Chapter 14
Exactly one week later.
Celesto and I met again at a villa not far from the townhouse district.
We even made an actual ‘appointment’ to do so.
This was a first in the twenty-some years we had known each other.
So, as soon as Celesto closed the front door, I chattered away like a waterfall.
“What’s this about making an appointment to meet? And sending a letter at that? You’re not that kind of person.”
Celesto frowned at my words.
“Normally, you do. Before meeting people.”
“What? Finding a separate place to meet? Or sending a letter to set an appointment time in advance?”
“Both.”
“Appointment, my foot. You’ve never done that. Last time, you showed up at my house unannounced. Did they re-educate you on etiquette when you were ordained as a Holy Knight?”
“When meeting ordinary people, I’ve always done this. I just didn’t do it with you.”
I ended up glaring at Celesto without meaning to.
Even if we are friends, normally you make an appointment before meeting someone.
Especially for children of noble families like us. The exchange of letters itself is part of social activity, and the number of servants sent back and forth plays a big role in determining one’s ‘value.’
But between me and Celesto, there was none of that. I disliked the hassle, and Celesto lacked the social skills for it.
…Or so I thought. He exchanges letters and makes appointments with others?
I couldn’t hide my sour expression.
Wait, has this guy been rude only to me?
Since he doesn’t have a single person he can call a friend besides me, I naturally assumed he acted like this everywhere else. It’s a bit embarrassing to call it betrayal, but I don’t feel great.
While I was wallowing in these childish feelings, Celesto personally took my coat and even hung it on a hanger.
Only then did I notice that there was no sign of other people in this villa.
“The servants?”
“Gone. I chose an empty villa on purpose.”
At that, my head tilted involuntarily.
“Then how are you going to clean up? Last time, you came like a flood—”
“Aagh!”
At my words, Celesto let out a shriek.
“How can you say something like that… so casually…”
Whether he was genuinely shocked, Celesto sputtered, unable to even form a proper sentence.
I smiled awkwardly. I’d said it without much thought, but his reaction made me self-conscious too.
“It’s just… a figure of speech. It’s not like I could say it was gushing out like a spring fountain.”
“No, really… haah. Fine. Let’s stop.”
Celesto shut his mouth with an expression very familiar to me—the one that said, ‘Bear with it, the other person is Roarna Balseren.’
Soon, he guided me further inside the corridor.
I followed behind him, looking around the villa. Come to think of it, for a villa with resident servants, there was surprisingly little sign of daily life. All the doors along the corridor were tightly shut.
Probably… I hadn’t noticed at all because the living room and hallway were spotless, without a speck of dust.
I asked, directing my question at his back, which was twice as broad as mine.
“Did you clean this yourself?”
It might sound strange, but that was the only plausible hypothesis. That ‘Celesto, the second son of Count Castanor and a Holy Knight of the Temple Knights, personally swept and wiped away the dust.’
The answer came back surprisingly simply.
“Yeah.”
“Why? I mean, I didn’t know you could do things like this?”
At my words, Celesto let out a long sigh.
“Would the Holy Knights’ quarters have servants cleaning for me?”
“They don’t? Ah, do the acolytes clean up, like students cleaning the academy labs?”
“…Let’s not talk.”
Muttering that, Celesto opened the door at the very end of the corridor. It was a bedroom, as cleanly organized as the living room and hallway.
I immediately sat down on the sofa next to the bed. The armrest of the mahogany sofa was polished to a shine without a speck of dust. Knowing this was Celesto’s handiwork gave me a slight chill.
*Click.* The door closed behind me, and Celesto approached.
“Hey…”
He called my name.
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