When I returned with the meal, Ruben was dressed in a black uniform.
The jewel brooch that I had once delivered to the Second Prince’s Palace was sparkling on Ruben’s left chest. The black-haired, black-eyed boy looked even more striking in his black clothes, which highlighted his pale skin.
I tried to avoid looking at his soft cheeks and the red blush that had spread to his ears.
As I set the food on the table, the boy filled the glasses with pre-warmed tea.
Perhaps he had prepared himself mentally while I was away, because Rubel’s voice was noticeably more composed and subdued than before. As always, listening to his voice made my shoulders relax and feel languid.
He asked me what I had been doing in the Pyton Plains, and I readily answered.
“I called the children and we rode horses together, sparred, or explored the plains. It was a more enjoyable event than the New Year Festival.”
“Well, Sierren’s winters are harsh. The New Year Festival is also an event held in the Imperial Palace with tight security… From late June to mid-July, it’s neither too cold nor too hot, so it’s perfect for playing. The Pyton Plains are also a vacant land where no territory has been established, so it’s more free…”
“Not belonging to any territory? This vast land?”
“Hmm, to be precise… I should say it’s a hunting ground owned by the Imperial Family… No lord wants to make the Yuil Mountains their territory. The Pyton Plains are too close to the mountains, so it’s dangerous unless Knights constantly patrol them. It’s not like the Duchy of Grimsvein, which has mines…”
“Hmm.”
I thought of the dense forest I had seen while out with the children.
Indeed, if an ordinary person who couldn’t use swords or magic got lost in such a forest, it could be a disaster. I belatedly realized that I should remember the faces of the Knights who were guarding the area.
While eating bread topped with mashed ham and potatoes mixed with cream, I listened to various stories.
I let the stories about the various events at the Imperial Conference go in one ear and out the other, but the news that the First Prince would not be participating in the Summer Hunting Festival was very welcome.
“Is that allowed?”
“Well, the New Year Festival is held in the Imperial Palace, so you have to participate, but the Pyton Plains are a bit far. If you make excuses that you’re busy or not feeling well, you don’t have to participate. Lady Yeldidus and Lady Kiadris said they wouldn’t attend either.”
“I heard that Wesley Kiadris is too old to come.”
“That’s right, he might have thought he didn’t have reliable escorts.”
I didn’t think that was the reason. I swallowed the thought.
“What kind of beast did Ruben catch last year?”
“I… caught a deer.”
“A deer?”
“Yeah. My brother and Wesley Kiadris went into the forest first. I didn’t really want to follow them, so I wandered around the plains.”
I stared at him, wondering if he had been wary of them even before I said anything. Rubel could easily tell what I wanted to say just by looking at my face, without me having to explain.
The boy smiled kindly and shook his head.
“At that time… I didn’t feel threatened, I just… wasn’t close to them, so I didn’t want to stick around.”
“…I see. Has it always been like that during the Hunting Festival?”
“Yeah. So, I want to go to the forest with you this time…”
The boy’s eyes sparkled as he looked at me. I suppressed the urge to laugh out loud.
“Yes. Let’s go together.”
“Okay.”
After finishing the meal, I neatly stacked the used dishes on a tray. As I took the tray outside the tent, I found it strange that Ruben, a prince, was doing such trivial things himself.
I liked that I didn’t have to hold back my curiosity in front of Rubel. When I asked him why, the boy smiled brightly and answered.
“I’ve been to the Hunting Festival several times. In case something happens, it’s good to know how to take care of yourself to maintain at least your honor. I can handle eating, dressing, and finding a place to sleep.”
“Well… you were a working student.”
“Haha, that’s right. Thanks to that, I can now distribute ten sheets of paper with my eyes closed.”
“Ten sheets?”
“Yeah. There were many times when I had to hand out test papers.”
Indeed, a grown man shouldn’t rely on others. I was very pleased and praised him for being so capable.
After finishing the meal, Rubel put tea leaves into the teapot. Only then did I look around Rubel’s tent. I had been talking for a long time, eating, and captivated by Rubel’s clear face, so I had forgotten to look around.
It was similar in size to my tent, and the decorations were also similar. The only difference was that there were six gold statues without bronze mixed in. Were they imitating the shapes of the six Shinui? As I examined the sword held by one of the statues, I suddenly remembered something and asked.
“By the way, you put swords in my room.”
“Ah, you saw them? I heard that Master Hetos created a masterpiece this time, and as soon as I saw it, I thought of you and bought it. You’ll mainly use a bow when hunting, but you’ll still Sparring sometimes.”
“Why three swords?”
“…They might break?”
“I’m a Sword Master, how often would a sword break?”
“…Still.”
I found myself listening intently whenever the boy’s voice lowered to a whisper. It was obvious that he was shy, and I suddenly felt like teasing him even more. I couldn’t resist, even though I felt strange about myself for having such mischievous thoughts.
“Why did you put that magic book there too?”
“That’s… because I thought of you.”
“How much do you think of me?”
Rubel clamped his mouth shut like a clam.
It was early for dinner. The tent in the plains was bathed in sunlight. The shimmering light permeated through the ornate patterns, making it bright even without turning on the Magic Lamp. It was hard to tell whether the boy’s face was red because of the red shadows or because of his flushed feelings.
There were only six months left until we went to the Yuil Mountains. Whenever I felt the urge to hold onto the boy, I calmly suppressed it. I could stir things up and leave, but what sin had this boy committed to deserve my whims?
So, the words I spoke were half sincere and half joking.
“I’ve been thinking about Ruben a lot too.”
“…”
“I was wondering what kind of bear I should catch to make you happy.”
“Oh, no… it doesn’t have to be a bear.”
“There probably aren’t any pink bears.”
“…”
“I was a little worried about that.”
Unfortunately, as soon as Rubel heard my words, he covered his face with his large, well-shaped hands. I desperately wanted to see what kind of expression he was making up close, but I resisted. How could revealing my inner thoughts be the same as touching him? I didn’t want to act teasingly.
The silence that followed while the boy remained silent was sweet.
To hide my desire to reach out, I drank the tea and put down the cup. Thanks to my efforts to calm my mind, there was no clinking sound. It was a calm and peaceful time.
“Would you like to take a walk tonight?”
“…No… today, I’m a little tired from the long journey. I want to… stay like this a little longer.”
“Okay.”
“…Will you stay with me?”
“Yes.”
After that, we talked about trivial things.
We talked a lot about what Rubel wanted to do during the remaining time. He said he wanted to ride horses again after a long time, but he also wanted to sit side by side with me on the wide plains and watch the sky and people, so I agreed. Just thinking about sitting shoulder to shoulder with the boy made my stomach tickle.
The more words we exchanged, the more I was captivated by the boy’s gestures and movements, and I realized.
I finally understood that I needed to know my own heart before trying to figure out the other person’s. It was the same as when I looked at my younger siblings, feeling that I wouldn’t regret giving them anything, but why did I keep wanting to take something from him? It was frustrating and ridiculous.
However, I, who had lived too long to be swayed by the shimmering heat that troubled my heart, teased him only once when I wanted to tease him ten times, and laughed only once when I wanted to laugh ten times. I believed that was enough.
As night deepened, we turned on three Magic Lamps, but he still seemed reluctant to part, so I stopped and got up when I saw sleepiness creeping into the tired boy’s eyes.
“It’s time for you to sleep, so let’s sleep and see each other tomorrow.”
“…Okay. Tomorrow… Mika.”
“Yes.”
“…It’s been a while, so can you hold my hand just once?”
I obediently took the hand he offered. The back of his hand was soft, and his palm was firm. I stroked the calluses that had formed from holding a sword. His hand was long and pleasant to touch. The boy’s hand was hot and dry. I wondered why there was no tremor in our clasped hands, but I quickly dismissed the question and hid it away.
“Then, sleep well.”
“Okay, Mika… You too, sleep well.”
“Yes. Good night, Ruben.”
Without wanting anything more, this was good enough.
❖ ❖ ❖
From the very next day, Ruben followed me around. Most of my companions naturally gave us space, but for some reason, that Bill Brown kept hanging around.
When Ruben and I sat together, the boy often leaned his head on my shoulder and acted spoiled. Every time that happened, I was troubled by the lewd and impure thoughts of wanting to touch the boy’s white neck or firm wrist, so I welcomed Bill’s intrusion.
Besides, Bill had been very respectful to Rubel from the beginning. If Bill had ambitions, it would be good for him to make a good impression on Ruben in advance. With that in mind, I looked kindly upon Bill, who joined our games, ran errands, and flattered us in various ways.
Most of the stories we told, with Ruben and Bill in tow, were about swordsmanship. Today, while basking in the warm sunlight, I sat next to Ruben and enjoyed watching Bill, who was lying flat on his back in the grass, as we discussed swordplay.
When I replied that I would use the fourth form of Imperial Swordsmanship to aim my sword at his shoulder, he replied that he would use the seventh form of Imperial Swordsmanship to lower my body and cut my ankle. At that moment, Bill, who had suddenly sat up, didn’t answer the next sword form and said something out of the blue.
“Brother. You’re still going on a desert trip with me after I graduate, right?”
“Hmm? Yeah, we agreed to that.”
There was grass stain on Bill Brown’s broad shoulders. It was cute and funny how he was sticking and wrapping fallen leaves here and there like a country puppy. I nodded without much thought.