Chapter 15: 15

-15- Intrusion of a Cheating Partner

It’s been seven days since Alme opened the ice cream shop. Today, a few days after seeing off the troops, is a day off.

She intended to take a rest while replenishing the ice cream that has been sold.

Time flew by in the blink of an eye while she was making ice cream in the morning, and now it’s noon. Today is the day of the regular lunch meeting with Ena.

–This time, however, it is at Alme’s house. Since Ena helped her prepare the ice cream in the morning, they decided to cook and eat lunch at home. As she cut the ingredients for her sandwich, she enjoyed chatting with Ena.

The topic of conversation was the ice cream menu. Ena is slicing the ham for the sandwiches into thin slices and chattering on and on.

“Didn’t Aiden say before that lemon ice cream would be good? I thought that would be a good idea too. Citrus fruits seem to be popular on hot days, don’t you think?”

“Lemon ice cream…I think I’ll make a prototype right away and add honey as a topping.”

“That’s a good idea! Of course, with an extra charge!”

Alme nodded her head and laughed at Ena’s shrewd suggestion, thinking it was a good idea. It might be a good idea to have a system where she can prepare several toppings and charge an additional fee to arrange it on the ice cream.

– She got the idea to add extra honey because she remembered the honey she got from Falk the other day.

She had immediately enjoyed that fairy honey in her tea that day. The light particles danced and sparkled in the tea, which was pleasing to the eye, and the sweetness was refreshing and elegant, without lingering in her throat either.

Well, she can’t use high-class honey for the permanent menu. If she were to prepare a topping, It would use regular honey.

She took out the fairy honey from the shelf in the kitchen and placed it next to the sandwich plate. Ena has come all the way here, so let’s use it for today’s fruit sandwich.

When she brought the jar of honey, Ena took notice of it.

“That’s from the fairy bee honey shop, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it looks like it. It’s a gift. The customer seemed to like the ice cream and gave it to me as a gift for the opening. I feel guilty consuming it all by myself, like I’m indulging in a luxury I don’t deserve, so please go ahead and eat plenty, Ena.”

She said it herself, and smiled wryly at how small she felt. It’s kind of uncomfortable to monopolize luxury goods. Since it’s a big deal, she decided to have Ena eat it as well.

Looking at Ena, she had a strange grin on her face.

“Heh~, what kind of person was the customer who gave you the gift?”

“He is a man I met when I gave him directions. He came from the far north and wasn’t used to the heat in this city. That’s why he liked the cold ice cream.”

“Hmm, yes. I wonder if that person really liked the ice cream?”

“… um, what? That smile…”

Ena didn’t answer her question, and she went back to slicing the ham with a strangely happy smile on her face.

Since it can’t be helped, Alme returned to peeling the fruit.

The two of them steadily prepare their sandwich lunch. Ham, vegetables, fruit, cheese, and various other ingredients were cut into pieces.

Just as they put down the knife, they heard the bell on the front door ring. It seemed to be a visitor.

“Who could it be?”

“Is it a visitor?”

“I put up a sign saying the shop was closed, so I don’t think so…”

The entrance door was locked, so the bell outside was ringing. It’s unusual because the house usually has almost no visitors other than Ena. She wondered if it’s the mail.

Leaving the kitchen, she glanced at the window on the side of the entrance. Immediately after that, a groan unintentionally spilled out of her mouth.

“… ugh… why is she here!?”

An unexpected person was standing in front of the shop. She had peachy blonde hair and bright light brown eyes. A gorgeous girl, petite and pretty, with a full bosom. –She is Julio’s cheating partner and new fiancée, Campbellina.

Alme ran in a panic, returned to the kitchen in the back, and told Ena.

“An unexpected guest has arrived…! Julio’s cheating partner is here!”

“Huh!? What!? Why!?”

“I don’t know either…!”

What on earth is she doing here?

Campbellina was standing in the doorway with one of her male attendants.

“Uh, I’ll go deal with it anyway. Sorry, if this is going to take long, go ahead and have lunch.”

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay on your own? Do you want me to go with you?”

“Thanks… but I’m fine. It’s probably just Julio related, and I don’t want to get you involved in the discussion. Wait here.”

“Okay. Shall I go upstairs? I can hear you talking in here.”

“Rather, I want you to listen to me… in the unlikely event that it turns into an altercation, please help me…”

“I’ll be right here. Good luck!”

Ena gave her a pat on the back.

When she opened the front door, Campbellina called out to her without a pause.

“Hello, Miss Alme. I was worried about how long I would have to wait. I’m glad you opened the door.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sorry, I was in the middle of…cooking. Uh, please come in.”

Campbellina sent a sarcastic remark in a high-pitched, dainty voice that sounded like a chirping bird. Alme was hit by a preemptive strike, and she involuntarily twitched in her face.

(I thought that maybe she was here to apologize for the Julio affair, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.)

It’s been a while since then, and it’s about time she calmed down. With this attitude of hers, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

(I wonder what the reason is that she went out of her way to find my house and stormed in unannounced I might add.)

Inviting Campbellina inside and guiding her to one of the round tables in the shop. Her attendant pulled out her chair and respectfully helped her into her seat. As she sat down, her fluffy, voluminous skirt swayed and the smell of her strong perfume reached her nose.

Alme thought to herself, she’ll have to ventilate the room later, and worried about the day after tomorrow, as if she were trying to escape from reality.

When she sat down, Alme said out of courtesy, “I’ll offer you some tea.”

“I don’t like the commoner’s tea, but that’s okay. I’ll put in the sugar myself, so just give it to me.”

Alme was ordered about as if it were a command to her own servant. With her face twitching again, Alme went back to the kitchen where Ena was waiting.

“This cheating partner is so arrogant.”

“She’s the daughter of a nobleman, after all.”

She quickly prepared tea while conversing with Ena in the kitchen with only her gaze.

She filled the tray with teacups and saucers, small sugar cubes for guests, and the fairy honey she had just put out, and returned to Campbellina.

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When Alme took her seat, Campbellina took a small leather bag from her attendant and opened it before touching her tea.

She placed the leather bag in the center of the table.

After watching the whole sequence of actions, Alme expressed her doubts directly to her.

“Um, Miss Campbellina. What is the reason for your visit today? What’s in the leather bag here?”

“I came here today to give you this money. I want you to break off your relationship with Julio.”

“Oh, huh…?”

She gave a vague reply to Campbellina, who said it with her sharp voice.

“Well, even if you don’t give me money, my relationship with Julio is already severed…”

“Wait! Don’t call his name casually! That’s exactly what it is. This is why I don’t like commoner women with low awareness. They really don’t have any delicacy. You should only be so boorish in your looks”

“Sorry, excuse me…”

She flinched involuntarily as she was yelled at by a high-pitched voice.

Campbellina continued, perhaps encouraged by seeing Alme cowering.

“I think you’re actually still flirting with Julio in secret. I heard that the relationship has been cut off, but last time you asked Julio to send you a dress, didn’t you? What is that?”

“Jul… Mr. Beatos said it on his own. I refused, and nothing happened after that.”

The talk about giving her a dress as a consolation was something Julio had suggested when she went to the library to pick up her personal belongings. 

He was probably just teasing her anyway, and the matter had long since passed.

Perhaps irritated by Alme’s retort, Campbellina showed her annoyance.

“Then get out of Julio’s way so he won’t say those things to you anymore! If you keep hanging around, he might take pity on you again and say he’s going to give you a dress or something! Don’t come to the library anymore! Stay away from Julio!”

“I have no business with Mr. Beatos, so I won’t go near him, but it would be a problem if my use of the library was restricted.”

The use of the library is essential when doing research. The residents of the city have an equal right to use the library, so there should be no question about it.

When Alme returned her opinion, Campbellina became irritated, her face reddening, and she began to talk nonsense.　

“I’m offering you money, so do what I say! I am a noblewoman! A commoner like you has no right to talk back to me! Just stay away from the library! And stay away from the markets and squares and streets where Julio frequents and where we might meet!”

“Eh… the city streets are free for anyone to walk…”

She’s gradually came to understand, this girl named Campbellina seems to be a bit selfish. Alme didn’t know if her status as a baron’s daughter made her do that, or if it was her original personality.

Campbellina turned the brunt of her growing rage on to Alme herself. She continued to tingle with vigor.

“Why were you engaged to Julio in the first place? You’re so out of proportion! I can’t… believe that a woman with such a dowdy haircut and a dowdy dress was engaged to the handsome Julio. If it weren’t for you, I could have married Julio without feeling bad about anything!”

“Well…if you put it that way…”

“Really, you should know your own place! You should date someone worthy of you! You’re unremarkable, you should have chosen an unremarkable man from the beginning! Ah, I’m getting irritated! I’m annoyed that you were in Julio’s past!”

Alme can’t do anything about it now, and she wants to forget about it too. Even here, she would like to erase the history that the man she was engaged to before was a useless cheater.

As she put her hands on her temple, she could see Ena’s face peeking out from the entrance of the kitchen behind Campbellina, who was facing Alme.

“Are you okay?” her eyes seemed to say. Alme replied that she was fine with just her gaze, and decided to think about how to settle the situation.

With the state Campbellina is in, they can’t have a calm discussion anymore. It would be wise for her to calm down and go home.

“… Um, then, I understand. From now on, I will spend my time being as careful as possible so that I don’t run into Mr. Beatos. Even if by any chance we pass each other in the city, I will avoid him. I’m a plain woman who doesn’t care about my attire, so I’m sure I’ll end up being unnoticed.”

When she responded by emphasizing the part of her that had been demeaned, Campbellina seemed to have lowered her anger, and she seemed to have recovered a little.

“–Well, that’s true! Miss Alme, you’re wearing a dress that looks like a mouse. Certainly, when passing a mouse in the city, no one will look at it.”

Campbellina glanced at Alme as if to judge. She gave a satisfied chuckle, let her attendant carry the bag, and began to prepare for her departure.

“Then don’t get too close to Julio, okay? I’ve finished my business and I’m on my way. Please check the amount of the gratuity yourself. I won’t accept any complaints.”

“Yes… I’ll take it.”

Alme didn’t understand and had a lot to say, but the money can be used as funds for the shop, so she’ll take it as a consolation prize rather than cut-off money.

Campbellina took one last sip of tea and she quickly got up and left.

At the door she exchanged a short greeting with nothing but her politeness.

“Good day, Miss Alme.”

“Yes, Miss Campbellina, have a nice day.”

Seeing off the stormy appearance of the young lady, Alme finally relaxed her body and let out a deep breath.

Ena came out from behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Good work averting that terrible disaster…”

“Yeah, really…”

Laughing at her tired face, she returned to her kitchen. The topic of today’s luncheon is likely to be her complaints about Campbellina.

–Campbellina herself looked complicated as she walked through the alleys of the common people’s district.

Noticing the expression on his mistress’s face, the valet called out to her.

“Miss, did the commoner’s black tea not suit your taste?”

“… That’s right. It was bitter and I couldn’t drink it.”

Campbellina replied as if she wanted to vomit. She likes sweet tea, but she forgot to add sugar.

Because Alme was a commoner and gave out something like fairy honey, she was distracted and her tea drinking became sloppy.

Because the fairy honey was a gift.

The honey, with its beautiful cut-outs on the jar, was a very expensive one, sold as a gift from a man to a woman.

At aristocratic tea parties, women would place the beautiful jars of honey on the table and serve them to others as if to show off their status – as if to say, “I’m a special lady who gets nice things from nice guys.”

That is what these products are made for. It is not something that the average person would use on their dinner table.

So why is that woman carrying it as if it were a matter of course?

Campbellina kept her mouth shut and walked quickly down the alley, shaking off the unnecessary thoughts that were making her heart flutter.

Her face is bitter because she forgot to add sweetness to her tea. It’s not like Alme’s honey had anything to do with it.

That’s what she told herself.

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