Chapter 260: Eventful(2)
Chapter 260: Eventful(2)
Cherry arrived at our mansion just before the exhibition was set to begin. Since I had already informed everyone of her coming, she was let inside without any trouble.
Cherry remained in the form she had taken through Cecile’s magic, though her attire was modest, much like Marie’s. She wore a brown summer dress that complemented her current brown hair.
With her arms bared and the skirt falling to her knees, she looked truly lovely. Since she was fundamentally beautiful to begin with, even a plain dress made her look like the daughter of a noble house.
Of course, the most eye-catching feature was her chest. Since her size rivaled Cecile’s, it stood out exceptionally well. In truth, it was simply unavoidable.
Still, pretty was pretty. I watched Cherry fidgeting with her hands clasped together and gave her a sincere compliment.
"It suits you well."
"Hehe."
Cherry gave me a bashful smile at my praise. The fact that her eyes were still pitch black and dead was a flaw, but she seemed much brighter than before.
In truth, attending the Xenon Exhibition was practically a gamble for her. If she were caught, the Roseberry family would undoubtedly fly into a rage.
Even with Cecile’s disguise magic, her actual features couldn't be changed. If one looked closely, Cherry’s unique traits were visible here and there.
She had a generally gentle, puppy-like impression, including the slight droop at the corners of her eyes. Her most defining feature, however, was those dead eyes.
‘Still, people probably won't recognize her easily.’
Just as people remembered me as the 'redhead,' the same would apply to Cherry. There were plenty of people who wouldn't recognize me even if I disguised myself as she had.
Therefore, I intended to help Cherry enjoy this exhibition as much as possible. It would be difficult right now because of my role as a guide, but I planned to accompany her as soon as I had free time.
‘Leona said she’d manage on her own...’
For the record, Leona decided to enjoy the exhibition with my mother. She claimed she couldn't bring herself to ask me because I looked too busy.
Since I was the one who invited her, I felt guilty and compensated by providing her with money and various conveniences, including attendance at the performances. I could clearly picture her jumping for joy the moment she received the money.
At that time, Leona’s mother had scolded her sharply, asking if she wasn't being too materialistic. Leona had scratched her head and stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
Anyway, the matter with Leona was easily settled; all that remained was Cherry. Since I had to act as a guide, I needed someone to accompany her.
"I'll wait."
"What?"
"I'll wait until you come for me, Senior."
Just as I was about to suggest a suitable person, Cherry spoke up first, saying she would wait. I couldn't help but be dumbfounded by those words.
She would wait for me at the mansion without seeing the exhibited works? I couldn't even begin to guess what she meant.
Did she really mean she would wait at the mansion until I had free time, or was there another meaning mixed in?
I blinked at Cherry’s words, unable to read her inner thoughts at all, and asked cautiously.
"...Where?"
"Anywhere you say is fine, Senior."
"Even if I tell you to wait at the mansion, you'll do it?"
"Yes."
Good grief. I covered my face with one hand as a wave of frustration washed over me.
I had known for a while that I was the center of Cherry’s world. But facing it head-on was incredibly stifling.
To be honest, waiting at the mansion was the most realistic and decent method. My role as a guide would only last until lunchtime anyway, and I would have personal time after that.
The highlight performances were also scheduled for after dinner, so this could be considered a reasonable compromise.
‘Will it really be okay...?’
I looked at Cherry with a complicated expression. When I stared at her, she blinked slowly and tilted her head.
Her reaction, like that of a doll devoid of emotion, felt eerie.
Regardless, I was the one who invited her to the exhibition, so leaving her like this couldn't be seen in a good light. Eventually, I sighed and spoke.
"...Look around the exhibition until I find you. But if anything dangerous happens, ask a guard for help immediately. Got it?"
"Yes."
"I'm warning you, never go to secluded areas. And also..."
I gave her strict instructions, fearing she might run into trouble. Whether Cherry was listening to me or just spacing out, she simply stood there blinking.
It was true that I felt uneasy in many ways, but I couldn't forgive myself for just leaving her at the mansion.
It was better for her to attend the exhibition, if only for the sake of motivation. That was why I had invited her in the first place.
Then, just as my instructions were nearly finished, Cherry spoke up as if she had remembered something late.
"Oh, right. Senior."
"Yeah?"
"Did you know my father is also coming to the exhibition?"
"What?"
My eyes widened at the unexpected news Cherry shared. If she meant her father, that meant the head of the Roseberry family was coming.
The Roseberry family was a Count family—in other words, a family that wielded powerful influence even within the current Minerva Empire. It wasn't strange for them to attend the exhibition to build connections.
It seemed he was putting aside his animosity toward the Xenon Biography for the sake of politics. It was surprising, but not entirely unexpected.
But separate from that, one question came to mind.
"Did he tell you in a letter?"
"Yes."
"Did he say he wasn't taking you?"
"Yes."
"What kind of..."
What a trashy father. But seeing as she only pointed out her father, did that mean her mother wasn't attending?
"What about your mother?"
"She passed away a long time ago."
"...I'm sorry."
I shouldn't have asked. My attempt to avoid mentioning her family affairs as much as possible had resulted in a total disaster.
I hurried on to the next topic to somehow break the suddenly heavy atmosphere.
"Count Roseberry has pink hair like you, right?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
I was curious to see what kind of man he was. The Roseberry family was a family of philosophers; how could such a nonsensical philosopher have come from them?
Philosophy is a discipline that makes a person humble the deeper they delve into it. If one understood even a little of what the phrase 'Know thyself' from my previous life meant, they would quickly become humble.
Yet, far from supporting Cherry’s dream, Count Roseberry had cruelly crushed it. For a philosopher, that was a severe character flaw.
"Alright, I understand. Avoid him as much as possible. You said he has pink hair, so he’ll stand out."
"Yes."
"Then I’ll be going now. If anything happens, you must ask a guard for help. Got it?"
"Yes."
When would those stiff, doll-like answers ever end? I looked worriedly at Cherry, who was staring back with dark, hollow eyes.
Unaware of my feelings, Cherry simply blinked slowly once more and tilted her head.
‘Is this how it feels to leave a child by the water...?’
Since Cherry was someone who had lost all will to live just a few months ago, it was impossible not to worry.
Only after repeatedly cautioning Cherry was I able to make my way to the main gate. Upon reaching the gate, very familiar faces came into view.
"You're here?"
There was Marie, wearing a white dress that perfectly suited her style.
"You're a bit late?"
And there was Adelia, dressed neatly in formal attire that looked like something you'd see in a casino. Both of them were radiating their own unique charms.
Marie was Marie, but Adelia especially looked great. Unlike her usual attire of just a shirt and leather pants, she gave off a strong impression of being a guard.
I smiled as I looked at them. I didn't know what would happen next, but I didn't have a feeling that it would be particularly uncomfortable.
Lina would cover for Hiriya, and Cecile and Arwen were relatively close.
"Cecile went ahead, right?"
"Yeah. She's probably gone to meet Queen Arwen by now."
"I see. Where did you say Lina was?"
"She’ll be waiting in the center of town. Princess Hiriya is probably there too."
As soon as Marie mentioned Hiriya, I glanced at Adelia. When Adelia met my eyes, she gave a small smile and nodded.
It was a sign that she was fine, as if she had shaken off all her trauma. As soon as I confirmed that sign, I asked tentatively.
"Then I'll be in your care today, Big Sis."
At my question, Adelia replied with a confident smile, as if telling me not to worry.
No. To be precise, it was just as she was about to reply.
"Of course she should. She’ll have to take responsibility for my and Cecile’s share as well."
Marie’s voice flowed past smoothly. I heard it clearly since she spoke right next to me.
Because she spoke so naturally, I almost missed it, but it didn't take long to realize what those words meant.
Turning my gaze, I saw Marie wearing a devious smile. Furthermore, her blue eyes were directed not at me, but at Adelia.
Following that gaze to Adelia...
"... ..."
I saw Adelia, her confident smile having vanished without a trace. Her face was as red as a tomato, and her lips were trembling like waves.
I didn't know what kind of conversation had passed between Marie, Cecile, and Adelia. But seeing that reaction, I felt a certain conviction.
‘...Are they really yielding?’
In many ways, it was a moment that made me look forward to the night.
*
Meanwhile, around the time Isaac’s group had just stepped out of the mansion.
Lina, the Imperial Princess of the Minerva Empire, was quietly waiting for Isaac, who would be acting as a guide.
The place she was waiting was the center of town, where a fountain had been installed at some point.
Reflecting the Minerva Empire’s ambition to develop the Maishal territory into a cultural city, even the fountain displayed an artistic flair.
In truth, it could be seen as a great rudeness for a noble acting as a guide to keep a princess waiting. However, since it was Lina who had requested the guiding role, she held no complaints.
More than anything, she had no choice but to wait for Isaac because there was someone she currently needed to keep in check.
"He's later than I thought."
And that person was currently standing boldly right next to Lina. At the familiar voice, Lina glanced to her side.
Unlike Lina, who was holding a parasol, Hiriya stood with her arms crossed in her uniform, seemingly unfazed by the heat.
As a knight, her body was well-trained, and the uniform fit her quite well. Even so, Hiriya’s beautiful features could not be hidden.
Lina looked Hiriya up and down as she grumbled, then spoke quietly.
"We're the ones who came earlier than the scheduled time. Why don't you have a little patience?"
"If it weren't for you, I would have gone to find him myself."
At Lina’s clear retort, Hiriya glared at her with sharp eyes. Lina simply shrugged and brushed off the gaze.
Just as Hiriya said, if Lina hadn't asked Isaac to guide them, she would have gone straight to the mansion. However, by intervening, Lina had completely blocked Hiriya’s plan.
As if finding Hiriya pathetic, Lina gave a slight jab in her characteristically elegant voice.
"That's why you shouldn't mess with a man who has a fiancée. Especially the son-in-law of the Rekilis Duke family."
"Hmph."
Hiriya seemed to have nothing to say to that, only snorting and offering no other retort. Everything Lina said was true.
She was using any means necessary to take Isaac away from Adelia, whom she loved so dearly, but the scale had grown unexpectedly large.
After cooling her head, she realized she had made an unreasonable move, but it was too much of a waste to take it back. She hadn't even achieved her goal yet.
But that didn't mean she had no questions at all. Hiriya threw that question to Lina.
"But what is it about that redhead that makes you cherish him so much? Even if the Rekilis Duke family is a duke family in name only, their authority surely exists."
"... ..."
Lina didn't answer immediately. Or rather, her answer was delayed as she organized her thoughts.
As Hiriya questioned, the Rekilis Duke family was a business partner of the Imperial Family. Even if they lacked power, their authority was high, so other nobles couldn't mess with them lightly.
The same went for the engagement. If Isaac were a son-in-law taking the family name, it might be different, but Marie was the one coming to the Maishal family.
Of course, it was somewhat understandable since the eldest son, Kay, would inherit the headship of the Rekilis family instead of Marie. However, since the Maishal family was a Baron house, not a Count house, it remained a mystery.
Given this, it was natural for Hiriya, a princess, to have doubts. Even if there was a justification, the Imperial Family’s intervention would seem suspicious if one dug just a little deeper.
If one considered Isaac’s true identity, the unnatural points above would be understood at once. But Lina had no intention of revealing that.
The difference between knowing and not knowing created an even greater gap. If nothing else, the fact that Isaac was Xenon must not be revealed to the Ters Kingdom.
Fortunately, there was a suitable story, so Lina had no reason to be flustered.
"That's because Isaac’s family, the Maishal family's territory, is being transformed into a city for Xenon. They’ve been dating for a year, but the engagement was only recent."
"Is that so?"
"That’s how it is. So, why don't you give up? It would be a bit much for a petty grudge to turn into a diplomatic issue, wouldn't it?"
She didn't forget to provoke her in the middle. That was the political skill she had learned.
Hiriya realized the meaning behind Lina’s words, and the skin under her eyes twitched. She wanted to shout, but there were too many people watching.
"Hmph. If it were you, could you just stand by and watch while a worthless half-wit acts up? Especially after being insulted?"
"Then you should have treated him better from the start. Even if he's illegitimate, family is family, isn't it?"
"Ridiculous. An illegitimate child is ultimately nothing more than a lowly subordinate. Would it be any different for you?"
"I'm sorry, but my Father hates internal family strife."
Currently, Lina’s only sibling was Leort. This was because the Emperor had stopped touching women after fathering Lina.
The Emperor himself had ascended the throne through bloody family conflict, and perhaps because it remained a trauma, he was completely blocking any such possibility. Even when his ministers begged him to produce more heirs, he drew a firm line.
So, Lina’s words meant that since she didn't even have illegitimate siblings like their royalty did, the point was moot. It was a classic case of giving an inch and getting a mile in return.
"...I feel it every time, but you're as unpleasant as ever."
"Thanks for the compliment. Oh, right. There's one thing I'm curious about. Can I ask?"
"What is it?"
Lina shifted her gaze to meet Hiriya’s. Blue eyes and sky-blue eyes stared at each other.
"How will the Ters Kingdom act if Xenon reveals his identity?"
"What?"
"I'm asking what position your kingdom will take if Xenon reveals himself. Marriage, as expected?"
Hiriya’s eyes twitched as soon as she heard Lina’s question. It might sound quite sudden, but those words were directed at her.
If Xenon revealed his identity, they would use every method possible to connect with him. And an effective method among them was marriage.
In other words, it was no different from asking if she was willing to marry Xenon. To Hiriya herself, of all people.
Hiriya realized the meaning behind Lina’s words and smirked. It seemed like a provocation, but she wouldn't fall for it this time.
"Who knows. He’d probably be paired with Lara, not me. Since I might end up marrying that Isaac fellow."
"Dream on. Other than that? What does the Ters Kingdom plan to do for him?"
"Naturally, we would pour in every bit of support. A title, honor, money, and finally, even women. We will give him everything we can."
"Hmm..."
As soon as Lina heard her words, she smirked and muttered softly.
"What use is that to someone who already has everything..."
"What did you say?"
"Good luck. I'll be rooting for you."
"Then what about you all? What do you plan to do?"
At Hiriya’s question, Lina shrugged and replied nonchalantly.
"Who knows?"