Drop!! ～A Tale of the Fragrance Princess～

Volume 4, Epilogue: To Exchange Words Part 2

I do my best so that I won’t get jealous a lot. I thought, and I heard a polite knock at the door.

“Excuse me, Sylvester-sama. It’s Clive.”

“Come in.”

Vernoux, who heard Clive’s voice and my approval, frowned a little and said, “We’re still talking. He has bad timing,” but he acted like he usually did when Clive entered the room and lightly raised a hand. Clive, who saw that, looked displeased as if he was responding to Vernoux. This is also something that always happens.

“… Vernoux-dono. Why are you bothering Sylvester-sama?”

“I’m not bothering him.”

“I wonder about that.”

Clive said as he headed straight for me. Then, he gave me a bunch of papers.

“This is the documents I told you about before.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Anyway… will you be staying in your room today?”

This is the first time he’s asked me this honestly, but he wouldn’t hold back now since he’s talked to father about this. Is his patience running out?

I heard father’s voice telling me to do a better job, and I smiled.

“Yeah. I don’t have to train, and I have things I want to read. But, I don’t plan on stopping by the library. I have to read the documents you gave me, Clive.”

This is the truth.

Even if I have plans, I won’t tell him the truth… I mean, I would be in trouble in the future if I’m not cunning.

Clive stayed silent for a while when he heard my answer, but he soon sighed softly.

“It doesn’t seem like your affairs just involve the library, Sylvester-sama.”

“You’re like a noisy mother-in-law, Clay. The castle is huge, there’s no way he would just go to the library. If there is such a Prince, then he would be too recluse.”

“Vernoux-dono, would you mind not interrupting?”

Vernoux, who tried to help me, attracted Clive’s attention. No, it seemed like he was making fun of Clive rather than helping me. Vernoux might have been feigning even though he looked like he was having a little fun… either way, this has definitely offended Clive.

“I never told you that you could call me Clay. I only said that to Sylvester-sama.”

“You’re so hard-headed. You don’t have to worry about that because I call you Clay first, right? His Highness never calls you Clay, does he?”

“Sylvester-sama just doesn’t call me that in front of other people.”

I smiled wryly inside at those misleading words. I was considerate towards him because he seemed like he hated being called 『Clay』by Vernoux.

“Eh, so you actually like it?”

“I don’t.”

“So you’re saying that you want His Highness to call you a name that you don’t like? That’s not right, is it? You’re shy.”

“Vernoux. Stop.”

Clive would resent him if Vernoux said any more than this, so I stopped him, and he shrugged. Ah, he was going to stop even if I hadn’t stopped him. However, Vernoux probably won’t stop calling him Clay, so Clive should probably just give up.

Clive gave a long sigh.

“If you keep hiding your appearances too much, then we’ll have to ask the rumoured girl to fortune-tell where Sylvester-sama is.”

Vernoux tilted his head at those words.

“It’s surprising. Do you believe in dream fortune-telling, Clay?”

“Of course it’s a joke. But, I don’t know who’s doing it, so I would like to ask you not to force me to do something unknown.”

“Aside from believing it or not, that’s a dreadful way of putting it. Even if she’s called the Saint, she only does silly fortunes like telling the weather and looking for lost items, right? It’s not like fortune-tellers are rare, so you don’t have to protest.”

“You’re too careless. Anyway, why do you know so much about the Saint?”

Clive glared at Vernoux lightly. However, Vernoux didn’t flinch.

“Well, of course, I’ve heard rumours about her. It’s not like… they’re making a new religion. She’s just a child. There are people who actually think she’s helped them. Look, aside from it working or not, it’s like effective medicine to people who believe.”

Vernoux checked up everything about her because the『Dreamer Girl』has been the topic of many rumours lately.

It’s not good to go out to town without knowing about things taking place in the world. However, there isn’t any bad or dangerous information at the moment, most of the information was about the fortune-teller whose predictions are spot-on. In the first place, I think the castle would investigate if there were suspicious people, so there was nothing to worry about if that wasn’t taking place. Like Vernoux said, she wasn’t just a fortune-teller. It seems like she does this because she likes making people happy.

However, even though he checked up on her, he hadn’t met her directly. He said that he had watched her from afar, but it could have a negative impact on his stealth if he approached her. But, he might not be interested in her enough to want to meet her.

“I don’t think any suspicious people would approach His Highness any time soon.”

“I’m worried that they would approach him.”

“Why are you suspicious of me? I’m not acquainted with the dreamer girl.”

Clive raised his eyebrow at Vernoux who lightly protested.

“I’m not just talking about her. I’m telling you not to introduce girls whose intentions are unknown to Sylvester-sama. Are you saying you have no idea who I’m talking about?”

“Yeah, not at all.”

Vernoux replied nonchalantly, but I knew that Clive was talking about Dilly.

I told Clive that I have never met her before, but his doubts still haven’t been cleared. Clive’s father, Marquis Eames, doesn’t seem to think much of Earl Pameradia, Dilly’s father, so it can’t be helped… but he hasn’t met her at all, so I didn’t have to worry about his concern. And every time he gets suspicious, I smile silently as if I have nothing to say… Perhaps my response made him more suspicious?

“You worry too much, Clay. Even if a suspicious lady approaches His Highness, she can’t deceive His Majesty. Don’t worry.”

“I’m worried because you, a cunning person, is by his side.”

“If you’re that worried, then you best keep watch so that you won’t be outwitted. That’s also better for me since you doubt me.”

Vernoux, who replied provocatively, firmly appealed his innocence. I would be troubled if he reinforces his monitoring, but this is Vernoux, so this is surely his way of masquerading my absence. Vernoux shook his head and escaped from Clive’s glare.

“But I didn’t think you would talk about the dreamer girl, Clay. The ladies talk about her a lot.”

He was probably referring to Dilly talking about the dreamer girl the other day.

“Ladies might talk about the dreamer girl at tea parties.”

I suddenly thought as I hummed along. Dilly said that Lady Hazel had told her about the dreamer girl, but is she curious about the girl because she had brought her up? Dilly doesn’t seem interested in fortune-tellers, so she might have been collecting information for tea parties… did she perhaps want to get her fortune done? It didn’t look like she did, but it’s bothering me now.

How do I put it? It doesn’t seem like Dilly. Of course, I know that Dilly acts beyond what I expect of a lady.

“… In any case, I hope you don’t go out to meet the dreamer girl out of curiosity.”

Clay let out a deep sigh and said. He probably thought he wasn’t making any progress. However, Vernoux reacted to him straight away.

“There’s no way he’d do that. If he really wants to see her, then he could just call her to the castle.”

“Well, I won’t do that.”

“See, His Highness said it. Are you relieved?”

“…”

Clay’s eyes, as he looked at Vernoux, said that he’s really suspicious. However, this conversation was over because he couldn’t catch me sneaking out of the castle.

“Then, I’ll come back later.”

Clay said and left. I turned to Vernoux and asked.

“You know… can you two get along?”

“Okay. But that wasn’t my fault.”

“I don’t think it’s Clay’s fault either.”

Vernoux shrugged and stood up with a kick of his legs.

“Well, it’s not like you can freely choose what the dreamer girl predicts. It’s like people are exaggerating to console themselves.”

“That’s right.”

“However, that’s just for now. I don’t know what will happen in the future, she might really be the second coming of the Saint, like the rumours say she is. But I’ll say one thing. It doesn’t seem like Clay would really go into town to ask her about where you are.”

He said jokingly, and I smiled wryly.

“But isn’t it rather hard on her too? I hope she can live in peace.”

It’s someone else’s affair, but it must be rather hard to live without concealing a unique power.

“Yeah. She’s just an orphan, but she’s being protected by the church, so it should be fine. They stopped her from fortune-telling, but she’s a child, so she does it behind their backs. I’m sure she’s happy that people compliment her.”

We’re children, and I found it strange that Vernoux was talking like an adult. I laughed a little.

“Do you want your fortune told?”

“Nope… I feel like Dilly would do unexpected things even if her fortune is told. No matter how correct the fortunes are, I can’t imagine them being correct.”

“Haha, that’s right.”

Of course, if it can trigger something, then I think it’s very reliable. But, it’s not something I want to rely on right now.

However… what Vernoux said a while ago, 『If he really wants to see her, then he could just call her to the castle』is prickling me. Dilly doesn’t come no matter how much I invite her.

Of course, she would come if I ordered her to, but she hates it, so my popularity with her will fall. In the end, I can’t summon her.

… But, I wonder if I should mention it lightly to the Earl.

My expectations have been crushed every time, but the best chance I have to meet her as 『Sylvester』is probably through Elvis. No, getting him to let me meet Dilly might be the hardest thing to do, but I have no other methods.

“She seemed interested in father’s reign, but there still isn’t much I can do in public… So, this is my chance.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

This isn’t something to praise, but I’ll do my best to get Dilly a little interested in 『Sylvester』through the mobile library project. I am hated, but I was taught a scheme on how to recover. It should be a good chance.

Of course, I’m planning on making an effort even without those evil thoughts, but I want her to understand that I have those expectations and that I would be nervous.

Instead, I’m going to do my best to get a better result.

Translator: Blushy

Editor: SenjiQ

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