While Francesca angrily lectured Isis, Altaïr discreetly glanced at Serl, who stood not far from her.
Unlike the lively Francesca, Serl was more reserved. He rarely spoke much, and he seldom showed his emotions openly.
Although he was one of the people involved, he made no attempt to defend himself as Francesca had. Instead, he lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.
What was he thinking about?
The question surfaced in Altaïr's mind. Matters of the heart truly were not his forte.
—--
Meanwhile, in another reception room, Pawdrick was bouncing up and down.
"I'm best at analyzing matters of the heart, meow! I'm telling you, those two definitely have a chance, meow!"
"What do you mean, 'have a chance'? There's nothing between them now?" Gael tugged at his tail, pressing him for answers.
"There really isn't anything at the moment." Jessica, seated in a high-backed armchair, smiled. "Francesca threw something at you mainly because she was embarrassed that you said those things in front of her friends, not because of romantic feelings. As for the other young man, his reaction was much more interesting, hehehe."
"How did he react? I was so focused on Francesca at the time that I didn't get a clear look." Gael leaned forward and continued pressing her.
"When 'Miss Morgan' made her entrance, he froze for a moment, meow–"
Pawdrick had only gotten halfway through his sentence when Gael cut him off, her eyebrows shooting up. "He actually dared to freeze for a moment?!"
"Quiet down." Grand Madam Sterling gave her a displeased look. "Taking an extra glance when you see something stunning is an instinctive human reaction. You stared several times longer than he did. What are you blaming him for?"
"That moment isn't the important part, meow! What matters is how he reacted afterward, meow!"
Jessica laughed as well. "He unconsciously glanced toward Francesca. The movement was so subtle that even he might not have realized he'd done it."
"That means he didn't want Francesca to misunderstand, even if only subconsciously, meow!" Pawdrick raised both paws high and meowed loudly. "That's why I said those two definitely have a chance, meow!"
"Then why didn't he react when I said I'd introduce a pretty girl to him?"
Grand Madam Sterling shot Gael another glare. "Did he even have time to react? Besides, what did you want him to do, throw an orange at you too?"
"You're already taking his side–"
Grand Madam Sterling snorted and raised one hand, then stood with the support of her personal maid. In too good a mood to continue arguing with Gael, she walked away at a leisurely pace.
"Sis, what do you think?" Gael gave Jessica a pleading look.
"Let them decide for themselves." Jessica crossed her legs and rested her palms on her knees. "Whether they end up together or go their separate ways, I won't interfere, as long as it doesn't turn into something messy, like an affair."
"I mean, what do you think of Serl as a person–"
"What do I think of him? Hmm. He's good-looking enough. And since he's a Hunter, his physique and overall constitution are naturally far superior to those of an ordinary person. If the two of them got together, they'd probably produce a healthy, robust heir."
"?????"
"Hehehe, it was only a joke. Isn't that the kind of joke you enjoy?" Jessica rose with a smile. "I still have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
With that, Jessica departed as well.
Only Gael and Pawdrick remained in the reception room, one human and one Felyne.
Gael stood dazed for a long moment. Thanks to Jessica's "reminder," she finally realized that Francesca was no longer a child, and all desire to enjoy the spectacle vanished.
She yanked Pawdrick over to her. "Was she really joking?"
"I think she was half joking, meow."
"No! As her mother, I won't allow it! Francesca is mine!!!" Gael lifted Pawdrick and shook him vigorously, completely forgetting that she had cried "Wonderful!" only moments earlier.
After wailing herself hoarse, she tossed Pawdrick aside, rummaged around until she found pen and paper, then scrawled a message across a sheet of letter paper in huge, ugly handwriting.
[Our daughter is about to ~~give birth~~ be gone! Come back immediately!!]
Pawdrick glanced at it and snatched the letter away. "The New World, right? I'll mail it for you, meow!"
—--
Once the commotion died down, dinner continued.
Pawdrick crept cautiously back into the banquet hall.
From what he knew of Francesca, she had probably sensed that something was amiss.
After all their meddling, he reckoned the odds of Francesca seeing through the whole scheme were about even. The real key lay with the others. Isis... well, there was no point expecting anything from her. If Altaïr could put on a convincing act, they might still bluff their way through.
If Altaïr slipped up and gave the game away...
"Hehehehe." Amid chilling laughter that made his fur stand on end, a hand grabbed the mane he treasured like a jewel.
Pawdrick turned stiffly and found himself face-to-face with Francesca's menacing grin. Of course, what terrified him most was the pair of shears clutched in her other hand.
"I'm on your side, meow!" Pawdrick raised both paws high and meowed loudly. "You have to believe me, meow!"
"Whether I believe you or not, I'm cutting first and asking questions later!" Francesca gritted her teeth and moved to close the blades.
"Look at this, meow! Look at this, meow!" Pawdrick struggled frantically as he pulled a letter from somewhere on his body. "If it weren't for me, your mother would've mailed this to the New World, meow!
"Surely this is enough to make up for what I did, meow! Meow!!!"
Francesca snatched the letter and glanced at it. Her face instantly turned green.
"What letter?" Isis, already stuffed from dinner, looked over curiously.
Francesca swiftly crumpled the letter into a ball and stuffed it into Pawdrick's mouth. "Nothing at all."
Despite her words, she released Pawdrick's mane and tossed aside the shears she had borrowed. "I'll spare your life this time. If there's a next time..."
Francesca raised two fingers and mimed snipping fur. "You'll be bald for the rest of your life!"
The threat seemed to strike at Pawdrick's deepest fear. He tore himself free of Francesca's grip and bared his fangs. "Then you won't know a moment's peace for the rest of your life, meow!"
"You still have the nerve to fight back?!"
Francesca's fury flared again. As she and Pawdrick grappled, Morgan entered from outside the hall.
Everyone's eyes fell on him once more, but this time their gazes had subtly changed.
Morgan had already changed back into his own clothes and thoroughly removed his makeup. If the truth had not already come out, no one would have recognized him as the "young secretary" from before.
And yet Morgan now gave a slightly different impression than usual. He seemed... more masculine somehow?
"Oh-ho?"
Francesca tossed aside the flailing Pawdrick and walked over. "Changed your hairstyle again? Didn't you like the earlier cross-dressing look, with the center part and glasses?"
Morgan had been ready to deliver the alibi he had prepared in advance, but the words died in his throat. His complexion cycled from white to red to green, and his gaze shot toward Altaïr.
Altaïr could only shrug, signaling that he had done his best.
Fortunately, Francesca did not seem intent on hounding Morgan. Knowing him as she did, she realized that any more teasing would make him explode.
To spare Morgan further embarrassment, Altaïr steered the conversation elsewhere. "Did Grand Madam Sterling style your hair again too?"
Morgan was silent for a moment, then gave a quiet "Mm."
"She really is a professional."
Altaïr knew that Morgan had tried countless hairstyles in the past and had even shaved his head completely. Yet no matter what he did, people always reacted as though they were thinking, "What an unusual hairstyle for a young lady." In the end, he had simply given up trying. He let his hair grow unchecked down his back and trimmed it carelessly whenever it became too long.
But now, although this hairstyle was not at all rugged, pairing it with his feminine features no longer made him look like a woman. Instead, it gave him the air of a delicate, handsome young man.
Men came in all kinds. If rugged masculinity did not suit him, there was nothing wrong with looking more artistic instead. At least he looked like a man now...
--------------
5 bonus chaps for every 100powerstones. I know we reached 400ps before the reset, I'll release 5 bonus chaps later