<Episode 29>
“Solomon-sama was really nice that time and ……!”
“That’s right.”
As I listened to the story of the young lady who was moved to tears, I wondered for the second time how many times I had heard this question before.
(Solomon-sama….., what on earth have you done?)
It has already been a month since the duel, which should have been no stranger to me, ended without my presence.
At the occasional tea party I attend, I am stopped by people I don’t know.
Although their ages varied somewhat, they were all young women. All of them, however, looked as if they were in deep thought as they began to tell me, “I need to talk to you.”
I smiled and agreed, although I was defensive about what was going on, and when I talked to them, they all had the same story.
Today is no exception.
In summary, you all are not convinced why Solomon-sama, the best looking and most capable man, chose a plain woman like me.
Solomon-sama’s popularity is nothing new. From the time he was held up at a night party, he has been prickly and distant and sarcastic.
However, the call rate these days is extraordinary. I was tilting my head to see what was causing it, but as I listened to the women’s stories, I realized something.
The duel I didn’t see is probably the cause.
Many women who talk about their love for Solomon-sama talk about the time of the duel.
He spoke passionately about how wonderful and beautiful his battle was, and even I, who had not seen it, came to have a vague grasp of the flow.
(I wonder what kind of fight it was that attracted so many women. I’m curious.)
“Are you listening to me?”
“Yes, of course.”
They notice that I’ve been distracted, and they stare at me with sharp, tearful eyes.
She seemed to be engrossed in talking, but she was also watching my reactions.
“I wonder why it had to be you. …… I have such deep feelings for him too.”
The young lady mutters to herself.
“I’m sure that when I talk to him, he won’t smile at me the way he smiles at you.”
“Am I right?”
I can’t imagine Solomon-sama being cold to women.
I don’t think he, being a gentleman, would treat the young lady in front of him in an unkind manner.”
I really thought so, but a sharper gaze pierced me than before.
“Oh yeah!”
“You know …….”
“He is indeed very kind, and I am sure he would smile at me too. But the kind of smile is totally different!”
The momentum was overwhelming.
I nodded my head in understanding, but I didn’t understand anything.
According to the young lady, the corners of the mouth are different. The way her eyebrows are lowered. The coloring of her cheeks is different. The eyes are incomparably more gentle.
After a forceful argument, she looked at me with a dumbfounded look.
“Why don’t you understand that you are being directed at me? You are loved so much and you don’t even know it, which is an unforgivable sin.
“I understand that you love …… very deeply.”
I never paid attention to the way the corners of the quirk of the mouth went up.
“It’s not enough. You should know better.”
The young lady sniffs with a hum.
“I heard that you and Solomon-sama went to see a play the other day. I will have the ladies who were there testify to that, so please come to our tea party.”
“Huh.”
What intention am I invited?
I don’t know, but I have more tea parties scheduled.
It’s been like this for a while now.
At a tea party, a woman called me up and accused me of being the reason why you were there, but only at first. Gradually, the topic of conversation went off-topic.
Before I knew it, I was being told emphatically not whether I was worthy of Solomon-sama, but rather how special I was to him.
Even when surrounded by multiple people, they never threatened me to back down.
Naturally, she verbally praises the depth of Solomon-sama’s affection and eventually presses me to tell him about our outings together and the gifts they have given him. My emotions are not keeping up with the same flow of events that eventually lead to them cheering me on.
I was afraid of being bullied like in the plays and novels, but that was not the case at all.
(I had heard that social circles were more insidious, but I guess rumors are just rumors.)
Or perhaps the young lady of our country are special and kind.
I exhaled in relief as I watched the young lady leave after reminding her, “I promise.”
“I don’t doubt, though that …… they love me.”
Her mumbled voice was not picked up by anyone and faded away.
* * *
Interactions are not limited to daytime tea parties.
Tonight is the evening party, the main event of the social. It will be the first time that I will be attending with Solomon-sama. That in itself makes me happy, but I am a little bewildered.
I have not yet given him a proper answer myself, though we are in the process of getting engaged in a sort of a no-holds-barred way.
It is not a child’s relationship, so it is not something that must be put into words from one word to the next. But if possible, I wanted to convey the message in my own words.
I wanted you to know that I wanted to marry Solomon-sama of my own volition, not to have him take responsibility for me, not to have him compromise with me.
But for some reason, I never get a chance to tell them.
Solomon-sama is a very busy man and I don’t have much time for him with his tea party invitations and studies.
And if it is not my imagination, I feel that Solomon himself is intentionally avoiding me. Even when he is around me, he is often absentminded, as if he is thinking about something.
I don’t imagine backwardly that you are already tired of me.
I just feel like he is hiding things from me.
“Um, may I ask you something?”
“??!”
While I lost in thought, someone called out to me, causing me to startle and shake my shoulders.
I turned around and recognized the young lady standing there, looking out of place.
She is a stunning blonde with wavy blonde hair, and green eyes that are lifted up at the corners.
Her breasts were so ample in contrast to her slender waist that even I, a homosexual, could not help but notice them. The beautiful woman with a fragrant scent is, I believe, the second daughter of the Marquise de Botte.
I believe her name is Helena Bott.
She is the woman who allegedly drugged him with an aphrodisiac at the soiree where I met Solomon-sama.
I saw Lady Helena with a melancholy expression on her face, and it hit me.
(Yes, I know. This one likes Solomon-sama, too.)
“I need to talk to you for a minute.”
“Yes.”
When I nodded, her expression relaxed slightly as if in relief. Even so, the tense atmosphere remained the same, and I could tell that Helena-sama was very serious.
Following her offer to move to a different location, I followed. When we came to a fountain a short distance from the venue, she finally stopped.
There are no people around, and there is no need to be seen.
But Helena spoke something and held her tongue as if hesitating. Perhaps it was something she found difficult to say.
You look different from when I saw you before.
I had the impression that he was an honest person, for better or worse.
And yet, Helena-sama is now reluctant to say anything. I thought she must have a clear purpose for calling me out.
A lot has changed in the last few months.
It pains me to think that you are that much in love with Solomon-sama.
“…… are you going to marry Solomon-sama?”
“…… I am willing to do so.”
It was a reluctant answer.
Until I know what is troubling you, Solomon-sama, I cannot return to you with a hearty “yes”.
“R-really?”
When I told her what I wanted, Lady Helena’s face contorted in pain.
I would never want to give up my place next to Solomon-sama to someone else.
But it is hard to witness it like this. It made me realize, whether I wanted to or not, that my happiness is built on someone else’s sorrow.
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