“What?”
“She came a few days ago saying you’d agreed to buy for her and swept through.”
As if recalling that time, Susanna continued with a bright smile.
“She really came prepared. She came with a friend and really splurged from hats to shoes.”
It was something he had fully expected, so there was nothing surprising. Thinking that he had been freed from troublesome and persistent clinging because of it, it was actually a bargain.
“Put it on tab for one more day. I’ll settle it together tomorrow.”
“Alright. I won’t charge interest, so let’s have lunch together tomorrow.”
“If I have time.”
“So hard to get.”
Leaving behind the extremely commercial farewell to come again next time, Roman exited the dress shop. As he untied the reins that had been briefly tied to a post, Diego’s voice was heard.
“Thank you for your consideration. I’ll come pay for the clothes tomorrow.”
For a moment thinking ‘what does this mean?’, Roman belatedly understood the meaning and handed Diego one set of reins while answering.
“I’m buying it for you. It’s practically the same as losing a sponsorship opportunity because of me.”
“No. If the Master hadn’t told me, I would have accepted it without knowing anything.”
That’s why he had deliberately brought it up. Though there were cases of giving gifts to partners as a simple show of gratitude or to show off one’s wealth, thinking about it again, the very fact that the young viscountess made such a proposal to Diego, who was a regular trait, sounded like there was another meaning.
Either way, Roman had no intention of burdening Diego. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought him to such a place knowing his circumstances clearly.
“From the beginning today, I intended to buy it for you, so just accept it.”
“But…”
“Or think of it as a belated joining gift.”
Now that he said it, it seemed like a quite plausible excuse. In fact, Roman calculated commission settlements precisely without a single digit wrong, but he didn’t spare investment for guild operations or the welfare of guild members. He had lodgings more excellent than ordinary homes with a private dining hall, held generous drinking sessions once a month, or gave substantial bonuses according to performance.
Diego’s expression still wasn’t good. Still, since he didn’t say anything particular, he pretended not to notice and mounted his horse, but it did bother him somewhat.
‘…Was giving something to someone this difficult?’
It wasn’t without reason. There was a clear justification of compensating for what was lost because of him, yet he didn’t know why he felt so cautious.
The problem was that he didn’t dislike this appearance either. After seeing only guys who were so brazen they were annoying, seeing someone who kept the line to the point of seeming inflexible made him feel even more drawn to something. At this rate, the ridiculous thought even occurred that rather than enjoying sadism as rumored, he might have masochistic tendencies.
“Originally…”
“What?”
“Do you originally treat guild members this well?”
“That’s right. Because they’re people who trust and follow me.”
While it was true he tried to give good treatment as much as possible, he was absolutely not the type to just give freely to everyone. But if he showed even a little sign of special treatment, Diego would obviously feel burdened, so he answered yes without particular denial.
“I keep saying you don’t need to feel burdened. I’ve learned through direct experience that efficiency improves when you take good care of guild members.”
“…Then I’ll shamelessly accept with gratitude.”
“Good thinking.”
Fortunately, Diego gave a pleasing answer instead of making Roman uncomfortable. Thinking it was worth coming all this way with a weary body, Roman leisurely drove his horse.
***
The next evening, as promised, Diego finished work and visited the guild once more. Today too, Hubert greeted him with a smiling face without fail, and after giving thanks to the words that he should go to Reception Room 2, he walked down the corridor.
“You’re here?”
As soon as he opened the reception room door, someone’s voice was heard. Unlike his expectation, it wasn’t Roman. The person sitting on the sofa was Ruth Hales, a guild member in his 6th year this year, and he stood up and approached to explain the situation.
“You came because of the Master, right?”
“Yes.”
“He was called earlier, and saying something urgent suddenly came up, he asked me. He said to teach you etiquette when you came later.”
“…I see.”
He had been secretly excited all day thinking he could see Roman today, but thinking about learning from someone else made him feel disappointed.
“Then let’s start quickly.”
At the words continuing in a cheerful tone, Diego finally gathered his mind and began to listen attentively to Ruth’s explanation.
Roman’s words that it wouldn’t be as difficult as expected were true. Ruth explained how to escort a lady in a clean yet clear tone, and after the theoretical explanation ended, he personally volunteered to play the role of a noble young lady and helped him practice in real situations.
Ruth, who pretended to get off a carriage, demurely linked arms. Diego looked straight ahead and moved his steps slowly with smaller strides than usual. It was because he remembered the teaching that he must move thoroughly in accordance with his partner.
When they reached the wall, Ruth unlinked arms and met Diego’s gaze.
“You’re good at this?”
Admiration was embedded in his expression. If he hadn’t heard the Master’s words to teach him well since escort requests were his first, it would have been reasonable to think he had experience.
“I think you’ll be fine doing it like this in real situations too.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Then let’s do it once more and finish.”
“Yes. But…”
“Hm?”
“You don’t look well.”
Actually, it was a thought he’d had since seeing him earlier. Though it wasn’t particularly hot, he kept fanning himself with his collar from time to time, and looking now, cold sweat was beaded on his forehead too. …Is he unwell? As he looked on with worry, Ruth scratched the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile.
“It’s because it’s Bloody Cycle.”
“…Ah.”
Since that was the case, he immediately understood. Moreover, realizing that he was doing something he didn’t have to do because of him, he hastily offered an apology.
“I’m sorry for troubling you because of me.”
“No, no. It’s not difficult work, and I still have some leeway so it’s fine. Even if I went now, I’d have to wait anyway.”
Wait?
A slightly surprised look appeared on Diego’s face. The man before him now was also a Neo with a dominant trait. So if he went to Lovers’ Lane, Benics would flock to him competitively even if he just sat there, so hearing the word ‘wait’ struck him as unexpected.
That must have been why. Without realizing it, he voiced a personal question.
“Do you have a partner?”
“Rather than a partner… A friend I’m close with is a dominant Benic, so I just get to drink blood from him every Bloody Cycle. Well, I guess you could call that a partner.”
Staring at him intently, Diego slowly moved his lips once more.
“Is there a big difference between regular and dominant?”
“Hm?”
“When drinking blood, I mean.”
“Ah.”
Ruth belatedly understood the meaning and answered honestly without reservation.
“There is a difference, of course. Actually, I’m on the duller side so I only feel it’s slightly bland, but usually people say they’re not satisfied.”
Then, at a thought that suddenly occurred, he threw back a question.
“Is your lover a dominant trait by any chance?”
“No. I just asked out of curiosity.”
Nevertheless, Ruth’s gaze lingered on Diego for a moment. Though basically indifferent to others, Ruth also knew that the guy before him didn’t talk much and was difficult to read.
But seeing him suddenly ask a question completely unrelated to work, it felt like there was some reason, but he didn’t seem to want to talk about it. So instead of digging deeper, Ruth showed the composure of a senior.
“If you have worries or difficulties, feel free to talk anytime. I’ll listen for free.”
Considering he was someone belonging to the highest level in the guild, it was truly a radical proposal.
“Thank you.”
Though his heart was heavy every time he thought about his relationship with Roman, knowing it was something said deliberately out of consideration for him, Diego answered with a light smile. And since the conversation had strayed elsewhere anyway, he decided to ask just one more thing.
“…About the Master.”
“Hm?”
“Does he originally like giving to others?”
