The Coming-of-Age Ceremony
As the doors swung open, the Valentia family emerged from a blinding white light. Unlike the usual procession where the duke led the way, Cloi stood at the forefront this time, dressed in a simple gown.
Following Aslan Empire tradition for coming-of-age ceremonies, she wore an unadorned white dress, yet even in that modest attire, her radiant beauty drew gasps of admiration from the crowd.
“Oh!!?”
“Indeed!”
“The Angel of Valentia, they say……”
Cloi's nickname wasn't born from her looks alone, but at that moment, most of the nobles gathered in the grand hall nodded in agreement, captivated.
The opulent hall's fantastical ambiance, her pure white gown, and Cloi's glowing presence harmonized perfectly.
Tiny, too, found himself staring blankly for a moment. Even he, who had habitually kept women at arm's length due to childhood trauma, felt his heart race.
……She's truly beautiful.
Her flushed, tense face bore an awkward smile, reminding him anew of her youth, and a natural smile tugged at his lips.
Back in this time, she lived in such a blessed environment……
As the thought trailed on, her image from twenty years in the future surfaced, leaving a bitter taste.
She had still worn that shining smile then, but it lacked this innocent purity.
Yeah, that's right……
Recognizing the difference, Tiny sank into wistful reminiscence.
Cloi's kindness had drastically altered his life. Though tragedy had struck, it wasn't her fault. Without her, he might have wandered the back alleys and withered away before the end times came.
No, he surely would have.
Thus, she was his life's benefactor, the milestone he yearned to honor first and foremost.
And now……
- Just call me sis.
He chuckled inwardly.
Sis…… huh.
A personal bond had formed, brief yet all the more special for it.
Of course, calling her sis still felt awkward. The one sister etched in his heart could never be replaced, and Cloi felt more like a benefactor than family.
But precisely because of that, he wished from the bottom of his heart.
Please, in this life, be happy……
As he silently prayed, someone suddenly jabbed his side.
“What're you doing? You gonna do it or not?”
Startled, he turned to see the red-haired knight Vivian wearing a puzzled expression.
Tiny tilted his head, confused.
“……Do what?”
“What else? Wolrang, duh. Hurry up!”
Vivian urged him in a low voice.
……Ah!
Glancing between Cloi's stiff face and Vivian's gesture, Tiny finally remembered their forgotten promise.
Looking back at Jenas, he saw the knight folding his fingers behind his back, one by one.
The signal……!
Thankfully, it wasn't too late.
“Hm? Planning something?”
The imperial pervert's voice cut in briefly, but Tiny ignored it.
And as Jenas's fingers all folded……
A small Wolrang darted out before Cloi, who was walking with forced composure.
“Huh?”
“W-what is it!?”
“Where'd that puppy come from!?”
The sudden appearance of the cute silver-furred pup stirred the hall into commotion, and Cloi's face visibly brightened.
“Wol!!”
“Woof!”
Wolrang's cheerful bark seemed to ease her tension. Cloi scooped up the leaping pup with a joyful smile.
Lick.
“Ahaha, that tickles…… Hey, hey, Wol! Not now. Be good, okay?”
The duke and his sons, following behind, paused at the unexpected scene, but no one stopped her. They'd seen how Wolrang's arrival melted away her nerves in an instant.
Soon, Cloi reached the dais, staged like a lush green hillock.
“We now invite today's star, Lady Cloi von Valentia, to the seat of honor. Your Grace, the duke, must step down for today.”
“Haha, of course.”
As Cloi ascended the dais under the guidance of Valentia's steward, Krin MacDowell……
“Oh my!?”
Wolrang melted away smoothly, reforming as a massive spirit at her feet.
“Ooh!”
“A spirit!”
“For real!?”
The translucent wolf spirit was as tall as Cloi even while lying down. The sight of the smiling lady poking curiously at the air was like a painting come to life.
Against the hall's splendor, it evoked an angel from the heavens petting a divine beast.
“Woooow!”
Even the dignity-conscious nobles erupted in awe. Jenas, Vivian, and Tiny exchanged glances and clenched fists in triumph.
- Success!
As they silently celebrated the surprise event……
“……Ooh, truly beautiful. Amazing! I'm a blessed man, indeed.”
The imperial pervert muttered something grating again.
This bastard……?
Blessed, my ass.
Tiny glared at him with narrowed eyes.
“Is that our little knight's spirit in its true form? Impressive. Thanks for the fine show.”
“……What would the baron have to thank me for?”
“Ah…… Haha, just a feeling.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. Haha, just in a good mood.”
His creepy grin was deeply suspicious.
If he tries anything……
I'll slap him senseless. The duke can clean up the mess.
As Tiny harbored such dangerous thoughts and grew warier……
Cloi's ceremony proceeded smoothly through its rituals.
“……I'll say it again: thank you for growing up so healthy, Cloi. I wish your mother could see this……”
Her father, Eschard von Valentia, delivered a long speech, uncharacteristically wiping tears. Even his grown sons turned away, hiding reddened eyes.
“Father……”
Cloi began to sniffle too, and her aides like Vivian and Jenas felt their own eyes sting.
However.
“……Why are they like that?”
“You don't know the Valentia family's story?”
“Pardon?”
“Well……”
To the Valentians, it was moving; to other nobles, just someone else's tale. The speech passed, and the ceremony continued.
“Viscount Tentro's gift is…… Ooh, Tears of the South Sea! Such a massive rare gem—astonishing!”
Viscount Jamil Tentro beamed proudly after the duke's nod and took his seat.
The gift-giving, a thinly veiled loyalty test, dragged on.
By the time minor rites wrapped up, dusk's reddish glow filtered into the hall, casting a dreamy haze.
Most nobles, exhausted, lacked the leisure to appreciate it, but MacDowell's next words snapped them alert.
“Now comes the highlight: introducing Lady Cloi von Valentia's fiancé.”
Murmurs hushed; eyes sparkled anew.
The duke ascended the dais under MacDowell's gaze, sparking fresh whispers.
“Is it really him?”
“I think it's plenty possible.”
“Me too. His match isn't set yet, after all.”
Over half the nobles attended mainly to see her fiancé.
Before his tense, stiffened daughter, Eschard von Valentia spoke calmly.
“With so many guests, we're running late, so I'll skip greetings and get to the point.”
Smiling faintly at the watching nobles, he pointed into empty air.
“My daughter Cloi von Valentia's fiancé is that gentleman there.”
That gentleman? What?
As confusion rippled through the hall……
Whoosh.
Hum.
Mana flowed from somewhere, projecting an image: a handsome youth with platinum hair like Cloi's and deeper golden eyes.
[Regrettably, I send greetings from afar, my fiancée.]
The young man's voice, seeming in his early twenties, echoed.
“Woooah!”
Cheers exploded everywhere.
Cloi, eyes wide in shock at the image……
“Crown Prince His Highness!!”
“It really is him.”
“How……”
Nobles' astonished voices filled the hall.
Proving it a recording, the youth continued unfazed.
[I, Bradley von Aslan, am infinitely joyful to take the Angel of Valentia as my bride.]
His warm smile seemed utterly sincere.
[On this joyous day, I send a gift to ease my regret at not being there. My fiancée, I hope it doesn't disappoint. From today onward……]
As the crown prince's words flowed……
“My god, is this real? Lucky you, miss.”
Vivian muttered in a groan-like voice, sparking Tiny's curiosity.
“……Is the crown prince automatically a good match?”
Wondering at the praise, he asked. Vivian stared at him incredulously.
“Beyond his status, he's famed as the reincarnation of King Kyle III for his character and talent! Noble girls in the capital lobby furiously to be his fiancée!”
Her eyes screamed how do you not know? But to Tiny, it was absurd.
How should I know? In my past life, he just died……
“Ahem. Ahem. Heh, denying it.”
“……What?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
He dodged her narrowing glare with fake coughs.
“Ahem, now it's my turn.”
The imperial pervert stood abruptly, drawing eyes.
“Where to, Baron Narsa? This isn't the time.”
Ignoring the knight's stealthy killing intent from behind, Tiny grabbed his hand. The pervert chuckled and patted Tiny's head.
“Little knight, I get you're worried for the lady. But no need to extend it to me.”
He wanted to dodge the touch, but with all eyes converging and the hall hushing, he stayed put.
Even as an imperial inspector, he won't cause a scene here.
As Tiny calmed himself……
Savoring the focused gazes with a smile, the baron said something odd.
“Little friend, read my surname Narsa backward—what do you get?”
“……Pardon?”
“Aslan! Wait just a bit, Tiny.”
Casually shaking off Tiny's stunned hand, the baron strode to the hall's center.
Then, as he swept a hand over his face……
The thirty-something Baron Narsa's features vanished, replaced by the youth from the projection.
“Wha……!?”
The hall froze amid gasps.
The youth grinned and bowed to the duke on the dais.
“It's been a while from the gallery, Duke Valentia.”
“……Welcome, Crown Prince.”
As the duke replied……
“Woooaaah!”
“Crown Prince!”
“In person!”
“How……?”
The hall ignited.
One face turned to stone.
Narsa is Aslan backward…… Got it. Then I……
Glancing at the hand that had nearly slapped the 'baron' moments ago, Tiny still felt the phantom impact from a week prior.
……Fuck.
Forcing an awkward smile as he trembled, Tiny slunk into the shadows, utterly out of place.