The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21

Rita, who had been eagerly receiving their attention, said jokingly.

“I’m getting indigestion. Everyone, please eat.”

“Oh my. Sorry, Mom got too carried away…”

“Ah, s-sorry.”

“Oh dear, eat comfortably.”

This time, everyone tried not to look in her direction.

Even so, when Rita looked at a seasoning bottle, they would quickly grab it for her before she could even speak, and when she ate a dish well, they would quietly push the plate closer, showing that all their attention was still focused on her.

Though it was burdensome, she understood their feelings and didn’t dislike it. Rita ate her meal with a ticklish feeling.

‘It’s a nostalgic taste.’

Before regaining her memories, she had only been amazed by the luxurious and abundant dishes she was seeing for the first time, but after regaining her memories, most of them were foods from her memories. Even though time had passed, the taste wasn’t much different from before.

After finishing the meal, the Countess hesitated before speaking.

“Lili, would you like to go shopping in the city with Mom?”

“Pardon?”

“You don’t have many clothes to wear right now. We can have dresses tailored gradually, but how about going out and getting some ready-made clothes for now? Since you’ve come home, you must need many other things too, right? We can shop and also see together how much Raskail City has changed in the meantime…”

When the Countess carefully suggested this, Richard grinned and interjected.

“Mother, don’t you need a porter and guard? Take me along too.”

Leonhardt also smiled and encouraged her.

“I have things to do so I can’t go with you, but… it seems like a good idea. Lili, what do you think?”

Rita had never properly gone shopping and had no interest in clothes, but she couldn’t refuse her mother’s expectant gaze.

“Alright, let’s go.”

* * *

With Leonhardt’s regretful farewell, the Raskail House carriages left Birch Tree Castle.

Though Richard said he would provide escort, regardless of force, he too was a young master, so two family knights followed as guards. One of them was Richard’s amethyst.

The Countess’s maid Nancy and Lillieta’s maid Hanna also came along to attend to them, making what should have been a simple outing quite a large group. They ended up needing two carriages instead of one.

With the family crest prominently displayed on the carriages and the knights’ uniforms, they would stand out wherever they went.

‘Right, this is what noble outings were like. We’ll attract tremendous attention.’

Having grown accustomed to Rita’s life of moving around simply, even secretly, she had momentarily forgotten. Lillieta mentally prepared herself.

‘When I feel many people’s gazes, my nerves get sharp, so if I’m not careful, I might harm innocent people again. I need to relax somehow. This isn’t a world with the Ashen Sun. There’s no need to be overly cautious.’

Since her family might find it strange, she wanted to hide any behavior that wasn’t like ‘Lili’ as much as possible.

‘Even if I smell Patchouli, I can’t kill. Even if I sense suspicious presence or strangers suddenly approach, I can’t just shoot their heads. Only arms or legs, just for subduing.’

As she made such resolutions while fiddling with the gun she received from Leonhardt, Richard, sitting across from her in the carriage, asked curiously.

“Hey, what’s with the gun? It looks like one of Father’s collection pieces from the armory…”

“I got it from Leon.”

So those were Dad’s collection pieces.

‘No wonder Leon didn’t seem very interested in them.’

Rita belatedly remembered that the Duke had been very fond of hunting.

Searching her memories, it seemed Dad had also collected guns as a derivative of that hobby.

Thinking further, she recalled memories of Dad holding her as a child and letting her touch a revolver. Mom had been horrified seeing that and scolded Dad tremendously.

‘Was my liking for guns something I inherited from Dad?’

She looked down at the revolver with its silver body and ornate gold decorations with fresh eyes. By her standards, it was an antique-grade old model, but by the standards here, it would be state-of-the-art.

‘…Would he be happy if I said I like guns like Dad?’

She felt nostalgic. She wanted to see Dad. Rita wished for the Duke, who had left for the capital, to return soon.

Richard asked with a puzzled expression.

“Brother gave you that?”

“I said I needed it.”

“Why do you need a gun?”

“Because it’s a weapon I’m familiar with and like. I feel secure only when this is within reach.”

“Hmm…”

Richard’s expression became subtle. Rita just smiled, as it was roughly the reaction she had expected.

“Is it strange to call a gun a weapon?”

“That too, but… you feel secure when you have a weapon? You?”

“Leon didn’t tell you what I was doing all this time, I guess.”

“I was just warned not to pry carelessly since you’d be uncomfortable talking about it in detail.”

“Ah.”

“Since we’re on the topic, can I ask? Lili, where and how have you been living all this time?”

“Hmm, it’s a long story…”

“Children, we’ve arrived!”

The carriage door opened as it stopped, and the Countess spoke cheerfully.

Lillieta got out of the carriage with Richard’s escort. They were in front of a luxurious, large fashion atelier, and as soon as she got out, she felt many gazes as expected.

People passing by on the street stopped and whispered while peering at the Raskail House carriages. The Raskail Family had been almost reclusive for the past 10 years and hadn’t made such city outings, so they were attracting even more attention.

‘It would be better to go inside quickly.’

Feeling her nerves sharpening, Lillieta hurried her steps indoors.

The people at the fashion atelier, shocked that the Countess—the Countess who had been in seclusion ever since the princess went missing—had visited in person, came rushing out in a fluster to greet them.

“We would have come immediately if you had called, but what brings the Countess personally to our shop…”

The Madam Designer, with her graying hair elegantly pinned up, trailed off. Her eyes widened as they fixed on Lillieta.

“Oh my, who is that beautiful young lady…?”

“She’s our daughter.”

The Countess answered in a voice overflowing with happiness. The Madam Designer’s mouth fell open.

“The, the Raskail princess? The one who went missing 10 years ago?”

“That’s right, she safely returned home a few days ago. So this child needs clothes to wear.”

“Good heavens! Madam, congratulations! Truly congratulations!”

The Madam Designer clapped her hands and made a fuss, then quickly ordered her staff around. They were instantly guided to a luxurious reception room.

While the Countess and the Madam chatted about something, a simple dressing room was set up in a corner of the reception room, and hangers lined with luxurious dresses and gorgeous gowns were brought in one after another.

Rita felt cold sweat running down her spine.

‘…So it really is fashionable.’

The clothes gave off a subtle Patchouli scent. As several pieces came in, the fragrance grew stronger.

Rita bit her lip and suppressed the urge to grab her gun and shoot the clothes hangers.

No, Rita Pascal. There’s no chance that demons are hiding among those dresses. When I sense with Aura, I don’t feel anything. There are almost no demons that wouldn’t be caught by my detection ability. No, this is a world without demons at all. Calm down.

“N-no, that won’t do!”

Hanna, who had been standing behind the sofa, suddenly panicked and raised her voice.

Just as Nancy, the Countess’s maid, was about to restrain her rude and impudent behavior, she urgently shouted.

“The clothes smell like Patchouli! The Miss absolutely detests this scent!”

“What?”

“What do you mean? Why the Patchouli scent…”

The Countess asked back while turning to look at Rita, then was startled.

“Oh my, Lili!”

“Yes?”

“Your lip is bleeding! Good heavens, what should we do!”

“Ah.”

Rita felt her lip and hurriedly wiped the blood with the back of her hand while making excuses.

“It’s nothing, my lips are just a bit dry…”

“No way, Miss! It’s because of the Patchouli!”

Hanna screamed and ran toward the clothes hangers.

“Please remove these immediately! Nothing with Patchouli scent is allowed!”

Seeing Hanna making a scene and the princess wiping blood from her lips with a pale complexion, the staff hurriedly took the hangers back outside.

As Hanna opened the windows wide for ventilation, the scent gradually disappeared. Along with it, the anxious sensation also subsided.

‘Damn, even if I detect it with Aura, is it unavoidable to become sensitive when the scent is this strong?’

Rita pressed her lips together as she greeted Hanna.

“Thank you, Hanna.”

“Rita, are you alright?”

The pale-faced Countess took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from Rita’s hand. Rita quickly smiled.

“I’m fine, Mother. I’m just a bit sensitive to that smell, that’s all.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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