Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The 1 Silver Invitation
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Inside the carriage that had set off immediately, Lizbet was, of course, fuming and chattering away nonstop.
“What the heck! What is this!”
“It’s nothing. His Highness was just joking around.”
“Why would Oppa pull a prank like that! That headband felt off from the start! Tell me the truth! What’s going on between you two!”
“Nothing, there’s nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
I replied shamelessly while putting on the headband Lark had given me and pulling out a hand mirror to check my face.
‘Hmm, not bad at all.’
I liked its flashy yet understated style.
Giggling, I asked Lizbet, who was still huffing and puffing.
“How does it look? Does it suit me?”
“Ugh!”
Lizbet stared at me as I pinched my cheeks and playfully batted my eyes, then finally pouted.
“Well, it is pretty…….”
“Hehe, thanks.”
* * *
The party venue was our family’s villa in Praha.
Perched midway up a mountain with a well-cleared path, the villa resembled a lavish Western castle.
Neigh—!
The carriage came to a stop, and Lizbet cried out in excitement.
“It’s Young Master Riki!”
Dressed in a sharp black tuxedo, Riki—as the party host—was greeting guests at the entrance.
He looked flustered when the imperial-crested carriage arrived.
“Young Master Riki!”
As Lizbet stepped down, a wide-eyed Riki exclaimed in surprise.
“P-Princess?”
“Thank you for the invitation, Young Master Riki.”
“Ah, uh…… Of course I had to invite you. But no way? Did you bring a gift?”
“I heard from Rubette. You said you rewrote the invitation because it was a gift that would be hard for me to prepare?”
Blushing and fidgeting with her toes, Lizbet held out her invitation right in front of Riki.
You are invited to the August social gathering.
‘1 silver’
-Host, Riki Diorus
Riki froze upon seeing the invitation.
“Aah…… Rubette.”
“Yeah!”
As I strolled up casually behind Lizbet, I could feel Riki’s glare boring into me like he wanted to devour me whole.
‘Oh dear, how scary.’
Pretending not to notice, I put on an innocent act.
Lizbet said shyly.
“Even so, paying 1 silver to get in felt too much, so I prepared a gift I thought you’d like.”
The coachman and attendants she’d brought began unloading enormous gift boxes one by one.
Riki gritted his teeth and forced a smile.
“G-Gold-embroidered something-or-other.”
“Let’s have fun today?”
“Y-Yes, uh…… Escort, the, Princess Lizbet.”
In the end, Riki trembled as he assigned a servant to her, and Lizbet happily headed inside.
As I moved to follow, Riki suddenly blocked my path.
“Hey, are you insane? You trying to get yourself killed?”
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
“Wow, this is really…….”
He thrust his fierce face right up to mine as I feigned ignorance.
“Did you take an extra invitation from me just to pull this stunt?”
“Oh my, misunderstanding. I thought I’d lost it while cleaning my room later, and it turned up?”
I shrugged innocently.
“Why waste a perfectly good invitation? Especially since someone made the princess demand such an intimidating gift that you were in a bind, so I shared it with her.”
“Y-You, wow…….”
“What’s wrong? Did I do something bad? You look exhausted just thinking about dealing with the princess.”
“Y-You lunatic……! How dare you make a fool of me?”
“Hmm, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I calmly grabbed the hand of the shaking Riki.
Then I placed a 1-silver coin in his palm and kindly closed his fingers around it.
“Th-This, this…….”
“Good luck.”
I patted the furious Riki’s shoulder and sauntered into the party hall.
* * *
The party hall inside was illuminated dazzlingly by light cascading from the grand chandelier.
With the musicians’ classical performance in full swing, the pre-party formalities were already underway.
I scanned the hall.
The vast interior of premium marble, the opulent gold walls.
The lavish decorations and expansive windows draped in jewels sparkled so brightly it hurt the eyes.
“Ah, a Latini, please.”
A server passed by with drinks, handing me a glass of crimson cocktail.
“Mmm…….”
Savoring the cocktail, I walked slowly.
The party scene was as expected.
Young masters playing poker at tables, young ladies nimbly fanning themselves with small fans while gossiping……
As an unofficial gathering for nobles not yet debuted in society, the guests were around thirteen to fifteen years old.
‘Middle schoolers throwing parties like this every month? The future of this world is truly bright.’
I stood near a terrace with a good view outside, inwardly clicking my tongue, when I suddenly felt eyes on me. It was Lizbet, who had been trailing after me hesitantly.
“……?”
For some reason, she stood there with her mouth agape, blinking her big eyes as she stared at me intently.
“What’s up?”
“Uh, um, you…… You seem kinda different.”
“Lost some weight?”
“That too, but what is it? You seem totally used to parties. You weren’t like this before.”
“Ah.”
I stood there casually with my arms crossed, lightly swirling my cocktail glass—nothing special.
‘Right, Rubette wasn’t like this.’
At gatherings like this, she would always huddle in a corner, feeling utterly isolated.
If people glanced her way and giggled, she’d bury her flushed face and spend hours wishing the boring party would end.
I shrugged and said.
“Parties are meant to be enjoyed. Why not relax instead of stiffening up, Your Highness?”
“Uh? Well, yeah, but somehow…….”
Lizbet stuck close to my side, glancing around furtively.
‘Of course, Lizbet isn’t used to these either.’
She was still young, with little experience at official events, and her personality was similar to Rubette’s, so she’d never sought out parties like this.
The only reason she’d come here was purely—really just—to see Riki’s face.
“They’re all already in groups having fun. I can’t really fit in over there, so I feel a bit out of place.”
“Doesn’t fitting in with them mean you can’t enjoy the party?”
“W-Well, yeah. It’s embarrassing to enjoy it alone.”
Lizbet straightened up seriously.
‘In other words, she’s embarrassed to eat alone?’
Suppressing a sigh, I said.
“Enjoying a party isn’t that hard. You don’t even need a group. Just listen to the good music, soak in the atmosphere, and ah.”
A server happened to pass by just then.
I picked a mint-green non-alcoholic cocktail from his tray and handed it to her.
‘They learn to drink young here, but still, not for an elementary kid.’
“Alcohol works too. If you want to chat with someone, stand tall and make your presence known. Anyway…….”
I stepped behind Lizbet, surveyed the wide hall, and whispered in her ear.
“This is a party to show off wealth and power and network with useful people. Everyone’s sizing each other up inside.”
“Y-Yeah.”
“So by status alone, Your Highness is the top lady here. You could be even more confident, and it wouldn’t be weird.”
Lizbet swallowed dryly and glanced back at me.
“It doesn’t suit your dignity to go seeking conversation partners first. Now, shoulders back.”
I lightly pressed her back. Her hunched shoulders straightened.
“Chin up firm.”
“L-Like this?”
“Yes. Don’t open your eyes too wide—relax them. And stop looking around.”
Lizbet instantly corrected her posture, lightly raised her cocktail glass, and wet her lips with it.
It felt a bit awkward since it was her first time, but she had a good vibe.
“Perfect. As expected of someone like Oppa—you pick things up fast.”
“Ahem.”
Delighted, Lizbet blushed and smiled.
Just then, two girls about Lizbet’s age approached.
“Good day, Your Highness. I’m Camilla Lebushe of the Lebushe Count family.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Layla Lantin of the Lantin Count family.”
“Ah…….”
Lizbet’s face lit up instantly as she shot me an excited grin.
I winked at her and stepped aside.
However.
‘Ugh, the local bully’s already here.’
Before I could take a few steps, I spotted Riki heading straight for me and Lizbet.
He slicked back his neatly styled side hair with both hands and swaggered over, eyes blazing.
‘Look at him. Again, again. Planning to mess with the quiet me?’
Riki stopped in front of me, grinned, and said.
“Rubette, what’re you doing here? We’re playing a game over at that table—come join.”
“Young Master Riki!”
Lizbet rushed over from behind and plastered herself to my side.
“Oh, Your Highness is here too. I was just about to look for you.”
“M-Me?”
“Of course. We’re playing a game called ‘Michael’s Choice’ over there. Come join us.”
“Wow, what kind of choice? Riki, hold on. Your Highness, just a sec.”
Wow, ‘Michael’s Choice’.
The name alone triggered instant trauma, so I waved my hand to refuse……
“Yeah! Let’s go, let’s go!”
Oblivious Lizbet, just happy to play with Riki, beamed and dragged me along.
Riki snickered and turned his back, heading to the table first, while I got pulled along helplessly by Lizbet.