Kitaaaaaaaa! Also, I'm bad at writing formal language, so sorry if the dialogue sounds awkward… ^^;

Since then, three days pa.s.sed in the blink of an eye.

And today, I will be heading to the Armelia Ducal House together with Father.

After talking with elder brother, I decided to stop trying to escape.

Would I regret it after I ran away……after talking to elder brother, I didn't have confidence in making that choice.

Was desiring freedom selfish?

Was having a dream childish?

……no it wasn't. There's no way it was.

But……more than being free, more than having a dream, there was a wish that I wanted to fulfill.

Both my freedom and my dream were for the sake of making this wish take shape.

That being the case, then what should I do in order to fulfill that dream? ……I should go back and start thinking from there.

I wonder, would the engagement with the Armelia Ducal House be tied together with the fulfillment of that dream? ……Honestly speaking, that was exceedingly doubtful.

However, let's stop rejecting it right from the outset…….that's what I decided.

I don't know anything other than the sword. That was precisely why, the current me didn't have any other means of completing my goal to begin with……now would probably be a good opportunity to try looking at other options for once.

Besides, I've started to think about trying things in order to probe them out.

The first-cla.s.s n.o.bles, the Armelia Ducal House that has served as this country's Prime Minister for generations.

However, even if I resolve myself to go and do that……Rui's existence, together with my lingering regrets, smouldered inside my heart.

If I were to meet him, what would I do?

……if I told him of my feelings, what would happen?

If I spoke without being selective with my words, then at the worst the engagement with the Armelia House could fall either way.

If the eldest son of the Armelia Ducal House was one of those hopeless people that took being a n.o.ble to be the entire meaning of his life, then should I marry him and the possibility of realizing my wish becomes distant, then it'll be fine if I just seriously run away this time.

……however, even if I were to run away, I probably wouldn't choose to walk together with him.

Because I just don't want to become his shackles.

Reflected underneath my eyelids was his side profile.

Mourning over the sacrifices during the battle against Towair in the past, he swore that he would no longer let lives be lost……he desired to work for the sake of the country, saying that it was his dream.

If it were possible, I wanted to walk together with him with the same goal.

"……have you finished your preparations?"

Together with the sound of a knock, Father appeared.

Father was also dressed stylishly in his military uniform, without a single b.u.t.ton out of place.

"……yes."

Right now, Granny and two other servants were taking the time to arrange my appearance.

Hair extensions were attached to my shortly cut hair, and a light make-up was drawn onto my face.

And this dress that was specially ordered for this day……as I did not normally wear dresses, I was unused to it and my shoulders felt stiff.

Leaving that asdie, when I saw my own appearance in the mirror, it was so different form my usual self that I wanted to ask, who the heck is this?

It seems like a sort of scam……I thought as I praised Granny and co.'s technique while also realizing the dreadfulness of make-up.

Lead along by Father, I entered the carriage.

The silence in the carriage was so heavy that even breathing felt difficult.

Ever since that fight that was like a drama depicting the capture of a runaway, I haven't properly talked with Father at all.

I couldn't think of how I should speak with him right here and now.

As if I were running away from that, I turned towards the window and stared at the pa.s.sing scenery.

It felt like time was running terribly slow.

……as I let out deep sighs in my heart countless times at this heavy atmosphere, I continued to urged time on, thinking [Are we there yet?], when finally, we arrived at the Armelia Ducal House's villa.

When we arrived at the gate, a middle-aged man that appeared to be a butler came to greet us.

"……did we arrive a bit too early?"

Unexpectedly, Father spoke to him in a cheerful tone of voice, as if they had met several times before.

"No, not at all. Our Master has also been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Gazelle-sama and your daughter."

"I see. That's good……..ahh, Melly. This guy here is Alf, he works as a butler here."

"How do you do? I am Mellice Reese Anderson."

"Thank you for being so courteous to a mere butler like myself. I have been left responsible for the Capital residence, I am known as Alf. It is my pleasure to meet you. Now then, Gazelle-sama, Mellice-sama. Allow me to have the honour of guiding you, and please come this way."

Under Alf-san's guidance, we walked behind him.

The inside wasn't that gaudy, and was decorated with furnis.h.i.+ngs that had a sense of dignity which seem to have some history behind them.

"……please excuse us. Gazelle-sama and Mellice-sama have arrived."

After stopping in front of a single door, Alf-san said that.

Without a moment of delay, the door opened with a clank.

…… when I thought about how we were finally going to have an audience with Duke Armelia, I became so nervous that my leg shook as I took a step forward.

Watching my step, I turned my gaze towards as I followed after Father.

The moment Father's legs came to a stop, my nervousness reached its peak.

However, if I were to continue facing downwards, nothing could be done……..so, I raised my face.

……for a moment, what came into sight caused me to forget time itself.

It was simply so surprising that my brain couldn't catch up to the situation.

……why……why is Romel-ojisan here!?

Even though I wanted to scream, the words wouldn't exit my mouth.

I just simply continued to flap my lips open and closed.

"……oh dear, based on that expression, Gazelle hasn't told you about me, huh?"

"……I didn't have the free time to do so. Like you expected, Melly tried to run away. I haven't met with her ever since I caught her."

At Duke Armelia's words that were spoken like Romel-ojisan, Father answered in a reluctant manner.

Even though I was thinking that I was maybe mistaken, or that it was just an accidental resemblance……based on that exchange, there was no mistake.

As expected, Duke Armelia was Romel-ojisan!

"Sorry for surprising you. Once again, I'm Romel Jib Armelia."

"Wha…wha….wh-…why……!"

"No, even if you ask why……it's just as I said, you know? It's not like I've been lying up until now. Ah, incidentally, it's true that we met in a bar."

"Who would think that you're the head of a ducal house after interacting with you? …….you were like that at the bar too - even though you certainly didn't say any lies, I can feel your mischievousness in how you didn't say the truth either."

"……please stop, I'll get embarra.s.sed. I'm just good at putting on a mask. And even if you say I don't look like the head of a ducal house, well……I think it can't be helped with how Jou-chan was before, you know? I should be returning those exact words back to you."

"……oh, shush."

The two of them conversed like usual.

As long as I watched that, I felt it was extremely rude to Oji-san but……who in the world could believe it?

Who could possibly believe that that Oji-san was one of this country's top n.o.bles, the Head of the Armelia Ducal House!?

"…….oops, it's about time for my brat to arrive."

As I was thrown into confusion, I had completely forgotten today's goal but……at those words of Oji-san's I suddenly returned to myself.

Just what sort of person is Oji-san's son?

While I did feel interested, when I thought about the motive for our meeting, my mood sunk.

I felt even more nervous compared to when I was entering the room, and the sound of my heartbeat speeding up was noisy.

The knocking of the door overlapping with that sound.

As Oji-san nodded, one of the Armelia house's servants that had been on stand-by inside the room opened the door without a sound.

I promptly turned my face downwards.

"……please excuse me."

However, the moment I heard that familiar voice coming from the direction of the door, I lifted my head and turned my gaze towards that direction.

"…….eh."

Upon seeing the speaker, I gaped absentmindedly with my mouth open as my voice leaked out involuntarily.

……at the surprise that exceeded even that of when I saw Romel-ojisan, I could no longer make any more of a reaction than that.

I just simply stared at he who had entered through the door.

And perhaps he too was as surprised as I was, as he looked at me in a dumbfounded manner.

"……Melly?"

……as I thought, it wasn't someone else.

He was the one I knew.

"Why are you here?"

My conviction deepened at his words of surprise.

Then, my body moved at once.