Kays Translations

Chapter 278: Wanted: A Piece of Romance

Miss Fabienne kept her head down as we passed through the bustling cold remedy section.

"As expected of Miss Fabienne. My eyes didn't deceive me."

I said confidently, as if implicitly stating, "Miss Fabienne is someone I've nurtured."

"Julius-sama... This is embarrassing."

"Why's that? I think it's something to be very proud of."

"Ugh! Are you teasing me!?"

Pouting, Miss Fabienne puffs up a bit. I guess I was teasing her a little. But more than that, I was filled with pride. Miss Fabienne's talent was being proven right before my eyes. How could I not feel proud?

...Wait a minute. Come to think of it, we haven't officially become engaged yet. Embarrassingly enough, in my mind, Miss Fabienne was already my fiancée, and we were destined to marry in the future. Imagination can be scary. And it would be even scarier if I was the only one thinking that.

"Um, is something wrong? Did I perhaps upset you?"

Miss Fabienne asked with a face that looked like she might cry at any moment. This is bad. That was really not my intention at all. What should I say... Should I be honest here?

"Miss Fabienne, if... if it's alright with you, would you consider becoming my fiancée?"

At my sudden confession, Miss Fabienne blushed intensely. Nero, Gile, and Christopher all widened their eyes. I messed up big time.

I quickly realized I rushed things. Confessing in a shop selling magical potions like this... There's no mood or anything romantic about it. I'm such a lousy guy.

"If, um, Julius-sama says it's okay with me, then I'm..."

"Not just 'okay with Miss Fabienne', but I want Miss Fabienne. Please don't be so modest. Miss Fabienne is a wonderful woman."

I sounded a bit annoyed and my tone grew stronger. Miss Fabienne looked up at me with moist eyes. I gestured towards the crowd from earlier.

"Look at those people. They've come here seeking your magical potions. Miss Fabienne, you have the power to make those people happy. That's an incredible ability. Though, it's not just because of that ability that I like you, of course."

"Ah..."

Oops! I just casually said "I like Miss Fabienne". Nero and the others are giving me a look like "We didn't hear anything," and are looking away. Sorry, I'm utterly clueless about romance. Should I have said, "I like your breasts"? No, definitely not.

Miss Fabienne blushed deeply, practically steaming from her head, and I took her hand and led her into the shop. Our purpose was to check the magical potions being sold in the capital. Can't afford to neglect that.

I should have confessed in the carriage. But it's too late to realize that now.

"Hmm, the basic healing potions still taste awful. It seems like the recipe from the capital hasn't spread here yet."

"I hope Julius-sama's method spreads quickly."

Wandering around the shop helped Miss Fabienne regain her composure. She still had a slightly flushed face as she smiled gently.

"That's right. It's frustrating, but we'll have to wait. Should we deliver them claiming they were made by a mysterious alchemist?"

"If we do that, it'll cause another uproar."

Miss Fabienne and I chuckled with a hint of exasperation. Indeed, that would be the case. It's about cold remedies, after all. If it were other magical potions, the shop would always be as crowded as during a clearance sale. If things went badly, it could lead to conflicts of interest even with neighboring territories.

"It's not going quite as smoothly, is it?"

"No, it isn't. But there's no need to rush. We just need to keep moving forward steadily every day."

"Heh, that's true."

That's right. I know my abilities are limited. So, I should just synchronize my pace with everyone around me. I'm only ten years old, after all, so there should still be plenty of time.

We wander around looking at the merchandise together. The quality is still poor, and there isn't much variety either. It's probably because there's no one developing new products.

I'd like to say that as someone recognized by His Majesty as a potion maker... But it's not that simple. My recognition as a potion maker is limited to some. To earn the trust of many, I'll probably have to graduate from the academy.

Miss Fabienne is in the same boat. She sells her potions on the trust of the Heine Margraviate, but technically, she shouldn't be selling potions independently.

The road ahead seems long. This won't be easy to solve.

"I had a lot of fun today."

As we return to the carriage and set off for home, Miss Fabienne breathes a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you said that. It was my first date, so I was quite nervous."

"Huh? It was your first date!? I just assumed..."

Apparently, the gentlemanly escort Alex taught me had quite an impact. It was so natural that it didn't seem like a first date at all. Maybe I gained a bit of confidence.

Learning social manners in the capital's social circles must have been significant, too. I'm glad that hellish etiquette training wasn't a waste.

The carriage came to a stop. It seemed we had arrived at the Baron Ambel's residence. Evening was approaching swiftly outside. It was a quick date. My first date in life, though I'm just a child.

For the final escort of the day, I guided Miss Fabienne outside the carriage.

"Father, Mother, we're back."

"Welcome home. Did everything go well?"

"Of course, Father. I'm not that much of a child."

Miss Fabienne puffed up her cheeks in irritation. She's still quite childlike in some ways. Her parents chuckled fondly at her reaction.

"Thank you for taking care of our daughter today."

"Oh no, not at all. I had a wonderful time."

"That's good to hear."

After a few more exchanges, we took our leave from the Baron Amber's residence. It was on the carriage ride back that I realized something.

I hadn't mentioned the craftsmanship on the ring to Miss Fabienne. I had intended it to be a secret between the two of us. Oh well, I'll tell her about it some other time.

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