Chapter 114

“Lady?”

“Ye- Yes?”

Seira woke up out of her thoughts to his call and looked at him. Luke sighed and looked at her.

“Who are you thinking of in front of me?”

“Huh… … . Uh, I’m, the E-Empress … … .”

Seeing Seira inadvertently confess the truth, Luke paused. Just by looking at her face… … He could tell she was thinking of someone she admired or had a crush on. Naturally, he was jealous even though he knew it was the older sister he loved.

“You… … mean?”

He looked at Seira silently. Although Luke and Medea were of different genders, they resembled each other enough to be echoes of each other. Even their eye color and hair color matched.

“Then how about me? I hear that I resemble my sister quite a bit.”

“Yes?”

After all, it was a very similar face. She would have looked like him if Medea had been born as a man. Conversely, if Luke was born as a woman, wouldn’t he have had a face quite similar to Medea?

“Well, I didn’t think of the Empress in that sense!”

When Seira blurted defensively in a moment of panic, Luke raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“What do you mean by that?”

Her heart pounded as she saw his childish grin spread on his lips. Luke looked like he wanted to touch her cheek, who sat across from him.

“I was just saying that the Empress and I resemble each other. What… … Could you tell me what impure thoughts you were so in denial about?”

I’d love to know.

After his additional words, Seira’s face turned bright red.

Looking at his expression, she knew he was teasing, but she didn’t know how to reply. If she didn’t answer, would there be a strange misunderstanding?

“T-the Empress… … I didn’t think of her like the ducal heir of Card… … .”

“Hmm— it’s hard to understand.”

A strange look appeared in his blue eyes as he stared at her gently.

“Thinking of the Empress like me… … I don’t know why the lady should be embarrassed.”

Saying that, Luke rose from his seat. It was a relatively wide and large carriage, so his head did not touch the ceiling even when he got up, even though Luke was quite tall.

“What do you usually think of me… … .”

Luke approached and sat down next to her. Seira flinched and looked startled at him sitting next to her.

“Can you tell me if you’re looking at me with those big rabbit-like eyes?”

“Uh… … .”

Alarmed, she stared at him, unable to answer. Her cheeks already resembled a peach, and her trembling eyes darted shakily. Finally, she glanced at Luke and turned her head away, avoiding eye contact.

“Lady.”

Seira’s shoulders twitched as he reached out and grabbed her hand.

“If you are so flustered… … It makes me want to catch you and devour you. Could you please… … not provoke me?”

“Y-Young Duke… … .”

He didn’t think her own hands were that small, but she was completely wrapped up in his palms. Luke smiled sweetly as she glared at him, unnerved. Finally, Seira pulled her hand out of his with a blushing face.

“Please don’t do that!”

“… … .”

Sarah turned her head completely away from him and bowed her head. Her face was burning, and her heart was pounding as if it would explode.

“Whenever the lord does that, I feel like my heart is going to stop… … .”

She felt like she was going to die. But, no, maybe she’s already half-dead right now?

At Seira’s words, Luke stared intently at her face, which looked like it was dripping red.

“Lady.”

“……um.”

“Look at me, please.”

After stealing a glance at him, she turned to face him.

For a moment, Luke moved—

His silver hair was rustling, and his blue eyes were so near she could see her reflection in them. Seira’s eyes widened in surprise.

Chu.

Seira’s heart pounded in her lips, which he lightly pushed against and fell with a thud.

“… … Did it stop?”

Your heart.

Luke whispered, still with a smile that melted her. Seira couldn’t answer; she was speechless. His blue eyes twinkled happily.

“Mine stopped too, my lady.”

Seira’s body tilted back as Luke leaned toward her.