Chapter 50

25. — Nobody Knows (2)

Translated by Nabi

“Who’s Irene?”

I hurriedly turned around, startled by the unexpected low voice.

“Hearing the name, it doesn’t seem like a man?”

It was Cain who naturally sat down next to me, asking me an insignificant question. I was sure he was still at the Palace at the request of the Emperor…

“Have you finished talking with His Majesty the Emperor already?”

“I thought the Young Lady would want to see me.”

“…Me?”

“With what happened last time.”

Last…?

His sly words brought back memories I had forgotten, and my face was dyed red in an instant. Cain, who was gazing at my ripe apple-like face with a smile, asked curiously, “Seeing that you came to the Imperial Palace in this form, it seems that you met the wizard who made the medicine safely.”

Lily’s body visibly twitched at Cain’s question. I shook my head awkwardly as I glanced at her countenance.

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

“Have you ever asked the wizard?”

“What?”

“Why did you return to being a human for a while?”

“Yes…?”

“As the Young Lady said, kiss—”

“The macarons are so delicious here…!”

I did not want to say anything that could cause a misunderstanding in front of Lily. Especially in front of her, who, like my mother and father, is worried about my marriage being late, really—!

I hurriedly put a macaron in Cain’s mouth and smiled. He squinted at my sudden action. As I was about to sit back in my seat, I heard something fall from the side with a chink and creaking noise. When I turned around to see, I found that Lily had dropped the teaspoon she was holding and was frozen.

“Lily, it’s a misunderstanding…”

“Young Lady.”

“I, I really didn’t do anything with the Grand Duke, nothing!”

“It was just a kiss.”

“Yes, just a kiss…!”

I spoke quickly before staring at Cain, who had naturally intervened, and opened my eyes. Still, he just shrugged while sipping the tea in front of me. I hurriedly spoke to Lily, who had turned white, again.

“It’s, it’s not what you are thinking! We really did nothing!”

“Nothing happened.”

“Did you hear that? Did you hear that, Lily?”

“If you hadn’t seduced me first.”

No, really, this guy…!

The story that came out of Cain’s mouth seemed to be imagined in a different way in Lily’s head. I looked at Lily, who hastily covered her mouth and shook her head as if saying no.

“No, Lily. Think about it carefully. Am I the kind of person who would do that?”

“Is that why you’ve been doing that?”

“What?”

“You said it was for research for your book that you’ve been reading the popular books that are sold in Lian…!”

“Hey, aren’t the macarons delicious?”

I shoved the macaron into Lily’s mouth and raised the corners of my trembling lips. As she chewed the macaron, I let out a shallow sigh, wondering if things were finally settled.

“So, I guess that’s why you could say it at times like that.”

I forgot…

The fact that there was one more mouth that was opened.

“I was wondering how you asked for a kiss in that situation, though I guess it was thanks to the book you usually read?”

“Cai—!”

At his words, a deathly groan erupted from Lily’s mouth. I swiftly shook my head as if saying it was not true to Lily, who was staring at me, blushing red. However, her face seemed to already know everything.

“Young, Young Lady! I think I should go first!”

“Huh? What are you talking about! If that’s the case, then I’ll…”

“Oh, no! Young Lady should have a little chat with the Grand Duke and come back slowly. I’m sure you must have a lot to say.”

“No, we don’t have anything to talk about…”

“Oh, yes. I’ll take Noya, too! He looked exhausted today from a lot of work. Right, Noya?”

Lily asked, staring at Noya while reaching out her hand to the madeleine on the plate. At her question, the child glanced at her with his eyes wide open and tilted his head.

“He’s sleepy.”

“….”

“He just told me this in a very low voice.”

Do not lie to me…!

Without blinking an eye, I gazed at Lily who was lying to me and grabbed my forehead. Nonetheless, she bowed her back, pretending not to see how I felt.

“Then, we’ll go back first, Young Lady.”

She even put the madeleine in Noya’s mouth because she was afraid that he would not go. In the meantime, she quickly grabbed his hand and left the café. Cain eventually opened his mouth slowly, leaning against his back while smiling at Lily’s disappearance.

“Do you have any specific schedule from now on?”

“….”

“I don’t have any special plans.”

Smiling as he was asking that, his face was full of ease.

And, when I saw him like that, I laughed bitterly… In this situation where I felt like fainting from shame and embarrassment, there was no more room for me to lie.