Volume 3 Chapter 37 Shopping With A Discreet Royal Family
I put on a red, fluffy, warm shawl that Sir Ciel gave me over my white dress.
Under my skirt, I wore thick tights and heavy bloomers with lots of lace.
I slipped on brown boots and carried a big bag for shopping over my shoulder.
Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine peeked out from the neck of the shawl.
Maybe it's because they're small, but the warm fluffiness felt nice without being too heavy.
It was so light that it felt like it had no weight at all.
My dad was poking his head out of the shopping bag.
That didn't feel heavy either.
Walking in the snow seemed tough for a puppy.
"I thought dogs loved to run around in the snow."
"There are different kinds of dogs. If I ran around in the snow, my cute fluffy fur would get wet."
"Dad, do you not like the cold?"
"I'm getting worse at it every year."
"Dad, how old are you?"
"That's a secret."
Dad has a lot of secrets. Anyway, I bundled up well, stuffed all kinds of animals in, and left the store feeling warm.
Sir Ciel and Mr. Lucian came to visit me and spoiled me, so I had some nice, relaxing days. But I was feeling better now, so I thought I'd go shopping while taking a walk.
I wanted to get back to my normal life soon. I wasn't used to being taken care of, so while I appreciated Sir Ciel and Mr. Lucian cooking and bringing me food, it felt a bit strange.
"Lyd-Lyd!"
"Lyd-Lyd!"
As I stepped out of the store, I heard someone calling my name, and I stopped.
The soles of my boots crunched in the snow.
Fresh snow had lightly piled up overnight, leaving some new footprints from my shoes.
"Lyd-Lyd, I'm glad I caught you before you left!"
"Lyd-Lyd, I'm glad we didn't miss each other!"
People were coming straight from the wide street toward my shop, calling my name.
One had golden hair tied in a messy braid and wore a tight military uniform like a knight. The white outfit and white cape were really bright. They had a tall, slim figure.
The other wore a cute light pink dress and a fluffy cream-colored shawl over it. Their golden hair had a bit of a wave, and they wore a big flower hair accessory.
Golden hair and jade-green eyes.
They looked familiar, like I'd seen them somewhere before. They were super glamorous and didn't look like commoners at all.
Behind them, a bit further back, was Sir Stefan, looking a bit troubled as he walked toward us.
Sir Stefan wore a black cloak over his clothes, fastened with a gold clasp, probably for being incognito.
Somehow, they all had similar features. They looked good, and their clothes were high quality, so they stood out.
Sir Ciel and Mr. Lucian also stood out, but since they often walked around town, they blended in a bit.
But Sir Stefan and Sir Roxas didn't blend in at all.
They didn't look like commoners, and there was a sense of nobility about them.
Sir Rail stood out for a different reason since he wore a fox mask.
"...Um, is that Lady Emilia and Lady Anna?"
"Lyd-Lyd, I'm so glad you remember me!"
Lady Emilia took my hand and kissed the back of it.
Lady Emilia is my age, Sir Stefan's sister, and I thought she was a girl, but now she looked like a tall, beautiful guy.
"Lyd-Lyd, I'm so happy you remember me! Lyd-Lyd, it's great to see you!"
Anna is Sir Stefan's sister, and the last time we met was at the castle where Sir Stefan invited us.
Back then, she looked really small, but now she has grown into a beautiful young woman, standing tall like Sir Stefan and Lady Emilia.
"Um, what's going on? Is Sir Stefan with you too?"
I was surprised to see Sir Stefan stop right in front of me. I didn't expect to run into 3 royal people when I was just going out.
"Nothing much. Elder Brother said he wasn't going to see Lyd-Lyd, so we decided to come and see her ourselves."
"My brother has been a jerk for years. He didn't listen to us and broke off his engagement with Lyd-Lyd, hurting you. We were stuck in the castle, feeling trapped and had no freedom. We came here today to apologize to Lyd-Lyd."
"Did Elder Brother apologize to Lyd-Lyd? Did he say he was sorry for everything and ask you to be his fiancée again, even bowing down to you?"
"I'm sorry, Lyd-Lyd. I know there were reasons, but my brother made you suffer. I won't ask you to forgive him, but we also feel guilty for not being able to help you when we were close by. That's why we came to apologize today."
Hearing Lady Emilia and Lady Anna's words, Sir Stefan looked really uncomfortable, holding his chest and looking a bit pale. His white skin seemed even whiter, like he might disappear at any moment.
"Um, thank you both for your feelings, but... I'm not angry with Sir Stefan. He, FraFra, and Ms. Famine have all been through tough times, so it wouldn't be fair to blame them too much... I can't explain it well, but I'm okay now."
"...Lydia, I'm sorry. I thought I would never see you again, but here I am, looking at your face so soon."
"What?"
Sir Stefan said this with a pained expression, and I looked deeply into his jade-colored eyes.
I never thought that would be the last time I would see him.
"I don't deserve to see your face after hurting you. Back then, when I finally came to my senses and spent time with you, Roxas, Rail, Ciel, and Lucian, it was really fun and happy. I thought that was the end."
"Sir Stefan, when I woke up in the morning, I found you passed out on the floor in Robelia... Did you have fun?"
"Um, well, I might have gone a bit overboard... Just forget about it."
Sir Stefan's face turned bright red.
He remembers that he passed out. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. Just like when I teased him about being weak, it's better not to mention it.
"...Lyd-Lyd, will you forgive my brother?"
"Lyd-Lyd, will you forgive Elder Brother?"
"Of course. I mean, I'm not even angry in the first place..."
Sir Stefan has come back to his senses, and FraFra has escaped from Famine's control.
Our mothers have returned too.
Then, Famine's memories came back.
Famine has turned into the cute little Ms. Famine.
So, even though a lot has happened, I feel like it's all in the past for me. Right now, I'm focused on coming up with new menu ideas and improving my skills to make a cute restaurant.
I'm not really worried about it.
When someone apologizes, it makes me feel awkward.
"...Lyd-Lyd, you're so kind. I want to be friends with you. Please call me Emi."
"Lyd-Lyd, I'd be happy if you let me be your friend too. You can call me Anna."
Lady Emilia and Lady Anna each took my hands and said this.
I don't remember much about the two of them, but since I didn't have many interactions with pretty women or cute girls, I felt a bit shy and my cheeks got warm.
"Emi, Anna..."
"I hope you get used to it soon. Lyd-Lyd, where are you going today? Can we come with you?"
"It's our first time walking around the town. We'd be really happy if we could join you!"
"Don't bother Lydia, you two. Remember, you promised to say hi and then go home."
Sir Stefan said this in a slightly strict voice, and Lady Emilia and Anna gave him a light glare.
"Can't the drunk brother just be quiet?"
"Elder Brother with a hangover should just go home alone. Lyd-Lyd is being nice, but if you don't try, you might lose her to someone else."
"That's right, brother. Those who just sit and watch won't win anything. We'll be friends with Lyd-Lyd, but you can do whatever you want."
What does it mean to lose someone?
I guess when friends get closer, they become best friends.
I don't have a best friend, so maybe that's what I'm missing. Is it something to fight over?
"...Lydia, can I come with you too?"
"Um, if it's okay with you, the market..."
I replied carefully to Sir Stefan, who looked a bit pained.
But the market isn't really a place to look that troubled.
So, I ended up leading the royals to the market.
Lady Anna picked up Eir-Eir from my chest and said happily, "This is Pumpkin Pudding!" while Lady Emilia lifted Ms. Famine and praised her, saying, "Golden cat, so beautiful!"
Eir-Eir flapped her wings happily and shouted, "Pumpkin!" while Ms. Famine proudly lifted her little nose and said, "Tarte Tatin."
Ms. Famine usually doesn't like being touched, but she didn't mind Lady Emilia.
Maybe it's because Lady Emilia is a woman, even though she looks like a guy.
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