CH 80

“Hey…Mika, you’re kind of close.”

“Is that so? I mean, the bed is connected, so I can’t help it.”

We were in a dragon carriage on our way to Lambert Territory right now.

It was now completely dark inside the carriage and moonlight was coming through the window. While complaining to Mika, who was lying so close to me, I was lying next to him.

When Chicken pulled the carriage for the first time, our schedule was to rest somewhere for the night, partly for him to get used to it. However, unlike summer break, winter break does not allow for such a long schedule, so Chicken had to work hard even at night.

I felt sorry for Chicken, but he looked very excited, and Toni, the tamer, also looked very motivated and said, “He can do it!” I was also told that Chicken would get fat if he didn’t get out much, so I should make him work hard.

Indeed, except when pulling the dragon carriage, Toni has to make Chicken exercise, which may be tough.

Anyway, the problem now was less about Chicken’s diet and more about the proximity of Mika, who was sleeping closely next to me.

“B-But, you don’t have to face this way…”

“This reminds me of the old days.”

Mika said this with a smile that seemed to spill out some joy. I thought that we had already ridden together like this in the summer, but seeing his strangely happy face, it was hard to complain further.

“It’s nice to be able to continue travelling even at night.”

“Yeah, we had to stop last time just in case.”

“It’s amazing how it’s faster than a horse-drawn carriage, yet less bumpy.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Mika, who was more excited than last time. It’s true that traveling by vehicle at night has a special feeling that is different from that of the daytime. Seeing Mika’s eyes light up like a little boy, I really, really felt like I was back in the old days.

I thought it would be awkward after what happened the day before yesterday, but seeing Mika’s unconcerned attitude made me feel a little silly worrying about it. To be honest, I was also excited about the night trip.

However…there are some things I need to ask.

About my imposter. I had originally planned to go to Lambert territory. If the man is really from the Lambert territory, I would like to look into him as well.

“We don’t know if the fake other me will be returning to his hometown or not, but I wonder if we can find out more about him.”

“Yeah. Once we know his family origin and background, we might be able to know his motive. It was a great help to have the dragon carriage for this.”

When I heard Mika continue, “I can’t leave your side, after all,” I thought that there must be a limit to him being my personal knight and doing various things at the same time.

I’m sure that his reliable subordinate is watching the imposter even now, at all hours of the day and night.

Moreover, the Lambert territory is located in a place where it would take a lot of days to get there without a dragon carriage. No, he is the son of Count Chardin, so maybe he could use a flying dragon.

Mika was still smiling, somewhat happily. For that matter, Mika was in a really good mood today.

(…I mean, why is he so unconcerned? He could be more apologetic.)

For Mika, such a kiss might not really matter. I was unconsciously staring at Mika, who was lying right next to me, when he noticed me and asked me.

“Are you going to sleep already?”

“Yeah…I guess so.”

I was still somewhat bothered and couldn’t take my eyes off Mika’s face. However, the regular shaking of the dragon carriage gradually lured my consciousness into a dream. The room appeared pale in the moonlight. Even Mika’s jade green eyes are more night-colored now.

While still feeling dazed, my eyes naturally turned to Mika’s lips.

(This is…the lips that kissed me…)

Feeling half dreamy, I touched Mika’s lips softly, as he always did to me. Mika looked at me curiously.

“…What?”

“No, nothing. You often touch me like this.”

I stroked it softly with my thumb. Mika then said with a chuckle.

“You don’t have any opinion about it?”

“Haha, what do you mean by my opinion? Ah…you often said mine feels soft, after all.”

I wonder. It’s not that Mika’s lips are rough. But yes, it does seem a bit, well, resilient. They’re a little thicker than my lips. This mouth opens wide to the side. And he always smiles like the sun.

(I really like it…Mika’s smiling face.)

My mind was half in a dream. I would never be able to do this if I were sober. I was still touching his lips while feeling sleepy, and he scooped up my hand. The tip of my thumb went inside Mika’s lips.

I have to get it out… As I thought about that, Mika asked me a question.

“Do you feel like kissing me?”

He smiled softly at me, and I felt my heart skip a beat. But even I, with my senses dulled by sleep, knew I shouldn’t do that. For some reason, Mika has been joking around lately, but that’s still not good from my point of view.

“I won’t feel like that.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Mika raised one eyebrow, then rolled over and looked at the ceiling of the dragon carriage. The rattling and shaking of the dragon carriage could be heard. The streets are in decent condition in this area, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get around. The only thing that bothers me is that Mika and I are both pretty well dressed, but it’s still cold. Maybe I’d be able to get a good sleep. Mika then mumbled to himself.

“Hey, I wonder if the first king was in love with the knight.”

“What?”

“I mean, the knight system is also the same, but there is also a tradition of riding together in a carriage like this, it’s kind of…”

When I wondered about what Mika was going to say, he said something strange.

While leaning towards Mika, I thought for a moment. Certainly, the system of personal knights in this country has changed. It might be nice to have a knight who is with you all the time if you can trust him, but it can also be risky.

There have been times in its long history when there have been moves to have it abolished.

Indeed, it may be a strange custom. But…I don’t think they were in love.

“I don’t think so. He had a wife and three princes, I believe.”

“But isn’t it suspicious? Every expedition they travel together in the carriage, and even their rooms in the royal castle are connected.”

“I heard it’s for security purposes…”

Mika didn’t seem to be convinced and tilted his head. In the first place, Mika seemed to be very concerned about continuing the trip at night the first time we rode it, even though he didn’t say so last time. Then, he said something outrageous.

“I mean, even if we use this place for something suspicious, no one will find out. You must’ve thought about the same thing, right?”

“……I-I wouldn’t think about something like that. The other knights are riding in the back, too.”

“But they’re outside. There are sounds of the wheels and wind, so they can’t hear us.”

That’s right. This dragon carriage is much bigger than a horse-drawn carriage. Toni is riding in the coachman’s seat and the two knights are sitting in the back. Before departure, I saw that they were wearing many layers of clothes, but they were in the shadow of the carriage’s body, not directly exposed to the wind. Winter travel must be tough.

I don’t know why Mika said such a thing, but if something improper was happening inside the dragon carriage, I wouldn’t be able to feel calm when I think about the people outside. Perhaps some of the princes in the past were in love with their knights, though.

Still, essentially, a political marriage awaits the royalty. It is also the duty of those born into royalty.

I heard this morning that His Majesty was fond of my mother. Still, His Majesty has Lady Willemina and the Second Queen. And it was probably a failure. I’m sure that from this experience, Brother Seth will not have many wives. If that were the case, I would have had a political marriage waiting for me, too, in order to support him. That’s what royalty is all about.

But why do we have to talk about this? I turned my back on Mika and rolled over.

“I don’t care. But you and I are not like that, and it doesn’t matter.”

“I know, but. I just think about it a little.”

“What are you, frustrated?”

Mika blurted out, “…Well, you won’t put me out of my misery, after all,” and I was getting more and more frustrated with all the vague things he said. I was about to be able to sleep a while ago, but then Mika started talking about weird things and now I feel more awake.

Tomorrow is going to be a tough day. I want to have a good night’s sleep. A cold wind came through the gap in the dragon carriage and I shivered. As I was wriggling around and pulling the blanket back up to my shoulders, there was clearly another person trying to get into the same blanket.

“Hey!”

The next thing I knew, Mika’s hand was around my stomach, and suddenly his left arm slipped under my head. Then, on my shoulder, Mika said while smiling.

“It’s fine for me to stick close to you like this, right?”

“I-It’s not good!”

“You’re also feeling cold, after all.”

My heartbeat became faster. Mika definitely has a strange sense of distance. There was no way I could sleep in this position. As I struggled to get away, I heard Mika mumble, “Hm?” and I was dying of embarrassment.

“Your heartbeat…feels so loud.”

“Shut up. Get away.”

“I kissed you, after all. I also…feel my heart throbbing.”

“Then stop doing this. Or rather, you should apologize more for that time.”

I tried to pull Mika’s hand away, but he didn’t budge. What kind of training could make him so strong like this? I was becoming increasingly nervous with this strange sense of distance. With a slightly sober mind, I realized that I had made a mistake in touching Mika’s lips in the first place, but there was nothing I could do about it.

I heard the sound of Mika breathing in on my neck, and my body trembled.

“You smell good. The smell of Nagi.”

“T-That’s not true. Get away from me!”

We’ve been on the move all afternoon today. I washed myself off once before we left, but there was no way I could smell good.

Mika’s breathing tickled my neck. If he were to do something like this, it would make me feel strange. Mika’s cheeks were rubbing against me. He hugged me tightly. Then he whispered in my ear with a strangely sweet voice.

“For now…I’ll hold back.”

“W-What do you mean?”

It’s like a hot breath blown in my ear. My voice cracked. I don’t know what he is holding back, but since he won’t stop when I tell him to stop, I don’t think Mika is holding back in any way. What in the world does this redhead want with me, teasing me?

“It’s nothiiing.”

While jokingly saying so, Mika’s hands did not show any signs of loosening at all in the end. I was feeling irritated and impatient for a while, but Mika didn’t respond at all. He must have fallen asleep, and I gave up along the way.

Mika’s high body temperature made me start dozing off. After a while, I traveled to the world of dreams.

I thought I heard my own breathing in my sleep. So, I didn’t even notice when his lips dropped to my cheek with a kiss.

And then, I also didn’t notice Mika’s small whisper.

“Nagi…your pure common sense is beautiful.”