Handling
Lux’s Side
“I didn’t mean to argue or anything like that…”
He was a member of a duke’s house and also a customer.
This situation carried a different weight from when you normally say something.
While I was thinking about the right way to handle it, the man’s voice rose in anger.
“Then you admit that this flower is low quality? Trying to take money from me, a member of a duke’s house, with low-quality flowers is something that cannot be allowed…”
“Since you seem fond of mentioning the words ‘duke’s house,’ I, Floria Florence of the Florence duke household, will respond to your claim.”
“…!”
The duke made a bitter expression, but Florence-san continued without paying it any mind.
“Your complaint was that the flowers displayed here are of low quality, correct?”
“Y-yes!”
“As someone of the Florence duke household, whose livelihood also involves plants, allow me to say this. The flowers handled here are of very high quality. If you insist they are low quality, then please tell us in detail what sort of flowers you consider high quality.”
“Guh…”
As the man’s expression grew even more bitter, Florence-san pressed him further.
“In addition, these flowers were not prepared by us. They were prepared by the noble academy. If you have complaints, it would be best for you to direct them there.”
“Q-quiet! I’m talking to him, the son of a count. You should be silent for a mo—”
“You are the one who needs to be quiet.”
“…!?”
A voice unbelievably dark echoed out, and the duke squeezed out a sound in shock.
“…Elina-san?”
The voice was so dark that for an instant I didn’t know whose it was, but it was without a doubt Elina-san’s.
When I turned toward her and called her name, she stepped out from inside the stall and moved to stand beside the man.
Then she faced me and spoke in her usual bright voice.
“Lux! I’ll handle this guy myself, so don’t worry and keep working hard at the commerce practicum!”
“Eh? H-handling it… doing that alone is dangerous!”
“I’m happy that you worry about me, Lux, but I’ll be fine. Really, don’t worry. Do your best. I’ll be cheering you on. Now, come with me.”
“W-who are you…”
“Just come.”
Her tone was extremely cold, and the man’s face turned pale.
Elina-san began walking to leave the area, and the man followed her, still pale.
“Will Elina-san be alright?”
“That atmosphere… I’ve felt it somewhere before…”
“…Florence-san?”
Florence-san seemed slightly off, so I called her name.
She snapped back to herself and spoke.
“No, it is nothing. Since she took him away herself, she must have something in mind. For now, we should focus on the commerce practicum just as she said.”
“You’re right… let’s do that.”
Elina-san had even left us words of encouragement. If I let worry distract me to the point I couldn’t focus, I wouldn’t be able to face her.
With that in mind, I apologized to the customers waiting in line, then resumed selling flowers.
Elizalina’s Side
When they reached the back alley, the duke, sweat dripping down his face, spoke to Elizalina walking ahead of him.
“W-what are you… Bringing me to such a filthy place, I can’t believe—”
“Because Lage was taken down, you have gotten desperate. You came yourself instead of sending an assassin.”
“W-what…!? H-how do you know my objective…!”
He hadn’t expected the name Lage to surface.
The duke looked shocked, but Elizalina turned and cut off his words, her voice hollow and her eyes vacant.
“Because of that disgraceful desperation and your pathetic stubbornness, you are going to die now.”