Chapter : 49
Clack.
I slowly opened my mouth, holding my teacup.
“So… why are we here…?”
“Oh, Prince Herarilla invited me.”
That much I had already anticipated.
What I was truly curious about was why she had accepted that invitation.
Surely…
Surely she wasn’t interested in Morgan Herarilla, was she?
“It’s my first time in the capital’s social circles, so I don’t know anyone. I’m really grateful that Prince Herarilla has been so kind to me.”
But from Arser’s next words, I could roughly guess what the situation was.
“Patricia, since Miss Arser is new to life in the capital, make sure to look after her well.”
Look after her…
Even though Patricia was called the flower of society, she couldn’t just go out to events whenever she wanted.
In the end, she only knew the faces of the young ladies, nothing more.
Or rather, just enough to exchange shallow pleasantries.
“Don’t worry, Miss. Patricia will take care of you.”
“Really?”
At Morgan’s words, Arser glanced at me.
I was annoyed at Morgan’s commanding tone, but I slowly nodded.
“I see. It must have been quite lonely for you.”
“Yes. It’s still very difficult.”
“Miss Arser, don’t worry anymore. I’ll help you.”
“…Can you really do that?”
Arser seemed slightly moved.
A new place.
New people.
I knew all too well how hard it was to adapt in such circumstances, so I could imagine her emotional struggle.
“Of course.”
“Thank you. I thought the young ladies of the capital didn’t like me, and I was feeling gloomy.”
Arser gave a small, embarrassed smile.
Indeed, the young ladies in the capital didn’t seem particularly fond of her.
No one spoke to her first, and there had even been a young lady who gossiped about her to me yesterday.
“Where are you staying now?”
“At a relative’s house.”
“If you leave your address with a maid, I’ll contact you often. We could even go out together.”
Arser lowered the corners of her eyes.
“Thank you so much. The princess is as beautiful in heart as in face.”
“Haha, it’s nothing.”
Feeling awkward at Arser’s strong gratitude, I smoothed my hair.
People here tended to be excessively thankful even for minor things.
Sorry if I gave the wrong impression—well, anyway, it was also good for Arser if things went well with Lawrence.
It seemed likely that she would see Miss Rodriguez often from now on, and now I could safely ask her the question I had been curious about from the beginning.
“By the way, why did you come to the capital?”
“There aren’t many people in our territory. It was quiet and boring. I was also curious about the social circles of the capital.”
Not many people?
But just because there aren’t many people doesn’t mean everyone comes to the capital’s social circles.
The biggest reason young ladies here obsessed over social events:
To find a good husband. Or to create connections that could help them later.
So, the purpose of young ladies coming from the provinces to the capital was not very different.
She probably came to widen the pool of potential husbands she could choose from.
Curious about the capital’s social scene, huh.
It seemed she had worded it vaguely, perhaps because the reason might seem somewhat materialistic.
Hmm, but Arser is the protagonist of the novel.
Couldn’t she have genuinely been curious?
But coming to the capital itself cost money.
Arser’s family, which would go bankrupt in two years, probably wasn’t that wealthy right now.
There were too many hardships to face if it were just out of curiosity.
I couldn’t be certain, but it seemed more likely her purpose was to find a husband or make connections than mere curiosity.
“……”
But what I really wanted to know from my question was why the timing of Arser coming to the capital was now—not two years later.
“Is that the only reason?”
No.
If her reason for coming this time was to find a good husband, then why didn’t she appear in the social circles in the novel at this time?
The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
So, her coming this time was really for no other reason than for fun?
My head ached trying to understand Arser’s inscrutable heart.
Was Arser Rodriguez really that impulsive?
In the novel, her reason for acting was to prevent her family’s bankruptcy. That was it.
Her family probably wasn’t on the brink of bankruptcy yet.
“Pardon?”
In the novel, Arser sought out investors herself to revive her family.
By that, she seemed practical and proactive.
“I’m just curious why it’s now.”
Surely my influence had something to do with Arser coming to the capital at this point.
I was the only difference from the novel, so if anything had changed, it was because of me.
“……”
What exactly made her come to the capital?
“Now of all times… does that mean I chose the wrong timing?”
“Patricia, what kind of question is that? No matter when she comes, it’s Miss Rodriguez’s choice.”
Morgan, who had remained silent until now, scolded me.
“Miss, don’t worry. You don’t need to answer.”
Arser smiled awkwardly, looking uncomfortable.
Asking like this, I couldn’t hope to understand Arser’s true thoughts.
“No, I just wondered if it was because of me.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”
For a moment, Arser’s gaze flickered nervously.
But that alone didn’t reveal her thoughts.
Maybe my question had just surprised her.
“Hah? What kind of stupid question is that?”
Before Arser could answer, Morgan interrupted.
As if he were her older brother.
“Don’t be rude to Miss Rodriguez.”
That fool seemed to think he was Morgan Rodriguez himself.
Hoo.
Whenever Arser showed the slightest discomfort, he always took her side, which annoyed me.
Because of that, I hadn’t learned anything.
Click.
“Ahem.”
I glared lightly, and only then did Morgan hide some of the hostility he usually showed me.
“No, she said she wanted to see me.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Arser smile.
“I wanted to meet the beautiful princess at least once.”
“…I see.”
Once again, I had learned nothing.
Useless as always.
I glared at Morgan again, but still didn’t feel at ease.
“Brother, shouldn’t you go see Father?”
“Huh? Father?”
“He said to meet around two.”
“Father?”
Morgan frowned as if hearing it for the first time.
Since I had just made it up, it was natural he hadn’t heard it before, but I simply nodded.
Morgan glanced at his watch.
“Shouldn’t I be going by now? Can’t I skip it?”
He tilted his head but slowly stood.
“Miss Rodriguez, I’m sorry, but I suppose I must take my leave now.”
“No, it can’t be helped.”
He seemed a bit reluctant to leave, but he couldn’t ignore his father’s call, so he had no choice but to leave the parlor.
“Miss, shall we move to my room?”
“To the princess’s room?”
“Yes.”
“Yes! That sounds wonderful.”
Arser smiled brightly.
Her cheerful voice and delicately folded eyes were truly radiant.
Well.
Perhaps it didn’t really matter why she had come.
She wasn’t a villain.
There was no reason for me to be wary of her.
No reason at all to be wary of someone so pure and innocent.
“Shall we go?”
I moved us so Morgan couldn’t interfere again.
“Then, what do you do to relax, Princess?”
“I usually read books.”
Arser skillfully kept the conversation going.
Her innocent eyes sparkled slightly with excitement.
The thrill of making a new friend.
Seeing that, I felt a small flutter in my heart.
“And you, Miss?”
“I bake cookies.”
“Cookies?”
“Oh, is that strange?”
For some reason, Arser’s face flushed.
“No, why would that be strange?”
“It seems like it’s not an activity favored in the capital. It’s not something refined like oil painting, piano, or reading.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
I hadn’t really considered it.
I tilted my head slightly, and Arser spoke again.
“Princess, does it matter to you?”
“I haven’t really thought about it.”
“I’m worried.”
Arser let out a small sigh.
“I want to join the conversations with other young ladies, but I’m afraid there’s no common topic. Oh, of course, no one talks to me anyway.”
Her voice sounded a little dejected.
She was so honest to someone she had only just met.
A truly pure, honest, childlike girl.
I understood why, in the novel, Lawrence Gerhardt had opened his heart to Arser.
