Ch.26Birthday Celebration (3)

Rahilt was in the middle of a conversation with the Empress. Rodrick, having regained his freedom, blocked Eshtiel who was about to wander around here and there.

“Kid, I know you’re excited, but let’s talk for a moment.”

Eshtiel flatly rejected Rodrick’s proposal.

“Don’t wanna…”

“I’ll give you a one-day exemption from studying when we get back.”

“Hmm.”

Eshtiel let out a dissatisfied murmur. In response, Rodrick furrowed his brow and offered an enhanced benefit.

“I’ll give you two.”

“Hmmmm.”

“Three.”

“Hmmmmmmmmmm…”

“Kid, if you push any further, it’ll be difficult for me too.”

“But not for me.”

Eshtiel crossed her arms decisively. With other children, this might be dismissed as simple cuteness, but Eshtiel was different. Given Rahilt’s unexpectedly high educational standards, Rodrick clearly had his limits.

Above all, when it came to “work,” Eshtiel had complete authority. Even though he was the mercenary group’s staff officer and her senior, he couldn’t treat Eshtiel carelessly.

“Haah…”

Finally, Rodrick pushed his discretion to its precarious limit.

“Four.”

“Yay!”

Eshtiel cheerfully raised her arms in victory. Soon after, she left small footprints as she followed closely beside Rodrick.

“Soon people who are interested in either you or me will approach. Before that, I’ll teach you all about ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ Got it?”

“Yep.”

As Eshtiel nodded obediently, Rodrick began eyeing people.

“What about that person?”

“Good.”

“That one?”

“Bad.”

“How about that plump-looking uncle over there?”

“Double bad.”

“The muscular man with the fierce look?”

“Lots of good.”

This conversation would be difficult to understand for an outsider. That was because only Rodrick knew Eshtiel’s true value.

It had been about four years since the mercenary group had taken in Eshtiel.

There had been more than enough time to observe her. During that time, Rodrick had discovered one astonishing fact: Eshtiel’s ability to judge people.

People with goodwill and good intentions were “good,” and those hiding malice and ulterior motives were “bad.”

At first, he was skeptical, but experience proved Eshtiel’s judgments to be unfailingly accurate. After becoming convinced, Rodrick occasionally persuaded Eshtiel to help him assess people when needed. This was a special talent of Eshtiel’s that even Rahilt didn’t know about.

“Hmm, that person…”

Eshtiel gave a simple assessment for each person Rodrick pointed out. That alone was a great help to him. However, in the middle of this, Eshtiel suddenly exhibited strange behavior.

“Huh? What’s that?”

“What’s wrong, kid?”

“I don’t know. Someone I’ve never seen before…”

Suddenly, Eshtiel narrowed her eyes and stared intently at one spot. Then, the young girl, having run out of patience, quickly disappeared into the crowd with short steps.

“Hey, kid! Ugh.”

It happened so suddenly, and with several people approaching at that moment, Rodrick couldn’t stop Eshtiel.

And so, a drop of Eshtiel’s sweat fell onto the grass she had reached.

“Haa… haa…”

Her breath came out rough after running hard on her short legs.

Eshtiel looked around outside the banquet hall. She had clearly spotted someone heading this way, but the target had suddenly disappeared as if transformed into the wind.

“That’s strange… someone with lots and lots of ‘good’…”

It wasn’t as much as Serinel had for Rahilt, but it was still a considerable amount of “good.”

Eshtiel was at an age where curiosity overcame reason. She felt too restless to give up her search just because she was a little tired.

“I’ll look just a little more…”

Eshtiel never anticipated how her childish persistence would change her own future.

◇

Have I ever been as flustered as I am today?

No, I can firmly declare that today must be the day with the most concentrated embarrassment of my entire life.

The incident of Rashera hanging around with Rahilt ended as a misunderstanding. But it’s impossible to dismiss as a misunderstanding the situation where Rahilt is waiting for me while chatting with my mother.

‘What’s going on? Why is my mother having an engrossing conversation with my husband?’

I’m seized by needless anxiety. Surely she’s not planning to throw water or money at him and order him to stay away, like in some drama?

As I cautiously approached, my mother noticed me and smiled coldly.

“You’re late, Serin. Very late.”

“I’m, I’m sorry… Mother.”

“If you had been any later, we wouldn’t have been able to announce the start of the banquet.”

“Even so, that’s a bit…”

“It’s exactly that serious. You’re supposed to open the dance with Commander Rahilt.”

My head went blank the moment my mother’s words hit my ears.

Opening dance?

With Rahilt?

And at my mother’s suggestion?

Is that even possible?

Originally, the opening dance was a procedure where the highest-ranking man and woman at the banquet announced the start with the first dance. So by common sense, my mother’s rebuke was an unreasonable stretch.

So, in other words…

‘Well played, Mother!’

I can’t guess all the reasons. But one thing is clear: my mother has acknowledged Rahilt. Otherwise, she would never allow him to dance the opening dance with her daughter.

And my father, being the devoted husband he is, wouldn’t go against my mother’s wishes.

‘Has the meet-the-parents been going this smoothly without me even knowing?’

As expected of Rahilt. He was living up to his role as my chosen prospective groom. The only remaining task would be coming out with the truth that Rahilt is the child of the deposed emperor.

I approached casually, hiding my impatience, and spoke nonchalantly.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“We just finished our conversation.”

“That’s good. It would be burdensome to keep the guests of honor waiting any longer…”

I extended my hand. In front of everyone’s attention, I politely offered an escort. To none other than you.

“Shall we go down now?”

“I would be delighted to.”

“Oh…”

I had expected him to be shy, but his tone was remarkably resolute and gentlemanly. Having only seen his somewhat silly side until now, discovering this unexpected aspect made my heart beat faster. Hey, my heart is prohibited from joining a labor union, I tell you.

But regardless of my excitement, not all gazes from others were kind.

“A commoner having the opening dance with royalty? Is there any precedent for this?”

“Even though His Majesty and Her Majesty are said to have open minds these days, this is still…”

“Could Commander Rahilt possibly be nobility? After all, that Rodrick person is also acquainted with Her Majesty.”

“Ah…!”

The last speculation drew considerable interest. Since Rahilt was actually royalty, it was a correct inference. Of course, the guests who didn’t know the circumstances endlessly produced gossip about whether Rahilt might be an illegitimate child of some family or a hidden child.

“Lian, I have something I want to ask if that’s okay?”

“Yes. Anything.”

“I sent you an invitation without asking for your opinion, right? I was worried that might have been uncomfortable for you. Was it an imposition?”

“Not at all. Thanks to you, Eshtiel had a great time, so I’m satisfied.”

“What about you, not Tiel?”

“I…”

When I posed a specific question, Lian answered after a brief silence.

“I don’t know… no, um. I think… it was good.”

“Really?”

“I don’t lie.”

“I’m glad.”

At that moment, Rahilt elegantly turned his body. A faint murmur of admiration spread across the ballroom.

His leading form, making it comfortable for me as a princess, didn’t seem like the skill of someone who had practiced just once or twice. Rahilt was displaying movements comparable to a dancing mechanical doll. Even this was so charming that all I could see was his mask.

Perhaps caught up in the atmosphere.

I unconsciously voiced a question I had been avoiding all along.

“Lian.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Do you remember when we parted in front of the palace?”

“…I remember.”

“Then.”

I barely squeezed out words from my subtly heated vocal cords.

“Could I hear now… why you kissed my forehead then?”

Screech!

As soon as I asked, Rahilt’s step became severely tangled. His center of gravity inevitably shifted outward. If I hadn’t inherited my father’s physical abilities, it wouldn’t have been strange for us to fall together at such an angle.

I restored his body to its normal orbit and stole a glance at his trembling eyes. Perhaps feeling unspoken pressure from this, Rahilt hastily opened his mouth.

“‘I don’t know’ is a forbidden answer. That’s a rule Rodrick and I set. But… I’m sorry. This time I really don’t know.”

Rahilt’s head bowed almost at a right angle, as if he was deeply ashamed.

“It was an inexcusable act. If you wish for compensation, I will sincerely comply with whatever you ask. I apologize again.”

“Hmm…”

He’s sincere.

Rahilt would accept whatever I demanded. As long as it wasn’t something like removing his mask or confessing the truth that he’s the child of the deposed emperor—literally anything else.

It would be simple to use this as leverage to force my desires. Despite it being just a kiss on the forehead, I could demand an engagement. Though it would be close to unreasonable, Rahilt would definitely nod his head.

Of course, I have not the slightest intention of doing so.

“Pfft, ahaha. Is that so?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his earnestness. Then I step closer to him.

“I liked it.”

“Serin?”

“I said, I liked it.”

“…”

Silence.

A very good means to maintain control… I suppose.

But I can see it.

Rahilt’s warmly flushed earlobe is vivid.

“You’re really the cutest thing in the world.”

I unconsciously stroked Rahilt’s golden hair.

It was softer than grass swaying in the breeze, and brighter than the light from the towering chandeliers.

The result was dramatic.

The people watching us all began murmuring at once. As if they had witnessed some huge scandal that would be rude not to discuss.

Of course, their gossip was just cute.

Soon, the groans of shock from my father and mother, who were watching us from the head table, reached my ears.