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Episode 48. An Adult Now

On the day of the party, the director pounded on the door as if he'd break it down.

"Lucy! Why are you so slow? Didn't you buy the dress yesterday? It's not like you're making it — you're slower than a snail."

This had been going on for ten minutes now.

"Lucy Ohan!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Annie, I have to go now."

"The director really… how can he be so clueless about women?"

Annie, who was adjusting my dress, sympathized with my irritated reply.

"By the way, Lucy, you look so pretty! So pretty! Why are you so cute?"

It was a delicate yellow dress adorned with silver cubic zirconia. Bare arms and shoulders, with a transparent shawl draped over the back that fluttered like wings with each movement.

"So cute! I want you as my little sister!"

Judging by Annie's reaction, it didn't seem too bad. She rubbed her face against mine, calling me cute.

"Ugh, Annie— that's enough!"

At this rate, my carefully done makeup and dress would be ruined.

"Oh, sorry!"

"Okay, I'm really going now, Annie."

"Yes, little sister!"

After hearing Annie's cheerful farewell, I pulled the door handle.

---

Damian was standing in front of the door, frowning.

Despite his sour expression, he was dressed in a white tailcoat that suited his blonde hair, looking like a noble and beautiful priest.

"What took you so long—"

Damian, about to snap, looked at me and stopped mid-sentence.

"Do you know how long it takes to put on a dress?"

Just as I was about to admire Damian's appearance, I pinched his arm. He was the one who said we were in a hurry, yet he had time to nag.

"The carriage… is waiting below."

"It might rain again, so we should leave quickly."

"…."

"Director! Why are you spacing out?"

At my shout, his eyes snapped open.

"If you keep this up, I'm going ahead."

I was in a hurry, but wearing a dress for the first time in a while, I couldn't walk very fast. The narrow hallway made it easy for the skirt to get snagged and ruined. As I carefully moved, holding up the hem, Damian came beside me and lightly took my arm.

"Be careful not to trip."

"…."

Unexpectedly gentlemanly.

With his help, I went down and saw a lavish carriage made of golden ore. It wasn't the guild's carriage.

'Did he buy a new one for the party?'

The famously stingy Damian?

At Damian's gesture, I entered first and noticed the scent of crisp rosemary. The scent wasn't overpowering, as if the blue cushions had been lightly sprayed with perfume. The expensive leather was stuffed with fine down, making it soft to sit on.

"Let's go."

Damian boarded, and the wheels began to move.

---

Rumble! The carriage jolted several times over the uneven ground. To make matters worse, it started raining again, slowing the carriage noticeably.

"Damn it. I'd rather sit on the ground and walk."

Damian, having hit his head on the ceiling, grimaced.

"Are you okay? Riding in a carriage in that bulky dress."

"This is actually fine. It's flat ground, and the road goes straight."

"You seem to have ridden in carriages a lot."

"At Ohan."

At my answer, Damian flinched.

"What haven't you done at Ohan?"

"Hmm. Something good?"

"Something good?"

"On the contrary, I've done all the hard and difficult things. Ohan's goal was to turn me into a human weapon."

"…That must have been tough."

At his unexpectedly comforting reply, I looked at Damian.

He must have noticed my gaze, but he kept his eyes fixed out the window. Since boarding the carriage, whenever he spoke to me, he would quietly look down at the muddy ground, like someone hiding a secret.

"Has Lapin sent a reply yet?"

Not wanting to dwell on Ohan, I changed the subject.

"I sent a carrier pigeon last night — do you really think a reply would come already? You have a problem. You only worry. That's why the kid can't become independent."

"To me, he still looks like a child."

"Do you really see that bastard as a child?"

…No.

It had been quite a while since I'd seen him that way.

"What you should be worrying about is the Tulda bastards who could come back anytime. Today is a party. Don't make any mistakes."

"Don't worry."

The scenery outside the window had changed — we must have arrived.

Unlike the dreary garden, devoid of people due to the relentless rain, the manor's interior was crowded.

Visibly annoyed, Damian muttered complaints and stepped out of the carriage.

As I followed him down, I noticed a hand extended in front of me.

"Hmph!"

Damian cleared his throat and gestured for me to take his hand. Taking Damian's hand…

"What are you doing?"

He grabbed my hand without hesitation and pulled me inside. Not only was it a one-sided hand-holding with no manners, but Damian also strode inside without matching my pace.

He only stopped when I was practically being dragged.

"Tell me if you're going too fast."

"Thank you for your tearful consideration."

After a brief greeting, I surveyed the crowded party hall.

Beneath a large chandelier were several tables laid with white cloths, prepared with wine, cupcakes, handmade cookies, candies, and chocolates.

The nobles, enjoying the party atmosphere while snacking, spotted us and fell silent for a moment.

"That's him, right? Mrs. Carding's son. The one with enormous wealth."

"He's as delicate as the rumors say."

"His walk is exactly like a commoner's, isn't it? The woman with him must be a commoner too."

Unpleasant comments reached me amidst the changed atmosphere.

So what if they're nobles? They were all born from their mothers' wombs — what makes them so different?

Damian, unfazed, kept scanning the room, probably looking for Mrs. Carding.

Joining the search, I looked toward the window inside the hall. As a butler wiping wine bottles passed by, a familiar figure by the windowsill came into view.

The woman holding a large fan was Mrs. Carding.

"Mrs. Carding. Could you say that pronunciation again?"

"It's such a unique and distinctive pronunciation — I want to keep hearing it."

Two tall women stood before the lady, smiling slightly.

"Ah, this pronunciation?"

"Hoho. Truly unique, madam."

"I've never heard such a pronunciation in my life."

The two women spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear, as if they were praising her, but their words were clearly mockery.

"Damn it. What are they doing—"

Spotting this, Damian gritted his teeth and tried to step forward.

"Wait."

I blocked his path with my arm.

Rumors in high society spread frighteningly fast. Reputation falls even faster.

I didn't care if Damian's reputation suffered, but I couldn't tolerate the Bendon Guild's reputation falling.

"I'll go."

I moved before Damian could stop me.

Time to put some strength into my throat. Ahem, ahem!

"There you are, Mrs. Carding."

I said with a smile. The three women's gazes shifted simultaneously.

"Oh my, Lucy?"

The lady greeted me warmly.

"Sorry I'm late, madam."

I looked at the two women. That pronunciation they wanted to hear so much — instead of Mrs. Carding, I'd give them an earful myself.

"Sorry for the late introduction. I'm Lucy, from the north."

Pronunciation varied subtly depending on how much pretense and wealth one had.

Especially for the upper class, who received etiquette training from birth, they had a unique accent and pronunciation that couldn't be imitated.

Nobles often judged family and status just from a simple greeting.

"N-nice to meet you."

They recognized my accent and greeted me with reluctant expressions.

"Your pronunciation is v-very good. Miss, which family are you from?"

The red-haired woman who was sizing me up asked.

"Family?"

I don't have one.

"Before asking about someone else's background, isn't it polite to reveal your own first, madam?"

I smiled and pointed it out, just as they had.

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