Mr. & Mrs Meropide

Chapter Thirty-Nine: As the Morning Sun Rises

Maria went to the fortress early in the morning, as they had agreed it was time to tell the Duke and Sigewinne about her and Vire. She was excited, feeling that this was a sign that Vire was serious about their relationship. When she entered the Duke's office, Wriothesley looked tired, clearly having had a long night. Vire was already busy working through documents but looked up when Maria arrived.

She sat next to Vire, feeling a bit nervous about how to start the conversation. The silence stretched for a moment, and sensing her unease, Vire gave her a reassuring smile and decided to speak up first.

"Wriothesley, we have some news to share," Vire said with a smirk.

The Duke, still focused on his papers, responded with a distracted, "Hmm?" but quickly perked up when he saw the excitement on Maria's face.

"We're dating now," Maria said excitedly, taking Vire's hand in hers.

The Duke's face lit up with a bright smile. "Congrats, you guys! How long?" he asked, curious to know how long this had been going on.

"For a bit now," Vire replied casually, his eyes drifting back to his documents.

"I'll go tell Sigewinne now," Maria said, getting up and leaving the office after exchanging a quick smile with the Duke.

The moment she left, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Wriothesley's expression grew tense, and he stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth before sitting down again. Then, standing up once more, clearly agitated.

"Your seat uncomfortable?" Vire asked, noticing the sudden change in Wriothesley's demeanor. He sensed that something was wrong.

Wriothesley hesitated for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "You said you've been dating her for longer than just yesterday, right?"

"Yeah," Vire replied, confused by the Duke's tension. "What's going on?"

Wriothesley stopped pacing, his face filled with regret. "Dude, I don't know how to tell you this..."

The weight of the moment pressed down as he paused, then took a deep breath. "Maria kissed another guy at the masked ball yesterday. She hung out with him the entire evening. I'm so sorry."

He sat down on the couch, watching Vire carefully, hoping the news wouldn't devastate him.

Vire's mouth opened in surprise at first, but then his expression softened into a genuine smile. It was the first time someone had told him something out of genuine concern rather than seeking something in return. The Duke's sincerity was unexpected and touched him.

"You know, you're a real one," Vire said, his voice sincere. "But I already know... I snuck out for the ball. That guy Maria was with—well, that was me."

The Duke stared at him, momentarily stunned, before letting out a relieved sigh. For a brief moment, he had worried that Maria might have been unfaithful. "I'm glad to hear that," Wriothesley said, the tension lifting from his shoulders. He had been ready to confront a much worse situation.

"Thanks, friend," Vire added, his words carrying a weight of gratitude.

The Duke smiled back, now more relaxed. "Yeah, I guess we are friends," he said, returning to his desk and settling back into his work, the atmosphere between them much more relaxed than before.

As Maria made her way to the infirmary, she unexpectedly ran into Clorinde.

"I was at your house earlier but didn't see you there," Clorinde said, falling into step beside her.

"I left early today," Maria replied with a smile.

Clorinde glanced at her curiously before continuing, "I saw you at the ball with your mystery man. Do you want to tell me who that was?" She teased, but inwardly, she was more than eager to know.