Good job. That was pretty exciting.

　After Mark left, Garnet laughed and poured me a cup of herbal tea.

　The temperature is just the right amount to soak my thirsty throat, which is dry from talking too much.

　Looking at the Alexia's watch, the time was already just before midnight.

　Again, we talked for a long time.

"So, was it worth it to spill our true feelings to each other?
'Come on, ......, I don't know. Maybe we could just say what we want to say to each other and clear it up.

　He leaned his weight against the back of the chair and let out a deep, long breath.

　It was perhaps the first time in his life that he and Mark had exchanged such emotional words with each other.

　It's a good thing that you can't get along with your siblings, because it's been fifteen years since they left their hometown, and right before that, they weren't bad with each other, and to begin with, a violent clash between siblings who are fifteen years old and less than ten years old is nothing more than a childish quarrel.

　When I was a child, it was rare for us to have such a 'serious' clash, and at the time when we were able to do so, we never once saw each other due to my selfishness.

　Maybe it was a reaction to the distorted relationship between the brothers, but there were a lot of things I was holding in the pit of my stomach.

　But in order to fill the gap of fifteen years, it must have been a necessary moment (a moment).

　You can't convey any kind of feeling unless you put it into words.

　--But whether or not this will turn things around is another story.

　Maybe the relationship will improve as a result of the mutual understanding, or maybe they will feel even more incomprehensible and the disconnection will deepen.



'At least I think I've figured out what kind of grievances that guy was harboring. Well, ...... maybe I need some time to sort things out.
Fair enough. I'm sure it's nice to hear your side of the story, isn't it?
I don't know about that.

　Garnet smiled serenely and sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

　It's an atmosphere that I don't usually see.
　Watching the exchange between me and Mark from the side, I wondered if he had any thoughts about it.

I'm not sure if it's a good thing to be a brother or sister who can talk to each other without hesitation.
'...... what the hell is this all of a sudden. How is it possible that you ate something bad ...... or something? And dinner was at the Spring Wakaba-Tei.

　It was surprising that he was envious of his relationship with Mark, but it was even more surprising that it was Garnett who made that statement.

'When you say your brother, isn't that the kind of relationship you have with Commander Carmine ......?'
It's a good thing that your brother is considered more of a boss. It's a good thing that you're able to rely on them to get you into the Silver Wing, and the rest of the siblings are no good at all.

　I see. It's a good thing that the position of the person in question is the only thing that matters, so I can't help but interfere with the restraint that is unbecoming of a brother and sister, huh?

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to give you the same rating and contribution.

''You know what he says about the grass next door. Mark would probably think his brother would have been better off the other way around.
And if that happens, will I be my own brother?　It's a bad joke.
What do you mean?
Well, I don't know.

　Garnett deliberately looked away and chuckled.

　The rest of the siblings, by the way, were the older brother and the only sister of the same s*x, apart from Lord Carmine?

　Garnet was the only daughter that Lord Rembrandt had established with his future wife, and he had four children with his former wife, who had died long ago.

　The eldest son, who was the original candidate to succeed him, was killed in the war.
　This happened when Garnett was still very young, and he really has no memory of his eldest son at all, not as a metaphor.

　His second brother, Valentine Argentia, was unable to appear in public, either because of illness or injury, and apparently hides his bare skin completely when he appears before his people.

　The fact that Lord Carmine, who was his third son, assumed the position of Commander was also a very accidental succession, due to the combination of his eldest son's death in battle and his second son's seclusion.

　I have yet to meet this man, but from what I've heard from Garnett, he has a tendency to cling to the same old ideas as his father, Lord Rembrandt.

　Even though they have different mothers, it would be an outdated idea nowadays when he thinks nothing of using his sister in a political marriage.

　The eldest daughter, Mrs. Scarlett, had only seen her face once.

　She was a woman who thought it was good to strengthen her family through marriage and actually won an influential earl.

　In the first place, it was the count who hosted the example(s) night(s) party, and it was only natural that the host and his wife would be in a prominent place.

　-- Thinking about it this way, Garnett might not have been related to the so-called normal brothers and sisters after all.

'But I digress, I must confess that I had a hard time holding back my laughter.　The look on Mark's (that guy) face when he heard why you decided to take the Order's story!
"Don't remind me of that ...... I was just running my mouth with the momentum.
But I'll have to tell you sooner or later. It's a matter of being early or late.

　In the earlier exchange, Mark expressed his frank dissatisfaction with the fact that I, who was extremely debauched, was better than him with my steady efforts, so I inadvertently said something back, including the example of the night(s) of the night(s).

　By the time I realized that Mark had been blatantly distracted by a remark that was more of a flirtation than a rebuttal, it was already too late.

　There's no way to retract it now, and an indescribable air has been created in the living room.

............

　If Garnett is going to play around with that kind of stuff, we have an idea.

　I was actually going to do it after the next business hours, but looking at the clock, it's just about time for the date to change.

　If it's the day of the month, it's the same thing whether it's the beginning or the end.

　I got up from my seat without saying a word and went back to my desk to grab a small, slim box that I had tucked away in the back of my desk drawer.

'Nah, what the hell. ......'
It's been exactly a year today.

　He placed a small box in front of the puzzled garnet and opened the lid.

　Housed inside is a mithril necklace made of thin chains.

　Attached to the tip are two small mithril work ornaments.

　One is a feather-shaped piece of work inlaid with a blue stone that matches the eyes of a garnet.
　The other is a wolf's fang-shaped piece of work inlaid with small pearls - that is, pure white gems.

　It's not just a simple matter of time before you can get your hands on them.

　We promised before, a souvenir of a year since we first met.

'You ...... this is ......!
'You remember Craig the mithril processor, don't you? When I was in King's Landing for my investiture, I stopped by Craig's workshop and ordered one for him.

　Garnett couldn't hold back her deviation and picked up the necklace and began to stare intently at its silvery glow.

"...... I'm going to put it on, is it okay if I wear it ......?
Of course. What are you going to do without it on you? I've tried to make it look good no matter which way you're dressed: ......

　Without waiting for me to finish, Garnett tried to put the necklace on with an impatient hand.

　The unfamiliar ornaments didn't seem to have a good handle on it, so I helped her from behind to fit the hardware properly.

'How do you like it!　There's no such thing as a bad fit at ......, is there?

　Garnett turns around, his cheeks flushed with excitement.

　The answer is long overdue.
　Not flattery, not exaggeration, but the one and only real answer from the bottom of my heart.

'-- Yeah, you look great. Really, you look awesome.