The Debutante Ball
"Hmph.. You look wonderful today too."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Finally, it was the day of Kyle's debutante ball.
Kyle, dressed in the black coat I had chosen for him in advance.
As expected, black suited men best.
Pants, coat, vest, tie, hat.
Everything except the shirt was coordinated in black.
Since he wasn't a woman, using any flashy colors to express a sophisticated atmosphere wouldn't be good.
A woman in a flashy dress would still look sophisticated with her appearance.
Basically, if you're pretty, you look sophisticated.
But it's different for men.
If they look flashy, it might give off a sense of being too showy.
"You must do as I taught you last time. You should take off your hat before greeting His Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty. You can leave the hat with me."
"Yes."
This debutante ball was being held very grandly.
The Emperor and Empress, who wouldn't normally come, had come personally.
After all, it was the first debutante ball of the year and the Empire's major nobles were debuting.
That's why I was even more worried.
Kyle, who already had many eyes on him, had the Emperor's side coming too, so I couldn't help but worry.
"Haa... I wish I could send him away. I'm scared that my young master might make a mistake."
"....."
"Since we're seated, we have to drink something. We've had a few at Eristirol, but you have to be careful with it."
"Yes."
"As I said last time, don't get too excited when the noble young ladies come close and be cautious."
"I've already heard that story over a hundred times."
"...Is that so...?"
Even I think I've said it a lot.
But it's that important.
"Haa..."
Anyway, right now we were moving to the palace where the debutante ball was being held in a carriage.
The Imperial Palace.
Its name was longer, but everyone called it that.
It was the palace where the Emperor and royalty lived, and also where the Empire's civil servants worked.
Actually, I had never been to the Imperial Palace before.
After all, how many ordinary people ever got to go inside the Imperial Palace?
Now, as Kyle's attendant, but in the past I was really an ordinary person.
I graduated from the boarding school with a slightly better than average score, but...?
Anyway, that's how it was.
"Whew..."
"Why are you more worried about me debuting, Sophia?"
"I'm sorry..."
As Kyle said, Kyle's face showed no worry at all.
Instead, it was me who kept worrying.
Kyle really had no worries.
Or rather, isn't it too worry-free...?
It's a debutante ball?
Other nobles were extremely worried and prepared for years for the debutante ball?
"Young master.... Please be careful."
"Yes, I know, so stop already."
"Yes..."
Time had already become evening.
A perfect time to start the party.
Already, music sounds were coming from the palace side.
So the carriage ran and ran, passing through the gates, through the garden, and arrived right in front of the palace.
Kyle got off first, and I followed behind him.
Bringing a servant was optional.
Nobles who received a lot of attention from their family especially needed servants.
Instead of causing trouble and bringing shame to the family, it was better to attach a servant in many ways.
Of course, I wasn't following for that reason.
The Grand Duke didn't say anything, and Adela asked me to take good care of him.
Moreover, I wanted to see Kyle's debut myself, so I was following.
"The eldest son of the Eristirol Grand Duchy, Kyle Eristirol, is entering!!"
Before we entered, a civil servant checking identities next to us heard Kyle's words and shouted loudly in a very loud voice.
It was a bit pitiful that a civil servant was doing such a thing, but since it was to earn money, I let it go.
Kyle's name echoed in the palace's party hall, and there were many gazes looking at Kyle.
Some glances came to me behind Kyle, but I didn't mind.
After all, the protagonist now was Kyle.
Kyle slowly walked through the hall.
The Emperor and Empress, probably because they were in a hurry with time, were waiting for the young nobles from the start.
This Emperor liked efficiency in many ways, so that was possible.
"Sophia."
"Yes."
I received Kyle's black hat.
And stopped right there.
And Kyle went forward.
He climbed the stairs of appropriate height at the end of the hall.
I looked at Kyle climbing and thought he would do well.
How much my little brother had grown, I had worried too much.
About 5 minutes...?
Yeah, around 5 minutes later, footsteps coming down from above were heard.
Hearing that, I looked up again, and Kyle was walking towards me with a faint smile.
"You did well."
If Kyle had failed, he wouldn't be smiling like this.
His expression must have been bad from the start.
"Yes. There were no stories at all."
"Is that so?"
Even though I thought the eldest son of a ducal house would have many stories to tell, but...
Of course, it was better to have no mistakes than to say too much.
"Then, let's enjoy the party."
I smiled and said.
The most important thing at the debutante ball was greeting the royalty, so the most important task was done.
Now, it was just time to spend with other nobles, chatting.
Well.... If there's a woman whose heart matches, dance a few times.
"Oh."
Kyle let out a short sigh.
Well, Kyle's mouth was probably saying that the food he was eating now was definitely good.
As expected, the capital wasn't just the capital for nothing.
The quality was different.
I personally wanted to bring the chefs working here.
"It tastes good."
"Indeed."
We sat at a small table and ate the brought food, spending some time.
Since I hadn't eaten anything after lunch, I guess I wanted to eat something.
Kyle, with a very high basal metabolic rate, must have been very hungry.
"Young master, try this too."
As always, I passed the food to Kyle.
Kyle accepted the food I passed and ate it saying it was good.
"Sophia, try this too."
Kyle tried to pick up a sausage with a fork for me.
Since there were already many foods on the plate, it was hard to add another.
No choice.
"Aah..."
"....?"
"What are you doing. Put it in your mouth quickly."
"....."
Kyle hesitated for a moment, then put the sausage in my mouth.
"Oh..."
Tasty.
It couldn't be compared to the sausage I ate a while ago at breakfast.
It was really delicious.
It was big and tasted good.
Perfect if there was beer to drink with it.
There was also sake, of course.
Of course, most were champagne-like, but there was probably beer too.
There wouldn't be any at such a big party.
But it was a bit worrying.
Coming as Kyle's servant and drinking alcohol...
"Sigh..."
No matter how I thought, it seemed like I had crossed a line a bit.
"Young master, are you drinking alcohol today?"
So I asked.
If Kyle was drinking, he might have had one or two in etiquette.
Honestly, if I had one or two, I would have done a toast and had a drink.
"No."
"Eh..."
"Since Sophia said so much to be careful, I'm not drinking. You've said it so many times already?"
"....."
The advice I had given Kyle so far was coming back like this.
It was a fatal mistake.
Of course, I knew drinking alcohol wasn't good for health, but... not having beer with this sausage was sad news.
I had no choice but to slowly put the brought food into my mouth.
While quietly talking with Kyle.
A special guest came to our table.
"Sophia."
"...?"
I turned around.
When I turned, it was a blonde beautiful woman.
A woman so pretty that if I were in my previous life, I might have confessed immediately.
Her chest was slightly, very slightly lacking in size, but it was enough to compensate with her appearance.
"Do you know me...?"
But I had never seen such a pretty noble young lady.
Who was she that she knew me?
"Ha? Did you forget me? You said you would definitely come to our territory someday."
"....Ah."
Blonde, pretty, planning to go to the territory next.
Now I remembered.
No, I never thought she would grow up so pretty.
It was too different from the image when she was young, wasn't it?!
"Miss Catherine."
"Fufu. You finally remembered. Nice to meet you."
"It's been a while. You have become truly beautiful."
"Thank you for the compliment. And Kyle, young master? Young master, it's been a while."
"Nice to meet you. Lady of Oldenburg."
When she was young, she had a slightly young lady feel, but now she had become a proper young lady.
Not just pretty and cute appearance, but...
Well, she had elegance.
It was an image of a woman I couldn't see around me.
Different from the crazy person gambling all day or the training fanatic.
She had truly become a young lady.
"Fufu.... Kyle, young master is still so stiff. Now, you can just call me Catherine."
"That's.... I'll leave it for later."
"I see. Oh, right, is it okay to sit at the table?"
"Of course."
With Kyle's permission, Catherine sat at the table.
Exactly next to me.
"Fufu.... It's been years of only one-sided conversations, meeting like this is so nice. Sophia."
"Is that so...?"
I was happy too.
It was surprising that the little young lady I saw in my childhood had grown up so pretty.
"Um.... Are the two of you just sitting like this?"
"Yes."
Kyle answered.
Catherine's answer to Kyle's words made her look slightly surprised.
"Whoa.... It's a debutante ball, but just sitting like this without any fun.... Of course, your eyes were fun, but it's not good."
I thought the same.
Just watching wasn't good.
It was correct to be careful with women, but talking with other nobles was extremely important, and Kyle not moving at all worried me.
"No choice. I have to help. Right, Sophia?"
"If so, I'm grateful."
She was a kind young lady after all.
"Then, for now, eat this and get up from your seat. Kyle, young master, are you okay with that?"
"......"
I shot a glance at Kyle.
It meant to unconditionally accept Catherine's words.
"Haa.... Yes, let's go."
"That's good. Right, Sophia?"
"Of course."