Chapter 149
10 years ago, Erika and Veronica were lovely and cute girls. They loved naps under the warm sunlight, lamented only being able to eat sweet desserts once a day, and worried about what stories to share with their soon-to-meet friend. They were simply best friends.
“Veronica!”
At that time, the mischievous girl with light purple hair, Erika, came running, her hair adorably tied in two sections and swaying. No one could have looked better in a white dress.
Erika was planning to tell Veronica all about the Imperial Guard knights who had visited the Baron’s family yesterday. Having never been to the Imperial Palace, they had never had the chance to see the Imperial knights in person.
However, Veronica, sitting at the tea table in the garden where they had promised to meet, ignored Erika and sipped her black tea.
“Welcome, Miss Erika.”
Erika stopped in her tracks. Veronica was different from usual. Barely ten years old, she wore a cold, expressionless face, her chin slightly raised, perfectly mimicking the demeanor of noblewomen she occasionally saw.
She was violating the rules between them, who usually laughed, chatted, and ran around without reserve. Erika awkwardly and slowly lifted her skirt with her fingertips in greeting, then sat across from her.
“…What’s wrong, Veronica? Is something the matter?”
“I would appreciate it if you would mind your manners, Miss Erika.”
Veronica wore a slightly uncomfortable expression. It could be seen as simply rejecting her or suddenly being picky. But Erika read sadness in that expression. Who is suddenly acting like a stranger and why are you the one making that hurt expression? Erika was puzzled.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Veronica tightly closed her mouth and bit her lip. Unable to answer Erika’s question, she slightly turned her head.
Now that she looked, her attire was also different. She was wearing a dress of red and white, the kind that a mature woman, not a child, would wear, and the buttons were fastened all the way up to her neck.
She had even put on makeup, something she didn’t usually do when meeting Erika. Her brown hair was styled up and fixed with delicate jeweled pins, and she wore a heavy jeweled necklace and earrings. Everything was truly pretty, but it looked heavy and uncomfortable.
As a daughter of a noble family, Erika knew how difficult it was to dress up like that. She was quite a contrast to Erika, who had come to meet her friend in a casual outfit as usual.
“Veronica? What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong? Is it perhaps because I didn’t eat the cookie you gave me before? I’m sorry about that, I…”
“It’s not for a reason like that.”
Veronica sharply cut off Erika’s words. Her tone was fast and breathless. Erika just stared at Veronica in astonishment. What on earth was going on? Why was she making such a hurt face? Erika put her thoughts into words.
“Then what is the reason? Why are you suddenly dressed up and using formal language? Why are you in a bad mood?”
“……”
Before she knew it, Veronica’s eyes were red. It was clear she was holding back tears. Seeing Veronica like that, Erika also felt a lump in her throat without realizing it. She was upset that Veronica wouldn’t say anything.
“I can’t know if you don’t tell me. Only then can I,”
“No, you don’t need to know. You can’t come here again.”
As Veronica said those words, she dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, as if she couldn’t help but cry. When dressed up, you couldn’t cry as you pleased.
You could only freely do things like maintaining the same expression, sitting upright, and raising the corners of your lips. So,Erika hated dressing up. If she had to do this every day, she wouldn’t want to grow up at all.
Erika was so shocked by Veronica’s words that she wore a blank expression.
“……Why?”
“Miss Erika. Thank you for accepting my invitation…”
“Why? Why can’t I come here again?”
Erika didn’t play along with Veronica’s noble act. She was curious. Why were they, who liked each other so much, being kept from meeting? Why was Veronica so sad? Veronica, like a broken doll, simply repeated the same words to Erika’s direct and straightforward questions.
“If you’re going to look like you’re in more pain, why are you saying such things, you idiot!”
Erika lunged at Veronica. The black tea on the table spilled, and the two of them fell into the bushes. The scent of thick soil and grass mixed with the fragrance of flowers and the aroma of black tea. Veronica’s pink, rose-colored eyes widened in surprise.
Erika felt her eyes getting hot and blurry, and then tears welled up. As she knocked Veronica down and looked down at her, tears immediately streamed down in drops. She didn’t hold back. She cried without holding back, thinking she would cry for Veronica, who couldn’t cry because she was holding it in. For some reason, she felt so sad and overwhelmed.
“You idiot, moron! Ugly mole! Jerusalem artichoke!”
“…Why are you crying, you fool.”
Heuk, hwaaang-! Eventually, tears burst from Veronica’s mouth as well. The two girls hugged each other and ended up sobbing loudly in a corner of the Eckhardt estate garden.
“So, since our family is now penniless, you’re telling me not to play with you anymore?”
Veronica’s explanation, which had been wrapped in gentle words, was simply summarized into a single line by Erika. Veronica stared at Erika with wide, rabbit-like eyes. Her eyes and the bridge of her nose were red from crying earlier. Her makeup was a mess, but Veronica looked more like the real Veronica now.
Erika burst into laughter. Nothing had been resolved, but the sight of the two of them being so ridiculous was funny in a fresh way.
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