The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 202
I firmly warned Hedonia.
Hedonia smiled at me and kissed me instead of answering. It was a soft kiss, like cotton candy.
“You know your safety is my top priority, right?”
…It seemed unlikely I would hear him say he wouldn’t follow me.
I suppose it’s a relief he’s not lying.
But his words stuck with me.
‘My safety is the top priority.’
Is something going to happen at this festival?
But if that were the case, Hedonia wouldn’t let me go so easily.
…No, judging by Adron’s attitude, something might indeed be happening.
“We’re almost there.”
While I was deep in thought, the carriage stopped. Hedonia pointed out the window. We had stopped at a park about a 20-minute walk from the square.
It was a bit away from the square.
If necessary, we could have moved to the center of the square by carriage, but we didn’t because of the carriages moving through the festival traffic and the gazes of the people.
Entering would take a lot of time, and the carriage with the duke’s crest would become a topic of conversation.
“Get ready to get off.”
“Is there a reason you have to follow me today?”
“No.”
Hedonia answered my question firmly.
“I just want you to enjoy this festival safely. I said it out of concern for any unforeseen worries.”
I was touched. When I was in the slums, the festival was the least of my concerns; just finding something to eat each day was overwhelming.
…It’s true that since becoming a duke, Hedonia’s persuasiveness has improved.
If someone didn’t know him, they might have just accepted it. But I know him well.
‘I’ve been through a lot with Hedonia.’
There’s definitely a reason.
Something he’s not telling me.
‘But right now, I have no chance.’
Hedonia is stubborn. Especially when it concerns me.
‘If it’s related to my safety, even more so.’
Given his approach, asking repeatedly wouldn’t get me the information.
But I had a method.
‘I should ask Pheon.’
I heard Esban was dispatched to the territory to handle urgent matters.
Shaelock was busy showcasing her abilities to the people after her speech, so it would be difficult to approach her.
So, Pheon was the only one left. Besides, he was the one I was scheduled to meet anyway.
‘Since Espers share information, he should be aware of the situation.’
Whether he would tell me or not was another matter, but it was worth a shot.
“Karina, so don’t think about anything else and just enjoy the festival, alright?”
“Yes.”
“That response was too quick.”
Oops, I almost revealed my true intentions. I responded shamelessly.
“Of course, I should respond quickly to Lord Hedonia’s words.”
“…Alright.”
Hedonia gazed at me with a reluctant expression.
“I’ll be going now.”
I had a feeling that if I stayed any longer, my true intentions would be revealed.
Hedonia crossed his arms and looked at me with a dubious expression.
It seemed like he might grab me any moment…
“Have a good time.”
Surprisingly, Hedonia let me go without a fuss. This was even more suspicious! But I had no other choice.
“Yes.”
I quickly answered and got off the carriage. I thought I heard Hedonia’s laughter behind me.
“…Did he just want to tease me?”
When I lifted my head, grumbling, I saw Pheon approaching.
“Long time no see, Karina.”
I couldn’t easily respond because Pheon looked different than usual.
His face, usually framed by naturally falling bangs, looked sharper with his hair slicked back.
He appeared almost like the embodiment of fire. The elegant atmosphere was darker than expected.
If the usual Pheon was like a swan, today he was more like a black swan.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Am I that handsome?”
Pheon crossed his arms and chuckled.
“No, it’s just that your aura seems different from usual.”
“Ah, I dressed up a bit more since I knew I’d be having lunch with you today, Karina. Such opportunities are rare.”
Pheon burst into laughter and then glanced at the carriage I had stepped out of. He seemed aware that Hedonia had followed.
“Shall we go then?”
“Yes, I’m sorry for constantly changing the meeting time.”
“It’s fine. I’m grateful you made time for me despite being busy.”
The dinner I originally planned with Pheon was changed to lunch. Afterward, I needed to look for a ring.
“Can I join you while you shop around? Since it’s your first festival, Karina, you might want to buy everything. I have a good eye for things.”
“Hmm…”
“If you’re with me, you won’t get overcharged either.”
…That is quite tempting.
It’s better to give multiple gifts rather than just a ring.
Even if I choose the ring on my own, I could use some help to avoid getting scammed on other purchases.
“Then let’s spend about an hour together.”
I didn’t intend to invest all my time with Pheon.
“That’s a very Karina-like answer.”
Pheon chuckled at my moderate boundary-setting remark.
His peculiar smile added to his different atmosphere today.
