Volume 6 Chapter 25 A Turn Of Events
It seems I was wrong about him being just a carefree young master. When I think back, Mikage never spoke ill of Rouza. Even though he's troublesome to deal with, he's not just a simple guy.
"By the way, about you, Black Blade..."
"Hm, what is it?"
As I was about to take a sip of my drink, Rouza asked me.
"How far have you gone with Mikage?"
His casual and straightforward question was enough to make me stiffen, my hand stopping mid-air with my glass.
"It's not like you're close friends or anything, but when a young man and woman live under the same roof, it's only natural to get suspicious. But to think that Mikage, of all people, would fall for a guy with multiple lovers... that's hard to believe."
Rouza gave me a sly, teasing grin as he spoke, clearly confident in his suspicions. I was sweating bullets.
"What's wrong? You've stopped drinking. Are you already drunk?"
I was caught off guard.
Just a moment ago, I had realized it again.
This guy isn't just a carefree young master.
He's a man who's been directly appointed as the successor by the king himself.
His question was timed perfectly to catch me off guard, and I had reacted in a way that was too obvious.
"You... don't people say you have a bad personality?"
"It's the first time someone's said that to my face, aside from family. But I suppose it's not entirely bad."
Rouza was still enjoying himself. At times like this, I wish Gram were here to help me out. I didn't think I could win an argument against this guy.
If possible, I would have liked to keep quiet until the end, but since he's pushed the issue, I have no choice but to give in. I took a deep breath and drained my glass.
"That's right."
"Hahaha! I knew it "
As I tilted my head in confusion, Rouza was laughing so hard he was holding his stomach.
"Unbelievable! A guy who could make Mikage fall... exists! This is the most entertaining story I've heard since coming to this country! Hahaha!"
I was expecting a different reaction, but I'm am at a loss. Even though they were engaged, she ended up with another guy. It's unbelievable that I'm being laughed at like this.
"Haha, I laughed so hard. It's been a while since I've laughed this much."
Rouza laughed heartily, then wiped away the tears that had welled up in the corners of her eyes.
"As you know, Mikage has that face and figure. There have been guys who've tried to make a move on her since way back when, but she's always cut them down cold. With her wooden sword, of course. But still, she's a woman who prioritizes holding a sword over romance."
Rouza muttered to herself, raising an eyebrow at my reaction.
"Huh? You think I'm angry or something?"
"But you... were engaged to her, weren't you?"
"Well, I'm from the shogun family ――a member of the royal bloodline. I'm aware that I'm different from ordinary people. My old man has multiple wives, including some who are widows. I don't have any reason to be angry about that."
Rouza's carefree response left me feeling drained, and I slumped my shoulders with a sigh.
I had been worried about all sorts of things since I brought Rouza to the clinic, but it seemed like it was all for nothing. It was like I had been punched in the gut.
So,
"But it's still painful. I have to separate the two people who are meant to be together."
"―――"
The words that followed were heavy with sorrow. Rouza's tone didn't change, but her bright atmosphere dissipated, and I felt a sense of tension.
I couldn't help but hold my breath, and Rouza gazed at his own reflection in the cup of booze he was holding.
"My purpose in coming to Arcus was to bring Mikage back to Sanmoto."
"...I figured as much."
"It seems we both had the same idea."
It's not like we had any other reason to search for.
"Mikage thinks that her engagement to me has been called off, but that's a mistake. Our engagement is still valid."
"She probably left Sanmoto because she didn't like that guy."
"Now that Sanmoto has been unified and the situation has stabilized, it's time to strengthen the relationship between the 2 families through marriage. This conversation itself has been going on between the Egawa and Shiraha families since we were kids. Even if one of the parties involved ran away from home, it wouldn't be that simple."
A marriage between nobles isn't something that can be decided by personal feelings alone. It's a transaction that involves the interests of both families ―― no matter the country or culture, that's just how it is.
"...What about you, then? You were laughing about me and Mikage just a minute ago."
"That was also my true feelings, but..."
Rouza cut off his words and suddenly started thinking, hand on chin.
After a moment, he clapped his hands together and turned to me with his usual sly grin.
"Hey, Black Blade. Want to make a bet?"
"That's sudden. ...Unfortunately, I'm not in the mood to play around here."
"Don't worry about it. The bet isn't about money. It's about Mikage."
My skin crawled at that.
The emotions swirling inside me today are either fear or anger.
"We're already at the casino, so let's make a bet. Any game is fine. The winner takes all. If you win, you get to keep Mikage. If I win, I get to take Mikage back to Sanmoto."
"That's not a joke. I absolutely refuse. You can't bet on a person's life."
I answered immediately, without hesitation.
Rouza let out a disappointed sigh at my response.
"What's with you, Black Blade? You're not even willing to take a risk. You're not even willing to bet on the woman you love. I thought you were a man who would burn with passion, but I guess I was wrong."
"That's not true. You're the only one who's passionate about this. I'm just cautious and cowardly by nature."
Even though I've risen through the ranks as a mercenary, I've never neglected my preparations before a job, and I always thoroughly inspect my equipment. I'm still receiving guidance on healing magic from Kyunei, and I'm continuing my training with Mikage. I'm terrified of losing what I've gained.
"If my own 'carelessness' leads to my wallet being empty, I'd have complaints, but I'd give up. But with Mikage, it's absolutely impossible. I'd rather die than give up. Can I just leave it to fate?"
It's a pathetic story, but it's also my true feelings. I want to treasure the girl I love, and I'm even more afraid of losing her. They're already a part of me, after all.
"So, what would you do if you couldn't avoid a situation where you had to bet everything?"
"If that happens..."
Rouza asked me again, and I thought for a bit before speaking my honest feelings.
"I'd destroy the game board itself, no matter what!"
Rouza was taken aback by my answer for a moment.
But soon, he burst out laughing, holding his belly in laughter. His unpredictable emotional response was as usual,
"Hahahahahah! That's exactly what I thought! To flip the entire game on its head, that's really exhilarating!"
He was laughing even more than when I confessed my relationship with Mikage. His laughter was so loud that it drew attention from the people around us.
After laughing so hard he was out of breath, Rouza put his glass on the table, placed his hands on his knees, and bowed his head to me.
"No, I apologize for what I said earlier. I was wrong. I understand that not just Mikage, but Kyunei-dono and young lady Aina are also smitten with you."
"Yeah, it's scary to be feared like that."
"Sorry about that. I'm being serious, you know... You're a real wild card. If you were from Sanmoto, I'd definitely want to recruit you."
There, Rouza clapped her hands again, as if he had a brilliant idea.
"That's it! You should come to Sanmoto too!"
"What?!"
"Of course, it's fine if Kyunei-dono and young lady Aina come with you. That way, you won't have to be separated from Mikage, and it'll be a win-win situation, right?"
"And in the end, Mikage would become your wife, wouldn't she?"
"Exactly... Ugh, things are toughs..."
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