I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 155

 

Immediately, I stared down at my sandwich, my expression hardening.

 

No way.

 

Before my expression could stiffen further, I gently lifted the bread and saw a white sauce.

 

It was unmistakably ‘that sauce’, both in taste and color.

 

My eyes widened in shock as a single assumption flashed through my mind.

 

There was also a slight feeling of betrayal toward my father.

 

Should I say anything about this realization?

 

But I didn’t think long about it. There was no point in bringing up the past.

 

My mouth-watering, I set the sandwich down on my plate.

 

‘Haha, this is the sauce they usually put on their sandwiches in Abascanthus…’

 

Dad, you said it was a special sauce. Is that how it tasted back home?

 

I glanced at Kun.

 

Kun, I’m sorry. When you said it was a plain sandwich, I thought you had a dull palate.

 

Apparently, if you’ve been eating this for a living, it’s mediocre. I didn’t realize the sauce was common in Abascanthus.

 

It was then.

 

The Grand Duke asked me, a little nervously, “How do you like it? I haven’t made my sandwich in a long time…”

 

Oh, my goodness. Did you make it yourself?

 

I grinned and picked up the sandwich again, as if to remind him of when I put it down.

 

“It’s so good.”

 

Did my haste give away my answer?

 

The Grand Duke’s eyebrows drew together in disappointment.

 

“Is it…”

 

I stammered, taking another bite of my sandwich. I made sure to give him a thumbs-up.

 

“Seriously, it tastes like the good old days. It’s nostalgic. Caon, do you want to try it?”

 

At my suggestion, Carson took the sandwich from my hand and brought it to his mouth.

 

“…Nostalgia. I see.”

 

The Grand Duke’s voice was even more subdued, and I glanced at Kun to see if I had done something wrong.

 

Was giving the thumbs up a double entendre in Abascanthus…?

 

Kun’s pupils quivered and he quickly averted his gaze.

 

It was a deliberate evasion. When I turned to Carson to see if he knew something, he glared at the Grand Duke in protest.

 

“Grand Duke.”

 

Had they just gotten into a fight while I was glaring at Kun?

 

But the Grand Duke, who I expected to glare at Carson in return, averts his gaze with a grunt.

 

‘I didn’t mean to. I didn’t realize it until after we arrived.’

 

I think he just said something to Carson with his mouth, but he cleverly covered it with his hand, so I didn’t see it.

 

Carson sighed, chewed the last of the food in his mouth, and swallowed.

 

“Never let your guard down.”

 

🍃

 

When the Grand Duke offered to help me, he didn’t just say it out loud.

 

He spent the next day with me in his spare time, teaching me things.

 

He started with the different etiquette of Abascanthus and Lagras, and then went on to teach me simple manners.

 

The funny thing was, at the end, he always said this.

 

“You don’t have to take my words to heart. It’s okay to stand tall and do whatever you want to do.”

 

“But if I just do what I want to do, I’ll be polite.”

 

“Who cares about manners these days?”

 

It occurred to me that this was probably not what the person who had just cast ‘Young people these days…’ was supposed to say, but I held my tongue.

 

“I’m not kidding, you can do whatever you want, as long as it doesn’t involve thrusting a knife into the Emperor in front of everyone.”

 

I smirked and let it slide, knowing he could take a joke.

 

Carson then added that sneaky stuff was his specialty as a wizard, which was a line I was afraid anyone would hear.

 

With that, the etiquette part was taken care of with the help of the Grand Duke,

 

As for the dress and jewelry, I thought I’d go out and buy a new one…

 

“Why are there dresses and jewelry in your subspace?”

 

I stared at the dresses Carson had pulled out with a puzzled expression on my face.

 

There was enough to fill half a closet.

 

How much does he carry in his subspace?

 

And how big was it in there?

 

I look over at Carson, who blushes and looks embarrassed.

 

“But, what if Leen suddenly wants to wear a dress?”

 

“Just for that reason…?”

 

“What if someone jealous of Leen spills wine, and you have to change in a hurry?”

 

It’s weirdly specific. I smirked, figuring a good thing was a better way to go.

 

“Then I guess I don’t have to go out to buy it. I was going to ask you to go out with me on a date.”

 

The dress was slightly different from the Abascanthus, but it was pretty.

 

It’s not like they don’t know I’m from another country.

 

On the contrary, it’s my size, and it’s much better than a hastily made ready-to-wear from Abascanthus.

 

Satisfied, I started to think about what dress to wear.

 

Sigh…

 

For a moment, I doubted my eyes and ears.

 

I wondered if I was seeing an illusion. The dresses that had been glittering a moment before were now on fire.

 

Dazed, I stared at the burning dresses… or rather, money.

 

“Ah, my mistake.”

 

Until Carson’s nonchalant countenance interrupted me.

 

“Hey, you idiot…!”

 

Finally, fuming, I issued him a restraining order and went to find the Grand Duke.

 

The Grand Duke was very happy to see me without Carson by my side.

 

In truth, I had come to him because I had something to tell him.

 

I stayed at the Grand Duke’s mansion for several days and was treated with great hospitality.

 

Although my painkillers did little to alleviate the illusionary pain he was suffering…

 

I questioned the excessive favors.

 

The Grand Duke’s favors became overwhelming.

 

It pricked my conscience. I was only being cordial because I had a request to make of him.

 

My original plan was to stay at his residence for a few more days after the banquet and get to know him better.

 

Then, I was going to bring up the subject of the quince discreetly.

 

But I changed my mind when the Grand Duke treated me like his granddaughter.

 

It made me feel like I was deceiving him.

 

So I decided to tell him the truth. I had a feeling that the Grand Duke would not refuse my request.

 

After having a light cup of tea with the Grand Duke, I walked out of the garden.

 

“Grand Duke, I have an urgent favor to ask you.”

 

“Tell me anything.”

 

“It’s very important, and I want you to listen to me seriously.”

 

Then the Grand Duke, who had been walking alongside me, stopped walking and stared at me.

 

He held my gaze for a long moment. It was as if he sensed what I was going to say.

 

“Tell me.”

 

I took a deep breath and spoke, “Would you be willing to sell me some of the quince that grows on the Potitua estate?”

 

The Grand Duke blinked slowly, as if the question was a bit unexpected.

 

“…Quince?”

 

“That’s what I came to Abascanthus for, actually.”

 

“And why do you need the quince?”

 

“You do realize that I make many things from herbs, right?”

 

“Yes. I do.”

 

“I’ve studied the cure for Monstera, and I’ve created it.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Quill is the main ingredient in the cure for the Monstera plague that is currently raging in Lagras and Abascanthus.”

 

The Grand Duke stared at me, wordlessly.

 

“We don’t have any in Lagras, so we need to trade with Abascantus.”

 

“…”

 

“Please, I need it to keep people alive, and I promise I won’t take advantage of Abascanthus for the cure.”

 

“Take it.”

 

“…What?”

 

So easily?

 

“I’ll give you ownership of all the quince in my territory.”

 

“What?”

 

The Grand Duke clenched his jaw, and then, as if remembering something, summoned the attendant to fetch a pen and paper.

 

“I see. You must have written a contract.”

 

I froze in my tracks, realizing I was being forced up my sleeve, and opened my mouth quickly.

 

“Oh, no. I’d be grateful if you’d just sell it to me for the right price, but you don’t have to…!”

 

“I …ill.”

 

The Grand Duke placed his hand on top of my head and stroked it slowly with a clumsy touch.

 

“It’s because I want to give it to you.”

 

“Grandpa. No, Grand Duke. I haven’t told you, but there’s a lot of money to gain.”

 

“What’s the old man going to do with more of it? Besides, it saves lives.”

 

“But…”

 

“Child, I’d do anything for you.”

 

Pursing my lips down hard.

 

“Is it because I made you some painkillers?”

 

“No. You made those, too, and I’m still using them.”

 

From the way he was talking, it didn’t sound like it had anything to do with the painkillers.

 

“…Then why on earth?”

 

The Grand Duke smiled faintly and pulled his hand away from mine. I felt a great sense of emptiness as he withdrew his hand from mine.

 

“Let’s just say it’s because you’re like my granddaughter.”

 

🍃

 

Time passed quickly, and the day of the banquet where I was to meet the Emperor arrived.

 

I was dressed in a gown of layers of pink, flowing fabric, the color of Carson’s hair.

 

It was the last dress left in Carson’s subspace.

 

When I spun around in place, the fabric would unravel, making me feel like an unnecessary fairy.

 

Of course, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

 

Carson hadn’t cast a control spell in a long time.

 

It was a shame, but on a day like today, I couldn’t let him get a nosebleed in front of another country’s nobility.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen from the Empire of Lagras, Leen and Carson Lysianthus!”

 

As I took Carson’s hand and entered the banquet hall, countless gazes fell upon us.

 

Fortunately or not, I didn’t feel much malice in the stares.

 

But it had been a long time since we’d been under this much scrutiny, and it made me nervous.

 

“Leen, if the gazes are too much for you, should we make them stop looking at us?”

 

With a grin, I spoke in mixed signals.

 

At that moment, my eyes locked with Grand Duke Caris, who had entered earlier.

 

My back tightened and my confidence soared.

 

Well, I could make a mistake, I have Carson and the Grand Duke.

 

But my confidence was short-lived. I notice a figure in the banquet hall and gasp in silent astonishment.

 

It was Sera, banished from Lagras years ago after she swung a knife at Carson at the Academy.