Ch.156156 – Reassurance

<156 – Reassurance>

Arcadia found a very bold way to help.

“From here to there, they’re all friends I invited. This should be enough to ease your father’s worries!”

“Hiyaaa!! There are so many, too many people!!”

Titosoga was terrified.

I was also trembling with fear.

I had mentioned needing ten friends, asking for help.

I did bring it up, but…

The line that wrapped around the school grounds all the way to the shade tents set up outdoors consisted of over a thousand people.

“Hello, Princess! You look amazing today as always!”

“Fufu. Is that so? Frill, that frill bracelet on your wrist looks quite stylish today.”

“Hehe. It’s a design named after me, so I have to show it off everywhere!”

Titosoga’s friend waiting number 1, Frill.

After chatting with Princess Arcadia with a honey-dripping face, she approached Titosoga who was sitting in a chair trembling with fear while facing her impending fate.

“Hello, Titosoga! The Princess told me everything. Let’s go meet your father together!”

“Huh? Oh, y-yes…”

Like a criminal being forcibly escorted, she trudged reluctantly toward where Titosoga’s ghost papa was waiting.

“Hello, Father. I’m Frill, Titosoga’s friend.”

“Ohhh! To think our Titosoga has such a cute friend. Why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

Ghost Papa was thoroughly satisfied.

With every word Frill spoke, he showed enthusiastic reactions, openly displaying his contentment, pride, and joy.

It was enough to make one consider becoming a real friend out of guilt.

“Fufu. What an interesting father. Let’s stay close from now on, Titosoga.”

“Y-yes…! Thank you, Frill!”

“Bye-bye~”

Frill waved goodbye and trotted away.

Before I could even feel the lingering sentiment of parting with a new friend, Princess Arcadia raised her flag.

Then the next lady holding waiting ticket number 2 approached, leading with her combative drill hairstyle.

“Waiting number 2, Canillian Truffle. I’m here to be your companion for the day at Princess Arcadia’s request. I’m the daughter of the ruling family of Truffle City in the Southern Holy City-State Federation.”

“Whaaaat?! Really? I’m also from the Southern Holy City-State Federation. My father is the mayor of Canele City!”

“I heard you carry expensive toys around, so I see you can afford such luxuries.”

She seems noble and intimidating.

After overcoming that first impression, surprisingly, the two found they had much in common with similar backgrounds and hometowns, and their conversation flowed naturally like real friends.

When she was introduced to Titosoga’s ghost papa with a gentle smile, he was extremely pleased.

“At this rate, we’ll reach ten people in no time. Thank you, Arcadia!”

“Don’t mention it. You’re about to have a hard time from now on.”

“Huh…? What do you mean by ‘hard time’?”

“You might not know this, but the life of a popular person is truly exhausting. Always maintaining a smiling face, dealing with people who approach you wherever you go, never having a moment to let your guard down.”

“Um, Arcadia? I only need ten friends to pass the test…”

“Do you think all these students who took time out of their day to come here will just say ‘Oh, I see’ and leave if you tell them you only needed ten friends and don’t want to be friends with the rest?”

Arcadia smiled a frightening smile that tasted of social bitterness, like a lich wielding wicked wisdom.

“They’d become enemies instead of friends. ‘Who do you think you are to reject us? You think you’re so great? We’ll see about that.'”

“Eek!”

“Or you could just become friends with everyone. Titosoga has voluntarily chosen a very difficult life. But you’ll accept it gladly since you got what you wanted—lots of friends, right?”

“Your smiling face is scary, sister…!”

“Oh my. Don’t be frightened, Di. It’s not like I’m finding it difficult to manage all my followers these days, or that I need to start filtering people out, or that I’ve marked Titosoga as a potential secretary to help manage people, right?”

…She’s marked me!

I’ve been confirmed as her secretary-designate!

“Still, this will be a valuable lesson for that child. If you keep avoiding people because you’re afraid of dealing with them, you’ll never learn how to interact with them.”

“So you had a plan all along, sister?”

“Of course. Some people simply want to flatter those in power, some want a faction to rely on, and some are starved for human connection. Learning to distinguish between them comes with experience in dealing with many people.”

“You’re testing Titosoga to see if she can handle such an important role?”

“Something like that.”

“How can you trust Titosoga with such an important task?”

Dealing with people isn’t easy.

Not only is it difficult, but it’s also hard to trust someone with the job.

A representative might subtly add their own connections to the list, or accept bribes to keep quiet about harmful individuals.

Even if Arcadia has difficulty balancing her studies and network management, such a position of responsibility would be coveted by all her followers.

“Think about it. Titosoga doesn’t want benefits—she just needs friends, right?”

“That’s true.”

“And her reason is very touching and heartwarming—to keep her papa from worrying.”

“That’s right.”

“If she’s a talented individual who’s been repeatedly proven to have a good heart, and was chosen by Di who knows how to select friends carefully, she just needs to learn how to judge people and she’ll certainly be helpful.”

“Ah, I see… Wait, what?”

Everything sounded good except for that unnecessary addition.

“What do you mean I select friends carefully?”

“Orknody only likes good children, don’t you?”

“Zhang is good but also bad, though?”

The same goes for Hestia and Giselle.

Haven’t I become friends with anyone I needed to, regardless of their disposition?

“I’m not talking about good and evil as people perceive it, or the threshold for extreme behavior. I’m talking about the difference in how one treats others.”

Good children and bad children.

Arcadia has her own criteria for distinguishing between them.

“Still, I’m worried. I wonder if that timid child can endure to the end while sensing people’s malice.”

We would soon find out about Arcadia’s concerns.

While the first two people passed the test in succession…

*Current friend count – 3/10

Frill and Canillian Truffle.

After the first two were counted, not a single person among the hundreds that followed was recognized as a friend by Titosoga’s ghost papa.

* *

Titosoga felt burdened.

“What’s the big deal about being friends? Just chat once and you’re friends!”

“Huh? Y-yeah, that’s right. Hehe.”

An overflow of popular people.

“You, what’s your relationship with Princess Arcadia?”

“W-well, the Princess and I exchange greetings when we pass by…”

“That’s no relationship at all. What do you do that makes the Princess pay special attention to you?”

Curious children from prestigious families.

“Hey, can you put in a good word for me with the Princess? I’ll give you this, okay?”

“B-bribery?! I can’t accept such things! I don’t have the authority or qualification to guarantee I can say anything good about you to Princess Arcadia.”

“So you’re saying my gesture isn’t enough? You’re really greedy.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Fine, whatever. If you didn’t want to, just say so. Why make me out to be the bad guy? You’re really mean.”

Even students who couldn’t believe she was simply recruiting friends.

“Haah. I’m really tired…”

“Are you alright, my child?”

“I’m fine, Papa. You must be tired too…”

Titosoga could tell from her papa’s unhappy expression that she wasn’t the only one disappointed by the impure motives of others.

She didn’t think the Princess was trying to torment her, but she did feel a bit resentful. However, if she complained in front of her papa, it would only make him worry more.

Since she couldn’t cause the opposite result of her original purpose to reduce her papa’s worries, Titosoga smiled brightly.

“Look, Papa. I’m a total social butterfly, right? I have so many friends!”

“I see… But this papa is worried. I wonder how many of these shallow, casual relationships will actually be there for you when times get tough.”

“It’s not just shallow friends. Even if I meet a thousand people, I’d like to believe it wasn’t wasted time if I can make even one more true friend.”

“You can even say such mature things. Our baby Titosoga has really grown up.”

“I was surprised to see you today too, Papa. I always thought you were just fussy and embarrassing, but you’ve shown me your mature side a lot today.”

Thank you. Please continue to be friends with Titosoga.

Even such a common phrase was rare from the doting papa she knew.

Perhaps she wasn’t the only one who had grown.

Papa had grown too.

Just as she was trying to be a good friend to someone, her papa had been trying to become a proud father who wouldn’t be embarrassed to show himself in front of others.

“Thank you, Princess. For creating this wonderful opportunity.”

“Is your father satisfied?”

“Not completely, but he seems satisfied enough.”

While Arcadia and Titosoga were talking,

a light suddenly flashed from the alley.

“Huh? That’s where Papa was…”

When the surprised Titosoga and Arcadia ran over, they found Orknody holding a letter.

“Orknody? Where’s Papa?”

“He asked me to give you this!”

When Titosoga opened the letter, it contained well-wishes for her future school life and a pair of rings.

-These are friendship rings to cherish your friendship.

-Share them with your closest friend.

After thinking for a moment, Titosoga held out a ring to Princess Arcadia.

“Princess, it may not be enough to thank you for your help, but would you accept this ring?”

Arcadia smiled awkwardly, glancing at Orknody as Titosoga shyly offered the ring.

A look of shock spread across Orknody’s face.

Like a player who just missed an event reward right before their eyes.

It was naturally shocking, but Titosoga’s gift wasn’t over yet.

“Is it okay if I don’t give it to Orknody? The letter says to give it to my closest friend.”

“That’s fine. I’m giving the other one to Orknody!”

“What…? Then what about your share, Titosoga?”

Titosoga fidgeted with her hair and shyly confessed her feelings.

“I think I’d be happier if my most precious friend and the Princess I’m grateful to wore these rings and thought of me.”