Eric’s hand approached Alicia’s face, startling her.

But his hand touched not her face, but her hair near her ear, grabbing something.

“Did I scare you? Sorry. There was a flower petal stuck.”

“Oh, thank you. Right, shall we eat something?”

Embarrassed by her momentary excitement, Alicia quickly picked up a finger food topped with chocolate and fruit and pushed it into Eric’s mouth.

Caught off guard, Eric ate it and only then slightly furrowed his brow.

“It’s sweet.”

“Then how about this?”

Next, Alicia picked up something else at random and pushed it into Eric’s mouth.

Seeing him grimace again, she realized that was also sweet.

“Looks like they only put desserts in what they called snacks.”

While Alicia searched the pile of snacks Eric had brought out for something less sweet, Eric leaned back against the cushion and smiled leisurely.

“You know? I don’t really like sweet things.”

“I know.”

“I would never eat them on my own.”

Eric said mischievously as he laughed.

“Ah. Can’t be helped. We can’t throw all of this away.”

Alicia, as if she had no choice, picked up another finger food and put it in Eric’s mouth.

As their eyes met while Eric naturally accepted it, they both ended up laughing.

It was newly amazing how they could read each other’s intentions, sticking together like caramel.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ah, so annoying.”

Allen raised his head after being buried in a pile of documents.

“You need to hurry. With the captain absent, you as the vice-captain have to handle everything.”

“I know. That’s why it’s annoying. Why did he have to be away on a day like this?”

He had been uneasy since hearing about the monster fur gift, and decided to help in every way for Eric’s smooth engagement life, actually implementing it today.

Still, he didn’t expect this ungrateful person to dump all the work on him like this. Especially on a day with so much paperwork to process.

Feeling irritated again, Allen abruptly stood up from his seat and walked to the window.

Watching him, a subordinate chided in a disapproving voice.

“If you slack off like that, it won’t be finished by today.”

“…Can’t I curse for about 5 minutes?”

“Curse? At whom?”

“Who else?”

Allen looked out the window with weary eyes. The weather was disgustingly nice.

‘While I’m suffering from overwork, that guy is probably having a jolly time with my sister-in-law.’

‘Because he works people so hard, someone can’t even end their single life, how can this be?’

‘Shouldn’t a person have some conscience?’

“Hoo.”

Allen, who had been grumbling inwardly, took a deep breath.

“Oh well, let storms rage!! Let tempests blow!! Let all the flowers fall!!”

Seeing Allen suddenly shouting towards the window, the subordinates all pretended not to see or hear, inwardly muttering.

‘Here we go again.’

‘Let’s pretend we don’t know, getting involved would be troublesome.’

Just then, the office door opened and a priest entered.

“Is Captain Russell here?”

“He’s not. He’s probably enjoying himself right now.”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s nothing, Father. What brings you here?”

Embarrassed, a subordinate cut off Allen’s words and quickly responded.

“Ah, well. There was an important report after the meeting earlier, but he left saying he had an urgent schedule.”

“Urgent schedule? Ha.”

‘This guy is finally skipping work. He used to be the empire’s strongest workaholic. He’s completely lost it.’

Forgetting that he himself had rented out the villa, Allen walked from the window to the priest with an incredulous expression.

With Eric absent, Allen had to handle duties as acting captain.

“So what’s this important report, Father?”

“Vice-captain. I’m sorry, but when will the captain return?”

“Well. It seems he won’t be back today.”

“This is troubling. The High Priest told me to report directly to the captain, what should I do?”

Allen grinned at the priest’s perplexed question.

“What else? We go interrupt him right away.”

“Pardon?”

[This is the timeline separator]

Looking at the ripples swaying with the slightest breeze made her feel at ease.

“Being here like this makes it feel like the monster’s appearance was all a lie.”

“It does.”

“But with Eric here, it would be fine even if a monster appeared now, right?”

“Ah, that would be a bit troublesome since I didn’t bring my sword.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to take it down barehanded. It doesn’t look like something I want to touch.”

“Even though you thought about bringing back its fur?”

“That’s why I was planning to skin it without touching the face part.”

“What are you saying.”

After some idle chat, they silently gazed at the lake’s waves glittering with reflected sunlight.

Seeing ducks floating on the lake, Alicia pointed and looked at Eric.

“Ah, ducks.”

“Can you please stop that.”

Alicia smiled mischievously at the grumbling Eric.

Then Eric opened his mouth as if to make an excuse.

“I didn’t say that because you really look like a duck. Back then, I was worried I might break the special clause.”

“Special clause?”

Oops.

“What kind of special clause were you about to break?”

“Ah, well.”

Even though the special clauses weren’t only about skinship, he was so flustered that he couldn’t remember any other clauses.

“Anyway, the important thing is that I tried to keep the contract.”

“Ah.”

“It’s important to keep contracts.”

“Knowing that, why were you about to break it?”

“Huh?”

Eric flinched again and tried to avert his gaze slightly.

“Uh, well, you see.”

“Yes? What is it?”

But Alicia was more persistent than he thought.

“Really, what is it?”

“……”

With a somewhat mischievous expression, Alicia drew closer to Eric.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“The contract itself is a secret between just us two?”

“Then I’ll listen and forget about it.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Ah, what is it? I’m really curious.”

Alicia leaned her body forward towards Eric and pouted her lips.

Eric gulped dry saliva because of the closer body and even closer face.

Those lips moving restlessly. That’s the problem.

‘No, the special clause was the problem from the start.’

Eric inwardly blamed his past self fiercely.

Alicia’s round eyes looking up at him today were so lovely to that extent.

“So that special clause-”

“Yes, what is it?”

Alicia’s slightly parted red lips were stimulating.

“That special clause is-”

To hell with it.

As soon as he thought that, there was no hesitation.

He grabbed the back of Alicia’s head with one hand and pulled her close.

Just as there was only a tiny gap left where they could feel each other’s breath.

“My lord, young lady. Excuse me, but young master is…”

The steward’s voice heard in their defenseless state was enough to make Eric reflexively hide.

Eric hurriedly lay down and buried his face in Alicia’s lap, squeezing his eyes shut.

Thanks to that, Alicia had to deal with the steward.

“Ah, yes. What is it?”

Barely gathering her wits, Alicia tried to smile nonchalantly as she asked.

The butler glanced at Eric and spoke in a small voice.

“The lord seems tired. Well, it hasn’t been long since he returned from the expedition.”

“Yes, it seems so. But what were you going to say earlier?”

“Oh, my. I apologize. The young master is urgently looking for the lord.”

“Is he here now?”

Eric frowned even while pretending to sleep as Alicia asked in surprise.

“The priest came with him as well. They say it’s an extremely urgent matter, whatever it is.”

The steward looked at Eric, who was still not getting up, with a troubled face.

“I’ll wake him and send him. Could you tell Allen to wait a moment?”

“Yes, young lady.”

The steward bowed and left.

Then Alicia turned to Eric, who was resting his head on her lap.

‘Anyone can tell he’s pretending to sleep. Even his ears are red.’

Finding it cute, Alicia smiled unknowingly.

‘Hah. This isn’t the time for this.’

Alicia gently stroked Eric’s head.

“Eric. Shouldn’t you go?”

Eric opened his eyes lying face up.

Alicia’s face seen upside down was dazzling.

She really is like a bright woman.

But Eric had to get up reluctantly.

“I suppose I should. They say even the priest came.”

Alicia fixed his hair that had gotten messy from suddenly lying down.

Eric let her do as she pleased, enjoying the feeling of her slender fingers touching him.

“It’s fine now.”

“I’ll be back soon, so wait here.”

“I’m fine. Go ahead.”

“Okay.”

Eric stood up somewhat regretfully.

Watching Eric’s retreating back, Alicia smiled helplessly.

Indeed, being engaged to the Knights Commander meant having to endure many things.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What’s the matter?”

Eric strode into the villa.

The priest shrank back involuntarily, seeing at a glance that he didn’t look to be in a good mood.

But Allen spoke as if it was no big deal.

“The priest here has to make an important report to the captain by order of the High Priest. In person.”

“Is that so? What is it?”

Eric asked as soon as he sat down.

The priest looked at Allen hesitantly before speaking.

“I apologize, but I’d like the vice-captain to step out as well.”

“What? Me too? How can that be? I came all this way with difficulty.”

As Allen protested indignantly, Eric gestured impatiently for him to leave quickly.

“Ah, really.”

Expressing his dissatisfaction with his whole body, Allen left the reception room and Eric turned to the priest.

“Then shall we hear it?”

“The bodies of two missing spirit users have been found.”

“And?”

“Their magical power was completely gone.”

“Doesn’t it normally disappear when they die?”

“Some remains. But there was no trace of magical power at all.”

“Then what? Are you saying it was all taken?”

“That’s right.”

“By whom?”

“We don’t know that yet. The High Priest would like you to investigate that part. Discreetly.”

Eric closed his mouth with a serious expression.

Even sending Allen out, this was what the High Priest wanted conveyed, but he couldn’t get a sense of how confidential to keep it and how to proceed with being told to do it discreetly.

Moreover, the Knights Order doesn’t belong to the High Priest’s Office, and this wasn’t an order that came through the Emperor.

“I understand for now. But I’d like to meet with the High Priest first.”

“He said you’d say that, so he told me to give you this.”

The priest handed Eric a note from the High Priest.

[This is the timeline separator]

Eric and the priest’s conversation ended up being longer than expected, bringing the picnic to an end.

As the two prepared to return to the Russell estate, the steward, watching them regretfully, cautiously spoke up.

“There will be fireworks nearby tonight, how about going to see them?”

“Fireworks?”

“It’s a small festival marking the start of summer. Apparently they launch fireworks from boats on the lake, but it’s too close to see from here, so many people watch from the park on the opposite side.”

“Ah.”

“I hear there’s a famous event too, so it might be good to go if you have time.”

“Sounds fun, what do you think?”

Eric asked out of guilt, and Alicia nodded with a smile.

Indeed, it was disappointing to return just like this.

In many ways.