Chapter 8

As I created the ice cream, it was met with great approval from Lady Primera.

If I can see that adorable face, I need to try making various flavors!

While ice cream with plenty of milk and sugar is indeed delicious, I'm worried about gaining weight or getting cavities from eating too much of it.

How about sorbet next time!

Since we have ice cream, it would be nice to serve it with not-too-sweet pancakes!

Affogato might be good too!!

We don't have an espresso machine, but since we have coffee and tea, it shouldn't be impossible!

Oh, just thinking about Lady Primera being happy makes me so excited!!

...Perhaps it was a mistake to come to town in such high spirits.

Despite calling myself a capable maid, what a shame.

I came to buy a new novel, but it was sold out... It's quite a shock.

I can't very well show my disappointment to the public, so I asked them to order it for me and left the store.

Sigh... I'm so curious about the continuation of that mystery novel...

"Kyaa!"

Was I daydreaming?

I bumped into someone at a corner.

Thank goodness it wasn't in the middle of the road, and there were no carriages. It would have been terrible if I had to pay compensation or medical fees, especially since there's no advanced medical care like in my previous life!

What? Magic?

What are you talking about? Just because there are wizards doesn't mean everyone can be treated by them.

"Sorry!! I was looking elsewhere... Sir Maid?"

"Oh, ah... This is Sir Dean Dain."

"I'm really sorry. I was reflecting on my training on the way back and got lost in thought..."

"No, no, I was also daydreaming. I'm very sorry."

"It's a relief to hear that. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"...By the way, can you see without your glasses?"

"Oh, these... They're just glass."

"Huh?"

Encountering Sir Dean Dain unexpectedly.

What kind of event is this? It wasn't in the game... I was just a minor character.

My glasses... These bottle-bottom glasses are actually just for show!!!

The reason is, well, in this world, there are so many handsome men and beautiful women... I, being a minor character, can't look people in the eye.

Plus, there are certain criteria for beauty in this country.

One, having double eyelids and long eyelashes.

Two, having fair skin.

Three, having a slender and delicate figure.

Four, having blonde hair. The lighter and more beautiful the color, the more valuable.

These are the criteria for beauty.

As for me:

I have single eyelids and almond-shaped eyes, with average eyelashes.

I admit I have fair skin, but I'm not that pale... I just haven't been in the sun.

I'm not fat, but I have a sturdy build and medium height, so I look bulky.

The ultimate point is my black hair. It's not even close to blonde.

See, it's hard to meet the criteria for beauty!!!

Especially my single eyelids and almond-shaped eyes are rare, and some people laugh at me without hiding it, which is unbearable.

In the court, even if I'm just a trainee, the ladies are merciless, and I've been laughed at and used as a topic of conversation.

It's frustrating.

I'm from a minor viscount's family, and in my previous life, I was a minor office lady... I don't have a very strong mental fortitude...

"...I don't quite understand, but do you feel more secure wearing them?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I see. I have something similar, so I can kind of understand."

"...Is that so?"

Smiling, Sir Dean Dain picked up my glasses and gently handed them to me.

Oh, this boy is a gentleman... Has his older brother raised him well?

Well, at least his handwriting isn't as bad as his brother's. That's definitely a level that requires a decoding team.

Ah, he's a child who hasn't reached adulthood, so it's okay to call him by his name.

For women, even if they haven't reached adulthood, they might marry into a higher status, so it's forbidden to call them by their names!

It's complicated, right? Yes, it's complicated!!

"If it seems childish, I have a bookmark given by my mother that makes me feel smarter. So I put it in my pocket when I meet my tutor."

"Oh!"

"...Honestly, I don't think it's working."

"That's not true. I'm sure what you've learned will be useful someday."

"Are you a noble's child? Did you have a tutor before you became a trainee and struggle with them?"

"Hehehe, yes, I did."

The straightforward attitude of the boy made me feel a bit better.

Especially since Dean Dain reminded me of my younger brother, who I miss.

Recently, my brother has been in a rebellious phase and doesn't reply to my letters...

Dad? He doesn't write back either and just tells me to find a good marriage partner in the court or introduce me to good connections.

Not very helpful.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to escort you to the city gate."

"...Is that okay, Sir Dean Dain? What about your attendants...?"

"They're not here. I left them behind... I'm reflecting on that."

"Then it's fine, but I don't think it's a commendable action."

"Yeah... I just felt a bit suffocated by the difference in thinking between them and me."

Maybe because I communicate with Dean Dain through his older brother.

He seems to trust me.

It's appreciated, but is this... a good thing?

Even if it's unofficial, walking alongside the publicly acknowledged fiancé of Lady Primera and being spoken to so intimately!

What? The royal prince? No, he's the one who comes to me.

I've been treated quite rudely, but I don't get any bad karma from it!

He gives surprisingly accurate feedback on sweets, so I find him useful.

"A difference in thinking, I see."

"Yeah... I hear you've met my brother many times. Ah! Thank you for always responding to my brother's requests and my letters! I've always wanted to thank you!"

"Oh, it's nothing."

"...What do you think of my brother?"

"Lord Aldar Saul? I think he's very excellent. He serves in the royal guard at such a young age, has impeccable manners, and despite a somewhat complicated family situation, he has a clear vision for the future, which I respect."

"R, really!! I think so too!! My brother is amazing."

Dean Dain smiled brightly. An angel.

A different type of angel from Lady Primera.

What should I say... A Shiba Inu? A Shiba puppy?

He's busy being depressed and smiling, and it's endearing.

"But, there are people who don't think highly of my brother... They are my current attendants... My father forced them on me, saying I needed attendants if I was to be the princess's companion, and they are relatives."

"I see. Lord Aldar Saul is excellent, so the public is concerned about jealousy and the succession of the earldom."

"That's right. My father and brother have both said I'm the heir, and my brother has even debuted in society but hasn't formed a relationship with any woman. I want to become a great knight to live up to their expectations, but they... they praise my efforts but then criticize my brother. It's unnecessary!"

"Oh..."

It seems the attendants are trying to curry favor with Dean Dain after he becomes the head of the household, but they're failing.

And Dean Dain, being a serious and principled teenager, doesn't know how to handle it.

As a result, he's trying to become a great knight to silence them, which might make him a masochist or someone who's never been in love.

Well, at this stage, the situation seems like a romantic novel about a young knight in love with a princess, so there's no need to worry too much.

But just to be safe:

"It's okay, Sir Dean Dain."

"Huh?"

"Lord Aldar Saul said your sword skills have improved through your efforts. I think it's also important to focus on your studies. Especially, improving your manners and handwriting is essential. Of course, all the basics are important, but you can learn them throughout your life. However, manners and handwriting have a significant impact throughout your life."

"Really?!"

"For example, to help you understand... Let's say you want to ask a famous swordsman, the right-hand man of the earl, the head of the knights, for guidance. If you send a well-mannered and beautifully written letter, it will be received much more positively than a messy, hard-to-read, and impolite one."

"Uh, yeah..."

"If the person likes you, they might be willing to guide you, and even if they don't, it will leave a good impression. From there, opportunities to learn will open up, not close. Even after becoming a knight, you'll need to write thank-you letters, and a beautifully written one with proper manners has value on its own."

"Really..."

"Untidy writing can make people less willing to read it, and people who lack manners are often avoided. So, if you have martial talent, acquiring manners and beautiful handwriting can further enhance your abilities."

"...I'm not very good at studies. But I'll try. ...No, I will. Thank you."

"Oh, you're too kind..."

"No. You've shown me a path. I want to live up to that expectation and be a man who doesn't disappoint my brother or father. I want to be a man who can proudly meet the princess. So, I don't want to hide my gratitude just because of my status."

"...You're very admirable."

Yes, this boy is definitely a different type of angel from the princess.

I understand why Lord Aldar Saul dotes on him.

...I wonder how my brother is doing.

"By the way, I'm going shopping with my brother next time. Would you like to come along?"

"Huh?"

"I, I... want to give the princess... a birthday gift..."

"Oh!"

The blushing handsome boy. Thank you very much!