I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

✿

I knew it, but I felt a little bitter when Erhan drew the line that I was just a cousin.

By the way, seeing that Erhan was embarrassed by the boy's gaze, it seemed that the boy's status was higher than expected.

I poked out a lavender flower that I was going to give to Erhan to make up for my mistake to the boy.

"I'm sorry again. Can you forgive me for my rudeness?"

I put on a smile that seemed as harmless as possible.

Then the boy's eyes widened and his expression turned blank. He stared at me silently for a while.

I also looked at him until my lips twitched.

Since we're done looking at each other, let's take it slowly.

"…Name."

"Yes?"

"What's your name?"

"…" I pondered for a moment.

Following the corners of my mouth, my hands began to shake, but I wonder if it's okay to bite the flower I held out?

I finally opened my lips while keeping my trembling hands.

"My name is Leen."

"…Leen, Leen… it's Leen."

The boy pondered about my name several times as if savoring it.

"That's a pretty name. I'll keep that in mind."

There was a sense of incongruity in him, who smiled softly as he received the flower.

Goosebumps sprung up on my arm. But I pretended nothing was wrong and greeted him.

"Then I'll take my leave."

"Can we meet again next time?"

…Did he just say that to me, not to Erhan?

Why?

As I blinked in bewilderment at the unexpected question, the boy's eyes became noticeably colder.

"No?"

"…Can be possible. See you again if we have a chance."

When I said that I would see him again, his cold eyes drew an arc again as if it never turned cold.

"Okay. See you next time, Leen."

✿

Blink~

After waking up, I got up from my seat, looked around, and caught my breath.

The bed linen was wrinkled from how much I had tossed and turned during the night.

Seeing the sunlight streaming through the curtains, it seemed it was already morning.

"That's a relief…"

At least I only dreamed up to the scene where I first met Rex Begonia.

For the price of coming to see the Count's family, this was cheap enough.

In fact, I was able to come to the Count because I had some certainty. I'm sure Rex Begonia won't come to visit me.

I was able to deal with the mediocre Erhan.

If it takes a little while…

"Erhan said he had received an investment from Rex Begonia."

Shoot… It was an obvious shallow amount. What did he believe in and grab it?

If Rex Begonia recovered his investment without a word and Erhan collapsed, I would welcome him with a pair of hands.

However, it meant that the Armeria Count would soon suffer.

How nice it would have been if Erhan was entirely alone.

I clenched my fists as I stared at my face in the window.

"You must have thought I would listen quietly. That’s why you accepted the money right away."

Because I couldn't just watch things that hurt the Count.

The funny thing here was that my weakness was also Erhan's weakness.

Erhan cherished his family dearly. Of course I wouldn't belong in it, but neither did I think of him as a family.

‘I'm not afraid.'

What are you going to do if I betray the Count?

"Idiot. Did he think I'd simply do what Rex Begonia wants? I'd rather clean up the crap you sow."

There's one more reason to make money. There's another thing I realized this time through Hans.

If I put my mind to it, it's not like it's a waste of money.

"I'll have to write down a list of medicine that will sell well to Hans."

Even if I had to sell all the recipes I had, I won't be obedient.

Determined, I got up from my seat and took the quill.

✿

A week later…

For today's party, the Count's maids were doing their best to decorate me.

They were the ones my Aunt sent excitedly when I said I wanted to attend the party. It seemed that they were the maids who usually took care of Aunt.

She said she would give me a nice dress, so we had a short quarrel.

The deadline was tight, so I had no choice but to buy something that was already made.

Still, they gave me a price that was far beyond the price of any custom dress.

"This is the first time I've ever decorated Miss Leen like this."

"Wow! It's like a white jade!"

"Oh, that's right. It's been a long time since I've seen such beautiful skin!"

I raised the corners of my lips listening to their silly comments.

"It's been a while. My aunt would be disappointed if she hears that."

"Oh! That's not what I meant!"

The maid, who was pointed out unexpectedly, widened her eyes bewildered and I laughed playfully.

"Don’t worry, I won’t tell my aunt."

"Well, really?"

"Of course."

"Hehe… Thank you! But I didn’t really think that Madame’s skin was bad."

"That's right. It's because you have such good skin!"

I thought that was also silly and responded appropriately.

"It's because I'm still young."

"It’s true! On the contrary, there are many troubles with your age!"

It was when we were having a chat like that.

Suddenly, the door opened without a knock, and Erhan entered the powder room. He looked anxious.

The maid who had been fixing my hair spoke in surprise.

"Oh, Master Erhan?"

Erhan tried to say something, but when he heard the maid's voice he hurriedly closed his mouth.

He seemed to notice that I was with a number of maids.

His gaze reaches my hair and dress, which I have set up nicely. His expression loosened and his mouth curved to a smirk.

"Sorry, I forgot to knock. You were already preparing, Leen."

"What can I do for you?"

‘Oh'. Without realizing it, the words came out coldly. It was a mistake.

Erhan was also playing the role of a very sweet brother.

He scratched the back of his head with a gentle expression on his face.

"I was just worried if you're preparing well. This is your first party, so I have to escort you."

It's not an escort, it's a surveillance.

He must have been worried that I wouldn't come after all that threatening

I measured his thoughts and drew a pretentious smile on the outside.

"The escort is fine, so go to the party first. I have a place to stop by."

"…Where?"

"I'm meeting a friend before going to the party."

He stared at me in agony. I tilted my head to the side and smiled.

"Why? Are you afraid that I will dress up like this and not go to the party?"

Erhan flinched slightly. After a while he quietly closed the door and continued, 

"…Come on time."

"I will."

What kind of place was it that I couldn't be late?

✿

Dressed from head to toe with the help of the maids, I got into the carriage.

Arriving at a cafe by horse-drawn carriage, the cafe was located on the outskirts of the capital.

Inside the cafe, there was a person sitting who I had already promised to meet.

"Leen!"

Normally, he would have rushed to me and launched a blitz of affection.

Perhaps because of the makeup, Jane calmly held my hand and ran around.

"You're so pretty that I almost didn't recognize you, Leen! But you're cute even without makeup, but this is really…!"

"Haha, calm down. Jane, did you really pay attention today?"

"Leen, it's my first time seeing you outside. I paid a lot of course. By the way…"

Jane looked around at me as if she had found a coveted prey.

"It's more exciting to see you dressed up. Next time, let me decorate you myself. You know my major, right?

I grinned after Jane, who was smiling with a wink.

"Okay. Rather, it was a sudden request, thank you very much Jane."

"It's not a big deal. By the way, are you sure you don't mind if I talk to him? You're not hurt, are you?"

I opened my mouth awkwardly and answered, "Hahaha… I didn't have many friends back then, so I was a little jealous."

In fact, I met Jane today to go to the party together, but there was one more reason.

"Oh, you're already here?"

Hans, who arrived a little late, was walking over greeting and stopped.

"Jane? Wow! Was it Jane who was going to help me today?"

Just to help Hans.

Hans looked at me with a moved expression. He looked as if he had received a surprise gift.

Hans' top was also invited to the party. It was said that they were invited by the organizer regarding the business case.

As the sweat suppressant went into full-scale production, it seemed like they were trying to make a deal with his top.

Hans' father was busy, so he took part as a representative to participate.

As a commoner, I knew nothing about the nobles invited, let alone the nobles I would meet today.

I must know something to naturally communicate with other nobles.

I wanted to help, but unfortunately, all I knew about the nobles was the famous things that everyone knew.

But Jane was keenly aware of all the gossip of the noble circles.

So Jane decided to inform Hans by attribute.

What topics to avoid when talking to the nobles invited today. what the other person likes, and so on.

While I was ordering drinks, the two of them were concentrating on a conversation.

"Count Natalie sweats a lot, so there's a good chance she'll be interested in the antiperspirant. Please give me a good word and rip off a share."

"Can you tell the characteristics? I couldn't find a portrait…"

"It's a typical warm old man's impression. There's a big mole under his lips, so it's easy to spot."

I watched the two of them converse with delight.

At first, I tried to separate the two like that. I guess people really don't know what will happen.

"The Viscount Altemeier is the vassal of the Duke of Lisianthus."

I listened to their conversation. It was because I was interested when the family of Carson was mentioned.

"Oh, I know that. I heard that Viscount recently went to a restaurant and beat the chef until he became a master."

"Yes. Hair came out in the food, but he vehemently denied that it wasn't his and his staff's hair."

Hans frowned as if he had moved into the chef.

"It's unfortunate that the Viscount, who's a germaphobe, faced it."

I tilted my head and asked,

"Then how did the Viscount make sure it wasn't the staff's hair? All the hair colors were different."

"The Viscount has severe hair loss."

"What?"

In response to my reaction, Jane gave me a confirmed shot, "It's Bald."

"Even a few strands…?"

"Yes, none."

‘Ahh…!!'

Chef, you idiot…