15.
Sasha, reunited after three years, was dazzlingly beautiful. The clothes that had always looked so stylish on her as a child seemed to have blossomed into full flower the moment she reached adulthood.
The slim, pale pink dress and elegantly swept-up blonde hair were perfect for the summer heat. Sasha grasped Anita’s hand, her smile bright.
“Oh my. I never expected to run into you in a place like this. How long has it been, anyway? Have you been doing well?”
Judging by her guileless expression, she hadn’t yet heard the news of the Boellony family’s downfall.
It was a relief, if anything. It was far better than navigating the awkwardness of an unexpected reunion burdened by pity.
“I’ve been doing well. You’ve grown quite tall, Sasha. You’re starting to look more and more like Claunia.”
“Hmm. That’s not a very pleasant thing to hear. That just means I look stupid.”
As Sasha complained, a woman approached her.
“Miss Sasha. Who is this?”
The first thing that caught Anita’s eye was the woman’s white, delicate arms. Then, the well-conditioned platinum hair that flowed down in long waves, the sharp blue eyes, and a softly curved, practiced smile.
Sasha turned to introduce Anita.
“Oh, this is Miss Anita Boellony, a friend of my sister, Claunia.”
“Ah, I see.”
With a look that suggested she had heard it all before, the woman curled the corners of her lips and gave a slight nod.
“Nice to meet you, Anita Boellony. I am Rosa Eburk, of the House Eburk.”
House Eburk.
Anita felt a secret chill at the name. It had been two years, but she still possessed an unforgettable history with the Eburks—or, to be precise, with Rosa Eburk’s older sister.
*To meet the younger sister after the older one…*
In truth, the connection between the Eburks and Anita could hardly be described as pleasant. In the not-so-distant past, when a betrothal was pushed between the eldest daughter of the Eburk family and Lancelot, the position of “Lancelot’s close friend, Anita Boellony” had become precarious.
*“The dowager’s words were right. They say a young girl is brazenly clinging to him, eyeing the mistress’s seat. If you have any conscience, don’t go around telling people you’re doing it for Lancelot. Lancelot is facing unnecessary ridicule because of you!”*
I am nothing but a hindrance to Lancelot.
The verbal abuse from the Countess Eburk had jolted Anita into a harsh reality. Although the engagement between the two hadn’t lasted, the sting remained.
“It is an honor to meet you, Lady Rosa Eburk.”
“You look exactly as the rumors described.”
Anita’s mouth snapped shut.
“Don’t take it the wrong way. It means you’re beautiful.”
Rosa, wearing a cryptic smile, leaned in.
“Miss Boellony might not know me, but I know you quite well. Aren’t you curious how?”
Naturally, she wasn’t.
“I’m sorry. I’m quite busy right now. I’ll hear it later.”
“The daughter sold off by the money-crazed Count Boellony.”
“…….”
“That’s your nickname. Just so you know. I don’t know who coined it, but isn’t it quite vulgar? If we happen to run into each other again, I’ll be sure to give them a piece of my mind, so look forward to it.”
Rosa’s blue eyes flickered, intent on catching even the slightest lash-flutter that might reveal Anita’s reaction.
Of course, it was impossible for Anita—long since desensitized to ridicule—to break into tears. When Anita offered only a detached, *‘So what?’* smile, Rosa seemed to lose interest and turned away.
“Then… I’ll be waiting, so finish your business and come back, Miss Sasha.”
Without a shred of regret, Rosa Eburk approached her party, laughing and chatting as if nothing had happened. Sasha watched her back and clicked her tongue.
“Sorry, Anita. I shouldn’t have acknowledged her. I didn’t know she was such a nasty woman. I only met her today for the first time myself.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s a common occurrence.”
“It’s definitely because of Lancelot. She brought him up the moment we met. I really don’t understand it. What’s so great about a psychopath who only looks good on the outside? If you spend a few days with him, you’d lose all affection for him. Wouldn’t you?”
Anita smiled, remaining silent.
She dared not interfere with Rosa Eburk’s interest in Lancelot, nor could she criticize those feelings. After all, Anita harbored the exact same ones.
“I’ll be staying in the Kingdom of Montebio for a while. Let’s meet again soon. Without that nasty blonde, of course.”
With a final sharp remark, Sasha returned to Rosa with an indifferent face.
Anita stood where they had left her for a long time, lost in thought, before turning to leave. But a long shadow, not there before, blocked her path.
“Hello, miss.”
It was the silver-haired man who had been with Rosa Eburk.
Startled, Anita stiffened and stepped back. On a clear summer day, the man wore a suspicious jeweled butterfly mask that stood out immediately.
The lips beneath the mask curved into a smooth, practiced smile.
“I’m not a strange person. A lady’s cold gaze is piercing my fragile heart.”
She had thought he was part of Sasha’s party. If she were wrong, that was an even bigger problem.
“I’m sorry. Do you have business with me?”
The man studied her intently.
“Is that an habitual apology?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve been watching for a while. You use apologies like a weapon, skillfully hiding your annoyance and trouble. I’ve been wounded twice now.”
Recalling her conversation with Rosa Eburk, Anita smiled with a cold, detached expression. Just as he said, it was a habitual smile for a habitual apology.
“I’m sorry for that as well. I’m quite busy, so unless it’s an important matter, I’ll be going now.”
“It is important. I’m looking for the luggage storage. I was wondering if you knew where the Green Storage is.”
Green Storage.
Anita’s gaze froze.
*He’s looking for the old, decommissioned storage?*
Furthermore, the man was a foreigner. His Montebio was fluent, but the cadence gave him away.
“Everyone I ask doesn’t seem to know. It’s a wonder.”
“…I don’t know, either.”
Anita denied it and turned away. It wasn’t polite to suspect a stranger, but for some reason, her intuition flared. Of all the people in this place, why did it have to be a man asking about the Green Storage? The unpleasant feeling gnawed at her.
The man followed her naturally, sounding surprised.
“You don’t know? Weren’t you an employee of this amusement park?”
“The employee looks like you, actually. Are you a magician? I’m not interested in magic.”
The man grinned and flicked the tip of her nose. Before she could pull away in surprise, a blue rose sprouted between his fingers.
It was absurd.
*Was he really a magician?*
The man bowed with an exaggerated flourish and offered the blue rose to Anita.
“It was just a prank. If it was unpleasant, I apologize. I’m still not used to the humor in this country.”
“It’s fine. Now that you know I don’t know, please don’t follow me anymore.”
Anita ignored the rose and hurried toward the carousel. She felt his meaningful gaze piercing the back of her head. When she looked back from among the giggling children, the man had vanished.
“Phew.”
Was she that on edge? A sigh of relief escaped her.
*Was I too cold?*
You never know. He might have been looking for the Green Storage just as desperately as she was.
But it was like spilled water; it was too late to regret it now.
Anita headed straight for the waste disposal area. After wandering through a maze of loud, mechanical noises, she finally found a warehouse packed with rusted steel lockers.
Green lockers. Worn, oxidized, and abandoned.
Anita approached the man nodding off on a chair in the corner.
“Excuse me. I’m here to find my item.”
The man jumped, and she handed him the ticket. He examined it, then led her into a narrow, dimly lit passage.
“F-f-follow me.”
To her horror, the man shoved the ticket into his mouth and swallowed it. Anita forced herself to look away, pretending she hadn’t seen a thing.
Her locker was at the very end of the passage, which stretched out like a dark alley.
*Click. Click.*
After he unlocked the four heavy padlocks, he retreated into the shadows.
*Locked so tightly despite being so old. And there are at least thirty lockers like this…*
This was a suspicious place to hide anything.
Regardless, the locker door groaned open. Anita checked the contents inside.