Breaking Off the Engagement… Just as Intended Chapter 22

Mysteriously, it was that I would be holding that conversation with Leon-sama in the garden where he had broken off our engagement.
I advanced towards the inner parts of the garden by myself.
As I made progress voices of some kind could be heard talking about something.
Is that Leon-sama, I wonder?

“… that’s why … let’s just apologize already, or so I …

“… no good, I say … it’s not enough yet …”

Nh?
It seems there’s one more person beside Leon-sama.
As I secretly peeked over at them, just as I thought there was one more person with Leon-sama. If I’m not mistaken that is Anjiu-sama, right?
Somehow it looks like they are disagreeing with something.
Could it be because even now the cancelling of our engagement hasn’t been finalised yet?
That I do feel apologetic about.
I headed over to the direction of Leon-sama and Anjiu-sama.

It seemed that when the two noticed me they panicked and brought their talk to a close.
As if just now recalling something, Anjiu-sama grabbed on tightly to Leon-sama’s arm.
Leon-sama also looked at Anjiu-sama with a smile.
How to say this, it reminded me of the opening act of a play I had seen only recently.

“I have kept you waiting. Leon-sama, I had heard you wanted to talk to me alone, but I see Anjiu-sama was with you, after all.”

Leon-sama reacted to my words there.
Somehow he looked kind of excited.

“Ri-ririina. could it be that you feel jealous because Anjiu is here together with us? No, no mistake, that’s what it must be, isn’t it?”

Hm?
I could hear some strange words just now, but ..
Who is jealous of who, you say?
Why would you bring up such a line at this time?
That’s bad, nothing but questions are popping up. What should I do.
Let’s try just asking earnestly here.

“Ano, Leon-sama. With jealousy, do you mean me? Please be at ease, Leon-sama, I am your and Anjiu-sama’s ally. While I certainly watch your two’s very harmonious appearance with delight, I do not feel such a thing as jealousy, I ensure you.”

Dossa.
Are?
Upon my words Leon-sama fell on his knees letting his head hanging down below.
W-what happened to him?
As expected of such an abrupt behavious even I got startled by that. [1]
Somehow he was mumbling about something~
‘So is there no choice but to prostrate myself here? [2] No, something of that extend wouldn’t suffice, would it .. Just what should I do.’

Leon-sama~ for now how about getting up~
At that time Anjiu-sama whispered something into the ear of the fallen Leon-sama with a firm expression.
And as she did, for some reason Leon-sama turned his head to her and looked at her with eyes as if clinging to her.
Anjiu-sama nodded in return as if to encourage him.

At last Leon-sama got up.
Just what had happened?

“Ha, sorry about that. I just felt a bit dizzy, you see.”

Eh? You would fall to your knees from just feeling a bit dizzy?
Mou, if even you try to dodge the issue a bit with that, something surely happened, didn’t it.
Still, maybe because he was worn out a bit he was rather unsteady on his feet.

“Is that how it is .. Leon-sama, have you gotten a bit thinner in these past few days that we haven’t met?”

As I asked, again, Leon-sama reacted to those words.
And again he got all excited.

“Ririina
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! You are worrying for my health, aren’t you? That you would notice such a change with my body after just a few days must be prove that you are looked at me very closely, isn’t that right?”

No, one would normally notice something like this, wouldn’t one.
No matter who looked at you, it’s obvious that you have become emaciated.
What happened? In the span of these past few days.
In a way he was in the same state as Father, wasn’t he.

“Ano, Leon-sama. You have gotten thinner to an extend that probably anyone could tell from looking at you.”

Upon my words he left his head hanging yet again.
This has gotten kind of tiresome.
Let’s charge through with the main topic already.

“By the way, Leon-sama, about the matter of the breaking off the engagement ..”

As I was attempting to talk about that topic Leon-sama spoke up as if to interrupt me half-way through.

“The breaking off, that’s right! I have brought up that topic to you, but Ririina, what do you think about it? Just the other day it appeared like your shock melted away far too fast, but honestly you were really sad about it, weren’t you? That is why you haven’t shown yourself in the castle these past few days, isn’t that right?”

How I think about it, you ask ..
You mean how I felt it was dreamy that I wouldn’t have to undergo that Queen training anymore?
That’s surely something I shouldn’t say here, huh.
What’s the best thing to do here, since I hadn’t been shocked or sad at all?
Somehow it really was difficult to keep up a conversation with Leon-sama.

And beyond that, there has been something picking my curiousity since a little while ago.
That is, Anjiu-sama is probably trying to keep in check her laughter.
Since a bit ago her shoulders have been trembling repeatedly.
Furthermore, every now and then a ‘ku’ or ‘fu’ leaked out.

Just what should I do now~
The talk isn’t progressing at all.
What exactly is Leon-sama trying to do anyhow?

“Leon-sama. Anjiu-sama. I won’t become a hindrance to the two of you. I’m sure the King and Queen will also be understanding of you. That is why, instead of just telling me about the breaking off the engagement, please also talk to each of your parents about this. At this rate you two will never be able to attend social parties and the like together with each other.”

Yos.h.i.+! I managed to finish saying it all.
Having been able to say the things that I had wanted to say I felt refreshed.
And when I looked over at Leon-sama full of satisfaction …
Arya?
He solidified.
He was looking at some far away place with no response.
Despite knowing that it was a bit unbecoming, as a test I waved my hand back and forth in front of him.
Yep, absolutely no reaction.

Just as I was getting fed up with this conversation where I couldn’t see the end of it, from afar voices became audible.
It seems someone was closing in on this location.
Anyone was fine, so please just do something about this situation.
I’ll leave it to you!

[1] A bit of a problem here for me : いきなりの行動にさすがの私もびっくりしてしまい固まってしまった。 I’m not sure about how the まい part fits into this sentence, so I left the latter half without mention. It could be that Leon has, in addition, turned solid as stone, or perhaps Ririina did. Can’t really tell.
[2] 土下座 : Dogeza, you probably know of it.