Chapter 56
“Ah, you don’t like sweet things? Would you like to order something else instead? I can drink this one.”
I slightly rose from my seat and leaned forward to get Claude’s drink.
After all, I liked plum juice, and even though it wasn’t food, I didn’t want it to go to waste.
‘Which is the best wine here?’
I thought of the wine list in my head, imagining what to order for Claude, and reached out my hand.
That was when it happened.
“It’s fine. It’s not that much.”
Before my hand could touch his glass, he pushed my hand away.
Perhaps it was the condensation forming on the icy cold glass.
I felt the moisture on his fingers where our hands had briefly touched.
A cool sensation, colder than body temperature, yet refreshing.
Without realizing it, I became more conscious of his touch on my skin.
“Ah, well… that’s a relief, then…”
The moment I realized I was aware of his touch, I quickly withdrew my hand.
Then, I covered the hand that had touched his with my other hand and sat down quietly.
“By the way… there’s something I’m curious about.”
Claude said he was curious about something?
He seemed like someone who knew me even better than I knew myself—how could he be curious about anything?
I lowered my hands under the table and shook my head slightly, trying to shake off the strange feeling I’d felt and focus on him.
I released my hands and faced him.
“You’re curious about me?”
Claude nodded.
Then, with an unreadable expression, he asked:
“Who is this Peter person?”
I was taken aback by his question.
“Eh? Peter?”
“It seemed like the host asked you earlier. It’s a name I’ve never heard before.”
Ah, so that’s how he knew.
He must have heard what Fiona told me earlier.
Although they had spoken from quite far away, and Fiona had spoken very quietly… he still heard it.
‘If someone has extraordinary abilities, maybe their hearing is incredible too,’ I thought in amazement as I spoke.
“He’s my childhood friend. We’ve known each other for so long that he’s almost like family.”
“Childhood friend… but almost like family?”
“Yes. Oh, and you know the farm where Estelle is working part-time? He’s the next in line to run it. Since he’s related to the current owner, he’s taking over as the future farm owner, and he’s extremely diligent with farm work. He handles everything carefully and reliably.”
I smiled as I remembered Peter’s past, having grown up together with him.
“And… I’m not sure if I should even say this…”
Should I say it or not?
It might be better not to… but my heart tingled with excitement just thinking about it, and I wanted to share it with someone.
I rolled my eyes, hesitating.
Claude furrowed his brows slightly and asked:
“…What is it?”
‘Yes. They say the best way to anger someone is to stop speaking mid-sentence.’
If you’ve drawn a sword, you better use it!
Since I started teasing him by speaking vaguely, I had to take responsibility.
Besides, Claude isn’t the type to tell someone else, nor would he be excited like me about this, so it should be fine.
“Uh… could you lean in a little closer?”
I grabbed the table and half-raised my body.
Then I leaned forward, covering my mouth with my hand, and whispered quietly into his ear:
“I think Fiona and Peter might have something going on!”
Speaking quickly and softly, I then leaned back and sat down again.
‘Phew, I said it! I actually said it!’
Perhaps because I finally shared a secret I had been keeping to myself, a smile spread across my face.
My heart was pounding, and my face flushed from the excitement and blood rushing through my body.
I glanced around.
Fortunately, Fiona wasn’t nearby.
She probably had to step away earlier because of a drunken customer.
After confirming Fiona wasn’t around, I continued talking.
“It’s true I view Peter favorably because he’s a friend, but he’s genuinely kind and good. And Fiona is cheerful and spirited—the most charming person I know. So, I hope the two of them get along soon. They don’t seem to be dating yet.”
I recalled the time Peter and I sat on the green giant statue, and Fiona had looked at him with encouragement.
‘How nice. I’m jealous.’
Feeling a bit lonely, I stirred my plum juice with the straw.
But surely something must have happened afterward.
I wondered if their relationship had progressed, if they had grown closer.
‘If they went on a date, there would’ve been some news.’
I hadn’t heard anything yet.
Still, I didn’t want to ask recklessly.
It felt a bit awkward, and maybe they weren’t even officially dating.
If they realized I had noticed, they might get upset.
So I pretended not to know anything in front of them.
‘Still, the fact that he asked me about Peter earlier suggests some progress.’
I really hoped the two of them would get along.
Silently supporting them, I sipped my plum juice.
Unaware that Claude was watching me with an inexplicable sense of relief in his eyes.
Unfortunately, apart from the moment Fiona and I first arrived at the tavern, I couldn’t meet her again.
How long had it been since she knocked out Cesare and carried him out?
Another group of drunk or troublesome customers appeared.
As the person responsible, she had to follow wherever the staff called her, so we never met again.
‘I wish we could have talked more. What a shame.’
Still, the food had been really delicious, and Claude’s reactions were good.
That was enough to leave me satisfied.
‘And… hmm. I thought it would be awkward just the two of us, Claude and me, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected.’
Even though the space was public, it was separate enough that I worried about being alone with him.
I also kept thinking about past memories while with him.
And I wondered if a noble like him would even have anything to talk about with me.
Thankfully, all my worries were just unnecessary anxieties.
Instead, we comfortably talked about our shared interest, Estelle.
It almost felt strange to be talking so casually with someone of a completely different social standing.
Thanks to that, I didn’t dwell on past memories.
Checking the time after leaving the tavern, it was about time for the beautiful crops festival to begin.
That also meant that this was the end of my role guiding Claude through the festival.
I turned to face him.
“How did you like the festival today?”
I asked in the most cautious voice I had used all day.
‘Will Claude say he enjoyed it?’
I hoped so.
Most of the places we visited today held my memories.
They were places the Moris had shown me during my first visit to the festival after I fell into this world.
The bakery, the fruit shop, the toy store.
All were places full of happy childhood memories shared with the Moris.
‘I hope it leaves good memories for Claude too.’
I hoped that whenever Mina showed him the paper flowers, he would recall today fondly.
‘I really hope so.’
It was natural to hope that places filled with my precious, happy memories would also be cherished and happy for someone else.
‘But… wait, was I the only one enjoying it?’
I had been running around and eating frantically.
Of course, I enjoyed it. I usually liked such things.
But Claude… I didn’t know.
‘What if he didn’t like this kind of thing?’
The longer it took for him to answer, the more anxious I became.
I buried my face in the paper flower bouquet I held.
That was when I heard it.
“I enjoyed it. I got to experience a lot of new things for the first time. Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”
A soft voice came from a few steps ahead.
I slowly lifted my head, following the sight of his feet through the paper petals.
