Neruton Party?
Three months had passed since I entered the academy, and I was getting used to both the class and the lessons.
In the special lessons for the Null, we began learning the basics of the other attributes—because there’s a chance I might be able to use them later in life.
Outside of class, it was the usual: every weekend I’d return to the Lampail territory for training with the private soldiers, take on requests at the Adventurer’s Guild, and, in the end, I got roped into helping Mother and Nikki launch the Lampail Brand. I’d draw up design sketches for clothes like in my previous life and explain them.
One day, while I was enjoying this busy yet fulfilling routine, Cathy—Catherine Cutter, the duke’s daughter—came to me with a request.
“Ehh!? Why me?”
“Because you’re the only one I can ask for something like this, Joan.”
What she wanted was for me to accompany her to an upcoming tea party hosted by the queen.
It seemed that aside from Cathy, other candidates for Prince Albert’s fiancée would be attending. Rumor had it that the decision might even be made there. And, apparently, it was required that each candidate bring along a friend.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you brought San or Rebe? You’ve known them longer than me.”
“I thought so too, but Young Lady Samantha and Young Lady Rebecca both said there’s no way they could handle a tea party hosted by the queen…”
When I glanced at the two sitting next to Cathy, both of them were nodding so vigorously it looked like their heads might fall off.
“… By the way, how many other candidates are there?”
“Four, including me. Status-wise, I’m ranked the highest, but age-wise, I’m the youngest. On top of that, the others are all count’s daughters and seem to have ties with each other, so I’m always kind of… well…”
“They treat you like the enemy?”
“! …Yes, exactly.”
“Did they say something to you before? Or did they do something?”
“They haven’t done anything, but… they say things like, ‘Well, of course she’s a candidate, she’s a duke’s daughter, even if she’s like that.’ And then… compared to the others… my chest is…”
“Ohh, they’ve got bigger boobs?”
“Yes… So they say things like, ‘How could someone with such a flat chest possibly be a candidate?’”
“Heeeeh~ Oh, really. Hmmm. So they actually said that, huh?”
“‘Joan…?’”
Both Belle and Cathy looked nervous, but that didn’t matter.
“This fight—I’ll take it on for you! Just having big boobs doesn’t make you superior! Anyone who makes my Cathy cry is my enemy! … Ouch.”
“Joan, we’re in the classroom!”
As usual, Zack gave me a karate chop along with a warning.
Looking around, I saw some kids blushing at my words, some staring wide-eyed in surprise, and others laughing at the exchange between me and Zack.
“Oh… right, I forgot. But seriously—boobs don’t matter! … Ouch.”
“You’re still going!? I’m telling your mother about this—”
“Aaahhh no no no, please not that, anything but that…”
“Then at least try to have a little modesty!”
“Fiiine. …So Zack, what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Do you prefer them bigger?”
“Hah!?”
“Boobs.”
“Wha… wha, why are you asking me!?”
“You’re right in front of me, that’s all.”
“I—I don’t care about size!”
“Hmmm. And you, Bon?”
“M-me!?”
Suddenly thrown into the spotlight, Bon turned beet red.
“U-uh… if it’s someone I like… then any size is fine…”
“See, Cathy? Size doesn’t matter!”
“O-okay, I get it already, just don’t say it so loudly…”
“Ah, sorry, got carried away. By the way, are people other than the candidates invited to this tea party too?”
“I think invitations go out to all houses of count rank or higher.”
“Ohh… Wait. Count rank or higher? That means us too? Zack, did you hear anything?”
“Ah, I don’t know the details, but I gave Sarah a letter addressed to you. It’s probably about that.”
“Ah, okay. Then Belle too, right?”
“Eh? Me too?”
“Well yeah, you’re from a count’s house. Also, Rebe too, right?”
“My family won’t get one.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“Houses that already have a fiancée aren’t invited. Not for this tea party.”
“Eh!? Really? Then isn’t this basically a Neruton Party?”
“I-I don’t know what this ‘Neru-something’ is…”
“Ah, I mean like a group matchmaking party.”
“Well… I guess that’s about right.”
“Hehh~… Wait. Rebe, you have a fiancée?”
“Eh, w-well… yes.”
＊＊＊＊＊
“A letter addressed to Young Lady Joan.”
“Yes, thank you. Let’s see… ah, this one.”
“Were you expecting it?”
“Nope. Not really, but…”
I explained to Sarah and Anny what had been said earlier in class.
“If it wasn’t Cathy asking, I’d never go to something like this.”
“But Young Lady Belle is going too, isn’t she?”
“…She ran away.”
““… Huh?””
“Belle said she’s not going. She’s going back to her territory instead.”
“Ahh… makes sense.”
“Seriously, why do I have to go to the royal castle on a weekend…”
“But you’re still going, right?”
“Well yeah, because Cathy asked me. It’s next weekend, so I was hoping to meet Her Majesty and talk with her beforehand.”
“Then why not entrust a letter to Miss Suzy?”
“Ohh, true.”
Taking Sarah’s advice, I wrote a letter to the queen.
I also wanted to bring her some of the mock-unagi rice bowls. That would definitely guarantee she’d meet with me.
“… Okay! Done. I’ll go deliver this now.” Whoosh—
“Ah—”
Whoosh—“Whoa!”
“Ah, sorry.”
“… Young Lady Joan. Why is it you always teleport straight into the kitchen!?”
“Ahaha, well, I figured it would be empty at this time… So? Barry, Delco, what are you two doing?”
“Just, uh, finishing up cleaning and… talking a bit, right?”
“Eh? Ah, y-yeah, that’s right.”
“Hmmm.”
Clatter. “I bought it! …Wait, Young Lady Joan!?”
“Well well, for guys who were ‘just talking,’ you sure brought back something that smells delicious. …Grilled skewers?”
“S-s-sorry!!”
“Why are you apologizing? You’re off work, so it’s fine, isn’t it? Oh, as an apology for startling you—here.”
“This is…?”
“Shirayaki. Just put a little wasabi—er, Namida-sabi—on it, and eat it with salt or soy sauce.”
“Th-thank you very much.”
“Don’t drink too much, okay? No hangovers.”
From the townhouse, I went to Mr. Abe’s house on the same grounds and gave the letter to Suzy. As an apology for showing up so late at night, I also gave Mr. Abe some shirayaki and kabayaki before returning to the dorm.
Ah. I forgot to tell them it was giant snake.
Oh well.
What do you think about this chapter?
