Chapter 7
“This is the most famous dessert shop in the capital!”
Bellia said while walking ahead with an excited voice.
“Bell, don’t look at me. You should look where you’re walking.”
“Ehehe, okay!”
She had been contacting me since last time, asking me to go to a dessert shop with her.
I had refused her invitations, making excuses that I was busy because I did not know when I would meet Lisian again. But since he was currently not in the Empire, I came to the dessert shop with Bellia to become closer with her.
As we got closer to the shop, the rich and savory smell of butter spread from the entrance. I saw a warm and cozy shop that gave off a delicious scent.
“Lady, let’s go inside quickly.”
Bellia happily hummed as she opened the shop door and entered.
As she went inside, I moved my gaze toward the alley across from the shop. There was someone wearing a familiar robe standing there.
It was the person who had chased after us with Lisian last time.
He was secretly watching Bellia through the large glass window of the dessert shop.
“Daimon……?”
At that moment, the wind blew, slightly revealing the man’s face that had been hidden by the robe.
Pink hair sticking out from between the robe.
The emerald eyes staring toward Bellia belonged to none other than the Crown Prince of the Empire, Daimon.
He did not know that I had noticed him. His eyes were only fixed on Bellia.
“Crazy bastard……”
The way Daimon looked at her.
His behavior of secretly following her.
It reminded me of his past self, who had become obsessed with me under the excuse of love.
A chill ran through my entire body from head to toe.
“Lady, hurry and come in!”
While I was staring at Daimon with a disgusted expression, Bellia opened the shop door and showed only her face as she waved at me.
When I followed her inside, I saw Daimon enter the shop shortly after and take a seat in the corner.
“I didn’t know what you would like, so I chose the most delicious ones!”
At the table where Bellia had brought me, there were many desserts piled up, from macarons to cookies.
“Bell…… can we really eat all of this……?”
“Of course! These are my favorites. Please try one.”
She tilted her head and smiled casually before handing me a madeleine.
She looked at me with an expectant expression.
I wanted to meet Bellia’s expectations, but because Daimon was behind her, occasionally glancing at us, I could not focus on the conversation at all.
“Oh my, there is no tea.”
“Ah, right!”
“I’ll go order some.”
Using the tea as an excuse, I stood up and headed toward where Daimon was sitting.
He did not even realize that I was approaching him.
He was happily watching Bellia eat the madeleine.
“Oh my! Are you okay?”
I pushed the teacup placed in front of him, causing it to spill directly onto Daimon.
The tea completely soaked his defenseless robe.
“I’m fine.”
“Oh my, what should I do!”
Because I made a loud fuss, I felt everyone in the shop, including Bellia, turn their attention toward Daimon and me.
Perhaps feeling her gaze, Daimon desperately tried to hide his face.
“You’re completely wet. Wait a moment!”
“No. It’s really fine.”
Pretending to wipe the tea off him, I grabbed his robe.
I saw him become flustered.
And above his head, his favorability appeared.
Just like the others, it was a purple circle shining like a jewel.
“Lady, what happened?”
Bellia, who had stood up from her seat, was slowly approaching us.
“Ah!”
“Lady, are you okay?”
Daimon became restless.
In the end, he pushed me away, stood up, and hurriedly left the shop.
“That person… Did he just push you and run away?”
“Pfft, I’m fine.”
His panicked expression and the way he ran away felt so satisfying that I burst into laughter without realizing it.
“Lady, why are you laughing?”
Bellia helped me up from the floor.
She looked at me curiously, wondering what was so funny.
“Bell, it seems you really enjoyed the madeleine?”
I wiped the madeleine crumbs from the corner of Bellia’s mouth with my hand.
“Ah, um, let’s go back to our seats!”
Perhaps embarrassed that she had eaten like a child and gotten crumbs on herself, she awkwardly walked back to the table and sat down.
I sat across from her and watched Bellia happily chat while smiling.
Many thoughts crossed my mind.
I wondered if it was really right to connect her with Daimon like this.
Even though it was to survive, the thought that Bellia might suffer the same pain I had experienced made me feel strangely uncomfortable.
“Lady? How is it?”
“Hm?”
“What do you think about having tea time at the Marquis’s house tomorrow?”
“I’d like that.”
Bellia smiled brightly, clearly looking forward to tomorrow’s tea time.
“I hope tomorrow comes quickly!”
Looking at her bright smile, I had many complicated feelings and thoughts.
But because my survival came first, I decided not to think about it anymore.
I made that decision.
However…… the next day, during tea time with her, my thoughts changed.
“Lady, I will guide you to the reception room.”
After arriving at the Marquis’s residence and following the butler’s guidance toward the reception room, I noticed the servants and maids moving around busily.
“Butler, is something happening at the Marquis’s residence?”
“A little while ago, His Highness the Prince arrived and is currently speaking with the young lady.”
I was surprised that Daimon had come, but before the butler could continue, I stopped him.
“Butler, where are Lady Bellia and His Highness currently?”
“They are waiting in the garden.”
“I see. You must be busy, so you may go. I will find the reception room myself.”
“That is not necessary. I will……”
Ignoring the butler’s flustered voice calling me, I quickly headed toward the garden.
“Bell, try this.”
“I’m fine.”
“Just one bite.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“Bell……”
“Don’t call me Bell.”
When I arrived at the garden, I saw Bellia with an annoyed expression and Daimon looking completely lost.
“Lady!”
Bellia noticed me secretly watching them and smiled brightly before coming toward me.
When Daimon saw her smile toward me, he looked at me with displeasure.
“I’m sorry. I should have gone to greet you, but a guest suddenly arrived……”
Bellia looked at him as she trailed off.
Daimon looked at me even more resentfully.
“It’s okay. By the way, the dress I gave you…… it really suits you.”
“Thank you!”
Bellia happily smiled like a child and guided me toward the table where he was sitting.
I smiled lightly at Daimon and bowed my head.
“I am Diana Pomerne of the Pomerne family. It is an honor to meet His Highness the Prince.”
“Yeah.”
After hearing his blunt reply, I raised my head.
On the table was the same madeleine I had seen at the dessert shop yesterday.
I looked at Daimon and smiled meaningfully.
He seemed to remember what happened yesterday and became flustered.
I looked back and forth between the madeleine and him.
Then I smiled brightly at Bellia.
“Oh my, isn’t this the madeleine Bell likes the most from the dessert shop?”
“That’s right!”
Bellia’s eyes widened, and she happily leaned toward me.
“Then, I remember how you ate it deliciously like a little squirrel. Right, Your Highness?”
“Hmm. It seems she likes madeleines.”
I smiled at him and asked.
Daimon seemed quite surprised by my sudden question and became restless.
“Come to think of it, the person who I accidentally spilled tea on……”
“Is it really that delicious?”
Daimon interrupted me before I could mention yesterday’s incident.
I could feel him watching Bellia’s reaction.
“That person was……”
“Is this really that tasty?”
He cut me off again.
“Ah, yes.”
Bellia nodded.
Daimon suddenly looked relieved.
Then—
“Damn!”
He suddenly pushed himself away from the table and stood up.
Because of that, the tea placed on the table spilled onto Bellia’s dress.
“Ah!”
“Bell, are you okay?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but…… the dress Lady gave me……”
Bellia looked at her stained dress with teary eyes.
Daimon looked helplessly at her before looking at me with an uncomfortable expression.
His eyes were asking me for help.
I brushed away the tea soaking into her skirt and looked at Bellia.
I noticed drops of tea had splashed onto her face as well.
“The dress can be bought again.”
“But……”
“It’s a relief that Bell isn’t hurt.”
I wiped the tea from her face and smiled.
Her cheeks slowly turned red.
“I-I’ll go change my dress.”
Bellia hurriedly left the place.
After she was gone, I felt Daimon looking at me with a completely different expression.
Unlike before, his eyes were filled with curiosity.
“How……”
“Yes……?”
“How did you win Bell over?”
“……”
I stared blankly at him because of his ridiculous question.
He looked genuinely curious, his emerald jewel-like eyes shining.
“Your Highness.”
“What?”
“Do you want to gain Bell’s heart?”
“Yes.”
“Then, what have you done until now to gain her feelings?”
“Hmm. Like today, I did things Bell likes.”
“Such as?”
“Giving her food or jewelry as gifts. Going to see plays she likes……”
I could feel his voice becoming quieter as my expression worsened.
He was that kind of person.
Without her saying anything, he knew the places she liked, the foods she enjoyed, and the jewelry she admired.
As if he was always watching her from somewhere……
Remembering his actions yesterday, I became certain.
Even thinking about it again, it was frightening.
Bellia must have felt strange that he knew everything she liked without her ever telling him.
I could not hide my expression, and Daimon looked at me curiously.
“Why is your expression like that?”
“Your Highness.”
“What?”
“The things you said Bell likes…… did Bell tell you herself?”
“……”
“No, right?”
“……Does that matter?”
He tilted his head to the side with a truly confused expression.
As expected, he did not understand what was wrong.
“Think about it. Your Highness, what if someone knew everything you liked even though you never told them, and they suddenly appeared in front of you every time?”
“Wouldn’t it feel nice because it means they are always thinking about me?”
“Even if you do not like that person?”
“They are not doing anything bad.”
“……”
I was speechless at his answer.
I could not say anything.
“Lady!”
At that moment, Bellia returned after changing her dress and called out to me while running over.
“Lady, I will contact you soon. We can talk again then.”
Daimon came close to me and whispered quietly, worried that Bellia might hear.
As I thought about my conversation with Daimon, I realized it.
If I helped him and Bellia become close like this, Bellia would definitely experience the same things I had suffered.
I even imagined a situation where she might die like I did, causing him to become obsessed with me again.
In the end, I reached only one conclusion.
There was only one way.
I had to change him.
I decided that I would make him experience it himself.
I would make him understand how frightening and painful it was.
And so, the peaceful tea time at the Marquis’s residence was coming to an end.
