Chapter 092. Lemonade
“……I didn’t know a place like this existed.”
Deborah’s mouth fell wide open as she looked at the vast lake park spread out before her.
“I sometimes come here when I have something that gives me a headache—how is it, do you like it?”
Deborah nodded while unable to tear her eyes away from the scenery.
Who wouldn’t like a view like this?
The scenery that naturally opened up her chest made the stuffy feelings she’d had until now feel a little relieved.
“If we walk one full lap around the lake, it’ll take roughly a little over an hour—are you sure you’ll be okay?”
‘It was no strain at all for me, but I asked just in case it might be too much for the other person.’
Only then did Deborah turn her head and look at Jade.
“Of course. I’m fine.”
At the bright smile that said that much was nothing, Jade nodded, saying that was good.
The whole time they walked along the promenade that circled around the lake, it felt exactly like strolling through a scene from a fairy tale.
The calmly flowing ripples, the ducks and swans leisurely floating on top of them, and the trees that looked so old it was impossible to tell how long they had been here.
Except for the occasional sound of birds flapping their wings and taking flight, it was a landscape that naturally calmed the heart.
While walking completely immersed in the scenery for a long while, Deborah finally realized that quite a bit of time had passed since they started.
For her, it was her first time seeing this view and her first time ever taking a proper walk like this, but she suddenly worried that Jade, who was already familiar with this place, might find walking silently like this a little boring.
Feeling sorry, Deborah glanced back at Jade, who was walking beside her.
“Um…… aren’t you bored?”
At the hesitant question, Jade blinked a few times.
Then, as if he had just understood what she meant, he shook his head.
“No, thanks to you I’m getting to take a walk after a long time.”
“…….”
“No, really. Actually, I haven’t been able to come for a while because of work. And even when I did come, I was always pathetically alone—but today I’m here with such a nice friend? You have no idea how excited I am right now.”
Seeing that the apologetic look still hadn’t left her face, Jade continued speaking at length as if to refute it.
At those playful words, a laugh unintentionally slipped out with a “pfft.”
“By the way, how are you doing at Elfengreen?
After taking a few more steps, the unexpected question made Deborah pause for a moment.
Did I ever tell him where I’m staying? The thought flashed through her mind, and it seemed the other person had noticed that implication as well.
Looking flustered, he hurriedly added,
“Ah, Teacher Helena…… was so worried that I heard a little about it. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”
Looking at the man who didn’t know what to do with himself, Deborah thought.
Come to think of it, I heard he and Teacher Helena have known each other for quite a long time. Then they must have built up considerable trust, so it’s only natural he might have heard about me.
If Teacher Helena told him about me, that meant he was someone she trusted that much.
Since Helena was the person Deborah trusted most in this world, hearing about herself from her didn’t feel bad at all.
Deborah soon smiled and shook her head.
“No, it’s okay.”
“…….”
“Elfengreen…… mm, I’m doing well. I have good friends, and also…….”
She had tried so hard not to think about it, yet her foolish mind once again stupidly brought that man to the forefront.
The man who hadn’t shown any reaction for days.
The cruel person who seemed like he wouldn’t regret it at all even if things ended like this……
Swallowing the emotions that suddenly surged up, Deborah forcibly lifted the corners of her lips.
She didn’t want to be the only one hurting because of a man like that.
Why should I—I’m fine too. As if out of spite.
“I’m just getting by fine.”
“……I see. That’s…… a relief.”
She didn’t know what exactly was such a relief, but she just let it pass lightly.
“By the way, how did you meet Teacher Helena?”
It was something she had been curious about for a while, but strangely there had never been a chance to ask.
How two people of different ages and genders had become friends.
At the question, Jade’s gaze drifted through the air for a moment.
As if recalling the past, he fell silent for a second, then began to speak with a strange smile.
“There was a time when I was…… wandering a bit.”
“Wandering?”
“Yes, sounds funny, doesn’t it?”
It wasn’t particularly funny, but it was honestly hard to imagine.
A rebellious Jade……
Every time she saw him, he had such a bright and healthy image that the word “rebellion” didn’t really connect with him.
Perhaps that thought showed clearly on her face, because a soft “psht” laugh escaped Jade’s lips.
“Believe it or not, it was pretty serious.”
“……I see.”
“Anyway, that’s when I met Teacher Helena while I was wandering around like that.”
Teacher Helena meeting a rebellious Jade—honestly, that was also hard to picture.
“Have you ever seen Teacher Helena yell loudly in anger?”
“…….”
Teacher Helena yelling loudly in anger?
She rummaged through her memories for a long time, but no matter how much she thought, no such image existed.
When Deborah quietly shook her head, Jade nodded as if he had expected as much.
“You probably can’t even imagine it, Deborah. Even now, when I think back to Teacher Helena from that time, my blood runs cold.”
As if that moment had suddenly come back to him, Jade shuddered and shook his head vigorously.
“…….”
“Huh? You have a look that says you don’t believe me.”
Honestly, it was only natural not to believe it.
To think that gentle Teacher Helena had such a side—sorry for saying this, but she couldn’t help thinking Jade was adding a little—no, a very heavy exaggeration.
At the sight of her pressing her lips tightly together, Jade’s mouth fell open.
“Wow, I’m really wronged here. I can’t even prove it to you right now.”
Hmm, seeing him jump like that, maybe a little of it was true……
“Well, I’ll believe you anyway.”
“Wow…….”
Jade stared blankly for a long time at Deborah’s back as she smiled brightly and kept walking.
Though he quickly caught up and walked beside her again soon after.
When they had completed one full lap around the lake and returned to the entrance where they had started, just as Jade had said, a little over an hour had easily passed.
There was still an awkward amount of time left, but there was nowhere else to kill time, so she had just decided to head back.
At the very moment she turned to Jade and was about to open her mouth to say, “Thank you so much for today, I’ll definitely repay you next time—”
A step ahead of her, an unexpected remark jumped out of Jade’s mouth first.
“Aren’t you thirsty by any chance?”
At the mischievous grin that revealed his white teeth, Deborah unconsciously wrinkled her nose.
* * *
Deborah stared wide-eyed in wonder at the pale golden liquid visible inside the transparent glass.
So…… what did he call this again, le…… lemonade?
“Deborah?”
At the voice calling from across the table, Deborah startled and sat up straight.
“Why are you staring at it like that?”
“Ah…… well, it’s because it’s my first time seeing it.”
Seeing her cheeks turn slightly red with embarrassment, Jade finally noticed how strange Deborah’s behavior had been.
Come to think of it, this coffee house mainly served nobles or wealthy merchants.
The lemonade sold in a place like this—not only the lemons, but the sugar that went into it was an extremely expensive ingredient, so it was definitely a drink that commoners or poor laborers couldn’t even dream of.
Jade quietly clicked his tongue at himself for not having considered that
“Mm, someone I know treated me to it a while ago…… it was my first time trying it too, and it was pretty good.”
“…….”
“The owner here is an acquaintance of mine…… so, ha, go ahead and try it. It’ll be perfectly cool and refreshing right now.”
Glancing at him as he scratched his head with an awkward smile, Deborah soon looked down again at the glass in front of her.
She brought the cold glass to her lips and tilted it slightly; the pale yellow drink flowed into her mouth.
At first, the sour tang made one eye squint involuntarily, but the sweetness that spread immediately afterward made both eyes open wide.
“How is it?”
Jade, who had been closely watching Deborah’s blinking reaction for a while, cautiously asked for her impression.
Deborah’s gaze left the glass and moved to Jade’s face across from her.
“It’s really delicious.”
Seeing her eyes blinking like a surprised rabbit, Jade let out a sigh of relief.
Phew—as if the tension had eased, his gaze naturally drifted around them.
The weather had been unusually nice lately.
That’s why they had chosen the outdoor terrace where a cool breeze blew instead of an indoor table.
But the moment his eyes met the sharp blue ones glaring fiercely at them from across the way, Jade instantly regretted that choice.
Raymond von Cheister.
The moment he spotted the man who absolutely should not be here, Jade’s face began to harden in an instant.
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It’s funny 😭😂😂😂😂😂
