The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 159
‘That is not what I meant.’
It seems Esban misunderstood my words.
When I said to speak casually, I meant like he used to, in a commanding tone.
You know, like saying, “It would be good to do this…” in a blunt manner. I didn’t mean for him to talk like we’re really close friends!
After Esban finished speaking, Hedonia, Shaelock, and Pheon all turned to look at me, wide-eyed.
“Rina, let’s speak casually too.”
No, please stop with that nickname… and how can I speak casually with a princess!
“We decided to be friends a long time ago, so I think it’s about time we spoke casually. What do you think, Karina?”
What about Pheon, who already started speaking casually without permission! His unhesitant, natural tone gave me goosebumps. Pheon’s casual speech was as cringe-worthy as Esban’s formal speech.
“Karina, I’d feel bad if someone else started speaking casually first.”
And then there’s Hedonia, subtly showing disappointment.
I don’t know why I feel so drained without even doing any guiding.
It’s best to clarify things before the situation escalates. I waved my hands wildly in the air.
“Sir Esban!”
“Why?”
He looked at me with wide eyes. It was the most innocent expression I’d ever seen on Esban.
…Maybe that’s why.
It felt wrong to correct his misunderstanding.
‘Let’s just vaguely explain.’
I decided to redirect the conversation.
“But on second thought… I don’t have a status, and it seems inappropriate to speak casually with Sir Esban, who will lead the Cairoze family. You can speak as you used to.”
Mentioning his status seemed like a good excuse.
Esban hesitated.
No matter how much Esban had changed, he was still a noble. Seeing his reaction, I continued to provide reasons.
“If people see us speaking like this in public, they might be confused… and it might seem like I’m dishonoring the Cairoze family’s reputation.”
As I kept listing reasons, the frown on Esban’s forehead deepened.
“…I don’t mind.”
But his response was unexpected.
This time, it was my turn to blink in surprise.
“I have something I want to talk about too, and it might take a while.”
The way he paused while speaking reminded me of past memories.
The conversation we had during the time I was chasing Marquis Shepherd at the gambling house and ended up in his arms.
Agreeing with him about pretending to be okay…
A side of Esban I didn’t know.
“How about we move to another place first?”
Growl. My stomach rumbled again at just the right moment. It was a bit embarrassing, but I was indeed very hungry.
“We should do that.”
Hedonia nodded.
As we all stood on the magic circle together, Pheon moved his hand.
It had been a long time since I went out.
* * *
The last time I saw the Apharantes estate, it was almost in ruins, so I was curious about how it had changed.
The magic circle transported us to the garden. The space, where bricks were scattered and broken statues outnumbered the intact ones, had been perfectly restored.
No, there were fewer statues than before, and it was neat rather than flashy. It might have seemed plain, but I liked it much more.
It clearly showed that this was Hedonia’s Apharantes estate, having erased all of Robert Apharantes’s vanity.
The mansion exuded the same atmosphere. It was clean, tidy, and luxurious, but without the excessive opulence that seemed to be drenched in money as before.
However, the gold accents throughout the mansion were impressive.
The light curtains and carpets, reminiscent of Hedonia’s platinum hair, enlivened the plain atmosphere and served as reminders of Hedonia, the owner of Apharantes.
It was indeed a fresh experience.
“That time…”
There used to be different statues here, and the hallway was covered in marble. Remembering the times I provided blood to Hedonia while intentionally excluding Robert’s presence, we soon arrived at the dining room.
“This way, please.”
Following the servant’s guidance, we were each shown to our seats.
