Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: The Ball (2)
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"Snore... mumble mumble..."
I gently tucked the blanket around the sleeping Tiona (she squirmed a bit with a soft "mmph..."), then stepped out into the hall, where the glow-in-the-dark stickers were still twinkling away.
Minerals from this world I didn't know about, combined with alchemy. Might swing by the dwarves next time, I thought as I headed down the stairs.
'Lover.'
Sensing Tiona's faint feelings toward me must've planted that word in my head.
Among the misunderstandings from the few comrades and friends I'd traveled with so far, one was that I had no interest in sex or romance.
Some had even seriously asked if I was impotent.
Of course not.
I had sexual desires like anyone else, and the normal urge to date, marry, and start a family.
I'd just been too busy preparing for the threat of the Outer Gods to enjoy any leisurely time.
But once the dangers of this world were gone someday, I wanted to date and get married.
Right now, I was tangled up with noble ladies, but the one I'd settle down with would probably be a commoner girl.
"Ah, Teacher..."
As I reached the first floor, I ran into Cynthia in the kitchen.
"Cynthia? You're still up...?"
No need to ask what she was doing. I'd already spotted the jar of jam in her hands.
"Ah, haha... It wouldn't open anyway, so I was just gonna go."
I stepped over to her side as she set the jar down with an excuse and twisted off the lid.
"Ah...!"
"Yeah, it was sealed a bit too tight. I'll be more careful next time."
"Th-that's not what I...!"
"Have a seat at the table. I'll whip up some simple toast for you."
Late-night snacks aren't great for you, but once in a while can't hurt.
"...!"
Leaving Cynthia blushing behind me, I pulled out some white bread and sliced it to a good thickness.
Personally, I liked toast bread a little thicker.
I heated a pan on low, lightly toasted the surfaces, then spread butter on one side and the strawberry jam Cynthia had brought out on the other.
Put the two halves together, slice diagonally... done. Poured two glasses of fresh milk and brought them over.
"Wow..."
Cynthia had waited at the table as instructed, and her eyes lit up at the sight of the toast.
"Let's eat it one side at a time."
"Itadakimasu."
Watching her politely bob her head, I thought to myself.
Poor Cynthia, putting up with all this because of me.
In the original story, she'd awaken as a saintess right around now, but who knew when that might happen anymore. All because of me, she hadn't shaken off her timid personality.
If she became a saintess, the Empire itself would elevate her.
Her status would rival a noble's, and the Universal Church would cover every aspect of her daily life.
"Nom... so good..."
"Eat slowly."
Still, there were upsides to her not becoming a saintess.
Her Holiness wouldn't be snacking like this at this hour.
Even in the original, there was a scene where Cynthia sighed in relief upon heading to the Academy, finally free from the church's strict folks nagging her.
Sharing butter-and-jam toast in the dead of night like this was a pleasure we could only enjoy now.
Though it felt a bit off coming from the guy who'd prevented her awakening.
"...Teacher."
"Yes?"
"Why do you always speak so formally to me?"
Well, because you're the future great saintess... but from Cynthia's perspective, that might seem odd.
I was only a year or two older, her employer, and we'd known each other for a while now.
"Do you want me to use casual speech?"
"Not exactly... I just worry you're keeping your distance from me."
"...Why would that worry you?"
"Ow."
Cynthia ducked her head.
"You okay? Bite your tongue?"
"I-I'm fine."
Then, still looking down, she glanced up at me.
"Teacher, you're so... that's why the Young Lady..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
For some reason, Cynthia clammed up after that.
But we finished the toast together to the end.
Time flew by, and the day of the ball arrived.
The autumn weather had cooled a bit more, but a coat was still enough.
It wouldn't be long before we'd need to bundle up in furs and scarves, though.
And in the end, Tiona decided to attend the ball.
The Imperial Palace.
Sector S, unclassified among the Empire's A-to-D districts.
The residence of the Empire's most exalted figure, the Emperor himself.
Thus, it had to outshine any noble's domain in splendor and grandeur—to display the Emperor's authority.
For the same reason, it was open to the public any day, as long as you followed the dress code. Only then could people feel that authority.
Time it right, and you could even glimpse the Emperor's daily routine.
But on ball days, only invitees could enter.
"Welcome, Lady Krishantimaiu."
Passing through the main gate revealed a meticulously tended garden, with the palace proper—the main building—at its center.
A few rode in carriages, but most walked, surrounded by attendants.
Our group of three—me, Tiona, and Cynthia—was no different.
"Arthur! So fancy!"
"First time?"
"Yesh!"
"I-I wouldn't even dare..."
I figured as much.
What palace? Curl up at home with a romance novel, scratching your belly—that's paradise right there.
"Ugh, hallucination."
"Feels like Arthur just thought something rude about me?"
"A feeling? Obviously not just a feeling."
"Eh...? Huh...?"
A young lady over there waved. Lira, who still invited us to teas now and then since that day.
"Ah, Tiona~!"
"Lira!"
And then.
"Haa, Tiona! Walk with a bit more dignity!"
"Beatrice! You're a good girl today too!"
"It's Beatrice, not Beatrice! Ugh, you..."
Beatrice was here too.
The cut-off line... is pretty low for an Imperial Palace ball?
Pretty much every noble kid in the capital seemed invited, regardless of gender.
"Middleton? That's you, right?"
"Sir Young! Long time!"
Nobles from outside the capital had been invited too, judging by the greetings echoing around.
"Sir Edward!"
"Brother Quensia, well met!"
The guys too.
"Lady Katrin? Your skin looks even lovelier than last time!"
"Oh my, Lady Mnetshu, your face has gotten so much smaller!"
"Ahaha!"
"Ohohoho!"
Several brutal verbal battlegrounds caught my eye too.
Lea and Diana... not here?
Maybe showing up late, or skipping altogether.
We crossed the garden and entered the building.
Passing a corridor lined with grand paintings, suits of armor, and relics, we reached the vast hall hosting the ball.
"So sparkly and pretty!"
The ceiling brimmed with frescoes depicting biblical tales, and at the corners where ceiling met walls, gold-plated cornices gleamed under chandelier light.
An orchestra played on one side of the hall.
The ball had just begun, but a few men and women were already dancing in the center.
"Impressive. No place in the Empire rivals this splendor."
"You talk like you've seen it yourself."
"Yeah."
"Arthur as expected!"
Cynthia whispered, pointing at one fresco.
"T-Teacher, what's that?"
"The Heavenly God saving saints starving in prison by feeding them her own breast milk."
"...Isn't it a bit too big?"
"That painter's famous for going oversized."
"Even so, it's bigger than a normal person's head—"
That's when one of the palace servants opened the inner door and shouted.
"H-His Highness the Prince is coming out...!"
His voice trembled oddly.
Gasps of "Heuk!" and "Kyaa!" rippled through the hall. Especially from the future crown princess hopefuls.
But the servant wasn't done.
"B-Be careful! Everyone, stay back from the door!"
"...?"
Stay back?
The inner door to the hall burst open wider.
"...Huh?"
"...Eh?"
"Wha...?"
Everyone gaped... and lifted their gazes upward.
About 2.7 meters up.
Was the prince a giant?
No. The prince's height was average for his age—170 cm, or 1.7 meters.
So where'd the extra meter come from?
"...Ooh."
A wearable mecha.
A bipedal mechanical powered exosuit piloted by a person inside.
As the armored prince—barely within fantasy dress code—strode in, dancers and chatters alike freaked out and scattered from his path.
"Ahem."
Whirr, clank.
"Greetings. As you all know, I'm the prince, Morgan Pendragon."
Shoo, whirr, click, clank.
"I didn't open this ball myself, but since it's happening, enjoy yourselves."
Shwoong... whirr, clank, whiiiir.
"Anyone curious about this mechanized device, come to my workshop. That's all."
Shunk, whirr, whirr, whiiiir... shunk.
The prince turned and left.
For a solid 10 seconds, stunned silence blanketed the hall.
"M-me!!!!"
"That's badass!!!"
"Can I ride it!?"
Every noble kid with XY chromosomes surged after him en masse.
The noble ladies left behind stood around, blinking blankly.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Ha?"