Chapter 1 - Part 1
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***
After Ruth left, Lelia hurried to visit Romeo and Kalix. She was going to see if they could come along with her to Julianna’s tea party, which was in two days.
“You are going to a tea party?” Romeo asked.
He chuckled, then grabbed his stomach and laughed harder.
“Why don’t you go and enjoy being a popular man for a day?” he said next.
After he said that, he teased her even more. Romeo seemed to find all of this very funny. Of course the request to go together was summarily rejected.
Kalix had said nothing at this point.
“Ah… my brother. Could you come with me to the tea party which is in two days?”
“Party?”
“It’s a tea party.”
“What is that?”
“Princess Julianna will invite her guests and serve them tea. Her guests will be young nobles from her social circle…”
“Get out.”
[T/N: I CAN’T- XDDDD]
Kalix waved his hand without listening to the explanation. As soon as he hears ‘Julianna’ or ‘Princess Julianna’, his expression darkens. Lelia began to hesitate on her way out, and Kalix looked around him for something to throw at her. She escaped to her room as she fled in fear that a flying pillow might hit her.
***
The next afternoon.
In Romeo’s quarters, Lelia was sweating as she talked to the two of them. Kalix and Romeo asked about ‘Leo’ . Lelia answered them with an appropriate mix of facts and lies.
Luckily, someone came looking for her. She recognized the person who came from his face. It was the owner of the clothing store she visited yesterday. The owner also recognized Lelia and Romeo and greeted them politely. The tailoring of the clothes that were purchased yesterday had been completed.
“Where should I put all the clothes we bought?”
Romeo glared at Lelia as she led them to her room, which was right next to his. The workers who came along with the owner were holding a lot of boxes.
[But why do I feel like the number of boxes didn’t match what was bought yesterday?]
Lelia was stunned as she saw the huge pile of boxes in front of her wardrobe.
When the workers left, Lelia hurried back to Romeo’s room. When she entered, she saw the owner handing him a piece of paper, which looked like a receipt, and requested Romeo sign it.
As Romeo signed it, the staff bowed deeply.
“Please come back anytime. Oh! Or you can send a message to our store. We will send our best tailor directly to you.”
When the staff left, Lelia said to Romeo.
“Romeo, I have a lot more clothes than what you bought yesterday. Maybe there’s an error somewhere?”
Lelia acted as if she was going to retrieve the store employees that were leaving, but Romeo waved his hand.
“No, they brought the correct amount. Besides that, I ordered additional clothes in a similar style for you.”
“Why… why? Don’t you think you bought too many outfits?”
Romeo looked embarrassed at the question.
Perhaps because he is still supported by the royal family, he spent without thinking.
“I feel like you’re wasting your money for nothing, so I’ll complain in vain and gratefully wear it.” Lelia said.
It wasn’t that she was shocked by his big spending either.
The amount of money Romeo had access to was not surprising because she made a lot of money in her own business.
All her money was taken by the Alchemy Lottery though…
Lelia casually sat on her sofa and drank the tea the maid had brought.
Kalix was lying on the sofa opposite her like he did yesterday, and Romeo began to read.
Lelia glanced at the two of them.
[It’s like a dream.]
Her heart tickled at the peaceful scene before her eyes. She was very happy these days, she could see the friends she had missed every day.
Of course, there are times when these guys annoy me.
‘Are Griffith and Oscar getting along okay?’
As she thought about it, she looked down at the teacup, and her thoughts shattered like glass.
‘What am I going to do about tomorrow’s tea party?’
Lelia recalled her experience when she went to Aunt Atias’ tea party about a year or two ago.
She tried to trace her memories of how the male nobles at the party behaved and spoke, but she couldn’t recall.
‘Well, it’ll be alright. Let’s just stay by Ruth for now.’
She was happy though.
Thanks to Romeo, she has new clothes to wear to the tea party tomorrow.
Lelia suddenly looked to her friends and asked.
“Hey, do you really not want to go to the tea party with me tomorrow?”
Kalix glanced at her, crossed his arms, and soon began to pretend he was sleeping.
“…”
Romeo made a very mean look and mouthed ‘No’.
“…”
***
Her head was muddled because she had trouble falling asleep until early in the morning hours. She woke up late, checked the clock on the wall, went inside her bathroom to wash up and stood in front of the closet.
The clothes that arrived yesterday were immediately arranged by the maids in charge of Lelia’s room.
‘What should I wear to stand out less?’
After much deliberation, Lelia chose from among the neatly organized clothes that she thought looked the most appropriate. It was a suit that looked luxurious without being too flashy or plain.
Julianna’s ladies-in-waiting, who were elated at just the sight of her, were floating around in Lelia’s head.
‘I don’t doubt their interest, so I don’t know if I should be worried or not.’
She felt shaky when she remembered the painting she had seen while she was out with Romeo. It certainly had a similar look to her own reflection in the mirror.
Maybe it’s fortunate that she looks like the type of guy who is popular.
At least there won’t be any doubts about her being a man.
However, it was also true that it was dangerous because it would attract people’s attention.
‘If something happens, I can use that medicine.’
Just in case of an emergency, Lelia put the drug that makes her appear to be a man in her inner pocket and then tied her cravat. She’d observed Romeo tie her cravat previously and she had not forgotten his technique.
After changing her clothes and fixing her hair, she stepped out of her changing room.
Ruth suddenly arrived a little earlier than promised.
“…”
Ruth didn’t say hello as soon as the door opened, instead he glanced up and down at Lelia.
“Sir Ruth?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. You look a little different today. Good afternoon, Sir Raymond.”
Ruth finally came to his senses, apologized and greeted her.
“It’s all right.”
Ruth looked at Lelia with a slightly nervous expression.
As soon as he saw her, he had reason to be surprised.
Perhaps it was because she wore more luxurious clothes than the ones worn last time, and her figure seemed to come to life.
‘How can a man create such an atmosphere?’
With a neat appearance that reminds him of a lake reflected in the moonlight, Ruth grew a little restless.
‘I don’t know what women like about such an absurd type… But isn’t Julianna also interested in this type?’
Ruth was a little wary of Lelia and adjusted his own outfit.
The two decided to go out a little early and take a walk around the ‘Jasmine House’ where the tea party was held.
‘Jasmine House’ is a detached conservatory located to the southwest of the main palace, and it is said that it is one of the new buildings built by Emperor Perseus for Julianna.
“I’ve heard that it’s a greenhouse with a lot of light because there are large glass windows on three sides. It’s mainly used by Julianna for tea parties.”
Lelia forced herself to smile while listening to Ruth’s explanation about the building.
‘It’s one of the new buildings that was built on the southwest side of the palace grounds.’
“You know all of this very well.”
At Lelia’s words, Ruth smiled as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“I collected and studied information about this and that to get closer to Princess Julianna.”
[Editor: Stalker much?]
“Yes…”
Lelia wasn’t curious at all, but Ruth also started talking about what he had studied.
Ruth was quite talkative.
After such a long chat, there was a mishap that they lost track of time and were a little late to the tea party.
Ruth had an anxious expression as if the world had collapsed.
“You should have told me the time.”
Ruth implicitly blamed Lelia, but Lelia clenched her teeth.
‘What do you want me to say?’
She couldn’t afford to confront Ruth’s complaints, because she realized he was nervous about Julianna being upset.
Lelia relaxed as she clenched her hands and opened them. As she did, she was guided by the maids and they entered the conservatory greenhouse where the tea party was being held.
There were quite a few guests gathered inside the greenhouse.
It was a much larger tea party than she had expected.
People sat in their reserved seats and talked, then naturally turned their attention to the guests who arrived late.
The servant who was attending to the door moved away, revealing Lelia’s figure.
A little cry of admiration came from one side.
“Oh, My God!”
The person who made the sound was one of Julianna’s ladies-in-waiting. She closed her mouth belatedly, since the sound probably came out without her meaning to.
Young ladies next to her muttered, ‘Look at him, he’s very similar, isn’t he?’
Not only the young ladies, but most of those present were quite surprised. However, they immediately hid their surprised expression and started talking casually.
‘I knew it.’
Lelia smiled awkwardly at the people’s gaze and headed towards her seat.
She kept glancing at people, so she sat with her back to one side of the crowd.
“Fortunately, Princess Julianna has not arrived yet.”
Ruth sat down across from her, and sighed in relief.
“I’m happy.”
Lelia was uncomfortable, as if she were sitting on a thorny cushion, but she pretended as if nothing was wrong.
At that time, the attendant standing at the entrance announced the arrival of Princess Julianna.
The door opened and a luxuriously dressed Julianna appeared. She entered with two gentlemen, Lelia was astonished to see who it was.
It was Cedric and Damien.
Maybe it was because she had completely forgotten about their existence, but she never dreamed that they would attend. It was because she didn’t have time to think about anything other than not getting caught.
Princess Julianna greeted her close aristocratic friends and then took a seat.
Then she abruptly got up and looked around her.
Moments later, Lelia was approached by an attendant, who said; “Sir Ruth, Sir Raymond. Please move to the seat designated by Princess Julianna. I was asked to show you to your seats.”
Ruth’s expression brightened at those words, and he jumped up.
Lelia also got up and looked in the direction the servant was pointing, and then bit her lip.
There were two empty seats at the large table with Princess Julianna, Cedric, and Damien.
‘Go over there?’
***
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