"Shut up!"
Lilia screamed in a high-pitched voice and threw the glass she was holding at Minerva.
The sound of shattering glass and the splash of water echoed through the hall.
Minerva, who had instinctively closed her eyes, was surprised to find herself dry.
"Are you alright?"
Cyril, who had taken the splash of water instead, pushed back his bangs and looked at Minerva.
(It's a good thing it was just water. It seems Minerva-jou is also safe.)
As he checked if Minerva had any injuries, she let out a strange sound.
"Y-you're too close..."
Her face was bright red. When he hurriedly pulled away, the surrounding crowd erupted in high-pitched excitement.
"Kyaa!"
"My, my... how beautiful he is."
"He looks exactly like Alex-sama, but Cyril-sama is far more wonderful."
Since he had pushed up the bangs covering his face, his vision had expanded. He felt as though Alex was looking at him with a look of frustration for some reason.
(What is it?)
It was a displeased look. When Cyril glared back, Alex looked away.
"His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
As the announcement of the Emperor's arrival echoed through the hall, the crowd parted. Wearing a black cloak that fluttered behind him, the Emperor walked straight toward them. Behind him followed Duke Louzer, Cyril and Alex's father... who had an incredibly grim expression on his face.
"I would like to ask what this commotion is about... but I have already seen everything. Duke, it seems your sons have caused a scene."
At the Emperor's low, resonating voice, Louzer bowed deeply.
"I sincerely apologize for my foolish sons."
The Emperor looked at Alex, then Cyril, then Minerva.
"Hmm. I shall notify you of the punishment for the Louzer sons in due course. You are to leave for today. Minerva-jou, my nephew has done a terrible thing. A formal apology will be made at a later date."
"That is quite unnecessary, Your Majesty."
Minerva also bowed.
"Cyril. You shall escort Minerva-jou. Alex is under house arrest for the time being."
"Yes."
"Wha..."
Cyril glared at Alex, who had just started to open his mouth.
"Minerva-jou, let us go."
When Cyril spoke, Minerva bowed to the Emperor and started to walk, but she came to a sudden stop.
"Your Majesty, there is something I wish to tell Alex-sama, if I may?"
"I permit it."
When the Emperor nodded, Minerva turned back to Alex.
"Alex-sama. While I deny the allegations of harassment, I gladly accept the breaking of our engagement. It is something I have desired as well."
Minerva gave a curtsy with the most beautiful smile she had shown all day.
"Farewell."
Her movements were so graceful they left a lingering impression on everyone around them. Cyril was captivated. When he thought that such a sight was directed at Alex, he felt an inexplicable surge of irritation.
Cyril followed Minerva as she headed toward the exit.
As he passed Alex, Cyril whispered to him.
"I hope house arrest is all you get."
He couldn't see Alex's face, but it was easy to imagine the expression he was making.
Once they left the hall, it had grown dark outside. The two moons had risen high in the sky.
Cyril offered his hand to escort Minerva, but she didn't take it for a while.
"...Minerva-jou?"
Looking at Minerva's face, he saw she was still blushing. Her expression was so different from the resolute face she had during her curtsy that Cyril's heart leaped again.
"What's wrong? Ah, it's because I'm wet, isn't it?"
Although his head and left shoulder were wet, the rest should have been fine. He wasn't wet enough to get her wet.
"It's alright. My right hand isn't wet."
When Cyril defended himself, Minerva shook her head.
"N-no, it's not that. Louzer-reisek, do you intend to ride in the same carriage as I am? It would be... poison to my eyes... if possible..."
Her voice trailed off into an unintelligible mumble.
(Does she not want me to escort her?)
Even so, he had no intention of handing this duty over to anyone else.
Cyril was troubled, but he managed to get her to take his arm and led her to the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Minerva sat in silence, gripping her hands tightly. Cyril spoke to her gently.
"It must be unpleasant to see the same face as your former fiancé, right? Shall I put my bangs back down?"
At Cyril's words, Minerva looked up abruptly.
"No. Cyril-sama and Alex-sama are completely different. The color of your eyes, the mature atmosphere... um, aren't you cold?"
Cyril's face softened involuntarily at Minerva's concern.
"I apologize for making you worry. I'm fine with just this much."
As Cyril spoke with a smile, Minerva turned bright red and opened and closed her mouth, unable to find the words.
(I-I seem to be making her very nervous.)
He felt somewhat sorry. While this was a happy time for Cyril, it was a time where Minerva could not relax.
"I'm making you uncomfortable, aren't I..."
When he said this despondently, Minerva hurriedly replied.
"Ah, no. Rather than making me uncomfortable, I'm just nervous because Cyril-sama is wet..."
Because Minerva spoke while looking down, Cyril instinctively peered closer to look at her.
"Why?"
A drop of water fell from his bangs. Because the carriage was small, the drop fell onto Minerva's lap. Minerva, still blushing, opened her mouth.
"U-um, today Cyril-sama has a sort of... mature charm..."
(Mature charm... ?)
He didn't quite understand. Although his actual age was 16, the same as Minerva's, if he added his age from his previous life—35 years old—to his current age, his mental age was far removed from Minerva's.
(Does she mean I look old?)
It was unavoidable, but he felt a quiet shock.
(Well, there's no use thinking about it.)
He pulled himself together and looked forward. He gazed at Minerva, who sat there with a flushed, confused face.
(I wish she would stop making that face.)
Her moist eyes looked down, with the shadows of her eyelashes cast upon them. A strong urge arose within him to grab her reddened cheeks, to bite her small mouth, to pull her close.
Cyril instinctively slapped his own cheek.
"Eh, what happened?"
Unable to look directly at Minerva's surprised face, Cyril shifted his gaze to the window and spoke.
"Please, don't mind it."
While looking outside, Cyril thought to himself.
(——Now then, how should I go about wooing this girl?)