Chapter 12

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Taking a deep breath, I stepped outside with my attendants, and there was a luxurious carriage parked at the entrance. Out of it first came a girl who was not one of my attendants. I couldn't help but stare at her.

(Wh-what, pigtails! Golden pigtails!)

Indeed, the girl who emerged was dressed in a dress with a blue base and black lace, and her golden hair, rolled on both sides, flowed softly around her face.

"...Ahem..."

As I stood frozen, encountering the object of my fantasies, Tütte, who was behind me, cleared her throat lightly. Thanks to this, I regained my composure, pinched my skirt, and gave a light bow to the pigtailed girl who had stepped out of the carriage.

"That's Magilka," Zaha, who was standing nearby, whispered to me in a small voice.

(What, the famous young lady has golden pigtails!)

Next, a boy elegantly lifted his golden hair and appeared from the carriage. He was the source of my recent headaches, the first prince of Aldia Kingdom, Prince Reiforce. After I performed the highest form of greeting, the others behind me also bowed.

(I've grown so much! I won't be nervous anymore, I'll speak firmly as a lady of the Legaria family...)

"Y-You are welcome to the Legaria household, Your Highness. If you had just called for me, I... I would have come to you..."

(I failed! I stuttered from nervousness! I really can't handle the real thing.)

Feeling embarrassed, I looked down, and the prince, looking at me as if I were something adorable, narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"No, I was the one being selfish. Did I cause you trouble?"

"Not at all... I just feel uncomfortable that I couldn't prepare the best welcome due to the suddenness. If you had informed me earlier, it would have been better."

"It's fine, really."

Even though I had subtly hinted at it, he brushed it off with a refreshing smile.

(Could the prince be KY? A KY prince?)

"Since we're standing here talking, please, come this way."

Unable to bear the tension, I entrusted the rest to the maids and led the prince inside. I guided him to the most luxurious guest room in the mansion, and as he sat on the sofa, I took the opposite sofa. I realized that Zaha was still standing behind the sofa.

(What? I'm the only one! Sit with me!)

Feeling betrayed at the last moment, I couldn't help but look back. The prince, noticing this, looked at Zaha.

"By the way, I was surprised to see you here, Zaha."

"I apologize, Your Highness. I happened to be here and thought I should greet you, so I accompanied you."

Zaha, who usually doesn't act like this, replied with a gentlemanly bow, which surprised me. I looked at the prince.

"Do you know each other?"

"Yes, I also learned swordsmanship from Sir Claus. Besides, the future head of the royal guard, who will serve me, should act together from an early stage... I hadn't seen him recently, so I was surprised to find him here."

"I apologize. I was ordered by my father to be Mary's sparring partner."

"Hmm, sparring with her..."

Listening to their conversation, I felt restless and kept looking back and forth between the prince and Zaha.

"Um, well... by the way, why did you come here, Your Highness? We didn't receive detailed information in advance..."

I decided to change the topic and asked about the prince's purpose.

"That's right. Hehe, it's not that difficult. I just wanted to see you... that's all."

"Me...?"

"Yes, I've been hearing about your father's adorable daughter from Lord Legaria every day, and I've been curious about you for a long time."

(Dad, what are you doing?)

"I was thrilled when I met you at the Oracle Ceremony. You were even more lovely and delicate than I imagined, a beautiful white princess."

"Phew!"

The prince, casually lifting his golden bangs, gave me a cool smile, and I couldn't help but giggle and look down.

(No good! The prince's flirtatious words are hitting my funny bone...)

"Besides, I was worried that the beautiful princess might be sad after what happened at the palace. I wanted to wipe away all her tears..."

As he said this, he lifted a strand of my side hair that had fallen forward and pretended to wipe it away.

"Y-You don't have to..."

I spoke while looking down, trying to hold back a laugh. Then, I picked up the teacup to drink, but I realized it was abnormally hot.

"Hot!"

(Oh no, it's fine, but I reacted out of reflex.)

I can withstand physical attacks that would harm my body, so even if the tea was scalding hot, I wouldn't be injured. However, my usual common sense interfered, and I reacted reflexively. As those around me, surprised by my actions, rushed to my aid, I noticed something. A person standing behind the prince, who had been gesturing towards my cup, quickly hid their hand behind their back. I could see the residual magic from their hand...

(Magilka Futorika... So, you were the culprit after all.)

When I realized this, the tea was no longer hot.

(Did you just heat it for a moment? How skillful.)

As Tütte took the cup from me and confirmed that her hand was unharmed, I looked at the pigtailed girl standing behind the prince. Did she expect me to drop the cup and ruin my dress?

"Please excuse me, but I need to step out for a moment. Zaha, could you keep the prince company for a while?"

With that, I left with Tütte. Magilka also whispered something to the prince and tried to leave the room. I assumed she was going to check if I was hurt, but I suspected there was another reason. I left the room and entered the adjacent room. As expected, she followed.

"Magilka... Was that a joke gone too far? You used a living magic spell to heat the tea, didn't you?"

When Magilka entered the room and Tütte closed the door, I confronted her directly.

"So, you noticed... I shouldn't underestimate you, Mary."

"The last incident was also your doing, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was. It was all for the sake of the prince."

"...But it was a rather trivial and annoying prank, wasn't it?"

"Trivial! Most young ladies have been driven away by the prince's embarrassing behavior, yet you... you..."

(Hmm? She wanted to distance me from the prince because of her feelings for him? Could this be...?)

I continued, anticipating the cliché, sweet, and embarrassing scenario.

"You wanted to distance me from the prince, so you pranked me... Could it be, you... Muhehe♪"

Covering my mouth, I gave her a sly look, and she, noticing this,

looked at me with a bewildered expression.

"What are you talking about? Do you think I have romantic feelings for the prince?"

"Really? You don't?"

"Haaa... If it weren't for that behavior, I think you were on the right track..."

(That behavior?)

As Magilka sighed and looked into the distance, I started to feel a sense of kinship.

"Please stop it... Do you know how hard I have to work to suppress my laughter..."

"Comradeeeeeee!"

I sparkled with excitement, moved towards her at lightning speed, and held her hands close to my chest.

"Eh? What? You were over there just now, weren't you?"

"That doesn't matter! I'm saved to find someone who thinks like me! I'm not the only one who finds it strange!"

"Don't lump me in with strange people! And let go, you're too close, too close!"

As I pressed her, Magilka's face turned red, and she stammered. Regrettably, I released her hands and stepped back.

"Haaa... I almost fell for that unfair cuteness..."

Magilka muttered something, but I didn't hear it, so I didn't pursue it.

(Because I feel so good right now! Tütte is moving towards the door, but I don't care, because I feel so good!)

"Everyone else swoons over the prince's behavior, and I was worried if I was the odd one out, but I'm so happy to have a comrade! Really, that behavior is embarrassing at his age, isn't it?"

"Exactly, that's right! It's too mismatched for his age, and it just makes me laugh."

As I spoke, Magilka, who had been holding back, finally let it all out.

Just then, there was a knock on the door from the inside. We both snapped back to reality and slowly turned our heads towards the door with a creaking sound.

"Ah, I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's a bit inappropriate to say such things in front of the prince..."

There stood Tütte, who had turned pale from opening the door at the wrong time, Zaha, whose face was contorted, and the prince, who was completely frozen behind them.

I... did it again!

Thank you for reading this far.