Chapter 175 – Chapter 174. Mixed (5)
Leopold’s figure fades away.
Asti blankly watched her back.
The reading room door closed soundlessly, and the eyes of the lion statue that was roaring ferociously above the iron door changed from green to red again.
“… Just in case.”
Asti sneaked closer and looked at it.
The eyes of the lion statue are still red.
It doesn’t even show any signs of turning green.
“I can’t either… “
It was a great regret.
She thought it would be more efficient if she went into the reading room together and searched for it together, but the lion roaring above the iron door seemed to have no intention of allowing her entry.
How long will it take
I’ll probably have to look for this and that, so it won’t come out soon, just as Leopold said it won’t come out soon.
So what do you do in the meantime?
Asti put her arm on the desk in her reading room and tapped her finger on the top of her desk.
Should I wait like this?
Of course, she would have to wait, but even though she was sitting there blankly, it was a bit of a strange waiting time.
“… Shall I read a book?”
But she doesn’t like books very much.
Besides, the books on this floor are all books related to magic and have already been researched once, so they are somewhat unsuitable for Asti to pass the time.
【Why don’t you get some fresh air outside?】
It was Astrid.
As soon as she entered the library, she couldn’t get used to this musty smell and she didn’t want to get used to it.
Say to get some air.
Not bad.
The Imperial Library was an institution that couldn’t be on the outskirts no matter what its value was.
There is also a reading room for the imperial family, and most of the collections are of high value as records, so it’s a bit out of the way, but it’s in the downtown area.
And numerous wagons passing in front of it were diligently carrying passengers to the shopping district along with the library.
After coming out of the library for a while, Asti looked around.
The garden, which is lush with trees, is always well-groomed, so its splendor and beauty are incomparable. It may be difficult to compare it to the imperial palace, but it is a well-decorated place befitting a library run with funds from the imperial family.
【Let’s go downtown and have a snack. Cakes, cakes, cakes.]
‘Do you want to eat something sweet?’
【… When you’re depressed, you have to eat sweets.]
At Astrid’s words, Asti laughed.
Leopold would still have a long way to go. He is not reluctant to sit idle and pass the time, and no matter how beautiful the tree is, there is no particular inspiration for Asti, who has been frequenting this place.
‘I wonder if it is.’
Not a bad idea
Asti stopped a carriage that was passing in front of her, climbed into it, told the driver where she was going, and looked out the window blankly.
【… Do you still have no intention of being honest?]
‘What?’
Astrid noticed that Asti was still not speaking her mind.
These two are closer than anyone else in the world. It was such an uncomfortable cohabitation that I didn’t know if it was a bad relationship or a good relationship, but now that I know each other well after quite some time, I can quickly notice how each other is feeling.
The insecurity hidden in the cheerfulness.
That is the Astid that Astrid saw.
The downtown area from the carriage was full of vitality.
The shops were lined up, and it was difficult to find even a shadow of darkness on the faces of the customers who came and went in and out of each shop.
There was a large fountain in the center.
The water overflowing from the jar held by the cute baby angel fills the plate,
It was a relatively simple fountain in which water overflowed from the plate and fell again onto a large plate.
Even such a fountain would look quite picturesque against a clear blue sky.
What would happen if such terrible monsters attacked this place?
I finally felt the realization that I had protected this peaceful place.
Although no one knows, wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of pride?
【Isn’t that Ashley?】
‘What.’
Indeed, it was Ashley.
A tall, large, black-faced giant was looking around and making an awkward expression, not knowing what to do.
Perhaps seeing only Ashley wearing the formal officer uniform of the Grand Duchess of Mitterien, Ashley wearing plain clothes like that also had a fairly fresh feel to her.
【What is that guy here for?】
‘I know.’
Asti was also puzzled.
Was there a reason for Ashley to be here? Come to think of it, I don’t think there was anything special.
Then why did you come
【Let’s go and ask.】
‘Is that so?’
I was curious.
And as I took a step towards Ashley, I was about to call out to him—
“Lord Ashley!”
Her voice, one step ahead of her, called Ashley.
And with that voice, Ashley’s face straightened as soon as she turned around.
【… It’s just the two of those dark idiots. It’s ugly, really.]
‘Oh, I can’t help it. It was… That’s why Ashley was here.’
It was Violet.
With her bobbed hair flying, she also threw off her usual academy uniform and put on a light pink two-piece that gave off a rather airy feel.
The shoulder strap of the handbag slid beside her crossed her breasts very ‘accidentally’, and thanks to that, her fairly large breasts were overwhelmingly exposed.
Ashley must have seen it too, her face was blushing.
【My sisters are smoking green seungseung here, but I can’t leave them alone. I’m going to disturb you right now!]
‘Arthur, Arthur. Ashley should also get married.’
Consoling Astrid, who was about to go mad, Asti entered any dessert shop next to her.
Shouldn’t her sister also be dating?
For Asti half a year ago, who had almost married her step-brother, it was quite a development for her.
*
“Bon appetite-!”
“Thank you.”
I took a few pictures of the food on the menu and ordered it, but luckily it didn’t seem like a failure.
I don’t know what it is, but the pancake, which was filled with sweet sauce and almost soaked, boasted a sweetness that seemed to melt in my mouth as soon as I ate it, and the drink that came with it was not a bitter imperial tea, but a slightly bitter tea, so it properly neutralized the crazy sweetness to improve my taste buds. It brightened up
【Asti.】
The fork that was cutting the cake stopped.
The sky-high mood had stopped rising.
【So, have you given up on the idea of returning to the original world?】
Asti did not answer for a long time.
Yes, yes… As for going back, I’ve given up on it—she should have replied, but she couldn’t. The words just couldn’t come out of her mouth. She wasn’t exactly a mouth, but she couldn’t answer anyway.
【I know everything. That you have no intention of going back. Right?】
‘… That, yes go back… ‘
Go back
Go back to the original world.
What was there originally in the world? Why did you want to return to the original world in the first place?
Wasn’t it because I wanted to enjoy the conveniences of civilization, such as televisions and smartphones?
However, if you think about whether they can give her now more value than Leopold, no.
If Leopold wasn’t there, if I couldn’t hear that voice, if I couldn’t feel that warm hand caressing my cheek, what would they mean?
If you think they’re meaningful enough to trade with Leopold—
【Aren’t you really without conscience?】
The fork trembled and knocked on the plate.
The gaze gradually turns downward.
‘… Because I agreed to cooperate on the condition that I go back to normal… Oh, I know. I know… ‘
【Obviously, after entering the body of the owner. Oh, that’s right, if it weren’t for you, I might have died. Even so, wouldn’t it be a breach of promise for you to aim for His Highness as well?]
Astrid’s every word stabbed her in the chest.
It wasn’t because I wanted to. Asti wanted to enter Astrid’s body, so she wasn’t like that.
Even so, it was only an extenuating factor, not an indulgence.
Because it was supposed to go back to the way it was from the beginning.
Because that was a promise.
Because I didn’t know that we would be looking at Leopold together like this.
Because I didn’t know that.
Yeah, because I didn’t know!
【Just joke. What could be A woman who doesn’t fall for a perfect man like Her Highness is even more strange.]
‘… What?’
【I just wanted to relieve my mood. Because I didn’t mean to scold you. But don’t I have the right to talk about this?]
‘Yeah, but that’s the case.’
【My name and color have been coexisting in one body for over half a year, but we have never seriously talked about it. What will we do in the future, if you and I really have to coexist with this body, it won’t be like now. Shouldn’t there be something like a promise between each other?]
It’s definitely troublesome.
It shouldn’t be like this now.
【We must now be the same person. It would be a very difficult situation if the crown princess of a country, and furthermore, the empress had a dual personality.]
That’s what it says.
If the crown prince, the empress, had a dual personality.
It would be very difficult for an empress whose personality changes rapidly depending on the title the emperor calls her.
[I have to do something. Either you return, or… 】
Astrid paused for a moment and sighed lightly.
【… Coexisting with the two of us and not being noticed by anyone. It should probably be the latter.]
