I Tried to Become a Worthless Scumbag to Break Our Engagement for His Happiness, but Instead I Was Hugged, Kissed, and Sworn Eternal Love by the Ice Knight (BL) - CHAPTER 16

A shortage of staff so serious that they had to hire a former fiancé. Just what on earth had happened at the academy? Fleck was uneasy.

But he wasn’t the kind of man to lose sleep from worry, so—just as Heliosphere had told him—Fleck ate a full dinner and slept soundly. For the first time in a long while, there was no monster raid on his sleeping quarters, and he slept without even a dream until morning. At breakfast, Fleck ate with great energy, munching happily.

“It’s just an ordinary meal, and yet you look like it’s delicious?”

His sister, sitting across from him, asked with a touch of disbelief. Fleck swallowed a sausage, its skin crisp and its meat packed with flavor.

“On the front lines, meals were often… pretty terrible.”

“Oh? I thought you were eating lavishly on monster meat every day.”

“We were forced to eat that disgusting monster meat.”

“Here, monster meat is considered tasty and treated as a luxury, so that’s surprising.”

“They probably make us eat it just to see if it’s actually edible, right?”

“There’s a very high chance of that, I would say.”

“Now I kind of want to taste the bad kind for myself.”

“My, Sister…”

His brisk elder sister and his gentle sister-in-law seemed to get along well, their exchange as natural as real sisters. Watching them from the side, Fleck stuffed a piece of freshly baked bread into his mouth.

His father, brother, and brother-in-law had already left, hurrying to make up for the two days they had taken off. His mother, too, was already out, making the rounds to greet others and announce Fleck’s safe return, so she was not at the house either.

“Today you’re wearing your brother’s hand-me-downs again, but we really need to have some clothes made for you soon.”

Since Fleck had been away during his growth years, he had no proper clothes that fit.
He had neither formal wear, nor casual wear, nor even a school uniform. The only thing he owned was the civil officer’s uniform he had worn out on the front lines. It was nothing but rags.

So today, just like yesterday, he wore his brother’s hand-me-downs. But, whether lucky or unlucky, the clothes were slightly too small, while the shoes were too big. So, as his sister had said when she stood up to make arrangements, Fleck truly needed new clothing that fit his body.

On the front, fashion was unnecessary. Life was simple. All he had to do was wear the civil officer’s uniform provided to him. It had been very easy.

Now, having grown used to that ease, Fleck thought that keeping himself neat and proper was such a hassle. But when he remembered he would be standing at the side of that icy prince more and more, he realized he had no choice but to be dressed appropriately. His feelings were complicated.

“Please make sure you confirm with Lord Rocka about when you have time off.”

His sister-in-law, who had been eating breakfast at a slower pace, reminded him once again. She also said it would be unacceptable for him to keep wearing clothes that didn’t fit tomorrow or the day after, then left to continue the embroidery work she had started before her marriage.

Left alone, Fleck drank down his glass of fresh milk, then gazed off into the distance, wishing from the bottom of his heart that he could return to the east.

But when the butler came to announce that the carriage had arrived, he had no choice but to stand up.