“Good morning, Jared.”
“…Good morning, Olivier.”
Jared, having revealed his past and even shed tears, had fallen asleep clinging to Olivier.
It was an utterly unintentional lapse, and though they were engaged, spending a whole night in a woman’s room filled him with an indescribable embarrassment.
Of course, he hadn’t done anything improper, but the inexpressible ticklish feeling was frustrating.
“I’m so sorry. I never expected to fall asleep like that…”
“It’s quite alright. I was happy to see your vulnerable side.”
Olivier, with a faint blush on her cheeks, likely felt a similar embarrassment.
He didn’t know what had transpired after he fell asleep, but he woke up in her bed. Of course, Olivier was sleeping beside him, her breaths soft.
It was the first time in his life his heart had pounded so hard from surprise.
More than that, he hadn’t slept so defenselessly since returning to the Capital City.
Having been placed in a Containment Facility and having a past filled with being a victim of violence, Jared had lived his life with constant vigilance.
This unconscious habit of being guarded extended even to Olivier, and to Yeny, who had always treated him like an older brother.
However, Jared last night was different. Even after revealing his past and pouring out the emotions he had held within, he never would have imagined letting his guard down enough to fall asleep.
Did it mean he trusted Olivier that much? Or did he believe she would never betray him? He didn’t understand his own heart.
“If it’s not too much trouble, and if you don’t mind, could you please tell Yeny about last night as well? I feel a little bad that only I know about your past…”
“I understand. I’ll tell her when I find the time.”
“Thank you.”
He felt no resistance in telling Yeny. It was undoubtedly because he had spoken of his past to Olivier last night and had been accepted.
“Jared, you’re so thin, yet you’re heavy. Are you muscular?”
“W-Why would you say that?”
“You see, who do you think carried you to bed when you fell asleep?”
“…Olivier.”
“That’s right. I could have called Trane, but I thought she might wake up, so I managed on my own.”
Jared wasn’t as heavy as she implied. His lean, trained body was indeed muscular, but it was kept in check to a degree that wouldn’t reveal him as a fighter at first glance. His weight was lighter than the average for his age. Of course, he understood that it might be heavy for a woman.
“Also—it’s my first time spending the night with a man.”
“—W-Wait, please don’t say things that could be misunderstood!”
Jared flustered, his cheeks flushing at her remark that would undoubtedly be misconstrued by a third party.
For reasons still unclear, rumors among nobles spread like wildfire. Even the matter of Jared and Olivier’s engagement, which had been a conversation among only four people, had apparently reached various parties.
If rumors of him spending the night with Olivier spread, it would be a disaster. Well, to be calm, it wouldn’t be a problem, but he somehow disliked the idea.
Jared and Olivier wouldn’t start rumors if they didn’t speak of last night, but there were other residents in this Mansion.
“Good morning, Olivier. I sensed you were awake, so I let myself in. —You must have enjoyed yourselves last night.”
Suddenly, Trane appeared, her usually expressionless face sporting a forced, wide smile, and uttered such a joke that Jared choked on his drink.
Olivier, who had turned as red as a boiled shrimp, was met with Trane’s genuine smile this time.
“Olivier, congratulations. How was your first experience at the age of twenty-six?”
“Trane, you’re making a grand misunderstanding!”
“No, I’m not mistaken. Last night, Jared did not leave Olivier’s room, so I presumed, ‘Could it be…?’ and I eavesdropped. I heard Jared’s rough voice and Olivier’s pure yet voluptuous moans.”
“It must have been a dream! Nothing happened between us!”
Olivier denied it with a furious blush, but it looked like she was desperately trying to hide the truth out of embarrassment, which was strange.
Indeed, it was a perfectly plausible scenario for engaged individuals to spend a night together. Judging by the circumstantial evidence alone, one could easily believe something had happened in the room.
However, Jared had no recollection of any rough breathing or Olivier’s moans. He even entertained the absurd thought that something might have happened while he was asleep, but since he felt no physical abnormalities, he dismissed it. Just in case, he secretly checked the sheets for any evidence, making sure they wouldn’t see.
“It seems I fell asleep and woke up in the hallway, but it wasn’t a dream.”
“Where does that confidence come from? You were asleep, so of course, it was a dream!”
“But there’s no proof it was a dream.”
“…Are you kidding me? Or are you enjoying toying with me? You were eavesdropping, weren’t you? But I fell asleep without realizing it, so it’s definitely not a dream!”
Looking at Trane, whose expression had returned to impassive, he couldn’t gauge her thoughts. He couldn’t help but suspect she might genuinely be enjoying this.
“Hannelore said that you should spend your morning having a relaxed time together. She also mentioned that it’s difficult to move after one’s first time… and that if you wish to take a bath, you can do so together.”
“Even Mother is saying such things…”
Olivier clutched her head, realizing that her Mother, like Trane, had misunderstood.
“Jared—”
“Whoa, the target is shifting towards me.”
The bad feeling he had was not his imagination.
“Yeny is very much looking forward to tonight, saying ‘It’s my turn tonight,’ so do your best.”
“Do my best at what!?”
Yeny was undoubtedly serious. Knowing his Cousin, who was always like that once she made up her mind, Jared was certain Yeny also misunderstood last night. And she genuinely intended to visit him tonight. He had to clear up the misunderstanding before it became a major problem.
“I’ll go and clear up Yeny’s misunderstanding first!”
“Please do! And if possible, clear up Mother’s misunderstanding too…”
“Leave Hannelore to Olivier!”
He could only imagine being met with a gentle smile no matter what he said to her.
Trane stopped Jared, who was about to rush out of the room to clear up even one misunderstanding.
“Please wait, Jared. Before you go to Yeny, please take this.”
She handed him an envelope. The sender was Bertha Bart.
“It’s a letter from a Woman.”
“Why did you emphasize ‘Woman’?”
“No, it’s nothing special.”
“Liar,” he thought, but since there was nothing improper, he opened the envelope on the spot.
The content was concise.
—Sorry for the suddenness. I need to consult you about Laurenz. I’d appreciate your help if possible. I’ll be waiting at the Academy today.
It was a message fitting of her, who always remained by Laurenz’s side without unnecessary words. Her handwriting was as perfect as a model.
If she relied on him, he wanted to lend his strength. Jared’s plans for the day were now decided.
