Chapter 54
“Miss.”
“Mm?”
“If I’ve done something wrong, please tell me.”
The festival had begun, but Sophia was resting in her room for the sake of “mental stability,” when Lorei suddenly asked her that.
She must have been wondering if Sophia was upset over her going out with Peyton and leaving her behind.
Sophia took a sip of tea before replying.
“Your true name.”
“… My true name? That’s…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lorei had once claimed that “Lorei” was her real name, but hearing her reaction now, Sophia became certain that had been a lie.
Lorei hesitated, thinking and thinking again, then poured more tea into Sophia’s empty cup and finally spoke.
“Rona Lei. That’s my name.”
At the sound of the real name slipping out naturally, Sophia turned her gaze toward her. Lorei pronounced it with eyes that carried a hint of sorrow.
“…I just didn’t want to acknowledge that name existed.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
It seemed Sophia had touched on something painful. While she was wondering how to smooth things over, Lorei continued.
“My true name is one I’ve thrown away.”
“…I see.”
“Just remember ‘Lorei.’ Just call me by that name.”
Saying so, Lorei dropped a sugar cube into Sophia’s teacup.
Sophia had never imagined there was such a reason. She had never heard her say such a thing before.
She tapped the sugar cube with her spoon, then picked up a star-shaped lemon cookie and held it to Lorei’s lips—a gesture of apology.
Lorei smiled faintly, accepted the cookie, and took a bite.
“It’s good, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s delicious.”
The morning of the second day of the festival dawned. The second day meant the hunting competition.
From early morning, excitement filled the air, and preparations for the competition were in full swing. Sophia and Lorei watched the bustle from a distance through the window, ignoring Peyton, who stood nearby swinging a wooden stick and making strange battle cries.
“Who do you think will win, Lorei?”
“I’m not sure… I’m not really good at judging such things.”
“Really?”
“Yes. But I can tell you one thing.”
One thing?
When Sophia looked at her curiously, Lorei glanced sidelong at Peyton before saying—
“That frail doctor over there definitely won’t win.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
Just look at him flailing around with that stick. Compared to the hired hunters or contestants aiming for victory, he was utterly unimpressive.
They’d be lucky if he didn’t get scared off by a small animal.
“Aren’t you two being too harsh on me? I could win, you know! Why are you like this?”
Hearing everything, Peyton trotted over indignantly.
“I can win!”
“Sure, whatever you say.”
At the completely dismissive reply, Peyton puffed out his cheeks.
“I don’t have to worry about injuries like the others do, and I’ve got friends who are skilled with swords, so I’ve learned a lot from watching them!”
He spoke with such confidence, even giving a proud shrug.
But imagination and reality were two different things.
It was the kind of blunt truth she could have told him, but she didn’t. After all, he was about to compete, and she didn’t want to crush his spirit before he even started.
“Shouldn’t you be heading over for registration now?”
“Oh, right.”
At Sophia’s reminder, Peyton checked the time and stretched one last time.
“I was going to cheer for you, but Lorei was dead set against me going out.”
“Of course. The kidnapper still hasn’t been caught. If you went into a crowded place like that, something terrible could happen.”
Exactly as Peyton said.
From what they’d heard, catching the culprit wasn’t going to be easy—there was even speculation that it might not be an ordinary kidnapper—so it was best to stay cautious for now.
Sophia had wanted to watch the hunting competition, but that plan had to be scrapped.
“Good luck, old man.”
She didn’t think Peyton would win, but she still gave him some encouragement. Peyton straightened his back and nodded.
“I’ll definitely bring home that vacation!”
Not that the prize was a vacation—it was actually a resort island.
With Peyton gone, Sophia enjoyed some rare quiet time.
As the sun set, news came that the hunting competition was over.
She didn’t even need to ask about the results.
“My vacation!! My beautiful vacation!!”
With Peyton sprawled out on his floor crying like that, how could she not know?
While she watched him wail about his lost vacation with an expression of mild disdain, there was a knock on the door. Lorei opened it after Sophia nodded, and in came Joshua and Benjamin, their arms piled high with boxes.
Joshua, entering first, glanced at Peyton lying on the floor and clicked his tongue.
“Someone take this trash out. He’s noisy.”
“It’s burnable trash, so take him to the incinerator.”
“Uuugh… my vacation!”
Benjamin added his agreement as he stepped inside and handed the boxes to Lorei.
“What’s all this?”
“Dresses for Sophia to wear to tomorrow’s banquet.”
Tomorrow was the last day of the festival. That meant it was the day Sophia would attend the banquet.
“Oh… it’s arrived!”
Arrived?
Sophia, who had been poking Peyton’s cheek to see if he was still alive after being ignored by everyone, turned to Lorei.
“The lord ordered a gown for you to wear at tomorrow’s banquet.”
Now that she thought about it, she remembered a designer taking her measurements before. She had assumed it was just to update them as she grew.
Lorei opened one of the boxes to show her the contents—inside was a dress the same pale lavender color as Sophia’s hair.
The other boxes contained accessories and shoes of various kinds.
“Shall we try it on?”
Normally, a banquet wouldn’t have been a big deal, but this festival’s banquet was special—Sophia would be publicly introduced to society, and it was also a symbolic event for inheriting the Roberti name.
After ushering everyone except Sophia out of the room, Lorei busied herself checking the dress and accessories.
“Should we put your hair up with this hairpin, or leave it down and decorate it with this butterfly clip?”
“Do whichever you think will suit me better.”
Seeing how excited Lorei was, Sophia let her do as she pleased.
She seemed to be seriously considering how to make Sophia shine the most at the banquet, and the sight made Sophia smile.
When she was almost done, Lorei suddenly stepped back. Sophia was just about to ask if everything was all right when Lorei clapped a hand over her own mouth and bolted out of the room.
“…Lorei?”
Startled, Sophia stared at the door she’d just left through.
Outside in the hall, everyone’s eyes turned to Lorei as she appeared.
She met their gazes head-on, her face deadly serious.
“This is bad.”
Her grave tone made Joshua and Benjamin tense up immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
“Did something happen to Sophia?”
Was it that she didn’t want to attend the banquet, or that she didn’t like the dress?
Benjamin tilted his head, and Joshua rolled up his sleeves.
If it was either of those reasons, they were ready to tell Blade she wouldn’t be coming or to summon new designers to whip up another gown immediately.
“No… it’s just…”
Lorei trailed off, then peeked back into the room at Sophia before shutting the door again and bursting into tears.
“She looks so good in it that my heart is about to explode…!”
Before anyone could respond, the door opened and Sophia poked her head out.
Her long lavender hair shimmered in the sunlight like rippling waves, a butterfly clip resting delicately against it. The gown’s cascading frills and flowing hem made her so adorable it left them all speechless.
Blinking her eyes—like finely cut amethyst—Sophia tugged on Lorei’s sleeve.
“Why did you suddenly leave?”
She was worried by Lorei’s hunched posture and tearful expression, but no one answered her question.
“…I understand what Lorei meant.”
“…Huh?”
What is Benjamin even saying?
“This really is… too much for the heart to handle.”
Joshua, too.
Feeling the strange mood, Sophia looked toward Peyton. When their eyes met, he grinned.
“They’re all saying you look great, so don’t worry!”
For the first time, Peyton actually seemed normal.
