Chapter 65 — Romeo Fixes the Cravat
Chapter 65 — Romeo Fixes the Cravat
Translation: Godtl
"No matter what, that cravat just didn't seem right."
Romeo, who had suddenly approached, deftly untied the cravat around Lelia's neck and tossed it aside carelessly.
In Romeo's hand was a cravat he had grabbed when entering the dressing room earlier.
He tied a cravat with an ornate pattern around Lelia's neck. His hands were certainly more skilled than the clumsy Lelia's.
Lelia watched his movements carefully. So that she wouldn't struggle and could tie it well tomorrow morning.
Just then, suddenly Lelia raised her gaze to look at Romeo's face, then quickly lowered it.
"……."
Being this close, something felt strange.
Romeo, just like when he was young, still had fair skin and beautiful eyes.
But perhaps because he had grown so much? Suddenly he felt somewhat unfamiliar.
When she lowered her head, her attention went somewhere else this time.
Now that she thought about it, a very pleasant scent was coming from Romeo. A scent that was like flowers yet also refreshing.
When she unconsciously sniffed, Romeo's expression wrinkled.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry…."
Romeo grumbled annoyingly but still perfectly tied the new cravat around Lelia's neck.
Seeing her appearance in the mirror, Lelia's expression brightened.
She looked much more vibrant just from changing the cravat. At least now she didn't think she would look like Romeo's servant.
"Thank you."
When Lelia expressed her gratitude, Romeo left the dressing room as if he barely heard her.
The clerks who had gathered and were whispering immediately straightened their posture and bowed.
Lelia, who followed out after, handed the measuring tape she was holding to a clerk.
"The purchased garments will be altered and delivered to your residence by tomorrow. Where should we deliver them…."
The clerk spoke carefully to Romeo. Romeo, as if what he had chosen earlier wasn't enough, was now looking at hats.
Romeo instructed them to package several hats together and said,
"To the Imperial Detached Palace. If you say it's for Prince Romeo, the servants will take care of it."
"……!"
At those words, the clerk's eyes went wide like a startled rabbit.
"Are we heading straight back to the Imperial Palace?"
"Why, do you have business?"
"No, not that... but since we're out...."
As Lelia hesitated, Romeo thought for a moment before speaking.
"Then let's have lunch before we go."
"That sounds good."
Lelia breathed an internal sigh of relief. She pulled down the gentleman's hat Romeo had given her on the way out.
If they returned to the Imperial Palace now, Romeo would just go to his room.
She had no excuse to follow him inside and stick around, so it was better to stay out a bit longer.
'The best day....'
The reason Lelia was worrying was because of the quest.
To give that sensitive Romeo the best day possible.
Following Romeo into the carriage, it departed soon after. They were heading to an area where restaurants were gathered.
However, Lelia's worries continued even after the meal, while they walked around the plaza.
She couldn't think of how to improve Romeo's mood.
Then Romeo suddenly stopped walking.
Lelia, following behind, looked at his back in confusion.
"So this was it."
Romeo let out a hollow laugh as if realizing something. Then he suddenly entered a shop nearby.
"Why, why are you doing that?"
"Wait."
Lelia stared blankly at the shop Romeo had entered. It was a small art shop.
But there was a painting hanging inside the shop window. Lelia frowned as soon as she saw it.
Meanwhile, Romeo, who had entered the shop, asked the owner.
"Hey, is the painting out front for sale?"
"Oh my, a customer as soon as I put it up? Yes, yes! It's for sale. Shall I wrap it for you?"
Art shops in busy areas often sold paintings by aspiring artists on consignment.
"How much do paintings like that usually sell for?"
When Romeo asked, the clerk answered proudly.
"You mean the handsome man's portrait? It starts from at least 5 million shillings."
"A handsome man's portrait... Quite expensive for the skill level. Is it by a famous painter?"
"No, it's still by an aspiring artist. If you think it's expensive, just go! It's worth whatever people are willing to pay anyway."
"Do paintings like that sell well these days?"
"You have no idea! We can barely keep them in stock."
"Ha."
Romeo let out a hollow laugh in disbelief and came back outside.
Then he found Lelia, who was looking at the painting with a wrinkled expression, and stood beside her with a mischievous smile.
"Wow. Must be nice, right?"
"W-what do you mean?"
"I heard paintings like this are selling like crazy in the capital lately."
"...."
"Look, it looks just like you."
Lelia couldn't deny it.
The painting was a portrait of a man with very elegant lines, but no matter how she looked at it, it didn't feel like a man.
He had no beard and no Adam's apple, but his hairstyle and clothes were definitely male.
"Is it perhaps a painting of a woman in men's clothing?"
"No. They probably painted it because a man like this doesn't exist in reality. Well, there are quite a few men without Adam's apples."
"...."
"This is why people have been staring at you since earlier."
Lelia looked at Romeo with wide eyes as if asking if that were true.
She had been so focused on Romeo's quest that she hadn't noticed the surrounding gazes.
'...Did I get caught by people?'
Lelia gulped in anxiety. But Romeo seemed to think differently.
"Actually, it's a good thing. If paintings like this are trending, no one will suspect you."
"Why?"
"No one thinks of this painting as a woman. They think of it as an imaginary man that's hard to find in reality."
"...."
That was a relief. Lelia breathed a sigh of relief and observed Romeo.
Romeo grumbled, 'Why do people even like a face like that?' while looking at the painting.
Honestly, in Lelia's eyes, Romeo seemed much more beautiful and handsome than the man in that painting.
Thinking that, Lelia went "Ah!" and made a sound.
Why didn't I think of this? She felt foolish for deliberately worrying in such a complicated way until now.
Romeo is very simple. So he really likes it when someone praises or compliments him.
It was the same when he was young.
Making the best day for Romeo might actually be very easy.
She just needed to stick around all day and compliment him.
Lelia said with conviction.
"I really don't understand why a man like that is popular. In my eyes, Romeo seems much more handsome than that painting."
Sure enough, Romeo's lips curled up. Lelia whispered softly.
"Look. If a man is as scrawny as that painting, does he have charm? He's not even a woman in men's clothing like me."
"Right?"
"Yes. Unlike that painting, Romeo has a great build and a sharp jawline. Just like a god from mythology paintings."
Even as the compliments crossed the line, Romeo accepted them as if nothing was wrong. Lelia decided not to stop.
"That man in the painting is probably very short too. He won't be tall like Romeo. I've always thought that to be a true handsome man, one needs to be tall like Romeo and have broad shoulders."
"You're quite thoughtful, aren't you?"
Like that, as they rode the carriage back to the Imperial Palace.
[Quest Complete! ✧*.◟(ˊᗨˋ)◞.*✧ Receiving rewards!]
∙ Affection Check Ticket 1 piece
∙ Special Recipe Puzzle Piece 1 piece
∙ Lv. 1 Random Gift Box[?] 1 piece
∙ Alchemy Lottery Ticket 1 piece
Lelia was able to complete the quest quite easily.
Romeo hummed a tune while looking out the carriage window. It was the satisfied expression of someone who had experienced the best day.
Then the next quest window appeared.
[Raise Special Affection Target's affection by <10> more!]
※ Quest Story Progress: 10%
The quest progression format was the same.
Anyway, succeeding like this made her very happy. Though it was a bit absurd....
Lelia accepted the quest and moved to the item list.
She put off the ticket as before and opened the random gift box.
Last time, useless ingredients came out. What would it be this time?
Opening it with expectation, 'Special Recipe Puzzle Piece 1 piece 'appeared additionally.
'At least this will be useful later, so that's rather fortunate....'
Lelia breathed a sigh of relief and looked out the window following Romeo.
Before she knew it, the Imperial Palace was drawing near.
'Now the important thing is the sub-quest.'
Lute's holy artifact, and the Special Shop.
When the Special Shop opens, she could scratch lottery tickets like before.
Scratching lottery tickets was essentially like a gacha draw, where one could aim for a jackpot at once.
One could get very rare items, or enormous amounts of crystals or gold.
'Or maybe the ingredients for that special recipe.'
Lelia made various guesses based on her long gaming experience.
Meanwhile, the carriage arrived at the Imperial Palace.
Romeo, still in a good mood, invited Lelia to have tea and even dinner together.
After stopping by her room and heading to Romeo's quarters, Kalix was already there.
Fortunately, this time he was wearing clothes.
Romeo was sitting on the reception room sofa drinking tea, and Kalix was lying on the long sofa across from him.
He was large enough that his shoulders and legs stuck out, but he didn't seem to mind.
Kalix had his eyes closed with furrowed brows.
'He doesn't seem to be sleeping.'
Lelia, sitting diagonally across, stared at Kalix.
Maybe his eyes hurt.
That part had been on her mind anyway.
Before long, Kalix would lose his sight completely.
Lelia worried whenever she had a moment if there was anything she could do for Kalix.
She looked through the in-game recipes with hope, but there was nothing that would help his sight.
But it wasn't that there was no method at all.
'Holy artifact, or the Philosopher's Stone.'
With those, she would be able to treat Kalix's eyes.
The two holy artifacts each granted the wish of their possessor, and Lelia and Lute had already used one each.
If those two holy artifacts were combined, one more greater wish could be granted.
Lelia had a goal she wanted to confess to her friends who had broken the spell of the aphorism, but she considered healing Kalix's eyes more important.
So Lelia decided to also aim for another method, the 'Philosopher's Stone.'
To do that, there was a lot to do, so it would take a long time.... But it wasn't impossible.
Lelia looked at Kalix with a pitying gaze.
Doing so, she suddenly recalled childhood.
Back then, Kalix wasn't small either, but she didn't know he would grow this big. Romeo was the same.
Even though Lelia wasn't short either, the difference was significant.
'Now I can't even dream of carrying Kalix on my back like when we were young.'
Let alone carrying him, it would be difficult to even support him.
While thinking such thoughts, Kalix's eyes suddenly opened.
"You're here?"
Kalix greeted Lelia and rose groggily.