Seratina got out of the carriage parked at the same spot as yesterday and headed to the guild alone. Since it was just yesterday the receptionist remembered her face and told her Lance was waiting on the second floor. Apparently, they use private rooms on the second floor for requests to specific members. She went up the stairs and was led to a room right away.
"Oh, been waiting for you."
Lance was in a simple room with just a table and chairs. He raised his hand slightly to her and she nodded back before sitting across from him.
"Looks like my message got through to you."
"Yes. I shared some of my magic power as thanks."
"I know. For a lady from the Platine family that has no connection to magic, you sure know the proper etiquette for familiars. Are you not the daughter they've been waiting for?"
"That is not the case at all."
The Platine family had been mocked by magicians as a clan with high magic power but no skill. That's why they honed their business skills and became the wealthiest family in the kingdom. Even when someone with a rare talent for magic was born, they were all treated coldly. She had heard from relatives that someone similar was born before and received the same treatment as her. Unable to bear how the family treated them, that person left home and cut off all contact.
When she said with a bitter smile that anyone with magical talent was destined to be treated coldly in the Platine family, Lance's expression changed.
"Sorry... even though I did not know, that was insensitive of me."
"Do not worry about it. Even guild members cannot be expected to know all the inner workings of noble families."
"I take on a lot of personal requests from nobles, so I know a fair bit."
Then he probably knew about her fiancé too. When she asked out of curiosity he nodded.
"I did a bit of checking after you left. How do I put this... you are pretty brave. Your fiancé is that young master from the Grigio family who is famously in love with the saints, right?"
"Yes, well..."
"I cannot promise that giving him fairy dust will definitely make your fiancé fall for you, but I will help as much as I can."
"Th-thank you very much."
She regretted being so rash about wanting to give Schwartz fairy dust just to create an excuse to meet Feres. Even though she did not actually love Schwartz she wondered if she should really give him the fairy dust. She did want some for herself, so she decided to adjust the amount once she got it.
"Like I told you through my familiar, Feres is coming today. He's going to the castle first to escort the second princess then he'll come here."
"I see."
She could meet Feres much sooner than expected. Even if he had another woman by his side, she would never let him know she was his wife in her past life and would just remain a client. It was human nature to want to keep looking once you caught a glimpse, but she had chosen to live alone. She wanted to make sure she would have no regrets about that.
"Will you stay here while waiting for Feres?"
"Ah... if there's time, I would like to do a bit of shopping."
"Then I'll send my familiar when he gets here."
"Thank you very much."
After leaving the private room she went straight out of the guild building and headed to the square. The town square was full of people with carriages lined up waiting and a fountain in the center making it a place where people gathered to relax. The shopping was just an excuse. She wanted to calm her nerves before meeting Feres.
"Since this is the first time meeting me in this life, I need to make sure he does not realize I was his wife."
Especially if Feres had someone else he loved. But the joy she felt at the thought of meeting her husband from her past life was real.
"Seratina?"
"!"
That voice... She turned her head and sure enough there stood Schwartz with a strange expression. Lucia was not with him. It was unusual for him to be in town alone today.
"What are you doing in a place like this?"
"Ah... I was shopping and got tired so I thought I would take a break."
"...Alone?"
Ah... by the time she realized her mistake in answering it was too late. A noble lady would never go into town alone without maids or guards.
"Sometimes I want to shop alone."
"Without attendants? That is dangerous."
"I can use defensive magic so I can take care of myself if anything happens."
"Just because you can use magic does not mean you are completely safe."
She found it truly strange. Normally Schwartz showed absolutely no interest in her.