“The mysterious... world of cooking... That sounds fun.”
Angelina Pimale.
That was her name.
&
The Pimale family had long been a respected house.
They were not a family possessed of immense wealth, but for ages they had solved countless people’s problems through wisdom.
Only, now that the world had become so peaceful, their name no longer carried as much weight as it once had.
Even so, many still respected them.
And Angelina was the second daughter of that house.
She, too, as one who had strongly inherited the blood of Pimale, loved books dearly.
“You must like books.”
“Yes. I love them.”
“Then I think you’ll enjoy reading it.”
I continued naturally.
“And there’s also a book called Tales of the Mysterious Continent. If you read that afterward, it’s even more interesting. Some of the foods may have been derived from there. The dish I just mentioned is probably...”
At some point, Angelina’s eyes had begun to sparkle.
Her face looked as though she truly found it fascinating,
and the awkwardness from the beginning had completely vanished before I knew it.
“Wow... That really is amazing.”
Then, as if something had suddenly occurred to her, she straightened her posture.
“Ah, my name is Angelina Pimale.”
“I am Rayon Signal.”
I gave a light bow in greeting.
“It is an honor to meet you, Lady Angelina.”
When I carefully took her hand and lightly kissed it, Angelina blushed, looking a little embarrassed.
“I’m not very used to this sort of thing...”
“Neither am I.”
I answered calmly.
“I’m always worried my saliva might get on the back of someone’s hand.”
“What?”
Angelina blinked,
then burst out laughing with a pfft.
“Fortunately, I don’t think any got on me.”
“Whew, that’s a relief.”
I pretended to let out a sigh of relief.
“Though even if it had, it might have been all right. I drank some wine earlier, so it probably would have smelled like wine.”
“Pfft!”
Angelina quickly covered her mouth, but the laughter had already escaped.
She’s easy to make laugh.
Angelina quickly covered her mouth, but the laughter had already escaped.
Since it wasn’t particularly refined for a young lady to laugh aloud at a party like this, she desperately tried to hold it in.
But once her tension had loosened, it did not easily return.
After that, Angelina poured out truly countless stories.
“What that book said was...”
I, as if it were only natural, listened to all of it.
Perhaps because of that,
the excited Angelina grew more and more talkative.
There probably hadn’t been many people who listened to her like this, let alone men her own age.
Stories about books, stories about food, and even other records she had read flowed on without pause.
Before I knew it, the sounds around us had grown distant,
to the point that I briefly forgot this was a party hall.
It felt as though the two of us were in a space set apart from everyone else.
Angelina could no longer force herself to hold back her laughter.
“Pfft! Really?”
“Does it sound like a lie?”
“Yes. It’s far too unbelievable.”
“It is a lie.”
“What?”
Angelina looked at me with an incredulous expression.
“How can you say something like that with such a shameless face?”
“I never tell lies I’m not confident in.”
“Ahaha.”
In the end, her laughter spread to those around us.
Some young ladies frowned in disapproval at the sight,
while others cast sidelong glances as though mocking her.
But since a young lady was laughing, there were also quite a few curious gazes wondering what sort of conversation could make her laugh like that.
Naturally, there were nobles who began to approach us.
But the first to come over was an unexpected person.
“Hello?”
It was Aileen.
Angelina was startled by her appearance.
So was I.
Aileen usually did not show herself at parties that began late.
Moreover, it was rare for her to approach someone first and start a conversation.
Especially someone her own age.
“We met at the café not long ago, didn’t we?”
“Ah, yes.”
“But won’t you introduce the person beside you?”
The moment I saw her eyes, I knew immediately.
She had not come to see me.
She had come to see Angelina.
“This is Lady Angelina Pimale.”
I first gestured toward Angelina.
“And this is Lady Aileen Belmardian.”
“I know.”
Angelina hurriedly nodded.
“Lady Aileen, you are so famous, after all. You were so beautiful even from afar, but seeing you up close, even I, as another woman, can’t take my eyes off you. Your silver hair is truly... enchanting.”
“Oh my. Thank you very much.”
Aileen smiled gently.
“Lady Angelina, your green hair is very charming as well. You really are lovely.”
“A-ah, no. I’m not someone pretty...”
Angelina waved her hands in flustered embarrassment.
Round glasses and faint freckles.
She was a little embarrassed by her own face.
“That’s not true.”
I said it casually.
“Lady Angelina, you’re pretty too.”
“Pardon?”
Angelina stared blankly at me.
“That’s why I spoke to you. I only talk to pretty people.”
I paused for a moment, then added,
“This time, I’m not lying.”
“What? What?”
Whoosh.
Angelina’s face turned red in an instant.
She’s really embarrassed.
In any case, Aileen seemed to have come to talk with Angelina rather than with me,
so at this point, it was only right for me to step aside.
“Then I’ll let the two of you enjoy your conversation.”
I said, taking a step back.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude without reading the room.”
After giving Angelina a light greeting first, I tried to leave naturally.
But at that moment, Aileen was staring at me silently.
She was looking so intently that I ended up feeling more flustered instead,
so I simply gave a slight bow for no reason and turned away.
“L-let’s talk again next time.”
At Angelina’s words from behind me, I turned back once more.
Then I smiled and gave a light nod.
Good.
My goal at this party had been Angelina, after all.
I had worried about what I would do if she felt burdened, but at the very least, it seemed I had opened the way.
That much was enough.
Since there was nothing more I could do at this party today,
I called Miles and returned.
***
A fortnight passed.
During that time, I did not attend any parties in particular.
Instead, I spent my time continuing to wander around various parts of the capital.
“Young master.”
Miles could not hold back and asked.
“Is it all right for you to play around like this every day? You haven’t gone to any parties at all.”
“It’s fine.”
“...”
To Miles, I must have truly looked as though I were just playing around.
Of course, that was not the case.
As I roamed about, I had been carefully observing what the merchants were selling,
what goods sold well in the capital,
and what people were spending money on these days.
All of that was information.
“We’re returning to the territory tomorrow. Prepare for it.”
“Tomorrow?”
Miles blinked.
“Will that be all right? I feel like the family head will scold you.”
“If anyone gets scolded, it’ll be me.”
“That’s true, but... well, understood.”
“Before we go, let’s have one more cup of coffee.”
“You really seem to like that bitter stuff.”
“That’s because you haven’t tasted the bitterness of life. Once you have, it tastes sweet.”
Miles looked at me as if wondering what nonsense I was spouting.
I chuckled and headed first toward the coffee shop.
A little while later, as I savored the deep aroma rising from the coffee that had been brought out,
I took a sip.
Feeling the rich fragrance spread through my mouth,
I slowly turned my gaze to the scenery around me.
Just then, someone approached and naturally sat in the seat across from me.
Miles was the first to flinch in surprise and rise from his seat.
“We meet again today.”
It was Aileen.
Sh-she startled me.
Why is this woman...
“Do you mind if I join you?”
In a way, it was a rather rude action.
But who would refuse to share a table with Aileen Belmardian?
Even if she was someone ill-fated to me, she was not someone who could directly affect each and every one of my actions right now.
I simply nodded without saying much.
“It seems you’re having a different coffee today.”
Aileen glanced at my cup.
“The scent is different.”
“I’m going back tomorrow, so I’m trying something else.”
“Oh my. You’re leaving already?”
“Yes.”
For a very brief moment, Aileen looked puzzled.
“When people usually come up to the capital, they tend to stay for at least two months. Especially during this season.”
She continued in a calm voice.
“But if you’re returning after only a fortnight... it looks like the behavior of someone with no money, or someone with no possibility of further advancement.”
It was a somewhat aggressive remark.
This way of speaking.
I knew it.
Testing the other person’s reaction and checking for openings—
it was one of the methods she often used.
I did not know why she was doing this to me now of all times,
but I simply laughed it off lightly.
“I suppose it could certainly look that way.”
There was no need to explain.
In truth, it wasn’t entirely wrong for it to look that way.
“If it is the Signal family...”
Aileen ran a fingertip once along the rim of her cup as she spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be better to stay longer and make yourself known?”
This time, she openly touched upon my family.
It was a dangerous thing to say.
Even if I showed the slightest displeasure here,
Aileen would be able to slip away very naturally.
After all, it was not as if she had clearly insulted me.
And in that process,
she would neatly collect only my reaction.
No, she’s probably doing that even now.
My tone, my expression, my attitude.
She was watching all of it.
But why is she doing this?
To me.
“Is that so?”
Still maintaining my smile, I answered.
“I’ll try doing that next time.”
“...”
At that moment, Aileen’s expression wavered ever so subtly.
Then she suddenly leaned forward a little.
Wh-what is it?
“Is something the matter...?”
“Hmm.”
Aileen stared at me intently and murmured,
“Am I not your type? That can’t be.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re far too different now compared to when you were talking with Lady Angelina.”
For a moment, I could not understand what she was saying.
“We were talking about books.”
I paused briefly, then added,
“Do you like books?”
At those words, Aileen narrowed her eyes and smiled.
“No. I said something rather silly.”
She quickly returned to her usual composed expression.
“There was something I wanted to check, so I stopped by for a moment.”
With those words, she rose from her seat.
“It was brief, but it was nice to see you. Have a safe trip back.”
Watching Aileen turn and leave just like that, I let out a hollow laugh.
She’s still the same.
But strangely, I did not feel bad.
Because even if it was like this,
it had been truly a long time since I had sat facing her and held a conversation.
“This is nice.”
***
Albarest, the capital and royal city of the Kingdom of Elstragad.
At the highest point of that capital stood the heart of the kingdom—the royal palace.
It was a place better described not with the word splendid,
but with grand and imposing.
Anyone who visited the capital would naturally feel the majesty of royal authority as they looked up at the magnificent main palace and the spires surrounding it.
There was a pressure to it so heavy that one’s head would lower of its own accord just by looking.
And today, a party was being held in that very place.
More precisely, a court banquet.
This was not a place just anyone could enter,
and only chosen nobles were permitted to attend.
And right now, Aileen was there.