CHAPTER 029
"Are you going too?"
"Yes, I'm planning to go with Bella!"
"I'm going too."
"Are you, Marquis?"
"Of course. You're going, aren't you?"
"...?"
Not because he got an invitation, but because I'm going? Why?
I tilted my head to the side. As I looked puzzled, Lewis spoke.
"Isn't it natural for friends to be partners at such events?"
"You're saying you'll be my partner?"
I never asked for that...?
"Why, don't you like it?"
"No! Friends can go together, sure. Haha."
"Right? Because we're friends."
Is this what it's like to be friends with Lewis?
I met Lewis as usual, but somehow it felt strange.
He wasn't the kind of person to follow someone to a ball just because a friend was going, right?
I suddenly remembered the Duke's words that Lewis's concept of friendship might be different from most people's.
Could it really be that?
"What, is something weird?"
"Uh."
How did he know? It felt like Lewis could see right through my mind.
"No, nothing's weird at all!"
I strongly denied it, and Lewis chuckled. That laugh made me feel uneasy.
The next day, Lewis called me out.
The place he arranged to meet was a café in the middle of a bustling street.
It was a café with curtains dividing the seats, and as I entered the spot where Lewis was, I couldn't hear any sound.
"It's magic."
Lewis said casually, explaining that he had cast a noise-canceling spell.
If you like it quiet, you could have just come to the Duke's mansion. As I was thinking absentmindedly, Lewis asked me bluntly.
"You."
"Yes?"
"Do you have a dress?"
"I do have dresses."
My dress room was already full of dresses Bella had gifted me.
"Then how about shoes or accessories?"
"I have plenty."
So many that I can't even count!
As I quickly answered, Lewis muttered something incomprehensible.
"Maybe it's too late."
"...?"
"Is there anything else you want?"
"Well..."
I already have enough, so there's no need for more, right?
At my response, Lewis seemed to think for a moment and then stood up.
"Let's go out."
"Already?"
"You might find something you want while looking around."
Shopping? I was wide-eyed, and Lewis said,
"Since we're going as partners, I can buy you something. Friends do that."
Then he narrowed his eyes.
"You're not thinking it's weird, right? I'm the kind of person who can do this much for a friend."
"Weird? What do you take me for!"
The Duke had already told me about Lewis's unusual interest as a friend.
Seeing me jump at his words, Lewis chuckled.
Was he teasing me?
We left the café and walked around the street for a while.
Every time he saw a jewelry store, he would take me in.
"How about this? Is there anything you want?"
"Um..."
I quietly shook my head.
Lewis quickly looked for the next store.
"How about here?"
"Well..."
We went to several jewelry stores and then came back to the street.
Lewis frowned as if he couldn't understand.
"Why do you keep passing by? At this rate, we'll just go home."
"I'm being careful in choosing. I haven't found anything that really catches my eye yet."
It might be pocket change to Lewis, but to me, who grew up as an ordinary count's daughter, these were all outrageously priced jewels.
How could I just pick anything?
"If it's hard to choose one, just take them all."
Oh my, how little the Marquis knows about the world!
"Marquis. What if everyone wants to be your friend just for this?"
What if someone with ill intentions approaches, thinking they can get everything from you?
Contrary to my worries, Lewis snorted as if it was absurd.
"Do you think I would fall for that? Do I look like someone who would be fooled?"
Well, Lewis isn't the type to be used like that, right?
"Right, I was worrying for nothing!"
I laughed awkwardly to cover my embarrassment and quickly went into another store.
This time, it was a shoe store.
Shoes are cheaper than jewels, so I wouldn't feel as pressured to choose one!
With that thought, my previously picky eyes became less selective. I quickly found a pair of shoes I liked.
They were beige Mary Jane shoes with a rounded toe and a leather strap over the instep.
"How much are these?"
"300 rubles."
The price seemed reasonable, too. Alright, I've made up my mind!
Just as I was about to tell Lewis, 'I'll take these!' I noticed his expression had turned serious.
"Marquis?"
I called out in confusion, and he gestured for silence.
"Something's strange."
"What?"
What's strange? I had no idea, but his serious demeanor made me keep quiet.
Lewis walked a few steps closer, narrowing the distance between us.
Then he turned his back and rushed out of the store.
"Marquis, where are you going!"
I just decided what to buy! Where are you going?
"Wait up!"
I didn't know, but I chased after Lewis anyway.
The street was packed with people since it was the weekend.
There were so many people that if I didn't keep up with Lewis's pace, I might lose him.
Marquis, slow down! How am I supposed to keep up!
Just as I was about to run, Lewis looked back at me.
And before I could say anything, he quickly returned and grabbed my wrist.
We started walking side by side.
"What's going on?"
What happened that made you sense something strange? I asked while walking briskly, and Lewis answered right away.
"The noise suddenly came back."
"The noise?"
Now I understood why he said it was strange.
At least when I'm around, the noise shouldn't come back, right?
"Isn't it weird to you?"
"Yes, it's definitely strange."
"It seems to be coming from this direction. I can still hear it."
Since no one in the original story could stop the noise, this development was new.
Oh... It's kind of exciting! I felt both nervous and thrilled by this unexpected event.
A new direction for the original story!
I'm witnessing it firsthand! As a side character with little significance, I'm experiencing so many things.
Lewis stopped walking after a while.
He frowned as if he was unsure about something.
"The noise has stopped."
"Back to normal?"
"It seems like it stopped at a certain point. It suddenly cut off."
Then he looked back in the direction we came from.
He said it cut off, so it must be around here. I took a few steps and stood where Lewis indicated.
Hmm... I still have no idea.
"I need to investigate."
I returned to Lewis's side, and he said,
"Instead of stopping the noise, something amplified it."
"That's strange, so we need to figure out what's going on."
True to his research-obsessed nature, he wouldn't let anything slide.
"Are you going to investigate it yourself?"
"I have to. I can't rely on those guys at the Mage Tower."
Isn't it too much work for you...
I remembered Michael saying that if Lewis wasn't coming to the Duke's mansion, he was always working, back and forth between work and home.
"Won't it be hard doing it alone?"
I remembered Lewis overworking himself to develop the potion.
The supporting male lead who isn't close to the heroine really only knows work.
"If I could help, I'd gladly do it..."
I said with a sympathetic look, and Lewis turned to me.
"Then do you want to help?"
"Me? I don't know anything about magic."
It's sad to say, but it's true!
Besides, the only method I know is from the original story.
"Wouldn't it be better to tell Michael?"
"Michael is busy. You look free."
"...."
I couldn't argue with that!
"Would I really be helpful?"
Since he asked for help first, I asked hesitantly, and Lewis nodded.
"Since you were with me, I noticed the noise suddenly coming back."
That's true...
I didn't find Lewis's suggestion troublesome.
After his last research, I wanted to help him soon.
I had been stuck since I went to the temple with Charlotte, unsure of what to do next.
Hmm... If I just need to be by his side, I can help, right?
Alright, I'll stop questioning how I can help.
"Okay, I'll do it. If you need me that much, I have no choice but to help."
"It's not that I need you that much."
Lewis frowned as if he heard something strange.
No need to be so serious!
Anyway, I ended up with an unexpected task while out shopping. Finding whatever amplified Lewis's noise in the street!
"Whether it's a person or a magical tool, we need to find it."
"What happens next?"
"We need to analyze it."
Ugh...
I chatted with Lewis as we returned to the store we had rushed out of.
Since whatever was amplifying the noise was gone, we decided to finish what we were doing.
But an unexpected thing happened.
"What about other sizes? I saw some on the display earlier."
"Ah, that size has already been sold."
The shoes I was going to buy were sold out.
Sold out? Of all things, my size is sold out!
Lewis looked at me, who was feeling down, and the clerk, who looked troubled, and asked,
"What now? Should we go to another store?"
"No... We've already been to many stores. I'll buy something here."
With no choice, I quickly bought the next pair I had my eye on and left the shoe store.
"What will you do about the ones you liked the most being sold out?"
"Well, everyone has similar tastes. But these are pretty too!"
Thank you for the gift, Marquis! I lifted the paper bag and smiled brightly.
So, is today's outing over? I felt a bit tired, thinking it was all done.
No wonder. We had walked through so many shops and hurriedly chased a trail.
I was about to ask Lewis, 'Shall we go back now?' but changed my mind.
"Do you want to get something cool to drink?"
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