"... what I like about her is Cleman"
"Of your escort?
Cleman is Rafael's most trusted veteran escort. He has short golden hair and an obnoxious face. I was silently following his instructions earlier.
"Oh. After handing over Filbert, it's a turnover, so we should be heading to Sophia's place"
"But I'm too old for that! I've been on your side the whole time, so you're pretty old, aren't you? Someone your father's age and Sophia?
"That's terrible. If he hears it, he'll mourn. He looks old because he's calm, but he's certainly just turned twenty-eight."
I didn't know...
Speaking of twenty-eight, he's the same age as the guard Jildo. He's ten years older than me, and he's twelve years different from Sofia. Sophia, are you sure you like older people?
"I can't believe it! Because he's been with you for a long time. Have you already had Sophia since then?
"No way. He was eighteen then and had just been appointed my escort. You couldn't afford that."
"Then when?
"I want them to hear that. Anyway, that would have solved the misunderstanding, wouldn't it?
Let's think about it. I feel like it was him, if you ask me. Sophia thanking the escort, not the prince. I was happy to talk about that time at home, and I only have him (...).
He wasn't talking about Raphael, he was talking about Cleman the escort?
But even at the ball, Sophia looks at us... and there's always him behind Raphael. What if Sophia was looking at the escort, not Raphael? I also went to Tenmiya...
"Hey, I think Sophia's been here a lot for quite some time. I thought I was seeing you.
"With me? No, you're too busy on the job to have time for that. Oh, I thought Cleman was still dealing with him then."
"Really?
I haven't seen it, so I can't say anything.
But Sophia was definitely in love. Something that had sparkling eyes when talking about people you like.
If this is the case, I wish I had come to Tengu with Sophia once in a while. I didn't know that Sophia the heroine was attracted to that escort, not the prince. A sinister handsome guy is something I was supposed to stick to... well, I'm not an escort, I'm a guard.
"That's crazy. Then why are you in a secret meeting?
"Secret meeting? I don't remember."
"Sophia showed up to pick you up the day you got back from the trip, didn't she? I tried to go home first, but I changed my mind and came back. Then you and Sophia will be alone in the office..."
Thinking about that day still makes it hard. I turned back to Heavenly Palace just to tell Raphael that I liked him. But as soon as I open the door, I hear the two of them.
'Already, El, it's always all that! Why shouldn't you tell your father about us?
'Things have order. Even if it's not...'
I didn't see Sophia. But I couldn't have misheard her. Besides, what you called "El" is more proof than anything else.
Rafael seemed to be persuading Sophia and must have wanted to say, "Because they're your sister-in-law". After you broke your engagement with me, trying to get my father's forgiveness.
He also said, "I want you to believe me because I'm going to talk to you after the ball." That's why I decided to give up on you...
"Nica, I'm sorry I'm thinking about it. What you care about is what I was about to tell you, right?
"Yes."
"I miss not winning your trust, though. Again, you're misunderstanding."
"Misunderstood?"
"Oh. I've never been alone with Sophia in the first place"
"Lie! 'Cause I did then..."
"Did you really take a good look? Sophia was in front of me in the office, and there were two escorts on the wall. And Cleman, of course."
"... that?
Wait. Because I'll try to remember it a lot.
That day, I did come from a gap in the door...
Right! I just opened it a little, so I can't see it to the wall, and I never thought there'd be people there. But on second thought, there's always an escort near Rafael. If you're not close, you're watching him from afar.
"Sophia said that I (...) and the others (...)..."
"It's about me and Cleman, of course. He's the second son of the Marquis, so he doesn't even have to inherit the house. If Nica becomes my queen, the search for Sophia's son-in-law begins. I can't believe you've already found a man who can, that's Sophia."
"Then who were you to forgive because I was the other person?
"I didn't say that. I think you misheard the phrase," Because they're my escorts. "
I missed it rather than misheard it, but you're right. Raphael continues as he looks at me biting his lips.
"If a man who's supposed to be in full escort duty finds out he's in love with his own daughter, he might touch the Duke's scales. I didn't want my engagement with you to be revoked, so I wanted you to wait until I announced my marriage."
"That's why?
"Oh. What else?
Raphael, the chief, has a beautiful face like an unharmed angel. Pretty stomachy around prioritizing my convenience though. No, I feel more like mainly about me than about myself. Then you really want to be with me, and he likes me...?
As soon as I become aware of Raphael, my heartbeat increases one step at a time. Suddenly I couldn't breathe and my face seemed to be on fire. In his purple eyes is my face wandering.
"I don't know, Nica. Have you cleared your doubts?
"Yeah, well..."
I answered and I bit my lip. I was embarrassed that I was making a big mistake. It was totally unexpected that the prince was not a heroine and liked me from the start.
So until now, I've been trampling Raphael's thoughts? Were you hurt, not seriously because you're a villain's warrant lady? If that's the case, I don't think I should apologize to him. And I want to confess that I like it, too, if I can.
On my cheeks troubled, he gently hands on.
"Good for you then. Beautiful and cute. I like my Nica."
The sweet sound of Raphael.
The voice felt as if it were music in heaven.
My thrill reaches its climax with a near-end face and enough distance to exhale.
I took a big, deep breath and decided to calm down my feelings. 'Cause I, too, need to tell him right.
"I'm sorry I made a mistake. Raphael...... me too. I like you, too."