Does It Suit Me?
Does it suit me?
I stood before the mirror, carefully evaluating my own appearance.
It was an outfit I had already tried on a few days ago, yet I was checking it again.
The skirt was a plain long skirt, so it wouldn't look out of place.
The sweater I wore on top was warm and seemed appropriately plain.
Was this enough?
It wasn't enough to make me stand out to the princess, but...
"Why am I suddenly comparing myself to the princess."
It was a completely unnecessary thought.
Why was I comparing myself to the princess all of a sudden?
It was a question I couldn't even understand myself.
Was I finally going crazy?
"Sigh."
I stopped admiring my outfit and went outside as promised with Kyle.
Since it was still winter, the weather was cold.
Of course, I was wearing four layers of clothes, so I wasn't freezing.
"Miss Sophia."
"Lord Kyle."
Kyle was dressed appropriately, unlike me.
After all, he didn't get cold easily, so he didn't need to layer up.
"Shall we head down now?"
"Yes."
With Kyle, we passed through the castle gates and descended to the village.
On the way down, there was nothing special.
We were just having a normal conversation.
"For now, Father said he will remain as the duke until the end of the year. He said he can't hand over the responsibilities right after I come of age because there are too many things to do."
"Is that so? Then you should be able to relax until the end of the year."
"Yes. So, if there are things I need to do this year, I'll take care of them."
Things to do... Is there really something Kyle needs to do now?
I pondered for a moment, but nothing came to mind.
Previously there were social debuts and coming-of-age ceremonies, but those are all over now.
While thinking what might be there, I walked, but nothing came to mind.
"Is there anything specific you need to do for me, Lord Kyle? As far as I'm concerned, I can't think of anything..."
"A lot. A lot, actually, so it's worrying."
"Is that so?"
A lot, huh.
So, there are many things Kyle has to do that I don't know about.
"Miss Sophia, don't you have many things to do as well?"
"I..."
Do I have many things to do...? I'm not sure.
Since I haven't thought of anything besides quitting my job in a few months, I didn't have anything specific in mind.
"I don't know."
"Really? Well, it's something to think about slowly."
"Yes."
*
"Lord Kyle, if it's not a bother, may I ask a question?"
"A question?"
There was always something I was curious about.
Every time I came here, I wondered why I kept coming.
"Why do you come to this restaurant every time we go down? Since the first time, you've only come to this restaurant."
"Ah."
It was strange that I kept coming to this restaurant every time, literally.
There are many restaurants in Eristirol, so why this one specifically?
It was really strange that I kept coming here every time.
"Somehow, I've been coming here only."
"That's right."
"Well, there's no special reason. It was just the place I came with Miss Sophia when I first came down."
"..."
"That's really why I've been coming here. Ah, should we try going somewhere else next time?"
"If you wish, I can go anywhere."
It was a bit flattering, but there was no problem.
I didn't have any complaints about coming here specifically.
I was just curious and asked.
Because it was the first place I came with you... Honestly, it felt a bit good.
It was like commemorating the first place we came.
"Then, for today's dinner, let's try going to a different restaurant."
"Yes."
After eating the food we came out with Kyle, we had lunch.
Since I had been here several times already, I didn't feel any new sensation or that it was particularly delicious.
It was just that it felt comfortable because it was a time spent alone with Kyle without the princess for the first time in a while.
Thinking about it, I hadn't had such comfortable time for several days.
Since the princess came, I hadn't had time to relax like this, and Kyle had always been attached to the princess.
"Miss Sophia, is there any food you can't eat?"
"I can't eat... Well, there isn't anything I can't eat. I have foods I dislike, but nothing I can't eat."
There was nothing I couldn't eat.
Because in my previous life, I had eaten things like pig's intestines, liver, cow's blood, and extremely smelly sashimi.
There was nothing I couldn't eat in this world right now.
"What are the foods you dislike?"
"Um... sweet foods...?"
"Surprisingly, I thought you liked sweet foods."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Did Kyle see me as a woman who likes sweet foods?
No, most women like sweet foods anyway, so it could be.
Since the women around me also like sweet foods, it could be.
"Hmm..."
"Do you have any foods you dislike, Lord Kyle?"
I wasn't managing Kyle's diet, but it came up in the flow of conversation.
Since Kyle asked, I asked too.
"If I have to choose, vegetables."
"Vegetables..."
It was a childish answer.
Disliking vegetables as a food...
"Pfft..."
Kyle, who had become taller than me, with a head taller than two, disliked vegetables... I thought Kyle had become an adult with coming-of-age and everything, but he was still younger than me.
"Rather than vegetables, meat suits my taste better."
"That's... right... pfft..."
I knew I shouldn't show such a reaction as an employee, but honestly, it was so funny I couldn't hold back.
"If you want to laugh, you can laugh. I like the sight of Miss Sophia laughing."
"Laughing is okay?"
Permission was given.
Then...
"Fuh... fuh... Lord Kyle, you're not a child, and disliking vegetables is too..."
"Too what?"
"Too cute. Honestly, it was really funny."
"Haha..."
"Next time, I'll ask the chef at the castle to remove the vegetables. After all, Lord Kyle of our castle dislikes vegetables."
"If you do that, I'll be grateful."
Having a conversation with Kyle was really comfortable.
Recently, my mind had been very uncomfortable, but talking comfortably with Kyle made it too comfortable.
I used to always feel this comfortable, but why was it uncomfortable lately?
"Well, now let's get up. If I keep sitting, it will be a nuisance."
"Yes."
It wasn't a full escort from Kyle, but using Kyle's hand, I got up from the chair.
And leaving the restaurant, walking on the street, we entered a clothing store.
It wasn't the store that sold the revealing dresses I went to before, but a really plain store.
It was a store that sold clothes suitable for late teens girls.
"I couldn't think of any place to take Miss Sophia right now, so I came to a place like this. Is that okay?"
"... Yes."
If Kyle wanted to come, there was nothing I could do.
And unlike last time, there wasn't any strange clothes, and it was a store selling really plain clothes, so there was no problem.
If it was a store selling strange dresses like last time... it would have been difficult.
"Today's clothes are pretty, but I wanted to buy some other clothes too. Since Miss Sophia is pretty, you'll look even prettier when you dress up."
"You say I'm pretty, that probably..."
It was a bit too much, wasn't it?
Compared to the noble young ladies I've met so far, anyone would choose other young ladies over me.
Even if in my previous life I was a man with a mixed head of male and female, the appearance itself doesn't change, so even more so.
"No. Really, you're pretty."
"..."
Kyle was saying it very seriously while looking at me.
There was a different atmosphere from usual.
It felt extremely serious.
I hadn't seen such an expression even at coming-of-age or debutante balls.
"You shouldn't tease an adult."
Why was he saying I was pretty so seriously.
"If Her Highness the Princess or Lady Catherine or the white rose said such words, you shouldn't."
"What? Anyway, they're not around."
"Even so, it can't be helped."
"Ha... okay. Then let's choose clothes together. Clothes Miss Sophia will wear."
"Yes."
Anyway, we started choosing clothes with Kyle.
Kyle knew I didn't like wearing revealing clothes, so he wasn't recommending those.
It was really fortunate.
If Kyle forced me to wear them, I wouldn't know how to refuse.
As a noble and employer, if he said that, as a commoner and employee, I had no choice but to wear revealing clothes.
"This kind of clothes would suit you too. What do you think?"
"I'll try it on."
Kyle recommending several women's clothes while looking at me, unlike last time, he recommended plain pretty women's clothes, so I decided to try them on.
Actually, if he had recommended plain clothes like last time, I would have tried them.
No, I had tried on that strange dress back then too.
So, I started changing clothes in the fitting room.
The clothes I was wearing were long skirt and knit sweater, so it was very warm, but when I took them off, it felt extremely cold.
So, I changed quickly.
A one-piece dress that slightly showed the cleavage.
"Ah..."
Was it because it was tight?
I didn't expect it to look like this when I saw it.
This kind of clothes, rather than showing, would look better if not shown.
Showing the cleavage unnecessarily made the body look bigger.
Actually, my body weight wasn't that much, but with this, it felt like a backlash.
"How is it...? It seems like I look too big..."
I came out of the fitting room wearing only the one-piece and turned around to tell Kyle.
It was a fluffy one-piece, not a tight one, so it was comfortable.
If only the chest area was handled, it would have been good.
"... It suits you."
"...?"
Was that the case...?
It didn't seem to appeal to my eyes, but Kyle said it suited me.
Was my fashion sense old?