What kind of greeting should I give to the person who’s been blatantly avoiding me?
Hello. Did I do something wrong without realizing it?
‘Be mature, Dori.’
A grown-up acts like nothing happened at times like this.
“Hello, Mr. Skull Mask. It’s been a while.”
“Hmm. Yeah, it has.”
Rick seemed a bit flustered, but at least he didn’t look angry. Perhaps the three empty glasses of alcohol in front of him had diluted his irritation.
‘Or maybe, originally, he was planning to run away the moment he saw me, but now that he’s drunk, he missed his chance to slip away.’
Either way, honestly, I was curious about why he was avoiding me.
Hoping for a conversation, I boldly sat down in front of his table.
Through the skull mask, I could see his eyes, slightly relaxed from the alcohol, tense up when they met mine.
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“W-What’s going on?”
“Did you really need a reason for us to sit across from each other? We’ve drunk together before.”
“...Well, yes.”
“If you have any interesting news, share it with me. There’ve been plenty of small events lately, but I’ve been dragged to dull ones like a true noble.”
“Dull events? I’m curious to know what bothered you. Was it more endless singing practice?”
“Ah, you’re right, I did sing. How did you know?”
“...I happened to see a lady I owe some favors to struggling because of a charity performance. So I took a guess.”
Oh, really? That must have been tough, coming up with that lie.
‘Did he figure me out?’
However, I couldn’t think of a good question to interrogate him with. It was better to move to casual topics and slowly probe.
“I’ve talked enough about me, now tell me about you. How have you been?”
“Nothing special. I’m just a commoner, so I get dragged around by my employer, doing this and that. Recently, I was asked to reorganize a warehouse, which was quite troublesome.”
“Your employer seems to have quite a temper.”
“Well, every employer has their own struggles. I heard it was the prince’s order.”
“Ah. I bet that made things awkward for you too.”
I spoke casually, but in my mind, I couldn’t help but think, that prince... sounds like someone I know.
Hearing the word ‘prince’ made my body stiffen for a moment.
‘If Rick starts badmouthing Tristan... how am I supposed to just laugh it off?’
Oh no! Just recently, I was the best at cursing Tristan, wasn’t I?
So how did it come to this?
That guy’s still insufferable, and I’m sure he knows it too!
Fortunately, Rick quickly moved the topic to something else.
“Seems like the princes are really busy. I heard the third prince is heading to Blue Atrium to hunt monsters with the young duke.”
“Oh, really? Where did you hear that?”
I know, that was such a bold thing to say.
‘If Rick knows my true identity, he’d probably find this all ridiculous.’
Unfortunately, I couldn’t read his reaction through the skull mask. He just kept speaking confidently.
“At a tavern. When high-ranking people go on expeditions, they usually have several subordinates with them. Someone to carry their luggage, someone to fight with, guards, and so on.”
“Right. Only the high-ranking ones get to play the hero.”
“Exactly!”
Rick chuckled.
Then, unexpectedly, he gave me a compliment.
“Ah, but that Tristan guy is actually pretty cool.”
“Huh? Oh, he’s the prince, right? Have you met him?”
“I saw him while working. His hands are calloused, his posture is straight, and he’s flawless. You can tell he’s no stranger to holding a sword. I believe he could handle monsters on his own.”
“...I see.”
I covered my slowly rising smile with my cup.
Yeah! Tristan is strong! And he doesn’t run away!
I want to brag about him!
But that’s the problem, so I quickly changed the subject.
“Are there any good bets around here? I haven’t been able to come to the salon much in July, so I’m out of touch with the trends.”
“Hmmm. Well, a few major romantic matters have been settled.”
“Probably about Maria and Duke Arthur, right?”
“Exactly. Of course, it’s still early, so people are debating whether they’ll actually get married.”
“If you’re betting on it, bet on them getting married. I’m sure of it.”
For a brief moment, Rick’s hand, holding the glass, trembled slightly. But his voice quickly turned back to its usual smooth tone.
“What makes you so sure?”
“They suit each other perfectly! I saw them together just once, and they looked so happy. A beauty like her deserves a handsome man like him.”
“...That’s an odd standard. Looks aren’t everything. If that’s how you see things, then Natalie would’ve married anyone by now.”
Her personality... I almost blurted out the truth. Well, Rick probably knows.
In the meantime, Rick cleared his throat and continued.
“Good looks aren’t everything. Kindness shows in the eyes and the smile, and hard work shows in the muscles, in the way a man’s body is shaped. Those are the truly great men.”
“So, basically, a man with a pleasant smile and a muscular body is a great man? That sounds like a harder condition to find than a nobleman.”
“I met a few of them in the capital this year. When workers talk, you sometimes find someone who really stands out. The knight who came with Maria to the capital also got some pretty good words.”
“......”
“The name... it was such a common name, but I don’t remember it.”
Rick went on to mention things like a newcomer from some mercenary group being good, or how the new footman from some Marquis was quite handsome. But my mind couldn’t escape the shock I’d felt when I first heard Rick’s self-praise.
One thing was for sure.
Rick! Doesn’t know who I am!
If he did, would he be bragging like that?
‘Ugh, I’m so embarrassed.’
Just when I was about to ask why he had been avoiding me earlier and was finally gathering the words in my head...
Rick turned back to the embarrassing topic from before.
“By the way, it looks like a worker from the Meyer family will be joining an important task.”
“An important task?”
“The task I mentioned earlier. Prince Tristan and the young Duke are going to Blue Atrium to hunt monsters.”
“...What?”
Wait. Rick’s going to Blue Atrium too?
‘That’s where Rick’s biological father is the lord.’
The old lord, who didn’t want to lose his land, had once insisted that his illegitimate son, whom he had abandoned over a decade ago, was his rightful heir, even taking the matter to court.
‘Though Rick won’t have to face the lord as a subordinate...’
Even if they meet, Rick isn’t the legitimate heir. The trial was settled years ago. Even if Rick changes his mind about Blue Atrium now, the chances of him reclaiming the land are extremely slim.
Still, unease twisted inside me.
“Hmmm, it seems strange that even a worker from the Meyer Baron family is being sent there. Don’t they usually just bring soldiers?”
“Since the goal is to track monsters, they’ve apparently gathered a lot of people with proven skills, whether martial arts or menial tasks.”
“...That worker must be quite something. Being called in to help with the prince and young duke’s task.”
I said it in a way that fit his ‘the answer’s already set, and you just have to speak it’ style.
Fortunately, Rick didn’t continue bragging. Maybe he was starting to feel embarrassed.
He took a sip of water and cleared his throat.
Now that I think about it, he had drunk quite a few glasses earlier.
Should I ask him why he avoided me last week before the alcohol wears off?
But the two coins Rick pulled from his pocket shut my mouth.
“You mentioned you were looking for a good bet earlier. How about one between the two of us? While you haven’t been around the salon, I’ve earned a bit.”
“That’s a hard offer to refuse. But it depends on the terms of the bet. What kind of event do you have in mind?”
“Well... August is vacation season, so as a noble lady, you probably won’t be back to the capital for a while, so we should make it something that’ll take a bit longer.”
Rick paused dramatically, then spoke as if he was setting the stage.
“What about the business trip I mentioned earlier?”
“Business trip... to Blue Atrium?”
“Yes. Just like the old heroic tales of warriors, I wonder if the two of them will achieve anything and return safely.”