Third-Person Perspective
N.M 9982/1/1
The orange plasma orb rose in the sky, heralding the dawn of a new day.
The breeze was warm, invigorating everyone it touched.
"Hey, you! Arrange those ribbons neatly!"
"You there! There's dust here, clean it until it shines!"
"And you! Your clothes are a mess. Do you intend to humiliate our mansion?!"
The Rolan Duchy Palace buzzed with activity, the sound of bustling servants echoing through every corner.
Today marked one of the most significant events in the palace.
Why?
Because it was Arai's fifth birthday celebration!
This day was monumental, not just because it marked the young master's birthday, but also because, in the Loclover Kingdom, birthdays were only celebrated five times in one's life: at the age of awakening; five; at fifteen; twenty-five; forty-five; and finally, on the day of their death!
But why was this particular birthday considered so crucial?
It was Arai's first public debut!
Nearly all the kingdom's nobility was expected to attend. Some speculated that a prince or even the king himself might grace the event, owing to the contributions and prestige of the Roland family.
At Mizuki's fifth birthday, a few nobles had come to offer congratulations, but the number was nothing compared to the turnout expected for Arai's celebration. To call those past visitors "suitors" rather than "guests" would have been more accurate.
After all, the one who would inherit the duchy and the prestigious Roland title was Arai, as the male heir, not Mizuki. Being the Duke's daughter, Mizuki would receive a moderate allowance, some lands owned by the duchy, and a noble status upon Verdi's death.
Naturally, some coveted such assets. Moreover, marrying Mizuki presented a golden opportunity to establish familial ties with the powerful Rolan Duchy.
A union with her killed two birds with one stone!
Gazing at the ceiling, Mizuki sighed wearily and muttered melancholicly, "The responsibilities of nobility are so exhausting…"
Arai didn't respond, but he silently agreed.
He stood with his arms stretched out to the sides as a swarm of servants surrounded him, each with a specific task. Some styled his hair, others adjusted his clothing, and so on.
Arai was dressed in a crisp white shirt with a black necktie, black trousers, and a pair of long gray socks. Contrasting him, Mizuki wore an entirely black dress adorned with silver floral patterns and black feathers at its edges. A small black hat perched atop her head.
Her current attire accentuated her beauty magnificently.
Both Arai and Mizuki were worn out from the repetitive nonsense involved in preparing for the event.
Verdi didn't join them but shared their distaste for the ordeal.
Dance lessons… etiquette training… hunting skills… No, not the metaphorical type of "hunting," but actual animal hunting!
Arai had no desire to mingle with those aristocratic nobles.
He'd had his fill of flattery and empty courtesies in his past life as the heir to a technology conglomerate and the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. Participating in the banquet wasn't something he wanted, but he had no choice. He needed to present himself as a proper "nobleman."
After all, being born as a high-ranking noble wasn't the worst fate one could have.
...
"Arai, no matter what happens, do not align yourself with any faction in the struggle for the throne! The king may come with one of the princes. If that prince tries to lure you into his faction, refuse him without hesitation, but of course with diplomacy!"
"Our family is neutral in these matters. Remember that!"
Verdi warned in a stern tone.
"You're a smart child, so I trust you'll understand."
'As if I want to become a political pawn…' Arai shook his head internally but displayed a resolute expression and replied, "Yes!"
"Good."
Verdi gave a quick nod before turning to Mizuki. "Mizuki, if any of those spoiled brats try to force anything on you, you're free to deal with them however you see fit."
"After all, the honor of the Rolan name cannot be violated so easily! Let Arai or me know if you can't handle it yourself."
"Hmph! I'd like to see anyone dare to lay a hand on me." Mizuki scoffed disdainfully, as though she didn't even consider the nobles worth her time.
Over the past three years, Mizuki hadn't remained idle. She had decided to learn swordsmanship under Haist, the guardian of Roland Duchy.
"Even though I cannot use magic or mana, that doesn't mean I'll settle for being just another spoiled noble, right?"
That was Mizuki's way of thinking.
After training with Haist for some time, Mizuki demonstrated immense talent in swordsmanship, especially with her fluid and unpredictable movements. Her attacks were swift and almost impossible to anticipate.
"Such incredible talent, yet no mana? A pity, a true pity..." Even Haist couldn't maintain his usual calm in the face of Mizuki's skills.
The strangest part was her uncanny ability to conceal herself and her extraordinary agility, qualities that went beyond normal human limits. Because of this, Arai became certain that their mother's origins were far from ordinary.
To Haist, Mizuki was a rare genius capable of reaching heights neither he nor Verdi could ever hope to achieve.
One year ago, Arai failed miserably in Haist's test. But out of respect for his long-standing friendship with Verdi, Haist decided to give him another chance after the Awakening rite.
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.