It was a fragmentary memory, like a note scribbled in the corner of a book, but one thing was certain. The owner of that voice was none other than me. The coral pink and olive green that sent shivers down my spine were the very colors I liked.
'What do you think? Should I try on a dress like the Duchess's? But I suppose it would be uncomfortable, right? It's not like I'm going to a party, after all.'
I had been bragging to Eon about the Duke's invitation. Although, in the end, I didn't go to the party.
'Haa. Seriously.'
At this point, I was on the verge of pitying myself for having struggled meaninglessly in a horror novel I had created all by myself.
"Sally, won't that outfit be uncomfortable? You're going to a party, so is it okay?"
I cautiously asked if the little one had also remembered what I had said in the past.
"Oh my, how thoughtful you are, young master. Since every single piece of this cloth is made of silk, it is not heavy at all."
Once again, the answer came from Jean. I chose that dress without any further hesitation.
Since the size was fitted last time, the fitting finished relatively quickly this time. Next was the little one's turn.
After sending the little one into the changing room, it was just Eon and me left. Although we had gotten much closer, it was awkward being alone with him in a place where other people were present.
Back when I misunderstood Eon, I was always on edge, so I had no time to care about the gazes of others watching us. I was too busy just thinking about escaping the murderer right in front of me.
"Excuse me, aren't you Marquis Grannois?"
"That's right. Who is the lady with you? We've never met before."
In the meantime, a customer visiting the boutique recognized Eon. Soon, their gaze shifted to me, who was with Eon. Eon, who had been sitting across from me, came and sat right next to me.
“Does it bother you?”
“A little.”
I brought the black tea Jean had prepared to my mouth.
"It seems they are interested in you."
"To be precise, they must be curious about who I am, being with the Marquis de Grannois."
"They wonder what kind of relationship I have with you."
"Well... it's probably the same as Jean misunderstood."
The reason I didn't mention the word 'lover' or anything similar was purely that I was embarrassed.
"That’s great. From now on, I will have to introduce you as my fiancée."
At Eon's blunt words, I put down my teacup and coughed.
"There is no need to be so flustered. Duke Parmien and Captain Hanson likely consider you my fiancée anyway."
It was a sly answer. Just as I was about to rebut that there was no need to fan the flames of that misunderstanding, I heard a familiar name.
"Really? That Count Hyrn?"
"That is true. The Baron visited a few days ago, and he said that the person is unable to move at all."
It was the first news of the Count I had heard since the day we met at the medicine warehouse. From what I heard, it seemed his condition had not improved further from what Eon had mentioned.
"Is he unable to speak?"
"What are you talking about? I'm telling you, he's just blinking my eyes!"
"Oh, dear. Tsk tsk. How on earth did that happen?"
“I don’t know, but...”
The woman looked around and unfolded her fan. I was extremely nervous, wondering if Eon's name might be mentioned, but I heard no voice. Judging by the fact that she wasn't glancing in my direction, I simply assumed she wasn't talking about us.
'I guess if they had suspected me or Eon, they would have come to the Magic Tower long ago.'
The Countess or her sons would have tried to somehow become victims to extort compensation. It seemed that the Count was the only one who had collaborated with a certain sorcerer.
Perhaps because I looked like I was worried about Count Hyrn as I listened to people's conversations with my mouth shut, Eon looked at me with a noticeably somber expression.
“Are you okay?”
"You know what kind of relationship I have with him, don't you?"
I shrugged my shoulders. Still, he was someone who had even resorted to physical threats against me, whom I had once looked after as my own father. I, too, felt not a shred of guilt about blowing him away with magic. After all, Mary might have died if I hadn't done that.
"I was just worried that annoying rumors might be circulating. Because I don't want to get involved with that person again."
"When I look at times like this..."
Eon paused for a moment before speaking.
"I realize once again that you and Archmage Sally are not exactly the same person."
It was a remark that made it impossible to tell if it was a compliment or a complaint. Eon added an explanation.
“It means good."
“Can I trust you?”
Eon nodded. Just as the movement seemed to slow down and then stop, he spoke.
"The Duke's invitation is the problem. Everyone will be asking about your family."
They overlooked the fact that only nobles could attend the gathering of nobles.
"Stepping forward in front of people as a member of the Hyrn family... just the thought of it gives me goosebumps."
It was not known in high society that I had been an adopted daughter of the Count Hyrn family. Furthermore, since I wasn't even a real adopted daughter, it was strange to be using the Hyrn surname now.
Eon's long fingers fiddled with the teacup.
"If you were an Archmage of the past, you could have attended regardless of your family lineage, but the situation is different now."
His fingers, moving anxiously, caught my eye.
'Are you nervous?'
Then again, this was not something that could be done with magic. It was clear that even the always-confident Eon had no other way.
"You could pretend to be a noble from another country, but the Duke and Count Hanson know your true identity. The same goes for that novelist, I suppose."
Did Rudis invite me with even this in mind? Since he must have known my true identity, I wouldn't have been able to refuse the invitation, so I had no choice but to come here bearing the surname Hyrn...
'Are you trying to stage a show to make me run into Count Hyrn? In front of a crowd?'
I pictured Count Hyrn in a wheelchair pointing at me and rolling his eyes. As I was weighing what Rudis would gain from that, Eon spoke up.
"As expected, there is only one way."
It was a determined voice. Seeing me give him a look that asked what the solution was, he left me with only the words to wait a moment and suddenly disappeared.
Eon returned after the little one finished fitting.
"I've been waiting a long time..."
Conscious of the surrounding gazes, the little boy belatedly began to use polite language. After all, outwardly, we were strictly nephew and uncle. As if paying no heed to the little boy, Eon strode toward me.
"Grannois"
Eon swallowed his words and cleared his throat for a moment.
"Sally, where is your favorite place?"
My eyes, which had been staring at him with a puzzled look, couldn't help but widen even further.
"Suddenly? In downtown Baynan?"
Are you thinking of going on an outing since you're out in town? However, even without the sudden question, nowhere in particular came to mind. Having lived in an orphanage my entire life before entering the Hyrn family, I didn't know many places.
"It doesn't really matter if it's not Baynan."
In that case, I could not fathom the intention behind the question anymore. When I could not answer, Eon listed various places instead.
"Is it the magic stone mine after all? You mentioned that it would be mesmerizing to see a cave with fist-sized magic stones embedded in it."
"..."
"Or perhaps halfway up Mount Uslan, where the final battle with the dragon took place? But now there is a path."
"No, Sally said she wanted to sunbathe on the beach. She said she wanted to experiment to see if she would get a pitch-black tan if she applied the new cream."
Now even the little kid had joined in. I had no idea what on earth was going on, but one thing was certain: the places they had listed were not attractive at all. I had to answer quickly before I was dragged off to a strange place.
“The field!”
Both of their gazes turned toward me at the same time. It was obvious what they were thinking. They must have been picturing the fields outside the castle where wheat and pasture were grown.
"A field full of flowers."
I quickly added an explanation.
“Then a flower garden?”
The little boy wasn't wrong, but what I was imagining was on a much more vast scale than what is generally called a flower garden. I spread my arms wide and spoke.
"I want to visit a purple field full of lavender flowers like this."
"Great."
I don't know what's so good about it, but Eon put the little boy in the carriage.
“Go back alone.”
"Why?"
It was only natural for the little boy to rebel.
"I have work to do with Sally."
“Me too!”
"You get in the way."
"What on earth is going on that a little kid isn't allowed?"
I squeezed between Eon and the little kid and asked.
"It is the task of creating a family name to be attached to the precious name Sally."
I could not find any connection to the previous question.
"Are you planning to go to a government office?"
If I took the little one along, they might pry into the relationship between Eon and the little one, so it was definitely better not to take him. After all, the homunculus, who was born three hundred years ago, would be much harder to explain than me, who came from an orphanage.
"If that's the case, you should have explained it."
I briefly explained the situation to the little boy. Although he still looked full of dissatisfaction, the boy nodded and left in a carriage to Home.
"Then shall we go too?"
Eon grabbed me as I was walking toward the city hall.
“Where are you going?”
"The City Hall is over here."
Come to think of it, he didn't answer my question about whether he was going to a government office. He folded the finger that had been confidently pointing straight ahead.
"It is a bit further than that."
Eon reached out his hand. I had passed by him several times before, but this time I placed my hand on it. I thought I saw his smile through the dazzling light.
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