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~Chapter 34~
“This is the place.”
As I entered the dining car, the blond man who had spilled champagne on my dress earlier waved nervously at me.
“I’ve been waiting. Did you change dresses well?”
“Yes… more or less.”
I was wearing a spare dress prepared just in case of spills like this.
‘Thank goodness Sophie is so prepared.’
“I thought the black dress you wore earlier was beautiful, but the white dress suits you very well.”
He smiled to lighten the mood.
I tilted my head.
“So, what did you want to talk about? Why did you say you wanted to talk more with me?”
He cleared his throat and said:
“My name is Hans Jamberry from the Kingdom of Haden. The Jamberry family is a well-known count family, and my father runs a business. I was on a business trip by his order.”
“…I see.”
“To be honest, I fell in love with you at first sight, my lady.”
I widened my eyes.
“I travel the world for business, but I swear I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you! You are my ideal type. So I couldn’t just leave.”
I chuckled.
‘Well, Irene is objectively very pretty, even if she’s a villain.’
Some in society even admire her looks.
“I spilled champagne at our first meeting, so you might not like me…”
He scratched his head shyly.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to get to know each other better. What do you think?”
I looked at him quietly.
The man named Hans was blinking his long lashes and blushing.
‘This is the first time I’ve talked with a traveler other than the male leads on this train.’
He wasn’t as handsome as the male leads, but still pleasant looking. Tall, fit, and with carefully styled blond hair.
‘He’s on a business trip but seems very enthusiastic about the ball…’
His words made me somewhat interested.
I put my hands together under my chin and tilted my head.
“…Alright. Let’s get to know each other.”
Thinking this situation wasn’t so bad.
“Hmm.”
Eric hummed while sitting on the bed.
He had been sitting against Albert’s bedrest wearing glasses and focused on something.
Eric spoke while moving his hands.
“I hear the ball is really something. I can even hear music here.”
“…”
“The Ramier Express ball is pretty famous. Aren’t you going, Albert?”
“I’m not.”
Albert sat reading on the sunny sofa by the window, not taking his eyes off the book.
“Why?”
“That place is full of scammers. You don’t know anyone’s status. Networking won’t help someone like me.”
“…”
“Why aren’t you going? Go have some fun instead of reading.”
“No, no. You know I don’t like balls.”
Eric wiggled his finger playfully.
“That’s not my style. Social games aren’t fun.”
“…”
“But if the lady is going, I might go once.”
Albert glanced at him, closed his book, and asked:
“Are you really interested in Irene?”
“No, not really. It’s more like… well…”
Eric searched for words then shrugged.
“She’s cute. Watching the lady is kind of fun.”
Albert frowned deeply.
Eric didn’t notice and went back to what he was doing.
Suddenly, Eric pushed up his glasses and exclaimed:
“Got it! Albert, look at this.”
“…What is it?”
Albert looked at what Eric showed him.
A small handkerchief with forsythia embroidery.
“You remember Irene bought a little bear doll in Sinks? I wanted to give something back, so I made this. How is it?”
“You embroidered it yourself?”
“Yes. I’m pretty handy. As a holy knight, I sew often. Isn’t it good?”
Eric had been quietly working on it on the bed.
The white handkerchief with embroidered forsythia was of decent quality.
Eric looked at Albert expecting praise.
Albert shook his head with a sour expression.
“Ugly.”
“…Really? I thought it was pretty good.”
Albert put down his book, stood, and passed by Eric.
“Get out while I’m still being nice. Stop hanging around here.”
Albert slammed the door and left.
Albert sighed deeply in the corridor.
It seemed Eric and Irene were getting along well.
Albert remembered everything — Irene searching only for Eric even in Sinks, going on dates, and finding him during incidents.
They must already be close.
Though watching them was painful, Albert told himself to calm down.
‘Irene’s heart is hers alone.’
But it wasn’t easy to watch them.
Eric seemed to like Irene somewhat too.
If Irene liked Eric, it was only a matter of time before they became a couple.
Albert shook his head.
‘Get a grip. This isn’t the time for petty feelings.’
He felt he had been dragged by Irene too long.
He wanted to break free.
So he resolved to stop caring.
One thing was certain — he had no right to interfere between them.
Albert started walking again.
He didn’t want to go back to Eric’s room.
He thought about seeing the ball but didn’t want to meet Irene there.
He decided to quietly read in the club car.
Passing through the dining car to get to the club car, Albert stopped suddenly.
Irene Hartmann was there, sitting across from another man.
