Chapter 11
“You’re just a bug pretending to be noble. Stupid Roblien!”
The words Raili had spat down at me churned through my head.
When I had groaned in pain and screamed in that cell, Raili had laughed at me to her heart’s content.
I had never once forgotten that loathsome voice.
How could I forget the one who trampled everything about me?
I looked toward where Raili’s voice had come from.
She was chatting with girls who looked like nobles of our age.
Raili looked positively happy, as if something delighted her immensely. Who would ever guess that behind that innocent smile lurked a devil?
Even I—her family—hadn’t known. Others wouldn’t dream of it.
Without realizing it I bit the inside of my cheek; a tang of blood rose. I forced myself to turn away from the devil.
Basha, for some reason, slipped her hand gently into mine.
“Young lady, are you all right?”
I must have let something show, because she looked at me with concern. I fumbled for a clumsy excuse.
“There’s so much that’s novel here. It even smells sweet.”
I babbled to cover it, but Basha only met my eyes and held my gaze, smiling.
“Young lady, the desserts here are famous.”
Before she could add an explanation, the proprietress approached us.
Even the way she walked brimmed with poise.
“Lady Calix, welcome to Pretty Rabbit.”
Basha introduced the woman who was greeting us.
“Young lady, this is Count Holt’s lady.”
Count Holt’s wife? Then that famous shop before was…
When I had stayed with Baron Delaney’s family, Count Holt had visited. I remembered offering him cookies without knowing a thing.
A wave of embarrassment washed over me, but I pretended otherwise and held out my hand to the lady.
“Pleased to meet you, madam. Your shop is as lovely as you are.”
Her manners were as kind as her fair face.
“With such praise from you, my lady, I’m only embarrassed. Please visit often.”
Count Holt’s lady led us to a table. The place was packed—no wonder, given its popularity. The only seats left were directly across from where Raili was.
“Had I known you were coming, I would have prepared a quieter spot. My apologies.”
“Think nothing of it, madam. It’s my fault for coming unannounced.”
For some reason, she looked moved. I sat where she indicated and glanced out the window.
The Calix grand ducal knights stood guard around the shop like a ring. Because of that, no patrons had been able to enter since I arrived.
It was perfect obstruction of business. I felt sorry toward Count Holt’s lady.
She sat beside me and called for a server. Soon tea arrived with cakes and cookies.
The cake had a charming rabbit drawn on it, the emblem of the shop. The cookies too were adorable rabbit shapes.
Too pretty.
Just looking at the desserts made me happy. I almost felt guilty picking up my fork.
Count Holt’s lady looked at me with a confident expression.
“Pretty Rabbit’s pride—this is a limited-edition cake. I do hope you’ll enjoy it, my lady.”
“Wow! My eyes are delighted even before my tongue.”
Careful not to ruin the rabbit design, I cut a small slice from the side.
Sweet and bright—what a flavor.
No wonder she was so confident. I felt like I could eat it every day and not tire of it.
“Madam, it’s so delicious.”
I lifted my head, aware of the stares. While I had been eating with my guard down, Basha and Count Holt’s lady had been watching me. I quietly set down my fork.
“Even the way you eat is so lovely…”
“Pardon?”
Heat rushed to my face with embarrassment. To think I’d lost my composure, entranced by taste.
Count Holt’s lady called the server again and told them to bring more. I meant to say it wasn’t necessary, but even that felt awkward, so I closed my mouth.
I found myself eating the cake the staff had brought, as if bewitched, when an agitated noise began to grate on my ears.
Whether I wanted to hear it or not, the voices carried—and they were about the very cake I was eating.
Was this the last cake?
The server was bowing so low it looked pitiful. The young lady—whatever house she belonged to—was so insistent it made even the listener uncomfortable.
I set down my fork.
Perhaps because of that, Count Holt’s lady rose. She gave me a small smile.
“I’ll step away for just a moment.”
I nodded.
“Please don’t worry about me.”
She went to the apologetic server’s side and stopped in front of the noble young lady causing the fuss.
Her eyes smiled, but the words out of her mouth were sharp.
Whatever house that young lady was from, she had picked the wrong opponent today.
Sure enough, the girl pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.
I looked at the faces of the girls in her group.
What a sight.
Not one of them stepped in; they only smirked.
I was watching them out of the corner of my eye when I saw Raili. She snapped her fan shut with a deliberate sound, drawing attention to herself.
Why was she keeping still? She loved being the center of attention more than anyone—of course.
What would she prattle on about?
With that trademark brilliant smile fitted on, Raili spoke gently to Count Holt’s lady—as if she were the very soul of fairness.
“Madam, you are being partial. I see you were generous with that person over there, yet we can’t taste even a single slice?”
I thought I saw the corner of Count Holt’s lady’s mouth twitch up. Was it my imagination?
“Impossible. Had you reserved the limited-edition cake in advance, it would have been ready. If this were your first visit today, that might be another matter. But for someone so well acquainted to speak so is most surprising.”
Raili stood. She sounded genuinely angry, her voice a notch higher.
“W-what? I’m the one who’s surprised. Did that person over there reserve a cake? It certainly doesn’t look like it.”
I wondered how Count Holt’s lady would reply.
Of course, if she ran into difficulty, I was prepared to step in.
The lady took a step closer to Raili and looked down at her. Her gaze was as keen and sharp as a needle.
“Lady of House White, you are gravely mistaken. That young lady has no need to make a reservation.”
Flustered, Raili blurted,
“Pardon?”
All eyes shifted to me. I pretended not to notice and sat up straight. Count Holt’s lady spoke openly, for all to hear.
“She is Lady Roblien Calix, the Grand Duke Calix’s one and only granddaughter.”
As soon as she finished, the girls murmured among themselves and smiled at me.
I lifted my lips in a small smile and inclined my head to them.
One by one—excluding Raili—they stood and approached me, as if eager to win my favor.
I glanced at Raili. She kept a serene smile, but she was furious.
Perhaps, inside, she was cursing me and vowing to tear me apart. I was satisfied.
I would have to thank Count Holt’s lady properly later.
The young ladies came up one after another, introducing themselves and speaking to me kindly.
Before long, Raili too approached and spoke to me. I returned her gaze and smiled the way she used to smile.
“My apologies. Had I known it was a limited quantity, I would have yielded to you…”
The one who had been weeping waved her hands.
“Please don’t apologize. We’re the ones who didn’t reserve the cake.”
“Oh my, I see. You said you’re from a count’s house—whose was it?”
At my question, the tears vanished and color rose in her face.
“I’m Charlotte, daughter of Count Tutor. Please call me Charlotte, my lady.”
“Nice to meet you, Miss Charlotte.”
Her cheeks pinked as she spoke, delighted.
“The honor is mine. I do hope we can meet again.”
“Do you? Then next time, I would like to invite you all to the grand ducal house.”
All except Raili were delighted. She was the sort who could only breathe when she outshone everyone else. I was sure this moment grated on her nerves.
On purpose, I looked at Raili and asked,
“House White, was it? Your expression isn’t good. Are you unwell?”
Smoothing away her sour look, Raili forced nonchalance.
“Of course not. It’s an honor to meet the young lady of House Calix. Should you invite me, I would be most pleased.”
She wore that face, but inside she must have been boiling. I extended my hand to her.
“You have a good heart, my lady. I’m pleased to meet you. Let’s be friends.”
Everyone was delighted at my reply. Reluctantly, she took my hand.
I noticed she was gripping the fan in her other hand so tightly it looked about to snap.
You mustn’t lose your temper this much.
When our eyes met, a smile came to my lips of its own accord.
Look forward to it, little sister!
To be continued.
