At the edge of the garden, three men stood awkwardly in a line. They seemed to be fiddling with their hands, waiting for their turn. Odelia glanced at the window and shook her head.
"I guess he must be really greedy for land if he says he'll date me even though that kind of interview was published in the newsletter."
Then Calix slowly turned his head and said meaningfully
"Well, it's not just the landmass."
"Yes?"
Calix looked at Odelia intently and added indifferently.
"I told you, you're objectively pretty."
"Oh, when did you say that?
"I did it a long time ago. And hasn't people's interest in you been constant since your debutante?"
As he spoke, Calix sat down casually at the tea table. He briefly bowed to the Grand Duchess and began to drink the tea that had been placed for him.
"I thought you'd come and have some tea."
It was a subtle nuance. The Grand Duchess knew he was having tea with Empress Fabiana today.
Calix chuckled, knowing that the Grand Duchess was looking at him.
“I didn’t drink anything.”
"Oh, you came out before the tea even got cold?"
“That’s the way it is.”
The Grand Duchess looked at him with a meaningful gaze, then quietly poured tea into his cup. Odelia, her face flushed, sat down and approached him cautiously.
"I heard you came to work this morning..."
Calix turned his head slightly and glanced at the Grand Duchess. His eyes seemed to scold her, saying, "Don't say something like that." The Grand Duchess shrugged.
"I just said it because Miss Odelia was complaining so much because the person who used to come to tea time with her every day didn't come."
"Madam! When did you say that... Do you think so..."
"Yes, then let me correct it. You've been looking for him desperately."
"Madam!"
After hearing that, Cedric took the trouble to drag a chair between Odelia and Calix and sat down.
"We were talking among ourselves about whether we should have cognac for tea time today, at least for Odelia's sake."
The atmosphere in the room shifted subtly once again. Calix quietly laughed and lifted his teacup.
Odelia poked Cedric in the ribs to hide her embarrassment, telling him to shut up with her eyes. It felt as if she'd been caught.
"I think you remembered what I said on our date, Odelia."
Calix looked at Odelia and asked playfully. Odelia shook her head in surprise.
"No, that's not it...!"
She was trailing off, and then she changed the subject, flipping through the date cards Calix had brought.
"From now on, Your Highness, please decide for me. It doesn't matter who it is."
Calix frowned slightly, as if lost in thought for a moment, then made an unexpected suggestion.
"Then what about Cedric?"
“Yes?!”
Cedric, who had not expected this development at all, blushed and panicked.
“I like it!”
Odelia glared at Cedric's immediate response, disgusted.
"Cedric is a bit like that."
"Hey! What am I?"
Odelia spoke firmly to the angry Cedric.
"Cedric is a precious colleague to me."
Cedric fell silent for a moment. Her words of rejection of Cedric contained a determination to cherish him and not exploit him.
Calix quietly put down his teacup and looked at Odelia.
"So this time, go on a date with Cedric."
Both men's gazes turned to Calix. He smiled quietly and continued speaking.
"Cedric has been coming to the mansion every day to have tea time with you, and if he were to date you, the social world would think you're married."
The Grand Duchess added, lifting her teacup.
"Funny enough, it's the nature of these high society men to want to steal ladies who seem to have a partner. The problem is that they pretend not to."
After hearing everything, Odelia looked at Cedric with a slightly apologetic look. Then, Cedric quietly opened his mouth.
"Don't make such an apologetic face. Does that make me feel even more apologetic?"
The voice was different from the playful words he had spoken so far.
***
On a softly sunny afternoon, Odelia boarded the carriage with Cedric.
Although it was an unexpected date, she felt at ease. He was a colleague she's always been with, and she knew he truly cared for her.
But it was also true that she felt awkward whenever their hands touched slightly, or their eyes met in the carriage.
“It’s awkward.”
Cedric spoke first. He smiled and looked at Odelia.
"Sitting across from each other dressed like this, it feels strangely unfamiliar."
Odelia chuckled. It was just as Cedric had said. It was a completely different scene from the time they'd spent together training, rolling in the mud while dodging arrows, and bickering during strategy meetings.
Today, Odelia was wearing a light pink dress, and Cedric was also dressed in a suit that looked like a nobleman's.
"Me too. It's strange and unfamiliar to go on a date with a friend."
"It's not so bad, is it? Even I don't talk as much as the Marquis."
Odelia gave a small smile instead of answering.
The carriage arrived at the street where the cafe stood, and the two headed to the famous teahouse with its expansive terrace. A table covered in white cloth, surrounded by spring flowers and soft music, Cedric skillfully placed Odelia in a chair.
"For today only, I will treat you properly as a lady."
"It's okay. The way you speak is awkward."
Odelia burst out laughing and sat down. The two ordered cake and tea, and they chatted and laughed for a while about trivial things.
After leaving the cafe, the two walked together to the shopping street.
Among the people on the street, Cedric carried Odelia's shopping bag with unusual caution and stopped in front of a jewelry store to recommend earrings that he thought would suit Odelia.
"You should have something like this. Wouldn't that be more ladylike?"
"Cedric, I know you don't have any money."
"Oh, I told you it wasn't that bad!"
It was a joke, but they both knew the truth behind it.
One moment, as she was walking down the alley, a familiar voice called out to Odelia.
"Lady Odelia."
Their gazes turned simultaneously. A lady in a bright sky-blue dress was approaching, waving.
"Lady Herdel."
Odelia recognized her and bowed politely with a welcoming expression. At that moment, Cedric, looking flustered, helped her up and whispered quietly.
"Hey. Who, ladies, greets each other like that? Only knights greet each other like that."
“Oh, that’s right.”
Odelia took out a fan from her bag, unfolded it, and bowed gracefully.
"How have you been, Lady Herdel?"
Judith smiled brightly at that sight.
"You're still a very interesting person. Lady Odelia, if you don't mind me interrupting your date, I was on my way to give you this."
What Judith handed over was an invitation to the Herdel family's tea party.
“Oh. This is..."
When Odelia accepted it in surprise, Judith winked slightly and added.
"I really hope you can come that day. I'm planning on having a little fun with the other ladies. Oh, and everyone was very interested in Lady Odelia. So, not in the bad kind of way, but in that kind of way..."
Perhaps worried that Odelia might misunderstand, Judith hastily waved her hand and added. Finding this adorable, Odelia smiled and nodded.
"I will go with a happy heart."
At Odelia's pretty smile, Judith unconsciously opened her mouth slightly, then blushed and exclaimed, "Oh my..." Then, glancing at Cedric standing next to her, she added, seemingly without a second thought.
"Oh, you too, if you can come, please come."
Cedric looked at Judith's back as she passed by with a dumbfounded expression and muttered softly.
"What!"
At Cedric's mixed reactions to her words, Odelia burst out laughing and looked down at the candle in her hand.
Rather than just going on dates all the time, wouldn't it be better to start hanging out at social gatherings like this? Odelia folded the invitation carefully and put it in her pouch.
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