Descriptive:
Chloe’s fiancé Tobias has a younger sister, Celestia, who disappeared when she was a child. Chloe happened to find her while patrolling the orphanage, and the two were reunited. However, Chloe has given up all of her social activities, which she had been doing vigorously up until now.
title: I just realized that I’m in love with my fiance, but he dotes on my sister and doesn’t feel anything for me, so I’m sure I’ll end up heartbroken
Copyright: Syosetu
Author: Shiki Natsuka
I, Chloe Garcia, am engaged to Tobias Fernand. Due to family ties, we were engaged when I was ten and he was twelve, and for the next seven years, we have been happily engaged.
Tobias is the eldest son of the Marquis Fernand family. He has beautiful, soft blonde hair, hazel eyes, is tall, and has a refreshing face. He is very popular with the ladies, with friends often saying things like, “I’m so jealous that you’re engaged to Tobias.” He has been proactively acquiring various knowledge in preparation for his succession to the Marquis family, and has a very good reputation in high society. As his fiancée, I also tried to be careful about my knowledge, behavior, and appearance so that I would not be ashamed of myself as a future bride to the Marquis family.
There is no romantic feeling between Lord Tobias and me. However, marriages between nobles are often like that. I thought that we could have a good relationship as a husband and wife.
That is, until they find Lady Celestia, Lord Tobias’s long-lost sister.
Lord Tobias has a younger sister, two years younger than him… the same age as me. Her name is Celestia, and when Lord Tobias was seven and she was five, they went missing while secretly out in town. It was assumed that she had been kidnapped, and the Marquis Fernand family used all their resources to track down Lady Celestia, but her whereabouts remained unknown. It seems that Lord Tobias has always regretted taking her down to town. Even after he became engaged to me, he rarely spoke about his sister, and out of consideration for him, I also didn’t bring it up.
And so, she was suddenly found. It wasn’t the result of a tireless search by the Marquis’ family – I just happened to find her.
As part of my charitable work, I often made the rounds to the orphanages in my territory. As I visited Lord Tobias’ mansion, I also began to visit the orphanages in his territory, and this year, when I made my social debut, I also visited an orphanage in the royal capital while staying there. Since orphanages closer to the castle tend to attract the attention of nobles and often receive donations, I visited an orphanage on the outskirts of the royal capital that doesn’t get much attention, and when I visited an orphanage on the outskirts of the royal capital, I saw the resemblance of my fiancée in the face of the young woman who greeted me.
I thought she looked a bit like Lord Tobias, then I looked at her eyes. I was frozen because they were the same hazel color as his. I then looked at her hair, which was a dull blonde, and it was a completely different color to Lord Tobias’ beautiful hair color. Still, my heart was fluttering, and as she greeted me with a sense of embarrassment, the first thing I asked was, “Is that blonde dyed?”
She looked surprised, but then nodded and explained that her hair was originally a lighter blonde, but that it was not a very commoner-like color and she thought it might cause trouble, so she dyed it with a cheap dye.
At this point, I was already half certain, so I asked her about her past. She said that she had been in a carriage accident when she was a child, and everyone on board had died except for her. There was nothing in the carriage that could identify her family or her identity, and she had been left in the care of this orphanage, which was close to the scene of the accident, and now that she was grown, she works as a nursery teacher. Perhaps because of the shock of the accident, she had almost no memory of what happened before that.
The carriage she was in was probably a kidnapper’s or a slave trader’s carriage or something of that nature. There was no way she had anything on board that could identify her. She had been kidnapped and was being taken to the royal capital when she had an accident, lost her memory, and had been spending this entire time here.
That absurd idea turned into certainty every time I saw the image of Lord Tobias in her. I came to the royal capital with him, and told the knight accompanying him to contact him at a gathering with another nobleman. Eventually, he received my message and came to the orphanage.
I didn’t want to give him false hope so I didn’t tell him the details, so he had a confused look on his face when he got off the carriage. He probably didn’t understand why his fiancé had called him to an orphanage, even interrupting a gathering. However, the moment he saw her face next to me, his eyes widened and he shouted, “Celestia!”, louder than I had ever heard him before.
The same was true for her. It seemed that her vague memories were brought back all at once by seeing her relatives. “Brother!” she called out, and Lord Tobias ran up to her and embraced her – Lady Celestia – tightly.
I was alone, staring blankly at the siblings’ reunion.
To me, Lord Tobias has always been my calm and collected older fiancé, a perfect man whom I respected and admired, and wanted to be worthy of being his fiancé.
But I was wrong. He was still a young man of 19. After losing his sister, he felt a sense of responsibility and tried to remain an adult. That’s what I realized when I saw how he treated Lady Celestia.
“Chloe, come in.”
“Chloe, welcome.”
When I arrived at the townhouse of the Marquis Fernan family in the royal capital, I was greeted by Lord Tobias. Standing next to him was Lady Celestia, as if that was the most natural thing to do.
Lady Celestia’s face brightened when she saw me, and she awkwardly bowed in the aristocratic manner. I returned the bow with perfect manners, and Lady Celestia looked back at me with sparkling eyes. Lord Tobias watched over her with kindness.
“As expected, Chloe-sama is really wonderful…! All of her tutors have also praised her.”
“Celestia said she wanted to be like Chloe, so I made sure all of her tutors were people who had taught Chloe. Because I know her so well, I think I was able to open up to her about it.”
After saying this to me, Lord Tobias looked at Lady Celestia and smiled, “Although it’s only been a short time since you started your training, you’re doing very well.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Lady Celestia seemed to feel indebted to me for finding her and connecting her to the Marquis’s family. It wasn’t just gratitude, I felt like she also had feelings of admiration, if not vanity. She would often appear in front of me when I came to see Lord Tobias like this, and talk with me and with Lord Tobias. It seemed like Lady Celestia liked hearing stories about my past with Lord Tobias from me.
“What was it like when you and your brother got engaged?”
“Since it was an arrangement between our parents, it wasn’t anything special. I was being guided through the gardens by Lord Tobias, and we were talking about how ‘when we get back, the engagement will probably have already been arranged’.”
“Eh, no romance…”
“Celestia.”
Sitting around the tea set prepared in the gazebo of the Marquis’s house, Tobias, Celestia and I would have tea. It was becoming a common sight for the three of us.
Tobias scolds Lady Celestia in a reproaching tone, and although he has a troubled look on his face, he looks at her kindly.
“But Tobias, who was my escort, was a very kind person. He was still the same, but he was very reliable… he’s someone I’ve always admired.”
“Oh… Big Brother…!”
As she said this, Lady Celestia gave Tobias a meaningful look. Tobias’ brow furrowed, he cleared his throat, and looked back at Lady Celestia.
“Celestia, it’s about time for afternoon classes to start. It’s time to go.”
“Yes, I understand.”
She shrugged her shoulders in a manner unbecoming of an aristocrat, then quickly rose to her feet, bowed to me and Lord Tobias, and returned to the mansion with the maids. Although she was not like an aristocrat, her behavior was cheerful and lovable, and even endearing. Perhaps Lord Tobias felt this more than I did.
“…I’m sorry my sister caused so much trouble.”
“No, I’m having a great time. And you’ve gotten really good at curtseying, too.”
“Compared to you, I still have a long way to go.”
As he said this, Lord Tobias looked towards the mansion with a very gentle expression on his face. It was a completely different expression from the one he had towards me… and it made my chest ache slightly.
Pretending not to notice, he put his hand on the cup in front of him. Tobias’s expression remained as gentle as ever as he began, “Celestia…”
“She said she enjoyed her life at the orphanage. It’s complicated, but it was probably better than living a hard life.”
“…That’s right. When I first saw her, she was dressed simply, but had a look of satisfaction on her face.”
“I’m glad then. But from now on, I want you to live happily as a member of the Fernand family.”
“I believe that Lord Tobias’ feelings have reached her.”
I said with a smile. Tobias smiled gently, replied “Thank you,” and then shrugged his shoulders.
“You’re the only one who understands my feelings for my sister in this way, Chloe. All my friends say that I seem like a different person after seeing how I treated Celestia. What do they think I am?”
“Such topics have come up a lot recently around me too.”
During the daytime tea parties for the young ladies, Lady Celestia, who had returned to the Marquis’ household for the first time in twelve years, was a hot topic of conversation. Though she had not yet made an appearance in high society, Tobias had stopped all outside activities to focus on looking after Lady Celestia, and the young ladies were surprised at how much he doted on his sister, a stark contrast to his previous impression of being the eldest son devoted to his responsibilities. I was often asked about what kind of person Lady Celestia was, how things were going at Tobias’ mansion, and other such things.
Of course. I had always thought of him as a responsible person, devoted to his work. I was quite surprised when he said that he would do whatever work he could at the mansion, but would stop socializing until Lady Celestia got used to life as an aristocrat. However, having watched him for years as his fiancé, I somehow sensed that his seriousness was due to his guilt over his missing sister, so I simply said “I understand” and did not stop him from doing so. Apparently, the sons around him said that he should leave his education to the teachers and continue his social activities as before, and Lord Tobias seemed a little dissatisfied with that.
“Don’t you think I should be spending more time on social activities, Chloe?”
“Time between siblings is very important. Having experienced the loss of that time once, I’m sure Tobias-sama feels its importance even more. So, I don’t think so myself. And besides, I’m taking care of all the social interactions in your place, so don’t worry.”
When I answered that, Tobias replied apologetically, “I’m sorry.”
I shook my head at his words. I had no complaints about his policy. I knew that Tobias had been very active in social activities up until now, and this was my seventeenth year of social life, so I was able to participate in such events, and I thought in my heart that I should go instead.
“I’m so lucky to have a fiancé like you.”
“…Is that so? That’s good to hear.”
“……Chloe?”
It seems Tobias noticed that I had taken a moment to respond. He looked at me with a quizzical frown. I smiled, shook my head, and answered, “Nothing.”
Tobias-sama stares at me for a while and gives me a wry smile. I quickly glance at the maid next to me, and she understands what I’m saying and says, “Sorry for interrupting you.”
“Chloe-sama, it’s about time we left; we have to prepare for the afternoon tea party.”
“That’s right, thank you… Lord Tobias, I will excuse myself here.”
“…Ah, thank you. I’ll see you off.”
As he said this, Lord Tobias gave me a beautiful smile. It was a smile that was somehow different from the gentle expression he gave to Lady Celestia; it was perfect… one could even say it was artificial.
I smiled back at his expression and was escorted to the waiting carriage. When I got in the carriage and the driver was about to close the door, Tobias suddenly leaned forward and gently touched my eyes as I sat there.
“Eh, Tobias-sama…?”
His sudden action made me open my eyes in surprise. He narrowed his hazel eyes, stared intently at me, and called out my name, “Chloe.”
“…You look a little tired. I’m glad that you’re thinking of me, but please don’t push yourself too hard.”
“…Y-Yes.”
I somehow managed to nod at Tobias’ words. He narrowed his eyes and smiled, then got off the carriage, and the driver finally closed the door.
The carriage started to move, and he disappeared from sight. Now alone in the carriage with the maid, I covered my cheeks with both hands and sighed. I was happy that she had been so considerate to me, that she had noticed my slight fatigue, and I felt a little sad about it all. I bit my lip, feeling the heat in my flushed cheeks.
Although there are no romantic feelings between Tobias and I, I believe we could make a good couple… but my thoughts were completely changed when I found Celestia.
Lady Celestia had grown up in the city and was, in a good way, a carefree person unlike any other aristocrat. After we found her, Lord Tobias was like a stranger to me.
I always tried to be a perfect lady so that I wouldn’t be ashamed of being his fiancée, who was serious and devoted to his work. Even from the outside, I think that my relationship with Lord Tobias was calm, but that was precisely why it looked like we had a trusting relationship. I was convinced that this was the best way to treat him. Unlike the other young ladies around me who were attracted to his looks and status, I thought that the appropriate thing to do as his fiancée was to stay calm and support him.
But I was never able to bring out the gentle smile in him that he had now. Even though I had spent more time with him than I had with Lady Celestia, who I was separated from at the age of five, I had never known that side of him.
I understand that it is presumptuous of me to harbor such competitive feelings towards my own blood relative, Lady Celestia. But I never expected to feel this way about him in the first place. Our relationship was merely that of a contractual fiancé, and I mistakenly thought that he was a good fiancé to me. Perhaps I unconsciously grew proud because I was his perfect fiancé, and because people around me said they were jealous of me.
However, seeing him, I realized that what Tobias needed was not a stiff fiancée like me, but the innocent loveliness of Lady Celestia. He was full of life now, and looked very happy. He never used to touch my cheek like that and show concern for my health. She was the one who was changing Tobias. …Yes, not me.
This emotion is jealousy. I am jealous of Lady Celestia. I know in my head that it’s misplaced, but I’m jealous of her for making him realize that I’m just an uninteresting woman, that I’m not what he needed.
…Come to think of it, it had been that way from the beginning. When I first met him as a potential fiancé, Lord Tobias asked me how old I was and looked sad for a moment. That was probably because Lady Celestia and I are the same age. He must have been wondering if she would have been as tall as me if she hadn’t been kidnapped. I didn’t understand the nuances of such emotions at the time, but the sad look on his face at that time has stayed with me ever since.
It was always Lady Celestia who could make his expression move like that. Unlike me, who always gave him a perfect smile. I realized that I was feeling jealous about that, and for the first time, I realized that I had feelings of love for Lord Tobias.
I didn’t want to realize these feelings now. Because I already knew from his behavior in our long-term engagement that he didn’t have feelings for me, and it was already decided that I would marry him. Our relationship would never change. Even though I was heartbroken, I would live my life as the person closest to him.
I even thought about breaking off our engagement. But there was no way I could break off my engagement with him. I was just feeling devastated, and there was no problem between me and him.
“—Chloe-sama, does Lady Celestia have any thoughts about this?”
I was asked this question by a young lady from another family who was also present at a tea party I attended alone. She was a woman who often told me that she was envious of Chloe for being able to marry Lord Tobias. I had noticed for a long time that when she spoke these words, there was not only pure envy in her eyes, but also a hint of jealousy.
“…What do you mean?”
He said, tilting his head, pretending not to notice the emotion hidden in her gaze.
“Well, Tobias-sama is preoccupied with Celestia-sama, isn’t he? Chloe-sama goes out socially in his place, and doesn’t seem to be able to spend much time with Tobias-sama.”
“Lady Celestia and Lord Tobias have been separated for over ten years, so it’s only natural that they would want to spend time together. I have no qualms about that.”
When I replied to her with a smile, the young lady looked somewhat bored. Perhaps she wanted to ask a mean question and provoke some ill feeling in me.
I had been asked this question more than once. Tobias-sama was already popular due to his looks and status, but now his doting on Celestia-sama attracted even more attention. Now that he was no longer participating in social events, I was often asked questions like this, even though I was the person he had the most contact with, and I simply dodged them.
What she said was, in a way, completely wrong. I am now participating in social gatherings of my own volition. I am not sad that I cannot spend time with him. After all, I am doing this because I want to reduce the number of contacts between Lord Tobias and Lady Celestia. Lord Tobias asked me to help with Lady Celestia’s education…because she admires me so much, but I refused, giving reasons that were not lies but were not true either, that it would be wise for both of us to stay away from social gatherings, and instead we are participating in social gatherings. Of course, I am not participating in evening parties, where it is standard for partners to be present, but only in tea parties, which are held during the day and are a place for young ladies to socialize. Although I was often told such harsh words, I felt more at ease than if I had been watching the two of them interact from up close.
“But I am sure you will be in public by the end of the season. You are seventeen years old, I believe?”
“I’m sure she wants to make her debut this year. That’s why she’s rushing through her education.”
I didn’t reply, but the girls continued to talk. As they were talking, Lord Tobias probably wanted Lady Celestia to make her debut this year. In aristocratic society, youth is an asset for women, so anyone could predict that her environment would change depending on whether she debuted this year or next year.
I wonder who will be her escort if she were to make her debut. Will it be Master Tobias? Will she be escorted by Master Tobias, a privilege that has been mine alone ever since I was engaged to him? If so, who should I ask to escort me?
Thinking about this, I shook my head. There was no point in thinking about it. However, it might be better to ask my brother, who has already inherited the family business, to introduce me to someone.
With these thoughts in mind, I continued to attend tea parties and other social gatherings, until one day, I was summoned by Tobias to his mansion. When I arrived, Celestia was there, as expected.
“—We plan to have Celestia make her debut at the upcoming royal evening party.”
“…I see. Lady Celestia and Lord Tobias, congratulations on your debut into high society.”
Having somewhat anticipated Tobias’ words, I narrowed my eyes and smiled. Lady Celestia, who had been looking nervous, blushed at my words and smiled, “Thank you!”
I gazed upon Lady Celestia once more. Having been polished by her years at the Marquis’s household, her skin had become clearer, her hair had been dyed and was shiny, and she gave off a very different impression from when I first met her. Combined with her natural charm, I thought she was a very cute woman. Her manners still seemed a bit awkward, but I was sure she would be able to make her debut without any problems.
When I told her how I felt, Lady Celestia’s hazel eyes welled up with tears as if she was overcome with emotion. I couldn’t help but giggle at how cute it was that she was so quick to show her emotions, unlike me. Then, I noticed Tobias smiling at us, and I bit my lip tightly.
“–Lord Tobias, I will ask someone else to escort me to the evening party that day.”
“picture?”
Both Lord Tobias and Lady Celestia looked surprised at what I said, but I continued speaking without paying any attention to that.
“Since this is your first evening party, I think Lady Celestia will feel more comfortable with Lord Tobias. I’ve already asked someone else, so don’t worry about it–“
“Wait, wait just a moment, Chloe!”
Lady Celestia called out, cutting me off. I blinked in surprise at her panicked state. Lady Celestia glanced at Lord Tobias from the side, and for some reason, Tobias looked flustered as he called out my name, “Chloe.”
“Is it okay for me, your fiance, to be your partner?”
“Eh, but… what about escorting Lady Celestia?”
“I’ve asked someone else to do that, so there’s no need to worry. …But, um, who are you going to ask to escort you?”
He asked with a somewhat hesitant look on his face, and I tilted my head.
“This is my cousin Adolfo. Lord Tobias thought that he would be escorting Lady Celestia to her debut, so he asked his brother in advance…”
“Well, that’s just unnecessary worry, so you can just decline. There’s no way I would leave you, my fiance, to escort another woman, right?”
“Is that so? Considering how much Lord Tobias dotes on her, I didn’t think it was such an unreasonable guess. He asked me about it a few times.”
Tobias’ brow furrowed slightly at my words. Lady Celestia’s expression became even worse than his and she spoke in an angry tone, “That’s…”
“Are you actually telling Chloe directly that your brother is worried about me and is neglecting Chloe, that he might leave her alone and take me to a party instead?”
“Well, it’s not that direct.”
Nobles tend to be more indirect in their explanations. As expected, no one would say something as direct and insulting as Lady Celestia did, but that’s how it is, to put it bluntly.
“It’s obvious from his actions that Lord Tobias dotes on the little sister he finally found… so he just says things like, “You might need another partner when your sister makes her debut,” or “Should I introduce you to your family?”
“That’s what it means, isn’t it?”
Lady Celestia’s face twisted in anger. She then looked at Lord Tobias and glared at him, “I told you it was okay!”
It would be fine if she only acted like this towards my brother, but if she was like this towards everyone it might be difficult for her to survive in high society. I was thinking about this when Tobias-sama called me by my name, “Chloe,” with a difficult look on his face.
“I’m sorry I left you alone and I had to say those words…”
“No, it’s fine. I thought that might be the case too…”
“That can’t be true, you’re my fiancé.”
“But our engagement was forged through mutual understanding between our parents… and I know that Lady Celestia is the most important person to you. There is no need for you to change your priorities as a result of your obligations to me, Tobias.”
I said this partly as a warning to myself. Tobias’s face changed color, and he looked angry, sad, or something like that. I didn’t understand why he looked like that.
After all, in the seven years since we got engaged, I had sensed his trust in me as a partner from his words and actions, but I had never felt any affection for him.
“Chloe-sama, Big Brother sure loves Big Sister, right?”
Lady Celestia said this in a flustered manner, looking at Lord Tobias. He furrowed his brow and answered, “Yes,” but judging by his expression, it was clear that he was suppressing some emotion.
An awkward atmosphere flowed between us. With a wry smile, I said, “For now, I’ll tell Adolfo to forget about what happened earlier.”
“I look forward to working with you on the day of the evening party, Lord Tobias.”
“…Ah, thank you very much.”
Only Lady Celestia looked from me to Lord Tobias, alternating between them, with an expression that said she didn’t know what to do.
“I can’t believe you would ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to escort Lady Celestia.”
“It will be a good check.”
“I think she’s too nervous and can’t decide on a potential fiancé. I think the young ladies are jealous too.”
“If we were to choose a mediocre escort here, it would only disrespect Celestia. It would be better to show her that she is worthy.”
“Well, certainly, that is true.”
It was the day of the evening party, where Lady Celestia was to make her debut in society. As she walked along being escorted by His Highness the Crown Prince, Lord Tobias and I spoke to each other in whispers. It seemed that Lord Tobias had asked his friend, the Crown Prince, to escort her. I was honestly surprised when Lady Celestia, who never showed up, was finally escorted by His Highness, but she was so beautifully dressed that she looked just as aristocratic as she was next to His Highness.
“But, in that case, I think it would be least disruptive for Lord Tobias to escort her.”
“…I told you that’s not an option, Chloe.”
Tobias said with a troubled look on his face. It seemed that he had no intention of seriously leaving my escort to someone else. I think that in the past, he would have chosen to escort me himself rather than ask His Highness to do it for him, for the sake of efficiency. I wondered if the fact that he hadn’t done so was proof that he had been changed by Celestia, and I returned his smile as I welcomed His Highness and Celestia as they came over.
“Tobias, it is an honor to have the privilege of escorting your precious sister.”
“Thank you for giving me this special opportunity.”
“You’re so stiff, even though we’re friends.”
“…This is an official venue after all.”
As I watched the two of them having a friendly conversation, I turned my attention to Lady Celestia.
“Are you nervous, Lady Celestia?”
“Yes, at least a little bit…”
As she spoke, she looked around without being rude. She seemed more interested than nervous, which made me chuckle. I glanced over at His Highness and Tobias, who seemed to be engaged in lively conversation. Tobias hadn’t attended the evening party for a while because he had been accompanying Celestia, so I imagined they had a lot to talk about.
“Your Highness, may I borrow Lady Celestia for a little while?”
“Yes, of course. She is like a little sister to you. I assume this will also be your first evening party, Miss Celestia? Miss Chloe is very reliable, so as long as you follow her there will be no problem.”
“Chloe, Celestia…”
“Lord Tobias, I’m sure there will be many people who would like to speak to you at this evening party, which is the first time in a while. I will also introduce Lady Celestia to the ladies.”
Saying this in a low voice to Lord Tobias, I untied his hand from mine and took Lady Celestia’s instead.
“Let’s go, Lady Celestia.”
“Y-Yes, thank you very much.”
She nodded, so I took her with me, left Tobias, who still seemed to want to say something, and introduced the other ladies to Celestia. Following in Tobias’s footsteps, I actively socialize and have quite a few acquaintances, but I took her to meet some relatively harmless people. After exchanging greetings, we enjoyed the desserts and drinks at the venue together. It was my first time enjoying an evening party in this way, and spending time with her, where I didn’t have to be on edge, felt like I was spending time with a real friend.
I’m sure it’s these wonderful qualities of her that have changed Lord Tobias. But deep inside, I also feel a sense of jealousy towards her, which I don’t have. I also feel disgust towards myself for being like that.
“Chloe, what street is this?”
“That’s the break room–Ah, Lady Celestia!”
On her way back from the restroom, she started walking in the opposite direction from the venue. The row of rooms that caught her interest was a resting room in name only… a place prepared by the royal castle for lovers or couples to meet for a one-night stand rather than a public place like a courtyard or terrace where people could get excited and do whatever they wanted, and to be honest, it wasn’t a very safe place.
“Lady Celestia, this is a bit…”
“What business do two young women have in a place like this?”
Just as I was about to stop her, someone suddenly called out to me, and I turned around in surprise. A middle-aged man was standing in front of Lady Celestia and me. Judging from his red face and vacant gaze, it was clear that he was drunk, so I frowned and told Lady Celestia, “Let’s go back.” She also seemed to realize from the man’s condition that this was not a very good place, as her face was slightly pale.
“I just took a wrong turn. I’m heading back to the venue now.”
“Don’t say that. You came here knowing what this place is like.”
As we tried to pass by, the man leaned forward, blocking our path. He looked at us with an expression that seemed to be evaluating us, and his unreserved gaze made me frown.
“Please move, I’m going to yell.”
“Shut up — you insolent woman!”
The man called out loudly. Naturally, there weren’t many people around here, but it was a place where trouble could easily occur, so the knights of the royal castle should be patrolling regularly. He really wanted to leave this place without incident, but if he continued to make a fuss in the hallway, people would soon gather there.
As I was thinking about this, the man suddenly grabbed my arm tightly. I grimaced in pain as he squeezed me tight. “Let go!” I cried out, but the man just glared at me blankly and didn’t seem to let go of my arm, and the knight never showed up.
“–Lady Celestia, please run and call someone.”
“But…”
As I whispered, Lady Celestia’s face turned pale as she looked at me. Even if the two of us resisted, I didn’t think it would improve the situation. The man was clearly drunk and not thinking rationally, so no matter how much I tried to restrain him with words, it would be pointless and would only make him more angry.
“quickly!”
With that, she took off running, her face still pale. The man suddenly looked towards Lady Celestia, so I asked, “Oh, where are you going?”, making him turn his attention to me.
It’s impossible to run faster than a man in a dress, so I had to distract her so she could safely run towards where the people were. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her safely disappear around the corner of the hallway.
…But still, why has the knight not arrived no matter how much time has passed? It’s a complete dereliction of duty. I had to strongly protest to His Highness — just as I was thinking that, the man pulled my arm forcefully.
“It hurts, let go.”
“That must be why you’re here alone. Let’s go to our room quickly.”
“Hey, I don’t mean that! I have a fiancé!”
As if making fun of my words as I glared at him, the man in front of me snorted.
“That’s just a formality. There is no love in an aristocratic engagement.”
My heart skipped a beat at the man’s words. I was reminded of Tobias, who had been treating me differently than Celestia, whom I had let escape earlier.
I let her go because this man had grabbed my arm. That was probably the natural thing to do. But for a moment, I thought to myself that Lord Tobias would be happier if she had been saved. After all, she was probably more important to Lord Tobias than I was.
It was a pessimistic, depressing, nasty thought. From the bottom of her heart, she hated herself for thinking such things, for not being able to be happy about his reunion with his sister, or about the change in his feelings. There was no way someone like me could be liked by him, who was so smart, so cool, and who worked so hard for the family — she couldn’t help thinking that.
I don’t know what the man thought of my silence, but he laughed at me mockingly and said, “Can’t you say anything?”
“That fiancée is bound to move on to another woman anyway.”
“Wha–don’t make fun of him.”
“Shut up! Don’t be so cheeky! Just shut up and follow me!”
The man who wasn’t holding my arm raised his hand high. Realizing that he was going to hit me, I closed my eyes tightly. Then, a different shock hit my body, and the arm that had been tightly gripped suddenly became lighter. Not understanding what had happened, I gently opened my eyes, but the man in front of me was no longer there, and when I shifted my gaze, I saw him lying on the ground. I don’t know if he’d been kicked, punched, or pushed, but the man who had been caught off guard seemed to be completely stretched out.
“Chloe!”
At the same time, I heard a loud voice and was embraced by a warm body. The familiar voice, the scent of cologne, and the warmth I felt for the first time made me feel relieved and embarrassed at the same time. I gently raised my head and saw Tobias-sama looking down at me with a worried look on his face.
“Lord Tobias…”
“Are you okay? Are you injured–“
He stopped talking when he saw the arm that had been held by the man earlier. He looked at his arm and saw that it had a bright red handprint on it, probably because the man had held him with a lot of force. It was so red that it might cause some blood to bleed later.
“That guy–“
Lord Tobias muttered in a low voice I’d never heard before, and glared at the man. Seeing how he looked as if he was going to kill the man, I frantically called out “Lord Tobias” and clung to his body. Then, I heard the sound of footsteps down the hallway, and His Highness, the knights, and Lady Celestia arrived. His Highness seemed to understand the situation in an instant, and ordered the knights to restrain the man and take him to another room.
“He – he hurt Chloe’s skin. He caused her, and Celestia, horrible experiences. I will never forgive him.”
“I know. Miss Chloe, Miss Celestia, I am truly sorry for making you go through this inside the royal castle.”
His Highness bowed to me, but I shook my head in a hurry. “It’s okay,” I replied, and realized my voice was trembling.
Tobias seemed to notice, for he hugged me tighter and his beautiful face contorted as if he regretted his actions.
“Chloe-sama, I’m sorry, I came to this place carelessly…”
As Lady Celestia spoke in a tearful voice, Lord Tobias looked at her sharply.
“Celestia, I know you had fun, but don’t overdo it. She would have stopped coming here.”
“Oh, that’s not it, Tobias-sama, I didn’t explain it properly either…”
“Your Highness… it’s strange that there are no guards here, it’s obvious that trouble like this will occur.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll try to find out why this happened, but… I’m really sorry.”
Lord Tobias seemed genuinely angry. He hugged me tightly and gave both Lady Celestia and His Highness a stern look. Then he looked at me and said, “I’m sorry.”
“You’re just taking your anger out on everyone… I should never have taken my eyes off Chloe and Celestia in the first place.”
“That’s not true, I… I couldn’t fulfill the role you asked me to…”
I knew from the beginning that Lady Celestia was unfamiliar with evening parties. It was only because I am a woman that I was able to accompany her, but I ended up putting her in danger. As I looked down in disappointment, Lord Tobias said in a slightly irritated tone, “What are you talking about?”
“Tobias, calm down. You should all stay at the castle tonight. I’ll prepare your rooms.”
“…I want Chloe and I to share a room.”
“Huh?”
“That’s fine, but… let’s have a proper discussion.”
“I know.”
Tobias’s embrace tightened. I didn’t know what to do, and couldn’t keep up with this development at all. I just curled up in his arms.
After comforting Lady Celestia, Lord Tobias left her in the care of a familiar maid and brought me to the guest room we had been assigned. During that time, he held my hand tenderly, and this action of his that I had never experienced before made me nervous the whole time.
“You should finish taking a bath.”
“Ah, yes.”
As instructed by Lord Tobias, I quickly finished my bath. When I removed the bandages from my arm, which had already been treated, it had turned a mottled purple color. I grimaced at the unpleasant color, quickly dried myself off, and returned to my room. Lord Tobias had already changed into his nightgown and was sitting on the sofa, it seemed, after only wiping his body with hot water.
He frowned when he saw my arm and said, “Come here.” He sat down next to me on the couch and held out my arm to him, who was holding the bandages. An awkward silence fell between us as he gently wrapped the bandage around me.
“…Pain.”
“There’s not much left now. Sorry for worrying you.”
“Why are you apologizing? You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Tobias’s brow furrowed. He looked deeply regretful, and I was at a loss as to what to say to him.
“But, since it was that place, it was fortunate that it didn’t cause a big fuss. Leaving me aside, Lady Celestia doesn’t have a fiancé yet, and it would be troublesome if a fuss were to occur there and damage her career. I’m glad that it was me who got hurt–“
“There’s no excuse!”
I was shocked by the sudden loud voice of Tobias. He came to his senses and said, “I’m sorry,” with a pained look on his face, and gently held my hand after I had finished bandaging it.
“I can’t say I’m glad that you got hurt. You were shaking at that time. It must have been scary, I’m really… sorry.”
“Oh, no, I…”
My voice trembled as I answered. Tobias’s expression twisted with sadness as he embraced me gently. “Are you scared to be touched like this?” he asked in my ear, and I shook my head slightly.
I’m not scared. If it’s Lord Tobias I don’t feel scared. If anything, his heat makes my heart pound, as I’m not used to it.
“…Chloe.”
“Y-Yes, what’s the matter?”
“It’s been a while since we last had a party, and I’ve heard all kinds of stories. Stories making fun of you, me, and Celestia. They were worse than I’d imagined.”
“a……”
I stiffened at Tobias’ words. He tightened his hold on me slightly.
“Some people said that I love Celestia more than I love you, that I’ve changed since Celestia came… some were surprised that I was escorting you.”
“…”
“I didn’t realize I had let you go out on your own into those rumors. I’m truly sorry.”
Hearing the pain in his voice, I shook my head slowly.
“It’s okay, I wasn’t too worried… and besides, the rumors aren’t necessarily lies.”
“…What do you mean?”
Tobias’s voice tone dropped. He gently let go of me and looked into my face. My heart started pounding as he stared into my hazel eyes. “But…” I began to say.
“I was never able to bring out the expression in you that you show to Lady Celestia. You are perfect in front of me, and I have never seen you so relaxed like you do in front of her. The soft smile you give her is also something special. I knew there were no romantic feelings between us, but…”
“You previously denied that there was any romantic feeling between us, right?”
Tobias’s voice was cold, and I blinked. He looked at me with an angry expression, but I was confused because I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“…But, Lord Tobias, you didn’t have those kinds of feelings towards me, did you? Your attitude towards me was different from how you treated Lady Celestia…”
It was only after she appeared that I realized that Lord Tobias had such an expression, that he showed emotion like this. In my mind, he had never shown a relaxed expression towards me.
“…It’s only natural that he would treat his sister differently than he treats his fiancée.”
As he answered, Tobias seemed somewhat troubled and was choosing his words carefully.
“…In front of you, I wanted to be a good fiancé, someone you could respect. In fact, you seemed to trust me, and made an effort to socialize with me, so I felt I had to live up to your expectations. So I think I was trying to act cool in some ways. Celestia is my blood relative, and all she knows is what I said and did when I was little, so I think it was surprising to see me acting like an adult in front of you. So, for some reason, I wasn’t able to act well in front of Celestia. And maybe that made her think that I was behaving differently in front of her.”
“…”
“The reason I was so devoted to her that I even stopped going out in society was because I wanted her to make her debut quickly and become a part of high society. It was out of a sense of responsibility as an older brother and the eldest son of a marquis, and it was nothing compared to the love I had for you.”
“…But I thought that you didn’t love me, Lord Tobias. That our relationship was merely the ties of our families.”
I muttered softly and he bit his lip for a moment.
“It’s not that I didn’t love you. I just wasn’t aware of my feelings for you.”
“picture?”
“Indeed, at first, I thought you would be a good fiancé. When I first met you, I found out you were the same age as my sister… and from then on, I somehow felt aware that I was looking at you in a similar way.”
“…I see.”
I replied to Tobias’ words. When we first met, he looked sad for a moment, and it seemed he had seen me and Lady Celestia in the same light.
“…If that’s the case, then I guess I’m like a little sister to you.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. That is, until I actually met Celestia again.”
I tilt my head, not understanding what he’s saying. Master Tobias narrows his hazel eyes at me.
“When I met Celestia again, I realized that the feelings I had towards you and the feelings I had towards her were completely different. I wanted to appear capable in front of you, and didn’t want to show my pathetic side…Celestia told me that it was just for show. She said that those feelings were only due to the fact that I loved Chloe, and that they were completely different from the feelings I had towards my sister.”
“picture……”
“…And also, I think Chloe only recently realized her feelings for me.”
“Eh, wh, why?”
He hit the nail on the head and made me jump. I tried to take a step back from him, but he quickly put his arm around my waist and I couldn’t. Tobias’s hand reached down to my eyes and traced the area under them. That movement reminded me of the way he had worried about my health in the carriage that day.
My face heats up. I try to look down, not wanting him to see how red my face is, but his hands prevent me from doing so.
“…That was the first time I saw your face like that.”
“cormorant……”
“I was so happy. When you showed me a face like that, I knew that you were aware of me, that you had special feelings for me. So, I liked you, and I thought that you liked me too. …Right?”
“Well, that’s, I… well, I guess.”
But I still found it hard to believe that Lord Tobias had feelings for me. Thinking this, I glanced up at him, and his hazel eyes narrowed.
“…What can I do to make you believe me? For example, if I told you that ever since I realized my feelings for you, I couldn’t wait to make you mine, would you believe me?”
“picture?”
“One of the reasons I hurried through Celestia’s education was so I could get it over with quickly so I could have more time with you. I figured that many other things would get neglected while I was educating her. I was reluctant to let you out to social occasions by yourself during that time, but I didn’t want to deny you that because it was your hard work. Only young ladies attend daytime tea parties, so I thought there would be no men around. I never imagined that someone would make fun of my relationship with Celestia and say something as ridiculous as finding you a different partner. You’re my little sister, you know? It just pissed me off so much. I couldn’t accept that you even for a moment thought about choosing a man other than me as your partner, and I struggled to suppress my jealousy at the time.”
“But Adolfo is my cousin…”
“You can marry your cousins.”
Tobias replied without a moment’s hesitation, looking genuinely jealous. He then looked down at the bandage on my hand.
“…Also, I can’t forgive the man who hurt you like this. It must have hurt, and you must have been scared. Don’t tell me you’re glad that you were the one who got hurt.”
“…”
“…But in the end, the person I can’t forgive the most is myself, for not realizing that I had driven you into the midst of these pointless rumors, and for causing you to suffer such a terrible experience.”
Tobias said this with a hint of self-mockery, and I quickly replied, “That’s not true.”
“The rumors and this injury are not your fault.”
“…I don’t think so, but if that’s what you say, I’ll take you up on that. Thank you, Chloe.”
Tobias said with a slight laugh, then he said, “So,” and brought his face closer to mine.
“picture?”
“I wonder what your response to what I said earlier about wanting to make you mine as soon as possible?”
“Ah, huh?”
“To be honest, I’m finding it quite difficult to be alone in the same room as you in your pajamas. But if you’re scared, I won’t force you.”
My cheeks flushed when I heard what Lord Tobias said. His words were unusually direct, and I could tell that he was being honest about it.
“…Do you really like me?”
“Yeah, I like it. I love you.”
The expression on Tobias’ face as he looked at me was different from the perfect smile he had always given me, and the gentle smile he had given to Celestia. Heat flickered in the depths of his eyes, and I realized that he had been hiding this expression behind the perfect smile he had always given me.
He and I have been exemplary, good fiancés up until now. Now that we have confirmed our feelings for each other, maybe it’s okay to take a step forward. Or rather, I wanted to be with him too.
I swallowed deeply. Then I looked up at Lord Tobias and nodded slowly. His eyes blinked and then relaxed. I felt Lord Tobias’ hand, which had been touching my eyes, slide down to my chin, and I closed my eyes in silence.
A soft touch fell on my lips. Even though our first kiss was only a momentary touch, my heart started beating faster. I gently opened my eyes to see Tobias-sama, whose eyes were slightly red.
“Lord Tobias…”
“One more time.”
Tobias whispered softly and kissed me again. He changed the angle and kissed my lips again and again. I closed my eyes tightly to receive it, but he licked my lips with his tongue, and I opened my eyes wide in surprise. His tongue quickly slipped in through the gap in my slightly parted lips. He pulled out my tongue, which had retreated in surprise, and entangled it with a wet sound.
I knew that this kind of kiss existed, but the sensation was completely unknown to me. Every time he traced the inside of my mouth with his tongue and sucked it up, for some reason my body lost strength, I couldn’t even catch my breath, and before I knew it, I was leaning against Tobias.
As his lips parted, I began to breathe irregularly, trying to somehow steady myself. Tobias stared at me and muttered softly, “Let’s move.”
“Huh? Kyaaah.”
When I asked him again, he picked me up. With my vision suddenly getting higher and my body shaking, I quickly hugged Tobias. He carried me from the sofa to the bed with ease and gently placed me on the white sheets.
“Lord Tobias…”
“Chloe…”
He climbed onto the bed, hovering over me, and kissed me again. Just like before, his tongue entered my mouth, giving me an unknown sensation. My body went limp, and I sunk limply into the bed.
“Somehow, my strength has gone out…”
“…I see you think it feels good.”
Tobias smiled happily at my words and buried his face in my neck. He kissed my neck with a sound, then his face slowly moved down, his lips touching my collarbone. To reach even further below that, Tobias’s hands went to the collar of my nightgown.
I was about to resist, but then I remembered that I didn’t dislike it. But as soon as Tobias exposed my skin, I covered it with my hands to try to escape his gaze.
“…Don’t you like it?”
“N-no, it’s not that, I-it’s just embarrassing…”
Even if I don’t dislike it, I still feel embarrassed. So I end up behaving like I do now.
Tobias smiled in relief at my words and whispered, “You’re beautiful.” Seeing my face turn red at the sweet tone of my voice, he leaned his face closer to my chest.
“Ah, Lord Tobias—“
With a slurp, he kissed my breast. The sensation made me flinch. He looked up at my face, and, as if to confirm that there was no sign of rejection, he continued kissing my breast. His kisses traced the bulge of my breasts, then his tongue traced my skin. Finally, he sucked on my trembling nipple, and for some reason my body began to shake involuntarily.
“Ah, ah.”
The voice that spilled out had a sweetness I had never heard before. I never knew it would feel good to have someone suck me in that spot. He played with my breast with his tongue, while caressing the other side with his hand. The different stimulations of his hand and tongue gave me a lot of pleasure, and I couldn’t cope with it, so I moaned sweetly and my body trembled over and over again.
“Don’t smoke, Tobias.”
“Why? Did it not feel good?”
“No… somehow, it makes me shiver…”
“I’m glad then.”
He was mischievous and, ignoring my protests, lightly bit the tip of my breast and tickled it with the tip of his tongue. His eyes narrowed in delight as he watched me, panting and arching my back. His hazel eyes were filled with love for me, and I felt a thrill as I stared at him, my breathing becoming irregular.
Tobias’ hand traced my belly button and went between my legs. I was shocked and closed my legs, but it was too late. The place where his fingertips touched was wet, and I blushed when I noticed it.
“Oh no.”
“The fact that you’re wet is proof that you’re feeling it.”
As Tobias said this, he inserted one finger into my nectar hole. The pressure made my eyes widen and I instinctively grabbed the shoulders of the man in front of me.
“Oh, that’s scary.”
“…Don’t you like it?”
In response to Tobias’ question, I shook my head. I didn’t dislike it, but I was still scared of the feeling of something entering my private parts.
“…Then it’ll be fine, I’ll make sure you get used to it.”
Tobias let out a soft sigh and his eyes sparkled. He narrowed his eyes, slowly spreading my legs with both hands, and brought his face close between them.
“Uh, Lord Tobias, wait–Ah!”
My hips twitched in response to the unexpected stimulation I felt in my sensitive spot. His hot tongue was touching my nectar opening. He traced my spot with the tip of his tongue many times, penetrated shallowly inside, and then pressed hard against the bulge above. All of this was a stimulation I had never experienced before, and I instinctively grabbed his hair.
“Ahh, not there, it’s dirty…!”
“It’s not dirty.”
Tobias replied briefly, and then immediately ran his tongue over my nectar opening again. He spread the petals with his fingers and traced the nectar opening with his tongue. When he lightly entered, the inside was stimulated, making my toes twitch. When he flicked his tongue back and forth over the periphery of my flower, or pushed in hard and sucked it up, a tingling sensation of pleasure ran through my body, making my hips shake involuntarily.
“Ahh, no…! I’m coming…! Ugh…!”
My hips suddenly jumped with a strong jerk. I realized that I had reached my climax, and tried to catch my breath as my vision turned white. But.
“Ah!? Tobias-sama, wait, I’m not there yet…!”
Tobias’s caresses didn’t stop. He continued to use his tongue on my secret spot, where the afterglow of my orgasm had not yet subsided. While he teased my climax with his tongue, he buried his fingers in my passage. I was so full of pleasure that I no longer felt the fear I had felt at first when he inserted his fingers. All I could do was tremble my legs and sway my hips as I gasped in response to the caresses of his fingers and tongue.
“Ahh– no, I’m coming…!”
My hips shook violently. But Tobias didn’t look up from my honey hole. My hips shook violently from the pleasure I was receiving, and tears spilled from my wide-open eyes.
“Oh no, wait, it’s coming out! Tobias-sama, stop…!”
The rising sensation was similar to the need to urinate, so I frantically tried to hold his head down and pull him away. However, my body was shaking with pleasure and I could barely muster any strength, and even though Tobias must have heard me, he didn’t lift his head. Unable to resist the sensation, he finally lifted his head and, as I pressed hard against his stomach with the pads of my fingers, he squirted forcefully, trembling with excitement.
“I, I… I was so rude…”
Overwhelmed by the overwhelming pleasure and the shame of my mess, I burst into tears. Tobias finally stopped caressing me, gently stroked my head, and whispered, “That was a squirting orgasm.”
“T-tide…?”
“Yeah. So it’s not a sloppy act. It’s something that happens when it feels good.”
Even though I was supposed to have been educated in the bedroom, it was an unfamiliar word to me, but if he said so, it must be normal. It’s extremely embarrassing, but… I thought, and in my heart I felt relieved and my tears calmed down. When Tobias saw that I had stopped crying, he smiled and gently loosened his nightgown. My body stiffened when I saw this.
“Ah, uh, mm… I can’t…”
“It’s okay, Chloe.”
Tobias’s reply was powerful, but I don’t think he’s okay. The force that rose up in his heart was so great that it made him say so.
As I shook my head, he smiled gently. His smile looked the same as always, but for some reason I couldn’t read the thoughts deep in his hazel eyes, and it somehow felt frightening. When I tried to step back on the bed, he caught my legs with ease and pushed his body between them.
“Wait a moment.”
“Hehe, sorry Chloe.”
Tobias’ apology didn’t sound like he felt bad at all. I swallowed hard and looked down at it, which was gently placed on my honey hole. It was big, hot, and hard. I couldn’t believe that it was going to enter my body, so I looked back at him, clinging to it, but Tobias just smiled back at me with a perfect smile.
“Lord Tobias…”
“Chloe”
He called my name and kissed me. His hazel eyes stared at me as he traced the inside of my mouth with his tongue, and my thoughts melted away. My body had become fully accustomed to his caresses. As I desperately tried to respond to his kiss, I felt a strong pressure on my honey mouth, and I opened my eyes wide in surprise.
As if to scold me for pulling away and trying to escape, Tobias’ tongue movements became more intense. The thought of being toyed with by his kisses dulled the pain of my narrow passage being exposed. As I breathed shallowly and lost track of what was going on, I realized that his erection had completely subsided inside me.
“Haaah…”
“Lord Tobias…”
His breath was hot. Tobias’s eyes were red and his eyes were melting, and if it wasn’t just my conceit, he looked like he was enjoying it. I was so happy that he was feeling something inside me that my chest throbbed. At the same time, I found myself squeezing his thing involuntarily, and I let out a cry of “Ah.”
“Chloe…”
At the same time, Tobias-sama frowned sadly. He let out a thin breath and whispered softly, “Don’t squeeze me too tight, or I’ll lose control.” I bit my lip tightly and shook my head.
“Chloe?”
“Because I love you, Tobias, I act on my own accord.”
Tobias’ eyes widen.
“Besides, I don’t care what you do to me… even if I lose control.”
I was actually happy to know that only I could see his expression of desire for me and his restless reactions. I was happy just to realize that I was special to him and that he liked me.
“–Chloe.”
Tobias called my name softly. At the same time, he grabbed my waist tightly and pulled out his erection. I cried out in pleasure at the sudden stimulation, but Tobias showed no signs of stopping. He repeatedly shook his hips, rubbing against my passage, opening the depths, then repeatedly pulling back to the entrance. The pain I felt from his movements was only at the beginning, and gradually I began to feel a tingling pleasure as he thrust in and out. As he caressed my breasts and clitoris, and traced the inside of my mouth with kisses, the pleasure grew stronger and stronger, and I gradually became unable to think about anything else. I just clung helplessly to his back, calling his name over and over again in between kisses.
Tobias-sama, who called my name “Chloe” over and over again in front of me, also seemed to have no time for it. We hugged each other tightly, kissed each other, and felt each other’s heat, and our hearts kept rising.
“–!”
“Ahh-ahh, I’m cumming…!”
After a while, Tobias let out a low sigh and shivered. I felt the heat deep inside me, and at the same time, I reached my climax for the umpteenth time.
Even though Tobias was breathing heavily, he kissed my lips, the corners of my eyes, my cheeks, and my forehead many times. As I accepted his kisses, I gradually steadied my breathing. After a while, Tobias pulled himself out of me, lay down next to me, and gently brushed the hair off my forehead.
“Lord Tobias…”
“Chloe, I love you. Thank you for accepting me.”
“I-I love you too, Tobias-sama.”
I blushed and said, “I’m happy,” and Tobias frowned. As I panicked, wondering if I’d said something wrong, he replied, “If you make such a cute face, I’ll want to do it again.” At the end of my tether, I hastily pulled the sheets over me to hide my face from him.
*
“Chloe-sama! I’m so sorry about yesterday…!”
The next morning, Celestia came to Tobias and Chloe’s room first thing and apologized to Chloe with tears in her eyes. Chloe gave a bitter smile and gently replied, “It’s okay. I’m sure you were surprised, Lady Celestia.”
Celestia, seeing Chloe’s slightly red eyes and somewhat tired appearance – in other words, her sensuality still lingering, seemed to have realised something. She shifted her gaze from Chloe to Tobias and muttered, “Brother…”
「How dare you take advantage of Lady Chloe when she is heartbroken! What a disgusting beast!」
“Wait, what? Lady Celestia?!”
Chloe looked at Celestia in a panic, her face red with embarrassment that her fiance’s sister had discovered their affair. Tobias didn’t want to show her blush, even to his sister, as the charm from last night in bed hadn’t faded, so he quickly pulled Chloe around his waist and hid her behind him.
“It was consensual, don’t be nasty.”
“I bet he rolled it up anyway.”
“That’s not true…?”
Chloe, perhaps out of embarrassment, peeked out from behind Tobias and muttered in a small voice. Tobias looked down at her embarrassed face.
When Tobias first met her, he heard her age and saw her as the sister he had lost long ago. Since then, he thought that he cared for Chloe like a sister – that’s what he had always believed. It was obvious that he was mistaken when he tried to act like a good guy in front of her, but he didn’t realize it until he found Celestia.
After reuniting with Celestia and spending time with her, Tobias finally realized that his feelings towards his sister and Chloe were completely different. He was not completely opposed to Chloe’s respectful gaze, he respected her for going out alone but at the same time felt a little irritated, and he felt grateful and relieved that she accepted his sister’s treatment without a word. All of this was because he loved Chloe as a member of the opposite sex. When he was young, he was late in realizing his feelings, which were hidden behind the guilt and sense of responsibility he felt for his sister, whose whereabouts were partly due to his own negligence. This led Chloe to mistakenly believe that Tobias did not love her. Chloe said that Tobias had changed thanks to Celestia, but in the sense that he had made Tobias realize his feelings for her, it was certainly thanks to Celestia. That being said, it was Chloe who found Celestia in the first place.
Celestia seemed to be deeply in love with Chloe, who had found her. Although she said, “I’m happy that you will become my sister-in-law,” she still seemed wary of Tobias, just like she was now.
Tobias shrugged inwardly, wondering what it meant to feel like his own sister was a rival.
“Brother, you really have no room for carelessness…! Chloe, please be careful of your brother, and don’t believe everything he says.”
“Eh? No…?”
“Celestia, stop it. …Chloe, it’s okay, right?”
Tobias smiled gently at Chloe so that she wouldn’t question the “common sense” he’d instilled in her the night before. Chloe looked back and forth between Celestia and Tobias, furrowing her brows in a troubled manner.
She studied hard from a young age and polished her manners so that she would be perfect as Tobias’s fiancée. Her straight silver hair and purple eyes were intelligent, and her mature beauty was well-received by those around Tobias. She was often envied for having a good fiancée, and Tobias would always reply inoffensively, “That’s true.”
But from now on, he didn’t think he would be able to give such an answer. He felt like he would end up telling her not to look at him like that. He wanted to keep the sight of Chloe, who was considered mature by those around her, looking at Tobias with innocent admiration, and showing such a shy and embarrassed expression, all to himself, without anyone knowing.
Tobias almost laughed, realizing he hadn’t been aware of these feelings until now.
“Mr. Tobias?”
“…It’s nothing, let’s go now.”
The Crown Prince had said that they would have breakfast together today. According to the report he had received from yesterday, it seemed that the knights’ misconduct yesterday was the work of a faction of the nobles who wanted to cause a blunder at the royal castle and lower its reputation. They probably thought that if they let their guards down, trouble would break out and it would become a big deal. Tobias and the others ended up getting caught up in it.
Tobias thought to himself that he was glad they weren’t the direct target, because even if they had been, he would have dealt with them mercilessly if they had harmed Chloe.
Tobias escorts Chloe and takes Celestia to the Crown Prince. Chloe, unaware of Tobias’ heavy love for her, snuggles up to him with a blush on her face.
I’m writing this because I need more funds from you guys. Previously I had a health check-up at the doctor, I needed to have tonsil surgery (tonsillectomy) and needed immediate action because the inflammation was severe. My financial condition is quite serious and I need your help to provide funds from you. Since my condition started to get worse, I’ve made a donation on Ko-Fi, but no one has given it. I don’t know what to do, I only live alone with my grandmother. My salary has been used up for other needs and yesterday’s medical checkup costs. I don’t know whether to borrow or even ask for funds from my local area, I don’t know them I need to spend how much it will cost for this surgery but I only estimate a minimum of $200. Please help, this is really very helpful for me. The sooner the funds are collected, the sooner I can register for the operation. thank you guys you are good people
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