4 Years Old: Chapter 16 - Being Invited

TL: Krrizis

Editor: Nahct and Wafflez

Ever since then, Gilles-san has been a little..... No, quite soft and taken a gentle att.i.tude towards me. Until now, he has always treated me with a calm courteous manner but somehow, it felt cold. I suppose that's because of his duty as my tutor.  

However, now it feels..... gentle or rather, hmm..... more intimate? Like pampering..... excessively pampering towards me. You can say it's as though the barrier between us has broken down.

「Hm--.....」

That's good. It's a delicate position to be good friends with him, but there are no dangers at this stage.

It doesn't bother me.

「Liz-sama, your face is making weird expressions.....」

「That's because of Father」

「I am of the same opinion as Welf-sama. Though there are various circ.u.mstances and I wished I wasn't attending.....」

Frankly objecting, Gilles-san let out a sigh. Similarly, filled with complicated thoughts, I released a sigh as well.

We're currently in the castle wearing formal attire.

Well, no matter how you put it, it's for his Highness' birthday party, the one that I had been invited to previously. In the end, because it was impolite to refuse, I had came along to pay my respects. I thought it would be over when I found his Highness, however.....

Unexpectedly, I attracted attention in high spirits. It seems to be the complicated result of catching the King's attention. Even though I came to pay my respects, if possible, I would not like to meet him, were my thoughts.

It's such a contradictory stance, but it can be said that it was inevitable.

Gilles-san being Gilles-san showed his displeasure subtly with a frown. Unlike me who had an obligation, Gilles-san who hated this place the most was forced to attend. It was Father's fault.

「..... Father, what intentions does he have?」

「..... I cannot understand his intentions for entrusting Liz-sama to my care. Though I vaguely understand his reason」

「His reason?」

「I can't say that yet, but whilst it concerns you, it's not a matter that we would want Liz-sama to learn of」

Gilles-san, you shouldn't have said that to me. You didn't think I would snoop further? Then again, to leak this information out means that he's being frank with me.

「In the first place, I understood that if I came here, I was going to have a bad time. Do you wish to pester Welf-sama?」

「Gilles-san, leaving Father's circ.u.mstances aside, please keep your thoughts to yourself」

Still, the person who forced Gilles-san to take the dislikeable role of an escort was Father. I understood Father was at fault here..... Father knows very well that Gilles-san wasn't a part of the Adelcian household.

For Gilles-san to be invited, he would need to possess a court rank. However, this time, he wasn't attending as part of a household.

「..... For a person like myself, this is originally the type of place I would never be permitted to」

「..... But Gilles-san is a n.o.ble, aren't you?」

「It was going to come out eventually but..... I've been disowned. Rather than disowned, I'm treated like I never existed」

But a letter came from the Viscount..... If that's how he's being treated, why intentionally send a letter. There's nothing I can say since I don't know the Viscount's personality but normally, I would never send a letter to someone I refuse to recognise because such a thing means acknowledging the person.

However, since contact was made, there must be some purpose behind it. It has to be a hateful thing to the extent that Gilles-san had nightmares.

My worst imagination grew wild; rapidly, my eyebrows kept sinking. Seeing my expression, Gilles-san gave a wry smile and stroke my head gently. 「There's nothing for Liz-sama to be anxious about」, he said with a seemingly sad smile ..... I only know that he merely has a complicated background.

「Gilles-san.....」

「Liz!」

That dense Highness. Of course, being the man of the party meant celebrating, but at least learn to read the mood.

..... Well to be frank, celebrating his Highness' birthday could be interpreted as a pretext to allow the n.o.bles to socialise for the sake of exchanging various intelligences at a social gathering.

My conversation with Gilles-san momentarily came to a halt; I found his Highness rus.h.i.+ng over towards me in his formal attire. He's already 8 years old and starting to look rather good-looking.

As expected of the royalty. Honestly speaking, I wish he would stop that conspicuous act of rus.h.i.+ng towards me. Look! The other ladies are looking at me and are starting to whisper secretly.

「Your Highness, thank you for inviting me this time. Respectfully, I would like to express my congratulations on your birthday」

「..... Saying it this formally is troubling」

「In front of everyone, I cannot be overtly familiar with you」

Putting a smiling face and bowing on the outside, his Highness seemed dissatisfied. Please forgive me your Highness; if I lacked etiquette here, my life in the future would become difficult.

「....Hmph. Who's that man over there?」

「I apologise for the late introduction. My name is Gilleraide Sévéne. Congratulations on your birthday, your Highness」

Towards Gilles-san, who perfectly handled his greeting with a smile, his Highness curtly replied 「Hmph」. No no your Highness, that's not how it's done. Even if you're bored with a person, you should conceal your facial expressions.

Gilles-san was aware that he was handled in an unfriendly manner but calmly smiled. This was the difference in years, even though Gilles-san was still a child.

「Why is Liz with this man?」

「Father had business so we came here separately. I received Gilles-san as my escort instead」

Though the person himself disliked the task, which I didn't add, I smiled at Gilles-san with「Right?」for agreement. Gilles-san gave a nod then quietly held my shoulder..... Why are you fanning the flames?

Giving a slight resentful look at Gilles-san, Gilles-san didn't waver from his calm expression. However for a short time, his eyes looked down challengingly at his Highness. Was this deliberate?

「Aside from Welf-sama, I order you not to a.s.sociate yourself with other men」

「Ho..... Even with me?」

「I'm just following Welf-sama's instructions」

What's with this small carnage?

..... Gilles-san is absolutely enjoying himself, isn't he? Look, his cheeks are twitching. His Highness' cheeks are cramping for a different reason though.

Please endure, your Highness.

To Gilles-san, as expected, his Highness' good will towards me was a charming affair. And unexpectedly, Gilles-san had a fondness for teasing others. His Highness has yet to notice he's being made fun of.

「Liz, come here. I want to introduce you to my father」

「Well, I would like to say I decline.....」

「It's fine」

「A female's intentions should be respected, your Highness」

「.....Tsk, I said it's fine」

Your Highness, you have yet to be on par with Gilles-san. Also, please stop forcibly taking and dragging a person about, it's painful to look at. Since you're a child, it's an unpleasant behaviour.

Gilles-san being Gilles-san tried to detain me however, his gaze slipped..... and turned stiff in the face. At first, I didn't understand the meaning of that expression, but with his Highness pulling me forward, I somehow understood.

Enroute in the middle of his Highness' path, in a small distant place..... stood a man.

He was formally attired and his hair, which was slicked back, was the same vivid-green colour as Gilles-san. Though his features were similar to Gilles-san, the only a.s.sured difference was the disquieting bright sharpness in his eyes that was filled with ambition. Totally different from the always gentle Gilles-san.

Gilles-san who had intended to detain me, lowered his extended hand. Somehow his pupils trembled with fright, his gaze moved towards his foot. And clenching his fist, his hands started trembling.

Being forced to accompany his Highness, I couldn't worry about Gilles-san.

「Your Highness--」

「It's better if you don't a.s.sociate yourself with the people of Sévéne」

「..... Eh?」

After bypa.s.sing the man similar to Gilles-san, his Highness murmured to me in a small voice.

「There aren't any good rumours. I am reluctant for Liz to have a dangerous experience」

「..... Are you worried?」

「Obviously! Liz is my.....」

「Have you recognised me as your friend?」

His Highness blus.h.i.+ng ever so slightly, I didn't allow him to finish and kept smiling. I'm sorry, your Highness but everything in life is precious.

If this is repeatedly said in front of the King, I will endeavour with all my strength to correct it, ok? I flatly refuse to have my future dictated for me. Also, don't arbitrarily decide with temporary feelings, your Highness.

Interrupted, his Highness seemed obviously displeased. Don't you want to be friends? Actually, I feel this expresses our current relations.h.i.+p openly.

「..... Does Liz hate me?」

「I never said I hate you. If I have to admit it, I think we're good friends」

「..... Liz is an idiooot」

Sulking won't change my opinion. From my point of view, I have my own position and future to be concerned with.

「Please don't be mad, your Highness. Also, it'll be awesome if you could let go when I greet the King」

「..... Julis?」

「Father!」

As soon as I had finished, the person himself made an appearance.

「Father, this is Liz, the girl that I spoke of!」

Somehow I have to correct his Highness' air.

With a gleeful voice and timidly raising his eyes..... What should I do? I never thought I would made it this far.

Reflected in my eyes was a handsome man and a beauty.

The man had blonde hair and blue eyes. His appearance had a similar hue to his Highness, but the King had a more adult s.e.x appeal with an added ambiance. Indeed, with just a mantle worn, it still looked good on him.

As for the lady, she had striking, long  and wavy strawberry-blonde hair. Her eyes were greenish-blue. Clad in an extravagant dress, only the beauty of the lady was able to eclipse its remarkable appearance.

In my mind, such a thought echoed, 「Who's that ignorant person? Being in the presence of the gracious King and his Queen! You're too haughty!」This is from watching too many TV shows.

「Julis, calm down. If you speak hurriedly, I won't be able to listen to your story」

The Queen looked a little strange when she laughed pleasantly. Or rather, as expected, her type of laughter overflowed with elegance.

..... And now I will declare boldly! You---! Youthful, the two of them look so youthful! No matter how I look at them, they can only be in the mid-twenties! If nothing else is said, they could also be said to look like they're twenty!

As I was caught in my thoughts, the King slowly moved his gaze towards me.

「..... Ho, so this is the girl that Julis spoke of?」

What did you tell him, your Highness? For incurring lèse-majesté, would I be restrained and dragged by a rope to prison? Or will my future be restricted?

「What may I call you by?」

「I am Li--- Lizbeth Adelcian」

As one would expect, the King addressed me directly and although my heart was pounding, I still introduced myself and gave a bow. As I was unskilful with small chatter, I kept my mouth shut. His Highness looked at me curiously, but this kind of behavior is obvious when meeting with the greatest person in the country, don’t you think?

Clutching my hands, his Highness burst into a delighted expression ..... No, please don't rejoice with a s.h.i.+p set for sail, there's no hope there.

「Welf Adelcian's daughter?」

「Yes」

「You look exactly like your parents」

The Queen smiled softly, giving some kind of eye contact to the King. Am I imagining it or did I just have an extremely unpleasant hunch?

「Won't you speak with us for a moment?」

Ah, I'm might have just been cornered.