The already cold tea had been replaced by the maid. Warm steam rose from the fresh cups. Cookies were served neatly on a platter—however, they were untouched.

“That attendant, if he actually did his job properly and stopped that prince, then we wouldn’t need to go through such problems. Although, he did seem scared…”

“I realized that, too. So, you were trying to get the facts out of him just now. But you did manage to make him talk about the party, good job, Riol-kun! By the way, what are you writing?”

“Waaah, Riol, what fluid hand movement! Is that calligraphy? How amazing!”

Riol, who ran a pen over a paper, got peeked by Sharina who sat opposite of him. By the way, Angelica sat beside Sharina.

Before he started writing, he had certainly requested a set of stationery. He requested it right after Edward’s carriage had left.

“If that’s really the case, I wish that person would have just said so. Why would he come here, only to clamp up right at the most important part?”

“He was probably scared we would spill the beans on His Highness. ‘Never get close to His Highness again!’ if it’s really just mere advice, then it’s still excusable. But, for him to say that after His Highness had sent out an invitation to Clydea house? That’s just asking for trouble. In short, he would be checkmated if His Highness were to know. The Prince would accuse him of sabotaging his plan just to secure his sister-in-law’s ascendancy to the throne.”

“That’s why he instead tried to threaten Shari so she would refuse the Prince herself…”

The clean paper was completely covered in black writings. The brush flowed with a fluid motion—it was too fast to read.

“He doesn’t even need to threaten me, because I would certainly miss that party for the world. Yep, feigning sickness, it is.”

“No, this is different from a mere school party. Even more so when you receive a direct invitation from His Highness, aka the host of the coming of age party. The pressure to attend would be so great that, even if you were truly sick, you’d be made to crawl to the party. If you’re absent, you’ll certainly be questioned about it at a later date.”

After signing something, Riol drew a pattern and finally laid down his pen.

“No, no way… t, then I’ll attend but quietly hide in the corner of the venue, be a wallflower, or something…”

“Are you sure? Because I’m sure he would ditch the entirety of the Rose Garden and go straight to you for the sake of inviting you to dance.”

If I don’t go, it will be hell.

If I go, it will be one hell of a party…

The moment Leonardo approached her, everyone in Rose Garden would turn into her enemy. If the excuse for her absence was half-baked and end up uncovered on a later day, the prince of the kingdom would turn into her enemy.

“The only reason left for me to not attend is to acquire a serious illness, or befallen with a natural disaster or something—Riol, the letter you’ve written has something to do about it, right?”

“Yeah.”

Before Sharina could read it, however, Riol had already inserted it into an envelope. Riol then sealed the envelope without saying anything.

“A natural disaster will occur.”

◆◆◆◇◆◆◆◇◆◆◆◇◆◆◆

“Ueeeeeeeh—“

“Kyaaaa—!! Riol! Riol! Are you alright—!?”

“It might be wise for you to step back, Young Miss.”

—inside a gondola flying in the sky. Riol, who turned pale, vomited into the hemp bag he had in his hand.

“I…I’m fine, just…”

“No, no! At this rate, the only thing your father will be witnessing is the lifeless body of his son! Please! Don’t die before your father!”

Seeing Riol leaning on the corner of a gondola precisely like a corpse, a young man in his thirties, Apollon—the Clydea Family’s beast tamer—whistled.

Immediately, the gondola descended.

“This place is very close to town, let’s take a rest there tonight.”

The gondola landed in an area where the city entrance could be seen clearly. The loud flapping sounds of huge wings could be heard.

“Uh…”

“I shall carry Young Sir, Young Miss shall walk beside me.”

“I’m fine! Please take care of Riol, Apollon!”

Apollon got off the gondola while carrying a limp Riol. Sharina followed beside him.

“—Kyurukkyūkyukkyu~”

Contrary to its appearance, the Gigan Eagle let out a cute cry.

Sharina and Apollon, whom was carrying Riol, walked towards the city.

“I’m sure your father is also concerned about you. At this speed, I’m sure we’ll arrive tomorrow. Take a good rest tonight.”

“Yes, indeed, Apollon.

Apollon who seemed to be seriously worried about Riol’s father, stabbed Sharina in the chest with his words.

After all, the father of Riol that Apollon was concerned about—whom was supposed to be sick to the point of dying, should be energetically doing farm work right now…

“Look, we’ve almost reached the town, Young Sir Glen!”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure your father will recover soon.”

“…I’m sorry…”

So why were Sharina and Riol traveling across the sky while Apollon was worried sick about Riol’s father?

It began two days ago—

◆◆◆◇◆◆◆◇◆◆◆◇◆◆◆

“Tell him that my father fell ill.”

“Oh no—!? Then I have to return to the side of my father-in-law at once—!!”

“No, it’s just a lie. Just tell him that.”

At Angelica’s mansion, as the sun dipped into dusk—

—Sharina, Riol, and Angelica continued their meeting.

“Give this letter to your beast tamer, Apollon. You said that he delivered hamburger patties through Gigan Eagle every morning, right? I want you to give him this letter.”

“Understood. But what is written inside?”

“I’m sorry for lying to him, but… it’s about how I received news that my father had fallen ill. As such, I want to return home as soon as possible through the help of his Gigan Eagle. I also wrote about how I knew about him from your story, and how I wish to achieve the otherwise impossible means of fast travel.”

“Uhm…”

Although she received an explanation from Riol regarding the letter’s content, Sharina was still puzzled. After all, she didn’t understand his intentions behind doing all that.

Surely, she once told Riol about how Apollon basically went anywhere on a Gigan Eagle, and he used a gondola and such, and such—but did it matter?

“Would there be a problem if Apollon, you, and I were to ride the gondola together? I think you and me weight a little more than one adult man.”

“Yes, the gondola can carry up to three adults—huh? I’m going to ride, too?”

“Ah! I understand! You’re planning to take Shari to the Glen House before the invitation arrives! It’s no surprise that Shari, whom is concerned about an important friend, would join Riol to visit his sick father! It would be inevitable if Sharina were to miss the party due to ‘unforeseeable circumstances and unfortunate miscommunication’!”

Angelica, whom had been listening attentively, clapped both of her hands together as she understood.

“Yeah, that’s pretty close… I’ll give you the letter tomorrow. It would be better if Apollon reads it as soon as he can. If the invitation arrives tomorrow, we can just say that you missed it due to bad timing.”

“I, I see!”

Sharina finally understood.

In other words, she was going on a journey across the sky with Riol on a gondola!

Then, she would exchange greetings with his parents! In his residence!

It might be too early, but this was no doubt, a honeymoon—!!!

“—your deduction is too far-fetched.”

She got denied immediately—even though she made sure to whisper in a small voice…

---

***T/N: The translator is here 🙂 And I did articulate birds 🙂 

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