Arai's Perspective
A birthday, huh? Everyone in the manor seems overly excited.
I didn't place much importance on it. I just saw it as a good opportunity to broaden my horizons.
What I found most unfortunate, was that my mother; Kuyomi, wouldn't be present. She was still asleep.
Asleep? That's not entirely accurate. The proper term would be "comatose." Since that day, my mother had been sleeping excessively, and for the past year, she had been sleeping for months at a time.
This made me suspicious. I tried asking the manor's servants about her origins, but none of them knew.
She wasn't some captive from another country or anything of the sort.
When I searched for information about the East in the library, I couldn't find anything significant—only vague mentions of an unknown continent. Even when Verdi brought in mages for her treatment, none of them could perform a proper diagnosis, let alone cure her.
("Mana dissipates as soon as it enters her body, which is why we can't identify the problem or find a solution.")
They all said the same thing. Tsk. Isn't that just their incompetence speaking?
At any rate, with options running out, Verdi decided to return to the Western Continent, where the level of mages was supposedly far superior, or so I'd heard.
Oh, I also heard that Verdi secretly snuck out of the manor years ago, hitching a ride on a trade ship to the Western Continent.
He didn't return to the manor for a very long time! Hmm, seems like I'm not the only one with an aversion to nobility.
That's amusing.
Don't worry, Verdi; you can keep the title of duke forever! You don't want it, and neither do I, but you're stuck with it.
As for me? I'm running away! No matter what happens, I refuse to live in this tiny kingdom.
"Young master, the guests will be arriving soon."
"Alright, I'll be down shortly."
I closed the book I was reading and walked over to the mirror to double-check my appearance one last time.
"Truly handsome..."
I sighed while staring at my reflection. Unlike my slightly above-average looks in my previous life, my current genes are exceptional! Whether it was the golden hair I inherited from Verdi or the silver-gray eyes I got from my mother, the combination was perfectly harmonious.
"Ah... being this striking is inevitable in this life..."
I couldn't help but chuckle while looking at my reflection.
"What was that saying again? Oh, right—'Mirror, mirror on the wall... who's the fairest of them all?'"
Alright, alright, I admit I've become a bit too vain, but confidence is a good thing, isn't it?
"What are you doing? The guests could arrive any minute!"
Mizuki, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, smacked me on the head, interrupting my preening session in front of the mirror. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed me and dragged me downstairs to the main hall.
"You didn't have to do that... I can go down on my own!"
Mizuki completely ignored my complaints and continued tugging on my short hair with force.
It hurt.
Hmm? Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a ripple in the mirror just now.
"Pain must be getting to me..."
Moments after Arai left the room, a faint white ripple appeared on the surface of the mirror.
"Hm? No one's here? I could have sworn I heard a summoning..."
"Was it my imagination? What a pity... But strange! I swear I heard an invocation!"
With those words, the ripple quickly vanished, as though it had never existed.
...
Rolan Manor, Main Hall.
The guests arrived gradually, ranging from lower-ranking nobles to higher ones as time went on.
The main hall was lavishly decorated, and filled with various foods, desserts, and drinks. Gas lamps illuminated the room, casting a warm glow over the extravagant setting. More guests showed up than expected, but fortunately, the manor was large enough to accommodate them all.
As the star of the day, I wasn't required to do much until the main event began. My duties were limited to greeting a few guests personally and waving politely at the others.
Mizuki, on the other hand, had to entertain all the female guests in attendance. Since Mother was unable to attend due to her condition, the role of "hostess" fell upon Mizuki's shoulders.
Honestly, Mizuki surpassed me in many ways, despite being just an eight-year-old child. She was a true prodigy. I held immense respect for her and trusted that she would manage things well enough.
I glanced at the growing pile of gifts accumulating in my corner. Wow, it was enough to support an average person for an entire year.
With nothing else to do, I decided to wander around the hall.
"Happy birthday, young master! Wishing you a long life and—"
"Young lord, you shine as brightly as a star in the night sky—"
"My lord, your future is undoubtedly dazzling-"
Ugh. These people were everywhere, weren't they? If not for my prior life experience with this kind of nonsense, I might have thrown up by now.
Honestly, it was disgusting. Why were these nobles so intent on flattering me? Did they think I'd form a favorable opinion of them, paving the way for easy benefits? Bah, what nonsense.
I couldn't grasp their mindset, having always been in a position of privilege, but one thing was certain:
'I will never grovel or fawn over someone to please them!' Even if I fell from this noble standing to the slums, I wouldn't do it.
To me, it was a matter of pride and dignity.
I know it's a foolish principle, but so what? That's my way of living, and it's nobody's business but mine.
Family, friends, and banter, of course, were exceptions to this rule.
Ignoring the sycophantic nobles, I turned my gaze toward the entrance.
A nobleman of ducal rank entered with his daughter, a countess.
"..."
Who was this lady? She was breathtakingly beautiful.
The countess who entered wore a pale blue, floor-length dress paired with a short matching hat. Her facial features were delicate, complemented by a small nose and striking silver-gray hair.
Hmm. After my mother, this might be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
Her beauty rivaled that of top models from my previous life—no, surpassed them because her allure was entirely natural.
"That's Countess Eliana! Daughter of Duke Gustav!"
"She was once engaged to Lord Verdi! What a fool he is to have let her go!"
"Lord Verdi's former fiancée? Are you saying he broke off the engagement?"
"Don't you know? After Verdi disappeared for ten years, the previous lord annulled the engagement, fearing he might never return! What a waste for Lord Verdi!"
Tsk tsk, what a pity.
I was left speechless.
Even though these were whispers, they didn't escape my sharp ears.
Man, what kind of luck does Verdi have?
To think he once had a fiancée like her—who was also a duke's daughter!
In this kingdom, there were three duchies: Masaik, Rolan, and Kaharat.
Among the three, the Roland family specialized in military affairs, the Masaik family in trade, and the Kaharat family in royal court and palace security matters.
In other words, Verdi was on the verge of marrying the daughter of a wealthy merchant!
Oh, now that I'm the heir, they might announce my betrothal at this very event.
I'm almost certain of it. As a noble, having one's fiancée decided early was a common expectation.
Could this be the "wonderful gift" Mizuki mentioned? Meh, I don't care.
...
Mizuki's Perspective
Alright, since Mother is asleep, I have to handle this.
I have to play hostess to the ladies at the party.
Damn it! I really don't want to do this.
Look at this sly fox and her cronies, chattering and gossiping with their fake smiles.
But as Arai once said, when people talk nonsense, it usually means they have a goal.
"Miss Mizuki, have you thought about marriage? I think my son would be an excellent candidate."
"Yes, Lady Mizuki, what do you think about it?"
The surrounding women chuckled, their fake laughter grating on my nerves. After all their beating around the bush, they'd finally come to the point.
Normally, I would bluntly refuse without hesitation, but today I carried the responsibility of being the "hostess" in Mother's absence. So, I had to consider the implications of everything I said.
I couldn't afford to be reckless.
I laughed politely and said, "Lady Tris, what are you saying? I'm still a little girl, not even ten years old yet!"
"I think marriage is still a distant matter for me. I haven't thought about it much, but I'll follow whatever my father decides."
Marriage, huh?
"But, Miss Mizuki, I heard you… lack mana? Without it, you won't be able to find a suitable husband!"
Ah, so they're using that tactic now.
She must be thinking, "Marrying my son would be an honor for her."
Arai's lessons had their merits, after all.
Normally, I'd have been flustered by such a jab, but since Arai predicted they'd say something along these lines, I wasn't fazed.
I wanted to retort, but before I could open my mouth, a beautiful, angry voice interrupted.
"Crinvola Barton! Who do you think you are to bully a little girl?"
Hmm? I turned around and saw a stunning woman in a sky-blue gown with silver-gray hair and golden eyes.
Wow, she's gorgeous.
"Countess Eliana!" Barton staggered back, her tone suddenly submissive. "Miss Eliana, we were just joking a little! We were simply exchanging pleasantries with this young lady, isn't that right?"
"Bah, what nonsense." My anger flared. "Why lie, huh? Didn't you just try to force me into marrying your son? Where did all that confidence of yours go?"
Ah, I lost my composure for a moment.
I think Arai once told me not to let conversations escalate and never to lose my cool. Something about giving them face as a way to command respect…? Tsk, this noblewoman doesn't care anymore.
Barton and her cronies wore ugly expressions, while Miss Eliana laughed lightly.
"You—!"
Barton pointed at me in anger, but quickly realized her mistake and withdrew her hand.
Good choice, lady. I was about to break that finger, but you saved yourself just in time.
They all scurried away with flimsy excuses.
Eliana looked at me and said, "Young lady, they might seek revenge later. Are you sure you shouldn't restrain them?"
"According to my little brother, people like that are like pests. No matter how much you insult or discipline them, they'll just keep coming back." I shrugged, finally understanding what Arai meant.
Anyway, I'm the daughter of a duke, and they're just common nobles!
"Oh?" Eliana smiled. "It seems you have a very wise brother."
"At any rate, I'm sorry I couldn't attend your birthday celebration a few years ago; I was quite busy at the time!"
"Eh?" I was confused. I didn't care much about my birthday, but who was this woman?
"As compensation…" Eliana pulled out a beautiful silver bracelet and clasped it around my wrist.
"This…?"
"Well, our families are very close! No need for formalities."
Huh…? I didn't understand a thing that just happened.