Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

As for her name Anastasia, who would willingly stay?

Anna raised her chin, forcefully suppressing her wavering with the pride of someone who had built her business from scratch.

"never mind."

"Let's go, everyone, let's go."

"I can do it on my own..."

Despite saying that, he stared at the paper for a long time without actually reading a single word.

Until uncontrollable tears streamed down her cheeks, soaking the paper.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

The white-haired youth stood at the door, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if he had rushed back all the way.

Only when he opened the door and smelled the aroma of wine did he finally show a relieved expression.

Anna was startled and quickly turned away, wiping the tears from her face with her hand.

Although her voice was choked with emotion, she still forced herself to remain calm and said:

"Flugel? You're back!"

Natsuki Subaru did not answer immediately. He took several deep breaths before he finally calmed down and regained his ability to think.

During this process, he also noticed that Anna seemed to be in a bad state.

Why does it seem like Lady Anna is a little unhappy?

Subaru Natsuki paused for a moment, thinking to himself, "What a great opportunity! Isn't this the perfect chance for me, Cao Wei's 'joker,' to get closer to them?"

"Lady Anna, let me tell you a joke."

"A joke?" Anna, who was halfway through her crying, was taken aback. She was in no mood to listen to jokes right now.

But in order to put on a brave face and appear indifferent, she still turned her back to Natsuki Subaru and said:

"Go ahead and tell me."

"Do you know why feet are whiter than hands?" Natsuki Subaru asked immediately.

Anna didn't speak because she was still trying to control her tears.

Natsuki Subaru said with a look of anticipation:

"Because it will hide!"

After Natsuki Subaru finished speaking, the expected burst of laughter failed to materialize.

Instead, Anna's body began to tremble slightly, and the trembling became more and more intense later on.

At that moment, the sobs could no longer be suppressed...

Natsuki Subaru was stunned. What was going on? Wasn't I telling a joke?

Why are you crying?

My jokes aren't funny?

Do not!

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Natsuki Subaru's eyes widened; he simply couldn't accept this!

How could my ever-fresh and ever-new jokes not be funny!

It must be because Lady Anna comes from another country, where people cry to express their happiness when faced with a joke. That must be it.

With things having come to this, Subaru Natsuki had no choice but to quickly step forward and hand the tissue to Anna.

This time, he dared not tell any more jokes and could only stand obediently to the side, waiting for her to calm down on her own.

Anna blinked rapidly, trying to stop her tears. As she pulled out a tissue to wipe them away, her gaze involuntarily fell on Subaru Natsuki.

Emilia just led this person away.

But now it's back in front of me.

He didn't leave with Emilia, nor did he turn and walk away without looking back like Julius did after saying a few words. Seeing that she was crying, he hurriedly came over, holding tissues and staying by her side.

This action finally eased the overwhelming sense of grievance in Anna's chest. Her shoulders stopped trembling, and her intermittent sobs gradually subsided.

She lowered her head to wipe away her tears, then quietly sniffed.

Natsuki Subaru was still standing in front of her, neither urging her nor leaving.

Only after confirming this did Anna's tense shoulders relax.

But just as I calmed down, the scene I saw by the window resurfaced in my mind.

He said such nice things last night, but today he let Emilia lead him away by the hand.

Having just experienced Rius's betrayal, Anna is now more sensitive than ever to the possibility of betrayal.

She had to find out exactly what was going on between Subaru Natsuki and Emilia, and what their relationship was, otherwise she wouldn't be able to rest easy.

Anna clutched the tissue, her nose still red, and asked Natsuki Subaru in a slightly choked voice:

What is your relationship with Emilia?

Natsuki Subaru stiffened slightly upon hearing this.

It turns out that Lady Anna noticed my relationship with Emilia. Could it be that Lady Anna saw what just happened?

how so!?

There was clearly Parker and Capela from the bead just now, and in public!

Why are there still eavesdropping characters appearing?

This is unreasonable!

It's all a bluff! Lady Anna is definitely bluffing!

Natsuki Subaru tried his best to calm himself down, but his heart was still in his throat.

Emilia must never tell anyone that she recognized her.

Once Anna finds out that his identity has been exposed, all her plans over the past few days will have been in vain.

But what excuse should I use...?

"Lady Emilia, she..."

Natsuki Subaru had only uttered a few words when he stopped there.

Anna stared at him.

Why don't you continue?

Natsuki Subaru couldn't think of a good excuse, so he could only stammer, "She is a candidate for the Wang election."

"That's not what we're asking."

Anna's fingers slowly gripped the edge of the table. Natsuki Subaru's tone made her, who had just calmed down, feel uneasy again, and his voice gradually became questioning.

Why did she take you away? Why did you go with her? Did you know each other before? What was your relationship?

Natsuki Subaru raised his hand and touched his nose.

"This one……"

"Fluguerre!"

Sensing Subaru's unease, Anna's heart sank, and her voice suddenly turned cold.

Natsuki Subaru blinked, his anxiety growing.

Anna said, enunciating each word clearly:

"Are you also planning to leave with Emilia, just like Julius?"

Julius?

Natsuki Subaru was taken aback. So it was you who made me get exposed?

Damn it! Why did you stop me when you were just sitting there with nothing to do?!

I think you're deliberately trying to sabotage the relationship between me and Lady Anna because you see how much favor you're receiving!

"Our family hasn't decided yet." Since he had been reported, Natsuki Subaru had no choice but to tell the truth.

He is indeed very conflicted right now...

He truly did not want to be a slave to two masters and longed to share fine wine with a connoisseur like Anastasia.

But undeniably, now whenever he leaves this room, whenever the aroma of Anastasia's wine becomes weak, Emilia's image keeps popping into his mind uncontrollably.

Emilia was incredibly good to him.

Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect?

Although Natsuki Subaru is mostly gentle, humble, polite, and knows how to behave, he is almost too perfect.

But this doesn't mean he doesn't have his own emotions...

"Still haven't decided?"

Anna stared at him, as if she hadn't understood what he meant, her eyes wide open.

She deliberately paused and waited for two breaths.

But the phrase "Our family naturally chooses Lady Anna" has yet to be uttered.

There wasn't even a decent explanation.

"hehe..."

Two breaths later, she chuckled softly, but the smile didn't linger in her eyes. The tissue she had been clutching in her hand was folded little by little, the edges quickly becoming crumpled into a ball.

She placed the tissue on the table, and when she looked up, the blush on her face had faded, leaving only the composure typical of a businesswoman.

"So, after you went with Emilia, you started considering whether or not to go and seek refuge with her?"

"We, our family is just..."

"You just want to avoid offending either side? To play both sides?"

Anna interrupted him, tapping her finger lightly on the table.

"Now that you already have someone to rely on, why are you coming back to our family?"

Natsuki Subaru raised his hand and touched his nose.

"Lady Anna, you've misunderstood."

What misunderstanding have we made?

"There is absolutely no relationship between my family and Lady Emilia that you imagine. My family has never intended to betray you or side with Lady Emilia..."

Anna's calm expression remained unchanged, but her fingers, which had been tapping the table, stopped.

"Then why did you go with her?"

"Lady Anna, you've misunderstood."

What misunderstanding have we made?

“Our family…” Natsuki Subaru was momentarily speechless.

Anna's expression did not soften.

"What kind of relationship is that?"

Natsuki Subaru opened his mouth.

He ultimately did not answer.

Because he didn't know how to answer.

Although he subconsciously said that Anna had misunderstood, did Anna really misunderstand?

Subaru Natsuki asked himself these questions, but found no answers.