Chapter 85

"So, what are you going to do now, Rin? Do you have any plans?"

Cecilia asked this after the two of them had a late lunch. In the cozy open-air café, Rin stopped the fork she was about to stab into the chiffon cake and smiled cutely.

"Of course, I have a date with Huwei!"

"...You really are enjoying life, aren't you?"

"Sure am. Cecilia, you should take a leaf out of my book!"

She laughed happily and took a bite of the chiffon cake. With her hand on her cheek, she expressed, "Delicious!" She really looked vibrant.

Cecilia took a sip of the tea she had ordered.

"Do you have any plans, Cecilia? I mean, it's your daughter's big day. Aren't your parents coming? Aren't you going to meet them?"

"Stop it! They're not coming! And even if they were, I wouldn't be able to meet them."

"Why not?"

"Because of this outfit..."

Cecilia said, tugging at the hem of her clothes. At that moment, Rin's eyes widened.

"What? You mean you haven't told your parents that you're attending the academy in disguise as a boy?"

"Of course not. ...I mean, no matter how kind they are, they wouldn't allow me to attend the academy dressed like this!"

"How did you manage it?"

"How did I manage it?"

As Cecilia tilted her head, Rin did the same.

"Well, I mean, realistically, is that even possible? Maybe for a student or a low-level teacher, but to continue attending as a male student without the Earl of Clements, who manages the academy, noticing..."

"I don't know. Gilbert took care of everything..."

"Really, you're so pampered."

Rin said this with a look of exasperation. Just then,

"Oh? Rin-san!"

"Huh?"

At the familiar voice, both of them turned to look. There stood a woman with honey-blonde hair, just like Cecilia, and a man with sapphire eyes, also like Cecilia, along with a knight guarding them.

(Father, Mother!? And Brother Hans!?)

Cecilia tried hard not to scream and turned her face away. The three of them hadn't noticed her yet and, ignoring the girl in front of them, approached Rin.

"It's been a while, Lucinda-sama."

Rin stood up immediately and bowed to Lucinda. Lucinda smiled and said, "It's been a while," and then the man next to her, Cecilia's father, approached Rin.

"So, you're Cecilia's friend, Rin-san. I'm Edward Silvy, the head of the Silvy family. It seems my daughter is always in your care."

"Not at all. I am always well taken care of by Cecilia-sama."

Rin shook the offered hand and said this calmly, a stark contrast to her earlier self. The difference between "you" and "Cecilia-sama" was quite significant.

"Um, why are you two here? Did you come to see the Spirit Summoning Festival?"

"Actually, we just managed to get away from Gilbert."

"Huh?"

Confused by the meaning, Rin blurted out. Lucinda also smiled, confirming her husband's words.

"He was supposed to guide us through the festival, but he wouldn't let us go anywhere freely. 'Don't go there,' 'That's dangerous,' he was so overprotective. So, I brought him along!"

"Hans said it would be fine with him around. That guy is really overprotective."

As Edward laughed and Lucinda smiled, Rin lowered her voice to Cecilia, who was still facing away.

"I think I understand why you were born to these parents."

"I, I'm not as thoughtless as they are!"

"To me, you're all the same."

After saying this with a sigh, Rin continued.

"I'll draw their attention, so you should run. You don't want them to find out yet, right?"

"Really!? Thank you, Rin!"

"I'm doing this so that I can have some leverage over you later."

Despite the ominous words, Cecilia was only grateful.

Keeping an eye on the three who had started talking again, Cecilia slowly got up from her seat.

However, just as she was about to run, her eyes met Hans's, who was standing behind them.

(Ah)

"Where are you going?"

"Um, well..."

"May I ask your name?"

He must have noticed her suspicious behavior. Not recognizing her as Cecilia, he glared at her with cold eyes. Usually, he was always smiling and saying, "How are you, Miss?" and "The next training will be tough, Miss!" but he couldn't be so friendly to a suspicious person.

"Um..."

Cecilia desperately tried to avoid Hans's gaze. But the direction she turned was unfortunate. This time, she was seen by Edward and Lucinda.

(Oh no...)

It was too late. The moment they saw Cecilia's face, their eyes widened, and they looked at each other.

"Could it be, that's..."

"No, um..."

"It's not Cecilia!"

(I did it!!)

Cold sweat poured down her forehead. Her blinking became abnormally frequent due to the unexpected blunder.

(If this continues, it's bad...)

She imagined being taken home in this outfit, her identity as a candidate for the divine maiden being revealed, and eventually being forced to return to the academy as Cecilia, leading to a bad end...

Cecilia's eyes spun as she imagined the future.

(I have to do something to cover it up!!)

Just as she raised her head—

"You look so cool. Just like my child!"

"Huh?"

"I heard from Gilbert that you're attending the academy in disguise as a boy. It suits you, Cecilia!"

"......What?"

Cecilia froze at their reactions.

Rin, who was in front of her, also had a strained smile.

"Wait, you heard from Gilbert...?"

"Oh, was I not supposed to say that?"

"Maybe. But since the person isn't here, it's fine, right?"

Ha ha ha, the father laughed cheerfully, and the mother giggled happily. The only one who reacted as expected was Hans, who panicked, "Miss!? What are you wearing!?"

(What's going on...?)

She was completely confused.

As she looked on the verge of tears, the voice she most wanted to hear reached her ears.

"Really, I searched for you. Why are you here... Oh."

Gilbert pushed through the crowd and appeared. He froze at the scene in front of him and let out an uncharacteristically drawn-out "Ah..."

"Gil, can you explain what's going on?"

With a trembling voice, she asked, and Gilbert, pressing his forehead, nodded, "Alright."

For those who were left unsatisfied with the previous chapter, I plan to resolve it properly in the next one.

I'm still debating whether to make it sweet or light, but I'll do my best to write it. ^_^

The second volume of the manga has been reprinted today! Yay! Thank you everyone!

I hope you will continue to support both the books and the manga.

If you enjoyed it, I would appreciate it if you could leave a review or rating!