Chapter 225 – Side Story 29. The Princess’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony (1)
I don’t know how it is for ordinary people, but for nobles who prioritize respect and dignity, a birthday party was not a simple place to celebrate.
“Happy birthday, Lady Schubert!”
“Dear Schubert! “I offer this bouquet for you!”
“Your appearance shines even brighter today. Lady Schubert, if it’s okay with you, wouldn’t you like to dance a song with me?”
“Aha, haha, haha…”
A lot of nobles are trying to win my favor in any way they can.
Among them, there were classmates who always followed me around at the academy.
To put it positively, it means that our family’s influence is enormous.
On the other hand, it also meant that there would be a lot of troublesome things like this in the future.
I felt like I was suffocating from the crowd.
I couldn’t bear it any longer, so I desperately looked for Sally somewhere.
“Hey, look at this Salamander! How can it be so reliable!”
“He must have been the leader of the group where he was originally, right?”
“As expected, Lady Schubert! “You have such wonderful summons!”
All I saw was people exclaiming with excitement.
“Kkeun Iik!” Kyuu, kyuowwaang!!”
Instead, all I saw was Sally desperately crying as if she was asking for help.
I’m sorry, Sally. Now my nose has grown three years too.
I think it would be difficult to help.
Sally’s stinging gaze landed on the back of my head as I tried to ignore the cries.
Without even having time to pay attention, I turned to the nobles surrounding me again.
“Thank you for giving us your valuable time today. “I haven’t prepared much, but I hope you have a good time.”
“Oh my goodness…”
Several women decked out in fancy dresses and accessories laughed, covering their mouths, as if they were touched by my words, packaged in the sweetest words possible.
Ha.
I let out a small sigh that was drowned out by the sound of the surrounding music.
I can’t believe I have to watch these pretentious laughs for the next few hours.
I already want to leave for the Sonia Empire.
The current time is 11:40 p.M.
In just 20 more minutes, I will become a full-fledged adult.
No. That doesn’t matter at all.
The important thing was that Tessia would be waiting for me at the cathedral right now.
Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll wait for you.
Maybe he was exhausted by now and just went to bed.
Otherwise, you might be enjoying an intense affair like last night with someone at the warrior party.
“…”
I glanced between the people.
At the wide open entrance to the banquet hall, only richly dressed noblemen kept coming in and out.
“Why are you doing this, Lady Schubert?”
“Is there anyone you are looking for?”
“Oh, no. “It’s nothing.”
Maybe I was staring too hard.
The surrounding nobles started talking to me without even missing my small gaze.
That can’t be possible.
Even so, it takes several hours to reach the place in a straight line by carriage.
Is it because I had unreasonable expectations?
Even more, the air in this banquet hall felt suffocating.
“Are you looking for me, Lady Schubert?”
Meanwhile.
I felt a very familiar voice approaching me.
“Uh… !?”
I was startled and immediately turned my head.
There, a beautiful blonde elf wearing a pure white military uniform appeared with a smile.
“Liriana!?”
“Long time no see. How have you been?”
“Uh, how can I… !?”
“While listening to the sound of the wind, I somehow felt a noisy energy. “I came here because I thought it would be fun.”
“… “Isn’t it too far to come for fun?”
“Hehe. If you move with the wind, you will arrive quickly.”
So soon.
This is a statement that I cannot understand at all based on my common sense.
“Uh… That person… ?”
“Isn’t this Liliana?”
“Oh my god, I never thought I would see a member of the warrior party in real life!”
“As expected, Lady Schubert. “I never thought I would have expanded my network already.”
As we were having a short conversation, I started to feel a commotion around me.
Even as her whole body received the focused attention, Liliana just smiled peacefully.
“Hehe. Everyone is very interested in us. “It feels good to get this much attention.”
“…”
Liliana’s reaction, unlike me, seems to enjoy the attention.
I was a little envious of the ease with which he waved his hand and gave a light greeting to people.
“Happy birthday, Miss Elena. She also became an adult.”
“Ah yes. Thank you.”
“Oh my, my shoulders are still stiff.”
With a soft yet seductive smile, Liliana tapped my shoulder.
“Can you find the princess if you’re that nervous?”
“Yes? What is that… ?”
Hehe. “Riddles are only fun if you solve them with your own strength.”
With those words, Lady Liliana turned her back on me.
“I’m going back. Happy birthday once again, Miss Elena.”
After leaving her short greeting, Liliana walked towards the terrace.
“Oh. “I forgot to give you a birthday present.”
Despite the attention of all the people gathered in the banquet hall, there was no change in Liliana’s captivating voice.
“The princess is right around the corner.”
With those words, the elf left a light wink.
I immediately threw myself under the railing.
“Aaaaah!!”
The sound of someone screaming immediately afterward.
As if that was a signal, startled people flocked towards the railing.
However, as if to annoy the crowd, Liliana rode the wind and flew leisurely through the night sky with a smile.
People shaking their shocked hearts.
But I could no longer hear their whispering in my ears.
Princess. Riddle.
It’s close.
“…”
Without even having to think deeply, I was able to understand everything Liliana meant.
I never thought you would give out hints this much.
It was embarrassing enough to even be called a mystery.
“Lady Schubert? “You don’t look good.”
“Ah yes…”
“If it’s okay, you can have tea with me in a quiet place…” …”
A handsome nobleman takes advantage of this opportunity to approach.
Although he flirted with me in a tingling voice.
“I’m sorry.”
“… Yes?”
“I have a place to go urgently. Sorry, but please enjoy your tea time with someone else.”
“No, sleep, wait… !”
I somehow managed to shake off his hand that was trying to grab me.
I left the banquet hall in a huff and went outside.
***
“It’s ruined…”
I muttered softly in depression.
To say that I was talking to myself was completely drowned out by the sound of the banquet coming from afar, so it became something that not even I could hear.
It definitely didn’t start like this.
It was also good that I reached Rainheart Kingdom in 5 minutes by using my divine power to the maximum.
It was also good that I avoided people’s attention as much as possible as soon as I arrived and didn’t cause a big fuss.
However, there was something I greatly overlooked.
“You can’t wear a nun’s uniform to a noble party…”
Costumes.
Is it because I have always worn nun clothes since I became a saint?
It never occurred to me that a big party requires matching party clothes.
Well, if you tell me to just close my eyes, there’s nothing I can’t do.
Isn’t it a party for aristocrats who have all the names and faces of famous people stuck in their heads?
Surely, just by showing my face, everyone will welcome me to the party with open arms.
But, will Elena welcome me like that?
If it were me, I would have stopped him and told him to wait outside.
Before that happens, I’m sitting in the backyard like this and curling up.
When I thought about it again, there was no such thing as a truly pitiful appearance.
“I should have just quietly waited at the cathedral…”
Why did she go out of her way to make a surprise so that she could enjoy fame and fortune?
I feel like giving the self from a few hours ago a sweet balm.
“… Let’s just go back.”
If I continued like this, I felt like I would become mentally exhausted.
It would be a hundred times better to go back to the cathedral and wait for Elena to come tomorrow morning.
It was the moment when I was about to get up from my seat while sighing repeatedly.
“… Ah?”
The wind blew.
It was a refreshing and clear breeze that cleared the slightly humid summer night air.
“Ha, ha, ha… !”
The sound of heavy breathing.
As soon as I heard that clear voice, the depression that had covered my entire body was completely washed away.
“I finally found it… !”
“Huh, Elena?!”
Light blue hair and clear green eyes.
A faint blush appeared on the girl’s slightly sweaty face.
The navy blue dress seen underneath.
It seemed like a galaxy was surrounding the girl’s body due to the jewels studded here and there.
“Why, why were you alone, in a place like this… !”
Heo-eok, heo-eok.
Elena is still breathing heavily.
Did she not even think of using magic?
It seemed like something quite urgent had happened.
“Ugh, I’m a little embarrassed by the outfit…”
“Huh?!”
Elena is very surprised.
The girl’s half-surprised reaction made me start looking for an excuse without even realizing it.
“Oh, well, I didn’t even think about needing a party dress… So she just came dressed as a nun as usual…”
“…”
“My outfit compared so much with the other nobles that I couldn’t bear to go inside…”
“… Aha, ahaha.”
Elena laughs as if she is empty.
The girl, who was sitting on the floor, exchanged glances with me from the front.
“Elena? “She shouldn’t be sitting on the ground like that wearing such an expensive dress.”
“I don’t care.”
A firm tone.
However, there was a smile on her girl’s face that would not disappear.
“Teshia came in person, so is the dress really that important?”
“It’s not like a dress. “How many people put in effort to make that one dress?”
“Ahaha, that’s true too.”
Elena let out a small laugh.
Was I also dyed by the pure joy spreading from the girl’s lips?
Before I knew it, I too was smiling innocently.
“You know, Tessia.”
“Yes?”
“Do you hate me, Tessia?”
“It can’t be. “The reason I’m doing this right now is that I’m thinking about Elena’s face.”
“In that case, Tesia.”
Sigh.
The girl tilted her upper body towards me.
“Tessia, do you like me?”
“…”
“Yes? Please answer.”
Elena said.
The clean green eyes were shining brightly even in the dark.
“…”
At first, it was just a passing relationship.
A relationship that can be seen once and then left behind.
However, through that passing, the girl developed feelings for me.
Before I knew it, we had become so close that she confessed her love to me.
It was difficult.
I thought that even if I received these feelings, I would not be able to repay them properly.
Because I had a complicated relationship with everyone in the warrior party.
I definitely assumed that Elena would be hurt by me.
Nevertheless.
Even after learning all the facts, the girl was still looking at me.
Because those eyes are bright.
Because it’s so hot.
Before I knew it, I was accepting this girl’s heat.
So.
So.
“I’m sorry, Elena.”
There was only one conclusion for me to come to.
“I guess I’m a greedier person than I thought.”
“… Tesia.”
Did you understand what I meant?
Elena’s eyes were more relaxed than before.
“Do you know what time it is?”
“Yes?”
As if there was no need for an answer.
The girl immediately stuck her head out to me.
“…”
Side, and.
Refreshing warmth came over my lips.
Piyuung——.
Powong——.
Fireworks fired into the sky decorated the night sky.
The procession of flames prepared solely to bless Elena was now shining brightly on both of us.
