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Perhaps because she was so embarrassed about the reason she was lost, Leandra-jou had lowered her face since that story.
"By the way, which garden did you see?"
"W, which, one...?"
She had been lowering her face shyly until just now, but when I talked to her, she tried to listen to me properly, looking into my eyes.
I feel that the parents' education is thorough in this area.
"That's right. There are five gardens here. If it's a garden that can be seen from near the great hall, is it the central garden?"
"Um, I only know that it was a garden that could be seen from the room I was in."
"Then it's still the central garden. You probably came near the east corridor along the wall, right? Was it beautiful?"
"Yes! It was very beautiful!!"
Leandra-jou answered that, brightening her face, and I smiled too.
"There are also gardens modeled after each country, so you should ask Baltzer-shougun to show you them next time."
I've also been hanging out in the gardens in the royal palace, starting with the south garden, since I was little, so I'm happy if there are more people who like such gardens.
Father, who is the king of the country that represents the five great powers, is responsible for facilitating exchanges with each country.
Therefore, if Leandra-jou, who is the daughter of the Baltzer family, applies to visit the garden, permission will surely be granted. Rather, he seems likely to recommend it to other nobles as well.
"Um, Raimondo-sama."
"What?"
Leandra-jou's hand lightly pulled on my arm, so I turned my gaze there.
Leandra-jou's cheeks were slightly dyed crimson. My face was reflected in her blue eyes, framed by long eyelashes.
"Would it be selfish to say that I want you to guide me, Raimondo-sama?"
I widened my eyes at the question I hadn't expected.
Certainly, since I brought up the topic, it would be appropriate for me to guide her, but I had excluded that option from the beginning.
However, that doesn't mean that I want Leandra-jou to refrain from guiding the garden.
It's not that I hate or dislike Leandra-jou, but simply that it's inconvenient if I'm thought to belong to either faction now.
I want to be bait for both the Maya faction and the Karina faction.
I honestly don't know how much I can attract the interest of those nobles.
I don't even know what my appeal is myself, so I can't possibly know what other nobles are looking for in me.
But whatever caught the eye of other nobles, I have value.
Therefore, for the sake of my brothers, I want to continue to be as valuable as possible.
"I'm sorry, Leandra-jou."
I apologized clearly while showing my apologetic expression.
"I see..."
I felt a slight sense of guilt towards Leandra-jou, who was looking down with a crestfallen face, but honestly, my brothers are my priority, so it can't be helped, right?
Since then, Leandra-jou seemed to feel awkward and remained silent with her face down.
Well, since it's my fault that the atmosphere became like this, I don't have the right to complain about this awkward atmosphere.
That said, even if I try to follow up, I can only think of words that would likely be said by the mouth that said that, so I'll keep quiet.
I feel like Maria's gaze is piercing me from behind, but it must be my imagination. It must be. Or rather, I want to believe so.
While the awkward atmosphere remained, when Leandra-jou and I came near the great hall, it seemed that there was a small commotion looking for Leandra-jou.
"Father!"
Leandra-jou ran up to a man who had a particularly difficult expression among them.
"Lea!! Where were you! I was worried about you."
A man with the same coral-colored hair as Leandra-jou, who had the hair up to his shoulders slicked back, picked up and hugged Leandra-jou, who had run up to him.
The current head of the Baltzer Count's house, Gerald Baltzer, is a muscular man like a warrior. He should be wearing formal clothes, but because of his rugged physique, he even looks like he's being worn by the clothes. But that's good in reverse.
His goatee accentuates his dandyism and manliness.
If Cyrillus-sensei is described as a gentleman, then this Baltzer-shougun is the epitome of a man.
The muscular Baltzer-shougun easily lifted Leandra-jou, and Leandra-jou clung to Baltzer-shougun's neck as if she was indulging in it.
Cyrillus-sensei, who was guarding Baltzer-shougun's side, was there, so when I raised my hand lightly, he returned a nod with a smile.
Anyway, my job of delivering Leandra-jou is over.
I turned on my heels to retreat as soon as possible when I was called from behind.
"Raimondo-sama!"
"...Baltzer-shougun. What is it?"
As expected, I couldn't ignore the words of Baltzer-shougun of the Duke family, so I stopped and turned around.
Baltzer-shougun, who had put Leandra-jou, whom he had been holding up, on the ground, approached my side.
The muscular Baltzer-shougun is tall, matching his physique.
When he stands next to me, who is still short, the pressure is amazing.
Well, I understand that he can't easily kneel as a noble, so I won't say anything.
"Lea, I heard that Raimondo-sama delivered my daughter here."
"Yes. She seemed to be in trouble. I was surprised. As far as I can remember, there haven't been many cases where anyone other than the royal family, except for the guards, has entered the east corridor."
I returned the smile to Baltzer-shougun, who was smiling.
"That's why I was surprised when Leandra-jou knocked on my room's door at first. I wondered if it was someone who wanted to connect with me, taking advantage of this party. That's what I thought."
Now, do you like a smartass brat? Baltzer-shougun.
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