I Don’t Care About the Story, I Want a Cat ～Transmigrated into an Otome Game～ - Chapter 33

At the Waiting Room

 

The performers at the musical were each given a waiting room to prepare at. 

 

Rosalind and Alexander had returned to their room after being congratulated on a splendid performance by the people backstage. The Duke’s butler had also been there to congratulate them before accompanying them to the waiting room. They had just settled down, looking forward to some peace and quiet, when Edward came to visit them.

 

“That was a marvelous performance!”

 

“Your Highness! Y-you didn’t have to trouble yourself to come all the way here.”

 

Rosalind hurriedly got up and curtsied at his appearance. Edward gestured to her to be at ease before turning to his childhood friend.  

 

“Your piano skills have also improved, Alex.”

 

“Of course. We’re talking about Sir Dion, here. If I gave a sloppy performance he’d know for sure I only participated to avoid his classes. He’d surely fail me if he suspected anything.” 

 

“That’s true. But he was listening to your performance without saying anything so I’m sure you’re safe.”

 

He had been among the audience with some of the other staff. Alexander didn’t seem surprised to hear that, as if he’d expected him to attend. 

 

Rosalind, who was listening to them, looked at Alexander in suspicion. 

 

“Avoid his classes?… Don’t tell me this was the reason you made me practice so much……!?” 

 

“Well, at first, yeah.” 

 

Sir Dion’s magic class clashed with the music class. As a result, Sir Dion had allowed him to take leave from the magic class so he could practice his playing. But just until the concert, Sir Dion had told him. 

 

However, Rosalind couldn’t believe that that was the only reason he had made her practice more than necessary for their performance. 

 

He had told her to surprise Amy and the others with their performance. But their practice sessions had been way beyond the level of a student, as if he was aiming for a pro level position rather than just preparing for a concert at the Academy.

 

“……The performance went without a hitch, we got through it as planned and, judging by the audience’s reactions, I’d say we got a good grade. You were a great help, Alexander, but still dragging me off to practice every chance you got just for that is a bit_”

 

“No, Rosa. At first that was the case but then, at some point, it became fun to practice with you. That’s all there is to it.”

 

“That’s even worse, it’s been so hectic for me! This was the first time since I was born that I didn’t have time to read even a single page of a book. Also, stop calling me that!”

 

“Then, what about Rosalie_”

 

“Ugh, not that either!”

 

Rosalind shouted in anger, shaking back a piece of hair from her face. 

 

Alexander seemed unfazed at her anger which made her feel even more frustrated and she went off into another bout of complaints against him.

 

The butler, who had been watching all this with a silent smile turned to address the bemused Prince.

 

“Pay them no mind, Your Highness, they’re always like this.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

It was true they were exchanging barbs back and forth but it looked more like they were actually enjoying getting a reaction out of each other rather than actual fighting. Looking at them exchange words from the side, it seemed like they were on good terms with each other. 

 

Edward left the two to their banter as he sat down on a nearby chair and accepted a cup of tea from the butler. 

 

“It gets so lively when Miss Rosalind is around. It is a constant source of happiness for this old man.”

 

“Hey, old man, what part of this looks lively to you!?” Rosalind asked, picking up on the butler’s comment. 

 

“Ah it’s good to see you both getting along so well.” Edward said.

 

“What, no, we don’t get along!”

 

Rosalind was ready to have another go at Alexander but it looked like Edward and him were having fun, as if this was a conversation between friends and not an argument. She suddenly felt ridiculous to be the only one angry in this room.  

 

So she swallowed her complaints and sat down on one of the chairs. 

 

Alexander sat down on the chair next to hers but she didn’t take any notice, already used to him sitting with her.

 

“By the way, where are Amy and the others?” Alexander asked. 

 

“Haven’t you looked at the list of performances, Alex? There’s still a few more after us. I don’t think they’ll come until all of the performances have finished.” Rosalind Replied. 

 

The concert was free to view so a lot of the people only came to watch their own friends or family. 

 

In fact, this time a lot of those people had come just to watch Alexander’s performance, and so the hall had emptied quite a bit after their performance was over. 

 

“If it’s Amy then she would want to stay till the end.” Edward said.

 

“Yes, for sure.” Rosalind nodded in agreement.

 

Similar to Rosalind and Alexander, all the students who performed at the concert must have spent a lot of time preparing for this day. Knowing this, Amy wouldn’t just leave after the performance of her friend was over. She would want to stay and show her support for all the performers. Both Rosalind and Edward knew this. 

 

“It should be fine to leave in the middle of the concert. Oh well, I suppose Amy wouldn’t do that.” Alexander nodded in agreement. 

 

“If it was Jahar he would leave as soon as Miss Elphinstone’s performance was over.”

 

“Certainly.”

 

Rosalind also agreed to that and the three laughed together. Jahar had come to this school just to meet Letitia. They had all come to figure out his behaviour pattern over the last few weeks. 

 

Time passed quickly as they talked amiably among themselves. Soon, there was a knock on the door. A glance at the clock showed that it was just past the ending of the concert. The attendant standing at the door opened it and announced the visitor.

　

As soon as the door opened, Amy flew in with a cheerful expression.

 

“Rosalind! Your performance was amazing!”

 

“Kyaaa, Amy!”

 

Rosalind got up to greet her friend but Amy rushed in and threw her arms around her in a hug. 

 

Rosalind, who was wearing heels for her performance, staggered at the sudden force but Alexander, who was right behind her, steadied her from falling.  

 

“Your performance was the best one! I wanted to hear you play more. Ah, this is the first time I’ve seen you wear a dress like this but it suits you!”

 

“I-I got it so calm down.”

 

“The colour is the same as Posha’s fur, huh. It goes well with your hair, you look so pretty!”

　

Rosalind turned red at the praise. She waited for Amy to calm down before stepping back from the girl.

　

Amy noticed Alexander standing behind her and sent him congratulations as well. 

 

“You were also good, Alex! You’re so sly, keeping your skill a secret. It would have been nice if I could have listened to you play before today.”

 

“Well, if I played for you before then today wouldn’t be any fun, right?”

 

“I was really surprised, you know. What about you, Prince Ed, did you know he could play so well?” Amy asked Edward. 

 

“I had no idea. But it was more fun this way.”

 

“I rest my case.” Alexander said with a satisfied smile. Amy couldn’t help but grin back at him. 

 

“I still feel so stunned from your performance…… I wish Tiger could listen to it as well……”

 

Just then a voice like a ringing bell interrupted their conversation.

 

“It was quite good.”

 

“I think you guys got the biggest applause from the audience.”

 

“Lettie! And Prince Jahar, thank you!”

 

Rosalind lifted her dress slightly and did a small curtsy to greet the Prince who nodded in return. Leticia stepped forward beside him. 

 

“Well now that the greetings are done, let’s go, Rosalind and Amy. Please excuse us, Your Highnesses.”

 

“Eh?”

 

Edward and Alexander looked taken aback at Letitia who had said her farewell as soon as she arrived, while Jahar looked dissatisfied at her leaving.

 

Amy and Rosalind, however, smiled as they moved to Letitia’s side. 

 

“We have some plans after this.”

 

“…… Lettie, do you have to go?” Jahar asked her.

 

“I already told you before, I won’t be changing my plans.”

 

Telling Jahar that she had somewhere else to be now, Lettie winded both her arms in Amy’s and Rosalind’s. 

 

“That being the case, I’ll have to ask you to look after Prince Jahar, Alex.” Rosalind chipped in.

 

“Ah, pardon me but where are you three going?” Alexander asked.

 

“We’re going to have afternoon tea at Amy’s house.”

 

Alexander tilted his head as the other two girls nodded along.

 

“If it’s a tea party then we can come along too, right? Besides, the Northland cook makes really interesting dishes.”

 

The food served at Amy’s house was a reflection of Isabel’s supervision, who was a former Japanese housewife. The ingredients used were all obtained locally but they came up with new and interesting ways of using them, inspired by food from their past life.

 

Isabel couldn’t completely recreate Japanese food since they didn’t have ingredients like miso or soy sauce here. But they could make ‘western style’ Japanese food like croquettes or hamburgers. 

 

The most recent dessert they had come up with was the so-called ‘dorayaki’, made with a sweet paste of boiled beans that were normally used in salads or soups, sandwiched between two pancakes. 

 

The northland cook loved trying new things and had met the challenge of creating these dishes with exuberance. The Northland estate’s menu had slowly increased and their tea parties and dinners became increasingly popular among the nobles.  

 

And so, not one to miss such a tempting opportunity, Alexander had asked to join them. But Leticia quickly turned them down with a mischievous look in her eyes. 

 

“Too bad, today is our ‘girls day out’.”

 

“Girls day out?”

 

“It’s a tea party for only girls, Prince Ed. That’s why we can’t invite you boys.”

 

“How interesting. It’s different from a normal tea party.”

 

“In other words, it’s more like a chat between friends rather than a formal tea party.”

 

Amy explained to Edward who had heard this phrase for the first time in his life.

 

“What’s this, that doesn’t seem fun at all. You girls are so sly.” Alexander said with a displeased pout. 

 

“……. I’ve been practicing so much these past few days I didn’t even have time to go to the lounge……”

 

“Ah, Rosalind. Sorry about that.”

 

Rosalind hadn’t been able to meet up with Amy and Lettie due to her practice so the three girls had promised to have a proper chat once the concert was over. 

 

Alexander seemed to be aware that he had made her practice more than was necessary. He held up his hands in a sheepish manner. 

 

“As an apology, I’ll do anything you ask.”

 

“No, it’s fine.”

 

“Sure, sure.”

 

“Are you really sure? Your face says otherwise!”

 

Alexander kept smiling pleasantly even at Rosalind’s refusal. Edward was once again surprised to see such a reaction from his childhood friend. 

 

Edward was the one who had suggested he participate in today’s concert, and he also knew that, contrary to his expectations, his friend had actually worked hard for it. 

 

However, he suspected it wasn’t just to avoid Sir Dion’s class. 

 

“It can’t be helped, Alex. How about we have a ‘boys day out’ in the dormitory? The Palace just sent some rations for the troops so we can eat that.”

 

“Ed, there’s nothing fun about that! Can you even compare that to Northland’s Cook’s food?”

 

“You want to eat something new, Alex?”

 

“Amy, Rosalind is too cold.”

 

“…… I wonder if ice cream would be good.”

 

“Haha, that’s what you pick from ‘cold’, Amy?”

 

“Eh? Ah…” Amy turned red at Edward’s teasing remark that came from right beside her. 

 

Leticia interrupted the conversation with a final, dismissive remark. “Let’s go already. Please excuse us, Your Highness. Come, Amy, Rosalind.”

 

“Coming.”

 

“Please excuse us.”

 

The girls left the room one after another in excitement leaving just the boys standing behind. 

 

They all looked at each other for a moment before Edward suggested, “……. So how about that ‘Boys day out’?”

 

“No thanks!” Both Jahar and Alex immediately turned him down.