Evening time, at the Marquis’s mansion.

After Kay finished his report on ‘Rembrandt’ and ‘Francis Ford’ and left.

Arthur, alone in his office, was looking down at several reports Kay had left behind.

“……”

·

·

·

“This is a list of soldiers who were excluded from compensation for inadequate supplies.”

“This is a record of war bonuses and survivor pensions. It also includes types of people who have applied for relief in ambiguous cases.”

“I’m still listening to stories about people who didn’t receive payments or unfair cases, or if there were any overpayments. It might take a bit more time, but I’ll bring more as the investigation progresses.”

He took the report and nodded briefly with a smile.

“Good work.”

·

·

·

“……”

Arthur quietly looked at the cover of the report.

[List of War Veterans’ Bonuses and Survivor Pension Payments and Omissions]

… That’s probably what was written, or something similar.

With his blurred vision, the letters were only perceived in an unreadable form.

He quietly closed and opened his eyes.

Then he leaned back in his chair.

“……”

I can’t put it off any longer.

Arthur calmly looked up at the ceiling.

Until a couple of months ago.

If he concentrated his aura in his eyes, he could somehow read.

But now.

His eyesight had become irreversible to the point where it couldn’t be assisted even with aura.

“……”

Nevertheless, except for the Crown Prince who knew about the side effects of aura, none of his subordinates had yet noticed that he had lost his sight.

No one could imagine that he, who showed amazing physical abilities and dynamic vision while riding horses and handling swords, had gone blind.

“……”

He could just sense the presence of obstacles or the shape of objects.

There were many parts that could be compensated for with keen hearing.

But that wasn’t sight.

Above all, the biggest problem was that he could no longer read letters.

It was a weakness that shouldn’t be exposed in a situation where he had to engage in political power struggles with Julius over the leadership of the family.

“……”

Arthur quietly moved his fingertips over the report.

“……”

He thought he had a little more time left.

It came faster than he expected.

“… Are you not hurt anywhere?”

Arthur thought calmly.

She won’t be able to figure out my eyesight problem.

Not with such carelessness.

It was a belief based on experience, not wishful thinking.

“……”

Honestly, right after losing his sight, he thought his subordinates would find out soon.

But.

Even Tristan, who spent most of the day with him and closely assisted him.

Even Kay, who always had conversations with him about documents.

Even Lucan, who had beast-like instincts.

For over two months, no one who was close to the blind Arthur noticed that he had lost his sight.

Only the Crown Prince, who was the only one who knew that he had operated his aura precariously to the point where it was difficult to avoid blindness, realized that he had lost his sight.

And that was only after sharply testing him several times as he pretended otherwise.

Arthur quietly rubbed his eyes with his hand.

“……”

It couldn’t be avoided, and he didn’t regret it, but…

The situation was precarious.

If they find out I’ve lost my sight, the Marquis will gleefully spread it around town, and under the guise of sympathy and protection, he’ll try to put me under his feet.

Then I’ll be excluded amidst sympathetic gazes.

The family leadership will go to ‘Marquis Julius’, and then it will be ‘Christina’s’.

Then Arthur won’t be able to do what he intends for the soldiers below and the people of Julius’s territory.

Even if his lost sight is discovered someday.

It should be after he has firmly grasped the leadership of the family.

After he has solidly entrusted the affairs of the territory to people he can trust.

“……”

Arthur lowered the hand covering his eyes and again stared blankly at the unreadable report.

After saving the Crown Prince, on the way back to his homeland after the victory.

There weren’t many occasions to look at documents.

He could have Kay and Tristan do it.

He could also get by with context and intuition.

And the Crown Prince, who knew he had lost his sight, didn’t assign him paperwork.

But now the Crown Prince has left.

The blind Arthur was alone.

And the affairs of the mansion and the territory began to come to Arthur.

The work of a victorious general.

Merit rewards and inadequate supply issues.

Legal advice related to marriage contracts.

And these kinds of documents…

He could no longer avoid it.

Even to avoid being caught by the Marquis.

Now he had to tell his most trusted ones.

To protect himself.

“……”

They’ll be distressed thinking it’s because of them. Tristan.

Still, he needs to know. It would be courteous to tell him with my own mouth rather than letting him find out through other channels.

He will be bewildered. Kay. Still, I can practically get a lot of help from him.

Lucan will be angry. It’s hard to handle that friend’s temper… It would be troublesome if he makes a slip of the tongue in excitement.

Anyway, if the Marquis finds out, it will be difficult to bring in the family leadership.

It was a matter that needed to be handled carefully.

For now, should I only keep Tristan and Kay in mind?

“……”

Arthur chuckled at the presence he felt from the direction of the door.

“My lady.”

From the door leading to the bedroom of the office,

Reina peeked her head out and smiled slightly.

“Sir Arthur.”

Arthur smiled and covered the documents on the desk, pushing them aside.

Reina hesitated at that and asked.

“Am I interrupting your work?”

“No. I was about to take a break.”

Reina finally smiled slightly at his words and gently stepped into the office.

“……”

Her footsteps are light.

Is it because of the news that Taylor Lorenson is coming soon?

I can feel her excitement.

While a twisted thought of “Do you think I’ll let you meet him?” comes to mind

Hearing such heartbeats makes my heart soften.

Just like how I feel bad when she asks about the Crown Prince

But as soon as I think, “Ah, she doesn’t seem too keen on meeting Kyle,” my mood easily improves.

She approached.

Along with her quiet footsteps, I could feel the hem of her dress swaying.

Arthur quietly watched her approach.

If I have to let her meet Taylor.

I wish she would give me some time alone too.

“The sunset is beautiful.”

Reina smiled, pretending to put her hands behind her back in front of him.

“… It means it’s mealtime.”

At her added words, Arthur burst into a small laugh.

He also always knew that the room would be tinged with sunset light when evening came.

“That’s an overly romantic expression for mealtime.”

Reina shyly smiled, seeming pleased to have made him laugh.

Then, turning her head towards the window, she said,

“I really like that all these rooms face southwest, so we can always see a beautiful sunset at dinnertime.”

Arthur gazed at Reina intently.

His wife then abruptly closed her mouth and awkwardly corrected herself.

“… Of course, I’ve seen it all my life…”

Arthur silently smiled as he looked at her.

The figure of his wife in the blurry vision.

“Shall we have the meal brought up?” she asked.

The sunset slid over her warm face.

Though not clearly visible, in vague colors.

He was newly curious about what kind of face she would have when speaking in such a voice.

“Let’s do that.”

Five years ago, he could see her face.

The wall-eyes that glowed blue in the darkness.

Now that I finally have you before me again, it’s regrettable that I can’t see those eyes anymore.

The fact that I probably won’t be able to see them for the rest of my life.

Arthur quietly looked at Reina, who only shimmered in a blurry form.

The wind breaking in her hair.

The clothes flowing over her body.

Shimmering even in the blurred vision

The sunlight flickering in her hair.

On the white cheeks that are sometimes pale, sometimes flushed

Remaining in the memory from five years ago

What were probably wall-eyes.

That faint light.

I could now only feel you through such things.

“Sir Arthur?”

Arthur smiled.

If only I could see your figure clearly one more time.

“Is there anything in particular you’d like to eat?” he asked.

“Well… Anything is fine with me. What about you, Sir Arthur? You ate out, right? What did you have for lunch?”

She quickly added.

“What I ate for lunch was delicious too. It was a chicken dish. Shall we ask for that again? You didn’t have it, right? I’m fine with having the same thing again.”

Arthur gazed at her as she chattered.

“……”

Smiling slightly.

As he got up from his seat and approached Reina

Arthur felt her, unseen.

Shoulders that seemed to tense.

Cheeks warming up.

A trembling that seemed to welcome me.

All those stifled breaths that don’t seem to belong to another lover

When I hear them, I start to imagine

That she might have waited for me for five years.

“… Sir Arthur?”

Why does it seem like she waited for me?

Why does it seem like she likes me?

Why do I come to think that we have a decent atmosphere?

I must have been a complete intruder in your life.

Even though I confirmed it with my own ears.

Is it all because I’m blind?

If I could see with my eyes, would it feel different?

Would this illusion then dissipate?

“……”

Arthur quietly smiled as he looked at her.

Reina looked back at him.

Arthur thought of Taylor, the son of the court physician.

He would be able to see you.

You, as you are now.

Next, he thought of Rembrandt and Francis.

They would all be able to see your eyes.

He felt an unbearable jealousy at that fact.

Arthur smiled softly as he wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered above her head.

“Anything is fine.”

Lightly pressing his lips and feeling her trembling,

Arthur sated his unfulfilled desire for possession.