The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 67

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It was an academy holiday today.
But I couldn’t simply stay home with Mother.
I had business at the House of Sarion.

If I had to say whether I wanted to go or not, the answer was obvious—of course, I didn’t. But apparently, the previous head of the Sarion family had already spoken with my mother, and they had moved forward with discussions regarding my engagement with Esmeralda.
In short, the previous head of the House of Sarion wished to advance our relationship, and they decided to start with a tea party.
I had no objections to the engagement itself.
If Mother had decided on it, I would follow her wishes—but.
I had absolutely no desire to marry Esmeralda.

Well, she had her merits.
But just because a dog or cat has a well-groomed coat and is well-trained, does that mean you can consider it a suitable partner?
Still, maintaining relations with other noble houses was part of my duty.
If Mother desired me to fulfill the role of Esmeralda’s fiancé, I would devote myself wholeheartedly to that task.

◇◇◇

It would be an exaggeration to say I had been looking forward to this day—the arrangements had been made too hastily.
There’s no helping it; Grandfather is the type to act immediately once he’s made up his mind.
I’m struggling to put my feelings into words.
…Ever since morning, I’ve been in a constant state of turmoil.

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Looking back on the sword tournament, I think I was a little out of my mind.
But if you asked me if I regretted it, honestly, I don’t know.
I certainly feel embarrassed.

But there’s also a part of me that thinks it was worth it.
That’s how I finally became aware of my own feelings.
I realized that Lord Hein is someone who responds to heartfelt sincerity with equal sincerity.
If either of our sword tips had strayed even slightly, I probably would have died.
Conversely, if my blade had pierced even a little deeper, Lord Hein would have been the one to fall.
But I trusted that Lord Hein wouldn’t die, so I thrust my sword with all my might. And Lord Hein, believing in my survival, surely pierced my body with equal force.
If we hadn’t placed such unwavering trust in each other, one of us—or both—would have died.

I had never been looked down upon by Lord Hein.
Until then, I had harbored a certain resentment toward him.
I had felt like he was looking down on me, but that was a misunderstanding.
It’s true he could be a bit brusque.
Cold, perhaps, or something like that—but deep down, he might be far more sincere and passionate than I had imagined.
When Lord Hein’s sword pierced my body, it also pierced through my lingering doubts, shattering them completely.
Since that day, I sometimes unconsciously touch my stomach.

The scar the Lord Hein left there.
I could have had it removed, but I refused the healer’s offer.
This was a mark.
A mark Lord Hein had given me, one that belonged only to me.

◇◇◇

“My lady, Lord Hein Sera Aster has arrived.”

When the waiting maid informed me, my breath caught in my throat.
Ah, the moment had finally come.
Stay calm, I told myself, rising from my chair and heading toward the garden.
Lord Hein had already been led to the courtyard.
He seemed engrossed in the garden, apparently unaware of my presence.

“Lord Hein, thank you for coming today.”

I said.
He slowly turned to face me.
Those pitch-black eyes—I used to be afraid of them.
I once thought they looked like a concentrated form of humanity’s unfathomable malice.
But now I see differently.
Upon closer inspection, Lord Hein’s eyes aren’t black at all. They’re a deep, incredibly rich violet-navy hue.
Like the night sky itself, they’re breathtakingly beautiful.

◇◇◇

“Lord Hein, today… Well, I hope you won’t mind the pretentious chatter of the nobles and simply enjoy your tea.”

I felt frustrated that I could only manage such awkward words.
Why can’t I ever say anything clever?
Yet Lord Hein simply nods slightly, his expression unchanged.

“Ah.”

That was all.
But somehow, it felt like enough.
I offered him a seat and had the maid arrange the tea she had prepared on the table.
The sugar bowl was elegantly decorated, and the cups bore the crest of House Sarion.
It was embarrassingly formal, but such was the nature of our noble lineage.

“How do you find it? The tea leaves were imported from the Duchy of Yggdra in the west.”

“Quite good.”

His reply was curt, but his hand remained firmly clasped around the cup.
It must not be too difficult to drink.
I already understood that Lord Hein expressed his feelings through actions rather than words.

“Speaking of which, I heard something interesting. Apparently, Lord Hein had a Wand Duel with Vice Mage Chief Eugen…”

This rumor had been circulating in the Imperial Capital recently.
The story went that Vice Chief Mage Eugen had taken a liking to Lord Hein and challenged him to a Wand Duel to test his suitability as an apprentice. Lord Hein had then displayed overwhelming skill.
…To be honest, I felt conflicted.
It wasn’t that I doubted Lord Hein’s abilities.
It was because I didn’t particularly like Vice Chief Mage Eugen.

I had met him once when my father took me to see him, but something about his eyes had disturbed me.
It felt like, like I was being licked with his gaze.
I hadn’t even turned ten at the time, but I knew that kind of gaze wasn’t appropriate for a child.
After that, Vice Chief Mage Eugen sent letters requesting to personally tutor me in magic, but I asked my grandfather to decline them all.
I was truly fed up with my father’s enthusiasm for the idea.

“So I did. And?”

Lord Hein said, blinking once.
His eyelashes are so long, I’m jealous.
…Wait, that’s not the point. Right, the Wand Duel.

“S-so… will you become his disciple?”

“Why?”

Lord Hein’s reply was curt, but the slight narrowing of his eyes betrayed his displeasure.

“No, I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Miss Esmeralda, what do you think of him?”

This time, Lord Hein posed the question.
This… how should I answer?
I don’t like him—no, to be blunt, I despise him.
But should I voice that?

As I hesitated, Lord Hein simply said, “I think so too,” and turned his gaze to the courtyard.
His attitude, as if he had read my mind, made me gasp for a moment.
How did he know what I was thinking?
Could there be such a thing as mind-reading magic?
As I pondered this, Lord Hein spoke again.

“Anyone can tell… just by looking at your face.”

Did I really show that on my face?
No, more importantly…
Lord Hein was looking at me.
The thought made it impossible to meet his eyes.

“H-Lord Hein, um…”

There was something I desperately needed to ask.
I was terrified to ask, but right now, I desperately wanted to know the answer—or rather, Lord Hein’s thoughts on the matter.
My tongue wouldn’t cooperate, and I stammered.
But Lord Hein waited patiently.

“Lord Hein, do you… How do you feel about this engagement?”

I finally managed to ask.
What if he actually hates it?
Lord Hein’s answer was—

“Oh! Oh! Lord Hein! Welcome, welcome!”

My father’s boisterous voice echoed through the room, rude, clumsy, careless, and crude as ever.
That man…!