The atmosphere grew taut with tension.
Carlotta couldn't tell if Cantarella was deliberately provoking her or if she genuinely had an interest in Ray.
But whichever it was, she absolutely could not stand idly by, otherwise, where would the dignity of the Montelli family stand?
She maintained a smile on her face, but a shadow clouded her eyes, and the corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
It was the struggle to suppress a surging rage, an attempt to still express her displeasure toward Cantarella with an air of elegance.
Cantarella's face still wore that utterly captivating smile, utterly indifferent to Carlotta's challenge. She continued to gaze at Ray before her, looking into his eyes.
Faced with this sudden onslaught of affection, Ray was momentarily at a loss.
His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He could only flusteredly glance around, his eyes shifting from Cantarella to the Second Young Miss, whose face was growing increasingly flushed, finally landing on Changli.
And Changli was leisurely lifting her coffee cup, watching the scene before her with keen interest, clearly treating this standoff as entertainment to accompany her meal, showing not the slightest intention of stepping in to mediate.
What is the meaning of this sudden warzone?
Am I some kind of romantic comedy protagonist?
But that doesn't make sense either.
I don't have any youth or school life.
And also...
Why is the Second Young Miss's face so red? It looks like she's about to explode any second.
"Um... Miss Cantarella?"
"Hmm?"
"Could we... maybe sit down and talk properly?" Ray said while carefully observing Carlotta's increasingly stormy expression.
Carlotta kept her grip on Cantarella's shoulder, trying to pull her away from Ray.
But perhaps the height difference made it ineffective. To Cantarella, that hand merely felt like a light touch on her shoulder, causing no discomfort.
Thus, the nature of this standoff shifted from this moment onward.
No matter how awkward it became, Carlotta absolutely could not let go, releasing her grip would mean she had lost, and more importantly, that the Montelli family had lost.
So she could only stand there, flushed and on her tiptoes, futilely trying to keep the two who were drawing closer apart.
At that moment, she seemed like an incapable wife, standing there with an increasingly flushed face, watching helplessly as her husband fell into another's grasp, powerless to do anything.
'Do I sense the Second Young Miss is about to cry? Is it my imagination?'
"Didn't I suggest that from the start?" Cantarella turned her head slightly, looking at the increasingly heated Carlotta, a faint, elusive smile touching her lips. "So, Second Young Miss of the Montelli family, would you like to join us?"
Carlotta suppressed the unwillingness and anger in her heart. Though her face was shadowed with gloom, she still chose to swallow her pride... or perhaps, to avoid making a scene.
Regardless, Cantarella was, after all, the head of the Fisalia family, and she herself represented the Montelli family's reputation. It wouldn't do to let things escalate too far.
Even though, in her first confrontation with Cantarella, she had lost so utterly.
But since the other party had offered a way out, Carlotta naturally took it.
After all, what was the point of staying on her tiptoes with a hand on the other's shoulder?
"Hmph, of course," Carlotta snorted lightly, releasing her grip and standing firmly. "I was also curious to see what exactly the Fisalia family is up to."
After receiving Carlotta's agreement, Cantarella gave a light laugh. This smile, for some reason, stirred something in Ray's heart. He felt the Cantarella before him was completely different from the one in the rumors.
"See, even your Second Young Miss agrees."
"Then... alright."
The three of them walked together to Changli's table. Changli set down her coffee cup, a gentle smile on her face as she looked at them. "It seems everyone has reached a consensus?"
"A bit smoother than anticipated," Cantarella elegantly took a seat, then proceeded with introductions. "This is Changli, a traveler from Huanglong. This is Carlotta, the Second Young Miss of the Montelli family. As for this one..."
Her gaze shifted to Ray, a meaningful curve lifting the corner of her mouth. "Well, I believe you must be more familiar with him than I am."
Carlotta smiled in greeting to Changli while suddenly realizing the implication behind Cantarella's latter words.
'What does she mean, 'more familiar than I am'?
Could it be... they both know Ray?'
She lightly bit her lower lip, a wave of inexplicable frustration rising in her heart, yet she clearly understood she had no grounds to interfere too much in Ray's private affairs.
In the end, she could only shoot him a complex, reproachful look before turning away in a huff.
Though even she herself wasn't clear where this sudden resentment came from.
She only felt a tightness in her chest, as if something she cherished was about to be taken by someone else.
Ray wisely remained silent.
He could clearly sense that the Second Young Miss at this moment was like a powder keg ready to ignite. It was best not to provoke her further.
"...Caught in the storm, have you nothing to say? How heartless."
Finally, it was Cantarella who broke the delicate silence.
With a somewhat mischievous smile, her gaze settled on Ray.
It wasn't that she didn't care about Carlotta's feelings, on the contrary, she was acutely aware of the other's emotions. She simply felt that pushing things this way might make the situation more interesting.
Besides, she had to do this.
A person who could be drawn by the Sentinel's echo into a Threnodian vision, who glimpsed that centuries-buried secret, he might just be the key to saving Rinascita.
And Changli?
Her gaze lingered playfully on Ray for a brief moment before shifting to Carlotta's cool, yet somewhat adorable, face. She studied it with a peaceful, profound look and offered her a friendly smile.
"...Uh." Ray scratched his head, unsure how to respond.
Why was the atmosphere becoming so ambiguous?
And why was the Second Young Miss's resentment growing heavier?
"Don't know how to start?" Carlotta, with her shifting expression, took up Cantarella's lead. "I happen to have quite a few questions myself, regarding those underhanded dealings the Fisalia family has been conducting behind the scenes."
Faced with Carlotta's sudden attack, Cantarella still regarded the outwardly composed girl with a smile. "Why bring up such a serious topic all of a sudden?"
"You are the head of the Fisalia family. If I don't discuss this with you, what else would we talk about?" Carlotta snorted coldly. "Although I currently have no authority to intervene in family affairs, I remember every single account of the Fisalia family's misdeeds."
Cantarella shook her head slightly, looking at Carlotta with a touch of helplessness. "The Second Young Miss is still too young after all. Matters in this world are never simply black and white. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to discuss family grudges with me on the day you truly take the seat as family head."
"Besides..."
Her gaze shifted fluidly back to Ray, completely ignoring Carlotta's almost fiery stare. She directed a sly smile toward the dazed young man. "Today, the person I've been most interested in... has always been you."
"Ah, this?"
This sudden intimacy left Ray momentarily speechless.
And Carlotta, beside them, finally could bear it no longer.
She abruptly stood up, grabbed Ray's hand, and started pulling him toward the door.
"It seems there's nothing left to discuss between us," she said coldly. "Let's go."
"Second Young Miss...?"
Before Ray could react, he was unceremoniously dragged out the shop door.
Changli and Cantarella exchanged a smile, watching the slightly flustered figures disappear outside.
"What do you think?" Changli turned her head, asking softly.
"Though it's not the first time we've met," Cantarella's gaze was profound. "My intuition tells me, he might truly be the key to saving Rinascita."
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