CH 1.34

“…”

At that moment, Rosé foresaw that the lady would not be successful in pretending to be a poor country aristocrat.

She could never pull off such a performance.

Never!

Keira: “What would Rose do if she’s going out on a date? Hmm?”

“…”

With her eyes shining like that, Rose couldn’t help but answer. Despite the obvious failure, she had no choice but to give advice.

Rose: “Couples who don’t have money would usually ride a carriage or airship to sightsee the capital.”

Keira: “I see.”

Rose wondered how her lady, who was averse to the public seats in the theater because people ‘sat close together’, would fare in a public carriage or airship.

Rose: “But it may be a little inconvenient for you because it’s a public transportation for commoners. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

Keira: “Don’t worry. I’ve been to pubs where commoners go.”

She said it so proudly. After all, she has tried low-grade side dishes and appetizers[1].

If Sir Joseph had heard what Keira said, he would be hurt and at a complete loss at what to say.

They went to a bar used by commoners, but it was by no means ‘cheap.’ He would never bring the precious lady to such a place!

The food she thought was low-grade wasn’t low-grade at all. First of all, fruits themselves are quite pricey. Dried fruits would be even more expensive.

Rose: “If you don’t mind it, then that’s fine. I’ll make you as pretty as I can.”

Keira: “Yes, thank you.”

Keira grinned as she imagined a wonderful Sunday with the handsome man.

‘I’m nervous…’

Unaware of Rose’s worried gaze, Keira thought hard on her plans.

‘An airship is better than a carriage.’

It would be more romantic to look at the capital from the air.

She would be meeting with a man who could one day become her lover, but she wondered if a crowded place would provide a good romantic atmosphere for them.

If it’s just the two of them, they would be able to hold hands and have a conversation with ease…

After much thought, Keira made a decision, one that would worry Rose even more.

‘I have to arrange for a one-day rental.’

She wasn’t buying the whole thing. She was just renting it for a day, so it should be okay.

Thus, the operation to pretend to be a poor rural aristocrat failed even before it began.

‘If a man does something he doesn’t usually do, he’s about to die.’

What was the reason such words came to mind today?

Robert, the butler, stared in confusion at the lady smelling flowers in the garden.

Robert: “Milady?”

Keira: “Oh, Robert, what’s up?”

Robert :”I-is that you, milady? Are you going out…?”

As if she had noticed why he was reacting like this, Keira said, hiding her embarrassment.

Keira: “I’m not going out. I’m just in a good mood today.”

Keira was unusually heavily armed. Her usually slicked-back ponytail was half down and was adorned with colorful gemmed pins. Her clothes were a little different from normal, as well.

Unlike her usual insistence on a white blouse and a neat long skirt inside the house, she now wore a bright sky blue dress. The delicate sky-blue lace made the butler wonder at the enormous price of the clothes. 

She just said she didn’t have to go out, but she was also wearing make up!

It wasn’t just that. Her ears and neck were adorned with gold jewelry.

Keira: “Why? Do I look weird?”

Robert: “Oh, not at all. You look beautiful.”

He could even smell a hint of a delicate fruity scent, most likely perfume, from the esteemed lady.

An effortlessly beautiful woman would become even more beautiful if she decided to dress up.

However, the problem was…

‘Why are you doing this?’

It seemed the lady had become a different person from last week. She had suddenly quit her job as a knight, often ignored calls from the Grand Duke, and declared that she would participate in social activities.

There’s a saying that people who do what they don’t normally do are about to die.

Keira’s change was so remarkable that Robert thought of such an absurd speculation.

But the shocking scene didn’t end there.

The lady hummed as she walked, and picked a flower to put on her ear!

‘???’

Dozens of question marks popped into Robert’s head.

Milady, you weren’t this kind of character, were you?

While the butler was left shocked, Keira walked away with a pleasant smile on her face.

Keira: “I’ll get going.”

Robert: “T-take care of yourself.”

She left the garden, leaving the butler still in shock.

She didn’t know why, but the world looked beautiful.

Was this was dating was like?

She wanted to be pretty, so she dressed up in the morning even though she had no plans of going out of the manor.

She hummed her way through her walk. The Parvis property was very spacious, so even if she walked for a long time, she wouldn’t see the end of it.

After a long walk, she reached the Knights’ quarters. Maybe it was because it’s the weekend, but the knights wore casual clothes, played in the sun, or didn’t show up at all.

Keira didn’t want to get in the way of their rest, so she carefully passed by. However, some people have nevertheless noticed her presence.

“My…lady?”

A perfect example was Sir Joseph, the Vice Captain.

He was helping the new knights practice.

Keira looked back and answered.

Keira: “Sir Joseph?”

Joseph: “…so it really was you. For a while there, I thought I was mistaken. Where are you going?”

Keira: “Everyone’s asking the same question. I’m not going out.”

‘That’s because she’s dressed for an outing.’

Joseph held back from speaking his thoughts.

While Keira really had no plans of going outside, she really was wearing an outfit meant for an outing. She took it out after a year of keeping it in the closet.

As Joseph looked at her, he found a flower on her ear.

“…!”

He was even more shocked than before. Even if he looked at it again, it was definitely a flower on her head.

Joseph: “M-milady… that flower…”

Perhaps the flower fell from the tree and landed on her head. At least, that was more likely than Lady Keira placing the flower herself.

Keira: “Oh, this one? Isn’t it pretty?”

“…”

However, the god of probability did not side with him.

What a happy girl, stroking the flower in her hair.

He was seriously worried if the lady was feeling unwell.

The eyes of the knights in the quarters slowly turned to Joseph.

“When did you go there, Vice Captain?”

“Who’s that woman? It’s too far to see.”

The knights briefly questioned who the beautiful beauty standing with the Vice Captain was, and then realized that it was the lady.

And they stiffened. As the knights froze one by one, their gazes stayed in one place.

“Lady Keira? I’m right, aren’t I?”

“You must be going out somewhere. Are you going on an outing?”

“Wow, you have flowers in your hair…”

Keira smiled at them, shocking the knights even further. She removed the flower on her ear and placed it on Joseph’s collar.

The same thought came into everyone’s mind watching the scene.

‘My lady, you weren’t that kind of character?!’

Leaving the astonished knights behind, Keira walked away, her hand touching the flowers she passed by. She even seemed to have a little skip on her step.

They didn’t know why, but it was obvious that the lady looked happy.

“Vice Captain.”

“…”

Joseph stared blankly at the small flower in his hand.

“S-sir?”

Joseph: “…Does anyone know about the recent change of heart of the lady?”

“…”

“…”

He couldn’t have known.

Most of them haven’t had a small conversation since their last drinking session.

But the silence lingered for a moment.

“Does she have a lover?”

“…”

“…”

A 10-meter radius was frozen by someone’s thoughtless remark.

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