144. I’ll ask straight forward. Cadet Han Chun-seong, what do you think of Glesia?

***

Time passed uncontrollably just by having a conversation.

There was a lot of conversation just by talking about each other, as if Glesia and Anastasia solved the time they couldn’t meet, and I, who was there, sometimes felt alienated from the two people who reflected their sisterly friendship.

But I didn’t care too much.

It was unplanned from the fact that I was present at the meeting of the two in the first place, so I thought I had to endure this too.

Looking at the scene outside the window, which had already become dark, he spoke cautiously.

“Well then, I will try to get up.”

“yes? Are you going already?”

“It was quite late. Oh, then let’s have dinner together.”

At Anastasia’s words, I involuntarily looked into her eyes.

‘Am I saying this with sincerity?’

She was trying to get out of the way so the two of them could spend time, but the look in her eyes didn’t look like she was just saying it to me.

As I hesitated, Glesia immediately added her words.

“Yeah, since we met like this, let’s have dinner together. We were supposed to spend time together today.”

“That’s true, but if we’re together like this… I think Anastasia-sama will be uncomfortable. Glessia, it’s time for you to meet with your family after a long time.”

When I declined one more time, Anastasia smiled lightly this time.

“It’s really okay, so don’t say no. And he’s a friend of Glesia, how could I serve it as a dessert at a cafe? Let’s have dinner together and go home.”

“…If you say that, I will be grateful for your favor.”

Receiving their words carefully, I spent the evening with them.

…

that buck

again… .

With different footsteps, we were walking on the night street ‘outside’ the academy.

Cadets were not restricted from leaving the academy. It was possible because there was no curfew in the first place, and the rules within the academy were ambiguous.

As all of the cadets are adults, there was a strong feeling that they should take care of themselves rather than limit themselves.

Instead, the cadets are responsible for their actions… .

“It’s been a while since I’ve been walking down the street at night with my sister like this.”

“Yeah, I really liked the time I had walking with Glesia like this.”

Even as I kept pace with the two, who undoubtedly showed off their sisterly love, I let out a small smile.

‘It looks nice.’

The warm family atmosphere was warm just by looking at it.

To me now, family is a very luxurious word.

In fact, I hadn’t deliberately thought of family in the meantime, but when I saw the two showing off their love for family like this, I felt what a family is again.

something warm and comfortable.

“……”

But for a while, I looked at reality.

‘Now is the time to think about Anastasia.’

To feel the longing for my family, I had to deal with the ordeal that befell me right away.

Now, a few days later, a direct death crisis comes to me.

So, it was said that he did not even have time to think of his family and be immersed in memories.

Fortunately for now, Anastasia had said that she would be staying in the imperial capital for the next ’10 days’.

In the meantime, if I had contact with her and kept her from disappearing, I might be able to get help from her.

“Come to think of it, Chunseong Han, it’s been a long time since I left the academy with you.”

When Glesia glanced at me and said something, I calmly nodded.

“right. It’s the first time since I entered school.”

“It’s a little strange. If you think about it, you should have left the academy long ago, but we were only at the academy every day.”

“That’s because just staying at the academy was enough.”

Since the area inside the academy is so large and most of the facilities exist within the academy, in fact, I hardly felt the need to leave the academy.

“You can look forward to Cadet Han Chun-seong as well. We’re going to have dinner at a restaurant that can’t compare to the one in the academy.”

“…Then I look forward to it.”

Anastasia, who smiled at my words, seemed to have completely relaxed her guard against me.

Even though I thought it wasn’t bad… it was amazing again.

‘This person has the greatest destiny in the world.’

The more they talked, the less strong Anastasia’s presence was.

It was even ordinary enough to feel that I felt less of a presence than Carly. She may be deliberately suppressing her presence so as not to intimidate those around her, but… .

Still, she is a tremendous existence that can be called the ‘main axis of the empire’, but now she looked like a pretty person or an older sister who cares about her younger sister.

…

The restaurant I visited afterwards was a three-story high-end restaurant in the capital’s glitzy downtown area.

And the evening held on the third floor was a very friendly time.

Throughout the course meal I ordered, I stuck to the position of listening to their conversation, and Glesia and Anastasia continued their conversation and a bright time continued.

I was quite satisfied just watching the two sisters having a friendly time and eating a delicious course meal.

Seruk.

Then, when Glesia suddenly stood up from her seat, her gaze went.

“I’ll go to the washroom for a while. I think it will take some time.”

“yes. go and come.”

“okay.”

At the time when Glesia was away for a while. With a little bit of anticipation, I cut a piece of steak into large pieces and pierced it with a fork.

And the car that brought the delicious meat to the mouth… .

“Cadets of Hancheon Castle.”

“…Yes. Miss Anastasia.”

I stopped the fork I was bringing to my mouth and faced Anastasia.

“Now that Glesia is away for a while. I want to tell you what I was going to say the other day… How is it?”

“Tell me. I will listen.”

Seeing her sudden serious expression, I also put my fork on the plate. After that, she slowly met my eyes.

“I will ask straight forward. Cadet Han Chun-seong, what do you think of Glesia?”

“…Is asking what you think a rational question?”

“okay. What kind of feelings do you have for Glesia and are you friends? I usually think it’s hard to have a friendship between the opposite sex. I tend to think of it as a relationship where one side has a heart for the other side.”

Anastasia, who asked calmly, really didn’t have the slightest hesitation.

…A question that would shake people’s hearts, she asked so emphatically.

“……”

As I was choosing my words for a moment, I suddenly had all sorts of thoughts.

‘That’s why you said you’d ask when we were together.’

I understood why he hadn’t asked me in the presence of Glesia. And the fact that she said to go to dinner was to ask this question… .

Conscious of Anastasia staring at me, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I don’t have personal feelings for Glesia that Anastasia-sama is concerned about.”

“As much as I am not concerned… .”

“Yes. That’s right.”

He spoke calmly, but did not lie.

In fact, there were times when my heart was shaken by Glessia.

Because Glesia reflects her charm to me to the extent that I am not aware of it at the moment.

But that didn’t mean I was buried in the momentary shaking of my heart.

As much as Glesia is always emphasizing that she is a friend to me and aware of the relationship, I was also firmly holding my heart.

Even though my heart might be shaken for a moment, I had once made a big promise not to be shaken, so I didn’t have much personal feelings.

So I was able to tell Anastasia my honest feelings.

He didn’t even consider her as an object of love.

“…that’s not a lie.”

When Anastasia replied in surprise, I let out a light laugh.

“Why would I lie to Anastasia?”

As a member of Glesia’s family, it was natural for her to care about her.

Because I can understand Anastasia, who is worried about Glesia, who is unreservedly making skinship with me, a member of the opposite sex.

“Then… that’s good. I was contemplating whether or not I should ask Cadet Han Chun-seong for an unreasonable favor.”

“Are you asking too much?”

“Yes. Actually, I was going to tell her to keep her distance from Glesia. But first, thank you for being so honest. I feel relieved now that I don’t have to ask too much.”

When Anastasia, who smiled lightly, showed her small gratitude, she nodded indifferently.

“I also understand Anastasia-sama’s feelings. I think it deserves to be considered that way.”

“Thank you so much for saying that. As Glesia told cadet Han Chun-seong, in fact, even though she is now an adult, Glesia is still the first to make friends, and she is very clumsy when it comes to dealing with people. I think I’ve adjusted well now, but in the past, when I was with you, I always tried to stick to me.”

“…okay.”

I was a little surprised at the unusual past, but it didn’t feel that strange.

Spending time with them so far, I felt greatly how much the sisters care for each other.

“To be a little more honest, I didn’t want Glesia’s first friend to develop into a lover.”

“You don’t have to worry.”

He responded promptly, but his heart was calm.

If I were going to be like a lover with Glesia, it would have developed into such a relationship a long time ago.

But we were still clearly ‘friends’.

At the base of it was Glesia, who considered me a friend, and I was aware of her, so I was careful not to be buried in her.

So, if we continued to pay attention to each other, there was no way it would develop into a romantic relationship.

“Thank you for the reply of not worrying, but Cadet Han Chun-seong. Being a friend of the opposite sex means you never know what will happen.”

“…that’s.”

“You don’t have to deny that. Right now, Glesia may not have any feelings for her, but the human heart is something you never know what will happen.”

…Anastasia, who spoke calmly, slowly tilted her wine.

Seruk.

It took a while for the red wine to wet her lips, and Anastasia slowly reached out to me.

“I understand that Glesia and Cadet Han Chun-seong are friends. But I’m saying ‘out of the blue’ that I want them to keep the same relationship as they do now.”

Seruk.

Having said that, Anastasia secretly took my hand on the table, and while she blankly accepted the hand, nothing came out.

“…”

‘Is this a warning?’

Or should I see it as an action with a different meaning that I don’t know about?

“Actually, I was very worried about Glesia, where I would have to spend several years on the frontlines and live alone. What should I do if I stray or leak in a bad way? But even with my short time with Cadet Han Chun-seong today, I think I can be sure for now. That people are really upright, and that they are trustworthy people.”

When he spoke to me with calm eyes, I couldn’t answer as easily as before.

…it felt like there was a bone in her words.

“Actually, I wouldn’t just ask you to get along with Glesia.”

“Anastasia-sama. That’s…”

“If I can help Cadet Han Chun-seong, I’ll help. If there’s something else you want, financially or otherwise, I’m willing to listen as long as I don’t cross the line.”

What followed was completely beyond my expectations.