I'm Done Being Your Best Friend

“Can we drop by the town for a minute?”

After the salon, as I rode back in the carriage, I opened the carriage window and spoke to sir Bolt. I was thinking of going to the bookstore for the first time in order to buy books on business.

In order to do business with Logan, I needed to know some basic economic terms. Wasn’t that the least I could do for the conversation to work?

It was when I got off the carriage and walked towards the bookstore that I ran into someone.

“Well isn’t it Lady Nelson?”

When I heard a man’s voice calling me, I turned my head toward the sound’s direction and saw a familiar face.

Marquis Spencer?

I stopped walking and looked at the person who had approached me.

“Marquis Spencer…?”

“You remember.”

Of course I remember, since he pushed me and acted so shamelessly. But his demeanor was so different from the last time that I almost didn’t recognise him.

The man I had met before was frankly a bit disorganised.

Tousled hair, dark shade underneath eyes, not to mention his frowning expression like a grumpy person. About how he dressed, he wore no cravat and his shirt wasn’t buttoned properly either.

However, today he was different. The shade under his eyes was the same as it was then, but his hair was neatly combed and a cravat was decently tied around his neck.

That’s not all. The expression and tone of voice that made him unpleasant had also changed. The tone that sounded like picking a fight was gone, and his smiling made him a quite handsome-looking man.

What was happening? I couldn’t help but be wary of the drastically changed appearance.

“Do you have any business with me…?”

“You don’t have to be wary. I came to say hello because I saw the young lady.”

What? Why is the person who rudely bumped into me suddenly being so polite?

In his polite manner of speaking hid something a little wily, but compared to the last time, he had become unusually normal.

I could not help but look at him with suspicion. Marquis Spencer then made an unexpected offer.

“It’s fate that we met like this, so why don’t we have tea together?”

“…”

What is he doing? Suddenly asking to have tea together felt a bit strange.

If he had apologised and said this last time instead, he wouldn’t have been so suspicious.

But wasn’t it peculiar that he suddenly became friendly like this? When I didn’t answer, Spencer chuckled.

“I think I made a mistake last time, so I’d like to talk to lady Nelson in order to clear up the misunderstanding.”

It didn’t seem like a mistake though...I recalled seeing him a couple of times in my previous life. Even if it weren’t for our last meeting on the street, he had never left a good impression on me. From my point of view, that was his original personality.

“Um… I appreciate the suggestion, but this meeting is too sudden.”

I rejected his offer with a faint smile. At my words, Spencer put on a visibly upset expression.

“It seems that my rudeness last time left quite a bad impression on lady Nelson.”

Is he trying to get some sympathy? Why is he acting so pitiful all of a sudden? If I hadn’t had memories of my previous life, I would have agreed. But haven’t I already known him from the past?

This was the first time in both my past and present life that he had come out politely. Thus, it was natural for him to be suspicious.

“No. Our last meeting was indeed awkward, but…seeing how apologetic you are, I can fully understand how you feel.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

He smiled contentedly. But that did not mean I would have tea with him, so I added with a smile.

“With this, all misunderstandings have been cleared up, so today’s meeting can come to an end now.”

“That’s too bad. I wanted to have a conversation with lady Nelson though.”

Spencer shrugged and stepped back from me as if to clear my way.

“I thought I could have a good relationship with the young lady here even when our first meeting wasn’t good.”

I knew that first impressions didn’t always last. Just like how I had such a good first impression of Daisy. But how did that turn out?

Still, I didn’t know if I could befriend Spencer. I did not run into him often, and so far I had a bad impression of him.

“Please give me a chance to hold a proper conversation next time.”

“That is, if we meet in a formal setting.”

Even if it’s next time, I was yet to be willing to have a one-on-one conversation with him. I ended our talk with a smile.

Now that I had seen him like this, it seemed that my perception of him was getting better than before…Still, it was hard to entirely change my view from the memory of my previous life.

***

A few days later, I met Logan at a restaurant.

“Wow, it’s so white.”

This was my first impression upon entering the restaurant. The space was all white. From the walls to the shelves, everything was white. Of course, the tablecloth was no exception.

“The owner seems to be very neat.”

“I think it reflects my taste. It has a very calm atmosphere. It’s also quiet, so many people visit this place when they have an important meeting.”

“Is that so.”

Listening to his explanation, I cast my gaze at the vase on the table.

It was a vase with red roses and a long silver candlestick was placed next to it. Everything was white, but only the roses were red, so the colour seemed even darker compared to its  surroundings.

I immediately withdrew my gaze and looked at Logan. It was time to bring out the main topic of the day.

I opened my mouth heavily, feeling apologetic.

“Your Grace, about the business I mentioned… I’ve told my parents, but they’re so skeptical that they haven’t given me their permission yet.”

“Oh…is that so?”

“Yes. They think business planning coming from a young noble lady is ridiculous.”

“I don’t think lady Nelson’s idea is ridiculous though.”

Logan immediately stated his opinion. From his serious expression and firm tone, I could tell that he wasn’t simply comforting.

I continued with a perplexed expression.

“They thought that my age is also a problem. There are many young lords my age who have already started their own businesses…yet, to my family, I am still young.”

Age, gender, and father’s viewpoint of doing business was not noble-like.

These three things combined to form a solid barrier.

After being told that age was also one of the reasons for objection, Logan responded.

“I don’t think you are too young. Lady Nelson is actually a much more mature person than her peers.”

Of course I am. I lived until the age of thirty and then came back.

I put on a gentle smile.

“Does it seem like that?”

“Yes. Sometimes you feel like my older sister.”

“Pardon? That much?”

When my expression became strange, he quickly said.

“It’s not that the young lady looks old. You look exactly your age. It’s just I’m worried that…maybe we seem to have too big of an age gap.”

“No. The duke also looks your age.”

But why is he worried about us looking like we have a big age gap? I tilted my head, but Logan spoke up firmly.

“Anyways, milady has never had impulsive or ridiculous thoughts. There will be no one with deep thoughts like you do.”

Now that he was 24 years old, it would not be unreasonable for him to think that I was mature whenever he talked to me. Since I already experienced a past life, there’s no way I could act like an 18-year-old.

I had thought about what would be the fastest way to convince my family who treated me like a child. And that’s the same reason why I met with Logan today. That said, I brought up what I had to say.

“So um… can the duke visit our mansion?”

“You mean the estate of Marquis Nelson?”

“Yes. If you are with me, I think it will give me great strength.”

Even when I tried to persuade my father, he ignored my words, but if Logan, who wanted to do business with me, was with me, my father wouldn’t be so stubborn.

The head of the household, who lead the family solidly through businesses, Logan himself was a model example of a great businessman. With this, my persuasion was expected to be much easier.

“I understand. When should I pay a visit then?”

Fortunately, Logan readily nodded at my request.

I could see a ray of hope now. And without any delay, I answered Logan with a bright face.