Chapter 35: Living by His Side.

Amelia told herself to calm down.

Surely Sarju was simply angry that someone had tried to take away the assistant he needed for his research.

She mustn’t interpret it in a self-serving way.

“Um…”

“Your hair has come undone. Shall we head back inside?”

“Y-yes.”

Indeed, lingering here surrounded by guards would only draw unnecessary attention.

Today was, above all, Julius and Marie’s engagement announcement party.

She couldn’t let Lease’s mess cast a shadow over it.

Sarju led her back—not to the waiting room, but to the guest chamber she had frequently used.

A familiar, gentle maid quickly fixed her hair and prepared tea to help her settle.

All the while, Sarju sat a short distance away, silently watching her.

There seemed to be a new heat in his gaze—something that hadn’t been there before—and it left her flustered.

“I-I’m truly sorry for causing such trouble.”

“You’re right. You mustn’t walk alone anymore.”

His mild rebuke made her shoulders slump; he was absolutely correct.

“I used to walk alone all the time back in the territory…”

“Alone?”

“Yes. I often helped with irrigation in the fields and things like that.”

“Alone…?”

“Yes. That way I could conduct experiments and gather samples without restrictions. Especially soil surveys—data from just one day has no meaning. And besides—”

“Sarju-sama, no. It’s too dangerous.”

There might still be other Empire agents infiltrated into the country.

She hurriedly spoke up; someone like him might wander off alone at any moment.

“Would you tell me what Lease said to you?”

At his request, she straightened her posture and recounted everything.

“Yes. He said if I went with him to the Empire, they would grant us a peerage. Apparently they desperately need users of water and earth magic.”

“…Water and earth. So those rumors were true after all.”

It seemed such whispers had circulated before.

“If he’s already informed the Empire about you, we’ll need to assign you a guard.”

“Eh? No, that’s really not necessary for someone like me.”

Water magic wasn’t particularly rare in this kingdom.

She was only notable because she had been Lease’s former fiancée.

Besides, as Sarju’s assistant, she spent almost all her time by his side—and he already had escort knight Kaido.

She insisted desperately, but Sarju fell into thoughtful silence.

“If you never leave my side for even a moment, perhaps a dedicated guard won’t be necessary.”

“Y-yes! I absolutely won’t leave your side!”

The very idea of a personal escort felt far too presumptuous; she nodded vigorously.

“Then starting today, you should live here. The academy dormitory is too easy for anyone to infiltrate.”

“Eh?”

“That way we’ll go to and from the academy together—no need for extra guards.”

“…Together?”

“I’ll have your things moved from the dormitory immediately.”

“Moved…”

Before she fully grasped the situation, he took her hand, saying everyone was worried, and led her back to the party hall.

Her parents and cousin had clearly been anxious about her long absence.

But when Sarju explained that she had been helping a young lady search for a lost ring, they relaxed and laughed, saying it was “so like Amelia.”

After that, the party concluded without further incident.

She promised her parents she would return home during summer break, then parted from them.

Her role finished, Amelia should have gone straight back to the dormitory.

Yet just as Sarju had said, she was given a room in the royal castle and ended up living there.

When she returned to the dormitory to retrieve clothes, she found her belongings already moved and neatly arranged.

The speed of it all made her a little uneasy.

Perhaps the situation was more serious than she realized.

If—as Sarju feared—she truly was being targeted, staying close to him might only put him in greater danger.

“Amelia-sama.”

A familiar maid peeked in.

“Sarju-denka is calling for you.”

“I’ll go right away.”

Perhaps he wanted to discuss what came next.

With that thought, she straightened her appearance and hurried to the appointed place.

The room turned out to be the same reception chamber where she had once met all the princes.

Inside waited the Crown Prince couple, Second Prince Est,

Julius and Marie,

Sarju, and escort knight Kaido.

Everyone was present; she had been the last to arrive.

Apologizing for the delay, she took the seat beside Sarju as guided.

When Sarju explained what had happened to her, anger flashed across each face.

“Where did Lease make contact with the Empire?”

At Crown Prince Alexis’s question, Sarju replied that Lease was currently under interrogation by the knight order.

If Lease’s words were true, the Viscount Caria house was hiding Seira in their residence; that would need investigating as well.

“Water and earth magic, hm. So the rumors of advancing desertification in the Empire were true after all.”

Julius muttered, arms crossed.

“Desert…?”

“Yes. Around the same time we began suffering cold damage, they started facing prolonged droughts and desert expansion.”

Moreover, the Empire had almost no magic users.

With no means to resolve it, they must be growing desperate.

“Even so—requesting aid would be one thing, but attempting abduction? That country hasn’t changed at all in the past ten years.”

Julius spoke openly irritated; Alexis and Est nodded in agreement.

“…A desert. I’ve never seen one.”

But when Sarju murmured that quietly, his brothers stared at him in disbelief.

“Amelia, have you seen one?”

“No, never. I’ve only heard that rain stops falling, the land dries out, and plants can’t grow.”

“Drought-resistant plants… No, reforestation might be more effective…”

At Sarju’s sudden interest in deserts, pleading gazes turned toward Amelia.

She was mildly curious about deserts herself, but decided it was better not to say so.

“Sarju-sama. Before drought-resistant plants, we must finish developing the water magic.”

“Ah, you’re right. That comes first.”

Seeing him nod in agreement, she felt relieved.

“Amelia, please look after Sarju. Ten years ago, he was lured away with promises of seeing plants that only grow in the Empire.”

Alexis spoke in exasperation; nothing had changed since then.

“…Plants unique to the Empire?”

“Yes—don’t even think about it. Amelia, you’re one of us now.”

When she unconsciously leaned forward, Julius muttered in disbelief—words that sounded strangely familiar.

“Kaido, you’re in charge of those two.”

“…Somehow my burden feels disproportionately heavy compared to the other knights.”

“Give it up.”

“Your sister’s marrying into the Renis house. Practically family already, right?”

Pressed by both Alexis and Julius in quick succession, Kaido slowly sank to his knees.

“I was happy thinking she’d found a good match… and now she’s a hostage…”

Seeing Kaido kneel in despair, Amelia secretly resolved to act more like one of the “protectors” from now on.

No one objected to Sarju’s declaration that—for her safety—Amelia would live in the royal castle.

She had thought His Majesty’s permission would be required, but it seemed approval had already been granted long ago.

Sophia looked delighted; Marie murmured softly, “You’ve finally been caught.”

And so Amelia began living in the royal castle, always by Sarju’s side.