Staring at the letter in front of me, I was debating whether to just burn it or send a reply. "Diarmaid, how long ago was this letter delivered?" I asked, resting my chin on my intertwined fingers.
"Just now, My Lord," Diarmaid replied, his hands placed behind his back, standing at attention as if this were the military.
"I see…" I commented, trailing off for a moment before sighing, "I suppose I have no other choice then. Victor, prepare to head to the palace tomorrow. Sadly, it seems that the King's pettiness hasn't changed in the least bit since I was gone."
Standing up, I threw the office doors open, annoyance now quelling in my mind. I wasn't angry at the summons per se, just at the suddenness of it and the lack of time to get ready. While I knew what we were going over and what I was going to say, there was still a lack of etiquette.
***
"My Lord, are you sure you don't want to wear a simpler attire?" Victor advised, watching me change into a black three-piece suit, a black half-cape with fur on the collar, and a hat with my Viscounties symbol on it.
"Yes. As much as I am annoyed at the antics of his majesty, if I am going to obey orders, I'm going to also obey the etiquette. After all, the letter was addressed to Lieutenant Colonel Lev Andraste, not Viscount," I smiled, my expression full of pettiness.
"Understood, then I shall not ask any more questions on the matter," Victor assured, nodding with a slight bow.
"Oh, I forgot to ask, you don't mind accompanying me, do you? I realize you also don't mind, but I would feel more assured with you there! Y'know, in case Oryn is there…" I trailed off, pausing to rub the back of my neck.
"...Lev, you should know that no matter where you go, I will always follow. You are the man I serve and have devoted my whole life to, remember? If you wish for me to go places with you because you fear someone who might be there, I am always more than willing to accompany you," Victor professed, his words sounding like a love confession.
I was surprised, hell, for a second there I thought he was actually confessing, but I then realized he was just reciting his oath of knightship…at least what I guessed it to be. Suppose you couldn't blame me, though, especially after he used 'my' name instead of calling me 'Lord' or anything of the sort.
'Remember, Saito, his feelings are not directed at you; they are purely for Lev. And you do not like him, you cannot! You can't let yourself gain feelings for others, not unless you somehow grow feelings for Llyr…that is who I am engaged to after all…'
"Alright, thank you, Victor," I smiled, noticing red appearing on Victor's ears as he looked me in the eyes, "Why don't you go change from your butler uniform to your knightly attire?"
"Oh, you are right! I will go do that right away! Please excuse me, I shall meet you by the door?" Victor assessed, pausing as he was about to leave my room to go and change.
"Of course, and no need to rush, take your time. I know just how complicated clothing and armor like that can be to put on, as well as how big the manor is," I chuckled, noticing the way Victor's ears tilted downwards and his ears reddened.
***
'Knock…knock…knock' was the sound of the King's secretary knocking on the door to King Roman's office as Victor and I stood behind him. We were immediately brought inside upon our arrival.
"You may come in," Roman exclaimed, his usually annoying voice, then beaming with petty glee as I entered, Victor in tow, "Ah, Viscount! How have you been this past month? I hope well, given the 'vacation' days you have taken."
"My, thank you for your worries, Your Majesty," I jested, bowing as I entered the room, Victor doing the same, "I must say, I am surprised to see that you summoned me so soon! I hope I am not interrupting your meeting with Minister Leondis."
Klaus was sitting on the couch diagonal to Roman's desk. He looked rather content as he sat there drinking his tea, sparing me but a simple nod. I wasn't sure why he was here, but I could tell by the gleam in his eye that it wasn't anything beneficial to me.
"Hehe, of course not! He has been here the past few days discussing affairs in relation to our alliance with the Ender Empire. I asked him here as I figured he might have good input in your current predicament," Roman announced, his smile filling with malicious intent. Perhaps he meant to sully my reputation with a scandal of marriage or whatever.
"I see. Well, I must thank you once again for the consideration on my behalf! I do wish that whatever we come to conclude in this 'meeting' doesn't hurt our kingdom's relationship!" I exclaimed, standing straight and spreading my arms out.
'If King Roman Fortunata wants to play petty and dirty, I will give it back tenfold. There is a reason why people disliked me so much just because of my personality.'
"Heh, I can assure you, Viscount, what we discuss here will in no means make me think any less of you," Klaus assured, knowing the way that he only referred to himself and not the Emperor wouldn't bring me any reassurance.
"Hahaha, what kind words, Minister! I appreciate it very much," I nodded with a smile, one that didn't quite reach my eyes, "Well, I am ready to start when you are, Your Majesty! Or are you perhaps waiting for something?"
I already had a feeling of what Roman was going to pull, especially considering the suddenness of the summon order, in addition to his current attitude. I was fully prepared to welcome the storm that was brewing, no matter how nervous it was making me.
"Oh no, please do take a seat! So long as you are ready and prepared, we can start the discussions!" Roman replied, motioning to the seat across from Klaus.
"Hahaha, of course, of course," I replied, a little annoyed at the fact that he would let another kingdom's minister advise on my own relationship with my fiancé and other people of interest.
Sitting down on the couch across from Klaus, I could tell that even Victor was getting annoyed. His grip tightened on his hilt, and his jaw clenched, something I've only ever seen him do when he was around someone he deemed unpleasant.
"Well then, now that everything is in order, let's get started!" Roman exclaimed, clapping his hands before his smile melted away and his expression turned serious, "Lev, could you explain to me the first time you met Llyr exactly?"
"The first time I met Llyr? Hm, well, I don't remember it too well," I admitted, recalling when I went to aid the Peril Kingdom, "I think it was when I was helping out the Peril Kingdom during the revolution, we got word that the Alkmene Kingdom had given the demon brigade a device that would wipe out our side. So I went looking for someone to introduce me to the king to persuade him to recall the device…"
I trailed off, remembering the events that came after. I told Roman and Klaus how I had found Llyr in some secluded area of the docs surrounded by thieves, saved him by handing the thieves their asses, was proposed to for who-knows-what, and promised I'd go on a date with him before deciding.
I obviously left out the part where Llyr kissed me, and I led him on by letting it go too far. Thinking about it now, I really shouldn't have let him kiss me. I wouldn't be surprised if that's where it all went wrong.
"Hmmm, haha, that is quite the story!" Roman exclaimed, his face filling with amusement, "You really are something else, aren't you? Both lucky and unlucky at the same time!"
"...Not really, more like just a smart idiot," I mumbled, the only one in the room that heard it was Victor, who let out a suppressed laugh, "There were apparently other circumstances throughout Llyr's life that led to him being as easy as this, but I think it's best to keep those private."
"I agree with that," Klaus commented, reminding me he was there, "One's privacy is most important, especially when they are royalty. However, in this situation, it is best that we know so that we know the best course of action to take to get him to agree to break off the engagement."
"Indeed. I would be happy to support your engagement and a new alliance; however, this is not consensual. Thus, I'd like to resolve and break it off as soon as possible, especially considering how that cousin of mine feels about you," Roman sighed as he shook his head.
"Haa, if only it were that easy. Unfortunately, I am unable to break it off with mere words," I added, pausing as the two annoyances looked at me. I sighed and took off my glove, revealing the mark around my ring finger, "From what I have heard, so long as this mark is on my hand, I'll be engaged to Llyr…and the only way to get it off is through marriage."
'I did learn through my own research of another way, but to his kind, it's also a way of marriage. Plus, I don't want to tell these guys that the only other way is through Intercourse with him, who knows what they would suggest!
"And for a noble man, cutting the finger off is off the table, even if it'd grow back somehow," Klaus commented, trailing off in thought.
'Jeez, how could this guy even say such a thing!?' I thought, looking at the poor minister with a look of bewilderment.
"Pfft, hahaha! How bold of you to even mention that, Minister!" The king exclaimed with loud laughter, "Lev, so long as no one sees the mark, it's alright if we keep it a secret, right? Of course, that's with getting Llyr not to say anything about it."
"Well, I mean, yes, but what does that have to do with anything?! Even if we get Llyr not to say anything, his feelings aren't going to change!" I huffed, getting annoyed at how Roman kept on seemingly repeating himself.
"Yes, you are right. All we need to do is make him realize that you do not feel the same," Roman smiled, looked at the clock above the door, to which a knock followed as he looked at the door, "Come in!"
I wondered at what shit he was going to pull next, but was caught off guard when I saw the person who entered the room. Familiar crimson red hair, piercing yellow eyes, and sun-kissed skin further toned by muscles. Oryn Casilda, the one person I didn't want to see the most out of everyone in the kingdom.
"Hello, Your Majesty, Minister Leondis…and Viscount Andraste," Oryn greeted, his gaze turning into one full of longing as he looked at me with a soft smile, "It has been quite some time, hasn't it?"
"...Pardon my language, but what the hell is he doing here?" I questioned, turning back to Roman with a scowl on my face. Even Victor was so turned off that he was about to unsheath his blade, though he stopped when I put my hand up.
"I think it is quite obvious," Roman smiled, one full of pettiness, "As a solution and punishment for deciding on your own to take a vacation and hiding in the Silversun Kingdom, which is enemy territory, you'll marry Oryn instead! sounds fair, no?"
***
I stormed out of the room. I was halfway through the palace, in a secluded hallway, after I lost my way. Victor lost track of me, but Oryn was still hot on my tail. His majesty and the prime minister just watched; they likely assumed that I would do something like this when they thrust this decision on me.
"Lev, wait! Please hear me out!" Oryn pleaded, jogging after me as I sped walk away, "This wasn't my choice to make, you know how Roman can be!"
"Don't give me that bull crap, jack ass! I know you are the one who suggested it despite knowing my feelings on the matter," I shouted back, my scowl deepening.
"I mentioned it once as a joke! I didn't actually mean it, I swear! I know you value your freedom more than anything," Oryn tried to reason, but I just wouldn't have it.
"Oh, and how do you know that, huh?!" I exclaimed, swirling around and startling Oryn with the look of pure anger on my face, "You and I have only seen each other three times, three times! So don't act as if you know me."
I turned away and stormed off; I didn't care to look back. I didn't see the expression of pure terror and loss on Oryn's face, nor the way tears threatened to stream down it. I didn't care.
However, I was forced to as he ran after me and grabbed me, hugging me from behind; "Saito, please. Please just listen to me, I can't lose you again!"
"...You- How do you know that name?!" I exclaimed, pushing him away and looking at him with widened eyes and shaking pupils, "And what do you mean, lose me again?"