I was playing board games with Kira, Lord Theodore, and Cain in the mansion’s living room when Mr. Sebastian, the family butler, arrived with a report.
“Young Master, Lady Europa is here.”
“Is she, now?”
Mr. Sebastian and many of the other staff members called Lord Theodore either “Young Master” or, like the farmers, “little Theo.” Though Lord Theodore was officially the new count, they probably still saw him as a child.
“I see. Excuse me—I must step away from the game for a moment,” he said.
“Ah, fleeing before you lose, I see,” I teased.
“Regrettably,” he said sheepishly, scratching his cheek.
After he left the room, Kira, who was rolling dice around in one of his palms, brought his free hand to his mouth to stifle a big yawn, then said, “You’re curious. Just go see what it’s about.”
I looked over at him. “I am not curious.”
“You have ‘curious’ written all over your face.”
“Really?!”
Frantically, I brought my hands to my cheeks. Was it that obvious?!
I mean, he said “Lady” Europa...
Not that I had any right to be concerned about another woman, but still...
Nevertheless, any attempt I made to deny it would have been embarrassingly obvious, so I stood up nonchalantly and asked, “Do you two want to come along?”
“No thanks,” Kira replied.
“I-I’ll stay here,” Cain stammered. “Lady Europa is a little scary...”
Huh. What did he mean by scary?
“You be careful, Ms. Angel,” Cain said.
I left the room and went outside the mansion, where I immediately came across Lord Theodore. Standing before him was a young lady who turned my way when she noticed me.
Wh-What a beauty...!
The moment our eyes met, I staggered from the shock. She had to be about sixteen years old, with a dainty frame and ethereal purple hair and eyes. The girl smiled softly at me and took off her hat courteously, her unbound hair smoothly caressing her slender shoulders.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” she said. “I am Europa Caté.”
“I-It’s a pleasure, Lady Europa. I’m Evelyn.”
We exchanged curtsies, but Europa’s greeting was orders of magnitude more graceful and dignified than mine. Seeing her side by side with Lord Theodore made me realize what a perfect match the two were. Were they...lovers?
Oh, what am I doing? I’m clearly a third wheel right now.
Just as I was beginning to regret coming here, Lady Europa stared at me intently, her expression somewhat absent. It was then that I noticed the strong magical signature emanating from her—she seemed to have noticed my own as well.
“Um, Lady Evelyn, why are you at the Manilas estate?” she asked.
“Lady Evelyn healed my injury and saved my life,” Lord Theodore said.
Lady Europa’s eyes widened beneath her long lashes. “An injury! Were you afflicted by miasma? I was worried about you, you know.”
“I was indeed. It all but consumed my arm. I’d hoped perhaps you could help, Europa, but Lady Evelyn’s already healed it completely,” he explained, his expression brightening.
But his words were like a mallet to my heart. Even if I hadn’t been here, Europa could’ve helped him...
Well, there went any desire I had to be here. I smiled weakly and bowed.
“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll give you two some privacy...”
A hand clasped around mine as I began to walk away—a very familiar sensation, actually. When I turned around, Lord Theodore was staring at me with desperation in his gaze. My heart skipped a beat.
I grew a bit tense. Lord Theodore had inhuman grip strength, and if I got stuck again, I’d have to ask the entire staff to help reenact the tale of the Great Big Fish once more!
“Please let go of my hand, Lord Theodore,” I said.
“No. Lady Evelyn, I feel like you may have gotten the wrong impression.”
“Have I?”
He nodded. “You think Europa and I are lovers, don’t you?”
I could hardly believe my ears. The bumbling detective got it right!
Lord Theodore was abnormally sharp today. This was far beyond his usual powers of deduction! Who was this man, and what had he done to Lord Theodore?
My expression must’ve given away my confusion, because he said very firmly, “Europa is my cousin. I swear upon the Mother Goddess, there is only one woman I care about, and it’s—”
Before he could finish whatever he was planning to say, Lord Theodore got shoved aside.
“Augh!”
Completely ignoring the fact that Lord Theodore had just tumbled into the stream that ran beside the mansion, Lady Europa stepped closer to me as I stood there, dumbfounded.
“P-Pardon me if I am mistaken,” she began, sounding strangely tense. “Um, um, um, are you... Are you, by any chance, Saint Evelyn?!”
“Huh?!”
“I knew it! Your magical power is incredible!” she exclaimed. She leaned closer, peering into my face with stars in her eyes, and thrust out her palm with tremendous force. “May I shake your hand?!”
I reflexively clasped her outstretched hand, and she shuddered, then fell perfectly still. I timidly looked up at her—her cheeks were now a deep shade of crimson and her breathing was oddly ragged.
“Haah... Haah, haah... Ha ha... Your hand is so tiny... So smooth... And it smells great,” she jabbered, sniffing at our joined hands.
“L-Lady Europa?” I mumbled.
“Ack! M-My apologies! How could I be so careless, touching you with my filthy hand for so long! Oh, I’ll never wash this hand again!”
Wait, wasn’t that contradictory?
She began to fidget and continued, “I’m such, such, suuuch a huge admirer of yours, Saint Evelyn!”
“O-Oh, are you? I’m honore—”
“Oh, please, I’m the one who’s beyond honored!” She chuckled somewhat maniacally. “I love you so much, I even started the St. Evelyn Fan Club back home! Every day I and the rest of the members pray facing the Grand Basilica, wishing you good health, also I’m sorry I’m talking so fast! I’m making a fool of myself! I must sound like such a creep!”
“No, you’re—”
“I mean, you sound lovely, and you look lovely, and you are lovely! Are you an archangel, descended to this earth to grace us with your presence? Yes, you must be. You’re so radiant, you don’t belong among human filth! Oh, I would lay out a velvet carpet to deliver you back to the heavens myself, but I am far too selfish and impure to give up the miracle of standing before you in the flesh! You’re really here! Oh goodness me, I love you so much, my head is starting to spin!”
I found myself stepping back. This lady is terrifying!!!
Was this what Cain had meant by “a bit scary”? If so, “a bit” had been the understatement of the century! She was humongously scary.
She looked like a sheltered young lady until a minute ago, but now she’s gushing drool, tears, and...whatever that other liquid is!
“Stop it, Europa!” snapped Lord Theodore, who had managed to extricate himself from the stream. “You’re frightening Lady Evelyn!”
“Lord Theodore!” I called out. Overwhelmed by extraordinary fear, I ran to him.
Lady Europa’s expression shifted to one of absolute loathing. “Theodore! You may be my cousin, but I will not allow you to interrupt my moment with Saint Evelyn!”
“Enough of this nonsense, Europa! Lady Evelyn, stay with me! I will protect you!” Lord Theodore declared, wrapping his arms around me and looking quite pleased with himself.
Lady Europa glared daggers at him. “Saint Evelyn, move! I will kill him where he stands!”
Eek!
“What are you people doing?” a calm voice rang out, cutting through the chaos.
Kira and Cain, probably worried about what was taking me so long, had come to check on us and were peeking through the gap in the door.
At that moment, the very air seemed to freeze over.
“Saint Evelyn?” Europa called out in a low voice that made me hold my breath. “Why is that dangerous thing here?”
On the receiving end of her gaze was Kira, whose eyes were wide with shock.
In an instant—ignoring Cain and me as we called out after him—Kira took off running at full speed.