CH 35
“But you know, Sir Byers, seeing things like this makes me think the only thing I’m good at is running away.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m bad at hiding my feelings. I remember key information too late, so I end up doing a bunch of useless things first. When I get angry, my mind goes blank, and I can’t speak coherently.”
If only I could just speak clearly.
Odette, that northern bastard, Vileon, and even Leslie—all the characters here were so eloquent. No matter how infuriating the situation, their minds seemed to work perfectly fine, separate from their emotions.
I’m so jealous. It must be nice.
“It was the same just now. The priest was deliberately trying to get under your skin, and you shut him down with one blow. How can you be so composed in a situation like that?”
Classified information. What an exquisite excuse! It was a hundred times more powerful than the personal reason Leslie had offered.
If Leslie, who wasn’t part of the Chancellor’s Office, tried to ask the same question again, Marienne could simply say it was classified and she was forbidden from speaking about it.
Even better, the excuse was easy to remember. It was a truly ironclad defense that could block any question.
Even in that moment of quick thinking, Vileon had considered the possibility that Marienne might be interrogated again.
Marienne’s face was a picture of pure admiration.
“Is that something you can learn through training?”
“You think I… was composed?”
Vileon asked back, his tone a little strange. He seemed to find it unbelievable that he had appeared that way.
“My hands are still shaking.”
“What?”
“...No. It’s nothing.”
Vileon mumbled, trailing off. He brought the glass of soda, the ice cream half-melted inside, to his lips.
With each sip Vileon took through the straw, the green drink noticeably depleted.
Was he thirsty? Marienne hoped the carbonation wasn’t too strong. Just watching him made her own throat feel tingly.
Eventually, Vileon set down the empty glass, with only ice cubes remaining. Having finished his portion in one go, he let out a short sigh.
“What do you mean Aide Didi has no strengths? You have so many.”
“Really?”
Marienne tilted her head and smiled. It seemed our kind Chancellor was about to create something out of nothing again.
Let’s see just what kind of things a silver-tongued person can spin into a strength.
“What am I good at?”
As she asked him, Marienne answered the question in her own head.
Daydreaming.
Talking to myself.
Hating that northern bastard.
Wow… what can I say. These are just things I do often, not skills I can claim as a specialty.
As she smiled wryly to herself, Vileon spoke with a serious expression.
“I think you know me better than I know myself.”
He continued.
“Haven’t you noticed it yourself lately, Aide Didi? The people at the Chancellor’s Office are seeking you out more often.”
That was certainly true. Lately, it wasn’t just people from the Chancellor’s Office, but even outsiders who had been directed to her would come looking for Marienne.
It was usually something like, “Hello. My name is so-and-so, and Mrs. so-and-so from the kitchen sent me. She said I should ask the Third Aide about this.”
“When they ask for an opinion about me, you give them an answer. And so far, that answer has never been wrong. Even that meticulous head of accounting, Jen, doesn’t double-check your word anymore.”
Listening to him, she started to feel a little embarrassed. Marienne idly tapped the jelly with her spoon before taking a bite.
Eating was the best way to cover up awkwardness. As long as she was chewing, she didn’t have to speak. Marienne moved her spoon even more diligently.
“Do you know what’s even more surprising? Sometimes it feels like you not only know my past… but my future as well.”
It wasn’t Vileon’s delusion. She really did know the ending of this story. And not just that. She knew the secrets each character was hiding.
People who are good with words really are different.
When this conversation started, Marienne had expected him to list at least five of her strengths.
After all, he had said, “You have so many.”
But in the end, Vileon only mentioned one.
And just hearing that one thing was enough to make Marienne Didi so pleased that she was having trouble keeping a straight face.
To keep from spouting nonsense, Marienne stuffed her mouth full of sweet preserved peaches.
“How do you know me so well?”
Vileon asked. Chewing on the soft peach flesh, Marienne realized it was her turn to answer.
Why now of all times? When I’ve stuffed my cheeks like a chipmunk.
Marienne chewed what was in her mouth as quickly as possible and swallowed. It was a relief she didn’t bite her tongue.
“Because I’m always watching you, Sir Byers.”
“...”
“That’s my answer…”
“...”
“Uh, you just get to know things by watching. Like the difference between a polite smile and a smile of genuine satisfaction. What time of day you’re sleepiest. What method is most effective for chasing that sleepiness away. Things like that.”
A thought suddenly struck her that this was not the right way to answer. In fact, depending on who was listening, couldn’t this sound a bit creepy?
I’m always watching you.
It’s what I do all day, except when I’m eating or sleeping.
Wherever you go, my gaze will follow.
It was a confession that would leave her with no excuse if she were accused of being a crazy stalker. Ah, was this less of a confession and more of a self-incrimination?
Stupid Marienne Didi. Why don’t you just go shout it in the town square?
I’m a ‘deranged fan’ who got so obsessed with a romance novel that I transmigrated to make my favorite ship sail! Everyone, buy Vileon Byers stock while I’m asking nicely!
What do I do? He looks genuinely shocked.
Marienne watched Vileon, who was still silent. She shouldn’t have swallowed the peaches so quickly. She should have bought some time to think of a better reason.
“Oh, come on.”
Marienne laughed playfully.
“I’m just kidding. I don’t really spend all day monitoring you, Sir Byers.”
“Daisy told me that if she asks you where I am, you can answer in three seconds.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Hearing that made me reflect a lot. Compared to the attention you give me, I feel like I know so little about you.”
Marienne blinked.
“I have a lot of questions, Marienne.”
Don’t get too invested. That was Marienne’s first thought. The man before her had a face and voice that were a plot device in themselves, so it was easy to get the wrong idea.
It sounds as if he has a romantic interest in me.
First of all, that voice that clung so sweetly to the ear was the problem. Today, it was especially sweet, soft, and heart-fluttering, pushing the person with him into a pit of delusion.
Stop staring at me like that. Is it fun to watch my face change colors?
And then there was his gaze, which remained fixed on Marienne.
He should be looking at Odette that intensely. Our heroine is surprisingly weak to physical appeals, so a gaze like that would work on her.
“You said you support me. You praise me several times a day.”
“Yes, yes.”
“I don’t mean to brag, but I’m used to compliments. I’ve heard them a lot since I was young. But everything you say to me is new. It almost makes me wonder if you’re teasing me.”
“I’m always sincere.”
“Even when you said that with one whisper from me, you’d be ready to walk down the aisle tomorrow?”
Look at this man’s memory.
“And that my voice made you feel like you were about to fall in love.”
“It’s true.”
“...”
“It’s really, really true.”
Vileon started to lift his glass, then realized it was empty and lowered his hand.
“What I want to ask is… in your world, is someone like me… someone with similar qualities, your ideal type?”
“My ideal type?”
“I mean, I’m curious about what kind of person you’d want to date.”
After saying this, Vileon pressed his lips together firmly. His expression became a complex mix of anxiety, pessimism, and resignation.
But even then, he didn’t take his eyes off Marienne.
“Huh? Date? I’m not going to date anyone.”
“Why not?”
Vileon asked. It might have been her imagination, but his tone sounded slightly accusatory.
“What do you mean, why not? Where would I find the time to date? I have to assist you, Sir Byers!”
“If it’s because of the workload, I’ll assign you an assistant first thing Monday.”
“An assistant? No, it’s not like I do that much work.”
“You just said you don’t have time to date because of your duties as an aide.”
The conversation felt like it was going in circles. Marienne blamed her own lack of comprehension.
“Um, Sir Byers. Do I really… have to date? I’m perfectly happy just working by your side.”
It was then.
A realization flashed through Marienne’s mind.
This is practice!
That would explain it. The surprise attack of asking for a taste of her ice cream, the coincidental timing of dropping his spoon, and the way he was looking at her now—it was all practice for his date with the Princess.
And the conversation about dating?
That might also be practice for persuading the hard-to-get Odette.
As expected of Vileon. He found a way to show his charm without acting like that northern bastard.
Marienne was genuinely impressed. Yes, this would work.
If a gaze had a temperature, Vileon’s would be about 38.2 degrees right now. A fever, past the threshold of a slight temperature. A little higher and it would be a high fever.
I’m melting, melting.
The ice cream was melting, Odette’s heart, which was as cold as ice cream, would melt, and Marienne Didi, chosen as his practice partner, was also melting.
There was just one small thing she wished for. It would be nice if he could give her a heads-up next time that this was practice.
That way, she could at least prepare herself.
She didn’t want to get her heart fluttering for no reason again.
“Oh my, did I take too long? I ran into a friend inside.”
Just then, Chloise placed two glasses of water with lemon slices on the table. Only then did Marienne remember that there was one other person with them besides Vileon.
“Lady Chloise, your ice cream…”
“It’s all melted. But it’s okay, I stole some of my friend’s while we were talking.”
It seemed she’d had a fun chat with a close friend. Chloise’s cheeks were brightly flushed.
“Hee hee.”
“That laugh again.”
“What were you and my brother talking about?”
Vileon picked up the glass of water his sister had brought. Out of the corner of her eye, Marienne saw him drink it without taking a breath.
His second empty glass, after the fruit soda.
“Um… we were practicing.”
“Practicing what?”
“Practicing for a date with the Highness you admire?”
Vileon coughed. The last sip of water seemed to have gone down the wrong pipe.
“Oh, I see. So you were in the middle of such important practice.”
Chloise unfolded her fan, her face alight with amusement.
“Of course. Ample practice is important for anything. Come to think of it, my brother Vileon is a real stickler for practice. He was incredible during his piano lessons as a child.”
Chloise beamed.
“At this rate, he might even suggest practicing for marriage next. You have a tendency to agree to anything my brother says, Aide, so you must be especially careful.”
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