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T/N: Today Id like to thank my repeat Cookie Donor, Wilder!! Thanks a bunch for the sweets~!

NOTE: Ill be continuing with the italics to represent formal speech, and just so you can see what it looks like, this chapter I used bold for emphasis.

After classes had ended, I headed over to an infrequently used courtyard and sat down on a bench to ponder my next move.

Its not a good idea to go home in my current state.

Right. But you also cant stay here. Im sure someone has already reported your whereabouts to Arnold. If you remain on campus much longer, someone from the estate might come to question why you arent coming home.

Thats true.

For the time being, what if we hide out at Dukes place?

What?

Its not like we are actually engaged, so staying with Duke-Sama should be an obvious no, right?

Gilles continues with a serious expression on his face.

Since its Duke were talking about, hes probably already figured out your current situation.. plus, youre going to have to get engaged to him eventually, Alicia. You know that, right?

I have no intention of getting engaged to him.

I dont think its something youll be able to avoid forever, Gilles whispers softly.

.I wont be able to avoid it?

If Gilless the one saying that, then I get the feeling that it really will be impossible.

Alicia! a familiar voice calls out to me..

I turn around, but before I can even see the persons face, his arms are already around me.

Now this is the heartfelt reunion that I would expect after all these years.! Even though he technically already saw me once back in the dining hall.

Ugh. But this position is actually a lot more uncomfortable than I was expecting. His arms are a bit too strong.

.Um, Henry-Oniisama, this kind of hurts, I say, and thankfully he loosens his hold on me a little.

Hm? Were still embracing? Wasnt that enough?

I was too surprised when I saw you before, Henry-Oniiisama admits, still clinging tightly to me. Through his touch, I can tell just how much he must have worried for me over the last two years.

Putting his hands on my shoulders, he slowly pulls away from me so that he can get a good look at my face. And for the first time, I get a good look at him too He seems taller than I remember him? Ive also grown quite a bit taller, so that means that Henry-Oniisama must have shot up a considerable amount.

Youre taller now, Henry-Oniisama notes, echoing my thoughts. And as he speaks, he affectionately ruffles my hair.

Were you really that worried about me?

Obviously. You were shut up in that hut all alone! Though, compared to how worried Duke was, I practically wasnt worried at all.

Duke-Sama was? He was that worried about me?

In my surprise, my voice gets a bit louder than was likely necessary.

He hadnt shown any indication of that the two times I saw him today. I mean, Duke-Sama hadnt even given me a welcome-back hug or anything..

I think he was the one that was most worried about you.

Come to think of it, when I first saw in him the forest behind the academy, he had seemed calm but he was also breathing a bit heavy and his hair had looked slightly disheveled.. Had he run all the way there.?

At the time, Id been too surprised by his sudden appearance to notice, and I was also a bit too conscious of Mel to ponder too deeply about anything else.

But anyway, Ali, have you heard the rumors flying around about you? Theyre insane!

Yeah, Ive heard them.

And in order to get rid of them, Duke-

Get rid of them!?

Oi, oi. At least listen until the end, would ya? In order to get rid of the rumors, what do you think Duke did to the guys going around badmouthing you?

.Wait, hes asking me? How should I know? .But, well, Duke-Sama is a fairly kind person, so Im sure he didnt do anything too harsh to them.

Did he get them suspended from school for a while?

At my answer, Henry-Oniisama snorts out a laugh.

It would have been nice if that was all he did.

Alicia, youre probably the only one who thinks that Duke is that good of a person. He acts cold towards everyone except for the people he trusts. He couldnt care less about anyone else. So, if those insignificant bugs start badmouthing the girl hes in love with, theres no way it would end at suspension. The least he would do is get them expelled permanently from the academy, Gilles interjects emotionlessly.

Somehow, it seems that he has a better understanding of Duke-Samas character than I do.

Duke-Samas a cold person? Thats rather unexpected.

Really? The first time I saw Duke, it felt like ice was trailing down my spine, Henry-Oniisama says, shuddering.

Because he was too beautiful? I ask.

Henry-Oniisama smiles a bit at that.

Well, sure, he was quite the beauty. but that wasnt it. Even though he was just a kid like the rest of us, his expression was surprisingly mature. He didnt feel anything like a kid. It was like a tiny adult had come up to us. And it wasnt just that. Even back then, his eyes were ice cold. I felt like I was looking at a glacier when I saw them.

Hmm, when I first met him, he hadnt seemed that way at all.

But Henry-Oniisama, arent you guys all friends?

Yeah, I guess. Now we are. But it took him forever before he even deigned to speak with us.

Hes not really friends with Albert and the rest of Liz Cathers lackeys anymore though, right? He seemed like he was barely bothering to reply when they talked to him directly, Gilles notes.

Yeah, theyre not so close anymore. But Dukes an adult now, so he doesnt let his hostility show so easily on his face. Though when he hears them badmouthing Alicia, then he cant seem to help it. Sometimes I swear it looks like hes about to murder them.

Duke doesnt say anything though? He just sits there and listens as they talk smack about her?

No, he

Wait, so then what does become of the people who are speaking ill of me? I ask as if suddenly remembering that Henry-Oniisama never gave a decisive answer about it.

..Ah. I messed up. I wasalso curious why Duke-Sama doesnt say anything when my brothers and their friends talk bad about me.

Oh. Two of them died. And then after that I guess nobody dared say anything bad about you in front of Duke anymore, Henry-Oniisama says a bit wryly.

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T/N: Welp, its been a long time in coming, but here marks the start of our binge~! My aim is to upload all six chapters, but it will just depend on how long it takes me to edit them all haha. If I dont finish them today, then I definitely will tomorrow, but Im going to do my best!!

As for the honorifics, as promised, here is a poll. I think this will make it easiest for me to decide what I want to do going forward. If you feel strongly, please make sure to vote!! (But please vote only once!!)