CHAPTER 36……………………………….
“Why on earth do you carry something like this around?”
With a complicated expression, he finally gave in to me. If he hadn’t, he would never have worn a long red wig and black sunglasses.
“Well… sometimes I just want to walk freely through the streets without drawing attention. Don’t you ever feel that way, Your Grace?”
“As I’ve said before, I don’t prefer wandering around. Why should I go out while disguising myself?”
He looked at me as if he couldn’t understand my golden bob.
“When I get tired of practicing the same script over and over at the theater, dressing up and exploring the neighborhood is my joy. I get to buy delicious food and see interesting sights. After having such a fun time, I regain the energy to practice again.”
“I don’t quite get it. Once the mind is disturbed, it’s hard to recover. Isn’t it better not to let it slacken in the first place?”
Of course, that would be very ‘Peredil.’
Normally, I would find it annoying when he groaned like that, but I didn’t. I think I understood the reason for his rigid way of thinking.
He knew he couldn’t give a speech, so he felt he had to be perfect in every other way. His excessive pursuit of perfection became an obsession that left him no rest.
Even though his compulsions had lessened since he first became a diplomatic ambassador, he still had no hobby to soothe his tired mind. He always chose what he had to do over what he wanted to do.
“Do you know the most important ritual in life that you can’t skip?”
“That would be birth ceremonies, weddings, and funerals, I suppose.”
“Rest—rest! Rest is also very important.”
He didn’t even half-listen to my lecture on the importance of rest. Determined to let him experience the beauty of relaxation firsthand today, I quickened my pace until we arrived at the destination I had in mind.
“Here it is! This is ‘Garden,’ the most famous dessert shop in Schwabk, the bakery capital. Above all, their limited-quantity blueberry soufflé cake is the most popular.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“My maid, Emily, told me.”
True to its reputation, a long line of people stood tightly packed in front of the shop.
I had brought him here boldly… but would Peredil, who wasn’t very fond of sweets, really wait in such a long line?
“Um… the line… it’s really long. Should we just skip it?”
I wondered if making him wait in line was the right choice to make him happy. When I checked with him, he strode forward with long legs and took a place at the end of the line.
“Weren’t you coming all this way to eat this?”
“I thought it would be a waste of your precious time.”
“I never said my time wasn’t valuable. Let’s spend it here today.”
“Heh. Yes, it’s an honor.”
We fussed over which tea would pair best with the blueberry soufflé cake, and time flew. At first, he only half-heartedly gave me information about tea, but later he actively considered the pairing with me. After a deep conversation, we finally entered the shop.
“You’re lucky. This is the last blueberry soufflé cake we have today.”
The soufflé looked fluffy, so springy that the spoon almost bounced off. The blueberry syrup and berries on top were visibly rich and thick.
“I’m so excited to try it! Doesn’t it look delicious?”
“Why would anyone wait in line for something like this…”
To stop him from making another annoying remark, I immediately gave him a piece of soufflé.
“How is it?”
He chewed silently and then calmly gave his review.
“It’s too sweet for my taste, but not bad.”
That counts as a compliment.
“Eek!”
As soon as I put the soufflé in my mouth, I squealed with delight. He felt my reaction through his sunglasses.
“What’s wrong?”
“It melted the moment I put it in my mouth!”
Relaxed, he leaned back slightly and snorted, as if I was making a fuss over nothing.
“Tch. Can’t you play along a little?”
“So, you like it when I make a fuss?”
“It’s much better than being grumpy and killing the mood all the time.”
“Hmm.”
Without being asked, he picked up a fork, cut a small piece of cake, and tasted it.
“Su. Per. Melt. Gone.”
Watching him move like a creaky robot left me speechless. He was performing his act with all his effort, checking my reaction, then bashfully looking down. I’d never seen someone’s ears get so red.
“Is… this not right?”
“Ha ha ha.”
Seeing him act like an old-fashioned person trying to keep up with trends made me laugh so hard I almost cried. He tried to maintain the same tone throughout, probably thinking it was his best effort.
“No, no. Haha. That’s right. Ah, so funny. Looks like I’m still far from being a good actor.”
“I told you I’m not trying to act.”
He, embarrassed, let out a small laugh, probably because I laughed so hard. Though no one around us understood, we ended up laughing together like we shared a private joke. After a while, I wiped away the tears that had snuck out and calmed down.
“Thank you for sending a letter to my father last time. Thanks to you, I wasn’t scolded even though I stayed out overnight. Not that it’s really a repayment, but I’ll pay for this cake.”
“All right, enjoy it.”
I paid with the allowance Luna had given me and stepped outside. My eyes landed on a stall displaying dozens of dolls.
“Step right up! Hit the targets and win! The number of targets you hit determines which doll you can take.”
A crowd had gathered around the street vendor. I couldn’t take my eyes off the biggest, cutest pink bear doll. The sign said ten targets, so it seemed we needed to hit ten to win it.
“Your Grace, don’t you want to try?”
“Hitting the targets?”
I nodded eagerly.
“Ten targets.”
For once, he paid without complaining, took the hand-knitted ball, and prepared to throw at the targets.
“Do you want to practice first?”
Ignoring my concern, he immediately threw the ball. The balls were tiny, and the targets were so small they were almost invisible. It was hard to tell whether this game was made to win the prize or just waste money.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
“Wow… look at that guy.”
“He hasn’t missed a single one!”
I heard the crowd admiring him. Indeed, as if mocking my expectation of failure, every time he threw, the targets toppled effortlessly. The vendor’s face clearly showed dismay.
“Um, which doll would you like?”
Without a word, he pointed to the pink bear I had been staring at for ages. In an instant, the bear was in my arms.
“You’re giving this to me?”
“You said you wouldn’t accept payment for giving lessons. Consider this as payment instead.”
Tch. Does he always have to give a reason? If he gave it just because he wanted to, would it hurt anyone?
Though I grumbled inwardly, I wasn’t at all upset. In fact, I felt a thrill that he noticed I wanted the pink bear.
After giving me the doll, he started walking toward the square, and I happily followed. Even from a distance, his red ears were clearly visible.
“Walk with me!”
He needed to know when to stop being shy. He must have ignored the difference in our stride. Chasing him while he walked so fast that I was out of breath, I paused for a moment.
Catching my breath, I spotted a sign and had a good idea, so I called out to him who was far ahead.
“Let’s make a bet!”
“A bet?”
When I pointed to the sign, he came closer to read it.
“King-sized noodles. Free if you finish in 15 minutes. What kind of bet are you suggesting?”
“How about a bet where if I succeed or fail, you grant me a wish?”
