Chapter 7: Just for Show

“Huh?”

Milia looked at me, her expression unreadable—displeased, conflicted.

I must have said the wrong thing.

But I didn’t regret it.

When I heard that Milia was getting married—
To someone I didn’t even know—
A hollow ache settled deep in my chest, as if something had been ripped away.

To her, I might not be special.

But to me…
She was more than a friend.
More than a comrade.
She had always been someone irreplaceable.

“L-look… it’s just a marriage in name only. That way, Milia won’t have to go through with something like that…”

I forced the words out.

But the truth—the real reason—was my own selfish jealousy. My possessiveness.

“You, uh… I mean, yeah, that’s true. But if you do that… you’ll regret it, you know?”

“…I won’t.”

“No, you will. Weren’t you the one who said you wouldn’t take a concubine? What are you gonna do when you meet someone you actually like?”

Someone I like…?

I already have.

I like Milia. I don’t need anyone else.

But that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear.

“I’ll think about it when the time comes. I’ll make sure this doesn’t cause any trouble for you…”

“…………”

Milia’s expression remained conflicted.

…Was she happy? Upset?

Or maybe both.

Her gaze dropped, as if she couldn’t look at me.

After a brief hesitation—

“…Are you really okay with this?”

Milia lifted her eyes.

They glistened, just slightly.

“Of course. Besides, this way, I don’t have to go looking for a fiancée either… or something like that.”

“…Idiot.”

She punched me in the chest.

Weakly. Gently. Almost like a caress.

“…You’re definitely going to cause me trouble, you know.”

“It’s fine. I’ve caused you plenty of trouble too.”

“…Being a royal son-in-law is no easy task, you know?”

“If I managed to slay an evil dragon, I think I can figure this out too.”

“…Yeah. You’re right. That’s true.”

Milia smiled—her usual smile.

But her eyes were still damp.

“Well then… I guess that makes me—”

“Yeah. I’ll be your ‘fiancé.’”

That day, everything changed.

From travel companions to ‘fiancés.’

Even if it was just for show… I was still happy.

Even if Milia didn’t see me as someone she could love romantically… I still loved her.

…Sure, it was underhanded of me to take advantage of her vulnerability like this.

But still...

---

Things moved forward at a breakneck pace.

The moment I told my shitty old man, “I’m getting married to Yusuke~,” he just nodded and accepted it without a fuss.

Jane handled all the paperwork like it was nothing.

The official ceremony would be through the church, so that was still on the horizon.

Before I even had time to process it, news of our impending marriage had spread among the nobles.

Of course, some idiot aristocrats—who wanted to claim the Hero’s power for themselves—tried to object. “How dare you let a royal marry some uncivilized commoner with no title!” they whined. But my shitty old man shut them down before they could make a scene.

…Not that it meant things were going to be smooth sailing. Trouble was brewing, as always.

What a pain.

At the very least, I didn’t have to attend those god-awful fiancé-hunting soirées anymore.
Though apparently, they’re still going strong for the rest of the desperate young nobles. Seriously, why are there so many free-love nobles in this country? Well… I guess it’s to be expected when the king himself is like that.

Anyway.

I was assigned a new room in the royal castle’s residential wing.

A room for me and Yusuke.

Yeah. We’re living together now.

…Look, I want to buy a mansion outside the castle and move out ASAP.

But right now, with no house, no furniture, and no maids to handle the upkeep, there’s no other option but to put up with this cohabitation arrangement.

…Not that I hate it or anything.

It’s just… you know. I’d like some private time.

Oh, and there’s only one bed.

Which means we have to sleep together.

My heart cannot handle this, and I am getting exactly zero proper sleep.

Yusuke, though?

Totally fine. No issues whatsoever.

What the hell.

Anyway, we’re both trying to adjust to this new life together. Trying.

But—

“Ugh, dammit… this is such a pain…”

“Princess, please mind your language.”

Jane’s voice carried the usual exasperation as she scolded me.

I groaned, slumping over the desk.

In front of me was the wedding schedule.

Apparently, the castle’s butlers, maids, and a bunch of other people who actually know how weddings work had drawn up all these meticulous plans.

But—

“Do I really have to do all this?”

“Yes, you do.”

“Come on, can’t we just—”

“No, we cannot.”

“Ughhh…”

Apparently, it’s going to be a huge ceremony.

All the influential figures in the country will be there, which means I’ll have to greet them, go through all sorts of formalities, and at the very least, memorize everyone’s names and faces.

…Yeah. Just thinking about it makes me want to scream into a pillow.

Most of it can be summed up as “ugh, what a drag.”

But—

“…Hey, what’s this?”

I frowned, eyes scanning the schedule.

Right in the middle of the ceremony plans, there it was:

“The Kiss of Vows.”

…Me and Yusuke. Kissing.

In front of everyone.

“…………”

No.

No, no, no, no, no. Absolutely not.

Okay, maybe—maybe—I could do it. I could put on my usual public face and somehow pull it off.

But Yusuke?

The guy doesn’t even know the first thing about women. Can he really pull off a kiss in front of a crowd?

I could probably force myself to go through with it, but if he hesitates even a little—if he looks inexperienced or flustered—those damn idiot nobles will definitely start picking apart our engagement.

There are already plenty of nobles eyeing Yusuke, trying to drag him into their families.

They haven’t given up yet.

And if my marriage to Yusuke falls apart, they’ll swoop in like vultures.

Okay, fine, logically speaking, a single kiss isn’t going to ruin everything. But still… I can’t shake the feeling that this could cause trouble.

Not every noble is a dignified, self-aware servant of the state.

Some of them are just selfish idiots who would do anything—even skirt the edge of the law—just for their own benefit.

“…Sigh.”

I exhaled slowly and set the documents on the edge of the desk.

I’ve had this habit of putting off unpleasant things since my past life, and clearly, that hasn’t changed.

…Maybe I’ll talk to Yusuke about it when he gets back from work.

He’s out on a monster-hunting expedition today.

I was planning to just send a carriage to pick him up, but… I changed my mind.

I should use these little moments to show off our “love,” after all.

So, I decided to go pick him up at the knights’ headquarters.

Most knights, unlike regular soldiers, come from noble families.

Actually, scratch that—90% of them are nobles.

They’re usually the second or third sons who won’t inherit their family estates. Instead, they gain combat experience hunting monsters or cracking down on bandits at night. When war breaks out, they take command of conscripted soldiers.

They’re professional warriors, after all. Different from regular citizens who only fight when duty calls.

It’s not just about rigorous training—they study battlefield command, tactics, and military theory too.

Yusuke, though? He’s still pretty green in that area. Ridiculously strong, sure, but when it comes to handling people? Yeah… total rookie.

In times of crisis, he’s expected to lead from the front as the Hero, rallying troops just by being there.

A symbol of hope.

…Which is all well and good, but for now, I just need to pick him up.

The knights’ headquarters is a fair distance from the royal castle. Far enough that you’d need a carriage to get there.

Today, Jane’s handling the reins.

Apparently, it’s rare for a maid to be skilled with horses, but… well, Jane’s good at everything.

Cooking, laundry, cleaning, administrative work, secretarial duties, driving, basic self-defense, covert operations… and probably more I don’t even know about.

She calls herself a “top-tier maid.”

Honestly, that barely covers it. But I guess being a royal maid comes with insanely high expectations.

Eventually, we arrive.

The knights’ headquarters—and, incidentally, the training grounds.

It’s not as grand as the royal castle, but definitely fancier than your average noble’s estate.

Looking at the hitching posts… all the carriages are here.

So, they’ve already returned from the expedition.

Just as I’m thinking that, the doors to the headquarters swing open.

A familiar face steps out.

Yusuke.

I reach for the carriage door, ready to step out and put on a show for the onlookers—

But then—

My hand freezes midair.

…What’s this?

There’s a woman with Yusuke.

They seem awfully friendly.

She’s wearing half-plate armor—a female knight? That’s rare.

Judging by the lack of embellishments on her gear, she doesn’t hold a particularly high rank. She’s chatting with Yusuke, smiling brightly.

And he’s smiling back.

…This is nothing like how he acts when women approach him at soirées.

“…………”

Ah. I see.

So Yusuke’s got a spring in his step too, huh?

No wonder he never showed interest at those noble gatherings.

Well, our marriage is just for show anyway. If he wants to take a concubine, a knight from the order shouldn’t be a problem.

Is that why he agreed to marry me?

…No, that’s not like him.

So, it’s just a coincidence, then.

Still—a good coincidence.

The weight on my shoulders feels a little lighter—

“…………Tch.”

Even as I tell myself that, I can’t fully accept it.

Right now, I’m irritated.

I know why I’m irritated.

And I also know this irritation is completely irrational.

Ugh, damn it.

My hand tightens around the carriage door handle.

I take a slow, deep breath. Steady.

Then, I step out of the carriage.

I walk toward the knights’ headquarters, my steps firm.

I am the Ninth Princess, Miliarena.

No personal feelings. No unnecessary thoughts.

I am the Ninth Princess.

…I’m fine.

“Yusuke, I’ve come to pick you up.”

See? My voice doesn’t waver.

“…Huh? Wait, Miliarena? What are you doing here?”

No sign of panic. No guilt.

Well, I did tell him he could take a concubine. It’s not like he has anything to be nervous about.

The woman beside him blinks in surprise before bowing her head.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Shena Lioleto.”

Shena, huh? Shena.

Her hair is unusually long for a knight.
Lean but muscular.
Her chest… well, it’s hard to tell under the armor, but it seems small.

…I’m cuter.

“…Um, is there something on my face?”

“Huh? No, nothing… Oh, I’m late with my greetings, aren’t I? I’m Miliarena, the Ninth Princess.”

“Y-yes… I’m aware.”

We shake hands.

…A flicker of distaste crawls up my spine.

It’s irrational. Unfair. But instinctive.

I sigh inwardly and shift my gaze to Yusuke.

“Well then, we’ll be taking our leave now.”

“Y-yes… It was an honor to meet you, Princess Miliarena.”

I don’t look at her as she bows deeply.

Instead, I grab Yusuke’s arm.

“Wait—”

“Just come with me.”

I pull him along, shove him into the carriage, and climb in after him.

A signal to Jane, and the wheels begin to roll.

The knights’ headquarters fades into the distance.

Silence.

Yusuke isn’t saying anything.

I glance at him—he looks… uneasy.

Did he pick up on my mood?

…Pathetic.

If my feelings are this obvious, I’ve done a terrible job concealing them.

“…Sigh.”

I rake a hand through my hair and finally turn to face him.

“You seemed pretty chummy with that person back there.”

“Huh? Oh, you mean Shena?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s been teaching me a lot about the knights as my senior since I didn’t know anything when I joined.”

“Oh, is that so? That’s great.”

…

Wait.

Did I just say that out loud?

I blink, stunned at my own sarcasm.

“Um… Miliarena?”

“What?”

“…I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

“…Why would you think that?”

“Well… you seem kind of mad.”

Ugh. Even if you think that, don’t just ask me directly.

I let out a slow breath, irritation deflating just a little.

“It’s nothing. Seriously, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But… oh, Shena’s not a bad person, you know. It’s fine.”

“…Huh?”

…

Wait a second.

Does he think I’m suspicious of Shena? Like I suspect some hidden motive?

Just as I open my mouth to argue, Yusuke keeps going.

“Well, he’s the nephew of the knight commander. He’s really patriotic, and compared to the other knights, he’s been really kind to me—”

He’s really laying it on thick.

Wait.

He’s the nephew of the knight commander? He’s patriotic?

“…Huh?”

I blink.

I turn to Yusuke.

“He? Nephew? Who are you talking about?”

“Uh… Shena?”

I blink again.

“…Shena’s a guy?”

“Huh? Yeah, Shena’s a man…”

…

Oh.

Oh.

So I was completely mistaken from the start.

Well… that makes sense.

Sure, his face was feminine, and his hair was long… but if someone had told me he was just an androgynous-looking guy, I’d have believed it.

And his name… now that I think about it, it could be a guy’s name too.

…

God, I want to crawl into a hole.

“…Haaaaaah~”

I let out an involuntary sigh, long and heavy.

I feel like dumping all these tangled emotions straight into the void.

“Why are you sighing like that…?”

“Don’t worry about it. I just had a weird misunderstanding, that’s all.”

“But if Shena being a girl is causing some kind of trouble—”

“Shut up. I told you not to worry about it.”

“Ow.”

I punch Yusuke’s shoulder.

My weak punch lands on solid muscle.

The only damage dealt? To my own fist.

I bite back a wince and discreetly cast a healing spell on my hand before crossing my arms.

“You’re marrying me… well, it’s just for show, but still, you’re marrying me, right?”

“Just for show… well, yeah…”

“So, naturally, I thought, ‘Oh, is he already chasing after other women?’”

“…Huh?”

“I was thinking, ‘At least wait until after we’re married and things settle down before taking a concubine…’” I grumble. “You know, considering all the trouble I’m going through. I was kinda pissed.”

“Wait, no!? I wouldn’t do something like that!”

“Yeah, I figured. Sorry for doubting you.”

“Exactly…! Do I really look like the kind of guy who would—”

“You don’t have the guts for something like that, Yusuke.”

“W-well… I guess I don’t.”

“…Pfft.”

“W-what? Why are you laughing? That’s mean.”

“Hehehe, sorry, sorry.”

I can’t help it. His reaction is just too good.

Yusuke sighs, but then—he laughs too. A quiet, relieved chuckle.

…I really do enjoy being with this guy.

And if Yusuke feels the same way… maybe that thought makes me a little happy.

But, ah…

With this atmosphere, it’s kinda hard to bring up the topic of the wedding… and the kiss of vows.

Well.

That can wait until we get back.

Unpleasant things can wait.