I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 61

“What did you talk about?”

 

“And what did Shane think?”

 

I asked evasively, not wanting to dredge up the conversation I’d just had with the crown prince.

 

Shane, oblivious to me, simply shrugged. Instead of pursuing the subject further, I turned to him.

 

“I think we should head back.”

 

“Really?”

 

Shane obediently complied.

 

As we walked out of the cafe, I could see the shops lighting up.

 

Instead of rushing back to the mansion, I decided to be more relaxed with Shane.

 

“Let’s get something to eat.”

 

I bought two warm buns from a street vendor, gave one to Shane, and we strolled slowly down the street.

 

The streets were quiet in the evening. As I watched the vendors hawking their wares outside their shops, I realized that the shopping streets of the Islands are not so different from those of the North.

 

I thought, ‘It’s a human place, it can’t be that different.’

 

Maybe the weather is the biggest difference.

 

I walked past them, observing them as I munched on my bread. Shane was silently matching my stride.

 

It was a bit too much walking without conversation, so I spoke up.

 

“Shane is from the north, right? A native of Loasen?”

 

“Sort of.”

 

“How did you end up with that… intelligence job?”

 

I asked in a low voice, just in case anyone could hear me, and Shane smirked at me like it was cute. He patted my head lightly and answered in a laid-back tone.

 

“I was sold to an underworld organization when I was a kid. My father owed me a gambling debt. Instead of paying him back, he banged me for his son.”

 

“Uh…”

 

“I guess he had no choice but to stoop so low to live there. But I didn’t want to make a living off of assassinations.”

 

“…….”

 

“But I was surprisingly good at it, so I got into the Winter Crown, and I became a groomer.”

 

I was taken aback by the unexpectedly heavy response to my lighthearted question.

 

“I didn’t ask you to bring up such painful memories…”

 

I didn’t expect to find out about this, so I kept my mouth shut.

 

Shane is only twenty-six, after all. There must be something about him that makes him the head of an intelligence organization.

 

Maybe I should have considered that it could be as tragic as Jeremiah’s.

 

“I was being a little flippant, wasn’t I?”

 

I fidgeted with my fingers, feeling sorry for Shane.

 

As if sensing my despondency, Shane smirked again.

 

“Ahhhhh. You don’t have to give me that look, Vanessa, because it makes me shrug.”

 

“Still… Shane, I’m sorry.”

 

“Well, I don’t necessarily remember it being bad, and I learned magic along the way.”

 

“There’s a reason you’re so good at everything, Vanessa.”

 

He said it lightly, like he was trying to comfort me, but it only made me feel worse.

 

I realized that I had been so rude to him. Even if we’re just friends, we should be polite.

 

“Vanessa. I like it just the way it is.”

 

As if sensing what I was thinking, Shane narrowed his eyes and lightly flicked my forehead.

 

“I can see it on your face that you’re thinking about something weird right now.”

 

“Ouch. That hurt.”

 

“I like it just the way it is, so don’t think about it. Aren’t we friends?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“I can do this to a friend, especially you.”

 

I rubbed my forehead and pouted my lips, trying to relieve the guilt I felt at the look in his eyes. After all, he said, we’re friends.

 

His sweet words reassured me that, yes, I could let this slide because we were friends.

 

“By the way, Shane, what was that thing you did to my hand earlier? You said it was a precaution, but what kind of magic was it?”

 

I asked as I tossed the finished bread wrapper into the trash, hoping to lighten the mood for once. Fortunately, it seemed to work.

 

“Oh, that? It’s nothing.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Just some light offensive magic? Something that stings.”

 

“…….”

 

Halfway successful.

 

“No, it’s nothing. It’s totally nothing.”

 

I broke out in a cold sweat and rubbed the palm of my hand where Shane had drawn the magic circle against the hem of my skirt.

 

The thought of almost casting an offensive spell against the crown prince sent a shiver down my spine.

 

Shane chuckled at me.

 

“Don’t get too worked up about it. It’s a good thing you didn’t use it. Everything was fine, right?”

 

“The crown prince realized you were a wizard right away. I was afraid he’d find out about this magic.”

 

“Don’t think I didn’t know that don’t worry. He knows I’m a wizard, but he doesn’t know what kind of enchantment.”

 

Well, if the crown prince had that kind of power, it’s very likely that Shane would have known about it, and he could have made his own plans and done his own thing…

 

“And if the crown prince had known, Shane would have been there to fight Kianton?”

 

Kianton, yes. We don’t know what else he’s capable of…

 

I was like, “Don’t do this next time,” just in case.

 

“Next time, don’t do this.”

 

“What? Didn’t Vanessa bring me here because she thought I could do something with the crown prince?”

 

“Yeah, but after seeing your crown prince abilities today, I’m a little… uneasy.”

 

“It’s okay, I have good powers, don’t you believe me?”

 

Shane asked with a mischievous grin, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“At least I had Shane today, so I could be confident in front of the crown prince.”

 

As I thought about this, I realized how grateful I was to have Shane by my side. I realized that it was a good thing I went out there with him today.

 

As we walked, Shane and I chatted about, we neared the mansion. The windows of the mansion were illuminated in the dark, sparkling with colorful lights.

 

‘The Snowflake Mansion. What a fitting name.’

 

I think that’s the only thing I’ve heard today that I can remember. Damn Kianton.

 

I snorted to myself as I passed the mansion’s entrance and opened my mouth.

 

“No snow to make snow ducks here. Shane must be bored.”

 

“Oh, no. You can play with me instead of making snow ducks.”

 

I could hear Shane’s voice replying cheerfully.

 

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to say what was on my lips before the path ended.

 

With silence all around, my voice quickly reached the other end of the line.

 

“I’m glad this is a good time.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I’m glad your past isn’t holding you back.”

 

“…….”

 

“And I like Shane just the way he is.”

 

At my words, Shane stopped walking. I looked at him and smiled sheepishly.

 

“I know this isn’t going to make you feel better.”

 

I looked into his eyes, hoping to make him feel better about what had happened earlier.

 

He looked down at me, too, and there was a certain complexity in his gaze.

 

“Vanessa, I’m…”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’m…”

 

He let out a soft sigh and stroked my hair gently.

 

I smiled softly at his gentle touch and continued walking. But then I noticed the camellia branches against the white exterior wall and had a sudden thought.

 

“Come to think of it, Shane, we were supposed to look at the camellias together.”

 

“Yes, we did.”

 

“Not in Loasen, but here.”

 

I turned back to Shane and asked.

 

“What do you mean, camellia?”

 

He smirked, not taking his eyes off me.

 

“I liked the first one, but this one’s not so good.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“No, I’ll tell you later. Let’s get inside, it’s getting cold.”

 

Not getting an answer, I turned on my heel and walked into the mansion.

 

* * *

 

On the third day of my stay at Snowflake Manor, the clothes I ordered from Loasen finally arrived. One for me, one for Estella, and one for Jeremiah. Three suits in all.

 

The man in the wardrobe room signed off on their arrival and drove away in his carriage. Servants carried the boxes of clothes into Estella’s room.

 

“I only shipped one dress to the islands at a time, thinking only of the New Year’s ball.”

 

Estella put her hands on her hips.

 

“…I’m told there are a few more in Loasen.”

 

For a moment, she looked cute, like a stately puppy, and then I looked at the clothes in front of me in disbelief.

 

Madame Cornelia had sent not only the clothes, but also the matching jewelry.

 

‘When I received my room from Jeremiah, I decided that I would value the thought more than the value of the gift, so I thought I’d just accept what Estella did for me as a thank you…’

 

Plus, it’s not like I’m the only one going to the ball in this dress.

 

But seeing the finished dress and all the sparkling jewelry made me feel so much better. 

 

Apparently, compared to Oppenheim, I was a small-time citizen.

 

I reached out and gingerly touched the hem of the dress, the soft velvet tickling my fingertips.