Part 1/2
He recalled it after the battle with the Ruain army was over, after they returned to the castle.
At that time, Kiara caught a fever.
The clay figurine that was Master Horace gave an explanation that the fever was due to the burden that her body was exposed to when she became a magician.
Therefore, he thought that she would sleep calmly, but… Kiara’s response suddenly turned weird. She started to be more conscious to the member of the opposite sex.
He knew that Kiara’s face would amusingly turn red when he tried to teasingly touch her, as Kiara wasn’t used to it. But if that didn’t happen, it meant she was already grown used to it with someone. Therefore, Reggie would occasionally try to confirm whether or not there was a ‘bug’ around her.
Reggie was relieved when he saw Kiara getting embarrassed from having her hand touched.
But just who in the world was the bug?
It was quite difficult for Reggie to suppress his buzzy feelings.
Still, Reggie knew that Kiara didn’t have any relationship with someone else—he would be aware of that if it were to happen. But she still seemed to overreact before.
Kiara was in touch with many people.
The one she was closest with would be Alan, but Alan was quite dense and was a late bloomer, so he was certain that Alan wouldn’t engage with a woman in a romantic sense.
Then, was it one of the knights?
According to Groul whose expression turned reluctant whenever Reggie asked him to get some information regarding whoever was around Kiara, she seemed to get along well with a young chef apprentice. Judging from that person’s position, Reggie didn’t think he would be able to hang around Kiara who had become a magician.
If that was the case, there was only one person Reggie had in mind.
The moment Reggie saw Wentworth in the room escorting Kiara, Reggie was certain of his conjecture.
Although Wentworth had never shown that kind of interest in Kiara at all until just now. But now, he couldn’t let his sight go from her figure.
During the time they returned to the castle along with Margrave Vayne from the battlefield, Wentworth showed a helpless expression when he saw Kiara being carried in Reggie’s arms. Wentworth surely didn’t want to let her go at that time, if possible.
Wentworth showed how he touched Kiara’s lips in front of Reggie. At that time, Reggie felt a chilling sensation deep inside his heart.
He could easily tell. Putting Kiara’s earlier reaction into consideration, Wentworth still hadn’t been able to grasp Kiara’s heart. That was why, he was waiting until her heart clearly fell for him.
With that in mind, he did such thing to Kiara in order to make her conscious of him. Thanks to that, Kiara was strangely too conscious when she was touched by the opposite sex.
Furthermore, he intentionally did that in front of Reggie who was Kiara’s guardian in order to let him know.
…He was telling Reggie to think that someday, someone would say that they wanted Kiara.
Her appearance wasn’t bad. Her virtues would be her honesty and how she was thinking on moving forward. Moreover, she had her own worth as a magician.
Hence, ordinary people wouldn’t dare approach her carelessly. In that point, Wentworth was in a closer position to protect Kiara than Reggie himself—and Reggie considered him to be a difficult person to handle.
Not only that, but Kiara had started to call Wentworth with his first name ever since who-knows-when.
Each time Kiara’s gentle voice called out, “Cain-san,” Reggie felt like there was something blocking his thoughts.
Yet, Wentworth knew that he would need to gain his consent as Kiara’s greatest guardian if Wentworth wanted her.
After the two of them left Kiara’s room together, Wentworth said.
“Would it be fine for me to think of your Highness as Kiara-san’s guardian even now?”
If Reggie said yes, Wentworth would surely tell him that he wanted to make Kiara his own.
At the same time, he must have wanted to confirm whether Reggie also wanted to monopolize Kiara or not. He wanted to make sure whether Reggie’s overprotectiveness was done due to the familial love he might have felt, or if it was due to his desire to monopolize Kiara as well.
Reggie thought that he didn’t want to answer Wentworth’s question.
However, if he didn’t answer, that would only raise suspicion.
“I’m not impressed with how you teased a sick child, Wentworth.”
He responded ambiguously as he tried to steer the topic a bit.
Reggie clearly saw what happened earlier. Even when he said that, Wentworth’s expression didn’t bulge a bit as he showed a slightly bitter smile.
“If I didn’t do that, she wouldn’t pick up the hint.”
“I didn’t think that you would adore her that much. It’s quite surprising.”
He was 21 years old and someone who protected Alan as if he was Alan’s older brother. There was quite a gap between his age with Kiara who would turn fifteen soon, so Reggie thought that Wentworth saw Kiara as someone too childish.
In fact, Wentworth didn’t seem to be quite interested in Kiara before.
Reggie was curious about why Wentworth suddenly had a special feeling towards Kiara.
In response to Reggie’s words, Wentworth readily answered.
“I might have changed my mind when I saw her trying to save our allies… even if that meant throwing her reputation and embarrassment away.”
See? As expected. Kiara, you are way too careless.
That must have something to do with how Kiara exposed her legs. If that’s the case, the one left with a deep impression isn’t Wentworth alone. And that is frustrating.
After all, one couldn’t help but be interested towards someone who showed a desperate attempt to protect the others, and ways to help others.
If she also wanted to protect you and you ended up getting attracted by her, it wouldn’t take a lot of time to be conscious of this feeling.
But then, there was still a continuation to Wentworth’s words.
Part 2/2
“And then there’s her memories.”
“Memories?”
Although it was only for a moment, but a glimmer of superiority flashed in Wentworth’s eyes when Reggie asked him about it. Wentworth then answered with a low voice, despite there was no one in the hallway at that time.
“I heard that she hadn’t told your Highness about how it wasn’t just a dream. She said that she was living as another person before she was born as herself right now. She told me that Ruain’s invasion and everything was written in a story she saw in her past life. Kiara-san said that she was reincarnated.”
“Reincarnated…?”
Reggie had heard about it. It was the ideology that a soul would dwell in another life and lead another life after one’s soul left their body.
Wentworth then explained about the future that she knew based on her memories, the continuation of what Reggie was told about.
After Reggie and the margrave’s passing, Alan—who possessed a slight chance to inherit the throne—led the army to defeat the queen and the Ruain army. Such was the story.
It was then that Reggie thought. That was why Kiara wasn’t that worried about Alan, despite the fact that there was a high chance he would be involved in the war once the territory was attacked.
And that was why… she was trying to save Reggie.
At the same time, he also thought.
If that were the case, as long as Alan survives, Kiara wouldn’t have to fight the Ruain army to death.
–Reggie covered such thoughts for several days. That Kiara was trying to push herself so much in order to save him.
They might be able to regain the country so long as Alan was present in the battlefield, but Reggie couldn’t tell what kind of actions Kiara would take if the person close to her were to fall into danger.
That was why he had no choice but tell her something that could make her cry.
On the other hand, Wentworth continued to speak after he finished telling the story about Kiara’s memories.
“I thought about how nice it would be if I could see the future when I lost my family in the war. To think that someone who could do so actually exists. And then, if there’s something they can do to save others… Don’t you think you’d be willing to lend a hand?”
“…”
Reggie felt that Wentworth might see Kiara as someone ‘ideal’.
‘If only at that time I took another path…,’ everyone surely had such thoughts at some time in their lives. Then, looking at Kiara who did exactly that, Wentworth might recall about [the things he couldn’t do].
He was charmed by Kiara who was trying to change the future and poured her efforts to achieve that.
However, Reggie threw a question at him after he knew that.
“Then, I have one question for you, Wentworth.”
“What is it?”
“You know that your family were killed by the Ruain. But Kiara mourned over everyone’s death without distinguishing whether they were allies or enemies. In the future, when you see her burying the enemies… despite the damage we have is quite severe, are you going to discourage her from doing that?”
Currently, the one who’s protecting her the most is Wentworth. Kiara would surely ask for his assistance.
However, if he can’t answer this question, Wentworth will eventually be unable to bear staying by Kiara’s side. Will Wentworth try to bend her will at that time?
But a bird whose feathers were plucked couldn’t be called as bird anymore. If he were to try crushing her will, Reggie would keep him away from her.
Even if Kiara doesn’t wish for that… he has to do so in order to protect her.
It wasn’t clear if Wentworth understood the meaning behind Reggie’s words or if he took it in a completely different meaning. Leaving behind Wentworth who couldn’t give his answer right away, Reggie returned to his room.
Some time had passed by ever since that conversation, and Reggie couldn’t help but wonder about what Wentworth would choose.
Depending on his answer, Reggie would probably need to change Kiara’s guard. He could also appoint one of his own guarding knights.
Still, Reggie thought.
If Wentworth were to try to refrain her from doing what she wanted, wouldn’t she say no herself? With a determined look that couldn’t be wavered, she would refuse while looking directly into the other party’s eyes.
Saying, “I’ve decided on this.”
Kiara had the power to accomplish what she wanted with her own hands.
Reggie couldn’t stop her resolve to save him even if that meant she would try too hard and prepare to face the sadness ahead. Wentworth will soon find out as well. That sometimes, only by making her cry can they protect her.
“We have our legs in the same marsh. Mine’s already sinking, but what about you, Wentworth?”
Will you choose to crawl up?
Or will you resign yourself and sink deeper?
Either way, when he thought of having Kiara taken away from him, Reggie only didn’t want anything else taint her.
To Reggie, doing that was equal to protecting Kiara.
Actually, he wanted to confine Kiara to himself. But even that wasn’t a good plan, and he understood it from the assassination attempt that happened before.
Kiara was still depending on Reggie’s existence.
Although he felt joy due to it, he also realized that he had to prevent that.
He couldn’t be any more special to her than how it was now. It was all to protect Kiara.
Part 1/2
He recalled it after the battle with the Ruain army was over, after they returned to the castle.
At that time, Kiara caught a fever.
The clay figurine that was Master Horace gave an explanation that the fever was due to the burden that her body was exposed to when she became a magician.
Therefore, he thought that she would sleep calmly, but… Kiara’s response suddenly turned weird. She started to be more conscious to the member of the opposite sex.
He knew that Kiara’s face would amusingly turn red when he tried to teasingly touch her, as Kiara wasn’t used to it. But if that didn’t happen, it meant she was already grown used to it with someone. Therefore, Reggie would occasionally try to confirm whether or not there was a ‘bug’ around her.
Reggie was relieved when he saw Kiara getting embarrassed from having her hand touched.
But just who in the world was the bug?
It was quite difficult for Reggie to suppress his buzzy feelings.
Still, Reggie knew that Kiara didn’t have any relationship with someone else—he would be aware of that if it were to happen. But she still seemed to overreact before.
Kiara was in touch with many people.
The one she was closest with would be Alan, but Alan was quite dense and was a late bloomer, so he was certain that Alan wouldn’t engage with a woman in a romantic sense.
Then, was it one of the knights?
According to Groul whose expression turned reluctant whenever Reggie asked him to get some information regarding whoever was around Kiara, she seemed to get along well with a young chef apprentice. Judging from that person’s position, Reggie didn’t think he would be able to hang around Kiara who had become a magician.
If that was the case, there was only one person Reggie had in mind.
The moment Reggie saw Wentworth in the room escorting Kiara, Reggie was certain of his conjecture.
Although Wentworth had never shown that kind of interest in Kiara at all until just now. But now, he couldn’t let his sight go from her figure.
During the time they returned to the castle along with Margrave Vayne from the battlefield, Wentworth showed a helpless expression when he saw Kiara being carried in Reggie’s arms. Wentworth surely didn’t want to let her go at that time, if possible.
Wentworth showed how he touched Kiara’s lips in front of Reggie. At that time, Reggie felt a chilling sensation deep inside his heart.
He could easily tell. Putting Kiara’s earlier reaction into consideration, Wentworth still hadn’t been able to grasp Kiara’s heart. That was why, he was waiting until her heart clearly fell for him.
With that in mind, he did such thing to Kiara in order to make her conscious of him. Thanks to that, Kiara was strangely too conscious when she was touched by the opposite sex.
Furthermore, he intentionally did that in front of Reggie who was Kiara’s guardian in order to let him know.
…He was telling Reggie to think that someday, someone would say that they wanted Kiara.
Her appearance wasn’t bad. Her virtues would be her honesty and how she was thinking on moving forward. Moreover, she had her own worth as a magician.
Hence, ordinary people wouldn’t dare approach her carelessly. In that point, Wentworth was in a closer position to protect Kiara than Reggie himself—and Reggie considered him to be a difficult person to handle.
Not only that, but Kiara had started to call Wentworth with his first name ever since who-knows-when.
Each time Kiara’s gentle voice called out, “Cain-san,” Reggie felt like there was something blocking his thoughts.
Yet, Wentworth knew that he would need to gain his consent as Kiara’s greatest guardian if Wentworth wanted her.
After the two of them left Kiara’s room together, Wentworth said.
“Would it be fine for me to think of your Highness as Kiara-san’s guardian even now?”
If Reggie said yes, Wentworth would surely tell him that he wanted to make Kiara his own.
At the same time, he must have wanted to confirm whether Reggie also wanted to monopolize Kiara or not. He wanted to make sure whether Reggie’s overprotectiveness was done due to the familial love he might have felt, or if it was due to his desire to monopolize Kiara as well.
Reggie thought that he didn’t want to answer Wentworth’s question.
However, if he didn’t answer, that would only raise suspicion.
“I’m not impressed with how you teased a sick child, Wentworth.”
He responded ambiguously as he tried to steer the topic a bit.
Reggie clearly saw what happened earlier. Even when he said that, Wentworth’s expression didn’t bulge a bit as he showed a slightly bitter smile.
“If I didn’t do that, she wouldn’t pick up the hint.”
“I didn’t think that you would adore her that much. It’s quite surprising.”
He was 21 years old and someone who protected Alan as if he was Alan’s older brother. There was quite a gap between his age with Kiara who would turn fifteen soon, so Reggie thought that Wentworth saw Kiara as someone too childish.
In fact, Wentworth didn’t seem to be quite interested in Kiara before.
Reggie was curious about why Wentworth suddenly had a special feeling towards Kiara.
In response to Reggie’s words, Wentworth readily answered.
“I might have changed my mind when I saw her trying to save our allies… even if that meant throwing her reputation and embarrassment away.”
See? As expected. Kiara, you are way too careless.
That must have something to do with how Kiara exposed her legs. If that’s the case, the one left with a deep impression isn’t Wentworth alone. And that is frustrating.
After all, one couldn’t help but be interested towards someone who showed a desperate attempt to protect the others, and ways to help others.
If she also wanted to protect you and you ended up getting attracted by her, it wouldn’t take a lot of time to be conscious of this feeling.
But then, there was still a continuation to Wentworth’s words.
Part 2/2
“And then there’s her memories.”
“Memories?”
Although it was only for a moment, but a glimmer of superiority flashed in Wentworth’s eyes when Reggie asked him about it. Wentworth then answered with a low voice, despite there was no one in the hallway at that time.
“I heard that she hadn’t told your Highness about how it wasn’t just a dream. She said that she was living as another person before she was born as herself right now. She told me that Ruain’s invasion and everything was written in a story she saw in her past life. Kiara-san said that she was reincarnated.”
“Reincarnated…?”
Reggie had heard about it. It was the ideology that a soul would dwell in another life and lead another life after one’s soul left their body.
Wentworth then explained about the future that she knew based on her memories, the continuation of what Reggie was told about.
After Reggie and the margrave’s passing, Alan—who possessed a slight chance to inherit the throne—led the army to defeat the queen and the Ruain army. Such was the story.
It was then that Reggie thought. That was why Kiara wasn’t that worried about Alan, despite the fact that there was a high chance he would be involved in the war once the territory was attacked.
And that was why… she was trying to save Reggie.
At the same time, he also thought.
If that were the case, as long as Alan survives, Kiara wouldn’t have to fight the Ruain army to death.
–Reggie covered such thoughts for several days. That Kiara was trying to push herself so much in order to save him.
They might be able to regain the country so long as Alan was present in the battlefield, but Reggie couldn’t tell what kind of actions Kiara would take if the person close to her were to fall into danger.
That was why he had no choice but tell her something that could make her cry.
On the other hand, Wentworth continued to speak after he finished telling the story about Kiara’s memories.
“I thought about how nice it would be if I could see the future when I lost my family in the war. To think that someone who could do so actually exists. And then, if there’s something they can do to save others… Don’t you think you’d be willing to lend a hand?”
“…”
Reggie felt that Wentworth might see Kiara as someone ‘ideal’.
‘If only at that time I took another path…,’ everyone surely had such thoughts at some time in their lives. Then, looking at Kiara who did exactly that, Wentworth might recall about [the things he couldn’t do].
He was charmed by Kiara who was trying to change the future and poured her efforts to achieve that.
However, Reggie threw a question at him after he knew that.
“Then, I have one question for you, Wentworth.”
“What is it?”
“You know that your family were killed by the Ruain. But Kiara mourned over everyone’s death without distinguishing whether they were allies or enemies. In the future, when you see her burying the enemies… despite the damage we have is quite severe, are you going to discourage her from doing that?”
Currently, the one who’s protecting her the most is Wentworth. Kiara would surely ask for his assistance.
However, if he can’t answer this question, Wentworth will eventually be unable to bear staying by Kiara’s side. Will Wentworth try to bend her will at that time?
But a bird whose feathers were plucked couldn’t be called as bird anymore. If he were to try crushing her will, Reggie would keep him away from her.
Even if Kiara doesn’t wish for that… he has to do so in order to protect her.
It wasn’t clear if Wentworth understood the meaning behind Reggie’s words or if he took it in a completely different meaning. Leaving behind Wentworth who couldn’t give his answer right away, Reggie returned to his room.
Some time had passed by ever since that conversation, and Reggie couldn’t help but wonder about what Wentworth would choose.
Depending on his answer, Reggie would probably need to change Kiara’s guard. He could also appoint one of his own guarding knights.
Still, Reggie thought.
If Wentworth were to try to refrain her from doing what she wanted, wouldn’t she say no herself? With a determined look that couldn’t be wavered, she would refuse while looking directly into the other party’s eyes.
Saying, “I’ve decided on this.”
Kiara had the power to accomplish what she wanted with her own hands.
Reggie couldn’t stop her resolve to save him even if that meant she would try too hard and prepare to face the sadness ahead. Wentworth will soon find out as well. That sometimes, only by making her cry can they protect her.
“We have our legs in the same marsh. Mine’s already sinking, but what about you, Wentworth?”
Will you choose to crawl up?
Or will you resign yourself and sink deeper?
Either way, when he thought of having Kiara taken away from him, Reggie only didn’t want anything else taint her.
To Reggie, doing that was equal to protecting Kiara.
Actually, he wanted to confine Kiara to himself. But even that wasn’t a good plan, and he understood it from the assassination attempt that happened before.
Kiara was still depending on Reggie’s existence.
Although he felt joy due to it, he also realized that he had to prevent that.
He couldn’t be any more special to her than how it was now. It was all to protect Kiara.
