s no problem,” Reynaldo answered. “Allow me to introduce the two of you. This is Mary—a handmaid working for the chivalric order. Mary, this is Lyle—my secretary.”
Lyle’s features retained boyishness despite him being a young man. He seemed unaccustomed to his surroundings, perhaps having just finished his education. He had almond-shaped eyes, and his somewhat long hair had been styled beautifully. Altogether, he seemed like a sincere young man.
“I’m Mary Edigma.” I bowed my head to him.
“And I’m Lyle Cisvelle. Are you the daughter of Baron Edigma, perchance?”
“Yes, I am. You’re a member of the Cisvelle family?”
Many palace secretaries belonged to their house.
“Oh, you know about us?” Lyle asked. “My father serves as the head secretary. As an apprentice, I’m still inexperienced, but I’m happy to be of service to you.”
Lyle bowed to me politely. He reminded me of a young Reynaldo.
“Prime Minister,” Lyle continued. “Lord Macael is in the guest room. He wishes to have a meeting with you.”
“Understood,” Reynaldo answered, then turned to me. “Forgive me for leaving after inviting you here, but I must be on my way. Shall we continue this over dinner?”
“O-Okay,” I stammered. “I’ll see you then.”
Upon realizing that he hadn’t forgotten our promise, I nodded. With a satisfied smile, Reynaldo began to leave the office. However, he came to an abrupt halt.
“Mary,” he said. “About what just happened…”
As I recalled what Reynaldo had done, my cheeks burned.
“Did you perceive my actions as coming from a brother or from another man entirely?” he asked. “Either way, those emotions are yours alone.”
After winking at me, he left the room.
“Did His Grace just wink…?” Lyle muttered to himself as if he’d just seen something unbelievable.
Yeah, I can hardly believe my own eyes.
Left to my own devices, I sat there, dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. As Lyle cleared away my dishes, I sprang to my feet and lent a hand. When I lifted my head, my cheeks still burning, his eyes met mine.
“You’re a guest,” he said. “You needn’t help me.”
“But isn’t it time for you to begin work, Lord Cisvelle?” I asked.
“You may call me Lyle, and seeing to guests is part of my job. Speaking of which, shouldn’t you be getting to work soon as well?”
As Lyle continued clearing the dishes, I expressed my humble thanks. The beginning of the workday was about to start. I needed to return to the chivalric order’s office before the morning bell rang.
Lyle worked as he watched me prepare to leave. After considering something for a moment, he called out to me. “My apologies, but are you Lord Reynaldo’s lover, Lady Edigma?”
“Please call me Mary. And no, I’m not.”
Anyone who saw our previous exchange would come to that conclusion. Regardless, I brusquely denied the assumption.
“I see,” Lyle responded. “While I’m glad you two have such a friendly relationship, I’m not ignorant of the latest gossip. Do be careful. Some people have been spreading unseemly rumors about you.”
Lyle matter-of-factly provided this warning with no trace of malice. I could tell he’d spoken out of heartfelt concern for me. Though his emotions were hard to read, his kindness touched me.
I’d heard these rumors even within the chivalric order. After appearing from nowhere, the daughter of a baron received the favor of the high commander and the prime minister. Small wonder I’d wound up at the center of the latest gossip.
“Thank you very much,” I said.
Lyle’s concern for me—a stranger—filled me with warmth. Even though we’d just met, I felt an affinity for him, perhaps because he resembled a younger Reynaldo. After bowing to him, I exited the prime minister’s office.
As soon as I left, I met the eye of a nearby maid, who looked at me suspiciously. She quickly averted her gaze. Lyle’s warning seemed much more real. Yes, I’d been aware of the unseemly gossip spreading about me. At the same time, I also knew that Reynaldo was working behind the scenes to quash the rumors.
Whenever other servants asked about my relationship with Reynaldo out of curiosity, I would answer, “I’m a relative of the Duke of Rose.” This served as a stopgap measure, as Reynaldo had been giving a similar explanation. Nevertheless, we could never tell the truth, no matter how well we explained it. A number of wild speculations were circulating around the palace, and I dodged all of them with vague replies.
While the chivalric order cheered on my romance with Albert, denizens of the palace spied on my relationship with Reynaldo from afar. Despite my peculiar circumstances, I no longer wished to return to Edigma or my former life.
How truly strange.
Until recently, I couldn’t imagine feeling that way. Edigma and my family had always been the most important things in my life. Remembering my past life as Rosemary and spending time in Dirésias Castle changed my feelings drastically. I’d reunited with my younger brother and childhood friend, whom I’d never expected to meet with or speak to again.
Suddenly, I recalled what Reynaldo had said to me.
“Did you perceive my actions as coming from a brother or from another man entirely?” he’d asked. “Either way, those emotions are yours alone.”
Though his parting words had sounded like a riddle, he’d seen right through me. What were my feelings for Reynaldo as Mary? I considered my emotions.
“Even if we’re no longer related by blood, you’re still my younger brother, Reynaldo…” I whispered to myself.
I was Mary Edigma, not Rosemary Hubert. Regardless, my feelings for Reynaldo were familial. When I’d first reunited with him, he seemed like a completely different person from the boy Rosemary had known. Yet, after telling him the truth, a thought occurred to me each time we met. Whenever he looked at me, the person reflected in his eyes was no more than a projection of Rosemary. That didn’t bother me, as I also viewed Reynaldo as a younger brother who’d surpassed me in age. Rosemary always wished for her family’s happiness, and I still wished for Reynaldo’s happiness.
But how do I actually feel about him?
I walked down the long castle corridor, unable to answer that question.