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PLEASE, oh please, don’t let me run into anyone I know, Oriana prayed to the Dragon God.
It was the morning of Flower Day, and people in casual wear were bustling about the surrounding courtyard. She was slowly making her way down one of Lagen Magic Academy’s brick pathways. Since she’d already received permission for her outing yesterday, she was on her way to the front gate, where she was supposed to meet up with Vincent.
After racking her brain over what outfit to go with all night, she finally settled on something fitting for the spring weather: a simple top and skirt. Oriana’s late mother had been built for easy child labor, and having inherited that, Oriana’s figure was not the least bit suited for pants. A dress would have been a bit too feminine, however, so she abandoned that option. Frankly speaking, despite dedicating an hour to fussing over her attire, she’d only come up with this outfit by process of elimination.
Among all the clothes she owned, this particular skirt had the longest hem. Her blouse, meanwhile, hid her neckline, and the jacket she wore over it was baggy enough to obscure the lines of her body, complete with ribbed sleeves. In the event of an emergency, she could still easily roll them back, and they provided her plenty of mobility. It was up to her to protect the life of the duke’s heir, after all, should the need arise.
Oriana was also carrying an enormous rucksack on her back, since whatever they bought, she certainly didn’t intend to make Vincent carry it. She’d also tucked a handkerchief inside, plus two spares, just in case.
Much as she wanted to complete her outfit with high-heeled velour pumps, considering their date was an outing into the city, she opted instead for lace-up boots.
It’s fine, she reassured herself. When Azraq came over first thing this morning, he told me I’d picked well. I’m sure this will be just fine.
Oriana had felt as embarrassed as a child being sent off on their first date by their parents, but she wouldn’t have felt comfortable not getting a man’s opinion before she headed off. She would need to send Azraq a bottle of alcohol later as a way to express her gratitude for his help.
Thanks to Yana’s lymphatic massage, the swelling in her face had gone down considerably, making it nearly half the size it normally was. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but it definitely felt that way. The skin along her chin was completely clear and smooth, and her eyes looked bigger and brighter than usual. Thanks to the oil she had used the day before, she’d had an easy time putting on her makeup as well. And yet, in spite of her perfect preparations, she still kept fussing.
Yana and Azraq kept watch over her like parents as she left the dorm. She made it only a few steps before pausing to pull out the mirror from her rucksack. Her makeup was nearly perfect. Naturally, of course, since she’d spent several hours on it, which was way more time than she dedicated on any normal school day. Most of her effort was dedicated to making sure the foundation was perfected, so at a glance, it didn’t seem as though she’d gone any more gung-ho than usual.
I don’t want him to know how excited I was about today, but I do want him to think I’m cuter than usual. With any luck, I’d like to make his heart race.
Oriana had never been more nervous in her life before. She combed her hand through her bangs numerous times, plodding along.
“Orianaaaa!”
Oriana flinched at the sound of her name. She hadn’t even sensed anyone coming close until a hand clapped her on the shoulder from behind. “G-Good morning, Miguel,” she said, craning her head around to peer back at him.
Crap, she thought. The last thing she wanted was to meet someone she knew, especially Miguel, who she feared would see right through how ridiculously excited and anxious she was.
“Mornin’.”
Miguel was wearing casual clothes as well, likely because he was taking the day off. Most of the time, he and Vincent spent even their weekends inside the school or in the fields, so they usually wore their robes. It wasn’t often she got to see him dressed like this.
“Hm?” Miguel’s eyebrows shot up.
“What is it?” Oriana asked.
“Your lipstick. It’s different than usual.”
“Huh? Really? I wonder why that’d be?” Oriana averted her gaze, feeling like an idiot for pretending to be oblivious, even as she tried to keep up the facade. “Yeah, sure is a mystery…”
Inwardly, she wondered, Is it really that obvious? Then again, I’d prefer not to discount the possibility that he’s simply got a discerning eye.
“It’s nice. Lighter than usual and cute.”
“You think so?! I normally always use a makeup puff to apply it, but today I tried using a brush instead!”
“Uh-huh.”
“I spread it over a wider area than usual, but I tried to make it lighter as well…”
“Uh-huh.”
“And I kept wondering if it still looked natural.”
“Uh-huh. It’s super cute.”
“Aww…. Thank you.”
In the end, Oriana wound up digging her own grave. She’d basically spilled the beans herself by emphasizing how much effort she’d put into her makeup, proving how special today was.
“Don’t worry, you really do look cute,” Miguel said. He reached a hand up to stroke her head, only to stop himself at the last second. “Ah, you’ve even done your hair too.”
Yeah, I have, but I’d prefer it if you wouldn’t bring it up.
Oriana’s cheeks colored bright red as she knitted her brows. Her lips pulled together in a frustrated pout, and Miguel chuckled.
“Hey, say ‘aah’ for me.”
“Aah?” Oriana did as she was told and opened her mouth, only for something to be promptly shoved inside. She soon realized it was one of the lollipops he always carried with him. “Fwah…” she tried to speak around the candy in her mouth.
“Well, have fun.”
“I whill twy!” Her words came out funny thanks to the sucker obstructing her tongue. Grateful, she waved at Miguel, enjoying the sweet candy in her mouth as she parted ways with him.