Chapter : 15
I thought the original story was over, but Episode 15
A few days later, I had truly and completely forgotten about Asad. Which made sense—Leopold’s invitations had suddenly stopped altogether after that day.
Had he lost interest in playing “friends”?
Honestly, Leopold had been trying to fatten me up lately, which had been troublesome, so I couldn’t help but think this was for the best.
Did he really think I’d fall for such shallow tricks? He’d picked the wrong person.
I didn’t know what he’d been thinking, but I was glad he seemed to have given up on me.
Of course, I didn’t believe for even one gram that he had been inviting me out of pure goodwill.
In any case, I could now focus more on exercising. The training was so intense that there was no room for stray thoughts.
With no one to interfere, plenty of free time since I was a child, and on top of that Russell’s support as a spirit, I was losing weight far faster than others.
Exercising in the water was great—you didn’t sweat, and you could keep going for a long time.
And maybe because I’d gone through something similar in my previous life, I felt like I had a decent grasp of how to lose weight. Turning misfortune into a blessing, I guess—those past experiences were coming in handy.
“Huff, huff. Cough.”
After getting out of the lake, I collapsed onto the grass as if I’d fallen.
Thanks to Russell’s help, I’d been able to move freely in the water without using too much strength, but to anyone else, I probably didn’t look very good right now.
“I want strawberry sherbet. I want cream pasta. I want oven-roasted chicken legs……”
After exercising in the water, my appetite suddenly seemed to explode. Even if I’d been through this once before, it was still hard.
“……”
Listening blankly to my stomach growl, I suddenly sprang to my feet. To shake off thoughts of food, I decided to move my body even more.
A few days passed like that. I stood in front of the scale with a tense expression.
Carefully stepping onto it and checking my weight through half-closed eyes, I let out a cheer.
“Yes!”
I immediately ran to the mirror and looked at myself—my body was noticeably smaller than before.
It wasn’t just my imagination. It was real. I even seemed to have grown a little taller. I looked about 30% closer to how I’d been before regressing.
“It’s finally starting to show!”
Exercising no longer felt exhausting—if anything, it felt refreshing. I could clearly feel my body getting healthier.
Of course, I still had a long way to go before returning to a completely healthy state. But still—this was a big change! I had to show it off.
Thinking that, I quickly changed clothes and ran to the garden. I shook Russell awake as he slept inside the fountain.
“Russell!”
“……?”
“How do I look?”
“How do you look in what sense?”
“How do I look, I’m asking.”
“…….”
Russell opened his eyes at my call and simply looked up at me without saying anything. He seemed annoyed.
When I kept staring at him, silently demanding an answer, he sighed and spoke as if he had no choice.
“……You’ve got two eyes, one nose, one mouth, and two ears. Yep. Everything’s still there. No need to worry.”
“No! Not that!”
I’d expected this from him, but still.
I grabbed Russell as he tried to slip back into the water after answering lazily.
“Don’t I look different?”
“Different?”
“I do, right?”
“…….”
Russell straightened up in the fountain and calmly looked me over from head to toe.
Spirits couldn’t lie. I looked at him with barely concealed anticipation.
“Right? I’ve changed, haven’t I? How? What’s different?”
“I don’t really know.”
At Russell’s flat reply, my face fell.
Was it still too early? Even to me, the changes over the past few days were obvious……
“Honestly, unless you suddenly grow an extra eye or mouth, I think it’s all pretty much the same.”
“…….”
Well, spirits were a race that could freely change gender and even materialize into whatever form they wanted. Losing a little weight probably didn’t even qualify as a ‘change’ to them.
Besides, Russell was the kind of guy who’d just say, “I see,” even if I suddenly grew a horn on my head.
After saying that, Russell reached out and plopped his hand onto my head as I stared at him in disbelief. Then he slowly ruffled my hair from side to side with a slightly rough touch.
“You’re already distinctive-looking enough as it is. Don’t worry.”
“…….”
That doesn’t sound like a compliment. Is he saying I look as distinctive as someone with an extra eye or something?
He probably meant it as comfort, but it wasn’t comforting at all.
“……Sigh.”
In my previous life, I was actually pretty popular.
I didn’t look like a classic beauty like Eveline, but still, back then I was often mentioned as the archetypal “cold beauty” in high society.
……Of course, no one would believe that looking at this kid’s body.
Just wait until I grow up! Huh? I’ll sweep through high society.
After playing with Russell for a bit, I returned to my room. Exhausted, I was about to lie down when something caught my eye and made me stop.
“Huh?”
There was something on the table. Looking closer, it was a letter with gold embossing. It seemed a maid had come to deliver it, found me absent, and left it behind.
The invitation stamped with the golden imperial palace crest was familiar by now. The sender was obviously Leopold.
I lay down on the bed and opened it. As expected, it was from Leopold, and as expected, it said to come to the palace tomorrow.
“So annoying.”
I tossed the letter onto the floor and rolled over, burying my face in the pillow.
The imperial palace……
Come to think of it, I’d run into Asad by chance the last time I went there.
Surely I wouldn’t run into him again tomorrow, right?
The palace was huge, so running into Asad twice would be rare—but I couldn’t say it was impossible.
Asad was originally a commoner, but he had recently been adopted into a ducal family. He was fourteen, and that was why he’d been wandering lost in the palace on his first visit.
The reason a commoner like Asad had been adopted by a ducal house was because he’d defeated Leopold in the finals of the annual swordsmanship tournament hosted by the palace, catching the empress’s eye.
Leopold’s expression back then—he’d looked furious beyond belief.
To the empress, Asad—who’d landed such a heavy blow on the seemingly flawless Leopold—must have been quite endearing. And with those looks and sword skills, he was the kind of talent you’d want to secure at any cost.
Because of that, Asad was adopted into a ducal house that had long supported the empress, and from a young age he frequently came and went from the palace as one of her close aides.
So even if I did run into him tomorrow, it wouldn’t be strange.
“……Whatever.”
After agonizing for a bit, I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and closed my eyes.
“There really aren’t any dresses left you can wear.”
“What?”
I was staring at my reflection in the mirror when I turned around in surprise. A maid stood there with a troubled expression.
I’d known that my trips to the palace would strain the baronial family’s finances, but the coffers were emptying faster than I’d expected.
Since we didn’t have a carriage, we had to rent one, hire a coachman, maintain at least minimal adornment because of all the eyes at the palace, and hire multiple guards to escort the carriage there.
Because I’d been going to the palace so often, rumors were spreading—things like the crown prince was backing the baronial family, or that he’d chosen us as a sword to keep the empress in check.
But in reality, nothing so grand was happening. We just drank tea, he fed me things I liked, and we chatted about nonsense.
So I decided that today, I’d ask Leopold directly why he kept calling me to the palace.
And if there was no real reason, I’d firmly tell him to stop.
……Partly because I didn’t want to run into Asad.
I spoke to the maids who were sweating over my outfit.
“……Make a shawl out of white cloth to wear over a simple everyday dress. And instead of hair accessories, I’ll wear a wide-brimmed hat.”
“Miss, but won’t that be too plain?”
“It’s fine. This restrained style will be in fashion soon anyway.”
At the time, extravagantly ornate dresses were all the rage, but before long, more restrained designs would come into fashion.
Wearing a trend a bit early wouldn’t cause any harm.
I should start saving from things like this.
Today’s tea time was held in the quiet lakeside garden within the palace, and the snack was my favorite—strawberry sherbet.
“…….”
Just this much, then I’ll talk. Just this much. Thinking of it as my last meal made it hard to let go.
As always, Leopold was staring intently at me.
He never even touched his own portion, only watching me eat.
The way he stared, as if trying to burn the image into his retinas like someone he’d never see again, had made me shy at first.
I’d wondered if my dark, embarrassing past self was that fascinating to him…… but I was used to it now.
While staring at me like that, Leopold suddenly spoke, as if he’d realized something.
“I’m feeding you well, but strangely, you keep getting thinner.”
“……Really?”
I lifted my head, my expression brightening slightly.
Since Leopold watched me so closely every day, he seemed more sensitive to my changes than anyone else. Unlike someone who didn’t understand people’s feelings at all.
But wait—were friends supposed to make you gain weight?
Anyway, it was time to get to the point.
Clink.
“Leo.”
“?”
I set down my teaspoon and spoke.
“……Isn’t it about time you told me why you keep calling me here?”
