Chapter 42 - More Shopping

After ordering a dress for the day of the party, we left the boutique. It was time to visit the boutique that specializes in men’s clothing.

“Marin, what do you think of this?”

The clothes Chelleno was holding had incredibly decorated lace. Although I didn’t know much about fashion trends, I certainly knew that those clothes were too much for a man to wear. I frowned as much as I could and answered, “No.”

“Why? I like fancy ones like this.”

That’s terrible taste. He has been obsessed with shirts with laces or very colorful clothes since we got into the store. Well… the Crown Prince or the knight Adrian might be able to pull it off. The two of them will look frighteningly good with it.

“It’s weird.”

Chelleno wasn’t discouraged by my words and strolled around the entire store, picking out more of those strange clothes. It was then that Chelleno and a man grabbed the same clothes at the same time.

“What the heck?”

“What t… Huh? Associate Harrant?”

The man who called me excitedly was none other than my senior, Rave, who then said, “Mari- no, associate Harrant. What a coincidence. You’re as pretty as always today too. How about we go get some tea since fate brought us together…”

Even while talking to me, he didn’t let go of the red shirt with the lavish frills that he grabbed at the same time with Chelleno.

“You, what do you think you’re doing? I laid my hand on this first. On what authority do you dare to pretend you know my Marin?” scathed Chelleno coldly. The two men were already glaring at each other.

“Hah? My Marin? Who the heck are you? How dare you address my cute Ma- I mean Associate Harrant with such a name?” bellowed Rave with a heightened tone.

Chelleno’s face crumpled as he retorted, “My cute Ma- Associate Harrant, you said? Who the heck are you?”

“Don’t you get it by the word ‘associate’? I’m her senior!” shouted Rave.

“Senior? I’m Marin’s cousin!”

What a historic moment. A match between Rave, the infamous playboy of Internal Affairs, and Chelleno, the infamous Red-eyed Maniac of the beau monde! Maybe it was true that one hates another from the same species. The two men glared at each other and retaliated with each word.

“Hah! No wonder you had such a bad impression. So, you’re the infamous Red-eyed Maniac,” said Rave.

“Who’s to say that? I’m sure you, who courted every female officer from every department, should have anything to say about that.”

“Anyway, I got this first, so put your hand down and piss off.”

“That’s funny. I was faster.”

They looked like idiots fighting each other like children, fighting over clothes that I wouldn’t even take even if they were free.

“Huh? Secretary Harrant?”

Hmm? I heard another voice that called me from my behind. It was the handsome knight named Adrian or something, waving his hand happily at me. He then said, “I can’t believe we’re meeting each other here.”

Haha. I never thought I’d ever see him again. What a coincidence. Adrian, still handsome as always, was wearing a simple white shirt. His face was so gorgeous that even such simple clothes looked great. As I said, it’s the person that beautifies the clothing.

“Good to see you, sir.”

“Didn’t I tell you my name before? My name is Adrian, Secretary Harrant.”

Ah, he sure doesn’t fall behind the Crown Prince. To be handsome enough to make my heart pound, I wish I have a son like that in the future. That is if I get married, of course.

“Wait! What brings you here, sir?” asked Chelleno as he walked up to us. He finally seemed to have given up on that damn piece of clothes.

‘Does he know Adrian?’ Oh, that’s right. They are both from the Central Knights. Chelleno is a Royal Guard that guards his majesty, the emperor, so they must be in the same department.

“Oh, Sir Chelleno. I’m here for some clothes.”

“Oh, right. You…”

“That’s enough.”

Chelleno froze as he saw Adrian’s smile. He seemed to have broken out in a cold sweat as he replied, “Yes, sir.”

Wow, an opponent that Chelleno can’t even stand up to! I was astonished when I heard a wonderful voice coming to my ears.

“So, the cousin that my subordinate Sir Chelleno was bragging about was you,” said Adrian.

“Huh? Did you know her name is Marin?” asked Chelleno.

“Yes, we met before.” After answering Chelleno’s question, Adrian turned to me with a smile that made it seem like it brightened up the atmosphere and added, “Like I said, until we meet again, Secretary Harrant.”

“Wait, sir. Are you trying to seduce my Marin? I cannot allow that!” said Chelleno as he wrapped his arm around me from behind with his stupid nonsense.

I stepped on his foot with my heel and pushed Chelleno, who was in pain, away and smiled back at his senior. “I’m sorry, my cousin is a bit reckless. I hope you as a senior would understand, sir.”

“Didn’t I just tell you my name?”

He requested I fix the way I addressed him with a smile, so I sighed and answered as he wanted, “…Sir Adrian.”

He smiled beautifully at my answer like a reward, and I had to look. He sure was a tremendously handsome man. The Crown Prince wasn’t too bad either. No, what was I thinking?

“W-what was just just now?!”

Chelleno tried to shout in a heightened voice at me for calling Adrian’s name but stopped as if he had seen something. I became curious and turned to look, but there was only Sir Adrian who was smiling. It was while I was fixated on that beautiful face, I heard a dissatisfied voice.