Chapter 22: The Coming-of-Age Banquet

It’s been noisy since morning.

I pulled the blanket over my head, trying to ignore the incoming noise through gritted teeth.

As if that would change anything, familiar footsteps approached.

These cheerful footsteps filled with joy.

‘It must be Lena, coming to wake me.’

As the footsteps grew closer, a forgotten fact surfaced in my mind.

‘So, this day has finally come.’

‘Isn’t there supposed to be a blizzard or something? To stop anyone from coming.’

‘In romance fantasy novels, the North is often depicted as isolated during midwinter, roads blocked by heavy snow, people starving.’

Here, however, nothing like that seemed to happen.

While it felt like they served as a shield against monsters from the North, there seemed to be no particular difficulty in their livelihood.

Thanks to that, I’ve been living warmly and well-fed.

“Miss, I know you’re awake.”

‘How did she know?’

Pulling back the covers, I saw Lena’s smiling blue eyes.

“How did you know?”

“On days you don’t want to wake up, you’re always hiding under the covers.”

…Knowledge gained.

‘I had no idea I had such a habit.’

As I got up with a sigh, Lena started wiping my face with a smile.

At first, it was burdensome and hard to adjust to, but now I naturally entrusted my body to her hands.

‘You get used to anything if you do it enough.’

…Even though I don’t actually do anything.

Thanks to Lena’s young age, we quickly started speaking casually.

‘Excluding Iris, she might be the person I’m closest to.’

‘If I had to pick the next one, it would be the librarian.’

While Iris seemed busy with banquet preparations, I was cooped up only in the library, so we naturally started talking about books and became friendly.

Perhaps because our taste in books was similar, it was nice that we could communicate well.

Come to think of it, at some point, the snacks sent up from the kitchen always came with a fork, eliminating the need to eat with my hands.

The librarian seemed happy about that too, wiping away tears.

‘If I knew she’d like it this much, I should have asked for one sooner.’

Ah, my face is warm, making me sleepy again.

My body feels lethargic as my face is being touched by the warm towel.

Seeing me like this, Lena chuckled softly.

“You’ll have to sleep all day anyway, are you going to sleep again?”

“Huh, hm?”

“Everyone’s determined to put in much more effort than last time, you know?”

‘It was already terrible, what more are they planning to do?’

“Can’t I just put on the clothes?”

“You cannot.”

‘Why so firm… like a stubborn pumpkin.’

“Why are you guys more excited than me?”

“Well… dressing you up is fun, Miss, but also, the Young Lady doesn’t usually dress up unless it’s a day like this, so opportunities are rare.”

“Hmm…”

“But why do you dislike it so much, Miss? Many girls among us yearn just to wear a dress made by that dress shop once.”

“Is that place that famous?”

“I don’t know about the capital, but in the North, it’s undoubtedly the best dress shop.”

‘She always just shrieked with a goofy face in front of me, so I didn’t realize she was such a big deal.’

‘Then again, she must have that level of skill and reputation to act so freely even in front of Iris.’

…Or maybe she’s just a strange person.

‘Anyway, is Iris getting dressed up today too?’

‘She always walks around in comfortable training clothes, holding a wooden sword, so I can’t really picture it.’

As I drifted into imagination, Lena’s voice brought me back as the towel was removed.

“There, now you look presentable enough to appear before others.”

“I don’t think I looked that bad…”

“Oh my, you’re saying dreadful things. There was drool by the side of your mouth—”

“Alright, alright, don’t say it…”

“Which gentleman will take this mischievous young lady…”

“…”

It was a statement that warranted many replies, but I didn’t bother refuting it.

Putting aside the fact that I was originally male… that probably won’t happen.

Before dating anyone, the world’s destruction… will come.

I don’t particularly want a love that’s destined to end.

It would surely be incredibly painful.

“Shall we get going soon?”

“…Yeah, but where?”

‘Are we going to eat?’

“Where else? The bathroom, of course?”

“Didn’t I just wash up?”

“That was just wiping away the traces of waking up.”

‘She seems full of motivation today,’ I thought, obediently following Lena.

From then on, hell began.

To the point where I considered the time spent submerged in water infused with perfume oils and flowers as the relatively happiest moment.

It was brutally shattered.

Something was.

————————

When I came to my senses, everything was over.

Not the end of the world… well, there’s something like that, anyway.

As I sat in some unknown room with my head bowed low, feeling depressed, I heard a knock.

“Come in…”

I felt gloomy because I couldn’t eat properly.

‘I’m not hungry, but anyway, I’m gloomy.’

Checking the face, it was a familiar person.

The man who drove the carriage when I came down from the mountain.

The man who had come looking for me in the library with a face like he was about to cry.

‘I almost didn’t recognize him with his beard shaved.’

He had a sturdy build and a surprisingly decent face.

“What brings you here…?”

He just stared blankly at me, then seemed startled by my voice and flinched.

“I almost didn’t recognize you, Miss. You look like a completely different person from when I saw you before.”

“Is that so…”

“Yes. My wife was making a fuss, dressing me up diligently, and I wondered what was going on, but I suppose this was why.”

‘What is he talking about…’

‘More importantly, this guy was married? Well, considering the setting, maybe it’s not that surprising.’

“Um… is that so. So, what is it?”

“Isn’t it about time you headed to the banquet hall?”

Ah, is that it. A partner. ‘Do I really need one?’ I wondered, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

“Is it that time already?”

“Yes. The Young Lady sent me. She wanted to come herself, but she is the star of today’s event.,The Grace the Duke is also present.”

“Let’s go…”

As I stood up, I briefly staggered in the shoes I was wearing for the first time in my life, but straightened up with superhuman balance.

The last time I wore something for Iris’s sake, they were comfortable shoes, so I hadn’t realized, but I thought, ‘Women really walk around in things like this.’

Thanks to my sturdy body and decent physical abilities, I didn’t feel discomfort… but the mental problem was significant.

“Where do we need to go?”

“Allow me.”

Saying so, the man slightly raised his arm.

I tilted my head, wondering why, but soon realized what it was.

Due to the height difference, it was ‘slightly’ different from the picture I imagined.

Just slightly.

“Should I bend down for you?”

When I glared at him with fiery eyes, he chuckled, saying it was a joke.

“Being like this, it feels as though I’ve gained a daughter.”

“…Please stop.”

“Haha…”

Holding onto the man’s arm and walking towards the banquet hall, I saw endless lines of carriages arriving in the distance.

It was a procession reminiscent of rush hour.

“So many are coming…”

“Well, the opportunity to see both of you at the same time probably won’t happen many times in one’s life.”

“Is it that significant?”

“In the past… Ah, that was a slip of the tongue. Please forget it.”

“Um, okay.”

‘It’s a situation I think I understand.’

‘No need to pry.’

Servants with familiar faces were moving busily. They looked truly busy.

I continued walking, watching them greet the guests.

Perhaps Iris and the servants’ efforts weren’t in vain, as the mansion looked truly splendid.

As the mansion, which had felt only large, began to fill with noise, I felt strangely excited too.

Preparing all day just to attend one banquet was truly an experience I never wanted again, but it was over now.

All that remained was to actually see the scenes I’d only witnessed in novels and games.

Of course, the minor problem of wearing a dress remained, but since I probably wouldn’t wear it again after today… I decided to endure it.

Actually, I don’t even really know what I look like right now.

I fell asleep after being fussed over all day, so I didn’t get a proper look.

‘I am a little curious.’

When the people helping me prepare asked if it was okay, I just mindlessly said yes, yes.

‘They probably did a good job on their own.’

Following the man’s lead, I arrived at the banquet hall, which was packed with people.

Including not only the attendees themselves but also the servants accompanying them, it was truly bustling.

I flinched a little at the eyes watching me as I entered, but nothing happened.

With the man standing reassuringly behind me, I waited for Iris to appear.

The Duke… I saw him briefly when I first returned, but haven’t seen his face since.

‘I had this image that someone that high up wouldn’t be busy, just ordering subordinates around, but maybe that’s not the reality.’

‘Well, it’s not like I have any reason to seek him out first anyway.’

While waiting, I was thirsty and grabbing a glass of cool champagne when I saw a woman approaching me.

Behind her trailed people who looked like knights, perhaps security personnel.

I saw people murmuring as they looked at her.

The woman who approached had green hair and the same golden eyes as me, striking—

Wait a minute, f*ck? Why is she here right now?