“You mean you were trying to wake up?”
I couldn't keep Wilhelmina from feeling guilty, so I spoke frankly.
Her face quickly became red like wine.
But in an instant, she let go of my hand and spoke as if it was no big deal.
“Yes, that's right!
I didn't bother you, I even asked my father to let me go to this villa.
How could you be disappointed?”
…You even asked Duke Lopez for a favor?
Wilhelmina had been avoiding talking to her father for a while since she went to study at the Kingdom Academy.
I was so affected by her change that I became speechless.
“…After all, did I bring you here unreasonably?”
However, Velma seemed to have interpreted my silence differently.
I completely fell asleep and quickly shook my head.
"No, it's really good.
This is the first time I've seen a room this beautiful."
This wasn't something I said to make Velma happy, I really meant it
I smiled at Velma as she naturally went out to the balcony attached to the room.
“And what is this garden that I feel like just looking at it heals my heart?”
Unlike the Duchy of Jamote, which had recently been elevated to a duchy, the Duchy Lopez was a truly historic and prestigious family.
Large territory, ample wealth accumulated over a long period of time, and the political sense of the previous Lopez dukes who never did anything to waste money.
However, since it was a duke's villa, the scenery was very beautiful.
“That's right, it's my favorite villa.”
Velma followed me to the balcony and carefully smoothed down her flyaway hair.
“The village next to this villa is not very prosperous, but it has its own unique character and is good for sightseeing.”
“I really want to see her.”
“There is a clean river in the forest a short distance away, and all kinds of flowers are blooming beautifully along the waterway.”
Is this a date request between friends?
When I looked at her excitedly, Wilhelmina smiled obediently.
“You look like a child, Miss Saliss.”
“It's my first time going to this beautiful place with a friend.”
“Cheh, girlfriend?”
“Aren't we?
I was assuming we were-”
As soon as I opened my mouth, she covered my mouth with her hand.
“I was going to tell you not to say that.”
"Yes."
“My friend!
That’s right, my friend.”
Wilhelmina said this and her face turned red like a ripe apple.
"If you weren't my friend, I wouldn't have invited you to the villa.
You're the first person to invite me like this in the first place."
“Of course, princess.”
I leaned on the balcony railing and spoke with a bright smile on my face.
“We are friends, so please call me by my name now.”
“…Miss Roslita?”
“Only Roita.”
At some point, Cassian started speaking to me without a nickname.
What's even weirder is that Velma and I, two friends, can't say each other's names.
She looked at me calmly and smiled softly as if it was ridiculous.
“They will accept your requests even if you don't have such a pretty face.”
"Yes?"
“If you're going to smile pretty, you should use it when asking a difficult request, like Prince Cassian...”
Why are you telling me this...?
Of course, there was no good in fixing the misunderstanding about me and Cassian, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Instead, please stop calling me princess.”
“Then, Wilhelmina...”
“Just call me Wilhelmina, or you can call me Velma!”
Somehow, she gave me permission to use her nickname
I was so moved that I held Wilma's hand.
“I understand, Velma!”
As a result, her face became red again.
She was really bad at making friends...
Wilhelmina, me too...
Since we arrived at the villa quite late, Velma and I decided to enjoy warm Rooibos tea and light refreshments that would not disturb our sleep.
It was a clumsy and awkward conversation, but I felt relieved that I had achieved the tea time Velma had requested so many times.
“Aren't you satisfied quickly?”
"Yes?"
Velma asked me with a worried face before she went to her room.
“How many times have you refused tea, I don’t think you think today is the end of the day?”
“Can I be honest with you?”
If I had not had time for tea today, I would have gladly handed over all decision-making power to Velma.
Because I thought the first priority was to fill her heart with warmth.
But as we spent time together, I learned how pure Velma was.
Even though she had been exposed to her family's coldness for a long time, I realized that she had a stronger and more upright heart than I thought, and that once I showed her a favor, she would not misunderstand or hurt me...
"Of course, of course!
We're friends."
She was really honest...
For some reason, she seemed nervous, so I quickly opened my mouth.
“I want to have places like this more often, even in D.C.”
"…truly?"
Why make an unexpected face?
“..thank God.”
I could even see the tension in her shoulders dissipating, as if she was very relaxed.
“What's wrong?”
“Oh… I thought I brought you here by force.”
"Yes?"
“Of course!
I don’t think it’s something a lady would think of, but…oh, my maid recommended it, so I read it briefly just out of curiosity.”
huh?
Suddenly I felt that the conversation was taking a strange turn.
“Well, in romance novels, women who love the same man fight and tease each other...
In particular, many of the main characters are girls of low status, and princesses like me treat them badly...”
In an instant, Velma's face turned pale.
Aren't you exaggerating, Velma?
“What was the title...?”
As a friend, I should have expressed my concern first, but curiosity trumped reason again.
“Oh, the lovely villainess will find a way to delete the Emperor.”
Unfortunately, it was a new book that I couldn't start because I was too sleepy before bed..
I felt like it was a mix of all kinds of classifications starting with the title..
“Anyway!
It's impossible for an educated person like you to read something like this, so don't get me wrong… What's wrong with you?”
"What?"
“You politely refuse to hang out with me, but you cling to me without even realizing it.”
That's why no..
Why do you arbitrarily judge my heart?
My rejection of her invitations was due to her crazy workload.
“Of course!
I didn’t think you were the type to believe such empty words.
Don’t misunderstand.”
“I don't think so, but I was grateful.
His Highness always takes care of me because I'm so busy with work that I can barely write letters...”
At my words, Velma stood up and held my hand tightly.
“Really?
I'm not a narrow-minded person you know!
The reason I brought you here wasn't to harass you in a place where no one knows!”
Slowly, I began to wonder what the villain had done in this business.
“Of course, I can tell how kind Velma is by seeing how she prepared this beautiful room for me.”
“True, isn't it?”
I nodded my head as if to confirm.
Of course, I did not forget to correct the misunderstanding that I had to explain to the unsuspecting woman, but...
"By the way, Velma.
Have you ever read 'Because This Is the First Time I've Seen an Empress'?"
I can't lose my precious reader friend!
I was planning to have tea for a little while.
Velma and I couldn't go to bed until we were both overwhelmed in the early hours of the morning by all the stories we talked about.
Of course, since we exchanged books with each other, we fell asleep later.
It wasn't strange...
“…Good morning, Roita.”
Wilhelmina Lopez, who was said to always follow the lifestyle habits of a princess, slept a lot...
When lunchtime approached, Velma smiled awkwardly when she saw me returning home after a pleasant walk in the park.
I recommended many books to her yesterday...
I also read the new book I mentioned earlier before you brought me back
Velma home.
'Is it okay for us to be friends?
What if Duke Lopez attacks me, “Don’t play with my child because you are a bad influence!” What should I do?’
I felt a little anxious in my head, but it didn't last long.
“Hmm!
By the way, Roita.”
"Yes?"
“Why don't we go out to lunch?
I know a restaurant that has a very delicious brunch menu.”
Velma amazingly guided me to a happy place..
On the second day of my trip, I should have had a perfect day.
“Hello Rose?”
Why don't I see anything in front of my eyes?
“Ka-His Highness Prince Cassian?”
However, she asked even though it was meaningless now..
I can't believe I met my boss while traveling...
The worst accident in the history of the holiday occurred...