SFO CH 5

The Young Man’s Bewilderment

After a silent dinner, I had a bath and returned to my room, where Mia gave me a massage.

“Ahh, this is the best. It’s been three years since I could relax like this.”

“Your complexion has improved. I’m really glad to see that.”

“Was it really that bad?”

“You’re naturally pale, but you were as white as a paper sheet! You even had deep shadows under your eyes. But now, your cheeks have a slight rosy tint, making you look even more vibrant and attractive!”

“‘Attractive,’ huh…”

Mia seems to like my appearance and never fails to compliment me excessively. For these three years, she’s been taking care of my skin and hair with massages and face packs, so I think there’s a bit of a ‘doting parent’ thing involved here.

“You know, Albert-sama was looking at you like he was about to pounce on you.”

“Eh? No waay~ He wasn’t even looking at me, was he?”

“That’s what we call a ‘lecher with a quiet exterior.’”

Though Mia sounds sincerely amazed, I’m sure this absolutely cannot be the case.

It may be a little late for introductions, but my husband’s name is Marquess Albert Graphite. His black hair is an inherited trait of the Graphite family, and he has red eyes from his mother. Standing at 6’2″, his physique is well-built thanks to his daily training. Although I’m 5’7″ and keep myself fit, I don’t work on building muscle deliberately, so there’s naturally a difference in our builds. When does he even find time to work out despite his busy schedule? His face is also finely chiseled—if anyone embodied the word “handsome,” it would be him.

…Honestly, if I had to say, I’m somewhat attracted to his good looks. The student council president had a cool, androgynous beauty to him, and the junior student council member before him was a cute, round-eyed, handsome boy. I admired the president’s charisma and found the junior’s dedication endearing, so I’m not someone who falls for looks alone. But I have to admit, a good-looking person makes the same things seem more appealing. For the record, my husband is more of the ruggedly handsome type, which I find beautiful but not my usual type.

Since we got married, I’ve never looked him in the eye. Even our wedding kiss was more like lip contact without a glance my way. No matter how I tried to engage him, he’d only smile occasionally, never actually directing his gaze at me. Even when saying goodnight, he wouldn’t turn his body toward me.

Well, if it weren’t for me, he’d likely still be with his beloved Noah, probably with two or three children by now, so I suppose it’s understandable if he doesn’t want to look at me.

Still, sometimes I think… “What if?” and always conclude that Noah wouldn’t be able to handle the estate’s affairs as well as I do, or connect with the servants like I can. I would never speak of this to Mia, my colleagues, or my family. This rivalry I have with Noah might even be part of why I try so hard when working on the estate.

I know it’s petty, especially for someone five years younger than me. It’s not that I dislike Noah; in fact, I find his hard work admirable. But it’s clear he doesn’t have the skills to reach my position, and I wish my husband, who remains so attached to him, would… just look at me instead.

Then again, maybe it doesn’t matter. He probably doesn’t care whether I talk to him or not. Perhaps, as Sebas and Edna suggested, I could simplify some of my tasks. It’s not as if my efforts are noticed by him anyway.

Given the circumstances, I also need to consider my future. There’s little chance of us having children, so his heir would have to come from a second wife or mistress. I can’t divorce him for my family’s sake, but if things become strained, we could eventually live separately. I’m fortunate to hold a high-ranking bureaucratic position, so I won’t have financial concerns. Living alone, I could even indulge in a few luxuries.

Considering he’s been unable to let Noah go, my husband probably wouldn’t find anyone himself. Perhaps I should be the one finding a young, innocent, and sweet partner who resembles Noah for him?

“Hey, Mia. Do you think my husband still prefers people like Noah?”

“What’s this all of a sudden? Well, considering he’s shown no interest in anyone but Noah-sama since he was five, I couldn’t say. But if you’re asking if he has a type, it wouldn’t matter as long as they’re as beautiful as you, Finn-sama.”

I nod vaguely, realizing she doesn’t understand what I’m trying to say.

“Now, you have work tomorrow, so it’s best to get some rest. I’ve relaxed your shoulders and back, so you’ll be fine sitting at your desk for long hours.”

“Thank you. Your massages really work wonders, Mia. I’ll give it my all again tomorrow.”

Mia smiled slightly before bidding me goodnight and leaving the room.

The next day at work, my colleagues surrounded me with concern. The Prime Minister’s aide even said that I could have taken more time off, but I naturally couldn’t afford to take advantage of his generosity, so I politely declined.

“It’s good to see that color has returned to your face, Finn-sama!”

Noah invited me to lunch, and as he chatted cheerfully, I felt a twinge of guilt for my thoughts about him yesterday. But as he beamed with tales of his beloved son, I couldn’t help but smile back. I was tempted to ask about what my husband was like when they were together.

“Hey, Noah, how was Albert when he was with you?”

“Huh?! What’s with that all of a sudden?!

…Well, he never was the chatty type. He seems talkative when it comes to negotiations and social situations, but he’s actually very quiet—like he’s memorized social niceties to get through events.”

“Oh, really??”

Noah nodded with a surprised expression.

“He doesn’t talk much, does he? Since I’ve known him since we were kids, it’s never bothered me, but I can see how that might come across as cold.”

“Is that so…?”

“Perhaps I… misunderstood…?”

“No, it’s just that after hearing about how much he used to dote on you, I imagined he’d be full of sweet words. Even when I saw you together briefly a few times, he didn’t seem to have much of a problem holding a casual conversation…”

“Ehh? Not at all! Al—uh, I mean, the marquis—may only really speak up when it truly matters, but don’t sell him so short. His words can be strong enough to tear through stone walls… whereas my husband, for instance—”

I half-listened as Noah continued to ramble about his own life. Could it really have been a misunderstanding? But he has plenty of reasons to be angry with me, and like I said to Noah earlier, I didn’t think he was that quiet. I guess he really doesn’t want to talk to me…

Before long, the afternoon shift began, so I parted ways with Noah.

While I was busy, the Prime Minister’s aide approached me with sweets.

“Here’s a get-well treat. I’m sorry for not noticing how hard you’ve been working and not offering time off until you finally asked…”

“Oh, no, no, no! There’s nothing for you to apologize for. I’m the one who forgot to take days off! But I do love sweets, so I’ll gladly accept them. Thank you.”

The aide chuckled at my words. He’s a distinguished man with long silver hair and blue eyes, who will be turning 35 this year. Despite being seen as someone who’s constantly wearing an iron mask, he smiles normally in front of her subordinates, and although his eyes are sharp, he is soft-spoken and handsome. He’s well-trusted by the Prime Minister, and is said to surely become the next in line. Stern but caring, he’s greatly respected and admired in the office. He’s also someone I personally look up to.

This encounter with the aide has left me with a renewed sense of purpose. I may have stopped caring about things at home, but I’ll continue to give my one-hundred percent at work.