Side Story 4 |
After a series of incidents, Isley followed me more often. He always followed me, especially when I went to the factory.
The reason was that something dangerous might happen. I remember Isley’s pounding on his chest, telling me to use himself as an escort knight.
Being human is really stupid. While feeling grateful, on the other hand, seeing a man making all kinds of fuss about what might happen to me, I think, ‘Oh, this person is so annoying.’ I felt such apologetic thoughts as I saw Isley browsing the costumes in Yuria and my store. But he didn’t just bother. I don’t want to admit it, but… Occasionally seeing him look like a puppy, I would smile strangely. very occasionally.
The reason Isley is here now is to buy new clothes. When I said I was going to the store to return the book I had borrowed from Emma and deliver lunch to Yuria, he followed me saying that he was going to buy new clothes too. Isley was staring at the clothes, his eyes wide open, to see if there was anything he liked.
Since the clothes here are reselling items bought in bulk from the market, they are cheap and comfortable to wear, but they do not have good quality. Obviously, it will not occupy Isley’s taste. Wouldn’t it be better to go to a place that is more expensive and of better quality than here? But I didn’t bother recommending the store to him. It occurred to me that Isley had come here to see me rather than to buy clothes.
I looked and handed Emma the book.
“It was a good read.”
“right? It’s fun!”
“Yeah, that’s great. It was especially exciting when the reason the main character killed the Duke was revealed.”
Looking back, I realized that what she was seeing was Isley. She would occasionally watch Isley following me into the store. At the time, she was just wanting to see his face, but when she comes to think about it, she realizes that she may have developed an interest in Isley. Emma spit it out like a stabbed person.
“… Me, boss. Never misunderstand. I’m not interested in Mr. Isley!”
For a moment, I thought she had read my heart. Could it be that there was a tee on my face? When I was suffering from amnesia, my inner feelings were easily revealed on my face. So there were a lot of difficulties in many ways. I glanced at her face, but neither raised the corners of my lips nor frowned. It was just plain expressionless as usual. I guess she just stabbed me and said something like that.
Emma said, blushing in embarrassment.
“I know you two, how can I do that?”
What does she think about us?
“Just looking at the two of you always reminds me of a romance novel. Mr. Isley… Doesn’t he look like a male protagonist? Appearance and behavior. To leave the place he used to live for the one he love! It’s like a novel.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that.
Well, she’s not a main character in a romance novel. Although the exhaustion is mixed.
“Besides, the boss is no ordinary person. At such a young age, you had your own shop and house, and there were men who followed you all the way here because he liked you.
“… Well.”
Is it a compliment? My face began to burn as I heard the words from her mouth that she was “perfect for the full heroine role.” She’s embarrassed and looks like she’s going to die. What is the female lead? If I had to pick a role like that…
“Lala?”
Yuria was the most appropriate for the role.
When I turned to the place where the voice was heard, I saw Yuria and Michaela entering the store with food they had bought from a nearby restaurant. They greeted Isley and then came over to me.
“Ah, the second boss… What’s up?”
Yuria looked at the bag in my hand and widened her eyes.
“Is that lunch? Did you make it for us?”
“Yes. But I guess I came too late.”
“Yeah, you came a little late.”
Michaela nodded his head.
“No. Lala didn’t come late. She came just on time.”
Yuria put the food away and said firmly.
“Thank you for lunch, Lala. I will definitely eat this for lunch.”
“… Today, I wanted to eat at restaurants.”
“Can’t we have Lala’s food for lunch today? I’m sorry for forcing you.”
No, you don’t have to eat mine…
Michaela looked down at Yuria for a moment, and put the food somewhere else.
“Still, the second boss’s cuisine is the best. thanks.”
Emma said that she likes the food very much, looked at Yuria and laughed.
We put up a ‘Close’ sign outside the store door and decided to eat together. Isley was there, as if it was natural, but everyone seemed familiar with it and didn’t seem to pay much attention to it.
We were seated at the table that had been placed on the other side of the store. The food I brought today was seafood paella and french fries.
Arya was right next to the beach, so I was able to buy a lot of seafood at a low price. So, I tend to bring seafood-related dishes.
Everyone tasted the food and said it was delicious. The reactions of Isley and Michaela, who are picky eaters, were contradictory. The former smiled broadly and lied openly saying it was a great taste, while the latter frankly said, “It’s okay.”
What… It feels good to hear that even if it’s a lie, it’s delicious.
I sat down right next to Michaela and ate. Isley would furrowed his eyebrows with an anxious look on his face whenever I got closer to him or talked to him. Apparently, he was wary of Michaela.
You don’t think there’s something between Michaela and me, do you? If that’s the case, I’d like to say that you were completely mistaken. Michaela was completely uninterested in me. Always helpless and uninterested, he only shows interest in food and clothes. So he could trust and entrust Yuria.
Michaela looked up and moved to the seat next to Emma. Isley’s face changed as if relieved, but his gaze was still fixed on him. Michaela, who had always been indifferent to him, even turned his head to another place, perhaps as if he felt a stinging sensation in his gaze. Then he got impatient and spoke to me secretly.
‘Second boss. What should I do with him?’
I smiled and shook my head.
I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s a matter of how I can do it.
Michaela was uncomfortable with Isley.
It was before Isley gave him a burdensome gaze. At first, he didn’t seem to care that much, but one day, the day he properly faced Isley’s face, things started to get weird.
Is Isley’s face reminiscent of someone?
Then Isley opened his mouth.
“I remembered.”
At the small murmuring, people’s eyes turned to Isley. He said indifferently, looking at Michaela.
“I thought I’d seen it a lot… Are you a disciple of Ariancia?”
At that moment, silence fell in the store.
It was like the silence after the bomb went off.
Ariancia. It is the name of the best designer in the empire. Despite being a commoner, she was famous for making her first debut in an empress dress, and since her debut, almost all of the imperial costumes and several aristocratic outfits have been worn by her. After she gained some fame from her, she launched her own brand after her. There is probably no one in this world who does not know her. In the world I originally lived in, she was a person with the same reputation as Chanel or Louis Vuitton. Ariancia is now in her mid-to-late 70s, and even at that age, she was still active.
“Hey!”
Emma’s scream broke the silence.
“What do you mean? Michaela is a disciple of Ariancia?”
I looked away from Emma and turned to Michaela. His sleepy, indifferent expression was subtly broken. A look of perplexity is evident.
Perhaps it is true that he is a disciple of Ariancia. Since he was about to become a duke, he would have had frequent opportunities to meet Ariancia like this in person. Isley drank the water and continued.
“Yeah, I’ve seen her in the salon.”
Emma said curiously.
“Wow… Isley, have you seen the hard-to-see Ariancia? No, more than that, how did you get to Ariancia salon? Aren’t there only nobles and imperial families allowed to enter?”
Isley lied casually. Every moment of rushing in front of me was as smooth as a fantasy.
“Before I came here, I lived in the Empire. At that time, I was selected as a waitress at the salon, and I worked as a servant for a while.”
“Ahh… Come to think of it, I heard that Ariancia like this only hires people with outstanding looks to serve as a waiter.”
Michaela swallowed the food and opened his mouth. He had returned to his original loose face.
“… I really didn’t mean to hide it. I always said I was an Ariancia disciple.”
Emma shouted.
“If you say it jokingly, of course no one believes it! You never said that seriously, a disciple of Ariancia.”
“Yes…. I never knew she would be such a great person.”
Yuria also covered her mouth with her hand and nodded.
So do I. I didn’t know that Michaela was really her disciple. To be sure, as Emma said, he never seriously revealed his identity. Even if we didn’t believe it, we just passed it on and didn’t bring in any evidence.
If he is a disciple of Ariancia, I have a question. Why is such a great person coming to such a small kingdom? Isn’t it supposed to be successful in the empire in the first place? Perhaps he has his own circumstances. Considering his attitude up to this point, it is certain. Because while he wanted to reveal that he was a disciple, he acted like he didn’t want that fact to be known. It was evident from the look of embarrassment when his identity was revealed by Isley.
“Then am I a disciple of Ariancia’s disciple?”
“Haha, that’s right!”
Knowing that, Yuria and Emma, I just get over this situation in a way that is amazing or amazing.
“By the way… Why is you here?”
But Isley was different. He doesn’t stop his mouth, whether he’s ignorant or not, thinking he doesn’t need to.
Rather, it was me and Yuria who were sweating while looking at Michaela.
What would he do if he also revealed the identity of Isley himself?
The arrival of a disciple of Ariancia will come as a mixture of surprise and greatness, but the arrival of a high-ranking nobleman of the Empire will only come as a bit of an embarrassment to the people here. Fortunately, Michaela didn’t seem to want to reveal Isley’s identity. He just looked upwards, as if thinking about something in response to Isley’s question.
I can’t. That mouth, I must stop.
I got up.
“Isley, I’m leaving now. Are we going out together?”
“Huh? Yes! Shall we go together.”
Isley nodded and followed me.