The head troupe, Largo, which has become more stylish than before, welcomes me.
“Oh my! You have come, Your Highness!”
“It’s been a while.”
“Yes, yes. Please sit down. Shall I call Limona?”
“Yes. Is there any chance that my identity will be revealed?”
“Oh, I did. I was so out of it that I forgot.”
The theater owner rubbed his hand and offered me a seat. Thanks to Limona, the Pegasus Theater's housekeeping was in full bloom, and all the furniture in the office was new.
“What brings you here?”
“I wish I had gotten the artist sponsorship certificate. I need to increase my public service value.”
“Oh, yes! Yes! Just wait a minute!”
Largo quickly prepared the documents. I gave them to Michael and then started a conversation.
“I heard that Miss Lund is making her way into aristocratic society these days.”
“Yes, yes. She was called to the salon of the Marchioness Sayre and was singing. She is constantly being invited to social gatherings, and the Marchioness of Sayre is so jealous and keeps an eye on things... Still, some nobles are sending invitations saying they have received permission from the Marchioness. We plan to gradually expand our area of activity from there.”
“What kind of meeting is it?”
“A couples counseling salon hosted by Count Jolo, midnight masquerade balls hosted by Countess Naval, the evening social club sponsored by the Marchioness of Chancellery, and things like that.”
I frowned when I heard the list.
“Are they all obscene gatherings? It makes me wonder if they approached me by selling the name of the Marchioness.”
“Huh? Ugh, that’s obscene, huh?”
"It's a place full of people who like to make love stories and people who like to flirt. You'll only lose your reputation if you visit often."
"Yuck! Socialism wasn't all high-minded. I'll decline everything. I can't pair Limona with the oldies."
It was a credible answer, but he narrowed his eyes.
I felt like he was considering his son as a partner rather than purely to protect Limona.
Because.
I declared firmly.
“I will look after Miss Lund’s marriage later. For now, just help her focus on her success as an artist.”
“Yes..."
A dull answer came out. As expected, it seems there was an ulterior motive.
Then I held out a bag of gold coins.
“This is additional funding. With this money, I would like to hire a composer to compose a song for Miss Lund. As much as possible.”
“Ugh! Your Highness’s heart is so generous! Just leave it to me! I will call a great composer and have him create a song!”
Largo rubbed his hands together and looked delighted as if he had never been gloomy before.
“Then I guess I’ll be going now.”
“Take a look, Your Highness!”
I and Michael walked out the office door with a polite farewell.
“Can I go to Lady Arpel’s townhouse now?”
"That's right."
It was when I was leaving the hallway to carry out my next schedule.
“Huh? Eve?”
I turned around at the sound of a voice calling me. Limona, finally freed from the crowd, was across the hallway.
“Eve, that’s right!”
Limona ran quickly, her stage wig and dress billowing.
“Limona, hello?”
I also took a few steps forward to greet her, feeling happy. But as she got closer, Limona’s facial expression became more serious.
“What! Why are you here now! I caught you today. Follow me.”
"Yes?"
Limona grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me somewhere.
'You dare to kidnap the Princess right in front of my eyes.'
Michael's eyes flashed. I quickly raised my other hand to stop him.
At that time, Limona, who did not know the situation, spoke boldly.
“If your boyfriend is going to come with you, then come with him.”
“What. Boyfriend..."
Michael flinched and changed his words.
“Right. Follow me.”
Whether I was surprised or not, Michael, who had acquired the right to accompany them through proper identification, followed the two.
The place where Limona took me was the lead actor's waiting room. It was a perfect space for a private conversation because there was no one there.
Limona poured out a lament as if she had been waiting.
“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?”
“What happened, Limona?”
“What could happen? You are the one who serves my sponsor. But I don't know who the sponsor is and I don't think you will tell me, no matter what. Even if mysticism sells well, isn’t it too much for me, the person involved?”
“Oh, right. I didn’t think of that."
I nodded, admitting it calmly.
“Oh, really.”
Limona was actually really horned. She was wondering who her sponsor was.
How many days had passed since she had been so angry? But when Limona saw Eve in front of her, she no longer felt like getting angry.
Limona took a deep breath to relieve her frustration. Then she brought her face closer to me.
She interrogated me.
“So anyway, which house do you work at?”
“Uh, um..."
Eve couldn't say anything. At that moment, she was at a loss as to what to do. Michael stepped forward.
“She is a maid serving Lady Cedella of the Count Arpel.”
The townhouse I bought for Cedella shined at times like this.
But Limona's reaction was cold.
“Huh? The Count Arpel? This is the first time I’ve heard of it. He’s a noble I don’t know well and my formidable guardian? Even the Marchioness of Sayre doesn’t know?”
“It’s true. You are free to believe it or not.”
“Then guide me.”
A bold demand echoed through the waiting room.
“Do you want me to meet Miss Cedella?”
“She is my guardian, right? Of course, I'd like to meet her. I just wanted to thank her for her kindness.”
It was a word that blocked any kind of rejection in advance. Limona smiled proudly.
“Eve has to go back to her master’s house anyway, right? I don’t have any performances to do either, so that’s good.”
It meant that she would follow me even if I didn't take her.
Limona started changing clothes. She took off her lime blonde wig and dress and dressed as a man, similar to Michael.
She also tied up her curly black hair and hid it under her beret.
Limona linked arms tightly with me.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Okay.”
It was Michael who answered. Behind him, Amber was just about to fly out the window.
The carriage brought from the palace was a two-story one, and a new business carriage was used.
Normally, I would have been excited about my long-awaited outing and would have been busy looking out the window.
But now I couldn't think about that because I was worried about Limona sitting across from me.
From time to time, Limona talks to me on a meaningful topic. Each time, I responded naturally with my quickness.
“She must be a good owner. She even gives you time to watch musicals.”
“Yes. Miss Cedella is a really nice person. She has taken care of me warmly since I was little.”
“Uh, yeah. Oh, Eve’s hair is lime blonde too? I didn’t know last night, but I found out when I saw it today.”
“...These days, Limona’s musical is so popular that the 7th Princess’ lime blonde hair is trendy. I dyed my hair that way too.”
“Right. That’s what I was going to say. Did you know that I made that hairstyle popular?”
"Of course."
“But Eve’s hair color is really natural. It’s the prettiest lime blonde I’ve ever seen. It’s almost real.”
“Ha, haha... Thank you.”
The carriage was passing in front of Lucard's public bathhouse, which was built in District 17.
Since it was still crowded all the way to the street corner, I couldn't help but look around.
Limona expressed her envy towards the people.
“The public bathhouse is crowded with people today too. I want to go there too. They say that after taking a bath, all your fatigue goes away and your skin becomes incredibly smooth.”
“Limona, you haven’t been there yet. Well, now that a lot of people know about you, it might be difficult to go to a place like that.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Limona spat back, but in fact, it wasn't necessarily for that reason.
Anyway, when she goes on stage, she puts on thick makeup and wears a wig. Most of the people didn't know that Limona was a Gypsy, let alone Limona's bare face.
But there was no particular reason why Limona had never been to a public bathhouse.
'I don't have any friends to go with.'
She was too embarrassed to tell Eve honestly.
“Have you been to Eve?”
“No. Not yet either.”
“What? Really?”
Limona bit her lips with her eyes shining without her knowing it.
“Why? Are you busy with work? No, it’s not. Your master gives you time to watch musicals. There’s no way she wouldn’t give you time to go to the bathhouse. Why?”
“Um... Because there’s no one to go with?”
The reason I put it on so casually was enough to impress Limona.
“Then, do you want to go with me next time? I heard that the soap they sell there is good for your skin and smells good. You should definitely buy it.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Are you going? Are you going with me?”
I broke out in a cold sweat.
It was an awkward proposition. It was unimaginable that I, a Princess, would bathe naked with commoners without any help.
Then Michael, who had been sitting quietly with his arms folded, stepped in to offer help.
“It’s difficult. Eve doesn’t have enough time to spend with me.”
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