I Choose The Villain Duke

Euphemia woke up first. The first thing that she noticed was that her head was on Lucien's shoulder. She carefully sat up, not wanting to wake him up.

She looked at him in wonder. His sleeping face was also very handsome. She looked at his long dark lashes. His silky black hair. He was like a black cat sleeping on her bed.

Did she really deserve this happiness?

She carressed his head. It was really like stroking the head of a cat. She smiled.

Then his hand caught her wrist.

His eyes fluttered then focused on her.

"Good morning, Euphee," Lucien said, smiling sleepily.

"Good morning," Euphemia said, smiling back.

He kissed the back of her hand.

"Shall we have breakfast?" Lucien asked.

Euphemia nodded.

"Yes. I need to get ready," Euphemia said.

Lucien embraced her.

"We can just have breakfast here," Lucien said, cuddling up to her.

Euphemia blushed, remembering the feeling of his body against her the night before.

"No, we're going to end up lazy. Come on now. Get up," Euphemia said.

She almost had to drag Lucien out of the bed. He was so cute but Euphemia wanted to take a bath, dress up, and have a proper breakfast.

"I'll see you in the dining room," Lucien said, pouting a bit.

Euphemia held her laughter but she smiled. "Yes, I'll join you in a bit," Euphemia said.

She rang the bell and Helen entered her room. She assisted Euphemia with her bath and afterwards, helped her in getting dressed up.

She chose a white ruffled blouse with a red ribbon, a high-waisted red skirt with a built-in corset with black lace and black ruffles, and red shoes with black onyx gems. She twirled around and smiled in satisfaction.

The dress didn't look like she was going to a ball or to a fight with the queen. It was a casual dress to wear for meeting with another girl who might be a potential friend.

She was looking forward to her meeting with Miyu.

*

*

*

"Glenn, pick one. Hurry!" Miyu said.

Behind her was a display of more than thirty dresses which Glenn had bought for her.

Glenn tried to hide his discomfort by smiling. There were too many dresses and his mind was already spinning from all the colors. Miyu was right. He should have only bought a few.

"Gleeeenn! Pick already! Fine, pick three and I'll pick one from those. Gleeeenn," Miyu said, shaking his shoulders.

His body swayed as Miyu shook him.

"You'll look pretty in any dress you choose. I think you should be the one to choose for yourself," Glenn said.

Miyu glared at him. "Tch. Fine."

Miyu grabbed a light orange dress with yellow and pink flowers, a ruffled collar, and a ribbon on the waist. She changed inside the bathroom and emerged out of it wearing the dress. She twirled around in front of Glenn.

"What do you think?" Miyu asked excitedly.

Glenn covered his face with his hands.

"What?! Is it too much? Do I look ugly?!" Miyu asked, looking horrified.

Glenn lowered his hands a bit but still covering his face.

"No, you just look too cute," Glenn said.

Miyu side-kicked his leg.

"Ouch!" Glenn exclaimed.

Miyu tried to look like she wasn't happy with his compliment.

"Let's go," Miyu said going to the door.

"Do you want to try something new?" Glenn asked, his eyes closed while smiling. It was his mischievous smiling face.

"I'm not sure," Miyu said staring at him suspiciously.

"It's more enjoyable this way. Trust me," Glenn said.

He offered her his hand. Miyu was still narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously but she took his hand anyway. Then he suddenly pulled her into a hug. Her eyes widened.

Then before she knew what was happening, she was being carried out of her balcony princess style on his arms.

"Eeeeeeeekkk!!!!"

Glenn jumped down from the balcony and landed on the ground with Miyu gripping his collar tightly from fright.

Glenn smiled in amusement.

"It's okay now," Glenn said.

Miyu stood up shakily and her eyes teary while she glared at him.

"Y-you . . . " Miyu stuttered, still shocked from being carried over the balcony and falling down from it.

Glenn shrugged. "It's not your first time. I carried you over the balcony when I brought you home when you were drunk and didn't you jump from one before?"

Miyu stomped on his foot with force.

"Yeah, and I died! I like my life now so I'm really going to hate you if I don't get to enjoy it because of your balcony stunt," Miyu said.

"Sorry," Glenn said looking apologetic.

Miyu sighed.

"Should we get a carriage?" Miyu asked.

"The weather is good though. We can just walk," Glenn said.

Miyu nodded.

"Hold hands?" Glenn asked offering his hand again.

Miyu looked like she was going to attack him again.

"No jumping. Just holding," Glenn said.

"Fine. Just no sudden movements," Miyu said, taking his hand.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

STOMP

"Ouch!"

*

*

*

"That's the cake shop. I can go alone from here," Miyu said, letting go of Glenn's hand.

"You're not taking me with you?" Glenn asked, pretending to look pitiful.

"It's going to be a 'girls only' conversation. I can't take you with me," Miyu said.

"But what if she lashes out at you again? You need me so I can get you out of there even before her slap reaches your cheek," Glenn said.

"I don't think that will happen. She apologized to me, after all. I can take care of myself," Miyu said.

"Alright. If you need help, just whistle. I'll hear it from the wind," Glenn said.

Miyu laughed. She tiptoed and ruffled his light green hair.

"I'll be okay. Don't worry too much," Miyu said.

Miyu left and went inside the cake shop.

"I see that you and the new Saintess have a friendly relationship."

Glenn turned and he wasn't even surprised to see who it was.

"Hello there, boy," Glenn said.

"I think we need to talk," Lucien said.

*

*

*

Euphemia arrived early in the cake shop. She looked around curiously. There were several cute cakes on display. A cake covered in white frosting with strawberries on top, chocolate cake with chocolate balls on top, and several other cakes with fruits she wasn't even familiar with. They must be fruits that could only be seen in this world.

"A table for how many, Miss?"

"Two please."

Euphemia was directed to a table with two plush pink chairs. Around her were the lively chatters of young ladies, hanging out together while eating cake.

Besides Ruby, she had not made another friend in Aderlan. She wasn't really sure either how to hang out with Ruby who was a young lady from an aristocratic household. She knew that Ruby didn't care much about social status but Euphemia still felt self-conscious about her actions. She didn't want to embarrass Ruby in public or accidentally do something improper.

She felt anxious and excited at the same time. If Miyu would become her friend, she'd be able to talk to Miyu normally because they came from the same world.

Lucien was worried for their meeting so he tried to accompany her but she said she wanted to do this alone. Lucien was probably waiting for her outside in a coffee shop somewhere.

JING!

The cake shop's door opened, and the sound of the bell attached to the door sounded. Euphemia looked up and saw that it was Miyu.

She looked really cute.

Miyu saw her and waved.

"I'm with her," Miyu said to the waitress and went over to where Euphemia was sitting.

"Hi! Sorry I'm late. It's Glenn's fault," Miyu said while taking a sit.

"Glenn? Oh. Glenn Jade, right? The royal advisor?" Euphemia asked, remembering the strange green-haired man.

"Yeah, he wasn't helping me with my dress," Miyu said.

Euphemia's eyes widened. "Oh."

Miyu's eyes widened in realization. "Oh! I didn't mean it in that way. He just bought me these bunch of dresses and he won't help me choose which one to wear. That's all."

Euphemia nodded but looked unconvinced.

"So, did you order already?" Miyu asked.

"Oh, um not yet," Euphemia said.

"I'll order for us. Any allergies? Stuff you hate?" Miyu asked, getting up.

"Um, no bitter stuff. That's all," Euphemia said.

"Got it. Be right back!" Miyu said and went to the cale display.

Euphemia exhaled. She wasn't used to this. Back in her original world, she didn't have female friends because women considered her a rival for Matsuya Hiro's affections.

Euphemia wondered if Miyu had a lot of friends. She looked like she was comfortable in this kind of scenario.

*

*

*

Oh cr*p. Oh cra*p. Oh cr*p.

Was she doing okay?

Should she have offered to buy them cake? What if she gets the wrong flavor? Will the cake end up on her face?

Miyu was freaking out. She never had a female friend. A real female friend. She didn't want to mess this up.

"Um, excuse me, dear customer, have you finished picking a cake? There are other customers behind you," a shop assistant said.

It was no use thinking about this. She didn't know her taste and she didn't even know what the strange-looking fruits were.

She was going to do this the Glenn way.

"Give me one slice of every flavor you have that isn't bitter," Miyu said.