After a long time, the morning sun appeared. It was seven o’clock.

Lewis strode along the wide carpeted corridor. He wasn’t a servant of the mansion, but William’s attendant. Regardless, he wore the Winchester family’s uniform all the same. Besides, it also gave him some advantages.

Lewis knocked on the door of his Master’s room. No answer.

After yesterday’s evening ball, William probably returned around midnight. He was probably still asleep. Without needing a reply, Lewis opened the door and slipped inside.

“William-sama, it is morning already.”

Lewis opened the room’s curtains and called out to his Master, whom was sleeping on the bed.

“…Nnnn—“

William turned over to avoid the sunlight. Looking at William, Lewis sighed and shook his head.

“William-sama, it’s already the appointed time—time for you to tell me about everything that happened last night.”

“I’ll tell you… in five minutes…”

“…”

Lewis saw no sign of William getting out of bed. He recalled how William looked last night.

William came home with Robert and his wife past midnight. Robert informed the butler about William and Amelia’s engagement.

Also, William appeared as if he wasn’t truly there—Lewis immediately felt suspicious. …What could’ve happened in one party?

However, no matter how much Lewis inquired about it, William only told him about the fact that he was engaged with Amelia.

Although Amelia attending the evening ball in the first place was already surprising enough, the fact that it lead to an engagement was even more unbelievable to Lewis.

Lewis never thought getting a clear answer from William could be this troublesome.

Hence, he decided to inquire with Robert next.

Lewis was told that William had proposed to Amelia in front of everyone, and Amelia accepted it. But, if someone were to ask for Lewis’ personal opinion—

—nah, that’s never going to happen.

Amelia’s life was surrounded by deceit—without forgetting the fact that she did it to herself, of course. She was full of pretenses—acting antisocial just so she could live a life free of human interactions. That incident during her and William’s tea party proved it. The reason was because of Amelia’s unwillingness to accept William’s proposal.

Certainly, Lewis had thought of Amelia as a suitable marriage candidate for William—

—however, this flow is too unnatural.

Lewis managed to persuade William to tell him everything next morning—

—yes, this morning, regarding the evening party.

Looking down on William’s sleeping face, Lewis’ eyes were covered by shadow.

All night long, Lewis had rummaged his brain.

Why would William propose at the nobles gathering party in the first place?

Did William believe that under those many gazes, Amelia wouldn’t dare refuse him?

…if that’s the case, that’s just too forceful. I want to believe that it wasn’t so.

Did Amelia show her willingness towards the proposal? That was just too unlikely…

Overnight, Lewis came to a conclusion that Amelia did consent to it.

That was why Amelia—whom avoided social events—appeared in front of William as a surprise.

Yet, no matter what, there was still one thing Lewis couldn’t decipher—

—the look on William’s face last night. The reason for it.

“William-sama.”

From his chest pocket, Lewis took out a pocket watch and confirmed it had indeed been five minutes. He called William again.

William finally opened his eyes, although thinly. Half asleep, his unfocused eyes reflected Lewis’ expressionless face.

“Le… wis?”

Recognizing Lewis’ face, William raised his voice.

“W-wha…!? Why are you here, could it be—you’re watching me sleep!? You creep!!” William shrieked and crawled to the edge of the bed, opposite of Lewis, to get away from him.

Looking at William’s attitude, blue streaks appeared on Lewis’ forehead.

“Don’t be silly.”

Lewis shot William down with sharp gaze.

William occasionally joked with Lewis this way, but his jokes never got through Lewis—

—the same didn’t apply with Lewis’ sharp gaze, though.

“I, I, I, got it—about last night, right? Hahaha…”

With a wry smile, William got up while tidying his bangs. After he sat up on the bed, he looked at Lewis and said;

“So, what do you want to hear from me? I know you, Lewis. Over the course of the night, you’ve roughly guessed what’ve happened, haven’t you?”

That received a smile from Lewis.

“Indeed. But there are three points I would like to confirm about. First of all—“

Lewis looked down at William.

“So, William, why did you look so happy last night?”

“…Huh?”

Towards Lewis’ question, William was struck with wonder. That’s the first question?

“Please answer. What happened between you and Lady Amelia?”

William was speechless—what kind of question is this!? He’s questioning me like a wronged wife! I didn’t have an affair—and I’m not his husband, either!

—no, wait… Precisely because it was coming from Lewis, the question must be more profound than he thought.

William rethought the question and looked straight into Lewis’ eyes.

“—Lady Amelia is more interesting than we thought.”

“…’interesting’?”

Lewis only became more pressuring.

“She isn’t a lion, a snake, or a monster—she’s an ordinary human; a person—but, even more so…”

“…”

Lewis waited for William’s continuation.

“…’never fall in love with me’—she said so to me.”

“…”

“Interesting, right?” William smiled innocently. “In the past, she had loved someone, but the man passed away. She didn’t want to be with anyone—but she said she could marry if her partner swears never to love her—that’s her only wish, or condition, you might say.”

“…”

“And… her dancing was indeed marvelous. Lewis, you found a great woman.”

“…”

While Lewis was still silent, William rose from the bed, intending to take a shower.

“William-sama, there are still two questions left.”

“I know, and let me guess—”

William glanced at Lewis sideways.

“—the reason for Amelia’s extraordinary talents, and her duty as my wife?”

At William’s confident words, Lewis became quiet once again.

“—I still don’t know the reason for her talents—but as the wife of the next Marquis, she’s willing to be our marionette.”

‘Marionette’—or, to put it harshly, a puppet. Lewis understood that and laughed.

“Well, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Very.”

Lewis didn’t say anything anymore and stared at the back his Master, whom was heading to the bathroom. After he confirmed the door was closed, however—

“—you’ve become mine, at last…”

His crimson eyes gleamed, as his lips drew a crescent-like arc.

It was transitory.

As he took his leave from his master’s room, his expression returned hollow.

---

***T/N : Enjoy your Saturday night release of Amelia! This chapter officially concludes this arc~ my, Lewis, you are so… (feel free to continue this sentence)

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