Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 355

A few days passed since the usual tea party finished.
Today I have a day off from the Crown Princess work. I got permission from Freed, so I headed towards the Japanese café taking Cain with me.

"Uuu, It's frustrating. When it's like this, I got to blow away this inexpressible feeling by making Japanese confections!"
"… Princess, you sure are excited."
"… Sorry."

As I complained while walking, Cain looked at me with pitiful eyes.
However, I can't help it.
At the last tea party, I heard about the fake Freed (to be precise, not Freed but the fake Apollo?) from Marianne and shook with anger that had no outlet.
At masquerade balls, Freed was acting as Apollo. Of course, he's never gone to such a place again after meeting me. But, I can't forgive the sham who acts as if he were Apollo.

―― I hate it. I feel incredibly frustrated.

Thinking about it, Apollo doesn't actually exist. He's a man who served as Freed's disguise and who doesn't exist in the high society of Wilhelm. But he's still Freed on the inside. I hate him being imitated.
That said, it's hard to openly denounce him.
Because, Apollo doesn't actually exist. So, if I was asked to produce the real thing… it would be troubling in various ways.
Since I can't just bring Freed with me, it would be incredibly hard.
Another reason why I'm hesitant is that aside from being a sham, the fake Apollo hasn't really done anything troublesome.
He invites women in accordance with the rules of Wilhelm evening parties, and far from disliking it, the invited women are pleased. I've heard they have an enjoyable time and don't feel resentful when the fake Apollo moves on to another woman.
He acts completely within the limits of common sense. I asked Marianne, but no one ever met the fake Apollo outside masquerade balls.
He properly follows the rules and doesn't make contact outside.
In other words, he doesn't pressure women using their status, and he doesn't try meeting them outside. He only exists at masquerade balls where he has a good time with women.
It would be a different story if a troublesome romance developed from it or if he found out somebody's identity and ambushed her outside, but he hasn't done any of that.

―― If he didn't pretend to be Freed (Apollo), I wouldn't mind, and yet…!

There's a man who enjoys such social occasions. That should've been the end of it. The identity of the man may bother me, but it's a breach of etiquette to investigate others' identities at masquerade balls. Even if you know it, common sense says to feign ignorance, and if you don't, just don't let it bother you.
Besides, while they may be called masquerade balls, they're mostly hosted by high nobles of Wilhelm, and you can't attend without obtaining an invitation. That's why everyone believes that basically only trouble-free high ranking nobles gather there.
In fact, that's how I slipped inside the masquerade ball, so there's no problem if it's someone unknown, but it's a different story if he pretends to be Freed (Apollo).
What's with pretending to be my beloved husband. Even if he wanted to pretend to be somebody, it could've easily been someone else.
Who the hell is pretending to be Freed (Apollo)?

"… After all, I can't forgive him."

The voice that left me was lower than I'd expected.
That said, I can't do anything. It would be strange to attend a masquerade ball to catch the sham, and I know it's not something I can do as the Crown Princess.
It's different from before.
However, I can't agree with it at heart. It's quite a bother.
Although I was feeling dissatisfied, I moved on as I reached the destination.
I went around the Japanese café and opened the backdoor.

"Good morning."

When I went inside with Cain, everyone greeted us back while working already.

"Good morning, Princess Consort!"
"Good morning!"

Everybody was brimming with energy today as well.
It was pleasant to hear employees' bright voices. I talked to each of them and changed into the uniform.
Today I'm planning to be in the Japanese café until afternoon break, then visit the hamburg steak and curry stores. I have a strong ambition to expand the menu, so I prioritize coming to Japanese café, but the other two are also important, so I tour them regularly.

"Then, Princess. I'll wait here."
"Yeees."

As Cain waved his hand from the rest area, I waved him back.
Since the café had already opened for today, I rushed to help in the kitchen.

"I'll take over. Take a break first."
"Ah! Master! Thank you!"

I talked to one of the cooks who came from the castle. I knew his shift started from the very morning, so I urged him to take a break, and he handed over the spot with relief.

"Take a break in turn. Few customers come at lunchtime, so rest while you can. It's hard to take a break in the afternoon, so hurry!"
"Yes!"

Because it's not a diner but a café, the number of customers decreases at mealtimes. Instead, it's hectic in the period between meals. Anticipating that, I gave an instruction to take a break before that.
At present, a few people is enough to run the kitchen.  When I peeked inside the dining hall to just in case check the number of customers, I spotted a person at the entrance whom I'd recently seen in the castle restlessly looking around.

"Huh? Tiris?"

Over there was Tiris, whom I'd met at a tea party just the other day. She had no attendant and looked troubled as she stood there alone.

"… Can I leave the kitchen to you?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. It won't be a problem."
"Then I'll leave it to you for a moment."

I felt sorry to leave it all to them after just coming, but I couldn't possibly ignore her.
I exited the kitchen, crossed the dining hall, and called out to Tiris, who stood there nervously.

"Tiris? What's the matter? Are you alone?"
"Ah! Lady Lidiana!"

Upon noticing my voice, Tiris turned my way. Her expression slackened as if she was relieved.

"Aah… I'm glad that you're here… I came here hoping to meet you."
"? Me?"
"Yes…!"

Tiris's eyes looking at me were moist.

"… Come here."

The fact that she was searching for me means she must have some business with me. Thinking so, I guided Tiris to a seat in the back. The seats customers just vacated are in a place that's difficult to see from the surroundings, so we shouldn't be discovered even if we talk in secret. Because it's a convenient location, on the rare occasion an acquaintance comes, I guide them there if I can.

"For now… Here."
"My!"

She specially came to the Japanese café. I remembered Tiris grieving that she couldn't eat Japanese confections last time, so I went back to the kitchen for a moment and prepared today's top recommended Japanese confection and hot tea.

"You specially came to the Japanese café. First of all, please eat."
"Eh, can I?"

Tiris's eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course. Didn't you say last time that you wanted to eat Japanese confections?"

When I said that, she smiled in delight.

"… Thank you, Lady Lidiana. Don't mind if I do."

Tiris gazed at the Japanese confection with sparkling eyes. What I prepared for her was a new confection that I'd unveiled a little while ago, wasanbon. Of course, the raw materials and the way of making it is a little different from the original, but it has that sophisticated sweetness, and the appearance is right on the mark, so at least I'm pleased. It seems to melt in the mouth just as it's supposed to, so I want Tiris to taste it by all means.

"Oh… my…"

As Tiris nervously put the wasanbon in her mouth, her expression softened. I thought she'd like it because she likes sweets, and it seems I was right.

"How do you find it?"
"It's an incredibly… gentle taste. It surprised me, since I was thinking I'd be served something like strawberry daifuku."
"There is a variety of types of Japanese confections. Of course, there are also many that use red bean paste life daifuku. I intend to gradually release even more, so please try out them."

I was finally given a place where I can freely unveil Japanese confections recipes. My goal is to make full use of it to increase the number of Japanese confections fans.
For that reason, I'm focusing on coming to Japanese café now… Though the number one reason is that making Japanese confections is just too fun.
After hearing what I said, Tiris happily nodded many times.

"Yes, certainly."
"And so. Why have you come to the Japanese café?"
"…"

A while ago I made sure Cain stepped back. Tiris brought an escort with her, but she left him in front of the store and entered alone.
She must want to tell me something she doesn't want her escort to hear.
Understanding that, I decided to serve her Japanese confections first. The seat I guided her to is certainly in an inconspicuous place, but it's not a blind spot, so a conversation could be heard by somebody listening carefully. It's unsuited for seriously secret talks.
I expected the earlier customers to leave while she was eating, and I was right. A while ago, the last customer sitting nearby left, so there was nobody around. When I asked for her business since there was no need to worry about being heard, she looked around and after a tiny nod whispered.

"I apologize for causing inconvenience. Um… I want to talk about Lady Marianne."
"Marianne? What about her?"

I blinked my eyes as an unexpected name came up. Tiris opened and closed her mouth a few times in hesitation, but eventually she resigned herself and told me.

"… Do you remember the conversation with Lady Marianne the other day? Um, about masquerade balls."
"Masquerade balls? Yeah."

Of course I remember. Or rather, I was just getting irritated by it by myself.
When I involuntarily made a bitter face and nodded, Tiris said.

"Lady Marianne participated in a masquerade ball a few days ago. There she seems to have been approached by the man we had been talking about."
"Eh!?"

A loud voice escaped me as I heard an unthinkable story. I pressed down my mouth with my hands in a hurry. After again checking the surroundings, I discreetly asked Tiris.

"What do you mean? Marianne went to a masquerade ball?"

Chapter end