I'm Done Being Your Best Friend Chapter 6

IDBYBF | Chapter 6

Our carriage traveled for a long time and finally arrived at the fief. The land dyed with late autumn colors was precisely what I remembered.

"Grandma!"

"Come on in, children. I've been waiting for you."

As we entered the old castle, Grandma received us with good graces.

I lived with my grandmother until my mother called me to the capital. Therefore, I'm all the more welcome here.

As a courtesy, we also spent some free time in the drawing-room introducing Daisy before we proceeded to dinner.

"Rest well."

"You too, Grandma. Rest well."

After our appetites were sated, I parted with Daisy and went into my designated room. 

Oh, I'm so tired. I was exhausted after sitting in that carriage for a long time. I may try stretching out my legs to sleep more comfortably tonight.

As soon as I mused on that thought, someone knocked on my door.

"Sienna, it's me."

It was Daisy. She directly opened the door and came in without asking for my permission. Aren't you quite excited?

I repositioned myself on the bed as she drew close.

"What is it?"

"Why don't we go out later tonight?"

It's so obvious why you're asking me to go out with you. You're trying to show your face at the magic fountain, aren't you? Even though we've just arrived an hour ago from that tiring journey, you still want to walk around?

I looked at Daisy with a bored face while Daisy was gazing at me with a look of anticipation.

Even in my previous life, Daisy came into my room in exactly the same way. What did I say back then?

'Daisy, the Fountain of Magic will only take effect if there's a full moon.'

Rumors say that you'll go at "midnight" to see your fated partner. However, I just remembered that you have to go there when it's the full moon for you to succeed somehow.

But I didn't want to tell Daisy about this exclusive detail. I also wished to refuse spending another time with her. With that in mind, I pretended to be unwell and put the back of my hand on my forehead, looking like I'm about to faint.

"Oh, my. I'm not feeling well."

"So suddenly?"

Daisy raised her left brow and looked at me with disbelieving eyes. It seemed she could see through my bluff.

So what if you don't believe me? I gave her a flat-out answer straightaway.

"Oh, yes. I think I have a fever just now. I'm sorry, but I ought to retire for the night."

"......Okay. Take a good rest then."

Daisy went out quite dissatisfied after she grudgingly accepted my response.

I knew you're now mulling over the fact that I'm not putting up with your whims today. In the past, whenever you asked me to come with you, you knew I'd say yes.

However, from now on, I'm not going to be chasing you around like a dog anymore.

The room became quiet when Daisy went out. Let's get a nice long rest for now. I thought there's no end to seeing Daisy's dreadful face from the time I died, but it's already a fortune that I got to relax for a bit. As soon as I closed my eyes, I fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning...

"Good morning."

Daisy, who came to the dining hall, smiled and greeted my grandmother and me. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she sat next to me. I paused from cutting the sausage with a knife and turned my head to look at Daisy.

What did she do yesterday after she begged me to see the Fountain of Magic together? I wondered if she perhaps had gone alone. So I asked first.

"How was it? Did you go yesterday?"

"Yes. I went with Julie."

Julie was one of the maids here, who seemed to have forcefully taken by her because I wasn't coming. I supposed you must have been really curious that you couldn't hold it another day.

I put down my fork and knife altogether, and my eyes glistened with curiosity.

"So did you see someone? Who was it?”

Daisy shrugged and shook her head at my question.

"I didn't see anyone.”

"Oh, really? That's too bad."

It was as I'd expected. I laughed inwardly at her somber response as I picked up the silver cutleries again.

Daisy wasn't appeased and, in a fleshy tone, asked Grandma sitting across the table.

"Excuse me, Grandma. Did you happen to see your fated partner in the fountain before?”

"Yes, I did."

"Who was it, then?”

What kind of question is that? I paused again and looked at her, frowning slightly at her absurd question. You genuinely don't know? Or you're just acting cute, which wasn't cute at all.

But I guess, to Grandma, Daisy was just as cute as my childish self back in the days. Grandma laughed lightheartedly at her silly question and answered her still,

"I saw Sienna's grandfather's face."

"Oh, my. Are you sure, Grandma?"

This must be what she wanted to know if the Fountain of Magic was working correctly?

Looking at her knowing eyes, it felt like she was going for this opportunity to asked from the very beginning. Daisy tilted her head and asked sweetly.

"Why didn't mine come out yesterday? Do you happen to know how to do it, Grandma?"

"Well, would you like me to tell you a secret?

"Yes!"

Daisy answered with a glint in her eyes, and my naive grandmother spilled the information I didn't want to tell her.

"You'll have to do it on the night of a full moon. The face of your fated partner will be reflected on the water once there's a full moon.”

"Ah-ha, that's why I couldn't see anyone last night!"

"Yes. This is a very important secret. This is just between us. Do you understand?"

"Yes, of course! Thank you!"

Daisy replied cheerfully to Grandma, who was very cautious in giving out secrets.

I know her actions were harmless but tricking my Grandma like that leave a bitter taste in my mouth. If you're going to do that again, instead of a fountain, I will make that your tomb. 

But for now, since Grandma's fond of you, I'll let it slide. Anyway, whether you go or not, you still won't be able to see your fated partner. 

I turned a blind eye to Daisy after that and focused on the meal again.

* * *

Another day has passed. Grandma was out, and Daisy and I were both having lunch at the dining hall.

I suddenly remembered that today would be the day I'll meet Duke Harrison. I glanced at the grandfather clock at the end of the dining hall. What time did I go out then? 

In the past, someone must've saved him eventually even though he was passed out on a road that was a bit inconspicuous. Others might mistake him for a drunk, but I know a good Samaritan might notice him and saved him, but I still doubted it since there are fewer people out there. Should I be able to catch up if I get out by now?

I recalled his face while searching for my memory. It was a face I had seen a long time ago, but I clearly remembered what he looked like back then.

He has intense crimson-red eyes.

With obsidian black hair and flaming red eyes, he was a handsome man with a rather sensitive atmosphere. Although it was difficult to approach him with his face showing little to no expression, he knew how to show noble courtesy.

A handsome man who was quite rigid, but has good manners.

Before returning to the past, when I first saw him, I was mesmerized by his face momentarily. Daisy, who didn't know who he was and thought he was just a commoner, was slightly smitten.

But why did the Duke hide his identity and come to our fief? There was no way to know because I did not accept his invitation before.

For a moment, my mind was lingering upon meaningless reasons why he had to conceal his identity and soon gave up. The Duke will invite me as he did before, so perhaps I could ask him when the time arrived.

Daisy noticed that I hardly eat the food on my plate, so she asked me.

"Are you not feeling well again?”

"Well, I don't have any appetite today. I'm already full, so I'll excuse myself first."

"Oh, let's get up together. I'm done as well."

Daisy got up and looked over the window. The sun was always blazing in the middle of the day. Isn't this the perfect weather for a stroll?

Now either of us should suggest a walk...... Which one of us was the first one to ask for a stroll?

"Sienna. Why don't we go for a stroll together?”

Oh, Daisy. I readily accepted your offer this time.

"Yes. Let's go out together."

* * *

"I can't walk any further.”

Daisy came out wearing high heels. She, who had proposed a walk first, stopped in 10 minutes, saying her feet hurt.

As I walked along the empty streets, my strolling partner was nowhere near beside me. My face frowned as I looked back and saw Daisy way behind me now.

It was the same back then. Daisy gestured with her hand while telling me to go ahead, "I can't walk anymore. I'm tired. Just leave Sir Bolt with me."

In the past, Daisy went to the bench and declared she needed to rest.

"Sienna, you go on ahead. I'll take a rest here."

"What? So my escort.....”

Sir Bolt, who was standing between Daisy and me, looked alternately at us with a conflicted expression.

My escort would initially have to follow me, but Daisy dragged Sir Bolt in casually, and she's our guest as well. We wouldn't want something awful to happen to our only guest now, would we?

"There's no one on the road anyway, so Sir Bolt will take a break with me."

"......"

Daisy was acting as if Sir Bolt was her escort knight.

It's not my fault that you left your own escort in the castle. Annoyed as I am, however, I didn't contradict Daisy's words and only reassured Sir Bolt that I'll be fine on my own.

"Yes, as Daisy said, there's no one here anyway, so I'll be alright. Just stay with Daisy, Sir Bolt.”

I already know my purpose here, so I needed to head off soon. I promptly turned away after I reassured Sir Bolt, who was at a loss for what to do.

I walked at a steady pace as I was trying to search my memory of his current location. I think I didn't walk in a straight line, but I went off to a side road...

"Was it this way?”

There was half doubt because the road was cleared of people unlike before. Is this the right place? I seemed to be lost.

However, the figure of someone lying on the ground was seen far from where I'm standing. It's the Duke!

I finally met him! My heart was throbbing with excitement.

Unlike in the past, when I ran towards him in a panic and worried about the man's safety, I hurriedly went over to him with eagerness.

I wasn't frightened this time because the Duke was alive. I decisively approached him and tried to hoist him up.

However, I lost my grip and missed him. He was too heavy for me to carry alone.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

I know you can't hear me, and yet I still apologized. Due to my careless deed, his body hit the ground heavily and rolled to his side, revealing his face in the process.

It's exactly what I remembered. Blood was flowing on his forehead and, his face was messy with dirt, but his presence was clearly that of a duke.

He was dressed as an ordinary tourist, but his looks weren't ordinary at all.

By the way, the ambitious Daisy looked down on him because she thought he was a commoner and yet liked him for his handsome face.

“.........”

Poor guy. The Duke hit his head hard to the point he's passed out right away.

PREV | NEXT