Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: The Ball (4)
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After unilaterally defeating the villainous noblewomen.
My mother approached me, with Ceria by her side.
Lady Martina in a dress…
I just couldn't get used to her youthful, ladylike appearance.
"You look as if you never expected your mother to be here. Why are you avoiding my gaze? Don't tell me…"
Am I making you uncomfortable? I might be a little hurt if that's the case.
She subtly pressured me with that look.
No, it's not that…
You're just so dressed up I can't look at you straight!
In my eyes, Ceria was still the best, but.
Lady Martina's charm was by no means inferior.
I forced myself to remain calm and smiled.
"You look truly beautiful. When I first saw you, I even wondered who that lovely lady could be. In any case… I'm just delighted that you came all this way for me."
"Oh, my dear child…"
Flattery, it seems, can conquer all.
And since it was sincere, not false, it was exceptionally effective.
She took it as a joke, but she didn't seem to dislike it, smiling with pleasure.
"Father is…"
"You know him. He despises these kinds of gatherings."
I knew it.
That daring dress must have been her move since Father wasn't attending.
Well, I could understand the feeling.
Having once dominated high society, she must have wanted to relive those memories.
Martina greeted the princes and nobles.
It felt like she was saying, *Please look after my son…*
Soon, Aruru came trotting over, her tail wagging vigorously.
"Master! You came to see me? I'm so happy!"
Then she put on all sorts of cute airs.
It seemed she was trying to get on the good side of the true power in the Crodain family.
This was not the time to be leisurely eating.
It was more important to think of the big picture than to satisfy a momentary craving.
Her intentions were obvious, but.
Lady Martina doted on the fox beastkin as if it were nothing.
"Have you been well?"
"Yes!"
"You're especially lovely today."
It wasn't just empty words.
Our little sweetheart's cuteness was at its peak.
Everyone, young and old, male and female, couldn't take their eyes off her.
Lady Martina was no exception.
At this rate, it seemed she would play with Aruru until the ball ended.
I certainly hoped so.
My mother's appearance had not been in my calculations.
She was a variable in herself, and I found her presence burdensome in many ways.
The problem was that she was too beautiful and looked too young.
Someone who didn't know better might mistake her for my older sister, not my mother.
And just as I feared.
Lady Martina left me utterly stunned with a single sentence.
"My dear son, since he isn't here, you'll have to be my partner instead, won't you?"
"───!!"
She must have brought escorts, but they were just that—escorts.
They would have remained outside while she entered the ballroom alone.
That meant she didn't have a proper person to escort her.
In this case, it was right for her son to step up, but I already had two partners to look after.
"Hehe, I was just kidding."
"…"
She had only been testing my reaction.
Seeing my flustered state, she giggled along with Aruru.
I was overcome with a strange sense of shame.
I had almost fallen for Lady Martina's charm.
Soon, Luciel, who was seeing her for the first time, approached amicably.
"It's an honor to meet the Hero's mother."
"You're a young lady I haven't seen before. May I ask for an introduction?"
"My name is Luciel. I have the undeserved honor of serving as the Saintess."
The Saintess, representative of the Church.
Even my mother couldn't ignore her presence.
"I see, you have a unique aura. If you are the Saintess…"
"My sole mission is to follow the Hero. You could say the Hero is my entire life."
Ah, that statement is dangerous!
She was only expressing her resolve as the Saintess, but.
Lady Martina might take it the wrong way.
My guess was spot on.
She narrowed her eyes, as if appraising Luciel.
*This child seems fine, too.*
*She looks like she'd be a good match for my son.*
*I'm sorry, Ceria, but what can I do if I'm getting greedy?*
She was clearly hoping for a new daughter-in-law.
All I could do was watch…
I despaired at my helpless reality, but on the other hand… no, I wasn't expecting anything at all!
"Hmm, but there are two Heroes this time, aren't there? Will you be all right?"
She was in a position to handle both of them alone.
Lady Martina expressed concern that it must be quite tiring.
Luciel replied with an elegant voice, as if it were nothing.
"This is all the will of the Goddess… I am simply doing my duty, so I see no reason for it to be difficult. I am already serving both Heroes equally well."
"───??"
The princess reacted instantly to that fabrication.
*What? When have you ever taken care of me?*
*You only ever call Jace 'Hero,' don't you?*
She looked like she wanted to argue right then and there.
She had let it slide until now, but Luciel's audacity had finally provoked her.
Hmm, what to do about this?
It was fine for now, but I was worried about the future.
It would be a problem if she focused on me when the princess needed healing.
The Saintess was a supporter, and a supporter was a tool…
The moment a tool gained a personality, the entire team would be in jeopardy.
Well, there was nothing I could do right now.
That was a problem I would have to resolve slowly over time.
Anyway.
Luciel seemed to have earned a passing grade from Lady Martina.
As they were both extraordinary women, they seemed to have something in common.
"Is this your first time at an event like this?"
"Yes. I haven't had the opportunity until now…"
"Hehe, I thought so. I'll teach you everything, from one to ten."
A fresh and lively development.
The two of them, along with Aruru, formed a three-person party and set off to conquer the ball.
The variables prone to unpredictable behavior had left of their own accord.
I let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time, I felt a strange sense of wistfulness.
I already missed my mother.
When would I get to see her like this again?
She had even taken our little sweetheart with her.
"…"
I forced myself to snap out of it.
I had to take care of Ceria and the princess.
First Prince Ludwig had vanished at some point.
The nobles also seemed to be taking a short break, scattering in all directions.
Perfect timing.
The ball was just beginning. I should take this moment of leisure to compose my mind and body.
"Shall we get a drink while we're at it?"
"Yes. I was just thinking I'd like something to drink."
Ceria readily nodded.
I knew her preference, but as for the princess… ah, I just remembered.
Without hesitation, I poured wine into a glass.
I could have asked one of the servants waiting nearby, but it was better to do simple things myself.
For Ceria, a red wine.
For Esterize, a clear, translucent white wine.
As I handed them their glasses, the princess tilted her head.
"Why did you give me this one?"
An unexpected situation arose.
There seemed to be some misunderstanding.
Hmm, that couldn't be right…
The possibility of my memory being wrong was remarkably low.
How could I possibly mistake the profile of my favorite character?
"I can change it if you don't like it."
"N-no, it's not that. I was just surprised you knew my tastes…"
Ah, so that was it.
She was a little puzzled that I had chosen her preference so accurately.
It wouldn't do for her to be surprised by something so minor.
In fact, I know all about your secret preferences.
If I ever set my mind to seducing the princess, she would undoubtedly fall for me.
Well, not that I actually intended to do so…
In any case, I brushed it off by saying it just seemed like something she would like.
The girls held their wine glasses elegantly.
Every one of their actions exuded grace.
Just watching them was a feast for the eyes.
"How is it? Are you a little more relaxed now?"
The princess had been clearly anxious from the start.
And Ceria, though she pretended to be calm, was ultimately a young lady making her debut in high society.
This wasn't just any ball, but the grandest of them all.
A stage where high-ranking imperial family members and nobles roamed.
Even getting used to the magnificent music played by the court orchestra was a challenge.
"It's nothing to worry about. I'm with you, after all."
"Yeah, yeah. You'll take care of anything that happens, right?"
"…"
I appreciated their trust, but at this point, wasn't it a bit excessive?
Even with the villainous noblewomen, it was fortunate my mother had shown up. Otherwise, it would have been a very awkward situation.
The weight on my shoulders felt a little heavier, but.
If it meant I could enjoy my time with them, it was a small price to pay.
A short while later, First Prince Ludwig re-entered.
This time, his younger sister, Louise, was with him.
I had been wondering where he'd gone, and it turned out he was fetching the Imperial Princess.
The very princess who had promised to dance with me.
It seemed the First Prince was escorting her since she hadn't found another partner.
Anyway.
The Imperial Princess's ball attire was also astounding.
She was a flower raised in a greenhouse, and for that very reason, she lacked nothing.
It was a natural look that seemed both meticulously prepared and effortlessly chic.
Her unparalleled grace and the untainted purity of a young girl stood out.
Her only accessories were a necklace and a silver tiara on her head.
While the villainous noblewomen had been draped in all sorts of jewelry.
The princess's natural charm was so great that such embellishments would have only detracted from it.
So this was the power of a secondary heroine.
It was difficult to even quantify her appeal.
Still, I didn't think much of it.
Lady Martina's presence was far greater than hers.
However.
My partners seemed to think differently.
Flinch, flinch!
Ceria and the princess took a defensive posture, as if they felt threatened.
They still recognized the Imperial Princess as an ally, but they looked afraid nonetheless.
Well, I understood to some extent.
Even if someone is an ally, you'd naturally be wary if they possessed a nuclear weapon, wouldn't you?
The First Prince and the Imperial Princess came straight toward us.
The princess, as if she had no intention of fighting, spoke amicably.
"Wow! You all look so beautiful. Hmm, if I'd known, I would have dressed up more…"
The stars of this ball were the Hero and his party.
The nuance was that she had toned down her charm so as not to outshine them.
At the princess's remark that she wasn't at her full power, the two girls exchanged glances.
*What was that? A provocation?*
*It's a bit ambiguous, isn't it? What do you think?*
That was roughly the sentiment.
I pondered it as well, but for now, she seemed innocent of any charge.
Well, that aside…
The moment the princess saw me, she froze solid.
Her grace was by no means inferior to my own dignity, but it seemed they didn't exactly cancel each other out.
"Ha…"
The First Prince suddenly let out a dry laugh.
He had realized what state his sister was in.
His seemingly impassive younger sister had transformed into a girl pining for a man.
His look of bewilderment was fleeting.
He turned his gaze to me with a meaningful smile.
"I've heard the story. It may not be for long, but I hope you'll lead Louise well during that time."
He looked quite pleased.
He had calculated the benefits he would gain from my association with the Imperial Princess.
Louise was one of the First Prince's people.
In other words, this could be interpreted as the Hero supporting the First Prince.
I was being used, but that was a trivial matter.
The First Prince was the type to return the favor in kind, anyway.
Soon, the princess came to her senses.
She was so embarrassed she couldn't meet my eyes.
Still, as if she had to say what was on her mind, she mustered her courage.
"Where is… Sister Aruru?"
Ah, so that was it…
The confession-like atmosphere had been a feint.
The expressions on Ceria and the princess's faces grew somewhat calmer.
"Aruru is…"
"Jace's mother came, so they're walking around together."
"───!!"
The Hero's mother?
*I can't miss this! I have to meet her.*
With that thought, she said she'd see us later and hurried away.
A moment later, the princess achieved her goal.
Lady Martina accepted her, and a four-person party was formed.
My mother, mingling with girls in the prime of their youth.
It might seem like an older woman getting carried away, but somehow, it didn't feel out of place at all.
Well, that was fine.
Don't they say a woman's heart is always that of a girl?
Perhaps that was the secret to maintaining her youth…
Time flowed on and on.
Before long, the highlight of the ball was just around the corner.