Chapter 71 — The Glass Conservatory
Chapter 71 — The Glass Conservatory
Translation: Godtl
The servant guided Lelia to a glass conservatory in the garden. It was smaller than the Crystal House where the previous tea party had been held, but it had a cozier feel.
"Oh my, you've arrived."
As the door opened, Princess Julianna and her ladies-in-waiting welcomed Lelia.
The moment she saw them gathered around a pretty tea table, tension washed over her.
'She said it was a very private, small tea party...'
Excluding Princess Julianna, there were three more ladies present.
She looked back just in case, but it seemed no one else had been invited.
She was the only male invited to this tea party—the one wearing the mask of 'Raymond.'
Realizing this, her mouth went dry.
"It's nice to see you, Sir Raymond. Please come and sit here."
Cecil, who had come to find Lelia earlier, guided her to a seat.
Lelia walked over with an awkward smile, hiding her nervous expression.
Once seated, she felt like her breath was caught in her throat.
"...."
The four women seated at the large round tea table were all looking only at her.
Seeing Lelia's pupils darting around, not knowing where to place her gaze, the ladies-in-waiting twitched their lips, holding back laughter.
Princess Julianna, who had been wearing a smile on her lips, spoke in an elegant tone.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation, Sir Raymond."
"It is my honor."
"Actually, I heard that Sir Cedric was a bit rude to you. I invited you with the intention of apologizing on his behalf."
"Ah... that's not necessary."
While saying this, Lelia internally scoffed.
This was definitely an excuse.
After saying she was grateful for Lelia's understanding, Julianna formally introduced each of the ladies-in-waiting.
"We greeted earlier, didn't we? I am Cecil."
The blonde young lady was the daughter of a count's family.
"I am Cordelia."
The small-statured young lady with purple hair seated next to Lelia was the daughter of a marquis's family.
"I am Dorothy."
Lastly, the brown-haired young lady was said to be the daughter of a viscount's family.
Without exception, they were all young ladies from good families.
Seeing their elegant demeanor, Lelia suddenly felt embarrassed to be sitting here in male disguise.
'Get it together. Just think about the sacred artifact that will cure Kalix.'
After calmly counting to ten internally, her mind settled down.
Come to think of it, the red-haired young lady seen at yesterday's tea party was nowhere to be seen.
She was the one who had asked Lelia particularly many questions. They all had seemed close together.
Thinking to break the ice, she asked about that young lady, and suddenly the atmosphere turned cold.
"...."
Julianna and the ladies-in-waiting exchanged troubled glances.
'What, did I ask something insensitive?'
As Lelia blinked in confusion, Julianna spoke with a smile.
"Unfortunately, that young lady is in poor health. She couldn't come today."
"Ah, I see."
Just then, Cecil, who had been hesitating, cautiously asked.
"By any chance, were you interested in that young lady, Sir Raymond?"
"Ah, no. I was just curious."
"Lady Grace is rather eye-catching, I suppose..."
Cecil pouted her lips cutely.
Just then, Julianna suddenly clapped her hands and changed the subject.
"Let's not talk about that and have a pleasant conversation instead. Sir Raymond, how did you spend your time in your hometown? Are there many parties there too?"
"...Yes. Parties weren't rarely held. Of course, not as many as in the capital."
Lelia had asked Romeo more about 'Parmenia' yesterday just in case, and she thought she had done well.
"Parmenia is a city with many mines. Especially rubies and diamonds are famous."
Romeo had said that 'Parmenia' was one of the places with the most mines in the Roseberry Empire.
Originally, the Roseberry Empire was famous as a gemstone-producing country.
"As expected, it wasn't the countryside! Sir Raymond, your appearance and attire have such refined style, so I thought that might be the case."
"That's right!"
Lelia smiled small as she watched the young ladies kindly chiming in.
Being with girls her age reminded her of Becky, the maid she had left behind in the territory.
Would Becky be doing well around now?
Perhaps because an affectionate smile appeared without her realizing, the young ladies exchanged surprised glances.
The young lady named Cecil's cheeks turned pink.
"By any chance..."
"When talking about your hometown, such a wonderful smile appears. Do you perhaps have a lover you left behind in your hometown?"
Just as Cecil was about to say something, Julianna interjected and asked playfully.
Instantly, Cecil's expression darkened slightly.
Lelia watched that for a moment before coming to her senses.
Julianna and the ladies-in-waiting were looking at her with shining eyes, expecting an answer.
'This is a chance.'
A chance to present herself as a playboy.
"Yes, well. There are one or two, I suppose."
When Lelia said this nonchalantly, the young ladies looked surprised and then burst into giggles.
"I knew it! Someone as beautiful as Sir Raymond couldn't possibly have no lovers. I just didn't expect there to be several."
"I thought you seemed so shy that you wouldn't have any lovers! But several!"
Cordelia and Dorothy spoke in turn, and Lelia smiled as naturally as possible.
At that, Cecil said sullenly.
"B-But how can you have multiple lovers? I don't think I could stand it if my lover met other women..."
Lelia thought for a moment and answered like this.
"I used to think that way too... But one day, they came to me and said they had agreed to share me together, so please accept them. I had no choice. They were all lovely young ladies."
"......!"
Everyone's mouths fell open at Lelia's outrageous words.
'Ugh. I feel like throwing up.'
Lelia had said it herself, but it was truly obnoxious.
At this point, the young ladies before her would probably think of her as a trashy playboy.
However, for some reason, Cordelia and Dorothy's faces turned very red.
On the other hand, Cecil looked somehow teary, and Julianna frowned.
Lelia thought this was the moment and continued speaking.
"Ah, but Sir Lute who went to the party with me is different. He swore to stake his life on one woman forever... Unlike me. Of course, His Highness Prince Romeo and Sir Kalix are the same."
Lelia very confidently asserted that 'only I am trash.'
This should be enough, right?
She would become a trashy man second to none under heaven... but that was fine. She could obtain the sacred artifact.
Starting with that, Lelia began listing praises for Lute.
Making up things both true and false to create merits, everyone grew more curious.
"I didn't know Sir Lute had such a side."
"Sir Lute is truly a wonderful gentleman."
When such responses started coming out, Lelia internally cheered.
She couldn't leave out her friends either.
If she could, Lelia wanted to let everyone in the world know about her friends' excellence.
"His Highness Romeo is truly a gentle person. Of course, he has no lover either."
"Oh my, is that so."
"Sir Kalix is also a very delicate person contrary to his appearance."
"Ah-ha."
"How about Sir Oscar and Sir Griffith, who have temporarily returned to their home country?"
Lelia excitedly praised them.
The ladies-in-waiting nodded soullessly at her words.
Actually, they were all listening with one ear and letting it flow out the other, just staring at Lelia.
Honestly, if not for 'Sir Raymond' before their eyes, they too would have been interested in Romeo, Kalix, or Lute first.
However, most of the capital's noblewomen currently had their tastes transformed for too long due to Donatelli's paintings.
The ladies-in-waiting gazed rapturously at the handsome man before them who looked like he might pop right out of a painting.
Even his calm voice and polite manner of speech were charming.
Not knowing this, Lelia alone excitedly continued listing Lute's praises.
Meanwhile, Princess Julianna said nothing and just gazed fixedly at Lelia.
'Why does he keep praising only Lute and other men?'
Julianna wondered internally.
Suddenly declaring he has multiple lovers like a playboy was strange too.
He seemed completely different from yesterday.
Of course, it could be because his tension had eased... but honestly, he didn't look like a playboy.
With such beautiful features, it could be true, though.
Perhaps handsome portrait paintings by the painter Donatelli were popular even in a place called Parmenia.
Anyway, it was a bit strange.
'Somehow it seems like it's because of me.'
Julianna smiled slightly, raising the corners of her mouth.
It was amusing because his inner thoughts were so transparently visible.
She also found it a bit cute because it was unexpected.
'He wants me to be jealous.'
Saying he has many lovers back home, and immediately listing Lute's praises—it all seemed to be because of her.
Actually, she had been unsure, but when Sir Raymond kept glancing at her and checking her reaction, she couldn't not know.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to be so conscious of her.
'He's quite a cute person.'
As a return gift, Julianna flashed a bright smile toward Sir Raymond.
However, seeing that smile, Sir Raymond—Lelia—had a different thought.
'It worked!'
The praise for Lute had worked. By now, Julianna's mind must be filled with thoughts of Lute.
Even the other ladies-in-waiting were murmuring that Lute was wonderful, so that was that.
As the tea party was drawing to a close, Princess Julianna spoke.
"Oh right. In a few days, I'm holding a ball. Since all the young ladies of the capital must attend, I hope you will grace us with your presence as well."
"Ah, then may I attend with Sir Lute?"
"Of course."
With those words, Lelia bid a polite farewell to Julianna and the ladies-in-waiting and returned to her quarters.
Upon returning to her quarters, her legs went weak.
Lelia collapsed onto the sofa in the reception room.
'But it was a success.'
After resting a bit, she would go find Lute and urge him, and he would confess to Julianna.
'But still...'
Lelia recalled the discomfort she had felt throughout the tea party.
She felt the discomfort because of Julianna's attitude.
'Perhaps because she grew up so preciously...'
In the original work, Julianna had grown up as preciously as a jewel among jewels.
Emperor Perseus was an extremely doting father, and the Empress was the same.
And Cedric and Damian were beyond words. In some ways, they were even more so than Emperor Perseus.
Perhaps because of that, Julianna seemed to have a personality that needed everything to revolve around her to be satisfied.
What she felt during their conversations was that Julianna frequently interrupted the other ladies-in-waiting. Of course, no malice was felt.
It reminded her of the son of the Creek family in the Superion territory who had grown up being spoiled. Of course, Julianna had a much gentler nature than that child....
The Emperor and Empress had even raised Julianna with such words since childhood.
"Everyone in the world loves you."
"There is no one in this world who won't love you."
Of course, thanks to that, her nature was pure and positive, but there would inevitably be negative influences without realizing it.
Well, in the novel, everyone actually did like Julianna.
Lelia shook her head.
Let's stop these thoughts.
What was important right now was Lute's quest.
'Anyway, making myself look like a playboy was a success.'
Now that it had come to this, she would have to show such a side at the ball as well. If her words and actions were different, they would be suspicious.
'I'll have to throw glances at all sorts of young ladies. Should I wink?'
She was contemplating this and that.
'Ah, right.'
Suddenly remembering, Lelia opened the inventory window.
She had forgotten due to various matters, but she needed to check the reward list received yesterday.
∙ Lv.? Random Gift Box x1
Perhaps because of that question mark, she had a feeling something good might come out.
As she whispered 'Open' while looking at the button in her mind, a gift box image appeared.
After pausing for a moment, the gift box soon went Pop! and burst open, showing an item.
A golden, gleaming item appeared.
'What is this?'
She didn't know what it was, but it looked like a good item at first glance.
[Try using the 'Help Mode' of Alchemist, the mascot of the Alchemy Lottery! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ Alchemist will become the best guide for you right this moment! ٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑)૭✧]
'Hmm...'
Alchemist referred to the alchemy tool that was the main mascot of the 'Alchemy Lottery' game.
That alchemy tool that would push aside the system window at any time and take over all notification windows.
When she executed the small 'Create' button floating in the lower right corner, a large magic cauldron appeared.
The alchemy tool was boiling blue magic medicine and smiling brightly.
Right now, just seeing that alchemy tool made her annoyed, but in her past life, she too had thought that alchemy tool was cute.
Game users also called that tool 'Alchemist' and found it cute.
'Help mode, guide...'
It was a system she had never experienced, so she couldn't predict what it would be like.
But seeing the item name shining golden, it was definitely a good item.
There was no way it wouldn't be good.
'Don't know, let's try using it first.'
[Will you use the item? (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑]
'Yeah.'
When she gave the command internally, a small window appeared.
[system: Optimization for item use is in progress.]
Along with the text, optimization proceeded through a long loading window.
'It's taking a while.'
It seemed like it would take longer than expected, and she was just getting up to go find Lute.
Lute came to find her first.
Lute's expression brightened upon hearing what had happened today. He looked at Lelia with moved eyes.
"I will never forget your kindness, truly!"
"There's no need for that... but you should confess quickly first."
"Alright! Then on the day of the ball, I'll confirm my feelings for certain and confess."
At his firmly determined tone, Lelia nodded.
As they walked, they found themselves near the main castle before they knew it. Lelia realized this and hesitated.
"We should head back now. Anyway, I hope you confess as soon as possible, Sir Lute."
"...Yes? I understand."
Lute found it strange seeing Lelia hesitating as if flustered, but he quickly followed after her.
Lelia let out a breath of relief.
During her stay in the imperial castle, she had been avoiding the main castle as much as possible.
She was in disguise, but there was a chance she might be flustered if she suddenly encountered Emperor Perseus.
Upon arriving at the quarters, she could see servants busily moving about, indicating that Romeo and Kalix had returned.
'That works out perfectly.'