“Please speak informally, Lady.”

“……”

She seemed somewhat sullen. She’s either the type to be shy at first or perhaps she didn’t like Saena.

However, since Floria’s features themselves were extremely likeable with her puppy-like face, Saena wasn’t particularly put off by her standoffish attitude.

Rather, she had to restrain herself from showing too much interest in her.

Why?

‘To think she’s the lady of House Aberdeen!’

For Saena, it was harder not to feel fondness.

“Saya?”

When she instinctively turned her head at the voice calling her, Saena’s cheek got poked.

It turned out to be Kirsten’s finger.

Seeing her finger buried in Saena’s right cheek, Kirsten giggled and poked the soft cheek a few more times before speaking in a coquettish tone.

“How dare you show more interest in someone else than me at your first attendance?”

She must have noticed Saena’s constant glances toward Floria.

“Ah. That’s not it.”

Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, her face slightly reddened. This made Kirsten even more dramatic.

“Saya, how could you? What do I lack compared to Lady Floria? Tell me!”

As Kirsten grumbled, looking truly upset, Evian cynically listed reasons.

“Hmm. Because you’re too old?”

“Gasp.”

Kirsten turned to look at Evian with a shocked face.

“Because you’re too forward?”

“Huhk.”

“Because you’re just a marquis’s daughter?”

“Huuhk.”

As Evian shook her head and clicked her tongue, Kirsten covered her cheeks with her hands, looking even more shocked.

“Saya, is it true? Is that why?”

“…Pardon?”

Watching their dramatic expression changes and dialogue that bordered on theatrical, Saena felt slightly uncomfortable.

“Is it because I’m not a duke’s daughter that you prefer Floria?”

“……”

Why was the conversation going in this direction? She couldn’t understand what relevance it had whether Kirsten was a duke’s daughter or not.

“Oh my. Isn’t silence affirmation?”

“That’s right, that’s right. So give up, Kiki.”

Kirsten and Evian continued exchanging witty remarks back and forth. Feeling things would get more off track if left alone, Saena spoke up.

“That’s not it… um. It’s because she’s Aberdeen.”

At Saena’s answer, both Kirsten’s and Floria’s faces hardened further.

“What’s so special about being Aberdeen?”

“‘That’ Aberdeen.”

“……”

Floria set down her teacup with an audible ‘tak.’ Given her etiquette, it must have been intentional.

“Hmph. Lady Saena, do you want to meet my brother?”

Floria asked with a somewhat crooked expression. The issue was that, with her innocent face, her attempt at a crooked expression came off as more adorable than intimidating.

“Duke Aberdeen? Yes, of course I would if I had the chance.”

Was it because of the hair color? When Duke Aberdeen was mentioned, she momentarily recalled the man from the bookstore earlier.

‘No, it couldn’t be.’

During Aberdeen’s parades, Saena had always been so focused on watching Erenhorn that she couldn’t remember much about Duke Aberdeen’s appearance except for his pink hair.

Even so, such a frivolous man couldn’t possibly be Duke Aberdeen. She quickly dismissed the briefly rising possibility.

“…You look so innocent yet more ambitious than anyone else, huh? At least other ladies pretend at first, acting like they just want to be friends with me.”

“…Pardon?”

“If you want to become family with me, shouldn’t you try to get on my good side first?”

“Family? Why would I become family with you, Lady…”

Saena asked, genuinely not understanding.

“You want to become the duchess!”

Floria shouted with an agitated face.

Ah, it seemed many women had intentionally approached Floria wanting to become duchess. Suddenly, her attitude made perfect sense.

Only then did Saena smile slightly and speak to Floria,

“Ah, Lady, don’t worry about that. I’m against marriage.”

“…What?”

“I have absolutely no interest in marriage.”

Floria looked at Saena with a face mixed with lingering distrust and confusion as she asked again.

“Then why? Why did you say you wanted to see my brother?”

“That’s obviously because he’s ‘Aberdeen.'”

Saena spoke as if she couldn’t understand why they didn’t get her meaning. But Floria clearly showed she didn’t understand.

“The unicorn! Aberdeen who has the unicorn!”

House Aberdeen’s guardian spirit is a breathtakingly beautiful unicorn. How could one not envy the young lady of Aberdeen who could see it up close frequently?

At Saena’s answer, Kirsten suddenly collapsed onto the sofa, cackling.

“That’s right, the rumors about Saya being obsessed with Arles-Promesa weren’t lies!”

“……”

It-it’s not to the level of obsession…

I wonder how such rumors spread.

Floria was bewildered in her own way.

She had received quite a lot of hurt over time. Having grown up in the Aberdeen territory, she really wanted friends. But there weren’t many girls her age in the territory, and even when there were age-appropriate ones, they were people of unsuitable status who just clung to her.

The reason she had begged her brother for an early debutante ball and stayed in the Imperial City was all because she wanted to make friends.

She was so happy when people first approached her kindly and sweetly. Though that happiness didn’t last long.

The kindness shown by most of the ladies in the Imperial City had ulterior motives, and behind those motives was desire for her brother, the unmarried duke. After experiencing such things countless times, Floria was very discouraged.

Just when she thought she should give up on friends altogether and return to the territory, she met Kirsten.

Cool, uninhibited, and strong-willed Kirsten.

She was the only one who showed more interest in Floria herself than in her brother and family.

Another lady brought by Kirsten, whom she trusted… Of course she had been secretly hopeful. But then Saena’s eyes sparkled at the name ‘Aberdeen.’ Floria was very disappointed inside.

Though it turned out her interest in Aberdeen was because of the unicorn.

“Lady… you can see the guardian spirit often, right?”

Perhaps because of her earlier suspicion. Being asked such a question with sparkling eyes made Floria feel very guilty.

“No. Surprisingly, I don’t see it that often.”

“…Why not?”

“My brother doesn’t materialize it much within the castle. Even when he does, it feels more like he lets it loose far away? He only brings it out close when there’s a need to show it to others, like during battles or parades. So even I don’t get to see it that often.”

Floria didn’t particularly like Aberdeen’s guardian spirit. Apart from its beautiful appearance, that unicorn had a major flaw.

“Ah, I see…”

As Saena’s voice grew smaller with obvious disappointment, Floria quickly added,

“It’s quite the troublemaker. You’d only be disappointed if you saw it up close. It’s better to just keep watching from afar like now.”

“Pardon? Why?”

“…That thing. Its personality is a bit… you know.”

It wasn’t just something that could be described as ‘somewhat like that’ — it was completely outrageous. The reason it didn’t materialize within the city was because it had caused several accidents.

Although she was the young lady of Aberdeen, even Floria had rarely seen other Guardian Spirits up close. But if what her brother said was true, most Guardian Spirits seemed to have terrible personalities.

“It’s extremely mischievous and have perverted tendencies. Anyway… ah, it’s just awful. It’s better not to be curious about it.”

Saena found it really surprising. To think that the noble and dignified unicorn was a pervert….

But since Lady Aberdeen said so, she couldn’t disbelieve it.

Would there be such information in the book she bought at the bookstore earlier? She’d have to read it when she got home.

“And um… I’d like it if we could speak casually.”

“How could I speak casually to you, Lady.”

“If we’re going by that logic, Sister Kirsten should also be formal with me, but that would be strange, wouldn’t it? At least when it’s just us.”

“Well…. I’ll try. I might be awkward at first. No, I mean… might be….”

“Yes. Please… try….”

Feeling guilty about being too cold earlier, Floria’s tone gradually softened.

Contrary to their inner thoughts, the subsequent conversation was warm and friendly.

Although Saena mostly listened, she found every conversation so interesting that she couldn’t take her ears off it.

Despite having lived ten more years than others, she didn’t feel the other ladies were childish. Perhaps it was because Saena was so inexperienced in social life.

These people, who already acted and moved under clear principles, had a maturity that couldn’t be measured by just being a few years older or younger. She realized that the people leading the social world are truly extraordinary.

The four parted ways after chatting so much that it could be called a chat party rather than a tea party.

Promising to meet again next time.