Chapter 361: The Remaining Means
King’s Side
“Damn it…!”
Having been subjected to humiliation unlike anything he had experienced in recent memory,
The king stood alone in the throne room, clenching his fist, his face filled with anger.
“Felisiana…!”
Whether he used his subordinates,
Tried to make Violet defect,
Attempted to subdue them by force,
Or tried to make them submit with words,
All of it had failed.
And now, the king had only one option left.
“Very well… if you insist on defying this king to that extent, then this time, I will act personally.”
As he spoke, the king rose from his throne.
“Light, you say… such a delusion, I will tear it away for good this time!”
With that resolve, the king finally moved to play his last remaining card and walked out of the throne room.
Lux’s Side
While Siana had gone out to run errands,
I…
“And you know? That night view was really beautiful! I want to show it to you next time, Lux.”
I was talking with Elizalina-sama, who had suddenly come to my residence, sitting together on the sofa in the guest room, with her on my right.
“I… I see.”
It wasn’t that her sudden visit bothered me.
If anything, it made me happy… but.
“Lux? You’ve seemed a little restless for a while now. What’s wrong?”
…She’s close…!
Up until now, whenever I spoke with Elizalina-sama, we were either facing each other,
Or even if we were sitting side by side, it was on separate chairs, so our bodies never touched.
But now, as she gradually closed the distance between us on the sofa,
We were close enough that our shoulders were touching.
“Um…”
I’d somehow managed to hold back from saying anything until now, but I was starting to lose focus on the conversation, so I should say it properly.
“You’re very close, Elizalina-sama, and our shoulders are touching, and there’s also a nice scent…”
“Ah, I see… speaking of close…”
As she said that, Elizalina-sama leaned in as if to peer into my face.
“I heard, Lux, during the Fourth Royal Exchange Gathering, you linked arms with Florence, right?”
“Y… yes.”
“Well, in a setting like that, it’s not unusual for a man and woman to link arms even if they’re not in a special relationship, and among nobles it’s also a matter of etiquette… but hearing that the Lux I love linked arms with another girl, I got a little jealous.”
“! I-I’m sorry…!”
Hearing her words spoken in a somewhat sweet tone, I felt apologetic and apologized.
Then, as she touched my right arm,
“It’s not like we’re engaged yet, so it’s fine… but since none of us are engaged to you yet, just like Florence, can I link arms with you too, Lux?”
“…!”
That was true.
I wasn’t engaged to anyone yet.
So while I had linked arms with Florence-san, from that standpoint, there was no reason I couldn’t link arms with Elizalina-sama… but.
“I linked arms with Florence-san at the royal gathering, which was a formal event… wouldn’t linking arms outside of such a setting carry a different kind of meaning…?”
“You’re overthinking it, there’s no one here but us… or is it that you don’t want to link arms with me, Lux?”
“N-not at all!!”
I denied it firmly, because that much was absolutely true, and Elizalina-sama smiled.
“Then, from now on, let’s link—”
Just as she was about to say that,
“Master…”
The door to the guest room opened,
And Siana stepped inside.
And upon seeing Elizalina-sama just about to link arms with me, her expression darkened.