Absence
Lux’s Side
The Royal Exchange was now just three days away. As I was preparing to leave for the noble academy that morning, Siana approached with a hesitant look, her expression tinged with quiet guilt.
“Master… may I have a moment of your time?”
“Sure. What’s the matter?”
“This evening, around the time you return from the academy… I have an errand that will take me away from the estate. I won’t be able to greet you at the door. I wanted to apologize for that now. I’m truly sorry.”
So that’s what the look was for. It’s something I think all the time, but Siana really is earnest to a fault.
Seeing the regret etched on her face, I spoke gently.
“Siana, you always see me off in the mornings and welcome me home in the evenings. You help with tea, clean my room, and so much more. Please don’t worry about being away for just one day.”
“I know Master isn’t the kind of person who would be upset by this… but not being able to greet you still weighs on me. I’m so sorry.”
Weighs on her, huh… if that’s how she feels.
“In that case… why don’t we take tonight to really talk? Just the two of us.”
“Talk… just the two of us?”
“Yeah. Ever since I started at the academy, things have been nonstop, and we haven’t had time to really sit down together. But if you’re feeling sorry about not being here to welcome me, then maybe tonight you could keep me company instead.”
“…! …Thank you so much, Master.”
“I only said that because I genuinely want to talk with you, Siana. You don’t need to thank me for that.”
It wasn’t a lie—I truly did want to spend time with her. But if I framed it as a request from me, then perhaps her guilt over not being able to greet me could shift into something lighter… into simply being my companion for the evening.
It was the kind of solution that left us both better off.
Once I’d finished getting ready, I headed toward the carriage as usual, bound for the academy.
And just as she always did, Siana came to see me off.
“Pardon me, Master… may I ask one more thing?”
Siana’s Side
“Lux-kun really is fit to be a king.”
“Yes, he truly is.”
Violet, who hadn’t revealed herself while Lux was present, now appeared beside Siana, wearing her usual black hood.
“Rodwell-sama gently resolved your feelings of regret by asking you to be his companion this evening. It was such a natural, thoughtful gesture.”
“Only Lux-kun could do something like that. It’s thanks to his kindness—it’s just who he is.”
At the memory of that kindness, a soft flush rose to Siana’s cheeks.
“At this rate, Ojou-sama, you might end up falling even more deeply for Rodwell-sama.”
“I already feel like I love him more than anyone possibly could… and yet, somehow, those feelings just keep growing stronger with every passing day.”
She said it in a voice like honey. But the next moment, her expression settled into a more composed calm.
“Still… I wonder if Lux-kun will be alright.”
“What brings that to mind?”
“Because of the Royal Exchange gathering, I have to return to the castle for a meeting with my father. That won’t be until this evening, and you’ll be accompanying me… which means I won’t be able to protect Lux-kun while we’re gone.”
“The Rodwell estate has its own guards, and it’s only for a few hours. I don’t believe there’s any need for concern.”
“Unless… while I’m away, he invites a woman into his room or something. No, no—Lux-kun would never do that.”
Siana caught herself. She knew she had a tendency to overthink when it came to Lux. Shaking her head to dispel the thought, she turned back to her duties as a maid.
Lux’s Side
After finishing all of the day’s lectures at the noble academy, I stood to leave—only for Florence-san, who sat beside me, to speak up just as I did.
“Lux-sama, may I have a moment of your time?”
“Of course. What is it?”
I sat back down to match Florence-san, who had remained seated. Her cheeks colored faintly as she began to speak, her voice uncharacteristically awkward.
“As a duke’s daughter, I know it’s improper for a lady to ask something like this of a gentleman. And this is my first time experiencing such feelings, so I’m still struggling to understand them myself… but would it be possible for you to invite me to your home this evening?”