The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind

Aaron led her to the cafe she saw earlier.
This ‘cafe that was right in front of us’ turned out to be a grand building that looked to Citrina like the front of a temple.
The list of shops Citrina had visited in the past were nothing like this.
For example, the places she previously visited were:
1 Blazio, a cost-effective bakery where Citrina bought baguettes when she was in a hurry.
2 There was a fountain in the square where Citrina would pass everyday.
3 There was a one-cent  juice shop called Sarajoo where Citrina had rested late last weekend. You could drink watermelon juice for an extra cent, but Citrina drank orange juice because it was a waste.
…that was the past, Citrina lamented thinking of those actions.
‘All three were completely cost-effective. Really, how could I act that way when I was still the daughter of a baron….’
It was suddenly pitiful to think of the Citrina of the past who worked so hard to make money and keep the baron’s household afloat.
‘Anyhow, there was a place like this in the square.’
Walking into the temple-like cafe, Citrina carefully checked her wallet.
‘I could buy it.’
But it worried her. Luckily, she didn’t have to pay the price.
This cafe was a place where only nobles could enter, similar to a salon, and there was no way to pay immediately. You simply wrote your family name to the books.
Citrina’s face turned pale when she heard that.
“Can I put the name of the Duke of Pietro?”
Anyway, the two young lords of the Pietro duchy had come out, which was sure to be talked about by the well to do people.
Desian and Aaron didn’t seem the care as a matter of fact.
For now, they sat at the innermost table in the cafe. Aaron and Desian sat side by side with Citrina on the opposite bench.
On their way in, Aaron had ordered a simple lunch and drinks, so their order arrived quickly.
Three croissant sandwiches with hand and cheese along with three glasses of juice.
The food suited Citrina’s tastes.
“Don’t worry about the cost. You can use your family name. The atmosphere at the duke’s is chaotic anyway, so it will work out in any case!”
Aaron said brightly. Despite Aaron’s words, Desian didn’t say anything.
Was it really okay to use that excuse?
It was when Citrina was lost in thought drinking her juice.
By the way Citrina, since we are family it makes me sad.”
Brought up Aaron.
“Yes?”
‘What else are you trying to say, Aaron.’
Citrina hid her ominous thoughts behind a smile.
“Citrina, why do you speak formally to me?”
“Oh… because I have to?”
“And with Brother as well, why do you use honorifics?”
At Aaron sudden and out of the blue question, Citrina explained cautiously.
“I’m a baron’s daughter and an employee of the duke. Of course I use honorifics.”
‘…thinking about the difference in status all of a sudden makes me sad.’
She had nothing else to say because she had been asked for the obvious. Besides, Citrina was in the position of the employee.
She decided to become a jewel craftsman quickly and ask the empire for a title of nobility.
‘How can you poke someone without malice?’
It fired up her ambition.
“I’ve never thought of you as an employee. Can’t you just speak comfortably? Citrina.”
Aaron mewled , as if he was acting cute.
Aaron thought of her and treated her like family. Her own family thought of her and treated her like an employee.
But it would be difficult to get too close. Speaking casually was a sign of intimacy.
But…her heart was slightly weak.
Citrina looked furtively to Desian. Desian was looking at her without saying a word.
Truthfully, Citrina was also curious. Desian’s use of honorifics with her, which seemed completely ignorant, was something Citrina didn’t actually understand either.
“With Older brother too! You two are close. You like each other.”
‘Wait, your choice of words is a bit suspicious.’
Aaron didn’t know what love was yet. To be honest, Citrina was the only one here who knew what love felt like.
‘You’re still in the process of expressing your affection, so let’s get it right.’
Citrina nodded uncomfortably.
“Yes, you can. Of course.”
Desian who was watching Aaron and Citrina, especially Citrina nodding, opened his mouth.
“If I like you, should I do that?” [TL Note: without honorifics now]
“Just like that, Older brother!”
“Should I protect you, and be kind and caring?”
Desian who had been leaning back with a drowsy expression, leaned close to Citrina.
“Is that so, Citrina?”
Desian’s tone was infinitely sweet. It was rather gentle. As if he was on a leash.
Citrina was relieved.
She seemed to have prevented him from becoming a villain to some extent. She felt at east thinking that her days were numbered before she left the duchy.
“Yeah, I guess so?”
Citrina nodded half willingly at his words.
Her words had been shortened. However, her neck was not cut off. It was a tremendous feat.
“I understand what to do now.”
Desian’s eyes glistened.
Citrina Foluin made the memories that Toloji had ingrained into his skull disappear. Every time he listened to her, he felt alive.
At the end of Desian’s speech, Aaron picked up the conversation.
“Alright. Citrina! What do you want to do when you grow up?”
“I want to make pretty jewelry. With jewels…”
“Jewels?”
Desian’s voice dropped.
“Yeah. In another empire, I want to study under the dwarves and spirits in the mountains and learn the craft. So…I’ll succeed for sure.”
She knew what she wanted to do for the first time in her life. As she thought about it, her eyes shone and her breathe became a little rough.
Desian watched calmly as Citrina’s face turned red. This scene where her casual face lit up was his favorite.
It was obvious to him that he liked Citrina. It was a little more than like. Although he couldn’t figure out what was above liking.
“Um, you know what?”
Citrina coughed shortly and changed the subject. Citrina thought it wasn’t a good idea to discuss her future when they were still stuck in the duchy. Besides it was a little awkward to speak informally.
“Summer is coming to an end, right? The imperial palace has a summer ball at this time of year. It’s at the Lection Flower Garden.”
“Summer Ball?”
“Yeah. Isn’t it amazing?”
“Do you want to go?”
“Yeah, that’s my dream.”
‘To be exact, I want to be high class enough to be invited to the summer ball.’
Citrina responded moderately as she didn’t want to show her love of money.
The Summer Ball at Lection Flower Garden hosted by the Imperial Palace was supposed to be beautiful. There were also many consumers there that would want to buy jewelry.
“You’ll definitely be able to go.”
Desian smiled coolly. As if it would really happen.
“Thanks, Desian.”
Citrina nodded her head modestly.
“You like to dance?”
“To a certain extent. Desian, do you?”
“I’m interested now.”
Curiosity and interest were a good sign. He would be able to get out of the languor eating away at his life.
“Do you want me to teach you how to dance?”
“I’d be honored.”
Desian’s smile was as beautiful as a painting. His smile was too skillful around her, which made her feel somewhat strange.
The original work’s Desian Pietro had rarely smiled at anything. But now he was smiling.
She could be happy that she would not die. And.
Somehow she felt a bit closer to him when she talked with him. She was glad Desian looked a little happy.

****

Meanwhile, there were also many ladies who frequented society in the cafe where they were sitting .
Among them was Tahani, a knight in training at the academy and a lady of a county. And she knew Citrina and Elaina were sisters.
Elaina’s older sister was Citrina Foluin, a baron’s daughter, who continued to work without making her social debut.
So when she returned to the academy, she went to find Elaina.
“Elaina, Elaina!”
“What?”
“I saw your older sister.”
“Citrina? Where was she?”
Elaina’s voice became a little shrill. She had not received a response to her letter asking for a true sword. She was still having to train with a practice sword.
“She was at the capital in the city square with two men.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah, it’s true.”
“Why, Older sister?”
Her older sister with two men. It was unfamiliar. Was her older sister also someone who felt desire? No, there was something more important than that.
‘Did Older sister ever talk about any relationships with people other than me?”
Citrina never mentioned her relationships with other people to Elaina.
That was because she was always working.
Somehow Elaina was displeased by the idea of her older sister being approached by foreign entities other than herself.
“First of all, they were handsome! I wanted to talk to them, but I felt a chill and heart sped up…”
Elaina’s eyes tapered down.
“What the matter, why was my older sister with men?”
She replied nervously.
“Yeah, so I went to a cafe and …”
“No, where did she get the money from?”
Elaina had asked Citrina for the money to buy a sword.
Elaina eventually had to practice with a false sword. Her performance was also worse than expected. She didn’t know if she could get the scholarship or not.
“I don’t know either. Anyway, so you don’t know the men that were with your older sister?”
“I don’t know.”
Hani shrugged her shoulders at Elaina’s simple answer. Elaina who was looking at her, closed her eyes. Her eyelashes curled down in a wooden manner.
‘I should probably ask home to see what Older sister is doing.”
Elaina was a woman who was quick to move once she made a decision. Elaina began to write a letter. Elaina Foluin addressed it to Baron Foluin.