But the girl is derided as the Red Fairy… Aha!
A bolt of inspiration shot through him. Perhaps the question was much simpler than he thought.
What if he wants outside confirmation that they make a good couple?
Yes, that must be it. It had to be.
Recently, Yuri seemed attracted to Brigitte. He had never shown much interest in other people, but more than once Clifford had seen him run himself ragged for her sake. Yet because she was contracted to a tiny spirit while Yuri was contracted to two first-class spirits, their status differed dramatically. That must be why he wanted an objective outsider’s opinion.
That made things easy. Clifford liked Brigitte, and he would enjoy nothing more than playing matchmaker between the two of them. He chose to give a placid smile.
“Well, I think she’s a very beautiful young lady.”
“…Anything else?”
“When I talked to her, she struck me as surprisingly friendly and charming. She does put on airs at times, but I believe it’s her way of hiding her shyness. I find it endearing.”
He put on his sunniest smile and praised her to the skies.
“…You’re saying you like her?”
“Certainly!”
I endorse your relationship one hundred percent!
The instant Clifford confirmed his feelings, however, Yuri’s expression darkened.
Oh no!
Clifford must have misread the situation. The blood drained from his face, but suddenly a light, whispery voice rang out.
“You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Shallows-by-the-Cliff.”
“Undine…”
Clifford looked up at the water spirit, who addressed him using the meaning of his name. Glancing at Yuri, he saw his master was staring into space at his desk, chin in hand. This would be his chance to sneak in a conversation with the smiling spirit.
“Sorry, but would you mind telling me what’s happened at school?” he whispered.
“Who, me? Why?”
She looked like she’d rather not bother, but when Clifford joined his hands in pleading, she grudgingly descended from midair.
“Oh, fine. Just this once,” she said, whispering the story seductively into his ear. It tickled a bit, but he kept a straight face long enough for her to fill him in.
“…Why the pitying look?” Yuri asked.
Clifford gave a crooked smile. “Nothing…”
So that’s what’s going on!
He’d never have guessed that Yuri mistakenly thought Brigitte had fallen for himself. It was extremely strange that Yuri would think this, but then again, his experience with women was nonexistent. It wouldn’t be surprising if Yuri had misread Brigitte’s feelings.
…Or maybe it would.
Brigitte must have gotten quite a shock.
Based on what the undine said, Brigitte seemed to have feelings for Yuri. She’d practically confessed to him, only to hear him ask her repeatedly who she liked. She must be feeling awful right now.
“Sir Yuri, I’m saying this to make sure we understand each other. There is nothing between Miss Brigitte and me.”
“…You might not think so, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t.” Yuri groaned.
Clifford sighed. Technically that was true, but…
Does he not realize his own feelings for her?
For a bystander, this was infuriating. He was itching to give Yuri various kinds of advice. But if he wasn’t careful, he could inadvertently make things more awkward between them, and he didn’t want the pain of witnessing that.
Well, no amount of worrying would help. As he tried to decide what to do, the door to the study suddenly opened to reveal Clyde. Smiling with amusement, he walked to the center of the room.
“Sir Clyde…”
Clifford was exasperated by the way he burst in without knocking. He wanted to chide him for it, but Clyde was his superior. Clyde knew that, which made Clifford even angrier.
“Do you have some business with Sir Yuri?” he asked him.
After a cursory glance at Clifford, Clyde peered curiously around the orderly study. He and Yuri had always gotten on poorly. As far as Clifford could remember, this was the first time he’d ever visited his younger brother’s private rooms.
“Just happened to be passing by and overheard a few things. Now what’s this about little Brigitte liking someone?”
These were the walls of a duke’s mansion, and the Water Clan’s residence, at that. There was no way a person passing in the hall could overhear a conversation in an adjacent room. He had to have been eavesdropping.
“It’s none of your business,” Yuri snapped coldly.
“I believe it is. After all, the person she likes could be me.”
“That never occurred to me.”
“Whyever not?”
“Because she’s a good judge of character.”
Clyde’s cheek twitched at this extremely bold assertion. “Damn you… If you hadn’t interfered last time, I might have made some progress with her.”
“Keep your delusional fantasies to yourself and get out of here.”
“Is that how you speak to your older brother?”
“I’ve never in my life thought of you as my older brother.”
The argument dragged on. Only half listening, Clifford let his thoughts wander.
I wonder how Brigitte is doing.
Brigitte and her attendant, Sienna, were friends, so he imagined they were having a similar conversation right now. One thing worried him, though. Sienna was loyal to Brigitte, but she had a habit of toying with her feelings. She probably couldn’t resist teasing her charming young mistress simply for the fun of seeing how she would react.
I hope Miss Sienna gives Miss Brigitte the support she needs! Clifford fervently wished.
Erghhhh… What should I do??
At the same time, in the Meidell cottage, Brigitte was tossing and turning on her bed. So much had happened that day, including Joseph’s visit to her classroom. But the only image in her head, before it could explode, was Yuri’s face.
She was utterly distressed that Yuri had somehow gotten the idea in his head that she liked his attendant, Clifford. She had fled at top speed without contradicting him and was now cursing herself for it.
“Aaah, what do I do…? What in the world should I do…?”
“Peep?”
It was unclear whether Peep, who was exploring the wrinkled sheets on Brigitte’s bed, was responding to its distressed mistress. The little chick was waggling its tail feathers adorably with each step, but Brigitte was so distracted, it didn’t even occur to her to nuzzle the spirit with her cheek.
“Would it be strange to tell him now that I don’t like Clifford? Like I was bringing the conversation up again?”
“Peep, peep!” The chick waggled a tiny foot at her.
“Well, which is it, Peep?”
“Peep, pepeep!”
She had no idea what that meant, and her anguish only intensified. The spirit and its mistress tossed and turned some more on the silky sheets.
“Miss, are you still awake?”
Before she could answer, the door swung open. She panicked, since she was wearing only a thin nightgown, but Sienna rushed in and threw a robe over her shoulders before Carson could see her.
“…Carson.” Sienna glared at the heathen who had just barged in. “I’ve told you a hundred times, it’s thoughtless of you to visit a young lady’s room at this hour of the night.”
“Oh, don’t be so particular.”
The assistant-chef-slash-pâtissier, whom no one could accuse of being particular, waved his hand dismissively.
“Anyway, miss. I wanted to ask you about tomorrow night’s dessert— Hey, what’s wrong?”
Noticing her unhappy expression, he broke off. Sienna was also staring at her, as if she wanted to ask her a question. Normally, Brigitte would have brushed it off. But right now, she was desperate enough to ask a chick spirit for help, so she gathered her courage to explain.
“Well, you see…Sir Yuri mistakenly thinks I like his servant, and I don’t know what to do…”
That was an extremely simplified version of the situation, but Sienna and Carson seemed to understand.
“That reminds me, Blue-Hair said something related to me once.”
Blue-Hair?
The nickname was a bit rude for a duke’s son. Brigitte considered telling him as much, but he would probably just say, Yeah? Anyway, about Blue-Hair… She decided to pretend she hadn’t heard him. Sienna must have decided the same because her mouth remained pulled tight in a straight line.
“What did Sir Yuri say?” Brigitte asked.
“Let’s see…I think he said, ‘What’s your relationship to Brigitte like?’”
“!”
She gasped and leaped out of bed, while Peep flew up to her shoulder.
“And what did you say back?”
“Me? Uh, I think I said, ‘She’s the mistress, and I’m her servant,’ or something…”
His voice trailed off.
Brigitte sighed in relief. It was bad enough worrying about the Clifford problem. If Carson himself had told Yuri they weren’t romantically involved, there probably weren’t any misunderstandings on that front.
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said.
“…Oh. You are?”
Huh?
For some reason, Carson pouted and hurried out of the room. Had she said something wrong? She looked to Sienna for help, but her stalwart servant only sighed.
“Miss, pardon my presumptuousness, but may I offer some advice?”
“Of course. What is it?”
“Have you considered simply telling Sir Aurealis that you like him?”
Brigitte froze, her mouth half-open. Her mind couldn’t wrap itself around this earth-shaking suggestion. The second she did understand, she turned beet red and shouted back in protest.