Chapter 67

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"U-Um, see you later..."

"Un"

After finishing my conversation with Esuick, I walked back down the corridor I had just come from and returned to the room where the maids were supposed to be.

"It's about time."

"…Huh?"

When I returned to the room, Aula and the others, who I thought had left, were waiting there with the maids.

Moreover, they were all already dressed in dresses that suited them.

"…How does this look?"

There, just like yesterday, Aula asked me for my opinion.

"A-Ah, yeah. Uh, it suits you."

Certainly, Aula exuded a kind of dignity that she wouldn't show in casual clothes, and I was honestly mesmerized.

I didn't say it because it was embarrassing...

"Lilyyy! What about meee?"

At that moment, Lily intruded between Aula and me.

For a moment, Aula seemed to show a rare, dissatisfied face towards Lily, but maybe it was just my imagination.

"Ooh, Lily is so cute!"

Without any hesitation, Lily hugged me, and I remembered what Esuick had said just a moment ago, but I thought it was okay not to ask about it for now.

"Muu!"

As I stroked Lily's head, she seemed to sense something and looked up at me with a dissatisfied face.

"Hehe, sorry, sorry."

After that, I focused on the task at hand and kept stroking Lily's head.

After praising Lily, it was Tore's turn.

Given what happened last night, I couldn't afford to mess this up.

"Tore is still so mature."

"…Yeah."

Tore's original quietness and the fact that she doesn't act as affectionately towards me as Lily does make her seem more mature than her age.

"…"

She only nodded at my words and didn't try to talk further.

"Um, come here."

I beckoned Tore over, and when she came close, I stroked her head just like I did with Lily.

"…Mm…"

Even as Tore squirmed, ticklish, I didn't stop stroking her head.

"…It's okay, Tore is cute too."

I whispered that once and continued to stroke her head.

"Ah, thank you…"

"You're welcome."

After a while, when Tore seemed satisfied, I moved away from her.

When I did, I felt a bit reluctant to leave, but I thought it might be weird to keep stroking a girl's head, so I held back.

"Lady Nest and the others, it's time to move to the venue."

Just then, one of the maids called out to us.

"Huh, but isn't it a bit early?"

According to the letter I received, I thought the party was supposed to start in the evening...

"No, the guests who attend the party also go around greeting people, so this time is appropriate."

"Oh, I see."

If the maid said so, it must be true.

We were led by the maid to the venue where the party was being held.

The party venue was already filled with several nobles, as the maid had said.

"Hey, Aula, what should we do in a situation like this!?"

I was about to ask Aula if we should also greet people when several men suddenly intruded between Aula and me.

"My name is Aiwui!"

"I'm Weim! Nice to meet you!"

It seemed they were all introducing themselves to Aula.

Well, Aula is indeed beautiful, so it's not surprising that she would be surrounded in a place like this.

"Then, I'll ask Tore..."

But it was too late.

Tore was also surrounded by a few boys.

I wondered if Lily was okay and saw that she had attached herself to me to avoid the trouble.

"…"

Eh, no one came to me?

…Lily is here, isn't she!

"…Um, let's go to the corner..."

"Huh?"

In the end, I took the puzzled Lily and went to the corner of the venue.

As we did, more and more food was being brought into the venue.

There were meats, vegetables, and even fruits—truly a wide variety of dishes.

From the looks of it, the guests were allowed to eat the food that was being served.

"Does Lily want to eat?"

"Mm-hm."

Looking at Lily's face, it seemed she wasn't very hungry yet, so I decided to wait a bit longer.

*Clatter*

Suddenly, the sound of a plate breaking echoed through the venue.

"I-I'm so sorry!"

I heard a woman's apology.

Looking around, it seemed a young maid had dropped a plate of food and was now bowing repeatedly while cleaning up the broken pieces.

The nobles around her didn't voice any complaints, but their expressions were not very pleasant.

"Ouch!"

Then, the maid seemed to have cut her finger on the plate and let out a small cry.

"Nest?"

When Lily called out to me, I was already rushing over to the maid.

"Hehehe~"

Lily was smiling, perhaps pleased that I understood what she wanted.

"Show me your hand."

"E-Eh, o-okay..."

The maid hesitantly extended her uninjured hand to me, perhaps worried that I might scold her.

"No, the other one."

I took the maid's other hand. I wasn't trying to do anything bad, so it was fine to ignore her fear for now.

"Heal."

I cast the healing spell.

The injury on the maid's hand, which had been bleeding, was instantly and completely healed.

"Um, I'll be going now."

Leaving the dazed maid behind, I returned to the corner of the venue with Lily.

"Nest is so cool!!"

"Thanks."

I smiled at Lily's praise and continued walking.