After the ceremony at Serendia Academy was over, Eliane hurried back to her room in the dormitory to change her dress.
She changed from her uniform to her casual dress, fixed her makeup, and changed her hairstyle.
"The pink hat with a ribbon I had bought not a long ago should be a perfect match for this hairstyle."
"Understood."
Without saying anything, the maid took the hat she wanted out of her travel bag and put it on Eliane.
Eliane stood in front of the full-length mirror to check her appearance. A brand new coat engulfed with a scarf, on top of her head was a hat with the most fashionable design of today. A beautiful, delicate girl that everyone would want to praise as adorable was what reflected on the mirror.
Since I'm going to be riding in the same carriage as Lord Felix, I have to make sure I'm dressed perfectly.
Eliane was in high spirits. Now that the winter break was approaching, Felix would be staying at Eliane's house. How could she not be excited about this?
Felix would spend the first two days of the winter break at the Hyatt's mansion, and then diplomacy would follow when the emissaries from the Falforia Kingdom arrived. And Eliane's role is to provide hospitality for Felix and the envoys from the neighboring countries.
This was the perfect opportunity to show off her good point to Felix.
According to her father, the one who set up this diplomacy was Duke Crockford, Eliane's great uncle. In other words, all these events took place because they had been arranged by him.
She must definitely take this chance to secure her place as Felix's fiancee.
…If necessary, she just has to make it an established fact.
If by any chance… yes, by any chance, Lord Felix wandered into my bedroom… of course, I would never do anything so immodest as to seduce him, but if Lord Felix were to be enticed by the sight of me in my nightgown, the two of us might end up together until morning… though it's only my assumption. Of course, I won't ask him out. It's only if Lord Felix is willing for it… and to make that happen, I have my maid to make some preparation…
Eliane adjusted the ribbon around her collar while constructing many plots to lead Felix to her bedroom.
"My Lady, it's almost time for the carriage to arrive."
"Alright, I'll be there soon."
Smiling back at the maid, Eliane walked out of the dormitory.
Many carriages were lined up in front of the Serendia Academy, awaiting their master returning their household. Among them, a particularly beautiful carriage belonging to Dukes Rehnburg stood out the most.
She was going to meet up with Felix in front of this carriage. Those who saw Felix getting into the same carriage as Eliane would surely spread rumors. The Second Prince had chosen Eliane as his fiancee and he's spending the winter break at Eliane's home.
Oh, what a wonderful feeling!
Aware of all eyes were turned to the carriage of Duke Rehnburg's family, Eliane suppressed her desire to skip and stepped forward with the ladylike grace of a daughter of the upper class.
As you can see, standing in front of the carriage was a beautiful prince that everyone turns to, waiting for her…
"Huh? Aren't you the one who played Amelia's role? …hmm, who was it again?"
"She is Miss Elaine Hyatt."
The one who spoke in a ridiculously loud and rude voice was not her prince, but Glenn Dudley, who had performed together with Eliane on the play at the school festival. And the one who told him her name was Felix who's been standing beside him, which the latter clapped his hands afterward.
"Oh, that's right! Eliane, Eliane… wait, why Eliane is here?"
It should be my line!
Why was Glenn Dudley talking with Felix in front of the carriage of Duke Rehnberg's family?
"Dudley. She's the daughter of Duke Rehnberg."
"Oh, I had no idea! Hmm, it would have been easier to understand if you had named Eliane Rehnburg Hyatt."
"It was a title named after the name of their managed territory."
"Is that so?"
"It is."
"By the way, why it was ‘named' that way?
She felt like she was going to lose her mind if she listened to this conversation any longer. So Eliane plastered a dainty smile on her face, which was about to collapse.
"Good day, Lord Felix. It's been a while, Lord Dudley. We haven't seen each other since the play."
Eliane subtly insisted to the people around her that she had no relationship or anything with Glenn, except when they had performed together in the play. Unfortunately, that thought of hers was torn to shreds by Glenn's.
"I'm not good with formalities, so just call me Glenn! Especially since we're going to be taking care of each other from now on! So feel free to call me by my name."
"…pardon?"
What did he mean by "we're going to be taking care of each other from now on"?
At Eliane's confusion, Felix explained with a gentle smile.
"In my stay at the Duke of Rehnburg's household, Lady Everett, the Silent Witch of the Seven Sages, and Dudley, the apprentice of the Barrier Magician, will be accompanying me as my guards."
What!?
To Eliane's exclamation, Glenn gave her a smile as dazzling as the sun, then said.
"Since that's the case! I'm looking forward to working with you during the winter break!"
The surrounding students were certainly focusing their attention on Eliane and the two. However, she's not hoping to be ended in this way.
Not only were the surroundings looking at her lack of envious, but it was also full of curiosity. Even so, Eliane showed her gentle smile, though inwardly she stomped on the ground.
＊ ＊ ＊
In a carriage for four people with two seats for two people each facing each other, it should be a matter of fact for Eliane to sit beside Felix. It should be a matter of fact, but why did Felix sit beside Glenn?
"Lord Felix, would it feel a bit cramped for two men to be sitting there side by side?" expressed Eliane her concern subtly, to which Felix responded with a beautiful smile.
"Not at all, in fact, I feel this carriage was more spacious and comfortable than I'd thought. Besides, Dudley is my bodyguard."
Since she was told that it was more appropriate for his guard to sit next to him, she had nothing to say back. It should be the development of her stumbling on Felix's chest as the carriage rocked, or leaning on his shoulder pretending to take a little nap!
As Eliane ground her teeth inwardly, Glenn lifted his gaze and looked at Eliane as if he had noticed something.
Have you finally realized what I'm thinking? That's right, you should be more sensible.
"No need to worry, Eliane! I'll make sure to protect not only President but also you as well!"
That's not the thing she wanted him concerned about.
After forcibly swallowing the almost spoken words of ‘I am not expecting you to protect me,' she gave him a dainty smile.
"Oh my, how reassuring to be protected by you, Lord Glenn."
"You can count on me! By the way, I think spelling the name ‘Eliane' is a bit hard, so can I call you just Ellie?"
There's no way you can! Eliane almost blurted out those words, but then she thought.
If she allowed Glenn to call her Ellie, then following that conversation, she can beg Felix, ‘Could you call me Ellie too, Lord Felix?' With that notion, it's highly likely Felix would call her Ellie, wouldn't it?
Eliane responded with an ambiguous smile that could not be described as either a denial or an affirmation and then shifted her gaze to Felix in a perfectly natural gesture.
"Lord Felix, could you…"
…call me Ellie? Before she could finish, she saw Felix's head shake.
Felix's long golden eyelashes were downcast, and he looked somewhat sleepy. It seems that he had been dozing off without really listening to Eliane.
"Umm… Lord Felix?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a little sleep-deprived… I was really looking forward to today, and I didn't get much sleep last night."
Eliane's mood, which had been declining, suddenly rose after hearing Felix's words.
I had no idea that Lord Felix was looking forward to coming to my house this much!
Wouldn't this be a good sign for a love relationship?
Eliane concealed the joy that was welling up in her and said to Felix concernedly.
"Please take it easy and get some rest, Lord Felix."
"Yeah. I would do that."
Felix rested his cheek on the arm he leaned against the armrest and closed his eyes.
While Eliane was enraptured by the beauty of Felix's sleeping profile, Glenn poked and prodded Eliane.
"…do you need something, Lord Glenn?"
"I'm bored just looking at the scenery, so why don't we play a game? I brought a lot of stuff from my house just for today."
"Lord Felix is asleep, I don't think we should make too much noise…"
"I'll keep my voice down, so don't worry. Now, look at this coin~"
Glenn pulled a single copper coin out of his pocket and flicked it with his right hand, then caught it again with his right hand. After cupping both his right and left hands, he held them out in front of Eliane.
"Which one's got the coins in it?"
"…right hand…"
Glenn smiled and opened his hands, the result was a coin in his left hand. Eliane couldn't help but round her eyes.
"What? What? How? I saw you catch it with your right hand."
"Okay, one more time."
Glenn flicked the coin with his right hand and caught it with his right hand. Eliane watched the movement of the coin without blinking. She was certain that the coin was held in his right hand.
"It's in the right hand again."
"Too bad, you were wrong~"
"What!?"
Eliane involuntarily leaned forward and stared at the coin. This kind of trick was a common stunt in street, but Eliane, a young lady whose life was restricted to high society, had never seen a street performance or a commoner's trick.
"You're cheating. You used magic, didn't you?"
"I didn't do any chanting, though. And my master told me that it was impossible to teleport an object with human mana."
And what Glenn said was a fact. So Elaine could only pout while staring intently at Glenn's right hand.
"Please do it one more time, okay, one more time."
"Okay, I'll raise the difficulty level a little this time."
"Eh!? But I haven't even figured out the trick of the first one yet!"
Felix, who had been dozing off resting his cheek on his hand, opened one eye thinly and put a small smile on his lips after looking at Glenn and Eliane, before closing his eyes again.
He found it rather amusing to listen to their conversation, but now he wanted to get some sleep.
Just like a boy going to meet his first love, he couldn't get proper sleep last night. After all, he's going to meet the Silent Witch whom he had been admiring so much.
From what he heard, Lady Silent Witch had arrived at the Duchy Rehnberg, awaiting his arrival.
.What should he talk about when he met her—thought Felix as he back to his slumber.
