Maria, unaware of my internal turmoil, beamed brightly.
"What a coincidence! Dory, you must be delighted!"
Delighted? No! This feels like awkwardly running into a not-so-close coworker on the weekend!
I forced a smile.
"Well, yes. If I'd known we'd run into each other, I would've dressed up a little more nicely."
"Don't worry. To your fiancé, you'll always be the most beautiful person in the world!"
If Tristan had heard that, he would've made the most exasperated face imaginable. The thought of it almost made me laugh.
And so, with our roles as time-buyers firmly established, we headed to the tearoom. Unlike Maria's room, this south-facing space was bathed in soft sunlight. Tristan, already standing in the room, inclined his head slightly toward Maria as she stepped in first.
"It's been a while, Lady Maria. Have you been well?"
"Thanks to the reign of the royal family, I've been enjoying peaceful days. As a relative of the Meyer family, it's an honor to welcome Your Highness."
Maria's demeanor was no longer that of someone intimidated by Tristan. Similarly, Tristan's attitude was just as indifferent. He limited himself to the bare minimum of polite greetings before raising his head. As Maria had mentioned before, it seemed he truly didn't hold even the slightest interest in her anymore.
The problem was me.
Our relationship had become so painfully ambiguous—neither a dutifully formal engagement nor a sweet and endearing one.
I had expected Tristan wouldn't be thrilled to see me, but still…
As soon as his eyes landed on me, they briefly flickered with surprise.
"Dorys Redfield? What brings you here…?"
"Quite the coincidence, Your Highness. I stopped by to chat with Lady Maria about her play script."
"To think you'd come today… Truly an unexpected coincidence."
That's because Maria deliberately invited me on a day her uncle was away, trying to avoid upsetting him.
So in this situation, the uninvited guest isn't me—it's you!
While I grumbled internally, the baron, sitting across from us, seemed delighted to have found another excuse to prolong the situation. He grinned and said, "They say true connections have a way of turning coincidences into their allies. Lady Dorys, why don't you sit by His Highness?"
It was phrased as a suggestion, but it was essentially a seat assignment. I took a seat next to Tristan and bowed my head lightly.
"Maria, Rick, you two should sit as well. The more, the merrier for tea time. Especially you, Rick—you could keep His Highness entertained with some lively talk about swordsmanship."
Rick sat down looking as though he wanted to rip every flower in the world to shreds. The only time his expression shifted, becoming an odd mixture of relief and unease, was when Maria sat down right next to him.
The baron chuckled heartily.
"It feels like it's been over a decade since this many young people gathered in the manor. My wife and I have mostly kept to ourselves, except for the occasional reunion with old friends."
Ah, the classic nobleman's way of saying, "Young folks are exhausting."
Tristan replied smoothly.
"In that case, it seems my visit was quite timely. Those who are the first to speak loudly about current affairs often know the least about them. Wouldn't you agree, Baron Meyer?"
"Well… that's certainly true. As you live, you find that those who truly understand matters tend to be humble, while the ones who are blinded by greed are the first to stretch their hands out."
"Exactly. Though my experience in politics is limited, my father always taught me that when dealing with any issue, one should seek out the quiet, sage-like individuals rather than merely listening to the loudest voices."
"Hoho, is that so? His Majesty must be…"
Tristan skillfully complimented the baron's serious demeanor, implying admiration without directly calling him out as one of those "sage-like" individuals. It was a clever move, avoiding the impression of obvious flattery.
The baron shrugged his shoulders, looking somewhat pleased.
"You won't regret coming here! Our training grounds still reflect the wisdom of my grandfather, who maximized the use of a small space. I'm sure it will be a great help in the reconstruction of the royal palace training grounds."
"I look forward to it, as you've described. Now then, shall we proceed with the tour…?"
"Ahem! Let me first check if the preparations to welcome Your Highness are complete. Please, enjoy your tea before it gets cold."
"Preparations to welcome me? I only need to see the structure."
"It's simply my desire to be as accommodating as possible! In the meantime, Rick, who is temporarily serving as Meyer's guard, knows a lot about swordsmanship. Perhaps you could have a discussion with him? I'll return shortly!"
And with that, Baron Meyer made a hasty retreat.
Silence descended upon the tearoom, now without its host.
No one seemed willing to break the quiet.
'The host is supposed to steer the conversation…'
The person left to shoulder this burden was Rick Rey. Sitting before three nobles with whom he had a complicated relationship, he looked like he was developing an ulcer in real-time. After much hesitation, he finally spoke.
"Ahem! Your Highness, you mentioned visiting the training grounds?"
"Indeed. The royal training grounds are under reconstruction, and since space is limited, I've been considering how best to remodel them."
"I'll be frank. The Meyer Barony has never been known for martial prowess, and the training grounds have been used as storage for ages. Was there a particular reason you chose to visit here?"
Wow, not bad for someone who's visibly trembling.
If Baron Meyer had been present, he might have clutched his chest and fainted at Rick's brutally honest remark. Even Maria's eyes went wide.
Tristan, too, seemed briefly caught off guard—not angry, though. The brief flicker of surprise in his eyes wasn't one of irritation but something… more evasive. It disappeared quickly, but it felt like Rick had struck a nerve.
"Ahem. What kind of people do you think usually visit the royal training grounds?"
"They're primarily used by the royal guards for training, aren't they? And perhaps by the princes as well?"
"Wrong. The primary visitors are young lords fresh from the provinces. The training grounds serve less as a professional facility and more as a social venue where provincial nobles and foreign dignitaries mingle under the guise of light martial practice. It's not a dedicated training institution."
"Ah, I see."
"Many of the visitors haven't touched a sword since their youth, if at all. So we have to design the training grounds to accommodate all kinds of guests. That's why I'm gathering a variety of examples."
Rick gave a look that suggested he understood, but a small spark of suspicion continued to smolder in my mind.
'Did he just make that up on the spot?'
Tristan doesn't look it, but he's sharp. It wouldn't surprise me if he improvised an excuse.
Even if he genuinely wanted to see a mediocre training ground, of all the nobles, why choose Baron Meyer's estate?
A single thought began to form in my mind.
"Did he come here to see Maria?"
Ah, Tristan. That would be just like you.
Maria might think he no longer has any interest in her, but… can people change so easily? If he had to tour somewhere anyway, perhaps he thought, Why not visit the home of a beautiful lady?
It's such a simple, petty, and frustratingly understandable reason.
I shouldn't be disappointed—this lines up perfectly with the original story.
So why does this feel…? No, no. Why am I even questioning this?
'Of course it's infuriating!'
Even if I don't like him, being blatantly ignored is irritating. And when there's even a hint of fondness mixed in, it's even worse!
I used that frustration to push away the brief wave of gloom creeping into my heart.
Get it together! Let's talk again when it's time for his proposal!
Just then, Tristan shifted the topic. "Dorys. You said you came here for the play?"
"Ah, yes. I finished the script."
"You've been working hard. Do you enjoy theater?"
"To be completely honest, no. It's not really my thing. I'm just doing my best because Prince Percival assigned it to me."
It's your brother's fault! I don't want to do this either!
Was that too blunt? Tristan's lips pressed together for a moment, and his voice came out slightly deflated.
"…I see."
The conversation teetered on the brink of awkward silence, the kind that could shatter everything if it lasted even three more seconds.
And, of course, Maria jumped in to revive the topic—in a direction I really didn't want.
"Dory is planning to perform part of the play today. If our star actress agrees, would you two be interested in a sneak preview?"
Both men responded immediately—and completely differently.
"No. The anticipation of waiting is part of the enjoyment. I'll watch the official performance instead."
"If you need an audience, I'd be happy to help anytime!"