Chapter: 11
The first crisis had passed.
After that, the people of Alosé returned to Alosé, and Dielo and I went back to the Argenta main house, citing that Argenta had urgent work to attend to.
And that night.
I let out a sigh and flopped onto the bed.
“Phew.”
A sigh just escaped me naturally.
I really didn’t expect him to come to check!
I thought Duke Alosé wouldn’t just stay still.
“Still… isn’t demanding proof a bit much?”
What kind of proof did he expect?
And approached me in a child’s form!
I knew he probably approached that way because it’s easiest to lower someone’s guard, but even if I had to show proof in my adult form, it would’ve been just as embarrassing.
Coming at me like a child—what kind of stunt is that!
“Ugh.”
I had to admit, Alosé could be cruel.
Just as I abruptly sat up from the bed—
―click
Through the slightly opened door, Dielo’s face peeked in.
“…May I come in, Crua?”
Wait, does that mean he’s using the honeymoon room alone?
I nodded.
“Of course.”
I tapped the spot beside me, and he came in with a pleased expression.
“Sorry I couldn’t stay with you earlier today. Something urgent came up at the coastal front.”
I shook my hand in response to his apology.
“That’s fine, since it was something urgent anyway. It might’ve looked strange to see me, who barely knows Argenta’s affairs, in the study.”
Even for a sweet couple…
“Besides, I kept looking toward the study several times.”
“…Yes?”
Dielo blinked.
Why is he flustered again? I burst out laughing.
“Wondering when you’d come down… like a bride eagerly waiting for her husband.”
Dielo, who had been blinking, smiled apologetically.
“Even so, I didn’t come down. I must’ve been a bad husband.”
“But at least Duke Alosé won’t think we’re a mismatched couple.”
I shrugged. That was enough.
“Oh, and about Duke Alosé.”
This was definitely information worth sharing.
I tapped the collarbone area as he sat down next to me.
“I checked it out before leaving.”
“…!”
Dielo’s eyes widened.
After hesitating a bit, he asked carefully,
“…Directly?”
His face looked slightly troubled.
At that, I scrunched my face as well.
If Duke Alosé had been standing there instead of that watcher earlier, who on earth would I have to show what to…?
“No, someone else.”
Someone else. Really someone else! A completely different person, even a woman!
I shook my hands and gestured frantically to deny it.
Eventually, Dielo held my hands to calm me down.
“Alright. I almost misunderstood Duke Alosé.”
He said it in a firm tone.
“No, anyway… he’s the enemy, so misunderstanding doesn’t matter…”
I muttered, looking at him.
This person, in fact, needed to misunderstand Duke Alosé a bit more.
After all, he’s the one who killed the previous Duke and Duchess Argenta!
“…Anyway, thanks to that, the first crisis is over.”
Dielo tilted his head at my words.
“The first crisis… you mean…?”
“You won’t keep watching me in the future?”
I tapped his chest lightly.
“Duke Alosé is just waiting for me to remove this lily.”
The more sincere Dielo Argenta was to his marriage partner, the clearer this would remain.
Right now, it was naturally vivid.
And for the next two months, it wouldn’t fade.
Until the real Perro appeared.
“I see.”
Dielo’s expression turned serious. I tapped his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. It will look exactly the same until the real Perro arrives.”
Relax! Ease up your expression! I gave him a bright smile.
“Oh, but. Before that, I thought of something we should make sure of.”
Then I remembered something I had wanted to ask since earlier today.
Especially after seeing Piele and the other Argenta maids.
“What is it?”
I looked at Dielo seriously before asking.
“Exactly who in Argenta knows about our secret? I know at least Piele knows.”
Knowing who in Argenta is aware of our political marriage would make future actions much easier.
“Ah.”
At Piele’s name, he slightly parted his lips, looking surprised.
He must have thought I didn’t know about her.
“She’s not so clueless that she wouldn’t notice.”
I crossed my arms.
“If I was colluding with someone that stupid, Dielo would be in trouble too, right?”
Dielo finally smiled as if conceding.
“Right, Piele knows.”
And he admitted it obediently.
I didn’t bother telling him that Piele knew she was a maid.
It would only make things suspicious.
Instead, I moved a little closer to him.
And asked quietly,
“I’ll tell you who I can truly trust in Argenta.”
We had to be extra careful around anyone else.
Dielo touched his chin, then tilted his head.
“You can relax about that, Crua.”
Relax? About what?
“At least on this floor of the mansion, there’s no need to worry.”
This floor of the mansion? The 4th floor, where this room is?
I blinked, not understanding.
Then he said something like a thunderbolt.
“Anyone from Argenta who goes to and from the 4th floor—you can trust them.”
“?”
I blinked several more times, unable—or unwilling—to comprehend.
No way…?
“All Argenta family members who come to this floor know?”
Even if it’s just the 4th floor, how many rooms are here? How many maids and knights manage them?
To my words,
My innocent accomplice,
“Yes.”
He nodded with a bright smile.
…Oh, this idiot.
I pressed my forehead while looking at his pure, shining face.
“You really don’t have to worry.”
Seeing him speak so innocently, I felt like I was going crazy.
―Fwoosh!
At that moment, flames flickered at Dielo’s fingertips.
He looked back at me and said,
“Especially those with this ability who go to the 4th floor—you can trust them as true Argentas.”
“……”
His clear blue eyes sparkled as he looked at me.
Can someone… really be this naive?
Where should I even start explaining?
Not everyone in the world is kind.
People sometimes know how to betray.
“That is…”
I couldn’t continue speaking. Dielo, who had extinguished the flames, laughed.
“You don’t have to worry about Argentas on the 4th floor betraying anyone, Crua.”
He tapped my shoulder, reassuring me.
“True Argentas know that betrayal is foolish.”
Well… I looked up at the ceiling, then back at him.
“…Dielo, everyone knows betrayal is foolish. More precisely, they know that if they betray and fail, they’ll be ruined.”
And they probably also know that if betrayal succeeds, it becomes justice.
Not all who betray consider destruction while acting.
Even with my calm words, Dielo remained unmoved.
Instead, he just smiled in his way.
“I understand your worries, Crua.”
He looked into my eyes. Seeing his blue eyes, I felt like I was going insane.
How could someone… be so purely innocent?
He smiled gently and said,
“Once you know what kind of people the Argentas are, your worries will lessen a lot.”
He wrapped his arm around me reassuringly. Then, looking a bit thoughtful, he gently hugged me.
His soft lips touched my neck briefly and pulled away. Not as deep as yesterday, but enough to startle.
“…It’s okay if I practice, right?”
I asked, lifting slightly where Dielo had buried his face into my neck.
“Of course.”
Of course! I tried to hide my flushed face unconsciously.
―Click.
Fortunately, as soon as I finished speaking, the lights gradually went out. Maintained by Argenta’s power.
“Good night.”
His arms whispered softly as they laid me onto the soft bed.
And the room was completely engulfed in darkness.
The next morning, I found myself thinking about my future position.
Soon, the real Perro would come here, and Argenta would seriously confront Alosé, making it impossible for me to return to Alosé.
Technically, following the promise with Dielo, I would inevitably be pro-Argenta.
Though I would relinquish the Argenta name and leave the mansion, my life would remain closely tied to Argenta.
That was inevitable.
But.
“…You want me to do this?”
“Yes. The head of the family asked you to try.”
Piele presented a contract with a bright smile.
This was why I had been worrying about my future position since early morning.
