Young Master! Why Me?!

Skadi's confession had come out of nowhere, and the moment the words left her, a long silence settled between her and Herbena. Skadi, the one who had found the courage to speak first, was having a miserable time of it, trying to hide hands that would not stop trembling.

Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...

She twisted a lock of her hair around her finger and could not even lift her eyes. Herbena let out a faint sigh and spoke.

"Yeah."

"Huh?"

"I figured as much."

Skadi gaped, her mouth opening and closing with nothing coming out, until Herbena tipped her head toward the laboratory.

"Want to have a cup of tea in the lab?"

"Huh?"

"Let's talk over tea."

"Okay."

"Good thing I tidied up."

While Herbena brewed the tea, Skadi looked around the laboratory. The first thing to catch her eye was the black dress Blow had bought her, hanging in plain sight on an otherwise bare wall.

She did the same thing. If the servants weren't around, I would have hung mine on the wall too...

She had emptied an entire wardrobe just to hang the dress she and Blow had bought together, and the sight was so like her own that a quiet laugh escaped her before she knew it.

A little later a teacup rested in Skadi's hands, and another in Herbena's, who had taken a seat on the bed a short distance away. Silence flowed between them once more. Skadi was still searching for a way to begin when Herbena spoke first.

"Why are you so frozen up?"

"I'm just sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I mean — you made it so obvious, and I went and liked him anyway, without a second thought."

"Then if I told you not to like him, could you actually stop?"

"Wha—? If I could, I never would have said anything."

"Same for me."

"Huh?"

"Even if you told me not to, I have no intention of stopping."

Herbena turned her gaze on her and went on, her tone gone a little stiff.

"Even if you'd liked him first, I'm shameless enough that I still would have liked the young master all the same. I don't know what you would have thought of me then."

"......"

"You're not liking the young master just to get under my skin, are you?"

"Of course not!"

"Then that's enough. You're not even dating him yet. And it's not as if I've... succeeded at anything either..."

Color rose in Herbena's face, as if the mere imagining made her tremble. Only then did Skadi let out the breath she had been holding and gently take her hand.

"I'm sorry. You looked really angry."

"The truth is, I was a little angry. Back at the Black Bridge Gathering."

"I would have been too, in your place."

"Anyone could see it, and you just kept insisting it wasn't true."

Skadi flinched and clutched at her long hair.

"It... it showed?"

"Jane wasn't even surprised."

"Right. Jane didn't say much either."

"Maybe enough time has passed. Or maybe it's because you were honest with me like this. I'm not as angry as I was then."

"I'm glad."

"Listen."

Herbena squeezed the hand Skadi was holding even tighter and spoke as if she were pleading.

"Let's not make this awkward between us. The young master will notice."

"I— I think that's better too. Blow doesn't even seem to have thought about any of it yet...!"

"And we might not be able to help each other, but let's not get in each other's way."

"Okay."

There was real force in Herbena's words. Skadi nodded, sensing they had reached the conclusion she wanted.

"And if one of us does end up dating the young master, we don't gloat. Not to each other."

"I think that's better too."

They gripped each other's hands tight. All the while Herbena watched the hunched Skadi and offered her a small, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bright smile.

I have no intention of losing. I won't let myself lose.

Watch me after the finals. See how I pull ahead.

Unlike Herbena, who carried that certainty in herself, Skadi was simply relieved she had managed to get through the moment at all. Something she had never expected was stirring in her head. The feelings for Blow that she had kept putting off — vague things she had turned away from out of guilt toward Herbena — were beginning, at last, to come into focus.

If I could live with Blow the way Father and Mother do.

If every night, after work, we could drink together, laugh when something good happened, and hold each other when something hurt...

That would be wonderful.

I don't think anything could make me happier.

Skadi drew a starting line in front of herself. Now that those feelings had grown this clear and this sharp, she would soon do something even she could not have predicted. That, though, was a story for just a little later.

Her face bright again in the way that was so like her, Skadi finally fell into step with Herbena and spoke in a trembling voice.

"Blow is precious to me, but so are you, Herbena. I'm sorry. I should have just been honest from the start..."

"Yeah. I've known you for years. If you'd simply said it, we wouldn't have spent days being awkward."

"You know me. I'm timid about the strangest things."

"Yeah. You do have that side."

Before they knew it both teacups were empty, and Skadi and Herbena looked at each other and smiled the way they used to. Herbena, curious about something, asked with careful ease.

"So when did it start? I'm a little curious."

Skadi startled and looked back over the beginning of her feelings for Blow. In truth, those thoughts of him had been deepening for quite a long time — long enough that no one else would ever have known. She simply had not realized they were something as grand as love. So she decided to speak of the moment she understood that was exactly what they were.

"I'm not sure of the exact point, but I think it was around the second exam."

"When we had our tarot read, it said you were in a one-sided love. Was that then?"

"I think it might have been."

"Then that place must be pretty accurate."

In fact, the moment Herbena had returned to the dormitory after the reading, she had written down Blow's love fortune from beginning to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠end. She had lost count of how many times she had gone over it, straining to twist every line that favored her into the kindest reading she could manage. The parts about it being impossible to predict, and about the person already being close by, she had marked with star after star.

"I hope the tarot was right."

Silence fell between them. Both of them were thinking of the same person.

At that same hour, Jane was at Hills. She had finished the accounts and was talking with Blow.

"So the second subscription round is completely full?"

"Yes. It filled as of today."

"It must have filled before the semifinals."

"Yes. That was before Lady Yulia started promoting it."

"No telling when we'll be able to get more potion bottles in."

"I think it's better to keep growing slowly. Our facilities aren't quite there yet either."

"Even so, the basement of Red Forest is a bit cramped, isn't it?"

"Yes. Honestly, it's less that the basement is small and more that our scale has gotten bigger."

"I should look into buying a building nearby with the investment that just came in. Somewhere we can use as a wash station and a warehouse."

"I don't think we can keep making the potions and Straight on the second floor much longer, either."

Blow drew a deep breath at her words and stretched his arms overhead to loosen his shoulders.

"There's an absurd amount to do. Once this final is over, let's handle those first."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Right — is the hangover cure selling well?"

"Jane's? Yes, well... so-so."

"Why are you stammering?"

"It's embarrassing, having my name on it..."

Jane's — or, said in full, Jane's Morning. The name had been settled on casually at the opening, but every time she had to say it she grew shy without meaning to. It was a burden, too, the way customers looked at her whenever they bought one.

"Hmm. So-so won't do. This is our Manager Jane's masterpiece, you know."

"Come on, it sells fine. Just not as well as Foresti Made."

"What I'm saying is it needs to outsell even that. A hangover cure is something ordinary people can drink."

At Blow's blunt words, Jane nodded as if she finally understood.

"What about reopening that heavy-drinking contest we started and then dropped last time?"

"Maybe I should. Hmm. But we've gotten bigger than I expected. One wrong move and a month's sales could vanish."

"True. That's why Skadi drinks without paying."

"Exactly. You didn't see Ornn drink last time, did you? He was this close to slaughtering an entire oak barrel."

"That won't work, then."

"Should we make a poster and put it up?"

"A poster? That would be nice. If we get the school's permission and post them there, I think it would help quite a bit."

"Right. Or we could run it as an illustration in the paper."

"Will you design it yourself?"

Ever since the design of Skadi's dress had been received with such praise, she had come to trust Blow in that regard, and when she asked, mischief flooded his face. Uneasy all at once, Jane looked away and swept her hair back.

"What? Is there something on me?"

"No. But listen, Jane. Whatever it is, the model is what matters."

"The model?"

"Yeah. The model."

"Right, of course it matters. The way Lady Rachel is the model for Straight..."

"Exactly. In that sense, you do it."

Jane startled, her eyes going round, and cried out.

"Whaaat?!"

"You do it. Model for Jane's Morning. And for Foresti Made."

"What are you saying?"

"I should look into someone to commission the posters. Let's see — Lady Yulia's confidant is a painter, so..."

"Young Master! Why me?!"

Thoroughly flustered, Jane shouted before she could stop herself. Blow looked at her and shrugged.

"Well, Jane is in the name. Who else would I use?"

"I've never done anything like this..."

"It's fine. It'll be mostly about explaining the product anyway. And it's a drawing — they'll make you look pretty on their own."

But that was a complete lie. Blow meant to put Jane front and center, the way he remembered cosmetics, soju, and beer posters from his days as Han Ji-hoo. Her image was neat, clean, and innocent. He was certain it would suit her.

Melo, who had been practicing her knife work in the kitchen, stuck her head out, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clasped her hands, and sparkled.

"Wow, Jane unni, you're going to be a model?"

"No, that's..."

"Jane unni is pretty, so it'll be fine!"

"Melo, right? You think it suits her too?"

"Yes! I want to model too!!"

"When you've grown a little more, I'll let you."

"R-really?"

"If you get as pretty as Jane."

Melo froze with her mouth hanging open, and Blow chuckled as he went on.

"I'll let you anyway. You're the head chef. Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm not pretty now?"

"Of course you are."

"Hehe..."

"Working hard these days?"

"Yes, I've been practicing the basics, nice and proper!"

Melo held up the meat she had just prepared, and Blow gave her a firm thumbs-up. Only then did Jane come back to herself and, for no particular reason, tie her hair up. The pale line of her neck lay bare, and Blow's resolve hardened all the more.

"So, it's decided?"

"What? Why is it decided?"

"Then look at the finished piece and judge. If it's bad, I won't run it."

"......"

"Even if it's bad, it's nice to have at least one picture of your own face, isn't it?"

"...Fine. Do as you like."

Her voice shrank. She could already tell there would be no talking him out of it. Still, she was not entirely unhappy.

So he's saying that, when he looks at me, I'm at least passable? Well. Better than being ugly, I suppose...

While she was thinking that, Blow raised his glass, and Jane clinked hers against it. At that moment the door burst open.

"Blow Deblique!"

Skadi's bright face and bright voice, finally back to what they had been. Seeing her, Blow and Jane let out a quiet breath of relief.

"What, it went well?"

"Yeah! So we came together!"

Herbena slipped out from behind her and offered Blow a small, proper bow.

"Young Master."

"Hm, Herbena? I thought you said you'd already had dinner."

"I just couldn't focus anymore. I came for a drink."

"Herbena! I'm sorry!!"

"Yeah. You're buying tonight. No arguments."

The two of them settled at the table as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and Melo beamed at them.

"Oh! It's Herbena unni!"

"Melo. It's been a while."

"Want me to make you something yummy?"

"Yeah."

"Since unni's here! I'll make you Westriver pork grill right away!"

"All right."

With that, Melo ducked into the kitchen. Watching her go, Herbena smiled with quiet satisfaction and turned her gaze to Blow.

"Melo's been calling me unni properly these days."

"I told her to. She's been calling Jane unni lately, too."

"Well, in two years Melo will be old enough for her first year at the academy."

"That, and she's been going to the hotel. She gets used to that sort of thing fast."

"The old Melo was cute."

Jane sounded wistful, remembering the girl who used to cling to her all day, calling her name.

Skadi slid into the conversation as if she had been there all along.

"Hey! What were you talking about before we got here!"

"Something fun."

"Ooh, what? Come on, tell me."

"You know our potions. Foresti Made and Jane's Morning."

"Yeah, I'm drinking them just fine."

"We were talking about making Jane the model."

"E-eh?"

Skadi startled, and in that same instant Herbena went rigid. Seeing it, Jane grew embarrassed for no good reason and pretended to look over the accounts she had already finished.

"Jane, a model?"

"Yeah. A model."

"Why...?"

"She's got that neat, clean look."

"......"

At those words Herbena found her gaze drifting toward Jane of its own accord. Hair so white that on a blazing sunny day you could hardly open your eyes against it. Eyes as clear and blue as a cloudless sky. Lips touched with the faintest pink, and a straight, fine nose. It grated on her to admit it, but even she could see that Jane was pretty.

Thinking back, in their school days Jane had received confessions without end — classmates, seniors, juniors, she drew no distinction. Of course, back then she had cut every one of them off at a stroke, saying that Blow alone was already more than she could handle. Herbena, who had watched her from a distance in those days, spoke to Blow in a voice that nearly crawled back down her throat.

"That'll be nice. For Jane."

"N-no, it's too much pressure..."

Jane waved it off, and Herbena's mouth went pouty. She was only envious that words like making her the model, and calling her clean and neat, were coming out of Blow's mouth.

"It's not confirmed yet."

"R-right! At this rate Jane's going to be a total celebrity, isn't she? Ahaha!"

"Skadi, why are you stammering like that? Not enough beer in you?"

"Haha. Guess so."

"I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠get the beer."

"Young Master, I'll—"

"No, sit. I'll get it."

While Blow stepped away for the beer, Jane smiled awkwardly, embarrassed in front of Skadi and Herbena. And watching her, the two of them found their sighs growing just a little deeper.

The next day, at lunch, Blow sat with Jane at a restaurant on the outskirts of Caipol.

Last night, when he had mentioned he would need to go out today — a Saturday — Jane had said it, flat and firm.

"Once he arrives, I'll step outside."

"Act natural. If it's all right to stay, just sit."

"Yes."

She answered, and perhaps from nerves she kept drinking water. He was tense as well. Because the person who had just opened the door, come in, and greeted them with a nod was none other than—

"Have I kept you waiting long?"

—Yulia's father, Marquis Deschamps Edfolk.