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Chapter 41
Her status was exactly the kind that could have made her shout, Do you know who I am? Rita let out a small sigh and greeted her according to proper etiquette.
“Wishing you a refreshing spring. I am Lilietta del Nisa Lascaille, Princess of Deweirebourg.”
“…What? La… Lascaille?”
Lavinia, who had been glaring at Annemarie, slowly turned her head. And Annemarie, staggering to stand, looked at Lilietta with wide eyes.
“…Lili?”
“Long time no see, summer villa sister.”
Rita smiled gently in response, and Annemarie covered her mouth with both hands in overwhelming emotion.
“Oh my, my goodness, Lili!”
She let out an exclamation almost like a scream and, pushing past Lavinia, ran toward Lilietta. Trembling, she grabbed her hands and her eyes welled with tears.
“I heard the news that you had returned home, but like a miracle… my goodness, little Lili has grown up into an adult. You’ve grown so beautifully… When I heard you were missing, I cried so much… Ah, I’m so glad you came back safely. Can I hug you a little?”
“Of course.”
Rita opened her arms to the sobbing Annemarie. Annemarie clutched her tightly and began to weep.
Rita instinctively restrained her body’s reaction to push her away and looked over Annemarie’s shoulder at Lavinia.
The pink-haired girl stared at Annemarie’s back, looking shocked as if she were a child who had lost her mother. Then she furrowed her brows and stomped her foot.
“Anne!”
“I’ve missed you, Lili. I thought I’d only see you at the debutante ball, but here we are… So, are you alright? Any pains anywhere?”
“I’m healthy. I rarely get out of breath now.”
“Really? I used to worry all the time when you were little… And your complexion has improved so much. I’m glad.”
“Annemarie!”
Caught up in seeing Lilietta for the first time in ten years, Annemarie didn’t hear Lavinia’s call properly. Lavinia’s face turned bright red, her green eyes blazing as she glared at Lilietta.
Her eyes are watering while glaring. She’s going to cry.
Rita lightly pushed Annemarie’s shoulder and nodded.
“Sis, behind you.”
“Oh, my, what’s wrong with me. Lili, this is Lavinia…”
“I don’t need an introduction!”
“Huh?”
Lavinia shouted over Annemarie, cutting her off, then pushed her aside and strode forward.
“I’m going home!”
“La… Lavinia?”
The pink-haired girl disappeared like a storm. The attendants and knights waiting outside quickly followed. In an instant, the fitting room was empty except for Lilietta’s group and Annemarie.
Annemarie blinked and smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry, Lili. Surprised? Lavinia is my cousin, but she’s still young…”
“Princess of Deweirebourg and her ladyship are only a year apart.”
Lindsay interjected calmly. Annemarie covered her mouth with her hand.
“That’s right… Lavinia is nineteen, and Lili must be twenty now.”
“One year apart?”
Rita was a little surprised. She had thought Lavinia, smaller and younger-looking, was much younger.
Annemarie blushed shyly and fanned her hands.
“Hahaha, Lavinia is a bit slow to grow… Lili grew up so maturely. Well, you were always quiet and smart even as a child. So, what brings you here?”
“The dress I ordered is finished, so I came to try it on. It won’t take long—could you wait a bit? It’s been a while, and I want to talk with you more.”
“Of course! I’ll wait at the cafe just ahead!”
Annemarie smiled brightly and left the fitting room. Rita recalled Leonhardt’s broken engagement.
Does Annemarie still have feelings for him?
Leonhardt does have feelings. He doesn’t show them, but after the stabbing incident during the hunt, talking to him revealed it.
“Rita, it’s not because you were missing. It’s my fault. I let go of Anne’s hand because I was weak. I… I…”
He trailed off, lowering his head in regret. For a long while, he couldn’t continue, then added in a hoarse voice that it was absolutely not her fault.
Right, it’s not my fault. But it is because I went missing.
So she wanted to make the effort she could.
While quickly managing the fitting, Rita listened to Lindsay’s additional explanations about Annemarie and Lavinia.
“The Duchess of Deweirebourg’s younger sister married Grand Duke Adickl, and her younger brother married Count Everett. So the only daughter of Deweirebourg and Lady Everett are cousins. I believe they are quite close.”
“Princess of Deweirebourg seems younger than her age.”
“Well… it’s a common story. The duke doted on his only daughter, raising her very indulgently, so she grew up somewhat spoiled. Given her status, everyone else treated her cautiously, which made her temper worse. Anyway, it’s well-known in society that Lady Everett often follows the Princess of Deweirebourg around, cleaning up her messes. She even has a nickname—the maid of Deweirebourg.”
“That nickname is a bit harsh.”
“Gossip in high society is like that. I’ll moderate it if you like.”
“No, that’s fine. I want to hear things as they are.”
Compared to the nonsense and slander Rita had encountered before, high society gossip seemed elegant.
She ignored the luxurious dress draped on her body and got lost in thought.
It’d be nice if I could naturally create a chance for Leon and Anne to meet. Then they could understand each other’s feelings… Oh, there’s a way.
She had an urgent matter: she needed to get used to dancing with a stranger within five days.
Anne has a younger brother, right? Was he younger than me? The same age? Anyway, if I ask Anne to help with dance practice and invite him as a practice partner… I could call Anne to the Cream Dome.
Her original dance partner was Leonhardt, so inviting someone for practice could naturally allow the two of them to meet.
Rita immediately put her plan into action.
After finishing the fitting, she went to the cafe to talk with Annemarie. She brushed off the events during her disappearance as faint memories, as agreed with her family, and asked Annemarie to help her with dance practice.
“It’s hard to practice with brothers—they’re family. I need to try with someone else, but I have no suitable person. Too unfamiliar is stressful…”
“If that’s the case, I’ll help! You need a male partner, right? Lili, do you remember Anton? My younger brother, one year younger than you. You’ve met him a few times as a child, so he won’t feel too strange. I’ll talk to him!”
The arrangement went smoothly. Since time was short, it was set for two days later.
The complication was that there was an extra tagalong with the Everett siblings.
April 14, Cream Dome
“I’m really sorry, Lili. He was so stubborn…”
Behind the flustered apologizing Annemarie, the pink-haired twin-tails appeared. Lavinia, Princess of Deweirebourg, was sticking to Annemarie’s back, peering out at Lilietta.
Like a cat with its fur standing on end.
Despite her threatening expression, Lavinia’s youthful, cute face made it ineffective. From Rita’s battlefield perspective, she was as harmless as a kitten.
“It’s okay, sister. Nice to see you again, Princess of Deweirebourg. Welcome to the Cream Dome. I hope your visit is pleasant.”
“…My mood is already ruined.”
“Lavinia! What kind of words are those?!”
Annemarie raised her voice at Lavinia, who was challenging the formal courtesy of nobles. Lavinia pouted.
“It’s the truth! Haven’t you told me not to lie?”
“It’s not lying, it’s etiquette! I said I’d behave politely if I came along! Then why did you even come!”
“It’s because of Anne! If Anne hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have come either!”
“What do you mean ‘wouldn’t have come’? That’s rude—apologize immediately!”
“Hmph.”
“Lavi!”
Chaos broke out instantly.
“She looks more like a governess than a maid in person.”
Lindsay whispered into Rita’s ear what she had only thought. Rita could only sigh, unable to openly agree.
