322 Stellaria's got a friend?
Winter Break Arc.
(POV: Lumiere)
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We continued walking, Ravenna turned to me, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Where do you think we can find a good inn around here?" she asked.
It's possible she was trying not to be too frivolous by going to a restaurant, but I had deep pockets so money wasn't a problem.
"Are you sure you want to eat at an inn?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, why not?"
"It can get rowdy, and it tends to smell a lot like a place for old men and adventurers with bushy beards."
Ravenna let out a genuine laugh, shaking her head. "I don't mind that.."
"And if you're trying to be considerate about my money you don't need to, I can afford high-class if that's what you want..."
"Not that either." She giggled a bit, eyes cutely closed.
"Then what's the problem?"
A woman would never want to eat at an inn unless she didn't have a choice. The only type of women that ate there were the ones who needed a place to rest their head for the night, and they were mostly adventurers; usually in a high-end inn too.
Someone like Genny could stay at any inn irrespective of how decrepit because she didn't want to see like a hypocrite; wanting to a knight but avoiding inns because they weren't to her taste.
"Well, if I'm being honest, it actually reminds me of my life before I became a Curse King," she admitted. "When life was much more... simpler."
"Well, if that's what you want, then I'm fine with it," I told her.
We continued walking through the city streets, the winter chill nipping at our cheeks. It didn't necessarily bother me, but with my resistances fairly reduced, it'd let me actually have use of the coat I wore.
I do sweat a lot during intense sex, but that's because the heat I generate from sex isn't just the normal bed kind.
It's more than that.
We made our way through the bustling crowds.
"Hmm, these guys..."
I noticed how well-dressed everyone was. Coats, warm hats, gloves, and boots - their attire looked refined and modern compared to other places on the map. It was easy proof of Lucretia's knowledge of modern innovations, which she used to greatly influence the Viscounty's advancements in various aspects of life.
I did hear the Shield Kingdom?s attire were much more modern than the Cross.
So, likely on the same level as this Viscounty.
Suddenly, my eyes met a familiar face.
Stellaria stepped out of a quaint café and immediately caught me by surprise. "Stellaria?" I called out.
Stellaria turned towards me, her hands casually tucked into the pockets of her long blue coat. Her black hair, usually cascading freely, was now folded neatly inside a black warm hat. She wore black pants and blue boots with furry trims that perfectly matched her coat.
I could've sworn I saw her sigh in frustration for a moment.
Like she didn't know I'd be here...
Hmm, she's definitely hiding something, I thought.
She sauntered towards me. "Oh, Lumiere," she greeted me with a slight smirk. Stellaria was always the type to march to the beat of her own drum, and I had grown accustomed to her unpredictability.
"What're you doing here?" I asked.
Stellaria yawned, a lazy smile appearing on her lips. "Well, I was out with some friends," she replied nonchalantly.
Eh? What'd she just say?
I instantly raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Wow, you have friends?" I questioned, feigning surprise. It came out as sarcasm but there was still some genuine hints of curiosity hidden beneath it.
Stellaria narrowed her eyes playfully and retorted, "That's a bit harsh, don't you think? Of course, I have friends, interesting ones too."
I couldn't resist teasing her further. "I'm sure they're just as lazy as you," I remarked. I was already underwhelmed by my expectations of them.
Stellaria let out a laugh, her nose wrinkling slightly, giving her a strangely endearing look. "You'd be surprised, Lumiere," she replied cryptically. "My friends are what you'd call, relatable but not in that sense."
Hmm, strange, but this is Stellaria, so not surprising...
I countered her statement. "That's only if they're not a figment of your imagination," I retorted.
"Sure, let's say they are," she yawned. "I'm too tired to argue..."
"You're always tired.."
Then I looked around and then at the café she just came out from.
"So, where are these friends of yours?" I asked, my tone was skeptical as I air quoted the word "friends."
Stellaria simply shrugged.
I turned my attention to where she was supposed to be standing, but she had vanished into thin air. Confused, I looked back, only to find Stellaria standing right next to Ravenna, carefully observing her with a finger against her chin.
"So, Ravenna, what's up?" Stellaria asked casually.
Ravenna raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing slightly before she closed them with a serene smile. "I'm doing just fine," she replied calm and composed as always.
Stellaria smirked. "That's good to know. So, you and Lumiere are on a date, right?" she asked, causing Ravenna's eyes to widen in surprise.
"Wooooah, how'd you know?" Ravenna asked.
Stellaria leaned back, a smug expression playing on her lips. "Oh, I have my ways," she responded cryptically.
"So what, you can like read minds?" Ravenna was still amazed.
"It's one of my... many talents," Stellaria used a haughty tone to speak.
"Lies," I interjected. "I told her about it."
Stellaria chuckled lazily before finally relenting. "Alright, alright, you got me," she admitted.
I turned my attention back to Stellaria, my tone shifting to concern.
"Seriously though, where are your friends? Are they in the café?"
I was eager to know what type of people Stellaria would make friends with...
No, actually, what type of people would make friends with Stellaria...
Just as I was about to head towards the café, Stellaria appeared before me in a flash. It was the fastest I'd ever seen her move, leaving me unsure if she had teleported or simply moved at an extraordinary speed. Placing a hand gently on my chest, she yawned before speaking in a nonchalant manner.
"No need to go there, Lumiere," Stellaria said dismissively.
This was definitely alien zone for me.
Stellaria barely put effort into anything, so she wouldn't have been so quick to stop me.
Confused by her strange behavior, I spoke up.
"You're acting weird. Usually, you don't care about anything," I observed.
Stellaria glanced to the side, averting her gaze. She gently twiddled her fingers and blushed a bit, her lips puckered a bit as she spoke softly with heavy vulnerability that tugged at my heart.
"I'm afraid that if you met my friends, you'd be more interested in them than me."
"Awnnn~~ but that won't happen..." I assured her.
She then gave me the puppy eyes. "R... Really?"
"Cut the crap," I switched moods immediately. "I'm not falling for that."
"Not even a little?"
Stellaria sighed. "Eh, it was worth a shot," she shrugged as she spoke.
As I stood there, contemplating Stellaria's strange behavior, I noticed a figure emerge from the café. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, contrasting beautifully with her brown eyes. Clad in a casual winter attire, similar to Stellaria's, she looked of confidence and elegance.
I wasn't clear enough yet.
But if I were to use one word to describe her, it'd be...
PP...
"Wait a minute, isn't that Fanatio?" I exclaimed.
I easily recognized her.
Stellaria turned towards me, her expression calm and collected. "Fana who?" she inquired.
Ravenna appeared beside me, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Fanatio? Who's that?"
"Eh, she's a friend of mine," I informed her. "Well, not really my friend, but a friend of Black's. Though technically, I'm Black." I struggled to explain, my words stumbling over each other.
Stellaria's gaze remained steady. "Oh, that's good to know."
"You're acting like I haven't told you about her before..."
"You have?"
"Yes, that night in the kitchen house? The girl that likes PP?"
"Don't recall," she shifted her gaze.
Liar.
"Shouldn't you be getting going now?" she urged me.
I arched an eyebrow, skepticism clear in my tone. "You seem awfully eager for me to leave. What's the rush?" I asked, my gaze fixed on Stellaria's face.
It was then that realization dawned on me like a bolt of lightning.
"There's no way Fanatio's your...," I began to say, but my words were cut off abruptly.
Stellaria swiftly interjected, her words falling like quicksilver. "Bye now, we'll talk later," she uttered. In a swift motion, she opened a portal right before me, its swirling vortex immediately pulling me in with an irresistible force. In an instant, I was whisked away.
Shit.
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