I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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66 Chapter

“Um, Your Highness. May I have a moment?”

Someone called out to me while I was wandering aimlessly in a corner of the banquet hall.

‘A servant?’

It was the servant carrying glasses. These servants usually didn’t initiate conversation unless they were asked for a drink first, so I was puzzled but responded politely.

“There’s no issue. What is it?”

“Um, um, well…

The servant hesitated. Now that I looked closely, his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Waiting to see what he wanted to say, he finally lifted a glass from the tray he was holding and handed it to me with a sheepish expression. Caught off guard, I accepted the glass.

‘…Absinthe?’

I frowned at the fluorescent green liquid splashing in the transparent glass.

Typically, banquet halls only serve champagne, wine, carbonated water, or water. Other types of alcohol required special requests from the servants.

“Uh… thanks?”

As I took a sip of absinthe, I looked at the servant with a puzzled expression, and he pointed to a slightly removed spot and shouted.

“That’s a drink sent by that gentleman over there!”

“Kuh.”

I almost spit the absinthe back out with laughter.

‘What is this?’

This was an old joke by now, frequently seen in comedy setups. Feeling a bit better, I chuckled and turned my gaze to where the servant was pointing.

‘Leo.’

I met the fluorescent green eyes of Leo, who was seated in a secluded corner with no one around. He was also holding absinthe and winked at me playfully.

‘What a funny guy.’

Given that he was calling out to me like this, it seemed only natural that I respond. Smiling, I approached him.

“What is it, sir?”

“Do we have to be formal when it’s just the two of us, Your Highness?”

I plopped down in front of Leo. As we both maintained formality, he frowned at my formalities. I chuckled at his sulky expression, relaxed my posture, and took another sip of absinthe.

“So, Leo. Why did you send a glass?”

“Thought you could use some alcohol?”

His playful expression made me laugh.

Pressing my temples to ease the throbbing pain, I gazed at Leo. His sharp eyes softened. Although it was in the past, Leo was skilled at reading my emotions after all the time we spent together.

I felt a bit mischievous, reminiscent of our childhood.

“What kind of person is your king? I couldn’t help but wonder why he only sent weapons as gifts.”

“Kuh.”

Leo, who was tilting his glass, emitted a small cough. If someone saw this transition of his suddenly shifting focus, they might think he choked for a moment, but I could tell he was flustered.

“Alexandro… the First, you know.”

“Right.”

Leo’s face bore hesitation. He had to introduce himself out of nowhere, so it must have been troublesome. I happily sipped my absinthe while enjoying Leo’s peculiar expression.

“Not that I’m comparing, but he seems pretty strong. A sword expert.”

“Heh.”

“…And he’s probably rich too. Since he’s a king.”

“And?”

I stifled a laugh at Leo fumbling over compliments, clearly not wanting another person to seem inept compared to him.

“…What kind of person do you like?”

After pondering for a while, Leo unexpectedly tossed the question back at me. It was a topic I hadn’t thought about, so I deliberated a moment before speaking.

“Maybe… a kind person.”

“…A kind person?”

Leo’s face turned pale. His pupils shook as he spoke urgently.

“Is being kind enough? Don’t you care about their strength or wealth levels?”

I confidently smiled at Leo’s question.

“I’m strong enough myself, and I’ve got money, so why bother?”

Leo seemed at a loss for words, mouth agape. He tried to maintain a composed demeanor, but it was clear he looked glum as he murmured quietly.

“…Being kind must include not committing murder, right?”

“Preferably, someone who doesn’t commit murders is nice.”

His expression darkened further at my response. Struggling to suppress my laughter, I casually added another comment.

“Oh, and I also like them to be good-looking.”

At that, Leo’s face flushed bright. He let out a sigh of relief and grinned.

“Then you’ll probably like King Atara.”

Leo’s sharp eyes curved into a grin.

“Because he’s handsome.”

As Leo spoke that line, he looked as beautiful as an angel who just fell from the sky, leaving me with no room to refute.

‘He’s grown up to become such a smooth talker.’

The child I recalled who would pout and sputter in response to my every word was gone, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the now confident Leo who was guiding the atmosphere.

“But hey.

Leaning back lazily in his chair, Leo looked at me, then dropped his gaze to my forehead, firming up his expression as he leaned his upper body closer to me. His lips curled into a chilly smile.

“What’s your relationship with the guy with yellow eyes from earlier?”

If he means anyone I met earlier with yellow eyes, that would only be Rainer. I narrowed my eyes at Leo as he referred to Count Rainer Einhart as “that guy.”

“That person is Count Rainer Einhart, not just ‘that guy’…”

“I know who he is.”

As Leo spat out his words like they were being chewed, his eyes were ablaze with rage. He leaned in closer to me, tilting his head, as whatever emotion was boiling within him dripped down.

“Why did you let that guy put his face so close to yours?”

I blinked at Leo’s question. At first, I thought he was merely measuring my temperature, so I let it happen. Besides, friends should be able to touch foreheads, right?

“Well, he’s a friend. You let me get close like that too, right?”

When I said it like that, Leo’s expression hardened quickly.

“Freaking friend…”

With an exasperated look, he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly as if trying to say something, then suddenly ruffled his hair and abruptly turned away, slamming his forehead against the back of his chair.

“Ugh! So annoying! Argh! Seriously annoying!”

‘Is this guy crazy…’

Leo seemed utterly insane as he repeatedly banged his forehead against the chair, turning it bright red. I glanced around the room. Fortunately, there weren’t many people around to witness it.

“Stop it. You’ll hurt your head.”

Seeing Leo about to seriously injure himself, I sighed, leaned forward slightly, and slid my hand between him and the backrest. Finally, he ceased his self-inflicted assault.

“…Shushu.”

Leo turned his head sharply and brought his face close to mine. His previously vibrant eyes swirled, filled with a tumult of emotions and tightly shut.

Thunk.

As Leo tilted his head, our foreheads touched. I closed my eyes momentarily as his light brown hair brushed against me. Amid the vibrant scent of lemon, he sighed.

“We can do stuff like this since we’re friends.”

“If I want to, anytime.”

I replied nonchalantly.

I tend to be generous towards those I allow within my boundaries. Since I didn’t particularly dislike physical contact, I’d happily permit something as simple as forehead touching if Leo desired it. He seemed dissatisfied with my answer, as his lips contorted into a frown.

“Then what if.”

His delicate eyelashes slowly fluttered, and the transparent greenish-yellow eyes fixed on me. Desire. Anger. Thirst. A cauldron of myriad emotions seemed to bubble over.

“What if I wanted something even more than this?”

His sultry voice whispered, mixing breath and desire. Leo slightly narrowed his eyes. With our foreheads touching, as he tilted his head slightly, his blood-red lips inched ever closer to mine. The scent of absinthe wafted from his glossy lips.

‘So he wants to confirm that he’s a better friend than Rainer.’

Unfortunately, to me, Leo still seemed too young.

I beamed at him, our faces mere inches apart. I wondered if he was trying to put some distance by not calling me “sister,” but he still seemed attached to me regardless.

At my smile, Leo’s expression twitched.

“Of course.”

I lifted my chin slightly and pressed my lips slowly against his forehead; a kiss on the forehead signified friendship, after all.

He jolted violently at the contact. After pulling my lips away from his forehead, I added, teasing him.

“If you want, I can allow even more than that.”

Our eyes met. There was an exchange, and he stared back at me with a gaze that swayed precariously. I smiled gently, filled with affection.

His fluorescent pink eyes and my fluorescent greenish-yellow eyes mirrored one another, glowing in similar hues.

The feelings contained within them were entirely different, however.

“……Hah.”

As Leo gazed at me blankly, he exhaled deeply. Turning away again, he began bashing his forehead against the back of his chair even harder.

“Ugh! Argh! Ahhhh! Ugh! Hooo!”

Leo shouted, attempting to determine whether the chair or his forehead would break first in an absurd frenzy.

‘What is wrong with him? Is this not the response he wanted?’

I frowned at his inexplicable behavior. His shouting seemed likely to draw attention, so I quickly grabbed his shoulders, covering his mouth to hush him. It wouldn’t do to spread rumors that the envoy from Atara had gone mad.

His soft lips were pressed against my tough, calloused palm until he finally stopped his insane act.

“Are you hurt? Should I call a doctor?”

Fearing he might be losing his sanity, I grasped both his shoulders and looked concernedly into his dazed expression. Leo blankly stared at me, then cupped his face with both hands and lowered his head. The redness of his ears became quite apparent. Letting out some incomprehensible noise, he mumbled.

“I… really hate you.”

‘Is he in his teenage years?’

I wondered what was up with him all of a sudden. Trying to listen to whatever nonsense he would say next, I waited silently. After a long while, he finally lifted his head, his face twisted in distress, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“But I still really like you.”

His low voice carried a sense of resignation. His face, proclaiming a contradiction, was shadowed with desolation. I realized I shouldn’t say a word as I looked at the muddled emotions swirling in his eyes, ready to spill out. I instead comforted him by patting his back.

“You’re too mercilessly kind…”

His gruff voice was hoarse. With one hand covering his face, he let out a deep, heavy sigh. The scent of absinthe mingled with the breath he exhaled.

‘He’s definitely drunk.’

I was convinced of it. If his drunken antics included lashing out, then this was only to be expected. I patted his back a few more times. As long as he didn’t throw up on my lap, I could begrudgingly accept any drunken antics he’d display.

“Still, the first guy I ever touched foreheads with is me.”

His subdued voice carried a faint sense of longing as he asked. The atmosphere felt rather menacing, as if a murder would occur unless I agreed to him, so I nodded in affirmation.

“Yeah. You were my first.”

I confirmed in a calm voice. Upon hearing my reply, Leo flinched dramatically, lifting his face from his palm.

“Wha…?”

He stared at me with a face full of question marks.

“Why do you say it like that?”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, why…… do you say it so thrillingly…… do you… do you say it like that to other people too?”

Seeing him suddenly flare up, I blinked in surprise.

“I only do this for you.”

Aside from me, there were hardly any others I talked to this comfortably. Leo turned beet red as if on fire, a mix of a “want to die” expression plastered across his face.

“Really? Why do you… do this to me? I can’t sleep tonight…”

Mumbling, Leo leaned his forehead against my shoulder. Looking at him, I felt sure.

‘He’s definitely drunk.’

His flushed face. His unnatural self-harm. His wavering mood. His body swaying, unable to stay upright.

Love or something similar was not even on the table as an option. Leo was clearly intoxicated.

I knew I was in for a hassle now taking care of this drunken mess, but I also felt a pang of sympathy, so I decided to look after him well. As I watched Leo make a vacant expression, I moved to set him up in the chair and was about to get him some water when…

“Long time no see, Your Highness.”

I slowly turned my head at the familiar voice calling out to me.

“The Pope requests your presence, Your Highness.”

The slow curve of lavender eyes belonged to the archdeacon, Julian.