Reborn as the Princess' Knight (GL)

Chapter 68: Festival with Vivienne (XXIV).

Kein's POV

The whole way to our usual cosmetics store we could see so many young women lining up at the front entrance looking over the numerous festival sales on certain products.

"This blush would truly suit me!" one girl exclaimed to the other showing her the color of her blush before the other girl nodded after finishing up putting her lipstick on. "Does this lipstick go well with my lips?"

The girl who bought the blush stares intently at the other's lips and tilts her head. "Hmm... Your lips are really pretty even without lipstick for me but it does go well with your lips."

"E-Eh? You really think so?"

My ears perked, couldn't help myself from hearing the conversation so I nudged Rose gently by her side to get her attention. "Is it just me or was there a small flirting moment as we passed over the crowd?"

She shrugs followed by a little laugh. "You know how it is here, Kein. It's either women complaining about their cheating boyfriends or husbands, girls complimenting each other and just minding their own business shopping."

I nod mostly remembering the bad times. I can't even count them now. "Mostly we always hear the part where they're always getting cheated on."

I feel bad but these women should really go find decent people to date. "Oh those times..."

We continued to pass by the women trying to browse until we found a familiar voice ordering the staff what to do. "You there- we'll need aisle two and three restocked on lotions. Hop to it, people!"

Madam Prisha was in the middle front of the cashier desk with their fan out sighing tiringly while they weakly fanned themselves. "Gosh, it's so hot now. I can't believe the festival sale is getting this many people to boot."

I felt that Rose was getting cold feet, looking up at someone she hasn't seen in two years. Such a short while must've felt like a long time. I held her hand in mine for reassurance.

She turns to me, feeling my touch and visibly relaxed.

"It's going to be okay." I tell her giving an affirming squeeze. "Let's go say hi." I pulled her slowly as we get into Madam Prisha's view.

"Madam Prisha!" I yelled, getting their attention.

Madam Prisha raised an eyebrow when someone called out their name but I saw them faintly smile when they only saw it was us.

They turn to us, closing their fan. "Another visit I see~ Seems like we're being spoiled by your presence and- oh?" They seemed to have noticed I was holding someone else's hand... someone familiar.

"Rose, honey is that you?" (Madam Prisha) slightly gasped but at the same time it looks like they weren't shocked at all. "You've all grown up after all these two years of absence." They walked forward pointing their fan under Rose's chin, being the taller one Madam Prisha couldn't help but look down on Rose's nervous figure.

"H-Hello... Madam Prisha it's definitely... been a while." (Rose) nervously muttered keeping a hold on Vivienne for support.

"Truly it's been a while! How have you been? Dear, if you're looking for any cosmetics today is the time. Almost everything is on sale as you can see." (Madam Prisha) points at all the isles that all had a sign with SASA LELE.

Oh wait it's just SALE put together in a weird position.

In any case they seemed to be acting normal and that made Rose feel relaxed at least. To see them not mad at her is already calming her nerves.

However, if I'm being honest, why would Madam Prisha be mad?

"I've been well Madam Prisha. I see business is blooming as always, I'm sorry for being absent for all this time. I had some personal reasons to sort out first." (Rose) scratches her back, the engagement ring on her finger shone and the person in front was sharp to notice.

"Hmm nice ring you have there." (Madam Prisha) grins folding out their fan looking at me weirdly and by the looks of it I think I already know what they're going to ask next. "Did this idiot finally propose?"

I-Idiot?

I did not study like hell to be downgraded like this to be an idiot. "I'll have you know Madam Prisha this idiot is one of the top graduates of my class-"

Madam Prisha looked not interested in my educational prospects and just waved their hand in my direction. "Sure, sure that's nice and all, however no amount of flaunting is going to impress me but- omg did this idiot kneel down and ask the question?" they covered their hands together letting out a girl squeal.

Vivienne looked at me with sympathy and reached out her hand to pat my shoulders. It was unexpected but I needed that. "Thanks, Vivienne..." I told her as the two became absorbed in their own conversation.

Rose was a bit flustered when she talked with Madam Prisha upon the prospects of love. "W-Well erm... this isn't exactly an engagement ring- but you know I wouldn't mind getting one."

?!

"Oh how romantic- if this idiot proposes, be sure to invite me to the wedding. I'm up for hire as a makeup artist to make you the most beautiful woman on that altar." (Madam Prisha) smiles warmly at Rose before turning to me. "And this girl too I guess."

I pointed at myself for a second and blinked. "Thanks?"

Urk... I feel like I'm getting attacked. I swear just a few days ago we were fine but when Rose came into my side what is this?

I wanted to retort again but I felt like that was going to get ignored.

"We will still have a few things to sort out first but I can't wait for that day to come. Thank you, Madam Prisha, if you're offering I'll hold you to it." (Rose) stares at me with those gray eyes of hers with the same affection that I could never get tired of.

My face turned red and my heart beat a little bit faster than normal today.

Rose wanted a proper engagement with me... I could see it so clearly.

We'll only invite people of importance to us. They all sat under the color changing tree. The most memorable place for us to hold a wedding, a pastor and an altar were already at the front as I waited with my father at my side.

Rose in a frilly white dress, face covered in a veil as she walked down the isle by herself holding a bouquet of white roses.

I can't wait for it too.

"Oh you two are very welcome." (Madam Prisha) she looks at the new cane we bought too and she probably realized why we're here. "My grandmother would love the gift, it's lovely." They turned their attention into the mahogany wooden cane and nodded, turning their back walking into the deeper part of the store.

"I'll escort you to my grandmother. Please follow me."

.-.-.-.-.

Madam Prisha led us to the same place, there were still those glass chandeliers at the top as well as Grandma Chio shuffling her tarot cards, feeling our presence she turned to us both and smiled. "Prisha? Is that you, dear?"

"Yes grandma, I've brought your favorite guests and customers."

"Oh then they're no customers... They're friends who always get free readings. The gods told me to." (Grandma Chio) stopped shuffling her cards, patting down the table. Madam Prisha waves their goodbyes to us and leaves us alone with their grandmother.

Oh fuck... I just remembered I didn't exactly pay for Vivienne's reading and just left but did the gods really tell her to not charge us fees?

"Hewwo grandma!" (Vivienne) waves her hand at the blind old woman.

That made me feel pain at the same time I couldn't help laughing a little because she's not aware of it but it's understandable.

With how the old woman can still shuffle the cards like a professional card dealer I wouldn't even think she's blind at all.

"Oh hello dear, a joy it is to see you again after your card reading from last time." (Grandma Chio) laughs doing an ohohoho before motioning us to sit down. "Please sit down, I already know why you're here."

The three of us took a seat to where she pointed and began organizing the cards in one line. I could see Rose's hands fidgeting and I grabbed a hold of it once more.

"G-Grandma Chio its... been a while. How have you been?" (Rose) mustered up the words to say and Grandma Chio was just onto the final card before answering with a smile.

"Oh your highness, old age is just catching up with me." she tells Rose who relaxed at her words. Hearing Rose's title used in public was a new experience that's for sure.

"Please when it comes to friends you can still call me Rose. My title is something I'd like to be disclosed when I'm in public." She smiles holding out her hand to the old woman and Grandma Chio could feel the slight vibrations before taking it in hers. "You knew all this time, Grandma Chio... for how long?"

"I've known since your hands touched the cards. They told me more than what I intended to find out but it also came with an order to never reveal it but it seems they changed their minds this time." She lets go of Rose's hands before presenting the cards.

"Perhaps... This time the both of you choose. Now that you two are together- why not find out what would be in store for you as a couple?" The temptation in her voice was definitely working.

As a couple... I want to know mostly if- everything goes well in the future.

I nod liking the idea. "Doesn't seem like a bad idea. What do you think?" I turned to Rose and asked her.

"Yes... I want to know what will happen to us in the future once it settles in." she nodded in reply at me and we instinctively both prepared ourselves mentally for anything that might come.

Grandma Chio wasted no time and asked us to pick three cards that we both would agree on. I chose the first card- it was settled in the middle, Rose took the second one and for the fun part on the last card- "Moma, Mommy- Can I pick?"

Rose and I looked at each other and shrugged, we happily let Vivienne pick the last card helping her reach the stack she'll be choosing from. Once we were done we let Grandma Chio now we were ready to hear our card readings.

"Well done dears, now make sure not to look and place them down in front of the table." (Grandma Chio) instructed and we followed. We placed the cards into the table and she reached out for the first one which was mine, a new card I have never seen before appeared.

It had the figure of two people turning their backs on each other, with their arms crossed, looking like they had an argument about something. Did I pull another weird card?

Grandma Chio holds the card and with her magic she reads it with a faint light glow on her hand she explains, "The card of [Hidden Feelings]. Well, well this is rather a treat. This card only appears when you want to tell someone something important that you can't say."

"It could apply to both the partners or just one." She holds her cane under the table and I look at the two figures hiding their own feelings for each other.

To both partners... something important I can't say...

The only thing that came to my mind... something I can't exactly tell her yet... is the fact that I'm not the real Kein Rosenguard. I promised to tell her but... when exactly?

"Now the next one, let's see what it is?"

The second card was flipped over and we can see it was still the same two figures but their positions had changed. Instead of their backs turned, they were now facing and hugging each other with a small flower blooming in the middle of them. "The card is the continuation of the last, [Couple's Confession]. It seems that both of you are getting along now."

I leaned in to take a look at the card and sighed in relief, we are definitely getting along now... I could even say we're getting along so much that we started hitting on each other with subtle flirting.

"Grandma! My card?" (Vivienne) excitedly lops her head onto the table who was looking over the last card she picked.

"Yes, yes dearie. It's your card now, the future you picked lets hope it'll be an interesting one-" (Grandma Chio) takes the card and slowly flips it over but we all look at it in confusion.

There was nothing on the card except for its name. [The Cliffhanger].

"It's blank?" (Rose) asks looking over the third card more closely. Grandma Chio frowns, taking the card in her hands, feeling it before shaking her head looking over in disappointment.

"I can't believe the deities up above have done this. This is a card to which they refuse to tell you anything that might happen in the future. Hence the name, the cliffhanger. I haven't seen one of these since... eighteen years ago." she looked displeased with the card pull Vivienne made but I guess its all the gods fault in my opinion.

The deities refuse to tell us anything?! Well damn they're mean.

A small peek into the future wouldn't hurt-! Like will I get to marry and make love to Rose or anything like that?!

I could see Rose's reaction under that shawl and it seemed that it didn't bother her at all. "If the gods would wish to keep our future a secret... I respect it. Perhaps it's better left not knowing, I would like to enjoy the present without knowing much of what the future will bring."

She said positively and all the anger over the stupid card has left my body.

I suppose she's right, besides instead of relying on cards I would rather draw my own fate into them than some deity's choice. "I do apologize dearies, I thought I would be more of help on giving you both your readings today..." the old woman frowns, looking down on her cards sadly.

Grandma Chio- don't look sad- it makes me sad when I see an elderly sad-

"Oh no- it's quite alright, Grandma Chio." I assured her and Rose followed with my words.

"The three of us had fun, if duties at the palace won't be too much I ought to visit sometime again to catch up after all I... I'm going to be free soon." (Rose) smiles before taking the new cane we bought before giving it to her.

"This is a gift, thank you for keeping my secret all these years."

Grandma Chio reaches out to hold the smooth wood realizing it was a cane. She places her old one gently to the side before accepting our gift, the expression on her face seemed to be more than satisfied.

She unexpectedly stands up and walks beside the table making her way to us giving a tight hug. "Oh dear... you shouldn't have. I love the gift, truly."

This made our hearts well up with happiness.

Visiting old friends… is always nice.

"Bye bye! Grandma!" (Vivienne) waved her little arms goodbye and we did the same, Madam Prisha and Grandma Chio escorted us both outside.

We left the shop with smiles while we ventured out on our next friend to visit.