11 10th Dawn - Glimpses of the Future Pt. Two

Summoning the goddess of confidence, I take a whiff of air before voicing out my innermost feelings.

"Thank you for this hairpin, Sol. Also, for encouraging me before. But it just turned out that I don't have that thing you call as passion after all. I also failed every trial test I took... Even so, I decided that I'd start over again. I'll find out what I really want and pursue it no matter what!"

A moment of nerve-wracking silence sprawls amidst us.

I'm not sure why I'm this scared to disappoint someone, considering how I always have my way no matter what people think of me. It could just be the heart-pounding disquietude that hammers my chest at the moment, or the irritating pessism I've been having these days.

Even then, however, I still can't help but get the cold feet. That's until Sol begins patting my head with a smile, snapping me out of my burrowing hole of thoughts.

"That's great. I'll be rooting for you."

At that, my eyes lit up with joy while my chest swells with admiration.

I can't believe that such a few words can lift my spirits up this instant. Though I already have a feeling that he wouldn't really judge me for being like this, I also didn't expect he'd support me even more.

Now, I feel a bit more assured than I have been for the past days.

Then, with that out of the way, there's only one thing left for me to say.

"A-And Sol, the truth is… I-I really lik-"

"Sol! Lillian! There you are!"

I abruptly halted my words when Felicity called us from a distance. I almost bit my tongue at how sudden her entrance is.

At that, the chance to confess to Sol suddenly gets blown by the wind.

Though he still asked for me to continue afterwards, I only shook my head and told him it's not important. My courage is already slowly dwindling at this point, so I decided to just wait for a better opportunity.

Besides, I should ponder over my feelings for a little longer since I don't want to say it so rashly.

"I heard that Duke Cielo's son is just nearby. We might actually see him here!" Felicity enthused, surprising both of us.

She's probably a fan or it's just really difficult to not bat an eye on this. Her ecstatic state makes her look even cuter than ever, though.

Dragged by her zestfulness, Sol and I have no choice but to trail after this venerable member of the ducal family.

It took us several minutes before we finally stumbled upon the speculated location, which turned out to be an open area with a resplendent water fountain in the middle. As expected, a large audience is already there to spectate as well.

"He really is here! I knew it!"

"Wait, Felicity! You might trip with how fast you're walking."

I kind of agree with Sol at this, considering how high those pointed heels are.

I don't know about them, but they sure look hazardous to me. Those sharp tips can actually be used as a weapon or something. It might probably turn out to be a good replacement for a knife.

When I'm about to tail the two, a glimpse of something incongruous suddenly stops me on my tracks. My eyes instantly tow after the specter-like figure, but eventually lose sight of it as if it's just some kind of mirage.

Despite vanishing as immediately as it appeared, it's too conspicuous to just overlook.

Then, drawn by its striking form, I let my feet drag me to where it went off to. I just keep on shoving my way amongst the swarm of spectators, consequently reaching another crowded alleyway.

I turn to the corner and finally find what I'm looking for.

Even in a dress shirt, a sack suit jacket, a pair of pants, and a top hat, this person is unmistakably a woman.

The way she paces so elegantly, that domineering feminine aura, and her delicate curves are dead giveaways. Her jet black hair is rolled inside her hat, so it's less obvious to most people.

I assume that nobody will even give it a benefit of the doubt since everyone here highly values their stereotypical perceptions on clothing.

For some reason, this gorgeous lady is disguised as a man.

"Excuse me!"

I call out to her but fail to get any response. The lady just continues walking until she eventually fades out of sight. She probably didn't hear me since she's already too far.

"From what I know, women aren't allowed to dress up like that… Is she crossdressing? Even then, she still looks so stunningly beautiful."

That day, while Felicity and Sol were anticipating a royal blood's arrival, I was lured in a fleeting reverie by the appearance of the mysterious woman in a suit.

It might be possible that a small cluster of women fancies men's clothes after all. But then, it's not really about what she was wearing.

It caught my attention since I found it unexpectedly fashionable on women, especially with such a bold and dominating character. It accentuated her womanly facets that are normally not shown when wearing a dress.

When I returned to the restaurant after our outing, Madeline asked me for the deet.

She sounds more like prying than curious, though. It's as if I'm being interviewed.

Then again, she did tell me that most people from downtown don't visit the town square that often. It's because only the upper and middle classes can afford buying the stuff there. Most people from downtown, such as ourselves, only settle for the market.

"Oh, wanna see what I got?" I questioned to which Madeline just nodded furiously.

I then fish out the flower hairpin and show it to her, much to her delighted surprise.

"Wow… That looks expensive. How did you pay for it?"

"Well, Sol did-"

"Sol…? A guy?!"

Madeline looks fired up all of the sudden. Her knowing grin somehow gives me a hunch that this conversation about my trip might turn into something entirely different.