Chapter 53
Chapter 53
“Wow, I’m in the first place.”
Adrisha smiled nonchalantly at the dazed stall owner and put the gun back down.
And then he looked back with a regretful look on his face. There was a clear sign of embarrassment on his face.
Hikan spoke in a clearly surprised tone.
“……you’re pretty good with guns.”
Even from the point of view of a passing by child, that skill was not at the level that a common noble lady would have.
Where did she learn that? Of course she learned it back home.
Home was a kind of trauma for Adrisha. It was where she was forced to learn the art of assassination.
Looking back on the original story, Dalia remembers that Adrisha hid her past so that she would never be found out.…..
‘You must be really angry.….’
Meanwhile, there was a strange tension between Hikan and Adrisha.
There were many nobles working under the Emperor, but their main field of activity was as informants, not as shooters.
Of course there was suspicion in Hikan’s eyes, who considered her as one of them.
Dalia didn’t miss it. She immediately hugged Adrisha to cover up the situation somehow.
‘No! Even if the country is buried!’ (*t/n: I’m not sure about this one)
“Wow, Adrisha! Congratulations! You got first place!”
Dalia received a large box of traditional confectionery, as the stall owner bit the bullet and handed it to her. (*t/n: bite the bullet: decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over.)
Hopefully he will not deceive people from now on.
“Ta-da, brother! It’s snacks! It looks delicious, right?”
But he didn’t fall for it easily.
“Where did you learn to shoot? It wouldn’t have been easy for a noble lady to learn that level of marksmanship.”
“Well…….”
Adrisha lowered her eyes, blurring the end of her words. And chewed her lips.
“Can we……not talk about that?”
Adrisha’s expression was not so good, so Hikan did not ask further. However, he still looks at her suspiciously.
On their way back, Hikan spoke as he took Dalia’s box.
“You’ll definitely eat it all in a day. Eat as much as the maids give you as a snack.”
“You’re so mean! Brother was not the one who won it!”
Then, since Hikan became visibly depressed, Dalia quickly apologized and handed him the box.
The same was true for Adrisha. Even after winning the first prize for Dalia, she was depressed all day long.
Thanks to this, the night market tour ended with a box of the first-place traditional snacks and three gloomy people.
Hikan, Adrisha, and the swindler stall owner.
The only achievement was that there were plenty of Vesta snacks to eat even if they returned to the capital. The day ended badly.
Now only a week left before their trip ends. Within that time, there was an event that Dalia was looking forward to.
It was the upcoming Vesta folk festival. It is said to be the biggest festival of the year in Vesta.
There was a unique rule that everyone who participated in the festival had to wear a mask.
Since names and identities were prohibited, there were often romantic events, such as young aristocrats and commoners falling in love unexpectedly.
‘But I won’t be allowed to play until late at night.’
Dalia became sullen.
With Hikan’s personality, there’s absolutely no way he will allow that. She’s only 16, so she’s not expecting any romantic relationship with anyone, but this is the best time to hang out.
Even Adrisha sided with Hikan this time. Humph.
Anyway, even if she returned before 10pm, a festival is still a festival. It was fun to think about going out to play.
* * *
On the day of the festival, Hikan presented Dalia with a cute white rabbit mask that she did not know where he had bought it. And then he-
“I’m sorry, but I can’t go because I have something to do. Go with Adrisha.”
Said that.
Hikan has been really busy for the past three days.
Dalia guessed that he was busy solving things that he couldn’t do while playing with her at the last minute.
He looked at documents all day, pounded on the calculator, and went out at night to explore, and then came back at dawn. So these days, Dalia hangs out with Adrisha rather than with Hikan.
“I wanted to go with you today though.…..”
Dalia looked disappointed.
Then Hikan’s eyebrows went down. Dalia was the only one that could make him show that expression on his face.
“I’m sorry.”
“Then maybe for another hour……”
“That’s not allowed. Be sure to come back by 10 o’clock.”
“…….”
It doesn’t work.
Dalia pursed her lips.
Hikan did not stop there and continued to speak with a serious expression.
“Never go with a stranger who asks you to follow him.”
Dalia put her hand on her serious brother’s shoulder.
“…… Brother, I’m 16 years old.”
Just how old did he think Dalia is, eight years old?
Anyway, he has to work so hard even when he’s on vacation.
Dalia forgot the thoughts she had when she first came here and felt sorry for Hikan. But still, it was mean of him not to yield an inch.
Anyway Dalia, who reached an agreement with Hikan, took the coachman’s hand and climbed into the carriage.
Adrisha has severe motion sickness and since it’s not too far away, she gave up the carriage and rode on horseback in riding clothes.
Since Hikan was not here, Dalia was the only one in the carriage.
Dalia watched the changing scenery outside the carriage and Adrisha who was also incredibly beautiful in her riding clothes rode the horse.
Naturally, several thoughts came to her mind.
‘It feels empty without brother here.’
‘Would he like it if I gave him a gift?’
Forgetting the sad memory of the last phonograph, Dalia wanted to do something more special this time.
‘Would he like it if I baked him some cookies?’
This festival has a few more small entertainments besides wearing masks.
One of them was to give a loved one cookies with unusual ingredients that were sold only at the stalls.
‘What would be good?’
She have to give it to Adrisha too, so she can’t ask her.
After thinking about it, the market where the festival was held is getting closer.
Adrisha who got off first reached out to Dalia, who just got off the carriage.
As the festivities drew near, she wore a plain white mask that covered half of her face that was hanging around her waist.
They were supposed to wear the mask after the sun went down instead of now. Dalia took out the cute rabbit mask Hikan gave her from her bag just to try it on.
Adrisha lent her a hand mirror.
The rabbit mask that Dalia wears reflected in the mirror was too cute. Dalia, who wanted to wear something plain like Adrisha’s, was embarrassed for no reason.
‘Just how old did my brother think I am?’
But when she looked to the side, Adrisha was looking at Dalia with a big smile on her face.
“Dalia is so cute, what if someone takes you?”
“…….”
‘There’s a lost cause here too.’
Dalia sighed deeply.
But then, Adrisha suddenly turned her body back. And her eyes scanned through the alleys one by one.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“……No, I must have been mistaken.”
Adrisha smiled again as if nothing had happened. Dalia also smiled and asked jokingly.
“Why? Are you afraid someone’s gonna take me?”
Adrisha’s expression hardened.
‘Really……?’
Dalia had a strange feeling. She patted Adrisha on the back.
“Don’t be too nervous. Who will take me?”
“But I’m sure someone…….”
Adrisha glanced behind her with anxious eyes.
Dalia smiled playfully, pressing her cheeks with both hands.
She couldn’t even imagine that there was someone who was watching her.
He hid himself between the trash cans in the alley, and then carefully stood up after the two left.
Then he kissed the cross hidden on his chest.
“For the Holy Empire.”
And said in a smaller voice.
“For His Holiness.”
He hid himself within the crowd again.