Translator: Leaf
Editor: Rus
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 14: Lovers’ Rendezvous
A/N: We return to the protagonist Julianna’s POV.
“This should be fine, right?”
I glanced at the mirror and checked over my appearance.
A white chiffon one-piece paired with a handmade rose corsage was today’s get-up.
Given that I’d made it on a whim when I had the spare time on my hands, it was quite the masterpiece, if I did say so myself.
Incidentally, I had used one of the salmon pink-colored artificial roses that decorated the windowsill to make the piece.
The mirror showed rich brown hair arranged in a simple half-up style.
An outfit combination that was reminiscent of a young lady ready for a date, though my purpose for dressing this way was not for a date, but rather an information exchange.
I had entrusted Mary with delivering my infiltration report to Prince Edward through Linus, wondering if I would even receive a reply… and receive one I did, in the form of what was more or less a love letter.
Of course, it had been addressed to Erin from Zeke.
The date and time had been specified in the letter, and today was the appointed date.
I had indeed written that I would be expecting a reply, but receiving one in the form of a date invitation… Truthfully, I had not expected it.
As nothing in the letter alluded to the infiltration report, I had little choice but to participate in the liaison today.
It would likely be one of Prince Edward’s subordinates who would meet me there.
He may have had a close brush with death, but to mock me with a love letter of all things, he really was treating me like a stress ball.
How childish… even though I, too, was technically not yet an adult.
What’s more, I was feeling a sense of foreboding. Depressing, truly.
I wouldn’t make it in time if I didn’t head towards the rendezvous point now.
Steeling myself, I exited the dormitory and headed to my “date”.
As I descended the stairs towards the entrance, I spotted Martha and Miria.
Their matching grins gave me chills, and I had absolutely no desire to interact with them.
However, I couldn’t exit the dormitory without going through the two of them.
As it was, I could only accept my fate and cross the remaining distance to the entrance.
“Erin~, are you just going to leave without a word to us?”
“Oh, quite spirited you are!”
I was held up after all.
I turned to face them with a disgruntled… no, with cheeks lightly dusted with pink.
Right at that moment, I was not Julianna, but Erin.
“Good morning, Miss Martha, and Miria. I was embarrassed because the two of you were grinning so widely!”
“What’s with that—, we recommended you a good cafe, didn’t we? It should be fine for us to stare a little!”
“That’s completely unrelated!”
Led by Miria, Erin had been continuously prodded and poked by various people for details about the date throughout the week since Zeke’s reply arrived.
To tell the truth, the stress had been piling up.
“Speaking of which, the location is Ceanna Park, isn’t it? I heard the autumn blooms are a sight to behold around this time.”
“Heh, they’re going to Ceanna Park? This means that, right after the cafe date, it’s a relaxing time between lovers? Aww, I’m so envious!”
Miria was currently single and available.
It seemed she was the type fated for short-term relationships.
“Please, stop teasing me already! Miss Martha, I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”
“Aye, the excursion permit has been properly submitted, so you’re good to go. Do call out to the gatekeeper when leaving the church—don’t forget—!”
“Got it. I’m off!” Erin said.
“Tell me all about it when you come back—”
“Good luck on the date, wishing you all the best!”
Having exited the White Dormitory, I headed for the gate.
As I passed by the orderly rows of trees, I spied a red-haired gatekeeper as I approached the gate.
It was Sam.
He was standing guard with a nonchalant expression on his face… quite fitting for the job.
When it came to mercenaries, the majority of them tended to specialize in fighting.
A mercenary of the Sabbath and a gatekeeper of the church, there was probably no person who would look at Sam and see the two masks he wore for what they are.
Quite the colorful mercenary he was.
As much as I wanted to investigate Sam in further detail, there were more important things I had to prioritize, so it would have to be put on the backburner for now.
“Ah, Sam! Good morning.”
“Ah~ Miss Erin. Has it been 3 months now? Have you made any more blunders since then?”
“C-certainly not! Probably…” Erin mumbled.
“So you have, eh…” Sam said.
“They say failure is the mother of success, so I’ll be perfectly alright.”
“Consider this a request from me, please don’t go making medical blunders.” Sam told Erin.
“How rude! I wouldn’t!”
I stealthily observed Sam.
His rigid back was no different from a few months ago.
This being although he had been caught in an explosion, even if it had been small in scale, and around 10 days had passed since then.
At that time, making the spontaneous decision to run had been the right thing to do…
I was no match for this person.
Had I fought him head-on, I’d have either been killed on the spot or interrogated and then killed… ah, both routes would just lead to me being killed off in the end, wouldn’t they?
“So, what business do you have with the gatekeeper?”
“Ah yes, I was reminded by Miss Martha to speak with you before leaving the premises.”
“Is that so… When will you be returning?”
“I should return by tomorrow afternoon!”
“Understood. Judging from your attire… is it a date?”
“Huhu ♪ that’s right.”
“To think that Miss Erin would have a lover, yet I remain single…”
“Hey, I’m sure you’ll find a good person someday! Someday, one day, really.”
“Urgh, my pure heart has been wounded!”
“I know nothing about that ~ then I’ll be going!”
Then, I left the gloomy-looking Sam behind and started walking to my “date”.
It’s not like it was petty vengeance for almost being slain by his hands. Truly.
I made for the clock tower that marked the rendezvous point.
Although I had only just passed through the gates, I had the feeling that I was being followed.
Whoever it was, they were definitely on the alert for Sabbath infiltrators.
How troublesome.
However… what a roughshod trailing attempt.
There was only one person, and for me to notice them so easily, were they an amateur?
Goodness, had it been Mary, they would have stalked me perfectly without me noticing, and yet…
When I sneaked out of my home to act, I would often be trailed by members of the household.
Having been caught and reprimanded over and over again, my ability to detect unwanted presences had grown unusually sharp.
As a result, I had since been able to proceed with my acting unhindered.
Reflect on my actions? Had I the time to do so, I would much rather use it to hone my craft!
But ever since Mary became my maid, I have yet to succeed in shaking her off.
In fact, I haven’t even been able to sense her presence.
At first, I would be bodily dragged home, but after I obtained father’s permission to venture out in the name of espionage, Mary had secretly become my bodyguard.
Although, I would end up being subjected to her complaints afterward.
But now that I thought about it, Sam, whose presence had been hidden from me until his halberd descended, might just have a battle prowess comparable to Mary.
Ah, I should just stop thinking about it. Let’s simply appreciate living.
As I approached the clock tower, a golden-haired man came into view.
His appearance was as specified in the letter.
Ah, he was also wearing spectacles… blue eyes?
As I noticed that detail, my inner thoughts screamed, “don’t tell me…”
No way, no way, no way!
When I closed the remaining distance between us, it confirmed my worst apprehensions.
Ah, how I wanted to escape from reality.
A golden-haired, blue-eyed, and bespectacled man dressed in the likeness of a merchant stood before me.
That person was the Second Prince’s subordinate—not. Rather, that was Prince Edward in person.
How did it come to this…
What had Aide Silas been doing as his guardian?!
I glared blatantly at Prince Edward.
As I did so, Prince Edward smiled and called to me gently.
“Erin.”
D O Y O U R J O B P R O P E R L Y ! Y O U S A D I S T I C P R I N C E !
The cries of my heart failed to reach Prince Edward.
Nay, he probably heard and was laughing internally.
I rushed towards Prince Edward, brimming with anger.
A/N:
Edward has taken on the role of Zeke, after all
I think it’s an expected development.
Incidentally, Silas tried to stop it with all his might.
But his opponent is the barbarian demon king, powerless, he is now recovering from a stomach ache at home.
Next up is Zeke and Erin’s killer(?) date.
