Truths and Lies

"As things stand, we have no other choice. Damien, you will have to die to protect the Dalehaven family's secret," Theo declared, his tone serious.

…Come on now, Damien thought, feeling a mix of amusement and unease at Theo's dramatic declaration.

Damien thought it was a joke, but there was no dark mist coming from Sebas's mouth.

So... this is how I die, he thought.

"Um... could you at least make it as painless as possible?" Damien said, setting down the spoon he had been using to eat his risotto and bowing deeply to Sebas. That was the only form of resistance he could offer, powerless as he was.

"Damien, Damien, calm down. Sebas is joking. Right...? He is joking, isn't he!?" Theo, who had been smiling awkwardly, started to panic as he noticed the serious atmosphere surrounding Sebas.

Theo had realized, just like Damien, that Sebas wasn't lying.

"Yes, of course, it's a joke—no, a lie," Sebas finally said, his face still completely expressionless.

But there it was again: no black mist. Sebas hadn't been lying earlier.

Damien had been mentally preparing himself for death, and now he couldn't make sense of anything anymore.

"Sebas, that was a cruel joke!" Theo scolded Sebas sharply, his tone much more stern than before.

"My deepest apologies, Master Theo, Sir Damien. However, this proves that Sir Damien is just like you, only able to detect lies from a specific individual," Sebas explained in his usual calm voice.

"Ah... that's true," Theo responded, seeming to understand.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Damien asked, confused.

"Yes, this magic only works on one person at a time," Theo explained.

Oh... so that's how it works, Damien thought. That meant Theo could only detect Damien's lies, and Damien—although he hadn't cast the spell himself—could only detect Theo's lies.

"So, it's not some overpowered cheat spell that lets you see all lies," Damien concluded.

"Cheat...?" Theo asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"Uh, it means something like a magic that's too strong, kind of unfair," Damien explained, and Theo chuckled at the word.

"Exactly. It's not that convenient. Once it's cast, the spell can't be transferred to another person until the target... dies," Theo explained casually.

Oh, so that's the limitation... Wait.

"Whaaat!? You mean the spell can't be used on anyone else until I die!?" Damien exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, that's correct," Theo replied with a bright smile.

"What? Isn't there a way to undo it?" Damien asked, hoping for some kind of loophole.

"It can't be undone," Theo said, still smiling cheerfully.

Why would he use such a precious spell on me of all people!? Damien thought, bewildered.

The ability to detect lies would be incredibly useful to nobles, who could undoubtedly find countless ways to use it...

"Sir Damien, this magic is unique to the Dalehaven family, but it is already known to the public. As a result, people of certain social standings have ways to counter it," Sebas explained.

"Exactly. It's a spell that only works on one person at a time, and all it does is reveal lies. These days, its main use is to catch a spouse's infidelity. So please, don't worry about it too much," Theo added with a reassuring smile, though something about his words didn't sit right with Damien.

"Wait, catching a spouse's infidelity?" Damien asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes, while the spell had other uses in the past, it's now commonly used during marriage. If a spouse cheats, it becomes obvious, and they are punished. Afterward, the spell can be cast on the next spouse when they remarry," Theo explained casually.

Theo made it sound like no big deal, but if the spell could be recast after someone was punished, that meant the punishment was... death. Even though Damien wasn't planning on cheating—he didn't even have the status for it—the thought sent a chill down his spine.

"Haha, there's no need to be so scared. No matter what you do, Damien, I'll forgive you," Theo said, his tone gentle yet teasing.

What!? Damien was shocked by Theo's bold statement. He instinctively glanced at Sebas and Natasha, but both remained expressionless, as if they hadn't heard anything.

"Besides, in a way, what we have is already like cheating," Theo added, his voice tinged with self-mockery.

That last part made Damien pause. Not only was Theo talking openly about their "relationship" in front of others, but the word "cheating" stuck out to him even more.

"Wait... does that mean you're already married?" Damien asked, dreading the answer.

"No, I'm not married. However, I do have a fiancée. As the heir to the family, I will eventually marry a noblewoman to carry on the family line," Theo explained calmly.

Oh... of course. In noble society, arranged marriages were common.

Damien hadn't expected it to bother him so much, but it did. More than he realized.

It hit him that he had started to like Theo far more than he had been willing to admit to himself.

"Please don't make that face. It's not uncommon in this world to have a spouse and also a lover whom you truly love," Theo added with a soft smile, his words striking Damien deeply.

That felt... a bit embarrassing to hear.

"Well... we've only known each other for two days. Maybe we should give it some time and think things through before jumping to conclusions," Damien said, trying to play it cool, though it felt more like he was avoiding the subject.

Theo just nodded with a warm smile.

He really was adorable.

"If only he weren't obsessed with people from other worlds, he'd be the perfect boyfriend," Damien thought to himself with a sigh. "Then again, if that were the case, we wouldn't even be in this situation."

...

After their somewhat embarrassing conversation, the two of them ate in silence for a while. The awkwardness hung in the air.

This is... uncomfortable, Damien thought. But he needed answers. If nothing else, it would help him clear his mind.