"Not interested." vs. "Interested."
The voices of the two men rang out simultaneously, but their answers couldn't have been more opposite. They were both fully aware of the contradiction, too.
Well, technically, neither of them was wrong. Both answers were polite enough…
"Actually, if you need feedback to finalize it, I'd be happy to watch."
"In that case, I'll enjoy watching it fully completed during the official performance…"
What are you two even doing?
Their eyes met, each clearly thinking, "What's with you? Why are you changing your answer?"
Yes, gentlemen, please sort this out amongst yourselves.
But somehow, their gazes both rotated toward me, as if I were supposed to decide.
Why am I being dragged into this?
For the record, I don't need your opinions, and I only have one thing to say: "I'll take Maria's feedback for now. The two of you can wait and listen during the official performance."
Rick replied first.
"That's a bit of a shame. I could've been a truly ruthless critic for your benefit."
"Please don't, Rick. Amateurs need warm encouragement, and I doubt either of you is particularly skilled at that."
"…Why am I being criticized now too?"
"Because Your Highness already possesses so many talents. Surely there must be areas where you're lacking."
"…"
Tristan fell silent, likely unsure if that was an insult or a compliment. After a brief pause, he asked another question.
"So, are you spending the rest of today practicing with Lady Maria?"
"Yes. It seems I'll have Maria all to myself."
"I never asked you to share her time with me."
"…I know."
His obvious annoyance sparked a slightly curt response from me.
Let's not get worked up over nothing. Time to change the subject…
But what should I even say? Damn it, I can't think of anything! And Mayer Manor's tea is so bland that even a polite "This tea is delicious" feels impossible.
Fortunately, while I was stewing in frustration, Maria found a new topic.
"It seems the charity concert is becoming a major event among the ladies. Are there any significant events for gentlemen around the same time?"
"Ah. The hunting festival is usually considered the main event for men, so they don't tend to gather separately. Some do participate in rowing competitions, though…"
I nodded along absentmindedly, uninterested in the topic.
After another ten minutes of idle conversation, a servant finally entered the tearoom to announce that the training grounds were ready. Naturally, Rick was called away and rose from his seat.
Tristan gave Maria a brief farewell and then turned to me.
"I look forward to your performance."
"I hope I can live up to your expectations."
"There's no need to hope. It will surely… exceed them."
"…"
Even after bidding farewell, his gaze lingered on my face for far too long before he finally left.
I wish he would just give a curt nod and leave.
It's exhausting trying to decipher the meaning behind every one of his actions, and I hate even more that I'm putting in the effort to do so.
Naturally, the practice performance ended up being just for Maria. Her compliments were genuine, and her advice was gentle, leaving me in a surprisingly good mood as I departed the manor.
But the moment I stepped outside…
'Is Tristan still working?'
The thought crept up as I found myself unconsciously scanning for the royal carriage.
And I hated myself for it.
What is this feeling?
When I first found myself in this world, I had been so sure. All I needed to do was wait patiently for that guy to grovel and apologize. I didn't need to care about romance. I thought I could just focus on enjoying good food…
…Oh.
'It's been way too long since I indulged in something sweet.'
They say cutting out sugar and flour makes people cranky. That must be part of it.
'And this tangled mess of emotions—I wish I could talk it out somehow.'
In the end, I decided to head to the one place where I could unwind:
The Sacred Salon.
"Welcome, guest. Today… have you been overexerting yourself lately? Let us gift you with some nourishing rest."
Despite their faces being hidden behind masks, the staff at the Sacred Salon quickly noticed my state and guided me to a plush sofa seat. Next to the drink I had ordered was a plate of cookies I hadn't requested. The buttery cookies were exquisite, reminiscent of the kind only served to esteemed guests at the Redfield estate.
It was summer. The grand event of the season, the hunting festival, had ended, and horse races were held only occasionally at night to prevent heatstroke in the horses. As a result, the salon's atmosphere leaned more toward relaxation than the fervor of betting.
The music is lovely too…
It felt fine to simply waste time like this for once.
However, just as I finished the cookies, a familiar patron arrived—Rick Rey, wearing his signature skull mask.
"It's been a while. May I have a moment of your time?"
"What brings you here?"
"I came to apologize. Last time, at the salon, I behaved rather shamefully in your presence."
"…Ah."
Right, this guy. During the hunting festival, after seeing Maria and Arthur grow closer, he'd drowned his sorrows in alcohol and thrown a drunken tantrum, eventually passing out in front of me.
"So, you do remember."
"I'm so sorry!"
Rick covered his face—more precisely, his mask—with both hands. I was certain his face beneath it had turned beet red.
"I truly apologize. I was going through a personal crisis and wasn't in my right mind."
"Hm. Can I ask what kind of crisis?"
"…No, you cannot."
"Are you sure you came here to apologize?"
"Ugh…"
"Even just a brief explanation. I won't mock you or tell anyone else."
Of course, I wasn't actually curious about his love life.
But on that day…
This idiot, after practically being dumped by Maria and getting blackout drunk, had asked me of all people, "Do you know Dorys Redfield?"
I need to understand why.
If he decided to abandon love after being rejected and focus on exacting revenge on the Redfields and the royal family—starting with me—I didn't even want to imagine it.
If he just remembered being handed sticky sweets without proper packaging and found it unpleasant, I'd consider that a relief.
After some hesitation, Rick sat down across from me and began to speak.
"I have a childhood friend. She started as a simple friend, but somewhere along the way, I found myself drawn to her… infatuated, even. But before anything could deepen between us, circumstances with our parents forced us apart."
"I see."
"Years later, we reunited in the capital this year. By then, she had grown close to a man in her household. They acted like siblings… but perhaps more like lovers on the verge of confessing to one another."
"…"
Uh, is this actually about you?
From Arthur's perspective, this sounds like the story of you and Maria.
'Ah, so you're adding lies to obscure your identity.'
Still, this was more believable than claiming, "This is about my friend!"
Rick seemed to take his time crafting his words, occasionally pausing to breathe deeply before continuing.
"Over several months, I managed to reconnect with her. But on the day of the hunting festival… I realized too late that she and the man had already reached an understanding of each other's feelings."
"…"
"The way they looked at each other in the darkness… that sweetness in their eyes. I couldn't get it out of my head. That's why, after the hunting festival, I ended up at the salon."
"I see."
He's essentially describing his ideal scenario under the guise of avoiding self-incrimination.
But I couldn't laugh. No one was more hurt by that vision than Rick Rey himself.
"If it were me, I might have crumpled to the ground on the spot. You held yourself together quite well."
"Holding it together? I still ended up causing you trouble at the salon."
"Well, you're here now to apologize. That's not causing trouble—it's a step toward putting your life back in order."
"…"
"If I can be there to witness a significant moment of change for you, I'd consider it an honor."
What's the harm in forgiving someone who's apologizing?
Rick tilted his head slightly, puzzled.
"My lady… Are you really the same woman who wore the red mask? You seem far too kind all of a sudden."
"Would you prefer I say something like this? 'You don't know how to confess your feelings, let your crush slip right through your fingers, and all you managed to time perfectly was getting drunk and making a scene.'"
"I'm sorry!"
"Good grief. See what happens when I try to cut you some slack?"
This guy is going to make me drop my usual façade!
Sighing, I leaned back lazily on the sofa like Natalie would and got straight to the point.
"So, then… Why did you bring up Dorys Redfield that day? You outright asked me if she seemed suspicious, as if she were interfering with your love life."
"…What?"
Even through his mask, I could see his eyes widen in shock.
"On that day, you asked me about Dorys Redfield. Don't you remember?"