Opening Ceremony (1)
Opening Ceremony (1)
The first day of the Birth Festival had finally dawned.
Or rather, it had just dawned. The soft morning sunlight was gradually spilling into the manor's dark garden.
It was an hour better described as daybreak than morning. Usually, I'd be sound asleep in someone's arms or spending this time training through the night.
"Ha-yul's hair is amazing every time I touch it."
[Drowsiness]
[Sleep]
Not today. Feeling Ellia's touch as she played with my hair from behind, I let out a wide yawn.
The manor was bustling this morning because of the Birth Festival. Everyone had woken up early to groom themselves.
I'd resisted in my own way, but I'd been swept up in the tide of grooming all the same.
Dragged out of Professor Liana's embrace like a sweet potato while I was still dead asleep, soaked in the bubbling waters of the underground bath...
And here I was now, sitting in front of a large mirror while my hair was being touched.
I wasn't necessarily keen on being dolled up, but I liked the feeling of Ellia and the others' hands, so I sat still and kept still.
"How can it be so soft... It's really amazing. No matter how much I take care of mine, I can never get this texture..."
[Ticklish]
"Ah ah, you mustn't move~"
A ticklish sensation arose as Ellia's fingers brushed through my hair. Earlier, Baek A-rin and Lady Eriel had also come to touch my hair, but now they'd stepped away.
When I shook my head slightly from the tickling, Ellia gently held my head still.
"My Ha-yul, you're a good boy, right? Can you stay still for just a moment?"
The cajoling voice continued even as the touch went on. Slender fingers swept through my hair.
...Truth be told, I could have endured the tickling as much as needed, but I pretended to fuss because Ellia would soothe me when I did.
Even I think it's a bad habit, but... well... I figure Ellia, who soothes me so sweetly, shares some of the blame.
Anyone would pretend to fuss if they were soothed like that.
Anyway, being tended to like this felt unfamiliar, but it wasn't a first-time experience.
Hadn't I been dragged around and dolled up under the pretense of preparing for the banquet when I visited the Calamity Flame family? At least it was less awkward than back then.
But it was still awkward all the same.
[Ellia... do we really need to prepare this much...?]
As I rocked my body back and forth with the question, Ellia, who had been examining my reflection in the mirror, showed a warm smile.
"Hmm... it's not mandatory, but wouldn't it be nice while we're at it? Especially since there's the opening ceremony today, and I heard you're going out as a representative? So even if others can skip it, wouldn't it be better if you dressed up just a little?"
[Geeehk]
"Hehe, just hold on a bit. I'll finish soon."
When I let out a deep sigh and slumped my shoulders, Ellia chuckled and kept her hands busy.
"Queen Ellia, I've brought everything you asked for."
"Thank you, Oru. Good job."
"Hehehe."
Just then, the fairies fluttered over carrying the cosmetics Ellia had requested.
Ellia petted the fairies who had brought the items several times, then spread the things they'd gathered over the vanity table.
"Hmm..."
But looking over the cosmetics, Ellia let out a hum. I tilted my head in puzzlement at the sight.
[Didn't you bring them to use them?]
"Yes, I did, but..."
Ellia trailed off, turning to look at me with a fixed gaze. Her expression was somewhat subtle.
"...Now that I think about it, there's probably no need to do much. It seems like anything you do to this face will just make it look pretty..."
Gazing over my reflection in the mirror, Ellia shook her head.
"Right, you said you were participating in the cross-dressing contest too, didn't you?"
[Uweeehk...]
"Hehe, I think you'd have no problem going out just as you are now, you know?"
Heave-ho—Ellia bent her knees and pressed her cheek against mine as I sat in the chair.
I felt the warmth of Ellia's skin, equally fresh from bathing, through her soft cheek.
I reflexively rubbed my cheek against hers, and Ellia smiled brightly, looking back and forth between our reflections in the mirror.
"I really think you're much prettier than I am."
[There's absolutely no way that's true]
I'd been enjoying the texture and warmth of her cheek, but I turned serious to refute her words. I usually let most things slide, but what she'd just said wasn't something I could ignore.
[Ellia is much, incomparably prettier]
"...Ahaha, it makes me happy to hear you say so."
At my vehement denial, Ellia momentarily had a blank expression. But it was only for an instant; soon a gentle smile appeared, and she turned her head to bury her nose in my hair.
"Sniff sniff..."
[?]
[Ticklish]
Not only that, she kept shifting, bringing her nose not only to my hair but to the nape of my neck to take in my scent.
"Hah... Hmm... I definitely don't need to use perfume either."
Exhaling deeply, Ellia nodded to herself in understanding.
"Because Ha-yul smells nice without spraying anything at all. If I sprayed some for no reason, it would probably just mix the scents. Plus, the fresh, fluffy scent from having just bathed is really nice too..."
Saying so, Ellia buried her face in the nape of my neck and continued to sniff. I felt ticklish and embarrassed. I, too, buried my nose in Ellia's fluttering blonde hair beside me.
- Sniff sniff...
...As expected, I didn't smell anything. I'd anticipated it, but I couldn't help feeling needlessly disappointed. It wasn't just hair—I couldn't smell my chest either...
It was just as I was pouting over this pointless impulse and wounded pride.
- Smooch
[...Hweeek!?]
I jolted sharply at the sound of a kiss right next to me. My body trembled as if struck by lightning.
Startled, I pulled back, and Ellia, with a mischievous expression, raised the corners of her mouth high.
"Hehe, just a joke~ I only made the sound."
Seeing me blink blankly, Ellia giggled and poked my cheek with her finger.
[Uiiik...]
My cheek was pressed in, and I just blinked for a moment. Realizing I'd been thoroughly teased, I puffed out my cheeks. The finger poking my cheek was pushed back out.
"Uhuhu, so cute... I definitely don't need to doll Ha-yul up. Right now, just as you are, you're absolutely lovely."
Ellia burst into laughter again at the sight of my puffed-up cheeks like a provoked pufferfish.
...At Ellia's praise and laughter, the corners of my own lips were about to twitch upward in the same way, but I somehow managed to keep them down.
"But still, I want it to be for real next time."
[Eep]
Ellia suddenly leaned her face in. I half thought it was another joke, but my body stiffened with a jolt. The air I'd been holding in my cheeks puffed out.
"I want to meet Ha-yul's eyes and kiss you, too. I held back last time. Because I want to receive it from Ha-yul first."
At my reaction, the corners of Ellia's eyes curved round. Her golden eyes captured my frozen state.
"I did say I'm yours, didn't I? So, I need something like a signature or a stamp."
Tap tap... Ellia tapped her lips with a slender finger and grinned.
"I'll be looking forward to it."
.
.
.
A little while later, after finishing the preparations, we all came out together to the front gate.
Our outfits weren't particularly special.
Cadets like me, Hong Yeon-hwa, Baek A-rin, and Ellia wore the issued cadet uniforms. The cadet uniform was, after all, designed like a formal dress uniform with ceremonies in mind.
Professor Liana and Teacher were dressed neatly as usual. Neat trousers and white shirts, and over those, a robe and a coat, respectively.
- Whirr...
'Hmm...'
The moment we opened the front gate and stepped out, something floated down in front of us, pushing the air aside.
A pitch-black body the size of an adult male's upper body, a lens gleaming as it caught the light, and multiple wings spinning with a humming sound.
It was a drone, something commonly seen in my previous world. Of course, magic had been integrated and its design was even more futuristic than that.
"A broadcast drone."
Professor Liana, standing behind me, said as she examined the drone. Having observed the internal structure of the drone myself, I nodded.
The drone continuously captured my appearance, its lens clicking. I examined the hologram floating above it.
【Drone for Broadcast (32) - Operating】
【Notice: Broadcasting with a 3-minute delay. Sensitive scenes will be edited out.】
'So these drones wander around all through the Birth Festival.'
I observed the drone with a strange look.
Extending my observation, I could see identical drones flying all over Siyoram right now.
There were small competitive events like Tower entry scheduled intermittently, but the basic premise of the Birth Festival was a celebration for eating, drinking, and having fun.
At the same time, it was a schedule for externally publicizing the situation inside Siyoram, which was usually tightly closed off.
Siyoram is the world's best superhuman cultivation institution, raising the superhumans who will be the main pillars of the future. There are many other cultivation institutions, but none dare compare themselves to Siyoram.
Thanks to this, the global attention pouring onto it is enormous.
But under the pretext of security and safety, Siyoram usually shuts its gates firmly and blocks all outside access.
The Birth Festival was the occasion where such a Siyoram opened its doors quite generously to satisfy the curiosity of the outside world.
Because of this, the activities of the Birth Festival are broadcast externally, and naturally, cadets often appear on camera in the process.
...Especially the Opening Ceremony, which will be broadcast all over the world.
Just thinking about the opening ceremony to come made me feel like letting out a deep sigh.
I swallowed the sigh and pursed my lips.
- Bzzzt...
The camera captured me just as I was.