TFLMLD 27

Chapter 27

 Before Holding Hands, Sleep First
2020.12.05

They said they came to play with Coral… but the way the two of them were looking at each other suggested some scheme. Coral, noticing the tension, quietly slipped back to her room, claiming she had something to do. But Macaron—why are you still here even though Coral left?

“Now we should go to sleep.”

“Do we… really have to?”

Look at that mischievous smile. They say people easily catch on to bad habits first. I’ve learned a lot of mischief being around him. Who would know that the fearsome leader of the Creed could be such an adorable wolf? If Lord Momont or Lord Aint saw this, they’d faint, no doubt—but my opinion of him hasn’t changed as I’ve observed him. Seeing Macaron’s reddened ears and flushed face… I couldn’t help but bring out the mischievous side of myself.

“Didn’t Your Highness write in the contract that you’d never enter my living space?”

“That contract… we can just rewrite it.”

Macaron, you have an extraordinary talent for slowly summoning the demon within me.

“We haven’t even held hands yet, and you want to sleep together?”

Macaron pondered for a moment, then smiled as if he had found a solution.

“…We’ll just hold hands and sleep.”

“Do you think that will really work?”

“It will!”

“There are only two kinds of men who can sleep next to a beauty like me.”

Either they’re not interested, or… wait, Macaron, you’re not…? I didn’t even want to think about that scenario. Poor Macaron! But no, that’s impossible—he has Kai, after all.

Lowering my gaze, I noticed he had clasped his large hands demurely. His hands brushed mine lightly, barely touching, and his big hand twitched reflexively. He kept this up, and I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. Even in this, he maintained a proper, polite posture.

“Even sleeping next to a beauty would be difficult…”

One step.

“Sleeping while holding hands would be even harder…”

Two steps. His scent teasingly brushed against my nose. Judging by the redness at the tips of his ears, maybe he felt the same way.

“Are you really okay with this?”

Bang—he stopped just shy of touching me, like crashing into a wall. Why is my heart suddenly pounding? Suddenly confident, he removed his hands from their demure position and looked straight at me.

“…Do you see me as a beast right now?”

His red eyes flickered noticeably up close. Then he turned me toward the wall. He probably didn’t realize what a huge mistake that was.

“You don’t seem okay already.”

“What do you mean…?”

As I looked down, something made its presence known.

“Please give my regards. See if things are alright there.”

“…!”

Had today’s teasing been too much? From then on, he seemed to have a determination of his own, visiting the East Annex daily. Macaron would often gaze at me intently when he came. Today, his gaze was especially intense. The shadow in the eyes of this tempting lion made me swallow involuntarily. He whispered in a low voice, his deadly gaze unwavering:

“I will continue to come.”

“Isn’t that what you’ve already been doing?”

“If you dislike it, avoid me. But… you cannot tell me not to come.”

It was as if he was daring me to resist his temptation. His red eyes, as if filled with blood, looked somehow cute. I realized I was already going a little insane.

“This is my room, you know?”

“This is my house, after all.”

From then on, he came to the East Annex whenever he could. Macaron, approaching with a growl yet unable to touch even a finger, always arrived pale-faced and returned with flushed cheeks. I had to admit it: Macaron had entered my living space. Was my racing heart due to the season… or Macaron? Time passed without an answer.

The end of those many days began again with the repeated routine.

Hearing the loud shouts at the training ground, I focused on making the Changer filters. Two seasons had already passed since I moved into the mansion. Looking at the filters I had painstakingly made made my heart race. I had created hundreds of filters—Cat Eye, Winter Fox, Gardis, Fairy, Angel—and even successfully installed them in the Changer. Just pressing a button applied the makeup instantly to a raw face, and modifications were possible. This was… a revolutionary new product for the Empire. Today, finally, I would install the Cleansing Filter. After applying the Cat Fox filter, I activated the Cleansing Filter… and, like magic, the face returned to its original state. Signs of success were right before my eyes. To gauge commercial potential, there was no better place than the auction hall. As the auction approached, it coincided with Kai’s martial arts tournament day.

From morning, everything was busy, and given the day, tea time was skipped. I took special care to prepare a light breakfast that would digest well. Kai, however, had an appetite surprisingly hearty for tournament day.

‘Truly, a bold hero lives up to being a hero!’

Seeing Kai endure with such composure made me proud. He seemed calm, while Coral and I appeared to be the ones nervous about his performance. Still, seeing Kai so poised lightened my heart. Preparation for the tournament was handled entirely by Macaron and Duke Schufen, so I had little to worry about. Coral, usually a sleepyhead, was unusually alert tonight. She went to bed early to wake up bright and early. Thanks to her excellent planning, I could calmly start preparations in the morning. Choosing from the mountain of hairpins Macaron had gifted her, I brushed her silver hair smoothly. Completing her twin bun hairstyle, the little fairy looked perfect.

‘What outfit would suit her today?’

I dressed Coral in one of the frilly dresses Macaron had bought—a flowing, delicate dress—and she looked so cute I almost broke the house. Just as I calmed down, Eve entered, scolding me.

“Milady, what are you still doing?”

“Plenty of time, isn’t there?”

Indeed, with the Changer, a two-hour makeup routine could be done in one second.

“Plenty of time? Today is very important. So many highborn nobles will come… you can’t be late.”

The Empire Academy martial arts tournament attracted children from the most prominent families. Today’s tournament could almost be considered a social event. Even if meeting them was unlikely, Eve was right. She added quickly, perhaps thinking I was deliberating on which Changer to use because of her warning:

“Of course, no one could outshine your beauty.”

After letting her brush Coral’s hair, I selected the Swan filter, which gave the most elegant and sophisticated effect. Activating it, a subtle white pearl makeup with a swan-like elegance appeared. Eve, wide-eyed, covered her mouth in astonishment.

“Milady, what… is this? Where did you buy it?”

“It’s a Changer… I made it recently.”

“You made it… every dawn… oh my!”

The same person who had scolded me earlier for being late now gushed endlessly about how I made it, almost ten pages’ worth. Her awe far surpassed any compliments from the ladies at the Door Night. Indeed, these Changers were limited editions, unavailable anywhere in the Empire.

“Eve, do you want one too?”

Her eyes glistened as she looked at me. She seemed happier than when she had been appointed head maid and given a double salary. Magical products were rare in the Empire, and such devices were usually expensive. Seeing her this delighted made me secretly happy.

“Milady… I will truly devote myself here.”

Eve’s eyes, debating which filter to choose, mirrored my own when picking Coral’s outfit.

“Take this. It has 100 filters.”

She looked at the Changer with stunned reverence.

“Since it’s a special gift, don’t tell the other children.”

Special treatment fosters loyalty and intimacy. Watching Eve receive it carefully, I picked a matching white dress from the frill clothing section that complemented the makeup. Eve wiped her tears and quickly dressed Coral.

“Milady, you’re so beautiful. Even if an angel were reborn as human, it wouldn’t be prettier than you.”

Certainly, the Changer invited praise; even a lip service compliment made me smile. After putting on elegant bold earrings and styling her hair, Coral’s elegance was enhanced. Taking her through the corridor to the main entrance, Kai and Macaron were ready. Macaron usually dressed well, but recently his style had become even sharper. Today, he looked perfect: slightly undone shirt revealing muscles, fitted slacks, stylish coat—his physique enhancing the clothes.

As he looked at me, I stared back for a long moment, then quickly turned away. If Macaron noticed, his narcissism would surely flare up. Though recently, his vanity was justified… I had no intention of encouraging it. Turning my head, I saw Kai gazing at Coral in awe. Kai wore the practice uniform I had gifted him days ago, instead of the one from preliminaries. He looked impressive, perfectly suited for the main event. In casual clothes, Kai was adorable; in the practice uniform, he looked like a promising young prodigy. His hair slicked back was a new style that fit him perfectly.

“Today, I’ll only be watching Kai.”

“…Really?”

Kai twisted shyly, clearly pleased. He looked so naturally endearing that I wasn’t the only one impressed. Glancing at Coral, her red eyes flickered rapidly.

‘He’s fallen, hasn’t he?’

Turning back, Kai’s gaze at Coral mirrored hers. His gray eyes, without bangs, were even more noticeable. Originally adorable enough to break Earth, Coral now had a beauty capable of breaking the universe. This perfectly matched pair of young hearts were in their first-love gaze.

‘You two! Are you trying to break my heart?’

Grasping my heart, I felt an intense gaze and naturally turned my head. Macaron was still staring straight at me