Chapter 6

"Is it that funny? I mean, I’m a priestess."

I’m not of a status to be summoned to such a royal palace. I’m not in a position to attend in a dress.

"But it’s a ball. Even the priestess princess will be in a dress."

"The High Priestess will be in her ceremonial robes, though."

"The High Priestess, yes. Since she’s the head of the temple, she would naturally wear formal attire. Didn’t you get a dress?"

"From whom? Oh, Lord Carving? There’s no way I would get one. Besides, if I did, wouldn’t I end up in a terrible situation?"

"Hmm, I see," Deiva frowned.

Actually, Joshua did offer me a dress, but I declined.

Refusing was the only option here.

Standing before Alicia in a dress gifted by Joshua would be like asking to be executed. There’s a precedent for that.

I think my decision wasn’t wrong, but it’s disheartening to be looked at with such strange eyes.

The songstresses here are all in pure white dresses. A small bouquet of flowers on their shoulders serves as their mark. The invited songstresses can participate in the ball and dance.

Deiva, who teaches the songstresses, is already married and not a priestess, so she wears a dress in a more subdued color with the same bouquet. Her hair is also styled up to blend in at the evening event.

Everyone must have expected something like this, but I’m sorry, I just couldn’t read the room.

Oh, that’s why Joshua was angry. I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me. After all, this is my first time attending as a guest.

I realized now why Joshua had a strange look on his face when we left the townhouse in the capital.

I must have embarrassed him. I’m sorry. I need to apologize when I get back.

I don’t mind embarrassing myself, but I can’t let the lord be embarrassed.

Next time, I’ll be properly prepared.

I’ll choose something that’s easier to sell. After all, priests are poor.

One of the songstresses, trying to be considerate, offered me some tea.

"Thank you, but there’s no need to trouble yourself. I’ll be leaving soon."

"Eh? You’re not attending the ball?"

"I’m not going. What would I do in this outfit? Besides, I have a long journey starting tomorrow, so I want to get some rest."

It’s a 15-day carriage ride to the Carving territory. Another long journey starts tomorrow.

"Eh!! What did you come here for?!"

"To greet His Majesty the King."

"Have you seen the new piece by Lettimon? You were the one who arranged it! Surely, you’re not saying you can’t stay at the Carving townhouse again?! If so, come to my place! Or, you could go to the central temple. You don’t need to pay for lodging. You’re a priestess of the Etua Temple! Yes, you could stay at the temple’s guest quarters and teach these children!"

"Arietta-sama, please do that!"

Oh, you’re jumping on that.

But Deiva knew.

That response wasn’t normal.

When I was dispatched as a priestess, I asked the central temple how to get to the Carving territory, and they told me to go to the Carving townhouse. Without any suspicion, I went there, but they wouldn’t let me into the house.

Lord Joshua was away, and I was told not to enter a house without the master’s permission. So, I went to the central temple.

I don’t have much luggage since I’ve always stayed at the temple, but as a young woman, I do have some things.

Plus, I have my instruments, sheet music, tuning tools, and other items. Altogether, it filled a carriage, so I had it loaded onto a borrowed carriage and went to the temple. But from there, I couldn’t ask for a ride to Carving, and I wasn’t going to pay for it myself.

Then, an acquaintance priest got really angry.

It’s unacceptable for a lord not to send a carriage to welcome a priestess.

At first, I thought he was angry at me, but then he started asking about the maids and the guards.

I didn’t know about those things and answered that I didn’t have them, and he got even angrier, saying it was foolish to send a woman on a long journey without a guard. I got so annoyed that I said, "Fine, I’m leaving," and took a room on my own.

Now, thinking back, the priest was right, but as a songstress who was supposed to be a sheltered princess, it was only natural that I didn’t know these things.

Someone should have told me.

There are so many things I should have been told, and I’m finally getting used to how unfair life can be.

After that, I don’t know how it happened, but a royal guard was assigned to escort me, and a carriage was arranged from Carving. The butler from Carving apologized in a very unpleasant way, and the priest who scolded me also apologized, but in a sullen manner.

I was more surprised than angry at how insincere the apologies were.

Truly, in just a year, I’ve learned a lot about how dirty adults can be. I’m fed up.

I realized how much the songstresses are cherished.

But the treatment I received was enough to make me decide to quit being a priestess after five years.