CHAPTER #27:Surprise yet a shock.

"What a pleasant surprise! Let me introduce you to the ladies."

"Ah! You don't have to!"

"This is going to be a hassle." Before I could stop her the women later followed by men swarmed around me to give their greeting.

"Ladies as I've told you all before about the young Lady."

"Oh Duchess is this lady the one who you admire?"A lady eagerly asked.

" Yes she is the perfect example of an ideal lady isn't she?" exclaimed another woman.

"I wonder if my children could follow your example. But children are children they learn better from those around their age." Sighed another woman.

This is horrible! I cried out.

"Mother what's going on here?" a girl with a graceful voice like that of a siren called out.

"Oh, Abigail! You're here. Look who's here today."

"Luna!" She gasped with excitement.

I considered it my last chance to escape this painstaking crowd.

"Abigail! Let's go look around the city what do you say?"

"Really? Mother, can we go sightseeing?" She turned around and asked the Duchess with pleading eyes.

It was a bonus point that she was unable to refuse our request only under the conditions to take escorts with us.

We fled out of the hotel faster than the speed of light.

"Luna you're quite slow! Do hurry up or we'll be followed."

"Did we leave them behind?" Abigail breathed hard.

"What?" I tried to gain back my composture. It was like hell for me to run after an unstable recovery.

"The guards. And those people." She looked around.

"Yeah, it seems so like that. Let's get on my carriage. I want to show you something Luna."

"Abigail I'm not so sure about this -"

"Milady?" Freya called out from behind. She was with a man dressed in the hotel staff's uniform.

"Where are you going?" she implored anxiously.

"Freya! do me a favor," I whispered in her ear hurriedly.

"But my lady! I can't -"

"No time. Gotta go."

"Luna hurry up!" she called out as I raced into the carriage.

I glanced and saw the stupefied maid nearly collapse on the road.

"Great let's get started with the shopping district!"

The Claudia district was the largest shopping district of the empire where merchandise from around the entire world was sold. Except for the alcohol and slave trading, everything could be found on the bright streets filled with life.

I was worn out from all the sightseeing. And I didn't dare look behind me. The servants were struggling to keep loads of goods safely inside the carriage to deliver them to the Baudelaire's estate.

"Lady Luna let's go to the famous cafe around here. They serve the most delicious desserts in the empire. Let's get some honey lemon tarts and nut-filled madeleines with some coffee. What do you say?"

"I'm quite exhausted to even stand up Abigail." I objected to her idea.

"Th-Then how about I ask the servants to bring up our order to my favorite place in the capital." She was nearly in tears after she attempted persuasion.

"Fine~I get it! Let's go." I gave in to her pleading eyes.

"So where is this place you talk about?" Resting my hands on my waist I asked her abruptly.

"Shh~Its a secret." She whispered and placed her index finger on her lips.

"Let's go or the servants might secretly follow us."

"You sure know how to keep them in hot water." I retorted.

After half an hour we reached the final destination.

"Uhh~This is..."

"A cafe by the sun-stained seaside!How romantic ~Ah!" She lost herself in the delusional idyll of romance.

"Is this the place?"

"No, it's yet to come." She said while ordering the sweets.

"That's it! I give up. I'm heading back to the hotel."

"N-no just for a few minutes, please." She begged and grabbed my hand.

"Lady your order is here. Nut-filled madeleines and honey lemon tarts with espresso." The waiter placed the order on the table.

The sweets looked undoubtedly delightful. I was about to drool over them like some uncultured hungry animal since I hadn't had any lunch this afternoon.

We helped ourselves while enjoying the seaside view at sunset.

After having my fill I gulped down my coffee since it was bitter to the sensitive tongue of a child.

I could see Abigail celebrating her private victory by winning over me through her desperate convincingness.

"That was amazing!"

She thanked the waiter and offered him a tip for excellent services.

It seemed. like they were quite familiar with each other knowing how they treated her sometimes formally but at times they were just too casual with this dumb girl.

"Lady Luna come on!" she took my hand and dragged me along with her towards the cliff near the ocean.

I turned around to look if there were tourists or nobles around who were on family vacation perhaps. But there wasn't even a small hit as far as the eye could see.

We climbed up the rock under the cliff. The view was magical.

"Please sit here for a minute. I'll be as quick as lightning." She dashed off the other side of the rock.

After a moment I could hear multiple voices of laughter and chat.No longer holding back my curiosity I got up and decided to take a glance.

"I'll bring her to meet everyone. She's an amazing person. You won't be disappointed." I heard Abigail's voice slowly nearing my way.

"Lady Luna! Come I want you to meet someone. You'll enjoy their company."

I shrugged and followed her. But as shocking as it was I was awestruck to see what was in front of me.

"How unfortunate...could they be..." I stared at them as they stared back at me.

"Mermaids?"