CH 1.24

Just as Keira was finished replying, Arthur arrived, carrying a large glass bottle.

Arthur: “Good morning, my lady.”

Keira: “Good morning.”

Sitting by the desk, Keira greeted him back.

Keira: “What’s that?”

Arthur: “Vice Captain sent this. He heard that you took a break and was worried you were feeling unwell. They said it’s good for rejuvenation.”

Keira: “Please thank Sir Joseph for me.”

Arthur: “I will.”

Keira: “Oh, and there’s something I want to say to you…”

Keira glanced at Rose. Rose, a quick-witted woman, bowed and left the room.

When the two were left alone, Arthur’s expression became serious. If milady wanted to keep this a secret…

Arthur: “Is this important enough to send your maid out?”

Keira: “No, it’s a little embarrassing to talk about it in front of others.”

She cleared her throat in embarrassment. It was then that Arthur remembered their earlier conversation.

“Actually, I want to interact with people outside the family, but I don’t know where to start.”

The lady sometimes started very embarrassing conversations.

Keira: “The hobby thing you mentioned before, I think I found one.”

Arthur: “Oh, is that so? That was fast. Congratulations! May I know what it is?”

Keira: “Um, that’s… I’d like to keep it a secret for now.”

She was shy to tell Arthur, a man.

Arthur’s eyes gleamed at the mysterious answer.

‘What kind of hobby is it?!’

Keira: “I didn’t want to admit that it was fun at first. It was something that I thought was below me.”

Arthur: “I see.”

Keira: “I didn’t think I could enjoy this kind of thing.”

Arthur: “Oh! I think I know what that is. I have that kind of hobby, too.”

Keira: “May I ask what it is?”

Arthur: “To hang out at a casino.”

Keira was so surprised that she dropped the pen she was holding.

Casino, gambling house, spending money.

In her eyes as a person with a conservative upbringing, gambling was akin to falling into the devil’s temptation.

Arthur: “You must be surprised… It’s not like it’s a crime, right?”

Arthur scratched his cheek embarrassingly.

Keira: “That’s true, but…”

Arthur: “At first, I wondered if should even go to a place like that because I was a knight. But it was fun. It’s fun to talk to friends over drinks and play games.”

Keira nodded at the part when he said ‘with friends.’ It was a pleasure to share hobbies with others.

However, gambling was a little…

No, it wasn’t even illegal, was it?

He wasn’t wasting his fortune; he’s just enjoying it leisurely, wasn’t he?

But wouldn’t it be weird for a knight to frequent a gambling den?

Keira has never had a positive image of gambling, but there was nothing she could do if others liked it.

Come to think of it, she didn’t think she was in a position to say anything about other people’s hobbies… She was confused.

Arthur: “At first, I went without telling my colleagues. I was worried that if milady caught me, I’d be chased out.”

Keira: “So, what happened?”

Arthur: “Oh, well. It turns out everyone knew I was going to the casino.”

Keira: “How did you get caught so easily?”

Arthur: “Hmm… It’s because I didn’t intend to really hide it. I feel like I’ve become a criminal for no reason if I used a disguise or pseudonym. So, I got caught. Nothing happened though.”

Keira: “Huh?”

Arthur: “A lot of people are doing it? Well, some conservative seniors told me not to go too much, but recently, they haven’t bothered me about it. These days, I go with the other knights.”

Keira: “Then, are you drinking cocktails together?”

Arthur: “Yes, with the other knights.”

She asked because she was a little embarrassed.

Keira: “…Does His Grace know?”

Arthur: “Hmm, I’m not sure, but I don’t think His Grace would care about what the knights are doing over the weekend.”

Keira: “Well, that’s true.”

Keira nodded her head. He was usually indifferent about other people.

Arthur: “Anyway, I was really just panicking on my own that others might see.”

Didn’t you think of keeping it a secret?

Keira instead swallowed what she wanted to ask. She sympathized with his words to a certain extent.

You don’t have to deny yourself something you because of what other people might think.

Unless it’s a crime like murder, of course.

Arthur: “Ah, speaking of which, would you like to go with me this weekend? The casino, I mean. I’m supposed to go with the other knights, but I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

She was even more surprised than the first time he said ‘casino.’ However, there wasn’t a pen left to drop.

Keira: “I-I…”

The Parvis family was often referred to as the Goddess’ chosen family bestowed with a sacred duty. Therefore, it was only natural for the Parvis family to have close ties with the Temple and have similar beliefs as them.

Being conservative meant that the feeling of going to a casino was comparable to walking into a depraved territory.

She could immediately refuse if she wasn’t comfortable to do it…

‘But Sir Arthur might feel hurt.’

She put herself in his shoes, imagining she recommended her hobby to him. But he hated it.

‘Did you really enjoy reading this?’

-and what if she said yes? Surely, she’d be hurt! Extremely hurt!

When she thought about it, she couldn’t say no.

‘You said it because you wanted to recommended something you liked to me…’

She could see Arthur’s smiling face. If she refused, would his face fall and become sad?

She couldn’t refuse.

Keira: “A-alright. I’ll go.”

Arthur: “Oh, really, milady?”

Keira: “Yes, let’s do it.”

Arthur thought, ‘I didn’t think milady would agree to go… I didn’t know you’d accept it willingly.’

She might have been waiting to be invited. She did say she wanted to get along with the knights.

He felt even more obligated to build a bridge between milady and the knights.

Arthur’s face brightened.

Arthur: “Then, let’s go this Friday evening. I’m sure you’ll have fun.”

Arthur then left the room with a bounce in his step.

Keira grabbed her head in exasperation.

‘I told him I would go!’

Casino! A gambling den!

Just a few days ago, she got drunk and she started reading novels with immoral content.

Now there’s gambling.

One strong word came into her head.

Corruption.

She felt like a delinquent who was influenced by bad friends to learn how to drink and smoke; like she went on the wrong track where she wasn’t supposed to go.

Keira: “No.”

Keira shook it off. She wasn’t on the path to corruption, but on a way to a new world she’s never experienced before.

She didn’t have to live like the sheltered daughter she was, right?

Keira sighed. Thinking too much about it would only make her anxiety fester.

‘Yeah, go to the casino but don’t gamble.’

She’d drink cocktails and watch the others play. That was an acceptable compromise.

She heard a knock on the door.

Keira: “Come in.”

Rose: “Milady, it’s me.”

Rose peeked in.

Rose: “Didn’t you say you had to go to His Grace’s office this morning?”

Keira: “Oh, right.”

She’d almost forgotten again. Keira got up from her seat after sealing her reply to Marquess Francais.

It was impossible to ignore His Grace’s summons, especially since they had to talk about Zeke’s coming-of-age banquet.

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