I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 81

“Lady Vanessa said she had nothing to do with you.”

 

“Did she…?”

 

“She did not tell you of her meeting with me, did she?”

 

“I did hear that you assisted her at the New Year’s ball.”

 

“No, before that.”

 

“You mean at tea with the Empress? That was between Estella and…”

 

“No. We met separately long before that?”

 

Amused by Jeremiah’s increasingly contorted face, Julian turned his attention to the man behind him.

 

“I think the man behind you knows.”

 

Jeremiah’s eyes followed Julian’s to the back.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The afternoon after Jeremiah’s confession, I slipped out of the manor. No one was with me, for I needed time alone.

 

‘As long as I don’t go too far, I’ll be fine.’

 

Estella didn’t say anything, as if she hadn’t finished organizing her thoughts yet, and Jeremiah didn’t…

 

In any case, it was refreshing not to be cooped up in the mansion. I felt like I was putting off something I really needed to do.

 

I sighed softly and walked along the wall, soon losing sight of the Snowflake Manor.

 

“This is…”

 

Walking with no specific destination in mind, I arrived in front of a cafe. The same place I had met with the crown prince earlier.

 

I looked up at the sign and walked inside. The ground floor was still as crowded as ever.

 

The waitress, seeing that I had entered, rushed over.

 

“Welcome, ma’am! But there are no seats available on the first floor, so… Unless you want to join them, I’m afraid you’ll have to go up to the second floor, is that okay?”

 

I nodded, because I didn’t care where I sat. She led me up to the second floor.

 

‘By the way, the last time I met the crown prince, it was on the second floor…’

 

There were a few people sitting on the second floor, unlike before, where there was no one but the crown prince. It seemed like the atmosphere was completely different between the first and second floors.

 

I thought it was because the crown prince was there before, but it was the same today…

 

Intrigued, I finally asked the waitress why. The waitress who showed me to a table by the window smiled and answered my question.

 

“Unlike the first floor, the second floor gets a lot of customers who want a quieter atmosphere, so I was just asking if you were okay with that.”

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

“Also, the menu on the second floor is a bit more expensive…”

 

Ah, a pricey menu and a quiet atmosphere would attract aristocrats and upper-class people, I guess. I wondered why the crown prince knew about this cafe.

 

“But since you’ve inevitably come up to the second floor, I’ll give you the menu from the first floor if you like!”

 

“Uh, no… that’s okay, just bring the second floor menu.”

 

Since I came in, I wanted to try something delicious.

 

“Since we’re in a price range, shouldn’t the food be a little better?”

 

I asked the waitress with that thought in mind. The waitress replied that she understood, and after a while, she brought me a menu for the second floor.

 

I looked at the prices of the items on the menu and gasped.

 

“Wow, a slice of cake for this price? The prices are crazy.”

 

But there was no point in asking them to change the menu again, so I ordered a cake that was at least reasonably priced. Luckily, I had enough money to pay for it.

 

The waitress took my order, looked a little more cheerful than before, and disappeared into the kitchen. When she was gone, I relaxed.

 

‘Still, it’s nice to find a place like this,’ I thought.

 

If the patrons on the second floor were all upper-class, there would be no danger, and I wouldn’t have to think of anything to say.

 

Indeed, everyone at the other tables seemed to be busy with their own business.

 

I rested my arms on the table and looked out the window. While I waited for my order.

 

“Uh…?”

 

Instead of food, there was something else in front of me. I looked at him and opened my mouth slightly.

 

“Cro—”

 

“Shhh. They’re listening.”

 

The hair sticking out of his hood was dark gold, but I quickly recognized his identity.

 

There was only one person I knew with those golden eyes, and he was the crown prince.

 

He interrupted me and straightened his posture before I could say the word crown prince.

 

No one seemed to know that the crown prince was here but me. I lowered my voice to a whisper.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“Just. Bored, taking a walk.”

 

…Does he like the outdoors because he’s like his mom? I didn’t get that image.

 

“You’re like a cat who forgot to leave the house.”

 

I snapped out of my blasphemous thoughts about the crown prince.

 

“How did you know I was here?”

 

“Why should I know, I’m often here.”

 

“I see.”

 

He seemed to have appeared at just the right moment to speak to me.

 

I glanced at the crown prince’s dazzled face, then looked around.

 

A few feet away, I saw a strange hooded figure, similar to the crown prince. I didn’t have to look hard to realize it was Kianton.

 

“…….”

 

My heart skipped a beat when I saw him crouching over me. Kianton is socializing hard today.

 

“Here’s your food,” the waitress said, “Oh, you have company!”

 

As the waitress placed the cake and drinks I ordered on the table, she looked curiously at the crown prince.

 

The crown prince covered his face with his hood and bowed his head. The waitress gave him a knowing smile.

 

“Don’t worry, sir. We prioritize the privacy of our customers, so enjoy your meal!”

 

The waitress said cheerfully and walked away. I felt a pang of dread. I had a feeling I knew what the waitress thought of the relationship between me and the crown prince.

 

I can’t call her back and correct her.

 

Eventually, I meekly picked up my fork.

 

“Wow, delicious.”

 

The cake was like a work of art. I took a small bite of the cream, careful not to ruin the overall look, and admired it.

 

The sweetness was not overpowering and melted in my mouth. There was a reason it was so expensive.

 

“Yes, there’s a reason I’m a regular customer.”

 

For some reason, the crown prince muttered with a smug look on his face.

 

I glanced at him and pushed another cake in front of him. It was hard enough to eat alone.

 

“Your Highness should have some, too. Anyway… since you’re sitting in front of me.”

 

“…….”

 

The crown prince stared at me, but soon the corner of his mouth lifted and he picked up his fork. Luckily, the menu I’d ordered seemed to suit his tastes.

 

“A dessert fit for a crown prince. Is the pastry chef at this café from the imperial palace or something?”

 

But when I tasted it, I realized it was. I moved my fork diligently, feeling sorry for the cake’s beautiful shape.

 

The crown prince looked at me and said, “Just call me by my name.”

 

“What? Is that okay?”

 

At the unexpected sound, I put my fork in my mouth and blinked. He looked like he was going to ignore everything but the title “His Highness the Crown Prince.”

 

The crown prince seemed a little embarrassed by my comment, too, as he coughed lightly before adding.

 

“I don’t want to go around bragging that I’m the crown prince.”

 

“I think you will be bragging.”

 

“What?”

 

The crown prince glared at me. I quickly lowered my gaze, avoiding his stare, and recalled his name.

 

“Mr. Julian…?”

 

I could see he didn’t want to give away his identity, not when he was in disguise anyway.

 

I nodded, speaking cautiously, and suddenly remembered what had happened with Jeremiah earlier.

 

Calling him by his first name was… well, it was a little embarrassing. I don’t know why it’s okay to call the crown prince.

 

Just as ‘Duke’ and ‘Jeremiah’ are different, so are ‘His Highness the Crown Prince’ and ‘Julian’

 

“Okay. I’ll call you by your name, too.”

 

Crown Prince, Julian picked up his fork thoughtfully.

 

“But why are you here?”

 

“What? What kind of question is that? It’s not like I’m locked up, and if I wanted to come to the cafe, I could.”

 

“Well, but still, weren’t you usually stuck at Snowflake Manor, like someone was going to kidnap you?”

 

I just smirked at Julian’s pointed question. But I couldn’t tell him what had happened between me and Jeremiah.

 

“I just… wanted to be alone today. I don’t think you have days like that. Isn’t that why you dyed your hair today?”

 

“I thought so.”

 

Julian wrinkled the bridge of his nose.

 

“You sound like you know me pretty well. But what about the others?”

 

“Oh… I did?”

 

“Yes. I get that feeling.”

 

Well… maybe it’s an occupational disease or something.

 

“Honestly, it’s kind of funny to think so.”

 

I suddenly realized that I had said this to Jeremiah.