Chapter 14

“Unbelievable!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The location must have moved! Oh, I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry, my lady. I will take you to the location they changed to in no time!”

Indeed, there was an announcement. The entrance of Rostella had been relocated.

Oh no. I bit my lips, troubled.

The previous location was not that far from here. However, it seemed like it would take a while longer to get through this blocked road.

I made a reasoned judgment and decided that walking would be a faster solution; I opened the carriage door.

“I’ll walk ahead first.”

“What? Oh, my lady. Your feet will grow tired.”

“It’s just around the corner. Besides, I’m afraid I’ll be late for the appointed meeting.”

The horseman, accepting what I said, climbed to the horseman’s seat, and stated he would park the carriage and arrive soon. I nodded as I set out on the road.

‘There’s a lot of people. Ah, according to the map, it was located around here …’

I strolled, recalling the map inside my head.

Ping!

I heard a strange sound somewhere. A cheerful sound like that of a pin ball bouncing.

‘What’s this noise?’

I unconsciously turned to the side where I heard the sound from.

A man stood out amidst the crowd. He held a strange machine against his eyes.

‘… What is this?’

That machine, I think it’s pointing at me.

Hmm. Maybe it’s just my feeling.

I shook my head and proceeded searching for directions again. It was time to take a few more steps to examine the topographical features on the map.

Ping! ping! Ping ping ping!

‘What the hell is this about?’

I jerked my head around.

The man I witnessed earlier flinched as he stiffened his shoulders. Then he quickly lowered the machine from his eyes.

I gazed at the machine carefully. The machine was brought up to his eyes. There is a clear circle on the machine that was facing me.

Is that a camera?

‘There must be machines like a camera in this world.’

So, did this guy just secretly take a picture of me?

I opened my mouth reflexively.

“Excuse me.”

When I called the man, his shoulders rattled.

He turned the other way and started to whistle awkwardly. I frowned as I called the man once more.

“Hey, the man with the machine in his hand.”

The man hardened.

Along with the crowd, a moment of silence took place between us.

A few seconds later.

“Uh? Excuse me!”

The man began running.

He’s suspicious! An alarm rang inside my head. My feet carelessly stomped on the ground as they sprinted.

“Hey!”

“Don’t follow me!”

“Hey! Stand there!”

I vigorously ran after him. Astonishingly, my shoes were still on my feet.

However, the man’s running skills far surpassed mine. In addition, the man had a knack for digging into the crowd just like a squirrel. Eventually, the gap between us widened.

“Catch that guy, please!”

I asked the citizens for help, yet my voice was too buried in the large crowd for anyone to make it out.

How far did he run till now? Fortunately, the number of people began to decrease as they entered the outskirts.

I could catch the back of the fleeing man. I removed my shoes, held them in my hands, and darted after him.

“Stand there!”

“Goodness, how fast are you?!”

I’ll become faster if you say that!

I evilly chased after him. It happened around the time the distance between the man and I was getting nearer.

“Argh!”

The man fell to the ground.

I stared blankly at the figure standing next to him. The person who tripped the guy with his long beautiful leg turned to me.

The moment our eyes met, my body hardened. Oh, my God …

I widened my mouth.

“Who is this man?”

I gasped as I clutched my knees.

I never thought I’d run into him in a place like this.

“H-Huff, huff. Your Grace the Duke.”

“… Take some breathes.”

I was ashamed of myself, yet I couldn’t help it. I felt like my lungs were going to turn inside out.

While I recovered my breath, Cedric stepped on the man’s shoulder with his foot. The man was struggling, yet he couldn’t escape like an insect caught between tweezers.

I strode towards the man. Then I reached out my hand.

“Hey, the one who ran away. Give it to me.”

“H-Huck, wh-what do you mean …”

“The machine you’re holding preciously, hand it over to me.”

I flicked my finger at the man.

The lifeless body reluctantly handed the machine to me.

I turned the machine back and forth.

It seems a little different, yet it certainly looked similar to the camera in my world in addition to the similar functions.

So … uh. How do I see the pictures he took?

I turned the machine around. When I pulled the parts out and constantly examined them, the man replied queezily.

“Oh, it’s expensive …”

“What kind of machine looks so complicated! How do I see the pictures he took?”

“Wait a bit.”

Cedric stepped in. He manipulated the machine back and forth with his long fingers.

Then, a video emerged from the crystal circle and displayed on the back of the machine.

“Oh! This is it. Thank you, Your Grace.”

“You’re welcome.”

I carefully observed the video that appeared on the machine.

Numerous people were trapped inside the crystal ball. All of them seemed to have been taken secretly without the targets noticing or had awareness of it.

All of them were beautiful people or those who seemed very rich. I also recognized a few faces. Charlotte was also photographed.

At the very end of the clip, I saw myself. I squinted and looked down at the man who was still lying down.

“You’re a paparazzi.”

I wondered if there was the term ‘paparazzi’ in the world, but fortunately, the man shrugged.

Cedric, observing the crystal ball, lifted the man’s collar.

“How dare you shoot someone. Do you want to die?”

“H-hyuk! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I have rabbits-like children in my house! There’s no more bread!”

Bread? I frowned. That means you were going to sell these pictures to someone.

“Who said they would buy these pictures?”

“Well, that’s … I mean …”

The man folded his fingers one by one.

“The Mareille Daily Newspapers, the Sands Weekly, and the Pucci Newspaper …”

“Mareille? Sands?”

“They’re all third-rated gossip papers. You don’t have to worry about them.”

Cedric, who said so, lifted the man’s collar even higher.

“I’ll take care of this.”

“Hee! Help me!”

The man hanging in the air, shut his eyes tightly.

It suddenly felt strange for Cedric to do this much for my sake.

Since you don’t like me, wouldn’t you pretend you didn’t know me in the first place?

“Is there any law that punishes paparazzi?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s follow the law. According to the law.”

“Hmm. Shall we? If the Lady wants …”

“Ahh!”

As Cedric released his collar, the man fell back to the floor.

After a while, the dispatched security forces quickly arrived and took away the man.

Secretly taking pictures. That’s a big crime here, right? I wish he’d be rightfully punished for his crime.

As I clicked my tongue, I felt a gaze and quickly turned my head. Cedric was staring at me.

To be exact, my feet.

“… Lady, did you run barefoot?”

“A … ahaha. It’s hard to run in shoes.”

“Even so … hah.”

Cedric sighed as he held out his arms.

“Get on my back.”

“What?”

“There’s my carriage. I’ll carry you there.”

“T-That’s not necessary! I can wear my own shoes!”

“You have scratches on your feet.”

“No! It doesn’t matter. Oh, this is nothing!”

I hurriedly placed my shoes. It felt slightly harsh, yet it was worth walking. Whatever it was, anything was better than being carried on Cedric’s back. Being on the male protagonist’s back would be so embarrassing. I’d have nightmares.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“It doesn’t matter! Come, let’s go! Where did your Grace say the carriage was located?”

Cedric sighed softly.

Either way, I hurried to the carriage.

✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧

<Rostella> was a very quiet and antique place.

“Wow … My gosh.”

I spat out a small exclamation. It was a very alluring place. It didn’t seem that big on the outside, but when I entered the entrance, it was very spacious. There was even a fountain at the center of the place.

The guests were not any you’d see regularly. Influential people who had been in the newspapers countless times were seen here and there.

‘These are the places where high aristocrats meet.’

I felt like I was in a different world.

The woman who seemed to be the owner of the salon quickly hurried out and greeted Cedric.

“Welcome, Your Grace. It has been a while since you came. Would you like to join us for a meal?”

“That isn’t needed.”

Cedric, who shook his head, suddenly looked at me.

“Have you eaten?”

“Ah …”

Actually, I didn’t. Because time was ambiguous.

I was planning on having a meal at home after our short meeting.

As I paused, Cedric turned to the owner.

“I’ll ask for two servings.”

“All right, your Grace.”

Two servings? I glanced at Cedric.

Didn’t you say no since you already ate? … Are you being considerate of me, because I might feel embarrassed eating alone?

Hm, maybe you aren’t? You can’t be this considerate.

Come to think of it, you also seem hungry.

As I was lost in my thoughts, my feet followed after the owner to the guided area. It was a beautiful area filled with plants and flowers, making it seem like a small garden.