Felix remained frozen at the doorway to the room.

We… were on the bed. His Highness was hugging me, while I was about to kiss his cheek…

Looking at us like that, Felix blushed.

His Highness and I got up in a hurry and separated from each other.

Because we were embarrassed, we couldn’t meet each other’s eyes.

Felix’s cheeks were flushed. He then stared at us—

“—…Even though the night is long, for the two of you that wasn’t enough? To be flirting until morning…”

“F-Felix, you misunderstand…”

When he heard my words, Felix grinned.

“What part of that was a misunderstanding? Is there anything wrong? The two of you are engaged. Am I going to meet the heir soon?”

…H-heir!? T, that’s… in other words, our child?

His Highness and I involuntarily stared at each other. His Highness, who had a red face, shook his head.

His Highness then glared at Felix.

“…Felix, when did I say you could come in?”

“I didn’t get a reply, so I became worried. Thus, I opened the room. Isn’t that precisely the reason why Your Highness entrusted a key for the room to me?”

“That’s right…”

“But I’m sure I’ve bothered the two of you. Then, I’ll let the two of you continue with your flirting—”

“—We’re going to have breakfast!!”

His Highness shouted and went to the other room behind our bedchamber to escape. He probably went to change his clothes.

I was left behind. Thus, I was alone with Felix.

Felix giggled. Suddenly, he had a dubious expression as he knelt in front of me.

“…Lady Alisa, I’m sorry for disturbing you when things were getting good.”

“N, no! There was no such thing! Felix, nothing happened, trust me!”

Then, I explained everything. In other words, His Highness had merely hugged me in his sleep.

Incidentally, I also had to confess that we were embracing each other, and that I had stroked his hair yesterday.

Felix shrugged his shoulders.

“So, that’s how is it. Well, judging from His Highness’ personality, that must be so. The truth is, I already know. Regardless, I think that it’s good that the two of you are getting serious with each other.”

“…Has Felix been serving His Highness for a long time?”

“I’ve been serving him since three years ago.”

Felix was currently 13-years-old. So, he had already been serving His Highness since he was 10-years-old.

Felix chuckled.

“For some reason, the countess who gave birth to me banished me. When I was sent to serve another lord, His Highness picked me up. He is my benefactor.”

Felix spoke with a distant gaze. At that moment, his cute, childish, face resembled an adult’s.

I didn’t ask Felix for any further details. I thought that the count family kicked Felix out for some reason.

However, it was up to Felix to tell me the story one day.

Once he trusts me enough, that is.

I wanted to help His Highness. To do so, I needed to win the trust of the people of the territory, and those who served His Highness.

As His Highness’ wife—As the wife of the Arkhangelsk’s margrave. I needed to be worthy of the position.

As a step toward that, I’d like to gain Felix’s trust as well.

Felix then smiled.

“Even so, His Highness sure is cunning.”

“He, he isn’t like that…”

“But that’s exactly who he is, you know? He isn’t one to sleep with such a beautiful woman and just happen to hug her afterwards.”

“B, by ‘beautiful woman’, are you referring to me?”

Felix’s black eyes shone as he stared at me.

A wide smile appeared on his face.

“Who else is there other than Lady Alisa? After all, the fiancée decided for His Highness has to be good-looking, talented, and respected in the academy.”

When I heard Felix’s compliments, I became embarrassed.

I was merely chosen as His Highness’ fiancée through some arrangements.

Surely, there were prettier ladies than me out there.

When I said that, Felix shook his head.

“I wonder about that? Lady Alisa is the cutest of all the women I’ve met.”

“R, really?”

“Yes. Your shy expression, your red cheeks, your feelings for His Highness—everything about you is fascinating.”

While smiling adorably, Felix said so.

I felt my face turning even redder.

Felix… I wondered if he would become a womanizer once he grew up.

“…Felix-kun, sure has a way with words, doesn’t he?”

“Boo! Don’t treat me like a child, I’m already an adult!”

Felix puffed his cheeks and tapped his chest.

Even his gestures were cute—they were like a child’s.

It was only a five year age gap, but I was still older than him. Therefore, I had to be a person Felix could rely on.

But…

…Felix had spent more time with His Highness. Meanwhile, I, who was his fiancée, didn’t know a thing about him.

I envied Felix. He had always been serving His Highness.

“…Hey, Felix, I have a request.”

“Yes, yes, if there’s anything I can help you with, I’ll gladly accept it!”

“I want you to tell me more about His Highness.”

“About His Highness?”

“Yes, I don’t know anything about His Highness… His favorite food, his hobbies… I want to know everything about him. I want to be a girl that he’ll like.”

“Even if you don’t do that, I think His Highness is already in love with you, Lady Alisa.”

“But I’m worried! As it is, I haven’t helped him much! What if someone else appears?! His Highness’ heart might change!”

Felix stared at me with a gentle expression and muttered.

“His Highness is happy that a woman like Alisa is his fiancée. It’s alright, he’ll surely need Lady Alisa forever.”

Felix encouraged me.

“Anyway, if you want to know more about His Highness, I’ll gladly assist you. It’s my duty to deepen the relationship between Lady Alisa and His Highness as soon as possible! I promise to provide you with useful information!”

“Well, uh, thank you…”

Felix pumped his fist up to the ceiling while shouting in passion.

I was glad he’d help me, but he didn’t have to exaggerate it that much…

“Then, to seal my promise—”

—Felix respectfully took my hand and gently kissed the back of it with his lips.

I was embarrassed.

Even if I knew it was just a greeting, it was still a new custom to Rusie… I wasn’t used to it…

Now that I thought about it, His Highness hadn’t even kissed my cheek, yet…

…I grew even more embarrassed.

We weren’t aware that there was another person staring at us.

“…Felix, what are you doing to my Alisa?”

His Highness Alexander, who had finished changing, was staring at Felix who had just kissed the back of my hand.

His Highness was smiling, but his eyes weren’t…!

---

***T/N: This shota gonna both fan the flame, and extinguish it.

I’ve always pictured Alexander as that softie-faced ikemen whose face goes like this (・ω・) . But this chapter changes it, kinda.

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