Bibi’s worried question, prompted by Milly’s distraction, earned a sharp pout in return. “I’ll be fine. You just go enjoy the stalls without worrying about me.”
“Are you certain?”
“I am! By the time I come home, I’ll be absolutely surrounded by friends!”
Forcing bravado into her voice, Milly pushed at Bibi’s back until the maid, still doubtful, finally left. She didn’t need hand-holding anyway. She was the grand duke’s daughter. She couldn’t allow herself to be underestimated.
All right. I can do this. First, find Gilbert and ask about Angelina. After that, it’s friend-making time. Not a second of this party will go to waste.
At the entrance, Milly drew in a deep breath, then smoothed the wrinkles from her uniform until it was perfectly crisp. All right. She steeled herself, and stepped into the brightly decorated hall of the entrance welcome party.
The venue was already filled with the sons and daughters of noble houses. Clusters of students laughed and chatted, while others huddled in corners to whisper in hushed tones. Striding forward with unhesitating steps, Milly let her gaze sweep the room. Naturally, she was searching for her childhood friend.
She wanted to find him quickly, if only to save time. But in this sea of people, spotting him wouldn’t be easy. When the throng became too much and she frowned slightly, one of the chatting students suddenly muttered, “My, Lady Asteara?”
Apparently, her arrival had not gone unnoticed. That whisper was all it took for murmurs to ripple through the garden.
“Wow, it really is Lady Asteara.”
“So it’s true she enrolled this year. This is my first time seeing her in person.”
“Same here. Did she lose her way or something?”
“That must be it. Surely the grand duke’s daughter wouldn’t attend a social gathering of her own accord.”
Never mind that she was a perfectly legitimate guest, somehow they had decided she was a lost child.
Milly’s brows knitted, and she plucked a piece of fruit from the table as if to prove her place among the guests. Hmm. I don’t see Gilbert. Maybe he hasn’t arrived yet?
Unfortunately, Milly had no acquaintances here. For a beginner at communication, making friends would be a daunting mission.
She clenched her fist, nerves bleeding through her composure.
“Oh! Been a while, hasn’t it, Lady Asteara?” a voice called from behind. Turning, she found a young man she didn’t recognize at all. “Ah, that look. Don’t tell me you don’t remember me?”
“That’s not true. Of course I remember you. It’s simply been a while.”
“Hmph. No, you definitely don’t. Do you even know my name?”
“Of course I do! It’s, uh, L... Luh...”
“Well, well. You actually got the first letter right.”
“Luh... Luh... Louie?”
“Nope. Wrong.”
Her reckless gamble failed. Hanging her head, Milly looked up hesitantly.
“I-I apologize.”
“Oof, that hurts. I was sure I’d managed to get pretty close with you, Lady Asteara.”
“If I hear your name, I’ll probably remember it.”
“Heh. Then I’ll trust you and introduce myself once more.” With a courtly bow, the young man lowered himself gracefully. “Lucius Henrieck. Please don’t forget this time, Lady Asteara.”
Henrieck... The family name rang a bell. After a moment’s thought, she recalled it. “Henrieck. You’re Lord Joseph’s son, aren’t you? The captain of the Avirian Knights.” Now that she looked, the resemblance was there.
Lucius smirked. “Well, yes, but Lady Asteara, you remember my father better than you do me? I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
So she had guessed correctly.
“Of course. Your father has always been of great help to me. How is Lord Henrieck?”
“Ah, well, he’s hale and hearty. Sometimes too much so.”
“I see. I’m glad to hear it.”
Come to think of it, wasn’t Lucius a member of the student council? Meeting him here was quite a stroke of luck.
“And what about you, Lady Asteara?” Lucius asked, plucking up a wrapped chocolate. “What brings you to a party like this? I thought this kind of scene wouldn’t be to your taste.”
“It seemed interesting.”
“Interesting, you say? Honestly, I always thought you were the type who preferred studying.”
“I suppose that’s true enough.”
“Thought so. So what brought about the sudden change?”
Milly brought a finger to her lips. “You see, this is a secret, but...”
“Go on.”
“I want a friend.”
Lucius blinked. “A...friend?”
“Yes. That’s why I decided to come to an event like this.”
Lucius let his shoulders sag and sighed softly. Then he picked up another wrapped chocolate and held it out to her. “These are good,” he said. Taking the cue, Milly accepted it, and a gentle sweetness spread across her tongue.
“Well, I don’t really understand it, but I don’t see the harm,” he continued. “Better to be out here making an effort than brooding over grimoires all the time like you usually do. This seems much healthier.”
“You might consider choosing your words more carefully.”
“Oh, no, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just, back when you were little, you were so bright and lively. It’s kinda nice, seeing you like that again.”
It sounded hastily tacked on, but with that warm smile directed at her, Milly couldn’t bring herself to retort. “You’re very smooth with words. You’d do well as a charlatan.”
“Was that meant to be a compliment?”
“It was.”
Milly sighed. Unlike her, Lucius was naturally approachable. If only I could be like him. Lost in thought, she found herself gazing into his amber eyes.
“I was just thinking how envious I am,” she said.
“Oh? Of me?”
“Yes. I can’t smile as freely as you do.” Without thinking, Milly reached up and brushed her fingers against his cheek.