Please Don’t Remember Me - Chapter 8 Part 1

Today the town was celebrating its autumn harvest festival. It was the busiest festival of the year, with lots of harvested vegetables and flowers, and lots of stalls along the streets.

As the town prepared for the festival, Clara, who had never been to a festival before, started to get nervous, so Greta gave her the day off and said that her daughter, who gave birth to a baby two months ago, would be coming to help.

A young man named Diethardt, a regular at the shop, agreed to go with her to the festival. He was taking the daughter of a baroness to the festival with him. He was an apprentice butler.
Greta had asked Diethardt to keep her company, as she did not want Clara to go to the festival alone.

Clara carefully checked her clothes in front of the mirror. She wore a navy blue dress with pretty floral embroidery on the hem of the skirt she bought just last week. When she spun around, her skirt spread out like a soft umbrella. The knee-length skirt was easy to walk in and it made her feel like a common town girl.

When she walked out of the door, Diethardt was already waiting for her.

“Good morning, Mr. Diethardt. Have I kept you waiting?”

“No, not at all.”

…… Yes, she had kept him waiting for quite a while.

Behind Diethardt stood a girl with her blonde hair curled up in a half-updo. The girl looked at Clara with her big eyes wide open. It seems that this girl was the baroness’s daughter.

“My name is Lara. It’s a pleasure to be with you today.”

Clara rushed to hold her skirt and greeted her. Now she was not a princess, but a commoner, and this girl was of higher rank than she was. She had to greet her first.

“I’m Mia. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh, how lovely you are!”

When Mia introduced herself in a trembling voice, hiding behind Diethart’s back, Clara couldn’t help but respond with the hawkishness of a princess. However, Mia looked at her with sparkling eyes and red cheeks.

“It’s real.”

Mia’s words startled her. What did she mean by “real”? Did she know Clara was a princess?

“Lady Mia, you’re being rude.” Diethardt spoke harshly.

“I’m sorry, Lara. She has only just begun her education as a young lady. …… I accidentally told her that you were a former noblewoman. She said she wanted to see what it was like to be a noblewoman up close.”

“I see. Excuse me, but how old are you, Lady Mia?”

“I’m 14.”

“Then you’ll soon be making your social debut. I envy you, all the fun you’re going to have.”

Mia giggled shyly. She was young. It is true that she has just started her education as a young lady. Normally the education of a young lady begins at childhood; to begin it at the age of fourteen seemed to indicate that there were some circumstances.

“Let’s go. You two, please don’t walk around on your own.”

“Oh, yes, please walk hand in hand.”

“What? With Mr. Diethardt?”

“Yes. That way we won’t get separated. And you two look like sisters.”

Clara was a little angry that she was being treated like a child, walking hand in hand. But it was not a bad thing to hear that they look like sisters. When Clara reached out gently, Mia held her hand shyly.

“Have you ever been to the Harvest Festival, Lady Mia?”

“Yes, I come to see it every year. I used to come with my friends, but my father said that a young lady should not be allowed to roam around on her own, so he sent Diethart. Have you gone to the Harvest Festival, Lara?”

Clara shook her head. She had never been to a festival, let alone a harvest festival.

“It’s my first time. I’ve only been in the city for a year.”

As if afraid of being swept away by an unfamiliar crowd, Clara and Mia walked close together. As soon as they picked up something that caught their eyes, Diethart came up to them and pushed away the shopkeepers. Clara, who had not yet walked halfway and was getting tired, sat down in a flower bed under a tree. Mia sat down next to her, as she was used to doing. Walking hand in hand made Clara feel quite at ease.

***