Chapter 14: Tea at a Café
While waiting for her brother after school that day, Bianca was studying in the school library, but he arrived earlier than usual.
“Father has told me not to say anything unnecessary because it will be a burden until you remember Bianca, but you should know a few things.”
With that, he took her to the café attached to the third floor of the library. Here, no one would scold her for having conversations, and she could bring in books from the library to read.
Although Bianca had wanted to drop in at least once, she could not summon the courage to do so alone. She quickly opened the menu and saw light snacks and cakes available.
“Brother, I want to eat a berry tart!”
Her eyes sparkled.
“Bianca, we’re not here for a snack break.”
“…I’m fine with just a cup of tea.”
Since Bianca grew instantly downhearted, Satias ended up ordering a tart as well. However, consequently, she became fixated on the tart.
“…Bianca, are you listening to me?”
“Yes, Brother, this tart is unique! Why is it tastier than the desserts served at home?”
Bianca widened her eyes.
“Because the food at home is more to Mother’s taste.”
“Well, Mother has an unsophisticated palate!”
“Bianca, watch your mouth.”
“Okay. Would you like a bite, Brother?”
In response to Bianca’s grin and pleasant words, Satias shook his head and waited for her to finish the tart. By the time he realized it, he was always caught up in his sister’s peculiar pace. He felt slightly exhausted.
“It’s about His Highness Stuart from earlier…”
“Thanks for your help, brother. I was wondering what was going on when a stranger suddenly sat down in the seat I had saved for Regina,” said Bianca, exasperated.
“That’s your point? Even if you don’t remember, aren’t you upset that your ex-fiancé is sitting in front of you with his girlfriend in tow?”
“Come to think of it, Regina was angry for me too. But I feel like it’s someone else’s problem after all.”
Satias was taken aback by Bianca’s reaction, but he regained his composure and continued the conversation.
“The female student His Highness had with him is named Flora, the daughter of Count Penelope.”
“I don’t know her at all, but she seems to be in the same grade as me.”
Her brother sipped his tea with a sigh.
“As I said before, His Highness asked for an end to the engagement less than three days after you fell from the balcony. Father was reluctant at first, but when he couldn’t find you after a month, he agreed.”
Bianca nodded in understanding with her brother.
“I don’t understand this particularly well, but the engagement between His Highness and me is, of course, a political one, right? If so, wouldn’t he have to re-engage with someone else at once after I was gone? Besides, thinking about it normally, it is shocking that I survived the fall from that place. I think I would have died,” she said as if nothing had happened.
“That may be so under normal circumstances, but you have the blessing of the spirits.”
“Hmm, I don’t feel it.”
Her eyebrows lowered pitifully.
“I thought you had learned to wield your magic.”
Satias was worried about his younger sister, who was unreliable to no end.
“Well, at least I can make the wind and water shake.”
Again, the subject veered off-topic.
“Back on topic, Lady Flora and His Highness have been dating since you were engaged.”
“Well, that’s terrible.”
Even though she said so, Bianca wasn’t particularly interested.
“That’s right. So you don’t have to deal with that fellow.”
“Eh, but he’s the third prince of this country, right?”
That alone frightened Bianca.
“He’s the son of a concubine. He’s not in a high position. Pay no attention to it.”
Though she felt that her brother was being discriminatory, she wasn’t certain, so she merely gave a nod. Perhaps he was just surprisingly sarcastic.
“Brother, I have been mulling this over. Everyone must have hated me a lot, right?”
Being told that by Bianca heartily, Satias was a bit thrown into a quandary.
“On the first day I attended the academy after losing my memory, I felt that I was being kept at a distance, or rather, that their gazes were cold in some way. Besides, since His Highness immediately offered to end our engagement, he must have disliked me. He couldn’t tolerate me… Isn’t that why he was going out with Lady Flora?” Bianca simply said what she thought and stated it nonchalantly.
“You have a good friend now, don’t you? Lady Regina went out of her way to call me because she was worried about you.”
Bianca smiled softly.
“Yes. I have a wonderful friend now.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Try not to get too involved with His Highness. Even if he had treated you very badly, don’t be mean to him by saying that he didn’t like you in the past.”
Bianca nodded at her brother’s words.
Amazing chapter! Thanks!