I Cleaned It Up Nicely
On the day of the banquet.
I was waiting for the carriage to be prepared, wearing a suit that was several times more uncomfortable than the clothes I usually wore.
“This is so suffocating.”
I was tugging at the collar that was tightly fastened around my neck, and a presence came from behind.
“Rian.”
It was my mother.
And behind her, someone was hiding.
“Lucia, come out quickly.”
“……”
Seeing Lucia cautiously reveal herself, I was stunned for a moment.
Her silver hair, which I usually let hang loosely, was neatly arranged, and a small red ribbon adorned her black dress.
Insane.
Is she really a doll?
“Oppa…?”
“Huh?”
“Is something wrong?”
Lucia fiddled with the hem of her skirt anxiously.
“No, it suits you really well.”
“……”
The tips of Lucia’s ears turned slightly red.
Ah, I don’t know if she’s the Vampire Queen or whatever. As long as she’s cute, isn’t that enough?
I’m really clueless.
“If you’re ready, let’s start heading out.”
At my mother’s words, I moved towards the entrance.
At that moment, my father appeared coming down the stairs. He was fully dressed in his outing clothes.
“Are you coming with us, Father?”
“There’s something I need to do in the capital.”
“Ah, okay.”
I was about to dismiss it casually when something suddenly caught my attention.
Since Lucia came to the mansion, my father had never left the estate once.
But today, when Lucia was going out for the first time, it was to the capital for some business.
He’s probably watching Lucia.
“I know that, but I brought her along?”
If anything happens, he can handle it himself. As one of the Seven Swords of the Empire, that makes sense.
It’s better to keep a dangerous being close than to leave it far away.
“…What a scary guy.”
Well, in the end, it failed.
It was said to take about three hours to reach the capital.
At first, Lucia quietly looked out the window for a while, but then she became quiet.
“……”
When I looked to the side, she was leaning her head on my shoulder and sleeping.
Since when had this been happening?
I moved my body slightly to wake her, and her silver hair tickled my neck.
“Oppa….”
Even in her sleep, she’s mumbling.
“Yeah, sleep, sleep.”
In the end, I adjusted my posture back to normal.
2.
A little later, the outside of the carriage started to get noisy.
Through the window, luxurious carriages lined up and people in splendid attire appeared one by one.
Looking up ahead, beyond the massive castle walls, the spires of the imperial palace rose.
“We’re finally here.”
And Lucia on my shoulder was still sleeping.
“Lucia.”
“…Mmm.”
“We’re here.”
Lucia slowly lifted her head. On one cheek, a clear imprint from the clothes remained.
“Puff.”
“…Why are you smiling?”
“Nothing.”
“……?”
At least, I have to stop her from entering the banquet hall with that face.
While Lucia was touching her cheek, the carriage door opened and I got out first.
“Be careful getting down.”
“Okay.”
After getting out of the carriage, Lucia looked up at the palace for a moment.
“…Wow.”
“Yeah.”
At that moment, my father, who got out after us, turned his body to the opposite side.
“I’ll go do my business. I’ll pick you up around the time the banquet ends.”
Well, even if he says that, he probably won’t stop watching us from somewhere.
There might really be something to do.
“Rian.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t cause any trouble.”
“Yes….”
My father disappeared into the crowd.
“……”
-Squeeze.
Lucia grabbed my hand.
“…Oppa.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Entering the imperial palace, the grand doors of the banquet hall appeared immediately.
Given the scale, the entrance procedure was simple.
Basically, just checking the invitation cards.
It seemed there was no time to ask for names and greetings one by one in a crowded place with hundreds of people.
We entered without any special restrictions.
And right after crossing the door.
“…Wow.”
There are so many people.
Just the people filling the banquet hall seemed to number in the hundreds.
Just as I was about to go inside further, after a few steps, I felt something strange.
“……”
It was quiet.
The banquet hall wasn’t quiet.
Still, laughter and chatter echoed from all around.
But the voices around us as we passed were strangely reduced.
“What?”
Glancing to the side, I immediately understood the reason.
Lucia.
Because she was pretty, and my mother had specially prepared her, she stood out even more today.
“Who is that?”
“First time seeing her.”
“Which family?”
Small voices came from here and there.
-Squeeze.
Lucia’s hand tightened.
“…Oppa.”
“Yeah.”
“Am I weird?”
At that moment, my steps halted.
Why she was asking that was obvious. How many times had I received such gazes before.
“No.”
I answered immediately.
“Because you’re too pretty, that’s why they’re looking.”
“……!”
Lucia’s eyes widened.
“…Really?”
“Really.”
There was no room for doubt. From earlier, everyone, male and female, was staring at her.
After that, as I toured the banquet hall with Lucia, I saw many familiar faces.
A slender, young boy standing alone by the window.
A red-haired girl with several people following her, noisily chatting.
A chubby little guy eating desserts stacked like a shop in the corner.
My chest swells.
They were all still young, but there was no problem recognizing them.
Seeing these kids in person.
It was a strange feeling.
At that moment.
“Rian-nim?”
I turned my head at the familiar voice.
“Huh?”
Elena, wearing a dress more flamboyant than usual, was looking at this side with a surprised face.
“As expected, you came.”
“I knew you would come too.”
Elena approached with a smile, then stopped in front of me.
Precisely, she noticed Lucia holding my hand.
“……”
“……”
Lucia was staring at Elena.
“Rian-nim.”
“Yeah.”
Elena smiled.
“Who is that person?”
“Ah, she’s Lucia──”
Before I could finish, Lucia hid halfway behind me.
“……”
Still, she didn’t let go of my hand.
Elena looked at such Lucia for a moment, then lowered her body slightly.
“Hello, Lady Lucia.”
“……”
“My name is Elena.”
Lucia peeked out her face.
“Hello….”
Oh.
She greeted.
If it were before, she would have frozen solid, but this is a big development.
Elena blinked, surprised, and then smiled.
“How do you know Rian-nim?”
“We were supposed to live together at my house for a while.”
“At the Marque Count’s estate?”
“Yeah.”
Elena’s gaze turned back to Lucia. And naturally, it went down. Still holding our hands.
“……”
“……”
What?
Why is it getting quiet again.
At that moment, Lucia intertwined her fingers and held tighter.
-Squeeze.
“……”
Elena smiled again.
“You two seem very close.”
“Somehow.”
“I see.”
-Dong, dong, dong.
At that moment, one side of the banquet hall suddenly became noisy, and people turned their heads in the same direction.
“It seems the royal family has arrived.”
“Who?”
“Their Highnesses the Prince and Princess.”
Elena answered as if it was natural.
“His Highness the Prince and Her Highness the Princess are entering!”
Looking at the source of the sound, among the golden hair unique to the royalty, one familiar face caught my eye.
The third prince.
Although he looked younger than in my memories, probably because he was still young, it was definitely him.
I immediately looked at Elena beside me.
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“Is the third prince visible there?”
“Yes, I see him.”
“Nothing comes to mind?”
“……?”
Elena looked at the prince once, then at me.
“What thought?”
“Just, when I saw him, something came to mind.”
“Um…….”
Elena thought seriously for a moment and said.
“Blonde hair.”
“……”
That’s it?
“Or handsome or cool?”
“Hmm, I think Rian-nim is more…….”
Elena, who was about to say something, suddenly closed her mouth.
“Huh? What did you say?”
“…Nothing.”
“What did you say just now?”
“You misheard.”
I looked back at the third prince again.
I thought the relationship from the game had already started, but from Elena’s reaction, there was no such sign.
Instead, the look in her eyes at the third prince was no different from looking at a passing noble.
Then, when exactly do they get entangled?
Suddenly curious.
“Then I’ll go now.”
“Yeah.”
“See you later.”
Elena lightly greeted Lucia too, then left her place.
“…Oppa.”
“Yeah?”
Lucia was staring fixedly at one side. A table lined with strawberries, chocolate, and various desserts.
“Do you want to eat?”
-Nod.
“Let’s go.”
As soon as we arrived in front of the table, Lucia’s eyes moved busily.
“…Wow.”
In the center of the table, there was a huge strawberry cake as large as if the plates were small.
“This?”
-Nod nod nod.
When I cut a piece and put it on a plate, Lucia happily accepted it.
-Yawn.
“…!”
Her eyes sparkled as expected.
“Tasty?”
“Uung.”
Excited, she took a big bite this time.
“…Eup.”
“Huh?”
Lucia suddenly hit her chest.
“Hey, eat slowly.”
“…Choking.”
“That’s why, why did you eat so big.”
Looking around, the table with drinks was a bit away.
“Here. I’ll bring some drinks.”
“…Yeah.”
After confirming she was holding the plate tightly, I moved to get drinks.
3.
Even after Rian left his seat, Lucia was quietly eating the cake.
She had cut it a little smaller than before.
-Swallow.
Meanwhile.
“A face I’ve never seen before.”
At the unfamiliar voice, Lucia lifted her head.
It was a girl who looked the same age.
Her hair was clean platinum blonde, and she wore a pure white dress. A small cross-shaped decoration hung around her neck.
Naturally, several children were gathered around the girl.
“……”
Lucia glanced around. Rian hadn’t returned yet.
“What’s your name?”
“Lucia….”
“Lucia….”
The girl thought for a moment and asked.
“Which family are you from?”
“…Family?”
“Surname, I mean.”
Lucia’s hand stopped.
“…None.”
“None?”
Small murmurs came from around. The girl also had a puzzled expression.
“Then, are you not a noble?”
“Yeah…….”
“But how did you get here….”
The girl trailed off.
Then, she carefully examined Lucia’s appearance.
Her white hair, unusually white skin, and red eyes.
“……”
The girl’s expression hardened subtly.
“Those eyes.”
Lucia’s shoulders twitched.
“Is that color normal?”
“…Yeah.”
“The hair too?”
-Nod.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
“It’s not mixed with demonic blood, right?”
“……”
Lucia put down the fork she was holding.
“No….”
“But such features….”
The girl stared at Lucia.
“She resembles a vampire.”
Lucia’s fingertips stiffened.
Vampire.
A monster.
It was a word I’d heard countless times before.
-Murmur murmur.
“Now that I think about it, really….”
“Her eyes are completely red.”
Lucia slowly lowered her head.
The cake that had been delicious until just now no longer caught her eye.
At that moment, someone from around said in a small voice.
“As expected, you’re the saint candidate.”
“Did you sense the demonic aura?”
Saint candidate.
Lucia didn’t know the exact meaning of the word.
But she could tell that the girl in front of her wasn’t a normal noble child.
The girl stared at Lucia for a moment, then cautiously extended her hand.
“Don’t worry.”
“…Huh?”
“I’ll check.”
A faint light bloomed from the girl’s fingertips.
It was holy power.
The surrounding children were amazed, but Lucia instinctively took a step back.
“…I don’t like it.”
“It’ll be quick.”
The girl smiled as if reassuring her.
“If it’s really nothing, nothing will happen.”
“……”
“Even if there’s demonic blood mixed in, it can be purified now.”
Purify.
At that word, Lucia’s face hardened.
“…I’m not… a demon.”
“That will be clear if I check.”
There was no malice in the girl. Rather, her face showed she believed she was doing the right thing.
But to Lucia, that was even scarier.
“I don’t like it…….”
Lucia took a step back again. Then, the murmurs around grew louder.
“Why are you avoiding?”
“Is there really something?”
“It seems you’re afraid of holy power.”
Lucia’s hand trembled.
“…No.”
Again.
Exactly the same as before.
Because of the different hair. Because the eyes were red.
People who knew nothing about her declared her identity first.
-Paaah.
The light from the girl’s fingertips became a bit thicker.
“Don’t move.”
“…I don’t like.”
This time, it was a clearer voice. But the girl didn’t stop.
-Thump thump.
As she got closer to the girl, Lucia’s heart started beating faster.
“It’s okay.”
The girl took one more step.
“I’ll clean it up nicely for you.”
At that moment.
.
.
“This crazy girl.”
“?”
-Puck!
“……”
The girl’s face was slammed into the center of the white cake.
“Kyaaak!”
The girl hurriedly lifted her head, her entire face covered in cream.
“W-what are you doing right now…!”
“Purify.”
“What?”
The perpetrator of the incident nodded calmly.
“Her personality seemed a bit dirty.”
“……”
“I cleaned it up nicely.”