His Royal Highness's cats are very hairy.

The stone bathroom is full of hot air and the vision is white and blurred.

Soaking up to his shoulder in warm water stretched out in the tub, Rutvias finally felt the tension unravel.

Back to his room earlier from Adeline's room where he spent the night, Rutvias immediately asked the samurai to prepare a hot tub. Because I smelled Adaline's scented oil from my body. I guess the scent shifted because I lay on the same sleeping table.

I wanted to wash that sweet smell away immediately.

Not because I was uncomfortable.

It's more of a problem because it's pleasant.

From my own hair, from my arms, whenever her scented oil incenses, I have the illusion that Adeline is beside me, and my nerves dawn. Not very, but restless.

The puffiness and the Shizukuishi dripping from her hair were in the way, and Rutvias lifted it up from hair to hair.

"... a little more, stay?

Adeline's eyes looking up.

White hands stretched out against Rutvias.

"... dammit!

Rutvias sank into the water to his head so as to divert his attention from the appearance of Adeline, who had been burned to the retina. Stay put and spend a few beats in the water.

Eventually, however, he was unable to defy the demands of his lungs for air, and put his face on the water with momentum. At the same time, it can be opened from the outside with so much momentum that I think the bathroom door has been skipped by a storm.

"Your Highness!!!

Aurio breathed rough and jumped into the bathroom. One of Rutvias' samurai comes after him to stop Aurio.

"Lord Aurio, Your Highness is in the middle of a hot tub. Talk later..."

"Fine, Arb"

"But Your Highness..."

Arb distorts like trouble.

Rutvias is actually not good at this gentle old samurai. Before going to the Empire, Rutvias made a slightly different diet or just inadvertently dirty his costume sleeve, which he could tell his grandfather. Because of that, I feel disgusted to be in front of Arb, even though he is a dedicated samurai who has served me since I was a young child. I felt like I felt my grandfather's eyes when he was supposed to be dead.

Sometimes I suspected that he was the one poisoning Rutvias', and Adeline's diet, but as far as Aurio could find out, nothing came up. I don't want to put it aside if possible, but I can't take it off my own devotion just because I don't like a good arb as a samurai, and his presence was a small prick for Rutvias.

"I'll call you if you need me. Please stay back, Arb."

"... Yes, sir."

Keep your head down, Arb leaves the bathroom.

That's why I can't be relieved. Strong enemies are royal there.

Rutvias glanced at Aurio.

"... what time is it and do you know where this place is?

It's not strange to be hand-held on the spot, such as in the royal bedroom, and without permission in the bathroom in use. Instead, I've never glanced at a time when I was about to kill before and was more eager for Aurio to die than I am now.

But that wasn't because of Orio's intrusion into the bathroom. Given that Aurio will be questioned from now on, it seems to me to Rutvias that it would have been a bit better to stab him wrong.

Aurio called, arm in arm, a few steps ahead of Rutvias' soaking tub.

"You are the one! Do you have any idea whose room you stayed in today 9 days before the wedding!?

――……

Here we go. Just as I expected.

When and where, with whom, Rutvias' identity is not allowed to keep secrets from the secretary. I mean, Aurio knows Rutvias was in Adeline's room until earlier. I guess the second secretary who followed me to Adeline's room contacted me.

What makes Aurio understand his behavior is that he has no choice in crisis management. I know. I know, but I only wanted you to look at it this time and pretend not to see it.

-... well, I didn't think that was possible...

Involving Adeline can't keep Aurio quiet.

"I tell you what! I'm not saying it in a personal way!? If someone sees you and it's an extra rumor..."

Hard to hear Aurio yelling at his sleepless head. Rutvias deposited his neck on the edge of the tub.

"... it's Adeline who feels bad. And then the royal face gets scratched."

"Exactly! If you know where it is, why..."

"... there was nothing"

"It's about 9 days later!? Why can't you stand only 9 days!

"There was nothing"

"Know why the carpet in front of the wedding altar is red..."

Aurio's expression stops. Then he blinked a few times and frowned suspiciously.

"... what?

Rutvias put his hand on his forehead. I've given up.

"Nah... nah!!

Separating each sound deliberately, Rutvias stretches out his voice.

"... - Ah!?

To Aurio's reprehensible dismay, Rutvias sinked into the water wanting to die.

In conclusion, there was nothing.

I slept on the same bunk. But that's all.

"A little more... stay?

At first, Rutvias didn't know what Adeline was talking about.

I never imagined her saying that or anything else, and I wondered if she hadn't noticed the meaning of the word she was saying.

Or a hallucination by Rutvias' aspirations, or both.

But not a hallucination, to Adeline's serious eyes, she also assumed she knew what she was talking about, and Rutvias' reason burned out.

I was going to do that until I held Adeline up to carry her to the back bunk.

But I noticed that Adeline, who held her up, was shaking a little.

If I say I wasn't lost at all, I'd be lying. I didn't even think that if I held Adeline as if I hadn't seen her scared or something...

But I decided. When you take care of Adeline. If you're afraid of Adeline, if you don't like it at all, you can't ignore it.

In the first place, at least I was self-conscious about waiting until the wedding, so I can handle the next 10 days or so.... maybe.

'You're afraid, aren't you?

Adeline nodded to Rutvias, who desperately reconnected the burnt-out reason and asked.

"... sorry"

I'm pathetic about that apology that's going to disappear, but I can't wait to be cute.

-... oh, give me a break.

I have a sense that I am short-tempered, but when reason becomes so brittle, I feel sorry for myself and want to cry.

Maybe Adeline has something to worry about, Rutvias thought. I often hear stories of women becoming emotionally unstable before marriage. That's what happens when you just get married, so it's natural that Adeline, who becomes the Crown Princess, becomes mentally unstable, and there's no choice.

It's about serious Adeline, so you must have thought about the area whether you deserve the Crown Princess or serve yourself.

Rutvias doesn't know why Adeline thought that being tied to Rutvias could relieve that anxiety, but that's why she pulled Rutvias off anyway. Because I was anxious. I didn't really want Rutvias to come by.

Sleeping Adeline on the bunk, holding hands, Rutvias made her laugh.

"Come on, go to sleep."

Looking at Adeline with a relieved look, Rutvias was convinced that he was right to make his decision.

-... when Adeline falls asleep, let's go home.

Seriously, I thought so.

But this is where Rutvias' trials started.

Adeline said something terrible about what she thought.

"Hey, do you want to sleep with me?

'............ what?

To Rutvias, who solidifies, Adeline said with a laugh.

'It's okay, the sleeping area is huge. I'm a good sleeper. "

Regardless, that's not the problem.

It was Rutvias who did make a declaration of intent that he would do nothing.

But isn't it obviously strange that we should sleep together?

Better yet, it means that Adeline trusts Rutvias so much.

If it's bad, it could mean she's not aware of Rutvias as a man.

Or is it simply that Adeline is too ignorant about a man's ecology?

Remaining a confused head, Rutvias laid down on Adeline's sleeping table to be pulled, and tasted raw hell.

Adeline sleeps with Rutvias' arm on her pillow and a reassuring face

Waving hair over a white cloth.

Thinly open lips.

Rutvias knows that the limb is thin and soft.

-... I want to touch...

On its white shoulder, Rutvias reached out several times and pulled in each time.

-... endure, me.

Looking at Adeline's sleeping face, Rutvias chewed up a sigh all night. Needless to say, I never slept.

Only once, I sucked Adeline's neck muscle with my lips.

In front of Adeline's room, the ladies and samurai on the night shift, and then the knights refrain. You would naturally guess what's going on inside to Rutvias, who doesn't come out of the room.

I don't need to look good on them at all, but if they found out there was nothing on Rutvias and Adeline for some applause, I felt my selling ticket hurt.

"Not eating baked bread is a disgrace to the knight." Bread is a metaphor. I'm not really talking about bread. It is not masculine not to eat baked bread, that is, meals prepared to be eaten immediately.... I mean, that's what I mean.

Isn't there a break in being perceived as such dishonorable, even though it is so hard to endure?

But if you look at the marks on Adeline's neck, at least the women would mistake Rutvias and Adeline for having that kind of relationship.

-... I don't give a shit...

But you can be forgiven enough to protect your insistence.

"...... l... t..."

".................. damn..."

Slipping around his body, Rutvias moaned with his hands on his forehead.

Out of the bathroom, Rutvias told Aurio the truth about the matter.

I had originally thought that if I were to stay in Adeline's room before the wedding, it would have to be revealed to Aurio because it was obvious that I would be eating a sermon to Aurio. If it's true, it was only to Aurio that I wanted to keep quiet. It's like winning greed but losing a battle, such as lying on the same bunk all night and not being able to do anything. Aurio was going to find me in pity, and that seemed an intolerable humiliation to Rutvias.

"... rather respectful"

As expected, Rutvias turned sideways, frustrated by Aurio's gaze as he saw a pitiful abandoned dog.

"... I don't need that respect"

Rutvias is already out of the bathroom, wearing a thin underwear and leg coat. Shizukuishi fell out of her hair, and her midcoat shoulder was damp, but whatever Adeline's hair was, wiping her own hair was a terrible hundred million bucks, and then she was left alone that it would dry. The usual.

Throw your body out into the bench and the sleeper strikes suddenly. It's been a really, really long night.

"Why don't you take a nap?

Rutvias nods, even though Aurio says so.

"I will..."

The sky is already brighter, but you should be able to sleep for about a quarter of an hour. If you don't sleep at all, Adeline worries about her breakfast seat with her sleepless red eyes.

"... Aurio"

Rutvias stopped Aurio trying to get out of the room.

Speaking of which, did this man also stay up all night? I felt sorry for myself considering that. If Rutvias is in Aurio's shoes, he might freak out.

"Yes?"

Aurio turns around and stops.

After being lost, Rutvias ended up stopping saying his apologies. That's the opposite position. If Aurio apologizes to me, I'd die of indignation myself.

"Your Highness?"

"No... I need a favor"

As Rutvias sat back in the bench, Aurio came back from the front of the door next to Rutvias' seated bench. As he sits, Rutvias looks up at Aurio.

"It's not hard. Just early, please."

"What the hell is that?

"I want you to examine the interpreter of the Empire. Sounds like a woman two years older than Adeline."

"Interpreter?

Aurio's eyes asked why.

"What happened to the lady?

"They got close to Adeline at the park fair yesterday."

"... with the lady?

Aurio frowned. Perhaps Aurio thinks the same thing as Rutvias.

Adeline, who tends to atrophy on same-sex of her age, is unnatural, such as being able to crack with her first-time opponent.

I don't care if it's simply the right person. But what if for some purpose we approached Adeline, who would be the Crown Princess...

"The name... Shit. You're upset."

"In the meantime, I'll check the roster. However, you may not make it to today's luncheon. There was a rush case involving Lil 'Hazel."

"I'm leaving the luncheon, too, so I can deal with anything. You just have to care too much about me. Just in case. Don't tell Adeline."

"Yes, sir."

Aurio bows his head and accepts.

"... at times, Your Highness. I dare to say something."

To a strangely haunted Orio, Rutvias tilts his neck.

"What's up?

Would it have also been any serious political agenda?

In a strange tension, Aurio said away with an extremely serious face.

"Do you know the saying, 'Don't eat baked bread is a disgrace to knights'?

"Get the fuck out of here!!

The cylindrical little pillow, thrown by Rutvias with all his strength, hit Aurio's head beautifully.

When I visited Adeline's room to have breakfast with her, Millet was just about to come out of the room.

Rutvias even trims the hairs of the cat he keeps.

"Morning, Millet"

On Rutvias' smile, Millet also gave a smile that people seemed to be good at.

"Good morning. Lady's waiting for you."

That's what Millet says and bows, stopping aside to let Rutvias through. But as I remembered something, I kept my head up.

"Oh, um... it's an override... are you sure?

"What?

When Rutvias asks, Cohon, and Millet cough lightly.

"That… it is a great pleasure for me as a lady's maid to be able to love you, Adeline, and I thank Her Highness. But we haven't even had a wedding yet... so... anywhere that touches the eyes... we'd like you to refrain..."

It turns a little red, Millet says.

Rutvias guessed what Millet was going to say.

Millet must have found traces of subcutaneous bleeding in Adeline's neck muscle. And she's making the mistake of following Rutvias' aim. Adeline became Rutvias' wife before the wedding.

Rutvias was secretly satisfied with the matter, while at the same time wanting to hold his head to his pity.

-... what are you doing, me?

I don't know. With a dark face, Rutvias apologized to Millet.

"... excuse me. I'll be careful..."

"Yes. Yes, no, um... If you know what I mean..."

I guess I didn't think Rutvias would apologize that much. Millet is twitchy.

"I am pleased to welcome His Royal Highness Prince Rutvias"

As usual, Arb knocks on the door and announces Rutvias' visit. Then, soon, Adaline's voice returned.

"Go ahead."

Beyond the open door, Adaline stood.

"Good morning, Adeline"

When Rutvias greets him, Adeline lays her eyes down.

"Good morning..."

My eyes are moist and red to my ears. I know it's lit up about last night, but I just slept beside it. If this is, what happens the morning after we really put the night together? Looking forward to it, scary...

-... speaking of which...

Adeline didn't run away, Rutvias looks back at last night.

Previously, I just held him tight until I pulled Rutvias from myself to the bedroom, something that turned his face away from Rutvias and left the conversation intact. That's a lot of progress.

-... you mean 'used to'?

A discretionary statement, but I also feel kind of lonely when I think I'm going to be bright red and can't see Adeline desperately fleeing.

On Rutvias' arm pillow, I think back to Adeline, who gladly gives her cheek.

It was really a hell of a night not to touch such a darling thing.

But it wasn't bad, I think.

I could fill my head with nothing extra to think about and just about Adeline.

It was such a time that none existed except the two of us in the world.

"... adeline"

"Yes, sir"

Are you a little nervous, Adeline's shoulder creeped up.

From that shoulder, chestnut hair flows off.

As Rutvias slowly approached Adeline, he searched the dewy white neck for the mouth marks he dropped last night in glory.

"... Oh, um... rut? What are you doing, man?

"... yeah"

"... yeah, then I don't know"

"You don't have to understand."

"Yeah?"

The marks that were found in the hairline beneath the ear are well hidden in white powder. Probably Millet did.

It's an invisible place from Adeline, so he doesn't even seem to realize it exists.

-... while I'm really crap...

Rutvias was mocking himself, but gaining a strange sense of relief. Small traces of internal bleeding are only a sign of the lowliness and self-satisfaction of the humble self. But I also feel indescribable joy that I was able to show my surroundings that Adeline belonged to me.

-... you don't have to know.

Such an outrageous greed for ownership and exclusivity. I don't want Adeline to see me.

Gently following the marks with his fingers, Adeline jumped up and backed off.

You look like you're wearing a red dye from your head. I'm not talking about apples.

"Hey, hey, what!?

Lifting his eyes, Adeline stared at Rutvias and shouted.

Rutvias laughs unbearably.

-... what, 'get used to it' at all?

"... haha!

"What!?

When will she realize that she's just cute when she's angry with her face like that?

Of course, I'm not going to tell Rutvias that.

Will the day come when she will jump into Rutvias' chest?

Anxiety too -... jump over position and duty.

Can I be a man worth just letting her jump over?

I wanted to be.

I also want to be able to take a whole lot of Adaline's anxiety.

But - ……….

If it's true, I don't deserve it.