We seemed to talk in an amicable atmosphere, but actually we didn’t. In the end, our conversation ended when the marquis clapped both hands to his head with a sigh. I cautiously comforted him, who seemed very distressed, by saying, “Tia will be fine. Don’t worry too much. ”

“Where is the High Priest? If I could have my way, I would rather dispatch the forces to bring him here.”

“Hasn’t he said he would come back soon? So, you will have good news sooner or later. So, don’t worry and finish eating. Tia will be very sad when she finds out that you were haggard like this.”

“Thank you, but I really don’t feel up to food. How can I have food when she is sick in bed like that?”

“You should hang in there in a situation like this. You will be able to get even with those who poisoned her when you are strong.”

“… That makes sense. I’ll do so.”

The marquis, who seemed to stop for a moment at the word “get even,” nodded, with his eyes sparkling fiercely. Then he asked in a somewhat combative manner, “By the way, did you call her Tia?”

“…Oh, I’m sorry if you were offended. ”

“Not really. Well, I knew early on that you set your heart on my daughter.”

“…”

When I was silent, at a loss about how to respond, he unexpectedly smiled faintly and said, “I never thought about telling you this, but let me tell you something in return for you saving her life in the recent attack. Why do you think I’m teaching you fencing in person?

“Isn’t it because of the deal between my family and yours?”

“Well, do you know that? Tia may not know it, but the fencing skills that I’m teaching you are only passed to the immediate members of the family.”

“Really? If so…”

At that moment, my eyes were opened wide because something came to my mind. Did he have that plan in mind? Given the marquis’s attitude, I knew he didn’t want to send her daughter to the imperial family. And I knew he had a more favorable view of me after I saved her life, but little did I think he would give me such a big chance.

“Then…am I guessing right? Are you giving me a chance to date her?”

“Yes. Of course, but you need to win her heart first.”

“Thank you, sir! Thank you very much!”

It was the first time that I was so thrilled since she passed out. I felt a bit strange when the marquis asked to teach me fencing in person, but I didn’t know that only the immediate members of the family could learn the fencing skills he taught me.

In other words, what he said was that he gave me the duty of passing on his skills to the next generation on behalf of the successor who could not inherit his skills. There was no chance that he would leave it to an outsider, so his point was that he would tacitly acknowledge me as her potential spouse.

My depression until now seemed to change into hope. But it instantly went away when I recalled her who hadn’t yet regained consciousness.

Looking up at the room upstairs where she was sick in bed, I clenched my teeth.

‘Please, hang in a little longer, Tia. I know it’s very hard and painful, but just hang in there until the high priest arrives. Will you do that for me, Tia? Can we see each other again?’

***

“Sein, did you decide who you would like to dance with at your coming-of-age party?”

“…No. I haven’t decided yet. ”

“Really? Then, can I recommend some candidates?”

It’s already been two months since Tia passed out. And my coming-of-age ceremony was just around the corner.

I smiled bitterly at my mother, who looked at me expectantly. In fact, I once thought of asking Tia to dance with me at the ceremony because although she was the crown prince’s fiancee, I had the liberty of choosing my dancing partner as the hero on that day.

Just a few months ago, I was agonizing hard about how to confess to her and whether she would accept my request. But she was sick in bed with poisoning for the past two months.

I was so frustrated. When my lover was dying, how could I toy with the idea of selecting my dancing partner? What’s the big deal even if I did not dance? Granted that dancing was an important practice at the coming-of-age ceremony, wasn’t it a one-time dance?

When I thought of her as my dancing partner, I placed a lot more weight on the dance, but as she was sick now, I didn’t care that much about it.

“Why don’t you answer? Do you have a woman in mind?”

“… Well, can you choose any good girl for me? I don’t care.”

“Oh my, it is your coming-of-age party. Why should I select a girl for you? Can you think of one, please? It seems that the eldest daughter of the Whir family likes you. How about her? Oh, that girl from the Burt family looks pretty and good. The League family’s daughter is also cute and charming…”

While letting the girls’ names in one ear and out the other, I once again recalled her face. I missed her mysterious smile so much today.

“Lady Jena, can I ask you to dance with me?”

As if she was dumbfounded, she contorted her face gradually. People around me began to whisper here and there. They would never have imagined that I, the son of the leader of the pro-emperor faction, would have asked Lady Jena to dance, the foster daughter of Duke Jena, the leader of its archrival noble faction.

In fact, I didn’t think of this idea from the beginning. I was worried that if I danced with a girl that my mother chose for me, I would be entangled with her later. As it turned out, I instantly decided to take Lady Jena as my dancing partner, who must have attended my party out of courtesy.

Every noble knew that my family was in an irreconcilable feud with the Jena family, so there would be some who would take issue with my choice, but it was much better for me because I had no chance of getting entangled with a daughter of a pro-emperor faction member.

“It’s my honor, Sir Carsein.”

As if she was conscious of people looking at her, she quickly changed her facial expression and smiled at me, but her eyes were burning with fiery anger.

Giggling at her, I reached out politely, something I was not accustomed to. It was a perfect example of showing manners to a lady as described in the etiquette book, so much so that even Tia could praise me if she saw me now.

Suddenly, I missed her.

I miss you, Tia. How good it would have been for you to be here! If so, I wouldn’t have to worry about being tied up with a girl I am not interested in, nor dance with Lady Jena and her nasty character, who is staring at me fiercely now.

When I stepped to the tune, Lady Jena withdrew her smile and questioned fiercely, “Sir, why did you choose me as your dancing partner?”

“Oh, no particular reason. As you are one of the candidates for the crown prince’s wife, I just asked you to dance out of courtesy.”

“Oh my… Out of courtesy? When did you pay attention to manners?”

“Hmm? I didn’t know you were so interested in me. Gee, maybe you were not interested in me, right? If so, I’m sorry. I’m not interested in you at all.”

When I answered in a sarcastic manner, I felt she was raising her heel, clenching her teeth.

I chuckled at her, avoiding her heel aimed for my foot. Having her step on my foot once was enough for me.

When I was done dancing with her in a combative style, she turned quickly after nodding with a cold look. I approached her and whispered into her ears, “Let me tell you this, just in case. If you are one of those who poisoned Tia, you had better prepare for it. Let me swear on my sword, you’re gonna pay for this.”

I showed due manners to her who flinched at the moment, then passed her and headed for the group of young men affiliated with the pro-emperor faction.

I missed that woman who resembled the sword.