TDKSR 05

Chapter 05

“Of course, that’s just my personal opinion, and if it doesn’t involve my family or relatives, I don’t really care. Even if my superior is that type of person, it doesn’t matter.”

That observing gaze of Livga’s.

Every time Jonathan met that gaze, he felt a mix of unease, discomfort, and a strange exhilaration.

“Hmm… This might be more information than necessary, but I’m not the type who only likes dating.”

“Yes.”

Livga nodded as if she didn’t think much of it.

“It’s just—my brother and his wife don’t have an heir yet, but the talk of an arranged marriage is already coming up…”

“Even someone of your rank, Duke, has to go through arranged marriages?”

“Huh?”

Flustered, Jonathan studied Livga’s expression.

She seemed genuinely curious, so he answered honestly.

“Well, arranged marriages among the imperial family are common, aren’t they? Even just to maintain power.”

‘What am I even talking about right now?’

Livga stared at Jonathan with those pretty eyes for a long while. Then, before Jonathan could ask anything, she averted her gaze.

“What do you want to do for fun?”

“Huh?”

“You called me out because you were bored, right?”

“Ah, that’s right!”

Jonathan quickly smiled.

“Want to play hide and seek?”

“You’re too conspicuous, Duke. I think I’d find you right away.”

“Hahahahaha.”

Jonathan’s laughter deepened.

“?”

“That’s exactly why.”

‘Because no one but you can find me when I’m hiding.’

Suddenly, Jonathan thought, ‘Perhaps I was waiting for someone to discover me.’

Of course, there was no way Livga could read Jonathan’s mind.

“I’m curious how fast you can find me.”

Smiling like this, making endlessly lighthearted jokes.

“…Can we do it after I drop my books off at the dormitory?”

Livga held up her books.

“I told you I’d carry them…”

“It’s fine.”

“I’ll hide while holding your books. That works, right? It’d be a waste of time to go back and forth to the dormitory.”

After a moment of deliberation, Livga handed her books to Jonathan.

Jonathan chuckled as he took them.

“Count to 100 and find me. Okay?”

“…Can I count silently in my head?”

“No. Then I wouldn’t know.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing.”

Though there weren’t many people around, it would be awkward if someone happened to see them.

“Fine. At about that volume. I’ll let it slide up to that.”

“Yes.”

Livga immediately placed her hand on a nearby tree, buried her face in the back of her hand, and began counting.

She listened well, perhaps because she was young.

Seeing her like this—small head, small shoulders, truly slender and delicate.

Why did he keep seeking out such a young girl as if monitoring her?

Jonathan watched Livga count from right beside her, and when her voice grew quieter around 30, he spoke.

“I can’t hear you when your voice gets that quiet.”

“…Shouldn’t you be going somewhere farther to hide by now?”

She didn’t turn her body or open her eyes while answering—that was cute.

“I’m looking around for a good spot, but nothing really catches my eye, so I’m taking a closer look. Then your voice got quieter, so I said something.”

“You say that, but I didn’t hear any footsteps.”

Seeing this, she truly had excellent observational skills.

“…Hmm, she really is talent worthy of recruiting into the information department.”

“I’ll continue counting. I’ll speak louder, so please hide.”

“Okay!”

After answering, Jonathan watched Livga until about 50, then moved.

He hid in a nearby thicket, not too far away. From there, he observed what Livga was doing.

Suddenly, he thought, ‘What am I even doing?’ and shook his head slightly.

He hadn’t even played games like this with his younger sister.

‘She said she can see me even when I hide my aura, right? To what extent?’

But Livga, having finished counting to 100, was amusingly walking in the opposite direction.

“Pfft!”

If she had turned around even once, she would have found him right away, but Livga was quite diligently searching in the wrong places.

‘Ah, she’s going too far.’

Should he say something—like, ‘I’ve been right here, why are you looking in the wrong places?’

Just then, as if reading Jonathan’s thoughts, Livga turned her head.

“!”

Their eyes met.

Livga walked toward Jonathan without hesitation—toward where he was crouched in the thicket, wrapped in his aura.

He had known she would find him easily no matter how far away, but…

“There you were.”

“It took you longer than I expected. I didn’t think you’d look in the wrong direction and walk straight past.”

“…”

Averting her gaze slightly was Livga’s habit when she was embarrassed.

Cutely so.

—

* * *

—

Originally, there had been an element of surveillance, but Jonathan began to enjoy himself. Disguising himself as an academy student and spending time with the Star—as long as no one noticed.

And so Jonathan’s playful games continued for quite some time.

Even Livga’s slightly annoyed expression pleased him.

Having only seen people who constantly followed him around, seeing someone who seemed bothered by him was refreshing.

“You come too often, I think.”

“No, I don’t have much to do anyway.”

“Has your marriage issue been resolved well?”

Sometimes she would suddenly strike at his weak spot like this.

“I’m still dealing with it.”

“Pardon?”

“I skipped a gathering my mother arranged for me to meet a count’s daughter I don’t know, and came here instead.”

“…Wouldn’t that be rude to the young lady waiting for you?”

Jonathan shook his head and pouted.

“I keep running away every time, so I wish they’d catch a hint by now.”

His expression looked quite mischievous.

Livga looked at that face, then quickly lowered her gaze to the ground.

“Is there something on the ground?”

“No.”

“Why are you avoiding my gaze?”

Come to think of it, Livga had been avoiding his eyes quite often lately.

“…”

“Why no answer?”

Livga hesitated a little before answering.

“There’s a difference in status, isn’t there? Looking straight at the Duke makes me feel pressured.”

“I’m a very easygoing person, you know? I guess you don’t see me that way? After all the fun we’ve had together. This is betrayal.”

“…You’re sparkling, so it hurts my eyes.”

“Huh?”

“Even without the aura, you naturally sparkle. It’s a subtle shimmer, but looking at it for too long strains my eyes.”

Jonathan was speechless. His face flushed involuntarily.

After a moment of silence, Jonathan finally spoke.

“I see. So I sparkle.”

His voice trembled slightly.

He had thought that Livga saying he sparkled and hurt her eyes was a confession.

“The aura appears as something like sparkles, you see.”

In that brief moment, various thoughts crossed Jonathan’s mind.

She was young, so she must be innocent. Could he trust that?

But soon, those thoughts were negated by the countless betrayals Jonathan had experienced throughout his life.

‘No. She could act like she likes me and then suddenly change one day. That girl is a Star. Currently, the only one who can see auras.’

That was why he lingered around Livga.

Star Seekers casually perceive aura abilities. And if they find another aura manifester in the future, they could manifest that ability as well.

She was politically very important.

‘People tend to give their hearts to those they meet and talk with often.’

So his goal was to keep her close, become friendly, and then use her when needed.

As a prince, Jonathan had never met anyone without ulterior motives since birth.

To Jonathan, Livga was very useful, and someone who would be very troublesome if taken by others.

But regardless of Jonathan’s thoughts, there was a possibility that the Star might develop strong feelings for him beyond a certain level.

After all, Jonathan was first in line for imperial succession, young, handsome, and a generous academy patron.

‘If Livga likes me, it’ll be easier to use her.’

At the same time, what felt most bitter was himself—doing political calculations against a girl of only sixteen.

Jonathan felt ugly for scheming about how to use a mere sixteen-year-old child.

Just then.

“I didn’t mean it as in I like you, Duke.”

Livga added, perhaps realizing belatedly that her expression had been a bit odd.

“Huh? I know.”

An excuse like this after a silence that was longer than just a beat was a bit…

“I know I’m handsome, but I’m also well aware that not everyone falls for me.”

“Ah, yes.”

Livga narrowed her eyes.

“What’s that look?”

“It’s just a normal look.”

“It’s a look that seems to find me pitiful. Objectively speaking, I am handsome.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve received plenty of confessions too!”

“Then why don’t you go out with one of those people who confessed to you?”

“I have high standards, you see.”

“Ah, yes.”

A half-hearted answer.

No one had ever treated him like this before.

“Ah, right. Do you have someone you’re seeing, Livga?”

Come to think of it, though the Star was young, there was no rule against dating.

“No.”

“Why not? You might seem calm, but you’re overflowing with some kind of charm, Livga. I bet you’re popular?”

Jonah had said that Livga Wilton was the prettiest girl in her year.

“Well, yes.”

Her calmly admitting it was cute.

“You have high standards too, Livga?”

Jonathan asked in a playful voice.

“Is this what having high standards means?”

“Huh?”

The atmosphere seemed to be shifting toward a conversation about Livga’s love life.

Love advice from a girl the size of a pea!

“I was just minding my own business when one day I was dragged away by some seniors I didn’t know, and I got slapped for supposedly making eyes at someone.”

“…”

It was fortunate they were sitting on a bench after finishing a round of hide and seek. Jonathan was so shocked that he lowered his arm from the back of the bench.

Who on earth would slap a child like Livga?

“When? No, why?”

Jonathan’s tone rose slightly.