For Your Failed Unrequited Love

“Lucy!”

The reply came immediately from the other side as well.

An old lady, called Madam Triana, stood there with an expression she had never imagined she would meet Lucy.

“Oh my! It’s really Lucy.”

After examining Lucy’s face a few more times, her wrinkled eyes blinked, Madam Triana stepped forward and grabbed her hand. Lucy also clasped her hand with a happy face.

Felix and Arkel, ignorant of the circumstances, stood in front of the two people’s welcome meeting with a blank expression on their faces. Arkel, who had been watching the two, finally opened his mouth.

“Are you two acquainted?”

“Of course!”

The madam answered, patting the back of Lucy’s hand.

Then she took her to her tea table and sat her down. It looked natural as if he had already visited Arkel’s office several times.

“She lived on the estate of my nephew, Baron Connor. Years ago, we even traveled together. Since then, I’ve been sick and haven’t been able to pay attention to work outside the house, the news has been cut off. Even when she was young, I thought she was clever, but I didn’t know she came to Xenomium!”

The madam still couldn’t hide her joy, as she explained to Arkel.

“Then the kid you told me to meet today….?”

When the Madam asked, looking at Arkel, he nodded.

“Yes, Evelyn. I was talking about Lucy Keenan.”

Lucy and the madam seemed to have been happy to see each other after a long time, and they were busy asking each other how well they were doing, as if they had completely forgotten the existence of Felix and Arkel, who were standing around.

Arkel moved in a hurry, put the kettle on the fireplace and started boiling water. Normally, he was hesitant to even clean up cat poop, but for some reason he seemed to be diligently serving the guest.

“Sometimes I ask Colin about Madam, but he says he doesn’t know much.”

“At the time, I was too weak to travel, so I was confined to the capital.  As expected, my age can’t lie. It’s been a long time since I visited the East and it’s also been a while since I corresponded with Baron Connor. How’s everyone doing?”

“Yes, both the baron and the baroness are in good health.”

Lucy and Madam Triana had a few more friendly conversations.

“But I had no idea that you were acquainted with Mr. Arkel.”

“We have been friends since childhood.”

“We went to the academy together.”

At Lucy’s words, the madam and Arkel answered in turns. Felix, who had been silently listening to the conversation, looked at Arkel with a surprised expression. Because he never imagined he would have friends.

However, as he watched for a little longer, Arkel, who he thought to be eccentric, knew how to take care of people, and Madam Triana, who exuded a pleasant energy from her wrinkled face, seemed to get along with him quite well.

“…… That is why I gladly accepted Arkel’s request to support a student in need.”

She said after taking a sip of the tea with her graceful movements that her blunt friend had brought unscathed.

“That’s you, Lucy, so I’m more willing.”

“I, but…”

Lucy opened her mouth with a troubled expression.

“Actually, a few weeks ago, I already received sponsorship from someone else.”

At that, Arkel, who had put the kettle down again, scratched his forehead and looked back.

“I’m sorry, I’ve troubled you. I’m sure I told Mr. Arkel, but I guess he didn’t hear me.”

“It’s obvious, if it’s Arkel. He must have been talking and not listening to what others were saying.”

As if she could understand her, she replied casually.

“Then who is supporting you?”

Arkel asked.

“My father, Duke Berg.”

When Felix answered instead, Arkel opened her mouth slightly in surprise.

“The backing of the Duke of Berg? This was not my business.”

Just like everyone else, Arkel looked at her full of trust as soon as he heard the name ‘Berg’.

“With the patronage of the Duke of Berg, there is no need to worry. There is no other supporter who is financially strong in this empire.”

Arkel nodded his head with a satisfied expression, and the Madam was busy looking at Felix’s face with her eyes wide open.

“The son of the Duke of Berg? then…….”

“He’s Prince Felix Berg. A third year at this academy.”

When Arkel introduced Felix politely, the madam responded with a welcoming smile, as if she knew him already.

“I am also acquainted with the Marquis of Everen. Even now, on days when I am in good shape, I go to meetings organized by the Marquis.”

Felix’s maternal grandmother, the Marquis of Everen, often held social gatherings for noble women. As a result, when he was young, he often saw many noble ladies gathered at the banquet hall when he was staying at the Marquis’ mansion for a while.

“Maybe I met the prince when I visited the Marquis of Everen.”

Madam Triana said with a gracious smile. 

Meow. 

At that moment, the cat, which had been quietly curled up in the corner of the office, got up and let out a relaxed cry. All four of them stopped talking and turned their heads to where the sound was coming from.

“Brotomelius!”

Arkel hurriedly approached and hugged the cat.

“Brotomelius?”

Madam Triana looked at the scene with a face not very different from the expression Felix had made after hearing the name.

“Oh.”

She shook her head in exasperation as she watched Arkel gently scratch its tummy as if to soothe the cat.

“Seeing Arkel Liod hugging and stroking the cat, it must be time for me to die. You seem to have a lot of affection for it, can I really take it?”

At the Madam’s question, Arkel frowned and raised his head. He spoke in a foul tone.

“What are you talking about? Do you think I’ll be sad without this cat?”

Then, he immediately picked up the cat and walked over to Madam Triana.

“I don’t care if a cat leaves me.”

Madam Triana shrugged her shoulders and gently stroked the cat’s head.

“Yeah, then. I’ll take this cat.”

“It’s Brotomelius.”

Arkel corrected the name, but Madam Triana rose from her seat, ignoring what she had heard.

“You should give it a cute name instead of a geeky name like that.”

“Are you leaving already?”

Somehow, Arkel asked with a sad face.

“I’ll go, then.”

Madam Triana put on a shawl she had left off, pretending to be in a hurry. Lucy, who was sitting opposite, quickly followed her and helped her.

Now that the cat is leaving the office, Felix and Lucy will no longer have to take care of the cat.

Felix gave Lucy a look to get out of here. Lucy recognized that look and quickly nodded her head.

“Well then, see you later. Arkel.”

After the greeting, the three of them left Arkel, who has a strange expression in the office and went out into the hallway. The moment Felix closed the door, Arkel’s sad gaze seemed to follow through the gap.

The three of them left the office and went down to the hall on the first floor together.

“Anyway, Lucy, it’s nice to see you again. I am proud that you grew up so wonderfully and that you came to a prestigious academy.”

Madam Triana spoke to Lucy with a warm look as if looking at her own granddaughter.

“It’s been a long time since we met, but it’s a pity that we have to part so soon. I want to invite you to the upcoming Thanksgiving, Lucy?”

The Madam soon told Felix as well.

“Of course, the prince may also come along.”

Lucy replied with a bright smile.

“I want to go to your house after a long time.”

Felix, who saw the Madam who loved Lucy so much, readily accepted the invitation. Hoping to hear a lot about Lucy’s childhood from Madam.

By the time they arrived at the hall with such an invitation.

Suddenly, they heard someone calling out to them and rushing down the stairs.

“Wait a minute! wait!”

It was Arkel. He ran so fast that he didn’t even think he was moving with his old legs and stopped in front of them.

Then he took the cat straight from Madam Triana.

“You can’t take Brotomelius.”

He said, holding the cat tightly with his trembling hands. The three looked at him with puzzled eyes. But he rolled his eyes with a look of indifference.

“As far as I can see, this guy has no strength! He can’t do anything but eat and poop. Evelyn, no matter how much you train it, this bastard can’t catch a mouse.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Triana eventually burst into laughter.

“Arkel, how are you the same as when you were young?”

She said.

“Tell me frankly if you like it! I had no intention of taking this cat in the first place.”

Then she turned her body away from him without any regrets. She told Felix and Lucy.

“Then let me send you an official invitation soon.”

“What invitation?”

Arkel asked with a curious face, but Madam lightly ignored it and left the hall with her graceful demeanor.

* * *

Madam Triana’s invitation arrived at the dormitory the next day.

Felix, who was checking to see if Lucy had received the invitation, found out that there was someone else who had received the invitation besides them. It was Colin.

Of course, Felix wasn’t happy with the news at all, but he couldn’t help it because Colin was Mrs. Triana’s grandson. He can’t help but be annoyed. 

It would be perfect without this child.

Felix was very disappointed. After reading the contents of the invitation one more time, he felt even more so.

That’s because the invitation included not only dinner, but also an invitation to stay overnight at Madam Triana’s mansion.