Claudia Ashley was leaning back on the sofa and letting her gloomy air spread around her. The gloominess was so overwhelming that if she said that there had been misfortune in her family today, people might inadvertently believe her.
However, no matter how much gloom she spreads, her perfect beauty remained intact. Especially in the eyes of men who were blinded by love, her gloomy appearance seems to be languid and fleeting.
"Miss Claudia, would you please accept my rose?"
The man who knelt in front of Claudia and offered her a rose ornament was the ninth who tried his luck today.
Claudia let out a sigh behind her fan.
"…It's almost double digits."
"Yes?"
It was the number of flowers she had thrown into the trash bin.
Claudia lifted herself up slowly from leaning on the armrest and stared at the red rose that was offered to her.
"……I do like flowers."
"This rose is a new variant with a strong fragrance we've cultivated in our home. And I've chosen this flower just for you…"
"…It sure has a good fragrance."
A thin smile plastered on her doll-like face. When the people of her surrounding saw it, they were mesmerized and exhaled in adoration, that's how beautiful she was.
And such a beautiful young lady with her smile still exposed on her face told the man who offered her the flower.
"…but, I have no desire to wear such strong fragrance flower…"
The man's face tensed up. The people who were listening to this exchange couldn't stand it any longer and started chuckling.
Such exchange normally would have broken most people's hearts, but the ninth challenger was quite persistent.
"Our family, Marquis Gringham, has a close relationship with Marquis Highon…"
"…That was three generations ago."
"I've been hoping to have a long chat with Miss Claudia for some time now."
"…If you want a connection to the Marquis of Highon, you should probably go talk to my brother."
"No, what I'm interested in is you, Miss Claudia. I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you."
When the man looked at Claudia with passionate eyes, Claudia narrowed her lapis lazuli eyes and covered her mouth with a fan.
"…well, it's amazing how a man with limited knowledge can say that every time he meets a new woman."
In this lively venue, only the area around the sofa where Claudia was sitting was enveloped in a chilly atmosphere.
As the man fell silent, a modest voice called out from behind him, "Um, excuse me…"
The man turned around to see a small boy in formal attire, Neil Clay Maywood, standing there looking rather awkward.
Claudia looked at Neil impassively.
"…did something, happen?"
"N-No, I just… well…"
Neil gave a lame cough and held out his right hand, which had been hidden behind his back, in front of Claudia.
In his hand was a flower ornament of orange roses with a brown ribbon.
Claudia widened her eyes and Neil scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
"Would you like to dance with me?"
It took Claudia a few seconds to swallow the meaning of Neil's words. It wasn't that she was trying to ridicule him. The words really got stuck in her throat and didn't come out right away.
"…that rose was supposed to be given ahead as a token of someone has been taken, not right before the dance."
Instead of ‘I'm so happy, I'm so delighted,' the words that came out from her mouth were far from such cute words.
But Neil didn't seem bothered, in fact, he lowered his eyebrows apologetically.
"I-I'm sorry. I thought it would be rude to you when I was not sure if I'll have time to dance to give you that kind of token…"
Neil said exactly what Cyril had expected him to say.
Claudia's widened eyes narrowed then put a soft smile on her face.
"…can you put that flower ornament on me?"
"Yes!"
Neil stood in front of the seated Claudia and bent down to fasten the flower ornament on the chest of her royal blue dress. He was very careful not to touch Claudia's body, which was typical of a sincere man.
When he finished fastening the roses, Neil lowered his eyebrows in a troubled manner.
"I should have used white roses to match today's blue dress. I'm sorry… for choosing my favorite color."
"…but I like it."
Even at a time like this, he was more concerned about what would look good on Claudia than dying it to his own colors…
I wish you could have dyed me in your colors more.
Claudia wants Neil to fixate on the fact that she belongs to him. She wants to show it to everyone around her. So Claudia would proudly show off the rose, the proof of reservation, to the people around her that—
—I belong to Neil.
Claudia held out her hand, and Neil took it in a very natural motion.
Standing side by side, Claudia was somewhat taller than him. Claudia has chosen to wear low-heeled shoes, but the height difference was still obvious to everyone.
"…I thought you didn't want to dance with a taller woman."
"What? S-Sorry if I'm too small for you, Miss Claudia, but it's hard for you to dance, isn't it? Please let me know if it's getting burdensome, okay?"
See, even at a time like this, Neil can't help but care about Claudia.
What a hateful, adorable, and lovable person.
"…I could dance all day long, you know?"
"Ah, but I don't think it would possible."
She stared at Neil with a bit of bitterness as he answered immediately, and he said with a wry smile.
"Vice President Ashley had volunteered himself to take over my job. I've been meeting with him since this morning for that purpose… Ah, he told me not to tell this to you… I-I'm sorry, could you keep this secret from him…?"
"………"
Claudia then scanned her eyes around to find Cyril's figure, but he's not there.
He's probably running around behind the scenes to take over Neil's job. It's just like that of a stepbrother who put himself on the back burner.
In spite of your blockheaded head, you still put a concern in a weird way… It made me hate myself.
With this, she had to pay that debt someday. Preferably, she would repay it in a way that her step-brother would be grateful in a reluctant face.
* * *
Monica, who had been entrusted with the role of liaison between the kitchen and the serving staff, opened the kitchen door, her face tense with tension.
The atmosphere in the kitchen was even more intense than at a party, with chefs working busily.
S-Should I greet them? What will they think if they saw a girl in a dress comes suddenly? Maybe if I introduce myself, they will understand… but, they looked so busy…
Although she had the courage to open the door, it was difficult to take a step forward from there. In addition, talking to the busy people working there was an extremely high barrier for a shy person like her.
I'm going to say it, I will say it, but it has to be at the right timing… wait, when is the right timing? As Monica was pondering over this, a cook with a big figure looked at her and shouted.
"What's the matter, little girl? Are you lost?"
"N-Noooo… W-Well… S-Student Council… has appointed me to be a liaison here…" said Monica in a faint voice, and the cook's face lit up.
"Oh! You've got the right timing! The weather is quite good, right?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"Because of that, the ices we used to cool the ice cream was melted. So I need you to get the vice president to make some ice for me."
Cyril might have said that she only just have to standby there if nothing happened, but perhaps, it's only her wishful thinking that it will end without anything happening.
The cook held out a large basin to Monica. Its size was big enough for two grown men to hold hands and form a circle.
"We need it this much. I count this on you."
So he asked her.
After holding out her hands to the limits to receive the basin, she walked over to the hallway.
Since the ices they asked for are magically made, it means that they only need it for cooling purposes, not to consume… I guess.
Ice made by magic contains mana which is not suitable to consume. If it's consumed excessively, especially by people who're not resistant to mana, it can cause mana poisoning.
But, if it's only to be used for cooling ice creams from the outside, even using magically made ices, it would pose no problem.
The cook was probably planning to rely on Cyril, who was good at ice spell, but Cyril was busy. If possible, she doesn't want to bother him with another trouble.
Holding a basin in her hands, Monica exhaled through her nose and moved to the end corridor where fewer people were around.
Then, with no chanting magic, she created a full tray of ices. By eliminating impurities and increasing the quantity of mana, she was able to produce beautiful clear ices which were harder to melt.
…It's done!
After nodding in satisfaction, Monica tried to lift the basin, but…
"Uggghhhhh!!"
she just realized the basin was too heavy to lift.
She just made a careless mistake that would make people doubt her title of genius.
Monica struggled for a while but eventually gave up trying to lift the basin, so she crouched down and pushed it with both hands.
Looking at Monica crouched down in her dress to push the basin, some young ladies passed by snickered.
"Oh my, what a sight."
"She's just like cattle."
"How disgraceful."
"I don't think the guests would like to see that sight." said the young ladies mockingly, but those words didn't pass through to the struggling Monica.
Just a little bit, just for a little bit… so said Monica told herself as she pushed the basin, eventually, she saw the kitchen's door.
In her ragged breaths, she kept pushing the basin, but… sudden dizziness came struck instantly.
…ah.
After fighting the intruder and being poisoned, her body had not yet recovered to the point where she could do some physical task.
Her head throbbed in pain and her vision went whirling.
I can't… I can't collapse here… I still haven't done…
Monica's fingers which held the basin slipped off and her small body lost its strength before she collapsed to the floor. As her skin paled, her consciousness washed away.
I still… haven't… done… my task…
