Chapter 32
Noel walked for a long time. Only then did he finally turn around. He stopped and slowly gauged the distance between himself and Full Bloom. The academy gates were no longer visible.
Noel stared at the invisible shadow of Full Bloom for a long time. Or rather, he imagined the remnants of the red-haired girl, the one called Clot, who was beyond those gates.
*‘You’re right. But you can do more than that, Noel.’*
Her ordinary, youthful voice lingered in his mind. Noel kept replaying it. He deliberately held onto those words, which he could easily forget if he wanted to.
Then, he placed the girl, Clot, on one side of the imaginary scale in his mind. On the other side, he placed something completely different. The things he loved most in the world.
“……….”
It was obvious which side of the scale would tip, which he would prioritize. Knowing this, Noel finally lowered his gaze.
For the sake of the things he loved, he had to endure a little longer.
* * *
In Löhn, the imperial capital of the Atlantis Empire, there was a vast and long canal that surrounded the city’s boundary. The waterway, flowing seamlessly inside and outside the city walls, was a source of pride for the capital, a testament to the beauty of Atlantis.
When bathed in golden sunlight, the clear waters of the canal shimmered like stars. At night, when the real stars and moon fell into the canal, fireflies would occasionally dance around them, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
Under the scorching sun, Sue was on Ios, the main street of Löhn. She was wearing a white blouse with frills and ribbons, a dark green skirt that reached down to her shins, and low-heeled shoes. She was holding a wide parasol in her ungloved hand. She was dressed rather plainly for a rare outing, and there was a reason for that.
“It’s hot. This is annoying.”
A delicate voice, sharp as a blade, was directed at Sue. Sue, Melaine, and Enzhe stopped walking simultaneously. Sue quickly adjusted her grip on the parasol, maintaining her smile, and turned to her side.
“I apologize for the inconvenience, Lady Enzhe.”
A pair of deep-set black eyes glared at her coldly.
*Damn it.*
It was Sue who wanted to curse. Her pale green parasol was clearly shading Enzhe. Sue was the one standing directly under the scorching sun, so she couldn’t understand why Enzhe was complaining about the heat. But Enzhe had never done anything that made sense, so Sue quickly accepted it. They said humans were creatures of adaptation, and this was a perfect example.
“Sue Byron, you’re so useless, you can’t even hold a parasol properly.”
Sue detected the malicious intent hidden beneath the languid voice. She apologized again, “I’m sorry, Lady Enzhe.”
“If my skin gets burned, I’ll leave a permanent mark on your face.”
Sue hurried after Enzhe, who walked ahead with the expression of a child playing with a toy.
The sight of Sue frantically holding the parasol over Enzhe’s head was hardly what one would expect from two noble ladies out for a stroll. Melaine, standing on the other side, pretended not to notice the scene, which could have been seen as pitiful, and chatted with Enzhe.
This was the reason why Sue had come to the main street after so long. Since summer vacation began, she had been holed up in her townhouse, reading magic theory textbooks. She occasionally met with Leo, but that was the extent of her social life.
Then, three days ago, Melaine had suddenly visited Sue’s townhouse.
*‘Lady Enzhe has been in a bad mood ever since Michaela was born. You know, right, Sue? That Lady Enzhe doesn’t… approve of Michaela being born as a successful product. And Michaela’s birthday celebration is coming up soon… She’ll probably be even more upset. So, I was thinking, why don’t we try to cheer her up for a day? It would be good for you too, what do you think?’*
Sue had no choice but to accept Melaine’s proposal.
Sue had also been concerned about Enzhe ever since Michaela was born. But Enzhe didn’t like it when Sue took the initiative and suggested anything, considering it impertinent. So she had been waiting for an opportunity, and Melaine’s suggestion was a godsend.
They had invited Enzhe to the main street under the pretense of looking at dresses and accessories for the September Festival. Enzhe had her own personal designer, but she enjoyed shopping on the streets. And since she had been dragged to countless boring tea parties throughout the summer vacation, Melaine and Sue had decided it was time for her to get out.
However, the two young ladies had made a big mistake. They had failed to accurately gauge how much stress Michaela’s birth had caused Enzhe.
“The items on display today are all ugly. Are you kidding me? You’re trying to sell this trash to the nobles of Löhn?”
They hadn’t expected her to throw such a tantrum. She had been complaining for hours on the main street.
No matter how bad her personality was, she rarely revealed her true colors in such a public place.
She didn’t know the exact reason, but both in the novel and in reality, Enzhe had seen Michaela’s existence as a thorn in her side. So, the moment Michaela was born, Enzhe’s mood had plummeted to the depths of hell.
Fortunately, Fritz had been looking after Enzhe during the summer vacation. If it hadn’t been for him, Sue might have already been dragged to some basement as a punching bag.
But even Fritz’s presence couldn’t completely eliminate Enzhe’s stress.
Sue and Melaine’s plan to cheer Enzhe up with shopping wasn’t wrong. It was just that Enzhe’s irritation wasn’t something that could be resolved with a bit of shopping.
Even Sue, who knew that Enzhe would eventually kill Michaela in the novel, hadn’t realized how much Enzhe resented Michaela.
“Ugh, this is unbearable. Aren’t only qualified people allowed to do business in Löhn? Why is the standard so low? I’ll have to tell Father and Grand Duke Antique to get rid of half the shops on the main street.”
Enzhe put the sapphire necklace she had been holding back on the display stand, her voice dripping with sarcasm. But it was more like she had thrown it than placed it.
Melaine, who had been looking at the accessories with her, just smiled silently. It was her usual dazzling smile that could charm anyone, but Sue detected a hint of weariness in her expression.
“I’m never coming to this trashy shop again. So this is how these incompetent commoners are ruining the capital. I’ve learned my lesson.”
Enzhe left the jewelry shop, ignoring the flustered shopkeeper.
“What’s the point of being approved by the Imperial Family if everything is so disappointing?”
Enzhe continued to complain as they walked down the street.
“You’re right, Lady Enzhe! There has to be a shop that you like.”
Sue smiled brightly, trying to appease her.
“Yes, all these shops should disappear. That’s the right thing to do.”
*But all these shops are the ones you’ve been frequenting since you were young.*
Sue swallowed her words, looking at Enzhe’s sharp profile.
The street was the same as it had always been, five years ago, a year ago, six months ago, yesterday, and the day before.
The shopkeeper of the jewelry shop kept bowing and apologizing until Enzhe and her entourage disappeared from sight. Sue didn’t look back, but she felt a twinge of pity for the shopkeeper’s desperate voice.
*‘…Pity? I have my own survival to worry about. My own survival.’*
Sue adjusted her grip on the parasol, clearing her mind. Melaine, once again chattering about trivial things, led Enzhe to another shop.
This was the difference between the two seemingly similar lackeys.
Sue was Enzhe’s ‘servant’, catering to her every whim, while Melaine played the role of Enzhe’s follower, looking up to her. They had both been playing their respective roles for over ten years. Sue had always been treated worse, but lately, she had a feeling that Melaine wasn’t having an easy time either.
The main street was crowded as always. Löhn was always busy. That was the beauty and the everyday life of the capital.
Enzhe continued to complain tirelessly. This was annoying, that was annoying.
To an outsider, it might have looked like three friends enjoying a day out, but in reality, it was a constant exchange of subtle cues and nervous anticipation.
But no matter how much Enzhe complained, Sue had to endure it. As long as it made Enzhe feel better.
“Oh, right, Lady Enzhe. There’s a new dress shop here. Would you like to go in?”
Melaine stopped in front of a shop with a white wooden sign.
Enzhe looked back and forth between the sign and the entrance.
“I doubt they have any pretty dresses.”
The shopkeeper must have been new to the capital, judging from the simple design of the shop, which was rather plain for a shop on the main street.
“I don’t know what kind of dresses they have either. I heard from someone who came here that they have some unique dresses. I’m curious, why don’t we take a look? You might find something you like, Lady Enzhe.”
Sue glanced at Enzhe’s dress at Melaine’s words.
It was a flamboyant dress with multiple layers of frills and intricate gold embroidery, the petticoat voluminous even for an outing. Enzhe always insisted on wearing traditional Rococo dresses, just like the one she was wearing today. Dresses without petticoats or with slimmer silhouettes were also in fashion in Löhn, but Enzhe was loyal to traditional dresses.
The reason, apparently, was because Fritz had once complimented her on how pretty she looked in a traditional dress.
*She’s so devoted.*