Volume 2 - CH 83

After checking the hem of the skirt in the ladies room, Alme returned immediately.

It wasn’t particularly dirty, and she didn’t want to make Falk wait.

The female waitress looked flustered for some reason as Alme quickly left the room.

When she came back, for some reason, Falk and Campbellina were having a dispute.

She was startled to see Campbellina, who had been nowhere to be seen. But even more startling were the words that reached her ears.

“All I want is Miss Alme! I don’t want anything else but her…”

Before she could process the meaning of the words, she reflexively made a funny sound and at the same time, her eyes met with Falk’s with a snap.

Both Alme and Falk froze in the same way.

And after a moment.

At the same time, the two of them began to make excuses.

Falk pushed Campbellina aside and walked over with his eyes widening.

“I didn’t mean it in a weird way! I just said it in the flow of conversation!”

“Is that so? I’m sorry for making such a strange voice! I just came here, so I was surprised because I didn’t understand what you were saying…!”

“Well, when I was asked what I wanted…is to be with close friends, ice cream made by my friends, and having a good time chatting at the shop and I just said your name…”

“I see…it’s like that!”

Alme and Falk blushed with embarrassment as they finished explaining the situation for the time being.

Ever since Campbellina and Falk were arguing, the eyes of the people around them had turned to spectator mode, but the hasty battle of explanations had drawn even more attention.

It might have been too loud.

The two of them huddled together awkwardly and exchanged whispers.

“… For now, let’s go out for the time being. Let’s talk after that.”

“Well… I finished paying while I was waiting, so let’s go.”

“I’m sorry, thank you. I’ll pay you later.”

“No, let me pay… I have to apologize to you…”

Talking secretly, Alme and Falk started walking.

In the meantime, she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

Campbellina suddenly yelled loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear.

“Oh My God! To think that someone like Falkert Raltoze is playing around with a commoner! It’s outrageous that the prince of the temple is going out at night with a girl who looks like a black mouse. It’s a scandal! When the world finds out about this, all hell will break loose”

Her theatrical, high-pitched voice caused a stir all around them.

Alme stopped, eyes wide, and Falk turned around with a surprised look on his face.

Campbellina distorted her crying face and let out a high-pitched voice as if she was desperate.

“I wonder what would happen if it became public knowledge that Mr. Shirotaka is enjoying a date with some insignificant girl! Jealous fans would storm into your shop and make a mess of things! Every woman in this city would become your enemy! Poor little black mouse!”

With all eyes on her, Campbellina is like a stage actress. People were talking without hesitation.

“Mr. Raltoze? That man?”

“Eh, Mr. Shirotaka?”

“It looks like his hair is a different color. I can’t really see his face from here.”

“What does she mean by ‘playing with women’…?”

Alme’s blood ran cold as the disturbing voices of the surroundings reached her ears.

Her heart made a strange noise at the thought of hurting Falk’s honor, rather than her shop.

(Ah! How dare you! What should I do!?)

A panic erupted in her head. But, unexpectedly, she regained her composure in an instant.

Because Falk’s face that caught her eye had changed into an outrageously terrifying one. His face was no longer that of a priest who healed and saved people, but that of a cold-blooded killer.

Alme felt chilled to the bone and her heart pounded.

Before Falk could say anything, she pulled his arm as hard as she could and pushed him behind her back.

Alme knew that he would never harm Campbellina like a real killer, but the atmosphere surrounding him was too frightening, so she asked him to step back for a moment.

Alme said quietly.

“Mr. Falk, I’ll see what I can do here…Please don’t make that face!”

“What do you mean? What are you going to do? I don’t care about me, but if she tries to do something to Miss Alme, she will be punished accordingly…”

“Calm down! Let’s do this as peacefully as possible! Um… Um, I apologize in advance. I will say something very rude from now on, but please forgive me.”

After finishing the conversation quickly, Alme turned to Campbellina. Stood straight in front of her and took a deep breath.

(I don’t know if it will go well, but for now, I have to get rid of the suspicions about Mr. Shirotaka.)

Before people start screaming that he is Shirotaka, let’s claim that he is someone else.

Alme let go of her embarrassment and, in her own Alme way, spoke back as loudly as she could.

“I’m sorry, but there’s no way this person is Mr. Shirotaka. First of all, his appearance is completely different. Besides, Mr. Shirotaka is like a ‘prince’, isn’t he? This man here is the kind of person who eats leftovers from a friend’s house, lazes around on the sofa in a messy living room, and even asks for dessert. In the end, he complains that he doesn’t want to go home because it’s too hot outside. There’s no way such a person could be that beautiful prince of the temple!”

With this retort, Campbellina froze with a sullen face.

At the same time, she heard a burst of laughter from one of the guests.

Falk blurted out

“… For the most part, that’s true, but I don’t think I’m at fault for the part about the messy living room…”

“I couldn’t clean up in time because you came to visit me so suddenly!”

“Isn’t it a good idea to clean on a daily basis…?”

“I’m more at home with a little clutter!”

“Is that so…”

Falk, with a face that was not quite right, kept his mouth shut.

Hearing their exchange, they heard a few more chuckles.

Alme continued to make a crisp expression even though she was breaking out in a cold sweat inside.

“Well, that’s why you’ve got the wrong person. This person is not Mr. Shirotaka. He’s just a little chick from the neighborhood. If you make any more mistakes, you will be caught for blasphemy. Then we’ll take our leave now. Sorry for the trouble, everyone. Have a good night.”

Alme turned around and grabbed Falk’s arm. Falk caught Alme’s hand and the two started walking towards the entrance.

Behind her, she began to hear the loud laughter of the guests.

Even though it was to counteract Campbellina’s remarks, she exposed her shabby daily life…

As if fleeing from embarrassment, Alme walked away, accompanied by Falk.

Campbellina’s voice no longer followed them.

Alme and Falk walked closer together and left the shop.

Campbellina, who was left behind, stood stunned with a crumpled face.

The laughter of customers echoes in the shop. The ladies cover their mouths and giggle, and the gentlemen shrug their shoulders and laugh.

“Heheheh, what a heartwarming life. I feel calmer when my room is a little cluttered, I know.”

“Is that girl who made a fuss all right?”

“Ah, that’s funny. If Mr. Shirotaka were to act like such a useless commoner, I’d laugh. I can’t even imagine it.”

“They say love is blind, but if you start looking for Shirotaka in other people’s partners, you’re in trouble.”

“I wonder if she will become like that if she persists in her love for Shirotaka. I’ll tell my daughter to be careful.”

The customers were making various comments on the situation.

In desperation, Campbellina screamed.

“Really, it’s true! He is Mr. Shirotaka! Believe me! I’ve seen him transform right in front of my eyes! It’s really Mr. Shirotaka and a common woman!”

She cried and complained, but no one listened.

She could clearly hear the voice of a customer sitting nearby.

“It’s kind of like that stage play I saw the other night. She looks just like the supporting character who makes the princess’s love life difficult. A pathetic young lady who is madly in love and ends up going crazy.”

(Supporting character…? Me….?)

Those heavy words fell into her heart like a stone.

Certainly from the side, she now seems to be a supporting character, stirring up the storyline.

Is it that the dramatic love drama with Shirotaka that burned in her heart is meant to be a supporting role…?

She was indeed the leading princess when Julio sweet-talked her at an evening party before. She… she herself has stepped down from the leading role.

And so the role of the prince, whom she tried to switch, was unreachable. Campbellina Desmond, it seemed, was no white falcon princess.

Yes, she noticed it, but the tears had dried up and didn’t come out anymore.

Not even a single dainty tear, befitting a heroine, could be dropped.