Drop!! ～A Tale of the Fragrance Princess～

Volume 6, Act 54: At the Royal Capital for the First Time in Ages Part 03

Translator: Blushy

Editor: delishnoodles

When Cordelia returned to her room, she cut open the seal on the letter from Marquis Flantheim and five pieces of paper were neatly folded inside. He was completely different from Vernoux who finished his letters in a few sentences, and Cordelia smiled wryly when she thought about how Marquis Flantheim had made Elvis wait until he had finished writing the letter.

The letter began with how he had met Elvis by chance. After that, he continued to write about his wife, Sara, for what felt like forever, so Cordelia decided to put those aside for now and skipped three pages of writing. Then, in the second half of the fourth page, he wrote that he would be attending the Pameradia’s evening party.

『I asked Elvis if he would be dancing with you, but he only answered me with a vicious glare. I’ve never seen him dance before, so I was really looking forward to it. 』

Cordelia, who saw this sentence, thought that Elvis didn’t dance because the Marquis had gone out of his way to say something like that.

『When I asked him if Vernoux could dance with you, he didn’t even react to me. 』

Cordelia felt exhausted when she saw this sentence.

The Marquis might not have been serious about that, but if such a thing had happened, then it would become a state of emergency where people will think that Vernoux is her fiancé.

Vernoux was a very reliable friend, but she didn’t think that they had any feelings of love between them. On the contrary, if she had told this to the person himself, then he would snort and make fun of her, “What? Did you fall in love with me?”

However, Cordelia tilted her head and wondered what kind of lady Vernoux would marry in the future. The Marquis had said, 『Find your own wife! 』, but she couldn’t imagine him flirting with a lady.

“Well, putting Vernoux-sama’s future aside, I have to worry about my own future.”

Even though one of her fears had completely disappeared thanks to Elvis’s words, she still had concerns.

Yes, they were about Shelley.

“… If we don’t have to see each other, then that’s fine.”

However, things probably won’t go that way. Rumours of her adulthood have even reached Cordelia. It seemed like she had not grown into a docile lady.

She pulled herself together and put the letter in her desk. I’ll read about his wife slowly later, she thought before heading to the dining room.

???????

Cordelia reached the day before her birthday evening party while preparing for various things.

“I thought I might be a little nervous, but it’s beyond my expectations. I’m extremely nervous right now.”

Cordelia was drinking tea in the greenhouse to calm down, but her nerves wouldn’t settle down at all. Emina smiled at her.

“It’s a grand occasion, so please have fun… Is what I would like to say, but I can understand how you feel. I couldn’t sleep the night before either.”

“You couldn’t sleep either, Emina?”

“Yes. My speech flew right out of my head, and I desperately tried to keep it together.”

“That’s exactly how I feel right now.”

Cordelia shrugged a little at Emina’s words.

She still felt a bit nervous, but she was able to calm down a little bit after she heard that she wasn’t the only one to feel like this.

“You’ll be fine, Ojou-sama. Shall I help you as much as I can tomorrow?”

“Thanks. All I can do today is eat well, sleep well and prepare for tomorrow. The problem is whether I will be able to get a good night’s sleep or not.”

She thought that she wouldn’t be able to calm down if she wasn’t doing anything, but she had already finished all the preparations that she had to do. All that was left was to attend the party with a perfect condition.

She pondered over how to kill time and Lara came carrying a cloth.

“Ojou-sama, I’ve moved all the presents for tomorrow near the venue.”

“Thanks.”

“And, Vernoux-sama is here.”

“Huh? Now? Really?”

“Yes. He said he was just going to leave a message, but I thought you would like to see him, so I stopped him from leaving.”

“Hmm, thank you for stopping him. I’ll go see him now.”

But, what did he come here for?

Cordelia rushed to the entrance with that question in mind.

A young blonde, who was much taller than she remembered, was waiting for her at the entrance.

Cordelia stopped breathing for a second at his appearance.

She didn’t fall in love with him.

(It’s the face of『Vernoux Flantheim』…!)

Vernoux is Vernoux, but she was shocked that her childhood friend had grown into the same figure as the game and her face stiffened for a moment.

“Hey, it’s been a while.”

His high voice seemed to have lowered slightly, but his tempo was still of the same childhood friend who she knew well. When she heard his voice, she dropped her shoulders slightly and relaxed.

“It’s been a while, Vernoux-sama. You still visit suddenly like always.”

“You haven’t changed at all since you still say something like that. Well, I could tell from your letters.”

“I’m glad you look well, Vernoux-sama.”

Two years was a long time even though they were talking casually to each other.

Vernoux’s young looks had disappeared, and he had grown a head taller than her even though he was the same height as her when they were younger. However, his mischievous aura hadn’t changed at all.

(Even if his nature hasn’t changed, he’s at the age when his appearance changes greatly.)

If it’s like this, then Gille-sama might have changed a lot too.

“But, did you shrink a little Dilly?”

“Stop joking. You’ve grown.”

“I have, but I’m a little surprised you’re smaller than I thought you were. Weren’t you taller a while ago?”

“I’m tall among the women of my age. If I wear heels, then I’ll be even taller.”

“Ah, that dangerous weapon?”

Vernoux looked clearly dejected at the word “heels”.

“Did someone, perhaps, step on you?”

“If I hadn’t been stepped on, then I wouldn’t have known the horror of that deadly weapon.”

“Oh my. The Vernoux who reluctantly went to the houses of ladies because the Marquis took him there is now dancing with ladies… You’ve grown up.”

“Don’t say misleading things. Even if I don’t dance, a lot of things happen in the adult world.”

“Even if you say you’re an adult, aren’t we the same age? Even I will become an adult tomorrow.”

Cordelia wondered what kind of wonderful lady stepped on her childhood friend’s feet with heels and sighed. Vernoux laughed.

“I came to deliver something to celebrate you becoming an 『adult』. I could have given it to you tomorrow, but he’ll be happier if I gave it to you today.”

“This is?”

“Open it. It’s from Gille.”

Cordelia opened the bag without hesitation when she heard Vernoux say that. She looked at the item inside and took it out in surprise.

It was a gorgeous hair ornament made of rose flowers. Not only roses, but there was also ribbon lace and baby’s breath on the ornament.

“Beautiful.”

“Gille made that.”

“Huh?”

Gille-sama might have made this?

“He also suffered a lot while making flower crowns a long time ago.”

“Oh, he practiced a lot after that. Maybe, he can make it better than you now, Dilly. He’s always been skilful, and he hates to lose.”

“Fufu, I know that too.”

He seems skilful, but I didn’t think he could make something like this.

“Gille-sama always amazes me. But, there’s nothing more surprising than the time when I first met him.”

“Well, it would be nice if you aren’t surprised by him anymore.”

“This isn’t a fresh flower, right? But it isn’t an artificial flower or dried flowers…”

The rose, which was as soft as fresh flowers, was just like a preserved flower.

“I don’t know much about it, but Gille worked hard to make it. I’m sure he had another hair ornament prepared, but you can preserve that without having to use it at tomorrow’s evening party.”

“Still, the fact that you brought it today means that I’ll look pretty if I wear it at the evening party tomorrow?”

“I won’t deny that. Well, I can’t confirm that either since I don’t know what colour your dress will be.”

She had prepared some hair ornaments for tomorrow, but she could tell at a glance that this suited her. Let’s talk about this with Emina and I’ll also ask Otou-sama about it too.

Cordelia thought and Vernoux coughed on purpose.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, this is sudden, but I think it’s time for me to stop being a delivery man.”

“Huh?”

“Gille has already turned sixteen. If you want to deliver letters to each other, then you can do it yourselves. It’s weird for me to be your middleman forever right? Well, I won’t stop right away, but I’ll be telling Gille that I’ll be stopping soon too.”

Vernoux said and Cordelia suddenly noticed.

(If I don’t know Gille-sama’s real name, and I can’t use Vernoux as a delivery man, then we won’t be able to get in touch. Still, it’s a bit sad that he’s still hiding it.)

She stayed silent because she knew that Vernoux was teasing her, but rather than gradually growing lonelier, she felt that she couldn’t even have any complaints if he didn’t tell her his name.

(But if I miss the timing, then it’s a good opportunity.)

If he would state it clearly, then Cordelia would welcome it.

“Then, just one thing. Will you send him a thank you note from me?”

“Oh, I’ll deliver your letters anytime Dilly. You haven’t been told how to contact him, and you’re not hiding anything, are you?”

Cordelia only smiled at Vernoux’s question.

I don’t know if it’s a secret, but he’s been hiding it for a long time.

He might have been worried that I would feel weird if he told me, ――― but how can I tell him that I was reincarnated into the world of a game?

It’s not like I’m at some kind of disadvantage from Vernoux-sama or Gille-sama just because Gille-sama is hiding who he is.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“I see. Well then, I’m going home now.”

“Oh my, you’re really going home fast.”

“I’m quite busy, and I’ll be coming tomorrow anyway.”

Before, he would at least enjoy some tea, so he must be really busy.

“Are you disappointed?”

“Don’t joke. But Vernoux-sama, you’re already a grown man. If you visit my house that often, then the ladies wouldn’t be able to remain calm.”

Vernoux-sama has good parentage, his personality and looks are also good, and he has a lot of elements that are liked by women, so I wasn’t really joking.

(Come to think of it, I wonder what relationship he has with Hazel-sama now since she knows this well.)

I received letters from Hazel-sama and Vernoux-sama while I was in Weltoria, but I didn’t receive any that mentioned both their names.

Vernoux lifted the edge of his mouth as if interrupting Cordelia’s thoughts.

“Oh? Am I that fine of a man?”

“Yes, I think you have a good personality.”

“You’ve said too much. Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Vernoux said while turning around and Cordelia waved at him lightly.

“Since Vernoux-sama is coming, I can’t say that I’m nervous.”

Along with those words, Cordelia got hyped up for her evening party tomorrow.