There Is No Place For Fakes

After that, Ellencia gave up without a second thought. It was because the mood was broken. Roseanne smiled triumphantly and disappeared somewhere. When she looked in that direction, she seemed to be going towards the Emperor’s Palace.

Like that, the Princess’s first tea party ended in disarray as soon as it started.

“Shall I go for a walk?”

Melinda decided not to go back immediately, but to take a short walk. Even though she only took one bite of the sandwich, she felt like it was on her stomach. Unbeknownst to her, her steps headed toward the southern palace. It was said that Miss Philomel was currently residing there.

“She won’t meet me. She was so nice to me, but I didn’t even greet her properly the last time I saw her…”

Melinda’s eyes met Philomell’s as she passed by at  the debutante Ball. She seemed like a chimney with a willingness to come over and talk, but she only lowered her head in the eyes of others. Recently, most nobles were estimating Philomel’s position. She was a fake princess, but now a state guest, her position was unprecedented and so ambiguous that they were not convinced.

If they were close friends now, would there be no regrets later? The situation of Melinda’s father, Count Lusan, was no different. While feeling grateful towards the former princess for helping her wife treat her illness, the Count warned his daughter to watch over the situation for the time being. It was an environment in which the aristocratic hierarchy was impossible to foresee. Didn’t the Elos family, which had no shame, collapse overnight?

But then, as Melinda trudged along the road toward the southern palace without much expectation, the person she wanted to see appeared in front of her. 

“All you do is hit and run? I won’t talk to Le Guin until he apologizes properly.”

That person was scolding a cat.

“Miss Philomel?”

Then Philomel turned to Melinda.

“Uh.”

It was a voice.

“Lady Lusan!”

She smiled brightly.

* * *

Philomel invited Melinda to have tea at the southern palace. Contrary to Melinda’s worries, she welcomed her without showing any signs of disgust.

Philomel said shyly as she looked down at the simple refreshment table.

“It’s rushed, so it’s nothing special.”

“No! It’s so delicious!”

Melinda waved her hand. She wasn’t telling lies, it was really good. The expensive desserts at Princess Ellencia’s tea party tasted like chewy sand, but the one she was eating just melted in her mouth. And the tea was brewed by Miss Philomel herself! When she asked whether or not she had a maid, Philomel replied that she would like to do something simple in the future. And she looked somehow amazing. The feeling of indigestion disappeared in an instant.

‘As expected, spending time with the person you like is comfortable…’ Looking at Philomel’s unreserved attitude, Melinda became even more ashamed of herself. Trying to alienate someone. ‘I won’t do that from now on!’

She vowed never to repeat that mistake again. She thought that she wanted to get along with Philomel. She’s sure if she convinces him well, her father would understand. Basically, he was a warm-hearted person.

‘Let’s convince the other young ladies later.’

Melinda thought, thinking of several young ladies who still liked the former Princess Philomel. It was then when Melinda’s eyes caught the sight of a cat lying on the grass.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t know Miss philomel had a cat.”

“…Yeah, well. That’s it.”

Philomel answered with a puzzled expression for some reason.

“We also have two cats in our house. They are really cute. I’d like to show them to Miss Philomel if I can.”

Melinda didn’t care about why Philomel looked puzzled. She was glad to find a common topic among themselves, and her eyes twinkled.

“Then, can I visit the Lusan Mansion?”

“Oh my God! Really? You would?”

“Only if the lady Lusan’s family is okay with it?”

“It’s okay! Even if it’s not okay, I’ll make it okay!”

Seeing Melinda so happy, Philomel laughed.

“It must come formally later! You promised!”

“I’ll send you an invitation!”

“Sure.”

Melinda was euphoric. Her cats didn’t have a belly button like Philomel’s but…

“By the way, what’s the name of Miss Philomel’s cat? Didn’t you say something about Guin…?”

Suddenly, Philomel’s expression darkened slightly.

“?”

“Guin-Guin!”

At that strange name, Melinda tilted her head.

‘…?’

For some reason, the cat’s gaze at Philomel seemed not to be nice. But Melinda was delighted that she had discovered a new side of her.

‘I thought you were perfect, but your sense of naming is lacking…’

After all, people can’t excel in everything! That kind of thing just felt kind of cute. Melinda continued to ask questions she had always wondered about Philomel. She wanted to know more about her.

“Does Miss Philomel respect Kwon to the point of using honorifics with him?”

“…I usually use honorifics for cats.”

“I see. But why were you scolding Kwon so much earlier?”

“He had a bit of an accident.”

“What kind of accident?”

“He broke the pottery in the room.”

“My cat has been like that a lot. We can’t keep anything at home with him in the same room.”

Philomel said playfully.

“Ugh. Kwon has been having a lot of accidents lately. He’s making a lot of noise, and he keeps hitting things.”

Melinda wanted to be of some help to Philomel, so she said out of the blue.

“Isn’t that a symptom of heat?”

“…yes?”

“That’s because Kwon is in heat, yup!”

Philomel hurriedly rose from her seat and covered Melinda’s mouth.

“It would be better to not say anything further than that, Lady Lusan.”

* * *

After Melinda, who was enjoying tea time, went back to her mansion, the common room was again occupied by Philomel, her three brothers and their father.

“Ha ha ha! It’s time of heat! Heat! Oh, is our Guin-Guin in heat?”

Cardin laughed as he folded his waist.

“…”

After a while, he was tied up and hung upside down from a tree.

“Oops! I was wrong! Put me down! Blood is rushing to my head. Ugg!”

Philomel looked at Jeremiah rebukingly. He was the culprit who fooled Lexion and Cardin about what Melinda said.

“Anyway… kuh, from now on… it’s better to be careful… if that young lady… heard something important… It must have been annoying.”

Beside her, Lexion barely suppressed his laugh and spoke. When Le Guin glared at him, he shrugged.

Philomel put her question, which she had already asked, into her mouth once more.

“Le Guin, are you really not going to touch Melinda?”

“No, since there was no malice.”

While talking today, Philomel and Melinda decided to call each other by their first names. Melinda said it was an honor and she rejoiced several times.

“I said no. Do I look like such a bad guy to you?”

The same definite answer came back from Le Guin several times. Only then did Philomel, a little relieved, get up from her seat.

“Then I’ll go somewhere.”

“Where are you going?”

“Someone broke a national treasure and I’m going to apologize to the Emperor.”

She had to report to Eustis about the broken pottery because of Le Guin. Anyway, why was that a national treasure?

“I’ll give you the reimbursement for it…?”

Le Guin suggested, but it sounded more like a question. 

“No, there is no need. Rather, they would be suspicious about where the money came from. It’s my guess, but… He probably won’t make a big deal out of this.”

Philomel spat out words of refusal and turned around. And she walked to the front of the Emperor’s palace. However, a strange sight was unfolding in front of the Emperor’s Palace. Roseanne, caught by the guardsmen, was shouting.

“Where do you put your hands on my body! Do you know who I am? I know you all and I won’t let you go later!”

It seemed that she had been stopped for trying to enter the imperial palace without permission. Philomel leisurely passed her. One of the guards who saw Philomel greeted her.

“Hello Miss Philomel!”

“You are suffering quite a lot.”

“No! This is our job. Come on in.”

A desperate scream erupted from behind Philomel as she entered the palace.

“Why are you blocking me and letting her in!”

It’s really good too. From Philomel’s point of view, Roseanne and her family were eagerly running towards the abyss of ruin. What Roseanne was doing was so famous that it was hard not to hear about it. Philomel shook her head.

‘At least until you fall, enjoy that happiness to the fullest.’