TFLMLD 36

Chapter 36

The Original “That Woman” Appears (1)
2021.01.05

It had been a long time since Coral had smiled so brightly, and I wanted to know why… but Pierrot was far too unattainable. I only heard about the leaflet after wandering through the streets for a while and finally settling at a nearby restaurant.

“They say there’s a masquerade ball tomorrow.”

When Kai mentioned it first, Coral quickly extended the leaflet and added,

“Can we go to the masquerade ball too?”

Judging by her sparkling eyes, she clearly wanted to go. Since the event was tomorrow, it seemed feasible. It was in the afternoon, so we could prepare in the morning and attend without issue…

“It sounds like it’ll be fun. But if it’s a masquerade, we’d need masks, right?”

“That seems likely.”

Macaron appeared nonchalant, but Lord Momonte, who always handled the tasks when anything came up, didn’t look particularly pleased.

“Do you have outfits?”

“No.”

“Then a tiara…?”

“Is that really necessary?”

People of the Romantic Empire were so decisive that if one didn’t prepare for social events at least a week in advance, attending was basically impossible. In short, it was already lucky if a mask remained, let alone outfits or tiaras.

“Shouldn’t we first check if any masks are left?”

Macaron smiled faintly as he looked at Lord Momonte.

“Prepare everything. Nothing lacking.”

Macaron was the kind of demanding superior I would never want to meet. Yet in this moment, he went a step further.

“Coral will have something cute, Kai something stylish, I’ll have something dazzling, and Calypso…”

He paused, seemingly in thought. His gaze lingered on me in a way that felt unusually intense.

“Should I just have something pretty?”

“Not just pretty. Something very pretty. Like the lady’s.”

Lord Momonte seemed to want to tell him to stop, but he swallowed the words, forcing a smile and stepping aside. His dark circles seemed even longer by ten centimeters as he withdrew.

“Will that be alright?”

Macaron gave me a look as if to ask what I meant. Then, pointing toward where Lord Momonte had gone, he flashed a captivating smile. If Momonte had seen it, he’d probably have found it annoying.

“Of course it’s fine. Momonte is, to my knowledge, the most competent steward in the Empire. I treat him accordingly.”

Indeed, if that weren’t the case, Momonte might have already left the Craide territory. With only us remaining in the quiet space, the restaurant came into full view. Few tables, a spacious interior, and a lake visible through floor-to-ceiling windows—it was clearly a top-tier restaurant. Yet… why… wasn’t there a single person here? Normally, this time would be peak hours. Could it be that Macaron…?

“Did you perhaps rent the entire restaurant?”

“If you wish, I could do that.”

“I’m relieved it wasn’t His Excellency who did it.”

Macaron looked at me curiously.

“Isn’t it more comfortable if no one else is around?”

“I just hope that our good day doesn’t take happiness away from someone else for whom this could also be a special day.”

Macaron stared at me blankly for a long moment. I worried that my insistence on my point might make him embarrassed…

“I feel like I fall for you every moment. You’re always impressive, but especially at times like this…”

I didn’t know what exact point he meant, but it felt good to hear he had fallen for me.

“I see.”

I nonchalantly ate my soup, and he mimicked the action, striking a stylish pose as he did. It was odd that the restaurant was so empty, but if Macaron hadn’t done it, it was nothing to worry about. Soon, the food arrived, including lobster, a specialty of Riellemont, prepared better than ever. Macaron cut the food into manageable pieces and served them onto my plate; Kai mirrored this onto Coral’s plate. They say children mirror their parents, and indeed… Coral, imagining her first masquerade, couldn’t stop smiling brightly through the entire meal.

As the plates emptied and dessert arrived, Coral pointed outside the window, whispering softly:

“Wow… it’s beautiful!”

Outside, a swan-shaped boat floated gracefully. Seeing people aboard, it seemed like a tour boat. Coral, fascinated by it, traced the shape with her fingers along the window. Kai seemed to notice her excitement and subtly asked,

“Can I ride the boat with you, Coral?”

Macaron smiled at me as if leaving it to my decision.

“I get motion sickness, so you go with the kids.”

Macaron turned his head as if puzzled by my words.

“What fun is there if the lady isn’t with you? I’ll stay by your side.”

Macaron gave Momonte a quick glance, and the steward left with the children. As I enjoyed this private time with Macaron, a commotion arose.

“They said no one else should be allowed in.”

“Well…”

I turned to see a burly man seated, with a woman entering behind him.

“What’s all the noise about?”

Her tone was elegant yet imperious. Her walk and speech clearly marked her as a noblewoman, and her dress looked like it could outfit several estates. Seeing her, the manager immediately bowed in apology.

“I’m terribly sorry.”

It seemed this woman had rented the entire restaurant. She appeared to be alone, and seeing the manager fumble, it was clear she was a high-ranking noble. But why had the manager allowed us in?

“Momonte wouldn’t have revealed Macaron’s identity…”

Indeed, he was an exceptionally competent steward. The manager now looked helpless, unable to ask us to leave.

“Should I tell him to leave now?” I wondered. Worrying about causing trouble in someone else’s domain… when Macaron turned to look at where my gaze lingered.

“Do you know them?”

“No.”

Macaron glanced alternately at the woman and the man before turning away. Yet the woman’s gaze remained fixed on him. Even when pretending to look elsewhere, she returned to the same pose. Normally, one would look away in such situations. It seemed she had made eye contact with Macaron earlier, and since then, she hadn’t looked away.

‘Am I imagining it?’

Still, her gaze remained directed at Macaron. Its boldness was unnerving. Macaron noticed my unease and glanced back toward her. Instantly, her eyes curved at him in a seductive smile.

‘What…?’

Such an overt smile meant either she knew Macaron, or she was attempting to seduce him. But no matter how crazy, would someone try to seduce him in front of his lady? I glanced again, wondering if she knew him, but he seemed indifferent, looking away. Her expression stiffened slightly but soon became a subtle mixture of intrigue, as if she had spotted a tantalizing prey.

Meanwhile, the man who came with her seemed to be pushing the manager to have us leave. Then, unexpectedly, the woman made a final decision.

“Fine. We’ll just eat today.”

The manager bowed repeatedly as if finding a savior.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Leaving the bowing manager behind, she strode toward us. Her violet hair cascaded around her delicate, trembling blue eyes, radiating innocence. Her fragile body naturally invoked a protective instinct; unlike her previous elegant posture, her walk was light and fluttering. She passed in front of me, never averting her gaze from Macaron. Even as she passed me, a thin, airy laugh escaped her lips. Her hostility was apparent in even the briefest glance, making my entire body tense. I could sense her movements just by her voice. She stopped at the rear diagonal right and seated herself.

‘There are plenty of good spots, so why sit there…?’

The rear right corner was obstructed by a wall, less ideal than other spots. Renting the whole restaurant usually meant avoiding contact with others, so why here? I didn’t turn my head to avoid her gaze, but it felt like she was still watching me, sending shivers down my neck. Macaron, however, seemed entirely unbothered. He even subtly asked me:

“Shall I have them removed?”

“It’s fine. They’ll leave soon.”

“You usually love ice cream but couldn’t take a bite since the unwanted guest arrived, didn’t you?”

Even while not looking at her, she wore a smile as if whispering sweetly to a lover. She would never imagine the story wasn’t about her.

“Let’s keep today pleasant. Besides, this isn’t Craide territory—it’s elsewhere.”

Macaron nodded at my suggestion to stay pleasant but tilted his head at “elsewhere.”

“…What does that matter?”

His innocent expression soon turned sultry, eyes sparkling. Darkness gradually settled outside. Through the window, my reflection looked slightly stiff despite the Changer’s tight fit.

“Wait a moment.”

Leaving Macaron nodding, I went to the restroom, activated the Changer, and refreshed my face. As I tied my hair again, footsteps approached.

‘The only person coming here could be that woman…’

It made sense, but I didn’t want to encounter her. Just as I was about to leave, she entered first. I lingered by the mirror, conscious of her gaze.

“What is your relationship with the person you came with?”

Asking about another woman’s husband so boldly—it was slightly infuriating. My irritation seeped into my voice.

“Why do you ask that?”

I hadn’t said much, but wondered if I’d been too harsh. She immediately clarified:

“I just realized I like that person.”