Chapter 19

Princess Primera's birthday party is fast approaching.

Naturally, the guests of honor are the nobles and royalty from neighboring countries, as well as the nobles and their families from our own country.

While a prince's birthday celebration would be a national festival, in Princess Primera's case, it will only be a large-scale party.

Still, the guest list is terrifyingly long!!!

Ideally, I would have more time to prepare documents and various other things, but with my debut in society and family matters, it's been quite hectic. I've been working late into the night... not to the point of all-nighters, but I've been working hard.

But before that, I have a promise with Sir Dean Dain.

You see, I was looking forward to it?

Of course, I truly want to support that puppy-like boy's first love from the bottom of my heart!

After all, a knight who dedicates his love solely to Princess Primera and no one else is so heartwarming, isn't it?!

According to his recent letters (and his handwriting has improved a bit!), he has a pretty good idea of what gift to get. Ideally, he would have the merchants come to decide, but he apparently wants to go and see it with his own eyes.

Also, when I recommended reading the adventure tales that Princess Primera has been obsessed with recently, Sir Dean Dain apparently got hooked too.

It seems that the boy who was always studying and training, to the point where even Lord Aldar Saul was surprised, is now engrossed in reading books.

This will surely be a great topic to discuss at the next tea party!

By the way, Princess Primera is not of age yet, so she hasn't made her debut in society.

However, as a royal, she cannot avoid appearing at her own birthday party.

In such situations, it is customary in this country for young people who have not yet made their debut to wear masks when attending parties.

This is also to protect children from the mischief of troublesome adults with a penchant for young girls or boys.

Masked attendees must be accompanied by a family member or, if from an old family, a noble-born guard is allowed to accompany them—of course, an application for an escort is required, and in this case, carrying weapons is not permitted.

I have confirmed in the documents that Sir Dean Dain is planning to attend the party.

And since Lord Aldar Saul is also attending, he will likely be with his brother.

They are really such a close pair!

Speaking of brothers, my younger brother was surprised but also understood when I made my debut in society and he inherited the viscount's estate.

He apologized to me for feeling very guilty about escorting his older sister, but he wrote in his letter, "Still, I am very happy to be able to attend the party with my sister! I am looking forward to the day!" He is an angel.

So, as someone who will be attending the party, I basically just need to act as a lady-in-waiting, but since the other ladies-in-waiting and the princess's maids are working hard, I have more free time.

The head butler and the male staff of the princess's palace seem to be very supportive of my debut in society. Why, you guys, do you really have to give me a thumbs up in silence when you know how hard I'm working?!

Seriously, there are too many middle-aged men in the princess's palace (this is based on the king's bias that young men might do something inappropriate to Princess Primera, not my personal preference!!!!) and while it's nice that they treat me like a daughter, it's also quite bothersome!! I really wish they would stop leaving etiquette books for noble young ladies: advanced edition, and dance lesson manuals in my room.

Well, Princess Primera is happy about my debut in society, so I can't show a poor performance, and I want to look good in front of my brother too...

I got off track. I need to focus better.

Anyway, since I have some free time today, I need to go to the place where I have a promise with Sir Dean Dain.

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When I arrived, Sir Dean Dain was still as puppy-like as ever.

He seemed to be at maximum affection, and I even had the illusion that his tail was wagging so hard it might fall off!

I even felt like Lord Aldar Saul was holding a leash behind him...

When I wondered why Lord Aldar Saul was there, it turned out that he had agreed to Sir Dean Dain's request not to bring a guard knight, as a kind older brother.

Since he had already decided on what he wanted to buy, we went to the Rizil Trading Company, and the store manager, who appeared from behind, quietly handed me an envelope. It was scary. "I was entrusted with this from Lord Lead to you," or something like that... I understand because I had asked for information about my father's debts, but the manager's presence was so subtle that I almost screamed...

He gave me a nihilistic smile and said, "Your calm response is just as rumored," but I have no idea what he's talking about. Please stop, it's scary.

Lord Aldar Saul was strangely by my side the whole time and gave me a hair ornament on the way back... Is it okay to accept it?

Rizil Trading Company's products vary widely in price, but since we were in the expensive corner today...

Well, whether it's Sir Dean Dain or Lord Aldar Saul, the bill will go to the Baum Viscount's family!

Such transactions of expensive gold coins in such a place are in poor taste. In fact, they are dangerous.

Incidentally, he said the gift was a necklace, but Sir Dean Dain grunted for a while, asked me for advice several times, and then agonized over it again and again.

Ah—his serious expression as he thought about Princess Primera! So cute!!

Seeing Sir Dean Dain like this, I am certain that Princess Primera will be delighted with the gift.

Yes, when I got back, there was a book on my desk titled "Advanced Dance Techniques—Add This and You'll Captivate Gentlemen," but I'll pretend I didn't see it.