On that evening, Regalus visited Althea's room.

He came for a strategy meeting regarding how to handle future confessions that might be called out similarly to what happened with Laila's report.

"I thought I'd be called out not too late... Well, being called out is within expectations, so it's fine," Regalus said.

"Eh, it's fine?" Althea couldn't help but give a foolish reply to the unexpected affirmation.

"Well, it's not like it's fine... but it's within expectations. Anyway, from now on, if a male student calls you out, it's best to say 'Let me think about it for a bit' and not give an immediate answer. If you don't agree, you can mention my name... It's well known around the school that I have feelings¹Brotherly love, no incest here for you," Regalus said proudly.

"...Oh, it's well known?" Althea and Laila exchanged glances, then chuckled at the same thought. Unaware of their exchange, Regalus was lost in thought with a more serious expression than expected.

"Well, being called out is inevitable, but the real issue is Senior Yugg... As a prince from another country, we can't be too rude to him. But I don't want to establish an engagement for Althea, even hypothetically, and even if we did, their status wouldn't be on par..."

Indeed, there are families that could match up, it's not that there aren't any. But if we did, it wouldn't just be hypothetical anymore. Plus, even though Yugg creed himself might not be aware of his feelings, he wouldn't be entirely opposed.

Regalus muttered as he pondered.

"Um, big brother? Continuously refusing, would that be disrespectful?"

"No, since it's among students at the academy, it wouldn't be disrespectful, but... just..."

"Just?"

"It's just that... if Senior Yugg were to propose officially after returning to his country, it would be troublesome."

"Officially?... But I'm still a student, it won't be immediate..."

"It probably won't be. Even if he does propose, you can postpone your answer until you graduate... Ohh!!!"

Regalus, who is usually gentle, scratched his head unusually. He was probably considering the proposal far into the future.

"...Big brother, I remember you telling me before, even if it's a proposal from royalty of another country, it can't happen without the individual's consent and the approval of our country's king, right?"

Regalus, who had been holding his head, twitched and raised his face.

"When? "

"Huh?"

"When did you hear that from Sieg?"

"After the martial arts tournament two years ago... I think it was about two months later... When I visited the royal castle to play with Princess Liliauge... He mentioned that he had some official duties and had come back to the castle for a short while..."

"...I see... So Sieg has been concerned since then..."

Regalus held his head again and flopped onto the table.

"Also, fortunately, I have magical abilities, so I can remain a student until I graduate from the magic building, right? During that time, we can think of some countermeasures..."

While lying down, Regalus turned his face towards Althea and asked.

"By the way, though... Althea... what do you think of Senior Yugg?"

"What do you mean? I don't really...?"

"Really? You didn't think he was 'wonderful'?... Senior Yugg was the most popular among his peers, with his tanned skin and sturdy physique, a person capable of protecting anyone"

"That's flattering, but... I don't need protection. If anything, I'd like to fight alongside. So, in that sense, I'm not interested. Besides..."

"Besides?"

"My ideal is... someone strong like you and Brother Sieg, but gentle and kind. When he confessed today, the first people who came to my mind were you and Brother Sieg..."

"Wait a minute!"

"....?"

You thought of Sieg too?... It's probably subconscious, but still...

Regalus stared at Althea, lost in thought.

"Big brother?"

"Oh... no, it's nothing... So, I'm your ideal? Then, I need to work even harder to live up to that ideal. ...Well, it's about time. I'll head back to my room... Althea, what will you do if a male student from the general building calls you out?"

"Um... let me think for a moment, please?"

"That's right, make sure not to answer immediately. And report to me right away. Got it?"

"Yes."

"And if he's persistent, just tell him to talk to me."

"Yes."

"Good answer... Laila, I know it's tough for you too, but I'll be counting on you from now on."

"Understood."

After seeing off her brother, Althea asked while sipping the tea prepared by Laila.

"Hey, Laila. What does 'love' mean, I wonder? I love my brother, my father, and my mother. Of course, I love you too, and I love Jean too. But... the 'love' that person talked about today is different, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's different."

"Even though the words are the same, what's different about it... I wonder."

While offering tea to her master who was seriously pondering about love, Laila added, "Perhaps Lady Althea hasn't met such a suitor yet."

"...And what about you, Laila? Have you experienced that kind of 'love'?"

"...Well, I wonder."

"Aww, come on. Don't keep it a secret."

"It's not really a secret... It's just that I can't say for sure if it was love. Oh, but... if we don't limit it to the opposite sex, then yes?"

"Huh? Really? When? With whom? What was it like?"

"Hehe, well... that's... a secret for now."

"You're keeping it a secret after all."

"...It's difficult to put into words, you know? But... yes, I've heard that it can make your chest ache. In my case, it felt like I was pierced through the heart..."

As she spoke, Laila recalled her past feelings for a moment.

Perhaps it was when I first felt relieved looking into Lord Thomas's sapphire eyes... At that time, I think I was searching for those eyes. But... when I felt like my heart was pierced...

"What does it feel like when your chest hurts?"

Turning back to her master, who was stroking her own chest with a puzzled look, Laila smiled fondly as she watched her.