CH 48

“…What?”

“Because he’s too handsome.”

“Haha, so it’s like that? He looked handsome?”

The friend, who had a shocked look, was quickly pleased and continued to ask.

“Ah! Also when he immediately called me ‘Lady’ when we’ve only just met for the first time. He really looked like a womanizer.”

“T-that’s with a respectful meaning!”

“Huh?”

“Hm hm.”

Making excuses as if he had seen the Prince’s heart himself, Atel cleared his throat as if he had also felt embarrassed.

How long has it been since they’ve talked for a while?

Perhaps because she got used to the before’s ‘early sleeping time’, Beatty yawned without realizing it herself.

“Haha. You’re sleepy, aren’t you?”

“N-no.”

At the way he spoke affectionately as if he was dandling a baby, words of denial went out reflexively.

“It’s unexpected, but it’s nice to see you again. Beatty.”

“…Me too.”

Grin.

At her friend’s greeting that was spoken purely as he smiled, Beatty agreed even though she was shy and wiggled her hand.

“Since I’ll stay in the Duke’s Castle for the time being, if you need me, call me anytime.”

“Anytime?”

“Ah, although during the day… it might be difficult.”

‘Sure enough, he must be busy during the day since he’s attending to royalty.’

Understanding, Beatty nodded her head.

“Then, Beatty. Have a good night.”

“….”

The friend, whoosh, hid his figure downstairs as he urged her to enter the room because the night air was cold.

Somehow feeling that it was a bummer and wandering around at the spot where her friend left, Beatty turned around in surprise at the voice that was heard from behind.

–   Did you have a good talk?

“!”

Squirrel Constellation!

‘I thought it immediately disappeared again, though.’

Not knowing where it came from, the Constellation calmly came up to the window frame and puffed out its chest as if it was showing off.

–   I told you to have a talk comfortably. I mean I had it organized all, even the place.

“?”

There’s nothing on the balcony, though. So what did he organize?

She wondered. As she was going to open her mouth, the Constellation quickly turned its head. Looking at a faraway place that couldn’t even be seen well in the dark, he murmured.

–   Oh shoot, it seems he has noticed.

Tak tak.

The Constellation, who hit the floor lightly, spoke in a carefree voice as if he had finished all his business.

–   I’ll have to go now.

“Yes? Wait a minute!”

Beatty held out her hands urgently.

‘I still have something I have to ask—!’

This time, she was going to resolve her last curiosity, however.

The Constellation’s words were one step faster.

–   Don’t worry.

Although it was still sly of him to do, perhaps because he was the Constellation, the words contained an irresistible faith, she was convinced.

–   Since I’ve found a way to solve the insufficient descent time. Next time, I can tell you everything.

“When’s next time, though?”

–   That will depend on how fast ■■ finishes its job.

‘When’s that, though!’

The still important part was frustratingly unanswered by the crushed Constellation, which had returned before she knew it.

Chuup chuup.

In front of her, there was only the snowstorm squirrel, which returned to becoming an ordinary magical beast.

Sniffing the surroundings puzzledly, the Snowstorm Squirrel suddenly raised its head as if it had sensed something. And–

Step. Step. Step. 

It disappeared without even any time to stop it.

“?”

Catching a glimpse of the fleeing snowstorm squirrel’s expression, Beatty tilted her head suspiciously.

‘Why does its face looked scared…’

Tak!

At that moment. There was a sound of someone landing behind her.

“I came here because I felt an unpleasant energy, but–.”

Grrrrowl.

A voice that was mixed with the cry of a lion rung lowly.

“Why are you out here?”

Carl’s forehead furrowed and asked.

“Huhh?”

Why does Older Brother have a sharp edge like there was just a thief in the house?

“It’s supposed to be your time to sleep, though.”

“T-that’s right. I’m going to go in now.”

Saying that she came out for a while to get some fresh air, Beatty, who somehow felt her feet were numbed and tingling, immediately pulled out her feet.

“Hmm.”

It’s strange, though.

Carl looked around the surroundings with sharp eyes, but strangely, he couldn’t find any other traces other than Beatty.

‘I definitely felt something crappy, though.’

More than when the enemy country’s shapeshifters invaded the territory, it seemed as if from the back of the head when one doesn’t know, someone was stealthily approaching an important treasure…

“By any chance, did some kind of bastard come here?”

“Uhmm?”

Neither it was positive nor negative, at Beatty’s answer, Carl’s eyes narrowed.

‘N-No. Atel is just a good subordinate employee, though.’

She was just glad to see a friend that she hadn’t seen in a long time, but to Carl whose nerves were on edge as if an enemy had come to invade, it seemed like after she misspoke, Atel would be crushed.

“Ho, hoam.”

“….”

“Hoaaaaaam—”

“…You sleepy?”

Pretending to be sleepy in desperation worked!

‘As expected, Older Brother, too….’

Like Father, he must be a health-first ideologist.

‘Even by just seeing him emphasizing ‘go to sleep early’ almost every day, I can surely understand him.’

Beatty nodded inwardly, praising her observation.

Click.

“Let’s go in.”

After Carl laid Beatty on the bed, he checked the window’s locks with his own hands.

“If by any chance, some grinning bastard with black hair talks to you, ignore him.”

“Yes?”

Isn’t that His Highness the First Prince? She can ignore him…?

Regardless of Beatty’s puzzled gaze, Carl continued. Saying that she can ignore not only that bastard, but also all male bastards.

Saying that they see half of mankind as a race group that can’t be associated with, and expressed a negative view about marriage. However–

‘What marriage?…Ah!’

Suddenly wondering why that talk was popping up there, Beatty soon realized as she recalled the previous incident.

‘Turns out, the thing about the Royal Family progressing the proposal of marriage as they like in the Capital that time, they were paying a lot of attention to it…’

Father was like that, too.

She recalled that when they first heard the story of what happened in the Capital, they were angry at the Royal Family’s attempt to progress the engagement, rather than her slapping Ritter bastard across the face, she could guess what does the family members valued.

‘They’ll try to block it all beforehand, even the Royal Family from getting involved in the family’s matter, like engagement, right.’

This is a fight of power between the Royal Family and the Great Nobles that she had only seen in writings!

“Yes, I got it!”

“Hm.”

Beatty nodded in a fascinated mood.

Carl, who was working hard brainwashing her Younger Sister that men, by all means, were harmful, patted her head satisfactorily.

***

The next morning.

Beatty asked, wondering what the chaotic atmosphere inside the Castle was about.

“By any chance, is something going on?”

“Ah, Young Miss. The Castle is a bit noisy, right?”

Johanna, who had helped her arrange her clothes on that day too, kindly explained.

“That’s because we’re preparing for the victory banquet.”

“Victory banquet?”

“Yes. Since the long war is over. It’s time to honor the contribution of the troops who had went through a hard time, and share the joy of victory.”

As it was a war that had fully mobilized all of the North’s power, it was necessary to appease the vassal families who fought together with the Aslan Main Family.

To the extent of holding a banquet, it was also a symbolism of wholly enjoying the peace gained by winning the war.

“As much as it has been a really long time since we held a big banquet in Main Castle, everyone is full of spirit!”

“Hmph, do you remember the invited guest last time who had put on airs, saying that they had drunk the Capital’s water a bit? I’ll surely never see such a sight again.”

The maids, too. Their eyes were burning as if they were full of enthusiasm.

Beatty, who had been convinced that it was an important event, tilted her head at Johanna’s words that came out soon after.

“Oh, and by the way. Young Miss, an invitation, asking to pick up the refreshments later in the afternoon, has arrived.”

“An invitation?”

“Yes. Here.”

It was the first time someone sent her an ‘invitation’.

Beatty received the invitation card with a slight excited heart.

Perhaps it was a mixture of expensive fabrics, since when she opened the card a soft yet thick material with a pleasant scent came out.

‘It smells good.’

She felt like she’d smelled it somewhere before. Was she mistaken?

The First Prince’s signature that was written at the end of the card was neat.

Shaking off the strange déjà vu, Beatty checked the box which was asking whether she would attend or not.

***

“I only invited the Lady, though.”

“What.”

At Ather’s question, who was stingingly pinpointing even with a smile, Carl replied with a ‘so what are you going to do’ expression.

“Sorry, Lady. Because during the peaceful tea time, the tactless Older Brother chimed in.”

“Lady?”

Not even caring about the words that rebuked him, Carl sensitively pointed again the title that Ather called Beatty.

“Why do you call Tail Fur like that.”

“Then what should I call her?”

Even at Carl’s growling reaction, Ather just shrugged as he calmly passed it over.

“Don’t call her.”

“How can I talk to her if I don’t call her title?”

“Don’t talk to her.”

“…At this rate, you’ll tell me to not even make an eye contact with her.”

“Yeah. Don’t even look at her.”

“….”

Ather looked at Carl as if it was ridiculous.

“To think that you’re behaving so sensitive like this.”

Saying that it was pretty much an interesting sight, Ather, who swept his hair over, cupped his chin and asked.

“But, why are you so on guard like that, though? Don’t tell me, you’re worried I’ll act like a playboy?”

Blinking his eyes that were invisible beyond the eye patch, the boy appealed in an innocent voice.

“You know, right. That I never approach the ladies first.”

Seeing Ather who was pretending to sigh, saying that it’s unfair, Carl, hmph, snorted.

“Your existence itself is a hazard.”

Humans that were bewitched by that bastard’s face, could fill an entire cart and still overflow.  

Ather’s eye patch, which was said to have been handled with special magic, may have been able to cover the dragon eyes’ energy, however it could not cover his opaquely good looks.