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"If you keep this up, I'm going to scream."
"Ha, really. What kind of man acts like a girl? What's going to happen if you scream?"
"At least you'll be ashamed of the people looking at you."
Despite the somewhat imposing attitude, the man didn't seem to want to back down, so Paydan completely ignored him and looked at me, who was standing behind.
"Letizia. Do we have to talk with some random guy in between us? Why don't we go somewhere quiet and finish our conversation alone?"
Then, as if to snatch my wrist, he suddenly reached out his hand.
I quickly dodged his hand.
"Well, I think I've already said everything I needed to say. Shouldn't you stop acting ungentlemanly and just leave?"
At that, Paydan's eyes changed.
He went around the man to grab me, and the moment I noticed and tried to avoid him.
The man who had been holding us in check grabbed Paydan and shouted at me.
"Please, go inside the store, young lady!"
"You crazy bastard...! Let go!"
Paydan struggled to get away from the man, but the more he did, the tighter the man held him.
I was frozen for a moment, but then I came to my senses and tried to escape.
"Lady Letizia!"
Just in time, a few male employees of the boutique came out. They were the ones the coachman had called.
Seeing the people rushing in, Paydan muttered curses and pushed the man he was wrestling with.
"Ugh...!"
The man fell over.
'That bastard is hurting innocent people!'
Paydan clicked his tongue, dusted off his hands, and looked at me.
"Anyway, I know what you're thinking, Letizia. I hope you still feel the same way even after being abandoned by the Grand Duke."
'That will never happen, you son of a bitch!'
I glared at Paydan's back as he ran away, dodging people, and then approached the man who was getting up from the floor.
"Are you okay?"
"Ah... Y-yes, I'm fine. Are you alright, young lady?"
"Thanks to you. Thank you for helping me. I would have been in danger if it weren't for you."
"It was nothing! I'm glad I could help."
The man scratched his cheek awkwardly and smiled.
He had such a kind impression that it was hard to believe he had been so firm in front of Paydan just a moment ago.
"How can I repay this favor? I wish there was something I could do to help."
"I-I didn't do it expecting anything in return."
"Perhaps you came to buy something in this area? If so, I think I could help you."
Mariposa Boutique was located in the center of the city's commercial district, so there was a high probability that this person had come here to shop.
"No! I didn't come here to shop, I came to meet you, Lady."
"Me?"
At that moment, my eyes narrowed.
It was because I remembered the numerous letters from nobles that had arrived for me this morning.
'So, he was someone who approached me with a purpose.'
Unlike the other people who sent letters and waited for a reply, this person came directly on his own.
'Should I say he's proactive, or that he lacks manners...?'
As if he belatedly realized that his words might sound suspicious, the man added an explanation in a fluster.
"U-um, I'm not a suspicious person. Please believe me!"
Then, as if he remembered something, he revealed the vest that had been hidden inside his jacket.
"H-here."
The vest had a badge with a familiar emblem, and I recognized it at a glance.
'A civil servant affiliated with the administrative office?'
"I heard that you were put in charge of planning this charity bazaar, young lady. I am a civil servant affiliated with the administrative office in charge of assisting and supporting you."
"Ah."
Hearing that, I remembered the conversation I had with Her Majesty the Empress yesterday.
"Someone will be assigned to support you with the overall work soon."
But I didn't expect it to be this soon, and that he would even come to find me in person.
"I thought I was going to be informed about the official work starting tomorrow...?"
"Ah...! Y-yes, that's right."
The man opened and closed his mouth in a fluster, then bowed his head deeply.
"I-I'm sorry. I was so happy to be working with you that I... I came here without knowing what you would think. I'm really sorry..."
I didn't know if being assigned to the job was something to be so happy about, but anyway, seeing the man's rambling expression, he didn't seem to have any ulterior motives or malice.
"I will formally meet you at the Imperial Palace tomorrow and tell you again. Then..."
Just as the man, who had given a light greeting, was about to turn around, I spoke.
"Of course, coming here so suddenly is against etiquette."
I smiled at the man, who was looking at me with puzzled eyes, and continued.
"But I don't think it's right to talk about such etiquette to a benefactor."
"Does that mean...?"
A bright smile spread across the man's face, which had been dazed until then.
"Shall we go inside and talk for a while? I happen to have some tea leaves that are good for serving guests."
We moved to the reception room inside the boutique.
The employee who brought the tea left immediately, and only the man and I remained in the room.
After brewing the newly acquired tea, I poured it into the man's teacup.
After filling my cup as well, I raised my eyes and met the eyes of the man who was staring blankly at me.
I tilted my head in puzzlement.
Usually, it wasn't polite among nobles to stare at someone's face.
"Is there something on my face?"
"Ah...! N-no. I'm sorry."
The man blushed, quite flustered, and lowered his gaze to the teacup, then suddenly gulped down the tea.
I was horrified to see that.
"It must still be hot..."
As expected, the man's mouth let out a painful cough, surprised by the hot tea.
"...I'm sorry. I keep showing you unsightly things."
The man's face was now red with embarrassment, and he looked almost on the verge of tears.
"No, you don't need to apologize to me."
You should apologize to your tongue and esophagus...
I poured some cold water into another cup that was next to him, and the man drank it as if he had been waiting for it.
His face finally looked more relaxed.
Seeing that, I could see a young boy who hadn't yet shed his boyishness, which made him seem a little cute and also pitiful.
I took the initiative to speak, in consideration of the nervous man.
"We probably know each other's names, so let's skip that and get straight to the point?"
"Y-you remember my name?"
"Of course. You're the young master of the Count Hildes family, right? We've greeted each other a few times."
As I nodded and pretended to know him, his eyes began to sparkle with joy.
'Is it really that joyful?'
Mikael Hildes.
The Hildes family was a prestigious family that had produced famous scholars for generations, and Mikael was the heir to that family.
But the reason I remembered his name was...
Of course, it was also because I had been active in high society and knew the names of most nobles, but more than that.
'Handsome men and beautiful women always become a topic of conversation, no matter where they are.'
Mikael was still a bit boyish, but he was still quite handsome.
There were many noble ladies and young ladies who had their eyes on him as a son-in-law or a romantic interest, and their whispers naturally reached my ears as well.
The only thing that bothered them was his glasses, but even then, there were many people who liked them, saying they made him look intelligent.
'But was Young Master Hildes originally such a shy person?'
I've only seen him fleetingly from afar, but even though he didn't talk much, I don't think he was the type to be so shy.
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