This short walk outside to get some fresh air had proven useful. I’d come here to get a moment away from the crush of interested party members hoping that I would tell them their future, and found the only person I was interested in talking to.

And he’d even agreed to escort me North.

When Julian walked up to me, I caught myself appreciating his silver eyes and I felt the need to fan myself. I didn’t. I was a grown woman who could remain professional.

No matter that the half-elf had long fantasy purple dreadlocs pulled back into a ponytail and a face that I could get lost in. Seriously, why did they make him exactly my type? I told myself that I'd seen plenty of muscled warrior men since my arrival; I could calm down.

It was going to be a pain to accomplish, but the last bridge to unlock my travel ability was somewhere in the North - and I was going to find it!

I probably didnt need an escort, but since Julian was in charge of the northern wall, he might have some advice. And knowing how far his team of adventurers had explored, what kinds of monsters I was going to face, and their average level would be handy.

If I spent a few days traveling with them, I was sure I could get information from his teammates. Sir Tully was an open book in the otome - he was always willing to share helpful tips about surviving in the North.

But, it sounded like Julian was going to slip away from the ball early and head north, and I was trying to figure out if I had time to say goodbye before leaving. This might be the last time I see everyone, and I wanted to have a real farewell.

Then he hit me with something unexpected. “Ah. Did you want to go to the tea party together?”

“Wait, what?” I said, raising a hand between us.

He clarified for me. “Did you want me to escort you to the tea party or the ball? Or both?”

“Oh no.” It was like being hit by a bucket of cold and hot water at the same time. He’d thought I was asking him to escort me to the ball.

And he’d said yes.

But he’d only said yes as a favor for saving his sister's life. Which, if it were anyone else, I would’ve found incredibly insulting. With Julian, it was both flattering and insulting.

And at this point, I didn’t know how I felt.

“No?” Julian took a step back, giving me space.

“I didn’t mean no. I meant no.” I tried to explain and failed, and tried again, “I was asking you for an escort to the Northern Ice Fields.”

Julian frowned. “This isn’t because everyone found out that you’re Madame Potts? The North might be isolated, but it’s not a safe place to live. I’m sure any number of countries would offer you protection - North Sumbria included.”

“No.” I said. Again. “I have a quest in the North. I’d already planned to go there after the festival.”

Julian sounded strange. “So the favor was to leave with my party members and travel north together?”

“Yes.” I confirmed, noticing that he wasn’t happy about the change in requests. Teasing him came naturally, “Why? Did you want to take me to the ball?”

The duke considered that. Actually considered it. “Yes. I think I do. If no one else is taking you?”

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I was shocked.

In the otome, in order for Henrietta to win over Julian she’d had to do a lot of cat and mouse tactics. One of the reasons I’d enjoyed his route so much was that I’d found the selection options so intuitive - the duke was aloof but lonely. He enjoyed conversation, but felt awkward when he was enjoying himself. Short and meaningful interactions came naturally, and it was so satisfying when he’d finally come right out and said what he actually wanted.

But that was that and this was this. I narrowed my eyes at the half-elf. “It’s because I’m Madame Potts, isn’t it.”

“I was thinking it would give us time to talk about logistics. For your trip.” He explained. “But you being Madame Potts is perfect. Since it would be a disaster if anything happened to you during the rest of your stay here, everyone would expect my mother to send you an escort.”

I couldn’t argue with that, though I wanted to. As much as it was annoying that my favorite invited me to the ball on a logistical whim, I would still get to go to the ball with Duke Julian von Slyke. And since I wasn’t trying to win him over, it was for the better that he wasn’t actually asking me to the ball.

This was a good thing. Probably.

“Alright,” I said. I rested a hand on my hip and looked him up and down suggestively. “You can take me to the afternoon tea party and the ball. And you can pick me up here thirty minutes before the tea party.”

He grinned, his white teeth flashing in a heartstopping smile that made me rethink my decision to spend an entire day with him tomorrow. “It would be my pleasure, Miss Gerda.”

“Then if that is all for today, I have to leave.” I stated, deciding it was time for a tactical retreat. I gave a quick nod and then marched off into the palace, leaving the duke behind in the western gardens. I didn’t look back.

Against my better judgment, I returned to the luncheon. Henrietta and Keith were there, as was Lady Amy and Minstrel Bronwynn and everyone else. I didn’t go inside right away, standing by the door against the wall enjoying a last moment of quiet.

It was amazing, really. Everything I’d accomplished since entering this world. There was still more. I knew there was. The story wasn’t over until the dragon Feliwyn awoke. She was supposed to be the actual final boss, and she was still fast asleep.

But aside from Sumbria being an absolute mess, everyone else was sorted... I didn’t need to stay and fix Sumbria. All of the people I’d cared about finding happiness were right here. Happy.

“Madame Potts?”

I turned to see two young women, relatives of Grand Duchess Calisto by the look of them, standing a polite distance away. The pair of them were barely come of age.

“We just wanted to say it’s an honor to meet you.” Said the one on the left. She wore a red silhouette dress commonly found in the Empire of Sands. It started with an embroidered circular collar around the throat. The shoulders were left bare, and the front panel was just wide enough to cover the collarbone, wrap over the breasts and meet the back panel under the arms. Silver vines embroidered on the dress to look like pinstripes, giving it a very slimming look on the statuesque human. She had thick sunkissed brown hair that she left loose and falling to her elbow.

“I’m Gail, and this is Tabitha.” The one on the right added, shyly. She wore a blue silhouette dress with similar silver embroidery, and a silver scarf belt around her hips. Her hair was black and decorated with silver rings.

“It is nice to meet you both.” I returned their eager smiles. “How are you enjoying the festival?”

“It's brilliant.” Tabitha answered.

Gail nodded enthusiastically. “This is our second ball. Aunt Calisto made us wait until our debutante before we were allowed to attend.”

“Even though Cousin Julia was going long before that. At ten.” Tabitha added.

“And I’ve heard Cousin Julian started at six!” Gail played with a lock of hair separated by silver rings. It was a beautiful hair style that I decided I might try next time I went somewhere fancy. Not this event but maybe the Fall Ball… Ah, but if I went North immediately after this, I wouldn’t be able to use my invitation to the Fall or Winter celebrations.

“I’m just imagining Duke Julian standing around here as a young boy,” I laughed. “I feel like he was more well behaved than his sister.”

“You’re right about that.” Tabitha leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “I heard that Aunt Calisto was going to let Julia join in early as well… but then she kept getting caught skipping lessons and they made her wait.”

“That was before Uncle Lysander died.” Gail frowned.

“He was a great man.” I told them, knowing the backstory of how he fought in the civil war and fell in the final battle. But not before he cut a canyon down the center of Sumbria in a wizard's duel with the Sage of Aegis.

I wanted to talk with Henrietta, but she was speaking animatedly with Countess Julia and it didn’t look like they were going to be done anytime soon.

“Ladies,” I pushed off from the wall and waved towards a pair of empty seats nearby. “Would you like to sit?”

They shared an excited look between them and then moved to join me. The two were a fountain of knowledge about Duke Julian’s childhood… and I was planning on coaxing out every family story I could.