Chapter 9

To begin with, does he even have a desire to get married and build a family someday?

I gave up on the incomprehensible documents and put them back on the desk, saying I would take a short break, and moved to the sofa.

Sasha prepared a new cup of tea, looking as if she knew what to do.

Bernard was watching me with a concerned look. He would not comment on my political affairs unless I told him, maintaining his role as a guard and keeping silent. However, his gaze was tinged with worry.

I returned a slight smile to his dark brown eyes and then, gathering my courage, asked:

"Bernard, do you think about getting married in the future?"

"…My marriage? Not yours, Your Highness?"

"Yes, well, I thought it would be nice to hear a general opinion. I want to know Simon's thoughts too. Do both of you have any ideas or ideals about marriage?"

Bernard nodded at Simon.

"His Highness is asking you. Answer."

"Wh-What, me first!? In order, it should be the captain, right!?"

"His Highness wants to hear a general opinion. Clearly, you are more suitable to answer than I am."

When I said I wanted to hear Bernard's opinion too, he made a visibly reluctant face.

What's wrong? I had expected that he might not have a desire to get married, but could there be some unpleasant memories?

As I tilted my head in thought, Simon groaned and said:

"I've been told by my entire family that I can't get married unless I change my food preferences."

"Oh, you're that picky?"

"I don't have any likes or dislikes. It's just that I love spicy food. I enjoy pouring spices all over my plate, turning it red. Especially making my fitté red is the best. I endure in the palace dining hall, but in the morning and evening, I can't feel satisfied unless it's red."

"Oh…"

Fitté is a dish made by stretching and boiling finely ground flour, then stir-frying it with meat and vegetables. It is mixed with the herb piene, so when fried, it gives off a fragrant aroma that makes you very hungry. In different regions, there are various local flavors. In particular, in coastal areas, fitté is made with plenty of seafood instead of meat. Fitté is one of the staple foods in our country, enjoyed by both nobles and commoners, despite the differences in ingredients.

I had traveled around the country during my time as a princess and had tasted fitté from various regions, but I had never seen such a red version. In fact, it is not a dish that typically uses a large amount of spices.

Simon, being closely observed by Bernard and me, scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed. It seemed he was serious about his love for spicy food, which was quite surprising.

Well, you can't judge by appearance, but Simon is a young man with a childlike face and a cute demeanor. I hadn't expected him to be so fond of spicy food.

Bernard, looking taken aback, said:

"You, you won't be able to get married."

"That's a big shock coming from the captain! ……Well, my family says that no cook or wife would tolerate my eating habits… But if I search, I'm sure I can find a girl who fits my family background, has a cute smile, and loves spicy food! I want to marry such a wonderful woman!"

Simon said this with enthusiasm.

Bernard and I exchanged glances, saying, "Well, if you search, there might be…", "I don't think so", "There must be women who love spicy food", "Even if they do, they probably wouldn't want a man who turns his plate red", and nodded in agreement.

Then, I turned my gaze to Bernard.

"What about you, Bernard?"

"I don't have any particular preferences when it comes to food. I can eat anything. I don't even mind if it's poisoned, as long as it's my portion."

"You should be concerned about that."

"You know, Your Highness, I have a constitution that makes me immune to poison. To me, poison is no different from a seasoning."

Simon whispered, "Oh, the rumor that the captain is a 'curse sword that can't be killed' is true…"

I repeated, "You should still be concerned," and then said:

"Anyway, I digressed. Can you tell me your thoughts on marriage, not just food preferences?"

"Ah…"

Bernard looked away with a reluctant expression. What's wrong? Is it such an uncomfortable topic?

"Your Highness, asking me for a general opinion is a waste of time, I think."

"It doesn't have to be general. …But I don't want to force you. I'm sorry. It was an inappropriate topic to ask suddenly."

"No, it's not that. It's just… how to put it…"

Bernard put his hand on his neck, his eyes wandering, and reluctantly said:

"…If you get married, you end up living with a complete stranger, right?"

"Yes."

"I just can't stand the idea… so I don't want to get married."

The voice that leaked out was not mine but Simon's.

But I felt exactly the same way. I couldn't help but stare at Bernard.

If he had said he didn't think about marriage or had never considered it, I would have expected that… but, disgusting? Living with a stranger is that difficult for him? I didn't know.

Bernard said, looking troubled:

"I'm not mocking marriage. I just can't stand being close to others in my private life, regardless of whether they are married or not."

As soon as he said that, Simon almost jumped back from Bernard.

"Hey, don't move from your post."

"But, but, I don't want to die by making the captain uncomfortable!!"

"I said in private. At work, I don't mind. Your Highness, your presence is no problem at all. Please don't distance yourself from me out of consideration."

I nodded, trying to reassure him.

"Y-Yes… If you say it's okay… But I don't want you to force yourself…"

"I'm not forcing myself. It would be much harder for me if you moved away from me. That would be unbearable for me, so I absolutely won't do it."

Bernard sighed deeply, looking bitter.

"Besides, in private, I don't mind crowds or people who have no interest in me. It's just that the people who want me are disgusting."

Not quite understanding the intent of his words, I tilted my head slightly, and Bernard sighed, looking resigned.

"In the past… before I met Your Highness, a long time ago… I often had to deal with people forcing their way into my bed, which I had barely secured."

This time, it was my voice that leaked out.

Because, before I met him, Bernard was still a teenager.

"You said you don't remember your age, but you were probably around 15 years old, right…?"

"Yes. But even as a kid, I was strong enough to be called a monster. So, there were people who wanted me, and it was quite overwhelming. Men who wanted me to be their subordinate, and others who wanted me to be part of their group, and women who wanted me to be their… lover, I mean, they were… very forward, taking off their clothes… or something like that."

It was the first time I had heard this story.