“T-Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
The neat answer left me a little embarrassed.
I looked at Adelio and said with a big smile this time.
“It went well with my sisters. I really wanted to tell you that it all worked out, so now I’m telling you.”
“Really?”
“To be exact, we’re trying to get along with each other!”
At my answer, Adelio asked with a serious look.
“But why were you chasing after someone who looked like your sister?”
“Ah.”
I didn’t think I’d get caught.
I was embarrassed and taken aback.
“That, I mean, um….”
It certainly looked suspicious, so I sighed a little and said.
“I have some circumstances that I can’t tell you, but I didn’t follow Sister around with bad intentions.”
“As expected, it was really your sister. I wasn’t sure because it was my first time seeing her.”
Adelio laughed mischievously.
It might have been intended to ease my mind, but as if the thought of going after Liliana stabbed my conscience, excuses kept popping out.
“So I didn’t really mean anything weird. I want to ask her about something…”
“It’s all right. That could be the case. I understand. But if you really have any questions, it might be better to ask them in person.”
I eagerly nodded my head at his advice.
“I feel like I keep repeating the same thing, but thank you. I don’t think the word thank you is enough for what happened a while ago.”
“Are you really thankful?”
“Of course!”
I answered vigorously because I was able to say this with certainty.
Then, Adelio brushed his chin and thought for a moment, then smiled softly.
“Then could you come and see me next time?”
“Yes?”
“I was waiting for you.”
Adelio said, avoiding my gaze as if embarrassed.
“I heard you come to the temple often, but I didn’t see you for a month, so I thought you were avoiding me.”
“No! That’s not true!”
“If you come to see me when you come to the temple, I think this disappointment will disappear completely.”
It was a request that could be done, so I nodded willingly, and he smiled brightly as if he was really happy.
“Are you really okay with that kind of request? You could have been seriously hurt today.”
“I’m happy to meet Daisy because Daisy is the only friend I have here.”
“…Friend?”
When I opened my eyes wide in surprise at the word friend, Adelio made a look of regret.
“Aren’t we?”
“N-No, that’s not it! Friend, that’s right, friend…”
Somehow, I couldn’t hold back my lips that twitched with joy and smiled broadly like a fool.
Adelio also smiled as if copying my smile and added.
“The day I meet Daisy will bring me great joy. I’ll be waiting.”
‘What?’
After finishing his last words, Adelio left, saying he should get going.
As I watched his uniform fluttering across the hallway, my face suddenly felt hot.
The light scent and smiling face left behind in the spot where he disappeared was settled like an afterimage in my head, and I felt his voice lingering in my ears.
‘I’ll be waiting.’
For some reason, my heart seemed to be beating a little faster than usual.
✲ ✲ ✲
After parting with Adelio, I walked in a daze down the hallway.
It was quite late, so I was thinking of returning home when I heard a familiar voice from behind.
“Daisy?”
The familiar voice was Viola.
“Sister!”
I said in a startled voice, and she strode up to me.
Next to her was a knight of similar height.
“What are you doing here?”
Viola worked for the Imperial family, but she usually stayed in the training hall, so I didn’t expect to meet her.
At my startled voice, Viola glanced at me and said.
“I’m on my way to the library because I heard there was an accident. What about Daisy?”
“I also came to the library to read a book…”
I couldn’t bear to say I had been following Liliana’s footsteps, so I lied with my consciences pricked up.
“Library? I think Liliana said she’s going to the library alone from today…”
As Viola looked suspiciously at me, I recalled the book in my arms and hurriedly made an excuse.
“Sister Liliana was in the library! I wanted to greet her, but there were so many people around. I couldn’t get close and I only borrowed a book!”
When I showed her the book, the suspicion disappeared from her eyes.
‘T-That’s a relief.’
I inwardly sighed in relief as I thanked the old man for rewarding me with a book.
“Still, don’t go out alone and bring a knight with you.”
“It’s the Imperial palace.”
When I smiled cutely, Viola gently loosened the corners of her tightly closed mouth.
“The accident was about a bookshelf falling over, but you weren’t hurt, right?”
“I peeked and fortunately, no one got hurt!”
At my words, Viola nodded and said to the knight who was standing beside her.
“Sir Hudson, you go talk to the librarian and get things done.”
“Yes? Where are you going, Captain?”
“I should get off work now.”
“Yes?”
At Viola’s words, Sir Hudson put on a confused expression, as if he had cognitive dissonance.
“I’m worried about sending Daisy back alone.”
“Ah…”
Sir Hudson alternately looked at me and Viola with a surprised look.
“I’m sorry for the late greeting. My name is Judrick Hudson.”
“Nice to meet you, Sir Hudson. I am Daisy Liviatan.”
Lord Hudson was startled again when he heard my name, but because of Viola’s fierce gaze, he closed his mouth that had been opening wide.
“Haha. I see! Instead, can I finish this and go home?”
“Write a report then you can go home.”
“Thank you!”
As soon as Lord Hudson bowed his head and finished his formal greeting, his eyes met with mine.
“Go home safely!”
He greeted me lightly and quickly ran down the hallway.
The word ‘go home’ gave him magical energy.
“I told him not to run in the corridor of the Imperial palace.”
Viola looked at him disapprovingly, then, feeling my gaze, she turned her head.
“Is it okay to leave like this?”
“It’s almost the end of working hours, so it’s fine.”
“Really?”
“It’s really fine, don’t worry.”
Viola patted my head clumsily, then held out her hand to me.
“Sister?”
I blinked my eyes wondering what it meant but Viola didn’t withdraw her hand.
“There are a lot of people in the Imperial palace, you might get lost.”
‘The hallway is too quiet for that.’
I didn’t say anything, but she added quickly, as if reading my mind.
“Because it’s time to get off work soon.”
“I see.”
I looked at her hands for a long time, and then when I looked up, I could see her ears turning red.
Her usual blunt expression didn’t change, only her ears were turning red, so I couldn’t help but look at her.
‘Is she embarrassed?’
Getting to know Viola’s unexpected side was strangely entertaining.
I also smiled and lightly placed my hand on hers.
“Yes. Let’s go home holding hands together.”
It wasn’t just my imagination that the corners of her mouth rose up behind the head that turned away without hesitation.
✲ ✲ ✲
Liliana’s suspicious behavior continued for two weeks.
I thought about following her out after breakfast, but it turned out that the First Prince was leaving the Empire for a while as an envoy to another country.
It meant that even if Liliana went to the Imperial palace, she would never meet the First Prince.
So I immediately decided to stop following her.
‘Because there could be misunderstandings.’
Honestly, even with the turmoil on the first day, it was a relief that I hadn’t been caught.
Liliana kept going out alone, so I spent time trying to make friends with my new friend.
Going out with Iris and attending small parties made me somewhat used to the social world.
‘Although it’s embarrassing that people keep asking me where Sister Liliana is.’
Rumors seemed to be circulating around her, perhaps because the flower of society suddenly left for a long time.
‘Ignoring them in moderation is also a problem.’
Those who looked down on Liliana whispered behind her, thinking that it was finally time.
Just staring at them was enough to accumulate my fatigue.
‘Still, Sister Liliana is the best.’
I thought that there was no one who would dominate the social world more than Liliana.
“I’m not going to get engaged to the First Prince.”
Until Sister Liliana uttered these words.
On a peaceful evening, Sister suddenly threw out her opinion to our unprepared parents.
Our parents couldn’t say anything while looking at each other, perhaps thinking that they had heard it wrong, and Liliana opened her mouth again as if she had expected them to be like that.
“You said you’d respect my opinion, right? Please tell Grandmother too. I have no intention of engaging with the First Prince.”
She finished her meal leisurely as she threw out words like a storm.
And it was not only my parents who were confused by those words, I was confused too.
‘I didn’t do anything, so why doesn’t it come true as I saw in my dream?’
I turned my head and looked at my sisters.
Liliana, who brought up the topic, was eating her meal in peace.
Viola was also absorbed in her meal, not showing any reaction as if it was just a greeting.
No, she was putting my favorite food little by little on top of my bowl.
At first, my parents seemed surprised, but they soon spoke calmly.
“Yes, I’ll tell her.”
Mother also nodded her head as if agreeing with Father’s words.
‘I-Is this okay?’
Looking at the atmosphere in the house, it was almost like it wasn’t anything special.
But it was.
Because Liliana’s remarks turned the social world upside down.
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