Book 9: Chapter 10: Year after year, he kept sending her an invitation. (2/2)
If it were Felix, he would be, ‘did you enjoy our school festival?' or ‘did you watch the stage-play?' while breaching another general topic as he listened for her response.
If it were Glenn… well he would ‘please try meats in our store!' or something like that.
She tried to imagine what kind of conversation her acquaintances would make in such a situation, but she didn't feel like she could copy any of them.
In the end, she couldn't find any topic to talk about as she fumbled her fingers, and the woman who's been glancing at spoke in a whisper.
”…A-Are you a student of this school?”
”Y-Yes, I am a student here.”
Her uniform had told her that Monica was a student from this school. But, looking at her skinny petite figure might have given her a different impression or so Monica thought.
Hearing Monica's answer, the woman apologized with her downcast eyes.
”S-Sorry for asking a rude question… I know your uniform has told me everything, but… well, it just… you feel different from the other students here.”
Sure enough, from the bystanders' point of view, the commoner Monica attending at Serendia Academy felt so unusual. Even if she's wearing the same uniform, they will naturally recognize something unusual after watching how she conducts herself.
Incidentally, Monica has the title of ”Count of Magic,” which is equivalent to the rank of Count, but she often forgets this fact.
”…Are you acquaintance with Cyril?”
”Y-Yes. He's always been taking care of me.”
Monica nodded vigorously, and the woman's gaze wandered somewhat perplexedly. Before turning her light brown eyes down and looking at her feet.
”…Have Cyril's… been acting so overbearing toward… a timid girl like you?”
”N-No…”
Leaving Felix aside, not only toward a docile Monica, he acted overbearing mostly toward everyone else.
Monica pondered for a while.
Indeed, Cyril is a prideful, high-handed man, she even had a thought that what had stood there was the pride itself wearing clothes.
The first time she met him, she was suddenly shackled, treated like a rare animal, and got yelled at most times, so it's normal if she felt scared of him.
Even so, Monica knew that all these things were not everything about him.
”I think Lord Cyril is a kind person. He had taught me how to do my works very, very patiently. When I collapsed, he took over all the work for me… Oh, and he also secretly gave me some delicious chocolate.”
The woman opened her eyes in surprise, looking at Monica.
Monica puffed out her chest a bit and touched the white rose ornament on her chest with her fingertips.
”This flower was also given to me by Lord Cyril. He gave me this flower as a charm so that I wouldn't be faced with embarrassment today.today.”
”…Cyril gave you that… I see…”
The woman's face contorted for a moment as if she were about to cry. Then she shook her head gently and stopped in her tracks.
The main hall where Cyril at was just ahead of them. But the woman stopped and didn't try to go any further.
”Um, Lord Cyril is in the main hall ahead…”
”No, I think… I still can't face him yet.”
Said the woman as she shook her head slowly, but the face she gave was somewhat calm and relieved.
”I'm sorry for stopping halfway even after you did show me the way.”
”I-It's okay…”
The woman turned her back to the main hall and started walking away. She stopped midway and looked at Monica.
”Thank you for calling out to me, a very kind girl.”
”No, um, I'm sorry I can't be of much help…”
The woman smiled faintly when Monica's gaze darted around shyly.
”I'm glad I talked to you. If that child… could be so kind to a child like you…”
The last word she muttered was spoken softly to herself, then, the woman started walking again, without looking back to the main hall again.
＊ ＊ ＊
Peeking into the small gap of the door of the main hall she opened, Monica saw Cyril and Neil busily giving instructions to the servants.
After all, there are many things to be confirmed before the last minute of the ball, such as the final confirmation of food and drinks, the number of dishes, the position of the orchestra, the arrangement of chairs, and so on.
As she was wondering if she should call out to him since he seemed so busy, Neil who noticed Monica, called out to her.
”What's the matter, Miss Norton?”
”Oh, um, I, um, I have a matter to talk to Lord Cyril about…”
Neil immediately called for Cyril after hearing Monica's hesitant answer. And Cyril stopped checking his list and walked quickly towards Monica.
”Treasurer Norton. Did some trouble occur at the school building?”
”No, it's not that, it's just Lord Howard was looking for you and wanted you to confirm something before the ball, so he asked me to contact you. He said he would be on the first floor of the school building…”
”Confirmation? …oh, I think he needs me to check for any changes in the orchestra arrangement. Okay, I'll be there soon after I finish checking here.”
Cyril was really busy. And Monica didn't think it was a good idea to hold him to tag along with her conversation.
But she felt she really should tell him about that woman, so while fumbling her fingers, Monica opened her mouth.
”And, um… just a while ago, I met with a woman guest… apparently, she seems to be looking for you, Lord Cyril.”
”Looking for me?”
”I'm sorry. I forgot to ask her name… but she has olive-colored hair… right, she also has a mole on her mouth.”
Cyril, who had been furrowing his brow quizzically, took a short breath and slowly opened his eyes.
”Where's that woman now?”
”Well, I was with her a while ago, but she said she couldn't see you yet, so she left not a long ago…”
Cyril's face contorted for a moment at Monica's words.
”…So, she's come.”
That small almost inaudible murmur was not meant for Monica to hear, it was more of muttering to himself.
”Lord Cyril?”
Monica looked up at him confusedly, and Cyril bowed deeply.
”Thank you, for escorting my precious guest.”