How to Survive as That Villainess - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

Chapter 4: A Party, or Rather, a Chaotic Mess (5)

“Radel, you came!”

Aren smiled brightly as he gently tidied my hair. His touch was kind, carefully smoothing out the tangles that had formed from the wind. For a brief moment, I found myself lost in his gentle care, but I quickly snapped back to reality.

“Congratulations on your win, Aren!”

“Thank you. I’m really happy to be congratulated by you, Radel.”

Oh my, he really knows how to say sweet things. I felt a rare sense of warmth and healing wash over me, making me smile contentedly. With lunchtime approaching, I realized I hadn’t eaten anything all day while watching the matches. Now that I’d met the winner of the magic tournament, it seemed like a perfect time to grab a meal together!

“Aren, let’s go get something to eat! Professor, you should join us too…”

“I have a prior engagement, so I’ll be heading off now, students.”

Wait, Professor? The magic theory professor suddenly mentioned having an appointment and vanished. It seemed like he used magic, but it happened so fast that I didn’t catch it clearly. I thought I heard him say something like, “Ah, youth is wonderful,” before he left, but I must have misheard.

With the professor gone, it was just Aren and me left to have lunch together. We were on our way to the academy cafeteria when I noticed a dessert stall and came to a halt. I bet Dia is probably over there right now, indulging in a feast. Ah, I really want some dessert. It’ll probably make me gain weight, but I still want it.

The question is: food or dessert? That is the dilemma.

The best choice would be to have lunch first and then dessert, but unlike Dia, who never seems to gain weight, I have the typical noble lady’s appetite and stomach, so that’s not an option.

“Do you want some dessert?”

“Um…”

Aren, who had been quietly observing me, gently asked. I must have been staring at the dessert stall too intently. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat a couple of times and shook my head.

“But it’s okay. I can resist.”

I had spoken quite confidently, trying to appear mature, but I suddenly heard a chuckle beside me. What is it? Are you laughing at me?

I glanced over at Aren, only to see a bright, innocent smile on his face. It was not a mocking smile, but rather a pure and genuinely kind one. Oh no, Aren, if you keep smiling at me like that, my twisted thoughts are going to be purified!

“If you want to eat, it’s okay to indulge,” he said.

“No, no, I can resist,” I replied.

The devil’s temptation… no, the angel’s temptation had begun. It was such a sweet temptation that it was hard to resist. I never knew Aren could be so persuasive. He kept urging me to just have something, all the while smiling brightly, making it harder to say no.

Aren, you’re not secretly a devil disguised as an angel, are you? I’m starting to have my doubts.

“I’ll treat you. Just have one,”

“Well, if you insist…”

In the end, I couldn’t resist the temptation of dessert. Pretending to be reluctant, I followed Aren to the dessert stall. The little tables and chairs were adorable. Since they were only set up for the day, the shop was small, but it was so charming that I immediately liked it.

I sat down with a sparkle in my eye, and soon, a staff member brought over the menu.

“Aren, you have to know, it’s not like I came here because I wanted to eat,”

I told him, trying to make it clear. Aren chuckled softly and nodded, saying he understood. Why does Aren suddenly seem so mature? Feeling a bit defeated, I poured myself a glass of water and took a sip.

“What do you like, Radel? There are so many options, I can’t decide.”

“Let me see”

Taking the menu from Aren, I carefully looked through it, realizing that there were indeed a lot of choices. I just hoped this place focused on quality rather than quantity. I started feeling a bit anxious. And now that I look at it, the prices are a bit high. Not so much that it’s a problem, but still, more expensive than I expected, and I couldn’t help but frown a little.

“The couple set is our specialty!”

“Excuse me?”

Noticing my slightly unsettled expression, the waitress quickly approached and made a recommendation. A couple set? I stared at the waitress, who was suddenly suggesting a couple’s meal.

“The couple set is affordable and the taste is guaranteed!”

The waitress cheerfully completed her recommendation with a bright smile.

Hmm, a couple set, huh? Aren and I aren’t a couple, but I guess we look like one to the waitress. I subtly lowered the menu and glanced at Aren, relieved that he didn’t seem to have any particular reaction. I didn’t want things to get awkward over a simple comment.

“What do you think, Aren? Does the couple set sound good?”

“Yes, I’d really like to try that”

It was a relief that Aren liked the idea too. I placed the order for the couple set with the waitress and then took a moment to look around. The shop seemed to lean more towards magic than science, as expected in a fantasy world. The thought made my heart swell with excitement, but then Aren lightly tapped the table with his finger, drawing my attention back to him.

“Don’t just look around—pay some attention to me too.”

Oh no, I had been so caught up in admiring the shop that I completely neglected the conversation with Aren. Get it together, Radel. How bored must Aren have been while I ignored him? I adjusted my posture to face him directly. His face was right in front of mine, making me more than a little nervous. Aren is just so ridiculously handsome; it’s hard on my heart.

“Sorry, the shop is just too cute”

“Do you like cute things?”

“Yeah, I love cute things and sweet stuff, especially desserts!”

I continued to emphasize my love for desserts. Aren listened to me quietly, still smiling, his chin resting on his hand. After talking for a while, I started to feel a bit awkward, realizing I had been going on about myself.

“Um, Aren, do you like desserts?”

“Desserts?”

Aren seemed to ponder for a moment, slightly lowering his head. I fidgeted with my fingers, wondering if it was a difficult question, but then Aren spoke softly.

“I didn’t get to eat them much when I was younger, so I think I’ve come to like them.”

“Hmm, really?”

There was something that didn’t sit quite right with me, but if Aren said he liked them, then it must be true. I downed the rest of my cold water in one go. For some reason, that uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.

“Here’s your couple set!”

The waitress, wearing her business smile, brought a tray loaded with desserts. She carefully placed them on the small table, and my heart was racing so fast, I thought I might die from the excitement.

“Wow, they’re really…”

I hurriedly picked up my fork, but then slowly lowered my hand. All the desserts were adorable and looked delicious.

But there was something that was seriously bothering me—everything was covered in hearts, hearts, and more hearts!

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Aren stared down at the desserts without touching them. I mean, who could blame him? Everything was heart-shaped! It was overwhelming, to say the least—heart-shaped cakes, heart-shaped cookies, heart-shaped muffins, even heart-shaped plates! I felt like I was going to develop a phobia of hearts after this.

“No matter how much this is a couple’s set, this is just too much…”

I was at a loss for words. So this is what couples eat? As someone who’s always been single, this was completely uncharted territory. Looking around, I noticed other couples who had ordered the same set, feeding each other happily.

“Aren, open your mouth.”

“What?”

Yeah, if we’re going to order a couple’s set, we might as well act like a couple, right? I resolved to do this properly. I grabbed a fork and knife, cut a heart-shaped pancake into bite-sized pieces, and prepared myself. Okay, ready! Keeping a serious expression, I extended the fork towards Aren.

“Alright, here—”

“Wait a moment.”

Aren covered his mouth with his hand, lowering his head. His shoulders seemed to be trembling slightly. Aren, what’s going on? His current expression reminded me of something I’d seen before—in the infirmary, perhaps?

“Aren, are you trying to hold back laughter?”

“Sorry, it’s just too cute.”

Aren barely held back his laughter and then firmly pressed his lips together. He gently took the fork from my hand and smiled warmly.

“What are you—mmph.”

“I’ll feed you, so just stay still.”

Every time I tried to say something, Aren would put another piece of cake or muffin into my mouth. It was delicious, sure, but I had wanted to try feeding him! In the end, though, I was the one being fed the entire time. Ah, what a missed opportunity.

Next time, I will definitely be the one feeding him! It was a firm, albeit pointless, resolution.

“Uh, miss…”

“Vivian?”

Just as I was about to get up after finishing, I happened to run into Vivian. I felt a bit uneasy, remembering the scolding I received from her earlier at the dueling grounds, but I quickly brightened when I noticed the dessert she was holding.

“Oh, Vivian, you came here for dessert too?”

“Yes, I wanted to enjoy a little treat.”

Now that I looked closely, she was carrying a book tucked under her arm. Lately, she’d been really into romance novels, and this one was probably from that genre too. I was considering asking to borrow it, as I’d enjoyed the last one she lent me, when her calm voice interrupted my thoughts.

“By the way, miss, who is this gentleman with you?”

“Oh, this is Aren, a fellow member of the Magic Department. Aren, this is my personal maid, Vivian.”

I introduced them briefly. Even with a dessert in hand, Vivian politely bowed, and Aren returned the gesture with a kind smile.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is the relationship between the two of you?”

Vivian suddenly asked a rather unexpected question, her gaze serious. It seemed she might have misunderstood our relationship, probably thinking we were a couple. Given how much she cares about me and looks out for me like family, it’s understandable she’d be curious about the people around me. Understanding her concern, I calmly answered her question.

“Of course, we’re just friends, right, Aren?”

I glanced over at Aren for confirmation. He responded with a small smile, and I returned it, hoping he’d agree with me soon. We’re just really good friends, right, Aren? I looked at him eagerly, but Aren didn’t give me the answer I was expecting.

“Well, now that we’ve had our dessert, I’ll be going. See you later.”

Instead, he quickly said his goodbyes and teleported away. These mages, honestly! Using teleportation so casually when I can’t even do it—it makes me so envious. But more importantly, Aren didn’t even answer my question before leaving. What was that? Does he not even see me as a friend yet? It hurt more than I expected. Ouch!

“Miss, are you sure that person is just a friend?”

“Well, that’s what I thought… Ha ha.”

I replied with a slightly deflated tone, and Vivian looked at me with a mix of concern and frustration. Huh? Why is she looking at me like that?