Chapter 32: Chapter 32 - Friend Request

Chapter 32 – Friend Request

“…”

It took awhile for my brain to process his words, and it was about three seconds before I reacted.

“What?” I blurted out.

“Ah, of course, I’m saying that I like you as a friend,” Claude said.

“Friend?” I repeated stupidly.

“I think you’re a good person. Would you like to be my friend?”

“H-hold your horses. This is too sudden…”

Today was a day of confusion—I had a three-party encounter with Xavier and Claude, and suddenly Claude wanted to keep meeting me because he liked me as a friend.

I couldn’t hide the bewilderment on my face as I tried to clarify his words. “If by friend…you mean friends who eat, talk and shop together?”

“Yes. You don’t have to think too hard,” Claude said with a smile. “I hear you’re friends with Lady Odeletta. It’s not that difficult if you think of a relationship like that—friendship.”

“Oh…”

But…was being friends possible between man and woman? I never had a male friend before, and I couldn’t help but be hesitant.

“Do you need some time to think?” Claude offered.

“…”

It’s not like he was asking me out—he just wanted to be my friend. I couldn’t keep him waiting. In the end, I gave an approving nod, and a wide smile split Claude’s face at my answer. He was so dazzling that I squinted one eye without realizing it.

“Thank you, Lady Maristella. It’s an honor,” he said solemnly.

“No, you needn’t… It’s embarrassing to hear that,” I replied, flustered.

“I thought you would refuse. So I was a bit worried.”

“Me?”

Did I look like someone that played hard to get? Claude’s words put me into an unexpected agony. I thought I was a fairly open person, but did I not seem that way to other people?

“Sometimes you draw lines,” Claude explained. “That’s why I thought that way. I’m glad you agreed readily.”

“Yes, well…” Somehow I felt embarrassed and I smiled awkwardly.

Claude shot me a strange look, then stood up.

I looked curiously at him. “Are you going now?”

“Just earlier you asked me to go. Now that I’m really going, do you feel sad?”

“It’s not like that… But stay safe.”

“Yes, Lady Maristella. I will come again in two days,” he told me.

In two days? Not tomorrow?

“Is there anything happening tomorrow?” I asked.

“Are you sad that I’m not visiting you?”

“Just…” Some vague unpleasant feeling settled in my stomach, like something was out of place. No other emotion. I spoke honestly. “It’s just that someone who comes every day suddenly told me he won’t be coming tomorrow. So I was just wondering,” I explained.

“I have an important deal,” he said.

“Important deal?”

“Yes,” Claude confirmed with a smile. “I have to solve something with the Cornohen family.”

“…”

My breath hitched at the familiar name.

Cornohen family—that was Dorothea’s family.

Claude’s brow creased when he saw the sudden stoniness of my face. “Are you alright, Lady Maristella? Your complexion suddenly…”

“It’s nothing, Your Grace,” I said with a dismissive shake of my head. “I just recalled a bad memory for a second.”

“I see.” Claude nodded his head. “Count Cornohen and his wife are greedy merchants. I don’t know the details…but I hear that Count Bellafleur and his wife have a close relationship with the Cornohen family.”

“…”

Even Claude knew about that. I suppose that our families really were close. But was it true that we had fallen out because of me?

I must have had an uncomfortable expression on my face because Claude then said to me, “Please let me know if they bother you.”

“Pardon?” I blinked confusedly at the unexpected remark. “But why—”

“Because we’re now friends.”

“…”

My tongue felt numb at the mention of ‘friends’, and Claude took my hand and gracefully kissed it. Before I could say anything, he spoke.

“Friends protect each other. Feel free to speak to me at any time.”

“…”

I stared dazedly at Claude as he walked out of the room. When I was left alone, I grabbed the handkerchief that Xavier gave me. My brain was spinning; too many things had happened at once for me to process.

“Marie?”

There was a knock on the door, and Martina came in.

I turned to her with a blank look. “Hi, Martina,” I mumbled weakly.

“What’s wrong with your expression? Is there something going on?” she asked.

“I feel like my energy is getting sucked out today,” I said in a monotone.

“Really?” she said, then her eyes fell to my hands. “Oh…I’ve never seen that handkerchief before.”

“Ah.” An awkward smile strained my lips. “It’s the handkerchief that the Crown Prince had given to me… How is it? Isn’t it pretty, Martina?”

“It’s simple, but elegant and beautiful. There’s embroidery too. Is that your initial?” Martina observed.

“Yeah. His Highness embroidered it himself.”

“Oh my. That was very thoughtful,” she said, and her eyebrows were slightly lifted in surprise. “I knew the Crown Prince was well versed in many fields, but I didn’t know he was also good with embroidery. He’s really…perfect. There’s nothing he can’t do.”

“I was also shocked. After listening to you, I thought he was very cold, but that was not the case.” I gave a light smile. “I think he’s someone good.”

He matched well with Odeletta.

When Odeletta came to mind, I suddenly missed her. It wasn’t that I didn’t expect her to come, but still, I was a little disappointed. Was she busy? I decided to ask Martina.

“Martina, do you know the news about Odeletta?”

“The daughter of the Trakos family? Ah, right. Come to think of it, there was something I didn’t tell you.”

“What?”

“Knowing that you’re not allowed to have visitors, she sent you a letter a while ago. She said she wanted to visit if it was alright with you.”

“Really?” I gushed, and I smiled brightly.

Martina seemed surprised by my reaction. “Since when did you get close to the daughter of the Trakos family? Then, I will tell her to come?”

“Can you tell Lady Odeletta to come tomorrow?”

It happened that Claude wasn’t coming tomorrow.

Martina nodded at my words. “I will tell her that.”

Her voice sounded somewhat excited when she answered me, and I couldn’t help but be curious.

“More importantly, is there anything good happening, Martina?” I prodded. “You look excited.”

“Hmm…actually, I am excited,” she replied.

“About what?”

“It feels like you are finally friends with someone good. Actually, I don’t know much about Odeletta, but at least she’s better than Dorothea.”

“I won’t get involved with her anymore,” I asserted.

“Of course you shouldn’t! It’s a waste of time to hang out with that woman.” Martina gave a final shake of her head and then headed outside. After a while, I nodded my head in belated agreement.

That was what Dorothea thought about me anyway. The proof was there—she didn’t visit me once when I was unwell, and didn’t send me a single letter or flower.

‘Now I only need to arrange the relationship between Odeletta and Xavier…’

I leaned my back onto my bed and let my eyelids drift downwards.

Once I got them together, everything would come back to normal.

I couldn’t suppress the satisfied smile on my lips.