Chapter : 57
I tried hard to dig through my memories.
“Did we… talk about something yesterday…?”
I remembered having taken a deep nap right before snack time.
It seemed likely that I hadn’t heard things properly while half-asleep.
“If it was that important…”
I couldn’t exactly say, I should have woken you! — because I recalled my past self pleading not to be woken up.
There was nothing I could do. I thought it would be better to get ready quickly, so I hurried toward the bathtub.
Yulia got up from her seat after adjusting the water temperature. I dipped my hand in the water, stirring it as I asked,
“But… who’s coming?”
A little later, I stood at the entrance, looking at faces that had become as familiar to me as my own family.
“It’s really~ so hard to see you in person.”
“Ha ha…”
I smiled awkwardly, and Eloi, elegantly dressed in a pink dress, lifted the hem of her skirt and offered a light greeting to Arkas.
Viviana, stepping down from a lavish carriage behind her, approached gracefully and nodded her head.
“The whole country is buzzing, and since the main character is so quiet, we had no choice but to come see you ourselves.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why am I the main character…?”
I said, puzzled, and the three of them, including Arkas, couldn’t hide their astonished expressions as they looked at me.
“How can the person who sealed the Demon King be so humble~?”
I clicked my tongue inwardly at Eloi’s words and forced a small smile.
This is exactly why I said I wouldn’t do this…
“It’s all in the past. What’s the big deal. Ha ha…”
Eloi and Viviana, who had been smiling at me, approached my side.
Feeling strangely uneasy, I spoke up,
“Please, come in. I’ll prepare some tea.”
“No.”
Viviana stepped forward and pointed to her carriage.
“Let’s have it somewhere different today.”
“Huh?”
“I heard Viviana has rented out a café~”
“…Huh?”
That was never mentioned!
I quickly glanced back at the maids and Arkas. Arkas waved at me with a gentle smile, and the maids nodded politely with satisfied expressions.
So they knew…!
These traitors.
Regardless of whether I ground my teeth or not, Viviana and Eloi each took one of my arms and helped me into the carriage.
The carriage stopped in front of a large building in the busy downtown area. Although the distance wasn’t long, hearing all about the party on the way there had already begun to tire me.
Stepping out of the carriage, the harsh midday sun shone on me. I shrank back, feeling like a vampire.
The first floor of the large café, with a terrace, was bustling with people. I took a quick look down the street lined with shops before heading inside.
Viviana walked to the door, and a person who appeared to be the manager, already waiting, bowed politely and greeted us.
“It’s an honor to have you here.”
Viviana opened her fan and covered her mouth as if it were no big deal. Following the manager’s guidance, we headed up the stairs.
The reserved seats were apparently on the second floor. Carefully holding up my skirt, I went up the stairs, and found the second floor empty.
The best seat on the terrace, with a view of the river in the distance and the road cutting through the shopping district nearby, had been prepared.
As soon as we sat down, tea was promptly served along with a tray of desserts.
I tried not to make my eyes shine too brightly at the sight of the treats on the tray.
No wonder the café is crowded…
There were cookies and madeleines in colors I had never seen before, even though I had eaten bread made by the Crown Prince himself.
Ah, they smell so good.
Having been dragged out without eating anything, my appetite was automatically awakened.
I subtly glanced at the two of them, and Eloi cheerfully picked up a plate.
“Go ahead, eat. They must be freshly baked~”
Viviana quietly moved some of the desserts onto a plate in front of me.
In what felt like an instant, the whole tray was in front of me.
“I can’t eat this much…”
Or… can I? It felt a little wrong to give up without even trying.
I smiled lightly and picked up a fork.
As soon as I put a madeleine in my mouth, Eloi and Viviana, as if on cue, lifted their teacups.
While I marveled at the softness of the madeleine, Viviana began speaking.
“Have you prepared your dresses yet?”
“Hmm… not yet. My father got me some really good fabric… but I haven’t found a tailor I like. How about you, Viviana?”
“I’ve made a few, but none of them are really perfect.”
The two of them looked at me simultaneously.
“…I haven’t made mine yet.”
I tapped the crumbs off my lips and said, and Eloi looked at me in disbelief.
“…You have the fabric, right?”
“I’m not sure?”
I knew about the party, but the date wasn’t that close yet… and if it were that urgent, Yulia and Luri wouldn’t have stayed quiet.
I casually glanced down toward the terrace below before speaking again.
“There are still many parties left… but everyone seems so prepared. Come to think of it, I see a lot of people shopping too…”
Compared to the last time I came, the streets themselves felt more lively.
There were more people, and in the case of nobles, the number of boxes carried by their servants was considerable.
Before I could finish, Viviana shook her head.
“You’re the main character of the party, and you haven’t prepared yet…?”
“It’s not like you can just find good fabric or a tailor at this point!”
Eloi said, astonished. I shrugged awkwardly.
“If no one says anything, maybe my brother prepared it. And I don’t plan on being the main character at all…”
Before I could finish, Viviana and Eloi’s expressions relaxed.
“Ah, that makes sense then.”
They quickly got excited talking about the party. Eloi brought up Viviana’s dresses.
“You’re amazing. Others barely make one, but you’ve already prepared several?”
“Yes, I spent quite a bit. Honestly, there are so many that I don’t know which to choose—my head hurts.”
“Wow~ spoiled and full of complaints.”
Eloi pouted, but Viviana didn’t care, lightly frowning in a charming way.
I refreshed my slightly sugar-heated mouth with the slightly bitter tea from eating the desserts in a row and asked,
“What kind of dresses?”
Without thinking, I spoke the words, and Viviana instantly brightened her eyes at me.
“You want to choose?”
“Huh?”
“Oh my, you chose our dresses last time too!”
“If Lady Selene chooses, it would be an honor.”
Eloi jumped excitedly. And with Viviana politely adding, it felt odd to refuse.
Well… I’m curious about the dresses she spent so much money on anyway…
I nodded. Viviana was delighted.
“Today might be difficult, but I’ll send the carriage tomorrow. You can have a meal, and if it’s alright, stay a day too.”
“Hmm~ I can’t tomorrow.”
Eloi tilted her head with a finger on her chin, and Viviana looked puzzled.
“I didn’t invite Eloi?”
“Why not? Two pairs of eyes are better than one, aren’t they?”
“As I said before, Eloi’s taste isn’t really…”
The two of them began to bicker lightly.
If I stayed quiet, tomorrow’s meeting would probably be forgotten.
I quietly set down my teacup and turned my head.
Even if I tried to intervene, they weren’t the type to stop… and in a few minutes, they’d start chattering again.
I was watching the view outside the terrace when a carriage passed by.
A large, black carriage.
It belonged to someone I knew.
Reflexively, I lowered my head.
Eloi and Viviana looked at me, startled by my sudden movement.
“Hmm?”
“Do you like that?”
Eloi said, and Viviana put a tart back on her plate.
Do they think I just buried my face in the tart because it’s too delicious?!
But I had no time to protest. I heard the sound of the carriage stopping.
I lifted my head slightly and looked down toward the terrace again.
“Ugh!”
The person I least wanted to see was standing right in the middle of the road, staring directly at me.
Peeking over the floral decorations on the terrace, I felt Sirinyu’s violet eyes fix on me.
I was doomed.
I shut my eyes tightly, slid off the chair, and sat on the floor.
Maybe he didn’t see me…?
But there was no time to dwell on that. I had to act immediately.
