Chapter 19
While walking, something caught my eye, and I stopped.
Right in front of me was a dessert shop, full of cakes on display.
“Want to go in?”
Lu, who had stopped walking with me, asked quietly. I smiled and shook my head.
“No, it’s fine. We can eat at the duke’s house.”
It was better to hurry back than stop at a street dessert shop. The cakes Drum made were far better than most shops’.
Lu shrugged at my words and looked around.
“Huh.”
He spoke again. Following his gaze, I looked ahead. Chris and Demian, who had been walking in front, were gone.
“They disappeared that fast.”
“…What should we do?”
I worried thinking about Demian being alone with Chris.
Could it be that he disappeared on purpose just to be with Demian?
At that thought, I remembered the magic stone in my pocket and quickly pulled it out.
“What’s that?”
Lu asked, looking at the stone.
It was the summoning magic stone Chris had given me on the first day. He said it would flash briefly if he needed to call me. Since Chris hadn’t used it yet, I hadn’t seen it work.
I handed it to Lu instead of answering. He examined it curiously.
“I’ve never seen one. What kind of magic is it?”
“That’s…”
Before I could explain, a small light came out of the stone.
Ah, it’s a summons.
As I stepped closer to see the light, a huge burst of light suddenly shot out from the stone, lighting up the whole area.
“Ah!”
Lu, right in front of me, threw the stone and covered his eyes with both hands.
…Wasn’t it supposed to flash briefly?
Unlike Chris’s explanation, the stone kept glowing for a long time before fading.
“Hey… if you have a problem, just say it.”
Lu staggered, covering his eyes. I shouted, frustrated.
“I didn’t do it!”
“You betrayed the maid I trusted…”
“That was the prince’s summoning stone!”
“Ah, found you! Hi Lu, Lily!”
Far away, Demian and Chris were walking toward us.
So it was a summoning stone to bring them to me, not for me to go to them.
“Lu, what happened?”
Chris asked boldly. Lu lowered his hands and glared at Chris as if ready to kill him. His glare was just like Odin’s when he grabbed Chris by the collar.
“…What if I went blind because of this prank?”
“It’s magic, your eyes are fine~ It just makes the person feel bad!”
Chris said cheerfully, waving his hands confidently.
“Good thing I was holding it. Don’t play harsh tricks on Lily too.”
“Do you really think I’d do that?”
Chris laughed brightly.
“Of course not! It only activated when I saw you holding it!”
“…Can I hit him once?”
Chris ignored me and led Demian forward.
At first, I didn’t understand why the duke’s brothers treated the prince so casually, but now I realized Lu and Odin must be holding back a lot.
Well… low-ranking people have to endure.
I quietly patted Lu’s shoulder.
Because Lu insisted on attending the ball, we ate and returned immediately to the duke’s house.
Entering, neither the guards nor the maids reacted much—only greeting Lu.
I had expected a fuss since Chris had brought Lu in with his face covered.
“Huh…?”
I muttered, puzzled. Chris smiled brightly at me.
“One of my guards went to tell the maids!”
“A guard?”
Lu looked at Chris in surprise. He shrugged.
“You didn’t want me wandering outside without a guard, did you?”
Right, that was sensible…
Given Chris’s eccentric behavior, I’d have thought it normal for him to roam alone.
When Chris gestured, armed guards appeared from the bushes.
Wow… how many are there?
I counted at least twenty. All were palace guards.
“You ran away…?”
Lu asked in disbelief.
“Which prince runs away without anyone noticing?”
True, but hearing Chris say it annoyed me somehow.
“…What’s going on?”
Ah, I realized someone else here was more confused than Lu or I.
I looked at Demian, still frozen with Chris’s arm around him.
“Oh, right.”
Chris finally removed his hood. Demian’s pupils shook violently when he saw the prince’s face.
“I’m the prince. Sorry!”
Crushed by guilt, Demian lowered his eyes.
I felt bad… Demian is struggling because of his choice of friends.
Chris chuckled at the frozen Demian, released him, and said,
“Can you come to my room tomorrow? I need to talk.”
Demian nodded, still dazed. Chris smiled and put his hood back on.
“Let’s go, Lily.”
Chris, causing chaos around us, called me casually. I chuckled.
I waved at the still stunned Demian and Lu and followed Chris.
For some reason, he walked toward a quiet garden instead of the guest rooms.
“Lily.”
Chris stopped.
What now? I looked at him, annoyed.
“Do you still have the magic stone I gave you? I want to use it now.”
The summoning stone was with Chris; this must be the other one he gave me.
“Yes, here…”
I pulled it from my pocket—the one that summons those horrid-smelling flowers. Chris smiled and took it.
He removed his hood and held the stone. A small light glimmered, and pink flowers, matching Chris’s hair, started falling like snow.
“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but admire it. The soft scent and falling pink petals were beautiful.
Using this as a prank?
Chris said the smell was terrible, but it smelled pleasant to me.
“Do you like it?”
Chris asked. I nodded like a child seeing it for the first time.
“I hate this.”
Chris still smiled at the falling flowers, and his expression was gentle despite his words.
“It’s really strong.”
He closed his eyes, enjoying the scent.
Finally, the third day of the ball. As the last day, it had the most attendees.
Everyone was busy preparing in their rooms, so the main hall was quiet.
Even those trying to meet Duke Leofrum weren’t there.
In the silent corridor, only Demian and I walked. We were taking him to Chris’s room, as he said yesterday.
“Even though we came… is it okay not to attend the ball?”
I asked, worried. Demian had said he wouldn’t go, but maybe Chris forced him.
He shook his head, smiling.
“I don’t care about the social scene anymore.”
Demian had lost all his noble privileges.
At his age, he had learned to give up a lot due to his family’s situation.
I sighed. I wanted to shake Baron Olivier by the collar.
The good Demian trusted his father and waited patiently.
“Let’s go in.”
“Welcome!”
Chris greeted us brightly as soon as we knocked.
Just as Demian was about to follow inside, Chris blocked me.
“Lily, can you wait outside?”
I looked at him in disbelief. The playful prince who handed out snacks now sent me away?
I had no choice but to press against the door and listen.
I worried Chris might do something to Demian. I focused intently on the room.
“Th….”
“…Emily…”
Emily? I perked up. The sound carried surprisingly well.
I bit my lips and concentrated.
Since yesterday, I hadn’t understood Chris’s obsession with Emily.
Their conversation continued, but I could only catch a few words:
Emily, memory, lingering feelings.
Even pressing my ear to the door, I couldn’t hear clearly.
What? I must have been too focused… then, the closed door suddenly swung open.
