Chapter 25: Chapter 25

Elysia, having caught Cecilia’s gaze, slowly began to curl up the corners of her lips.

"Lady Cecilia! I am sorry I was unable to apologize to you properly last time—!"

"Viktor."

"Yes?"

Led by Cecilia, who had seized my wrist, I left the classroom with her.

"..."

"Cecilia?"

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. I am fine, but..."

"Whew. I came just in case. And, as I thought..."

I was not seeing things... Cecilia’s mana is...

Surging. Which meant her emotions were just as turbulent.

Is it because the woman who stole her fiancé is trying to steal him again, even if only through a contract?

It was possible. Being humiliated by the same woman twice, rather than only once, would surely wound Cecilia’s pride as well.

"Cecilia."

"Yes? Ah... hm?"

When I stepped closer and took Cecilia’s hand, the blue haze spilling from her body gradually began to fade.

"I am all right. Compared to a woman whose outward appearance and inner self differ so greatly, someone kind and beautiful like you, Cecilia..."

"..."

Ah, this was bad. We were in a contractual relationship, so what should I call her? The words would not come to mind.

"I mean... well."

"Cecilia Roienthal!!!"

Just then, someone shouted Cecilia’s name. Whoever it was, thank you!

"...What is it?"

"Huff... huff."

"Sniff... sniff."

Boris approached Cecilia and me with an enraged expression, while Elysia walked beside him, sniffling like a scolded puppy.

She was perfectly fine a moment ago. Why is she walking over here on the verge of tears?

"How dare you... how dare you cause another mana rampage in front of Elysia!"

"A mana rampage... Ah."

As if she had realized something, Cecilia looked at me. Her brightly shining violet eyes began to grow dim.

"What... have I done?"

"Sniff... Boris, please do not be too harsh on Lady Cecilia."

"No, this is already the second time. I will personally ask the Academy faculty to expel Cecilia Roienthal—"

"I do not understand what you are talking about."

"What?"

When I cut Boris off, he looked at me in bewilderment.

"It seems you do not understand the situation. Just now—"

"Let me ask the students of Class B. Did Cecilia come here to speak with Elysia just now?"

"Uh..."

"No?"

"That is right. Cecilia visited Class B to speak with me, her fiancé. She did not threaten Elysia, did she?"

"Th-that blue haze! It is clearly a sign that appears when Cecilia’s mana is about to rampage—"

"Hm."

I pulled Cecilia close and held her against my right side.

"Vi-Viktor..."

"Look."

"Th-the blue haze?"

"Ah... ahh..."

It was far fainter than before, but blue haze was still rising from Cecilia’s body.

After noticing that the haze appeared whenever we made contact recently, I tried some more intense physical contact once.

I had been right. Shame, not just anger, counted as an intense emotion after all.

"Now you have seen it. Cecilia’s emotions were stirred by contact with me. My fiancée is rather shy, you see."

"...That cannot be."

"What?"

"Then why did she not react like that when she was in contact with Crown Prince Baron last year?!"

The instant Crown Prince Baron’s name was mentioned, the blue haze flowing from Cecilia’s body vanished completely.

So Crown Prince Baron is Cecilia’s cold-shower switch.

Just as I thought I ought to remember that and make use of it later—

"I felt nothing of the sort for him."

"What?"

"Even if we were engaged, ours was ultimately a relationship worse than strangers."

"Th-that is..."

"But Viktor is different. Because I sincerely adore him!"

"..."

"..."

At Cecilia’s declaration, the young ladies nearby began letting out little shrieks and squeals. And then—

Thump, thump!

Whether it understood the situation or not, my heart started pounding madly too.

Do not get carried away, heart! Cecilia only said that to sort this situation out... Do not be fooled by a lie meant to conceal our contractual relationship!

"Viktor."

"Uh... yes?"

When Cecilia’s cool hand touched my cheek, I froze where I stood.

"How deeply I adore you..."

At the same time, Boris could not hide his shock at the blue haze pouring from Cecilia’s body.

"Impossible... She is emitting mana while controlling her emotions rather than letting them rampage?"

"Remarkable!"

"Headmaster Arcaine?!"

Arcaine, the Academy headmaster and a great mage said to be the equal of a sage, walked into the center of the commotion.

He looked at Cecilia and me with a faint smile.

"Unlike the rampage you showed last year, Lady Cecilia, you are controlling your mana with great delicacy."

"Yes. It is all thanks to Viktor."

"Though... that was some very intense physical contact. Ahem."

"Ah... that was..."

"Still, rather than harming others, it is something that embraces them. It is almost embarrassing to call it a rampage. Heh heh."

"That is..."

Like a mute who had swallowed honey, Boris stood there frowning, bereft of words, before taking Elysia’s hand.

Then I saw a red haze faintly burning behind Boris’s back.

What is that... Could it be a mana rampage? Boris is...?

"Elysia, let us go."

"Uh... okay."

"...Cecilia Roienthal. I will be watching you."

"Yes. Do as you—"

"Who says you can?"

I hid Cecilia behind my back and glared at Boris.

"Who are you to say that you will watch another man’s fiancée?"

"Uh..."

"Watch your words, Boris Pinell. You are not a sage, merely that person’s disciple. You have no right to speak as you please to another mage."

"Ghk..."

"The moment you lay a hand on Cecilia, I—and the North—will officially lodge a protest with the Mage Tower. Against the words and actions of Boris Pinell, disciple of a Mage Tower sage, who laid hands on my fiancée."

"..."

After swallowing hard, Boris remained frozen in place. I put a hand on his shoulder. He was so skinny that I gave up on my initial thought of squeezing hard to warn him, settling instead for a sharp look.

"Get lost. Now."

"..."

Boris walked away as though fleeing, with Elysia trotting along after him.

"Hehe. How fun."

Elysia’s expression made me flinch for a moment, but I turned around to calm Cecilia, who was clutching the hem of my clothes behind me.

"Cecilia."

"..."

"Are you all right?"

"..."

"If this is difficult for you, please tell me. We can use a gate right now and return to Walterheim Estate—"

"Pfft... I am... sorry."

"Yes?"

Her face bright red, Cecilia covered it with both hands, utterly at a loss.

"W-what did I just say..."

"Cecili—"

Feeling the gazes around us, I sighed and led Cecilia away.

"Whew. I apologize. There are too many eyes and ears around you, Cecilia, so I did not think we could speak properly here..."

Bonk.

"...Cecilia?"

"My face... is a complete mess right now..."

"..."

"Do not look at me."

After bumping her forehead against my back with a little bonk, Cecilia rested her head there silently for some time.

"Whew..."

"Have you calmed down?"

"Yes. But, Viktor."

"Yes."

"Do not turn around."

"..."

I wanted to check on Cecilia’s condition immediately, but if she refused, there was nothing I could do.

If I turn around and Cecilia gets angry, she might rampage... No, even before that...

I did not want to disappoint Cecilia.

This is... simply my own selfish desire... Whew.

"Viktor."

"Yes."

"Thank you for protecting me earlier."

"It was only natural."

"Because I am within your fence."

"...Yes."

My answer came just a little late, but Cecilia would understand.

"I see."

Bonk. Bonk.

"Cecilia?"

Worried because Cecilia was tapping her head against my back, I tried to turn around.

"No."

"..."

"Hehe."

To think a single word from her could make my body freeze.

...Could this be Cecilia’s magic?

"It is strange. Even without looking into Your Grace’s eyes, my face has turned red."

"...Because of that illness?"

"Hmm..."

Bonk.

After humming as though she were considering something, Cecilia bumped her head against my back.

"Yes. It must be. Probably."

"Probably...?"

"Hehe."

"Cecilia, this is no time to joke. Fortunately, the mana rampage is heading in a good direction, but the illness you have could become entangled with the mana rampage if things go wrong—"

"Honestly."

Bonk. Bonk.

"Viktor."

"Yes."

"Sometimes you protect me beyond the terms of our contract, and I think it makes my illness worse."

"Gasp."

Because of my actions?

"Th-that..."

That was not good. I was already holding myself back, but was it dangerous even so?

"...I am sorry."

"Hehe?"

"Cecilia?"

"It feels like... a huge dog made a mistake and is hanging its head."

"Cecilia, do not tell me..."

I turned my head to look at Cecilia.

Poke.

"Mm?"

"Honestly, I told you not to turn around. You are awful!"

"...You look all right, Cecilia."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

As I blankly stared at Cecilia’s finger, which had poked my cheek, she began to smile brightly.

"But, Viktor."

"Yes."

"Earlier, you pulled me into your arms so urgently."

"..."

"That..."

"Protecting one’s fiancée is a fiancé’s duty."

"That is true. But it made my heart race so much..."

Cecilia whispered into my ear.

"I had never experienced anything like it before."

"Cecilia?"

"Yes?"

"...Is this from one of those romance novels too?"

Was this what they called flirting in that [Tamed the Northern Grand Duke!] novel I had seen before?

"Hm."

Cecilia stared at me for a long moment, then slowly shook her head.

"No."

"What? Then what is it?"

"...It just came out naturally."

"..."

"Is this not something a fiancée might do for the fiancé who helped her?"

"This is bad for my heart."

"My, Viktor’s ears..."

"Ghk."

With great difficulty, I suppressed the urge to pull Cecilia, smiling sweetly up at me, into my arms. After seeing her off, I returned to the classroom.

"Whew."

"...Um."

"Hm?"

The one who greeted me was Princess Luisilla, waving with an awkward smile.

"Um..."

"Please, speak."

"You... seem close. The young lady and Your Grace... you seem like a very good... couple, I suppose."

"..."

"Eep. Did I say something wrong—"

"Thank you."

My opinion of Princess Luisilla rose. If she needed help someday, I ought to help her out.

**

Once Viktor had taken his seat, Princess Luisilla recalled what had happened earlier.

If... if I had been there, Lady Cecilia and Grand Duke Walterheim would have been terrifying...!

Cecilia had emitted a haze of mana visible even to Luisilla, who could not use magic.

And Viktor had effortlessly subdued Cecilia, only to be praised by the Academy headmaster for guiding her properly.

And he even cornered that obnoxious redheaded bookworm...

Viktor, Cecilia’s fiancé, must have played an enormous role in Lady Cecilia’s rapid growth after she had been regarded as nothing special until last year. Were they not an incredible... truly incredible couple?

"You seem like a very good... couple, I suppose."

B-but no matter what, would the cold Northern Grand Duke really react to such praise—

"...Thank you."

He does?!

The information Princess Luisilla had in her mind about Viktor began to tangle into confusion once more.

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