🦊 🦊 🦊
“ALLY,” Lauris greeted me. “Looks like you’re back to normal.”
He, Julietta, Rosario, and Oreste were already sitting around the table in the courtyard. After the events in my room, I’d gotten ready and headed here as well. This was our venue for the tea party, after all.
“Yeah, just a little while ago,” I replied.
Julietta dashed over to me, a smile lighting up her face. “Thank goodness you’re better now,” she said while locking arms with me.
Before long, Rosario chimed in with his usual sarcasm. “Still, you were a lot cuter and quieter as a fox.”
Oreste laughed. “Haha, no arguments there!”
I glared at the two boys. Maybe I needed to beat them to a pulp like I had before the time loop.
Julietta cocked her head, noticing something. “Oh, what’s that?” She was looking at the slime on my shoulder. Lauris and the others followed her gaze.
“Is that the metal sphere from before?” Rosario asked.
“Good eye,” I replied with a grin. “Say hello to Squishy, everyone.”
“Squishy,” the slime cheeped in response to my words.
Lauris and Rosario both sighed.
“First a dragon, and now a slime?” Lauris asked, sounding a touch exasperated. “There’s never a dull moment with you around.”
Rosario nodded. “Too true.”
Oreste laughed again. “We need someone to keep things fun, right?”
Having said that, he stood up and escorted Cita to her seat. The twins had come with me, after all. Rosario followed suit, escorting Cia to her seat as well.
“Hey, who’s gonna escort me?” I pouted.
Neither Embert nor Janus were present to escort me. Evidently, both had an audience with the King of Bragioga. As I took a step forward, grumbling about my lack of a date, someone took my hand.
“Please allow me to escort you,” he said.
When I turned to face the speaker, I found a young man with strawberry blond hair and eyes that sparkled like lapis lazuli. I’d met him in the greenhouse as a fox. After smiling at me, the young man’s face changed to one of slight puzzlement.
“Have we met before?” he asked, scrutinizing me with a furrowed brow.
Julietta’s face flushed. “Ugh, Giusto! Could you please stop embarrassing your little sister with such a hackneyed pickup line?”
When I compared Julietta and the young man, everything snapped into place. He’d seemed familiar during our last encounter because he resembled Julietta.
“Aha, forgive me,” the young man replied jokingly. “Your friend is so stunning that I couldn’t help myself.”
He really looks like Julie. He’s about Lauris’s height, too.
In any case, the young man’s gentle demeanor coaxed a smile from me.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” he said, introducing himself to the whole group. “My name is Giusto Cotarini. As you might have guessed, I’m Julie’s older brother. From what I hear, my sister owes all of you a great debt. Thank you for being so kind to her.”
Prince Giusto exchanged introductions with everyone individually. When he came to me last, I curtsied.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said. “My name is Alexandra Vistriano.”
Giusto’s lapis lazuli eyes widened as he regarded me. Well, he was standing right in front of me. How could he miss the little fellas on my shoulders?
“Oh, these two are Custode and Squishy,” I added.
“Is… that right?” Giusto responded. He probably wanted to make some sort of witty remark. Nevertheless, he continued smiling serenely, his expression not changing in the slightest.
First princes are something else, huh?
“Vistriano, you said?” Giusto asked, changing the conversation back to me. “Are you related to Lord Janus, by any chance?”
“Yes, he’s my older brother.”
Immediately, Giusto’s expression brightened, and he grabbed my hand. “Prince Embert and Lord Janus did so much for me during their study abroad trip. Lord Janus is a truly remarkable swordsman. Not even an entire squadron of knights could defeat him. Moreover, he has a wonderful way of looking at things. I have the utmost respect for him.”
“Thank you very much,” I responded with a smile.
Of course, I couldn’t start rambling about my amazing brother to someone I’d just met. However, Rosario sprang out of his seat to stand in front of Giusto.
“You’re a fellow admirer of Lord Janus?” Rosario asked. “I’ve looked up to him since I was a child.” Even after all these years, Rosario still worshiped the ground my brother walked on.
“Um, your name is Lord Rosario, correct?” Giusto asked. “It’s good to meet someone who feels the same way.”
“Indeed. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen Lord Janus much as of late due to his busy schedule. Yet back in the day, he often tutored me and instructed me in swordsmanship.”
“Color me envious.”
Rosario and Giusto were getting weirdly fired up.
Um, can I sit down now? Custode’s starting to feel pretty heavy.
“Rude, much?” Custode grumbled after reading my thoughts.
Oh, c’mon. No matter how small you are, you’re still a dragon. You’re at least heavier than a puppy.
Squishy shivered on top of my shoulder in agreement.
“Giusto,” Julietta interrupted with a huff, hands on her hips. “Why don’t you continue this conversation once everyone’s taken their seats?”
Somehow, my thoughts had reached her.
Oh my Goddess, what a cutie patootie.
“Dorky smile alert,” Custode remarked in a mocking tone.
Jolting, I lifted him to cover my mouth. At that moment, Lauris met my eye and smirked.
Gah, life is so unfair!
Why did Lauris get to hog this angel all to himself? As I glowered at him, a warm touch on my back returned me to my senses.
“I apologize for making you stand,” Giusto said.
He then escorted me to the table with his hand on my back. The couples were sitting next to each other. As the odd ones out, Giusto and I sat next to each other as well.
“The dragon on your lap is named Custode, correct?” Giusto asked when everyone had received their tea. “And the creature on the table is named Squishy? Are they both your pets?”
Custode harrumphed at being called a pet.
“They’re not my pets,” I replied. “Custode might be small now, but he’s a divine beast and my cherished companion. The other little fella is a slime, but he’s also my familiar, I suppose?”
“Come again?” Giusto asked, stiffening. “A divine beast and a familiar?”
Yeah, that’s a lot to wrap your head around at once. Can’t blame the guy for freezing up.
Lauris sighed in exasperation. “Learn to explain yourself better, Ally.”
Yeah, yeah, I know.
As I opened my mouth to give a proper explanation, Julietta interrupted. Brimming with eagerness, she told the entire story of me being a holy woman and Custode coming to find me.
Giusto’s lapis lazuli eyes sparkled. “In other words, you’re the holy woman who appeared in Gandolfin, Lady Alexandra?”
Uh oh, looks like he has unrealistic expectations for me now.
“Well, um, I’m not a holy woman per se,” I hedged.
“No, you are a holy woman,” Julietta countered, her brown eyes sparkling. “You’re incredibly strong, beautiful, and kind.”
Despite my attempt at humility, Julietta praised me to high heaven. Looking at her made me dizzy.
Gah, how can anyone be this cute? I can’t believe Lauris gets her all to himself.
Giusto chuckled. “You really love Lady Alexandra, don’t you, Julie?”
“Of course,” Julietta replied. “And it’s not just me. Everyone here loves Ally.”
The two grinning siblings couldn’t have been more lovely. Seeing their close bond uplifted my spirit. It was a truly precious sight.
“You really are an incredible woman, Lady Vistriano,” Giusto said. “On top of having a divine beast companion, you also bonded a familiar in the dungeon. A dragon and a slime are quite the combo.”
Based on the twinkle in his eyes, he meant every word without a hint of sarcasm. Though I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks, I laughed off my embarrassment.
Afterward, we discussed the Founding Festival and fun places to visit nearby. Despite his royal status, Giusto didn’t act self-important. Rather, he kept a warm smile, appearing to be a kindly prince in every regard. I let my guard down with him, as his demeanor reminded me somewhat of Embert’s. Thus, I couldn’t help but be startled when he brought his face close to mine.
“You look strangely familiar to me,” he said, reaching towards my cheek. “Yes, I’ve seen these beautiful amethyst eyes somewhere recently.” His fingertips were mere inches away from brushing my cheek.
“Ally,” a familiar voice echoed from behind, quiet but clear.
Everyone turned in the direction of the voice. Embert strode towards us briskly, his silver hair fluttering in the wind.
“Embert!” Lauris said.
“Hi there, Em,” I greeted him a second later.
Lauris had beaten me to the punch. When I glared at him two seats away, he looked back at me smugly.
“Brother-obsessed weirdo,” I grumbled.
Lauris chuckled. “Call me whatever you like.”
His newfound masculinity might have impressed me before, but his brother obsession remained as strong as ever. In any case, Embert arrived behind me.
“I finished work early, so I decided to join the party,” he said. Embert took my hand and kissed my fingertips. His smile was so beautiful that the hearts of everyone present must have fluttered. At this point, however, such displays of affection didn’t even faze me.
“I’m glad you came,” I responded with a smile. Yet, for some reason, he didn’t release my hand. “Em?”
Staring into my eyes, Embert kissed my fingertips, the back of my hand, and then my palm. Last, he kissed my wrist, briefly licking it.
“Eek!” I squealed.
My surprise coaxed a look of satisfaction from Embert. Jerkwad, I thought, clutching my racing heart while glaring at him.
In response, Embert laughed with delight. “You’re as adorable as ever, my precious Ally.”
Most everyone regarded us somewhat critically. On the other hand, Lauris gazed into the distance with a thousand-yard stare.
Oh, don’t give me that. You and Julie are just as mushy when you’re alone together, right?
Only one person at the table seemed puzzled.
“Your precious Ally?” Giusto repeated curiously.
It dawned on me that he didn’t know about our relationship. No one had thought to mention it since it was such an obvious fact.
“That’s right,” Embert replied with a smile, still holding my hand. “She’s my fiancée.”
Was it just my imagination, or was his smile a touch sinister? At any rate, he sat down next to me, still not letting go of my hand.
After taking a gulp of tea, Embert turned his wicked grin directly on Giusto. “In fact, our engagement was officially recognized a few days ago.”
Giusto’s eyes widened in surprise, and he stiffened for a moment. Nevertheless, his face soon broke into a smile. “Ah, I see,” he said. “Then I suppose congratulations are in order.”
Embert chuckled. “Why, thank you.”
The whole exchange happened with me sandwiched between them. You could cut the tension with a knife. As I squirmed uncomfortably, Custode looked up at me from my lap.