Banished Villainess

57 : Sei Bruno 2 ~ Unrequited Love

“Did something happen, sir Sei? You don’t seem to look well.”

“Ah, no, nothing at all. It’s just my sister-in-law is about to give birth so I’m a little worried.”

“Oh, congratulations then, sir. I hope her delivery goes well.”

“Thank you…”

Even though Momo talked to me out of worry, I could only offer absentminded replies. After gazing at me for a little while, Lady Momo spoke again.

“and here I thought Sir Sei was a whimsical person.”

“What is it lady? So sudden.”

“The person that Sir Sei truly loves is his sister-in-law, isn’t she?”

“!?”
Having the secret that I have never told anyone being found out so suddenly left me severely astounded. Although I did mention this to Missouri, I never mentioned a name at all. I inadvertently caught Lady Momo by the shoulders frightening her, but I had lost the leeway for consideration.

“How…did you know?”

“When you protected me from Lady Chloe before, you responded harshly to her insults towards your sister-in-law. That somehow led me to the idea.”

I remember that. It was when she was being surrounded by Chloe and her followers who were pressuring her to stay away from the crown prince. I forced my way through and protected her but the words Lady Chloe said to her enthusiastic followers had stabbed my heart.

‘He truly has no taste. The talented sibling kept spending his time chasing slovenly women, and now a country hick. The younger sister of the minister to the right had to be paired up with his boorish older brother instead. Aunt sure is quite pitiful, being married off into House Bruno having such miserable feelings.‘

‘Shut up…’

‘It is true that there’s no doubting how fine of a gentleman you are. Don’t you think that it’s you whom Aunt wanted to marry? She was only forced to compromise due to age diff–‘

‘Shut your mouth!!’

　Driven by rage, I yelled with a roar scaring all the surrounding ladies. I took Lady Momo by the hand and escaped from the place. That’s right, escape is the word. All because those despicable ideas that Lady Chloe uttered existed within my heart.

-That Lady Masumi would be a waste on my older brother.

“Sir Sei sure is earnest.”

“I’m not such a beautiful individual. This is an improper love; feelings that cannot be told my whole life. I already have someone arranged for me to marry.”

Describing them as unspeakable feelings, and yet before I realized, I was already throwing my complaints at Lady Momo. How pathetic. I said the same kind of thing to Missouri thinking that she would give up, but this time I just really wanted to open my heart to the miss.

“You fell in love with her so it cannot be helped, sir.”

“Eh?”

“Sir Benny also spoke about such nobility issues and other bothersome things but, when it comes to your feelings, no one can take the reins of your heart, sir.”

So Lady Momo is close enough to call his highness by his given name… or so my inner thoughts flew off somewhere else.

Still, the her words of acceptance to my forbidden feelings had saved me. Although such a thing cannot be done so easily done in reality, perhaps, all this time I was waiting for someone’s affirmation.
During that time, Lady Missouri had arranged a tea party with me and Lady Masumi out of consideration. Lady Momo was able to notice my feelings without so much a word, so I thought that surely my behavior was enough for Lady Missouri to notice my feelings.