Annoyingly Cute

A well-furnished inn stood on the main street of Sol Saliente. Its first floor was set up as a restaurant, so it could serve people who didnt plan to spend the night there.

This is one of my favorite places. Rafina said with a big smile, The food here is just amazing. A trip to Sol Saliente wouldnt be complete without eating here.

Mia knew this place meant business when the middle-aged man helping them smiled back at her.

Now, really That sounds good, she said to herself as she looked over the menu. By the way, do you serve anything with mushrooms?

The mans eyes flashed with a sharp light.

Oh, sure. In fact, we knew Lady Rafina would be here today, so we cooked some Belluga mushrooms.

Oh? Im so lucky. I didnt think Id be able to eat some Belluga mushrooms here in Sunkland.

We also have matsutake mushrooms that have been cooked in a pot. This is a traditional dish from the East. The stock really brings out the flavor of the matsutake, making the taste richer and more concentrated.

My! Are you telling me that you made a soup taste even more like mushrooms? I have never heard of anything like that!

And thats still not all

Mia let the man go after they talked for a long time about how wonderful mushroom dishes are.

She turned back to Rafina and Abel and said, Now then

What a strange chance it is that we should meet you two here. I hope you both have been doing well.

Rafina giggled and said, We sure have, and Im glad to see youre in a good mood. Did you also get an invite to the royal ball?

Mia shook her head. No, Im here with Esmeralda to talk about the possibility of her getting married. Sunkland made a proposal to her

She stopped talking because she felt like something wasnt right.

Rafina-sama was asked to a royal ball, so it must be the same one Esmeralda is going to, right? When that happens

She moved the different pieces of information around in her head to try to get them to fit together. Abel, is that why youre also here?

Abel gave a shrug. It seems that way, but Im really just filling in for my brother. On the way to the city, I ran into Miss Rafinas group, so we made the last part of the trip together.

Ah, so thats why you and Rafina-sama were taking a nice walk through the streets of Sol Saliente. Hmmm. I see.

She gave him a sharp look.

What? W-Wait, just a second. I dont think you have the right idea. Thats not the case.

He shook his head quickly. His hands, too. She burst out laughing when she saw the frightened move. Ah, calm down, Abel. It was meant to be a joke. I could not be happier to see you here.

Mia, who is an adult, just made fun of a boy for her amusement. Abel wasnt laughing. He turned his head quickly away. As he did it, Mia saw a hint of a pout on his face.

I see, he said with a sour face. It was a joke. Thats kind of disappointing.

Hm? Whats wrong with it?

Well, I felt good about myself because I thought you were jealous. I believed you cared. Then someone tells me its all a joke. Which hurts a lot, just so you know. So, could you leave me alone for a little while? Thank you

He let out a sad sigh that cooled the air in the room. This time, Mia was the one who lost it.

Uh, Abel? Come on. Thats not what I meant. It was a joke, but not like a joke, do you get what I mean? And why did you think I would care? Yes, I do care. What does that have to do with being jealous?

She stopped when Abel turned back to her with the biggest smile shed ever seen on his face. And now were both even. A joke for a joke. Im so glad to see you, too.

Huh?!

Mia made that gasp that people often make when they are very angry or hurt.

You know me, he said with a joke. Ive always been sure that things should be fair.

Mia is an adult woman, but a boy just picked on her to his amusement.

You are Youare so bad! Oh, Abel, I cant believe you!

She protested by shaking her fists up and down. For a child, that would have been a sweet thing to do. It was somewhere between annoying and cute for someone Mias age. It was annoyingly cute. Luckily, most of the people around her seemed to think the latter, and they watched her with loving looks on their faces. Rafina and Anne smiled at her as if she were a little sister who was acting out in a cute and harmless way. Abel almost spoiled her. Even Tiona and Liora were taken aback by Mias unusually childish behavior. They all let out a deep sigh that warmed the air in the room.

Dont forget that Mia was at least twenty-something years old. Even though no one in the room knew that, its still important fact to be remembered.

After she was done flirting in public, Mias mind finally put all the pieces together, possibly by accident, and she figured out what that nagging feeling was about.

So, both Rafina-sama and Abel will be at the ball Wait. Hm? Then why didnt they invite me?

That was the question worth a million coins. Why on earth had everyone but her been invited?

How odd I wonder why Well, I dont have an idea.

In her mind, she flashed back to a time when she was not asked to a dance party and was dancing alone. She pushed it back out quickly. She didnt need to go through that pain again.