"We want one chocolate parfait in extra size!"
I sat on my seat after I was done ordering the dessert. There were only three cafes inside the Capital where they served chocolate flavor desserts: a three-story cafe built above the water of Carmelia Lake, Carmelia Tea; a vintage cafe located near the back gate of Imperial Palace, Malmore; and the last one was this cafe on the main street, Papvel. All these three cafes were very popular among young noble ladies. But, I heard many gentlemen from infamous household also frequently visited Malmore.
Meanwhile, I could be considered as a regular customer at all those three cafes. Naturally, I didn't pay for the food using my own money, but were getting treated for free by some young noble ladies. I truly want to pay for my food, but I couldn't put in a request for some pocket money to the budget list. If I dare included it, it might be approved but who knows what kind of scoldings await me later.
Today I also don't buy it with my own money, I said to myself while looking at the seated Captain Jullius, or to be exact… he lied his head onto the table and looks like a lifeless body right in front of me. Although I'm the eldest daughter of a wealthy family, but I'm poor as hell. I didn't get any cent of allowances. If this goes on, I would take off some decorations inside the mansion to be sold.
"Captain Jullius."
His black-haired head that was lied on the table remained unmoved even after I called him.
Is he dead? I stretched out my hand and touched his hair. Seeing him moved a little, looks like he's still alive. He didn't lift his head and stayed still so I just caressed his hair. Sigh… it makes me recalling about Milase. Milase was one of tracking dogs owned by Holy Knight Squad. Initially I wanted to name him Blackie because of his black fur but everyone opposed it.
"Did Assistant Ortzen make things hard for you?"
His head moved a bit, and he nodded in affirmation. I continued to talk while still caressing his hair.
"Why did Captain Jullius endure it until you tired yourself to this state? Captain Jullius could just end it by saying you won't do it anymore if it's really too hard for you."
An assistant was indeed smarter and used to handle political affairs so we, as the captains, usually followed the assistant's arrangements. But in the end, we're still the superior. If we didn't like his arrangements, we could refuse him anytime, but still… although I think like this at this moment, I had suffered because of Sofia last night. After hearing my words, Captain Jullius lifted his head to look at me while he still kept his head on the table.
"I don't want to drag you down, Miss."
"Me?"
"Ortzen said that Miss will be in difficult situation if I still acted like I usually do."
I slightly smiled because of his words. That means, he endured it until he reached his limit before he decided to escape, all because he considered my well-being? How impressive!
"I will be okay even if Captain Jullius acted like you usually do. There's no problem."
Although I have already stated that it won't bring any problems, there's no changed of expression on Captain Jullius' face. He glanced at me then said.
"Ortzen also said Miss would definitely say so"
"…, what?"
"He said, although Miss said there won't be any problems and told me not to worry about it, but in fact Miss isn't completely fine. So I have to ignore what Miss has said."
Oh… erm… well… on normal circumstances, it should be like that. If our position were to be switched, my assistant would absolutely give me the same warnings.
"But still, I really don't care about those unnecessary things at all."
"Although Miss Epheria said so, but I heard that most of the time, the public judged a noble lady based on her partner's actions so I must not act improper."
"How many times did Captain Jullius hear that words?"
"… about 23 times."
No wonder he remembered it. Nonetheless, it hurted my heart seeing him this weary. If only I could just meet the High Priest directly, we didn't have to be engaged to each other. When I decided to myself to treat him better, our parfait came. I scoop a spoonful of the chocolate parfait and feed it to Captain Jullius.
"That aside, you shouldn't be too hard on yourself."
"Mhm."
Captain Jullius nodded in agreement to my words and ate the chocolate parfait from my spoon.
"Ortzen also prohibited me to eat using the same spoon as Miss."
"I have another spoon here," I replied while lifting up the other spoon with my other unoccupied hand. I wasn't born with the ability to use both of my hands interchangeably as my main hand, but I used to wield a shield and a sword at the same time, so later I could skillfully use both hands. I scoop another spoonful for Captain Jullius and use the other hand to scoop for myself. This parfait is really delicious! This cafe sold the best parfait. The ice cream sold at Carmelia Tea was the cheapest and the most tasty, while Malmore had the strongest taste for it's chocolate flavor. Now the weather is getting hotter day by day, so next time I should go to Carmelia Tea.
"When will Captain Jullius go back to the headquarters?"
"… the later the better."
"Then let's have some sleep after we ate this. I also lack of sleep."
It's all because of that damn stepmother that I was forced to leave my bed.
Captain Jullius pressed his eyelid and said, "Yes, let's do that."
First, we would catch some sleep until late in the afternoon, then have a dinner and look for another dessert, before going back for another hours of sleep. After planning what we would be doing today, I feed Captain Jullius another spoonful. He obediently ate what I feed to him.
Although we have decided to sleep, but we couldn't return back to the Count's mansion, and unfortunately Captain Jullius didn't have any personal residence. He said that he got a residence when he was made the Captain of Special Task Squad, but he gave it away to others because he felt it's troublesome to take care of it. And so, there's only one choice left.
"Does Captain Jullius know any hotel with comfortable bed?" I asked while leaning back my head onto his chest.
I didn't bring out the grey horse I borrowed back then, so we rode Blackie together. The stable man didn't have any saddle for a woman. Should I buy it while we're outside now? But of course, using Captain Jullius' money.
Captain Jullius who rode the horse slowly on the side of the road, felt silent for some moments before answering, "I've never stayed in a hotel before."
"The same goes for me."
I never had any reasons to leave my dormitory to sleep in a hotel or an inn. Although I stayed at an inn when I went for war in a far away place, but it's in different city or village.
"Hmm… I heard there're some nice hotels around the streets near the Palace. People said the noble families that came from other regions, usually stayed there."
"…, near the palace?"
"Assistant Ortzen isn't allowed to leave the headquarters, is he? Don't worry, we won't get caught!"
"That's right."
It'a possible that assistant Ortzen ordered someone to spy on us, but even if we get caught, we could just say we had a date for the reason. Besides, isn't he my fiancee? It's nothing strange when a pair of man and woman who had an engagement to spent their times together. We don't have to be shy.
After Captain Jullius directed the horse to the palace for quite some time, finally we could see many buildings with hotel signs on them. We're passing through a lot of horse-carriages used for long journey and stopped in front of a blue-painted building. Finally I can sleep now. As we looked at the hotel in front of us with same thoughts, we heard someone's hurried steps.
"Captain! Hold on!"
Huh? He shouldn't be calling me, is he a member of Special Task Squad? I turned my head and saw a man running to me and Captain Jullius after he jumped off from his horse. Red eyes and yellow-haired, he's none other than the circus performer, Clauen. He snatched Blackie's rein while catching up his breath.
"What happened?"
"Let's leave this place first."
Clauen pulled Blackie's rein into an alley where people can't see us. He frowned and asked, "Why do both of you come to a hotel in the broad daylight?"
"We want to sleep."
"We want to sleep."
Captain Jullius and I answered simultaneously.
"… sleep? Ah, yes of course you go there to sleep. But, normal people usually won't think that way!"
Usually? Oh.
"You mean 'f**king'?"
"Miss Epheria! A noble lady shouldn't just blatanly said that kind of thing!"
Although he was scolding us now, it didn't seem as if he's someone who attached importance to manners on his first impression. Well, whatever. I don't care. Wait, isn't this good?
"Right now my father and my stepmother opposed our engagement, why don't we just use this opportunity by announcing to the public that our relationship have gone this far? That way, they couldn't opposed us anymore, right? How about it, Captain Jullius?" I turned my head to look at Captain Jullius and asked him.
My reputation would hit the rock bottom, but what of it? I don't have any plans to debut in the high society anyways, so it's not a problem for me. Captain Jullius frowned because of my question.
"…, I think that's not a right thing to do."
Hm? It's rare for him to decline.
Clauen vigorously nodded his head in agreement to Captain Jullius' words. "Thankfully Captain still has some common sense. Anyway, it's already enough to stir up more troubles today! With just trespassing the Count's residence by forced would definitely get us some protest. It's still fine because assistant Ortzen could handle it, but please both of you, just act in moderation while considering those who were tasked to keep track of you."