But before we continue with the story here.
“Sophia.”
I pointed at one of the women who had been lurking around.
“Y-yes…!?”
The blonde woman, dressed in a long coat and wrapped up in a thick scarf, let out a startled squeak at my words.
“Sophia, please come over here and take a seat.”
“S-sophia? Who are you talking about? My name is Je-dan!”
“Throwing out the most common name in the Imperial Capital and acting innocent will just make you look more suspicious. If you want to hear the story, quit eavesdropping and just sit still here and listen.”
I gestured to the remaining chairs at the table.
In fact, Sophia’s disguise was quite convincing. If I hadn’t seen Sophia’s transformed appearance in the original, I definitely wouldn’t have recognized her.
Besides, while other students would bolt the moment they made eye contact with me, she was the only one hanging around like that—no way I could miss it.
…Well, I was half just taking a shot in the dark. Either way, if I’m wrong, I can just rewind time and fix it.
“…….”
And thankfully, it seemed she really was Sophia.
Realizing how pointless it was to keep up the act now that I had caught her, Sophia removed her wig and tossed the scarf aside.
Her face still bore an expression of bewilderment.
“Sophia? Is it really you?”
Leo’s eyes were wide as saucers.
Can you blame him? The Sword Saint can detect people just from their presence. Leo had been seriously training under the Sword Saint himself. If his instincts were sharper than in the original, there was no way he wouldn’t notice.
“…….”
Blushing, Sophia approached us and occupied a seat.
She tried her hardest to look haughty, but with that flushed face, she didn’t come off as very dignified at all.
Besides, her eyes were puffy. I had no idea how long she had been following us, but she must have been crying somewhere beforehand.
Being a heroine, Sophia was indeed a beauty. Setting aside my previous bad impression of her from the original, I should feel a twinge of guilt if someone like her cried because of me. But right now, all I wanted to do was tear my hair out.
It was just bewildering.
No, seriously, what did I do wrong?
“What happened?”
It’s because of you, you!
Even Leo, who was as clueless as they come, seemed to recognize Sophia’s expression clearly.
So, what should I do now?
At first, I thought about hearing what Leo had to say and then rewinding time to create a more natural time and place for a conversation between Sophia and Leo… It was a bit different from what I expected, but somehow, the opportunity arose.
But telling Leo, “Sophia likes you,” was definitely not an option. That would be the absolute worst move. Even though I led a life completely distant from romance in my past life, if I thought someone was spilling the beans about my feelings for someone I liked, I might have actually wanted to kill that person.
…The problem was that Leo was even more clueless about romance than I was back then.
Alright then.
In that case, let’s just say what can be said plainly.
“Leo, are you aware that people have been misunderstanding the relationship between you and me lately?”
“Huh?”
In an already awkward atmosphere due to Sophia’s downcast expression, my comment sent Leo into an even deeper state of confusion.
I heard someone gasp, and I shot a glare in that direction. It seemed like two noble girls from Class B had just entered the bakery, noticed us, and were eavesdropping while trying to be discreet. As soon as their eyes met mine, their faces went pale, and they bolted out of the shop.
Even the shopkeeper’s face turned ashen.
…It wasn’t my intention to disrupt business.
Should I buy a bunch of bread on my way out as an apology? I can’t eat them all, but… since I’m buying, I could just pass them out to the residents I visited last time. I mean, I did make some of them tremble with my gun antics, so it counts as an apology.
“What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what it says. People think I have feelings for you. I don’t think you feel the same way about me, though.”
“…”
Leo’s face went pale after sitting there dumbfounded with his mouth agape.
“I, no, do I?”
His tone changed due to his astonishment.
“That’s right.”
“With the Crown Princess?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Puff, puff.
Leo, who looked like a goldfish gasping for air, finally rubbed his face with his hand.
I glanced at Sophia. Her eyes were still puffy, but at least the expression on her face wasn’t sadness or despair.
Rather, it was surprise.
“Let’s make one thing clear.”
I said to Leo in my negotiation voice.
“Do you think I like you?”
“Excuse me? No, of course not.”
Leo immediately stiffened his face and replied.
“I didn’t have such an overstepping thought.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s an overstepping thought…”
I couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly.
“Still, I’m glad you’re not misunderstanding.”
I looked at Sophia once more, then got up from my seat.
As Sophia was about to rise to follow me, I put my hand firmly on her shoulder.
Honestly, if we were to talk about strength, Sophia was stronger than me, so if she decided to get up, she could easily do it, regardless of whether my hand was on her shoulder or not. But maybe because I was the Crown Princess, or perhaps she just had no intention of getting up, she sat back down immediately.
“Please finish your meal here. I trust you understand that getting up before everyone is finished is a great discourtesy to those seated at the table.”
Upon hearing my words, Leo’s face instantly turned indignant.
Well, of course. My current action was the very definition of getting up without finishing the meal.
But what’s the big deal?
I’m the Crown Princess, and you’re a mere Baron—still not even a real Baron.
And because Leo was well aware of that fact, he didn’t get up to follow me.
I turned around without a second thought, ready to leave the bakery.
Just then, I noticed the bakery owner with a face that screamed he heard something he shouldn’t have and bought up all the remaining bread except for a few that the two could eat.
The bakery owner’s expression brightened a little at that point. He even called out as I left, “Please do drop by again next time!”
See, money talks!
*
“……”
“……”
After a brief but stormy time, Leo and Sophia sat staring at each other with blank expressions.
He was sitting there with a blank expression.
Both of them had that look of someone who just couldn’t figure out how things had spiraled into this situation.
“…You can’t actually believe that, right?”
Sophia said, narrowing her eyes as she stared at Leo.
It finally dawned on Leo that Sophia’s eyes were a bit red and puffy. He hadn’t noticed this in the morning… or had he? Honestly, he couldn’t be sure. After all, Claire had always treated him like the oblivious little brother whenever she saw him.
Of course, that was a bit off. He couldn’t deny being oblivious, but he wasn’t her little brother; he was her older brother.
“What do you mean you don’t believe it?”
Sophia’s eyes widened as she did a full rotation of astonishment. She looked utterly baffled, and in another way, she almost looked pitiable. Leo felt assured that at least that ‘pitiable’ part wasn’t directed at him.
“It’s obviously a lie. Just look at all the things the Crown Princess has done until now.”
As Sophia crossed her arms and glared at Leo, he was baffled all over again.
“But just a moment ago, the Crown Princess herself said it’s not true!”
“Then, would someone who likes an unattainable guy say, ‘Actually, I love you’?”
“…Well…”
That might be true, but…
Hearing that made Leo’s insides twist uncomfortably.
At least…
At least he thought the Crown Princess wouldn’t feel that way about him.
The reason was simple. The Crown Princess hadn’t shown the least bit of embarrassment or shyness during the summer break when she was spending the night in the same place as him.
At the very least, he had the ability to notice that she didn’t harbor any special feelings for him, given her reaction.
“Have you seen the Crown Princess talking to any other guys?”
“There’s Jake, you know?”
In response to Leo’s immediate answer, Sophia facepalmed.
Why on earth is this happening to me?
After seeing Sophia’s reaction, Leo began to understand why Crown Princess Sylvia had intentionally seated Sophia beside her when she said those words.
She must have wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.
If it were a man, it wouldn’t matter much, but for a woman, just having such rumors spread could become a scandal.
“No, I mean, what I’m saying is…”
Leo calmly decided to explain to Sophia, step by step, why the Crown Princess wouldn’t be interested in him.
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This chapter seems to be missing.
Any chance this chapter gets updated?
Fixed