Although both were no good, Liriette lived a completely different life from an ordinary child.
She was confined to the temple all her life, serving the goddess and being swayed by the High Priest.
To Liriette, ‘friend’ was something special.
“I want to get along well with Angela. So, can I attend the tea party? I will do my best not to make a mistake.”
Looking at Liriette speaking with an earnest expression, Olivia remembered what had happened a long time ago.
Even Laurencio had no friend.
Her young son had no such cute concerns at all.
Rather than that, if someone approached him to get closer, he would just spit out a word with a cold gaze.
[Screw off.]
‘Compared to Laurencio back then, this kid is truly lovable.’
Olivia said, looking at Liriette with a gaze as if she couldn’t stand this.
“Of course. You can go anytime.”
Liriette looked at the Duke, unable to hide her delight. The Duke’s reaction wasn’t too different from Olivia’s.
The moment the Duke nodded his head, Liriette smiled brightly then hugged both the Duke and Olivia.
“Thank you, Dad. Grandma.”
A child’s short arms could never hold two large adults at once. It just felt like her arms were barely hanging over their bodies.
Nevertheless, the cheeks of the Duke and Olivia blushed slightly.
The child’s warm body temperature was so nice.
***
Liriette wore a diamond-studded braid and let her wavy, silver hair hang down.
On top of that, she wore a light blue dress with a dainty ribbon and shimmering white shoes.
The maid Marie, who had helped Liriette dress up, almost screamed.
‘Northern people! Come here and look at the cuteness of our Miss Liriette!’
It was Olivia standing there exuding a tremendous presence that made her able to resist that urge.
She nodded her head with a satisfied face.
“That’s enough. It’s perfect for the Young Princess of Windsor-Ice.”
Liriette smiled in relief at Olivia’s evaluation. However, Marie was saddened to the point of going crazy.
‘Madam, to think that you’re ending it with a remark of ‘that’s enough’. Aren’t you being too stingy with praise? How cute and lovely our Miss Liriette is right now. It’s to the point where I’m worried about what if she goes out like that and gets kidnapped by some scoundrels!’
Fortunately, Marie was able to put an end to that worry.
Because of the orders of the Duke, who saw Liriette.
“Let’s increase Liriette’s escort force by five times.”
A huge carriage pulled by five reindeer. Seeing the hundreds of knights surrounding, Liriette blinked her eyes.
“Are all these people going with me?”
“Yes.”
She said to the Duke, who nodded.
“…But, Duke, I’m not going to fight a dragon. I’m just going to play at Miss Angela’s tea party.”
“…”
“Thank you so much for caring about me, but if I take that many knights, won’t Miss Angela be terrified and ask for help?”
To the Duke who didn’t say anything, Olivia said too.
“That’s correct. Don’t bother Liriette with her friends and change the escorts. Excluding those whose faces are too grim, put in those who have good impressions.”
Liriette couldn’t stand it and cried out.
“Their faces aren’t the only problem right now!”
Miss Liriette is the cruelest.
The escort knights, who had muscles that seemed to explode and an intimidating atmosphere, shed tears inwardly.
In the end, according to Liriette’s opinion, the number of escorts was reduced and reduced to twenty.
‘There are still too many people for a moment’s hang out.’
The Duke said to Liriette who thought so,
“Spring has come and it has become warm, but the north is the north. You never know when monsters or beasts will appear. It’s good to be prepared for risks.”
At her son’s words, Olivia rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t know you thought so. You don’t even care if I bring knights with me when I go anywhere.”
“Couldn’t Mother protect your body by yourself?”
Olivia wasn’t just an elegant and beautiful lady.
Like the Windsor-Ice family, where strength is a virtue, she also learned swordsmanship.
So that she can fight whenever the enemy appears.
“But not Liriette. She’s still small and tender.”
“I suppose so, but…”
Marie, who was standing next to Liriette, said bravely.
“Don’t worry, both of you. Won’t I go with her? I will do my best to serve Miss Liriette so that nothing dangerous will happen even to her nails.”
Marie bent her arms and gave strength as if to dispel their worries.
Only after seeing her muscles swell as if her clothes were about to burst, the Duke and Olivia nodded in approval.
Only then was Liriette able to leave the mansion.
She waved her hand through the carriage’s small window.
“Then I’ll be going!”
The Duke and Olivia waved their hands with expressionless faces—subtly smiling if one looked closely.
“Have a good trip.”
Simon and the maids bowed down with more colorful expressions than the masters.
“Please be careful.”
There are so many people who care for me.
Knowing that, Liriette wasn’t at all nervous about going out alone for the first time in the north.
***
Liriette arrived at the mansion of the Marquis of Brightini.
“Welcome, Miss Liriette. I missed you!”
Angela greeted Liriette with a bright smile.
Angela, with her golden hair in two pigtails and a fluttering white dress, looked like an angel.
“Thank you for inviting me to the tea party.”
“I ‘m really glad you came.”
Angela casually crossed her arms around Liriette’s and ushered her into the tea party room.
Fifteen girls were sitting in a pretty place, where the sun was shining through the large windows.
Most of them were noble ladies whom she had seen at the banquet held at Windsor-Ice Castle a few days ago.
The girls squealed and greeted Liriette.
“It’s been a while, Miss Liriette.”
“You look really pretty in your outfit today.”
Liriette’s gaze stopped in one place as she frantically greeted the girls.
A girl sitting quietly at the end of the table.
Her bright red wavy hair. The tails of the eyes lifted up like a cat. Golden hair that shimmers like jewels.
Liriette was stunned involuntarily.
‘Whoa… How pretty.’
Liriette met many people with good looks in the north.
First of all, the Duke who she saw every day, whose face looks like that of a statue, and Olivia was also a great beauty.
Simon, the butler, was also a compliant young man who could be liked by anyone.
But among children her age, she had never seen such a gorgeous and pretty child.
Angela, noticing Liriette’s gaze, said.
“Ah, Miss Liriette must be seeing Karina for the first time. Karina didn’t attend the banquet a few days ago.”
As expected. I see.
If she saw such a pretty kid, there’s no way she wouldn’t remember it.
Liriette lifted the hem of her skirt slightly with a shy expression.
“Hello, Miss Karina. I’m Liriette of the Duke of Windsor-Ice.”
However, unlike Liriette’s gentle greeting, Karina’s was cold.
“I’m Karina, the eldest daughter of Baron Redsia.”
Her appearance showed no flattery or goodwill towards the Duke of Windsor-Ice.
Curious about her attitude, which was clearly different from that of the other ladies, Liriette stared at Karina.
The girls, who mistook Liriette’s gaze for displeasure, interjected.
“Karina. Miss Liriette greeted you first, but to think that you’re so stiff.”
“That’s right. You have to be polite and say hello. No matter how screwed up you are, you are still the daughter of a baron.”
“It’s too harsh to say that she’s screwed up. It’s just that Karina’s situation at home is a bit difficult. To the point where she wears a dress that has been worn for years.”
Liriette was taken aback by the rude words, yet Karina’s expression didn’t change at all.
She only looked the other side, putting on an expression as if dogs were barking at her.
At that time, Angela, who was next to Liriette, stepped out.
“Girls. Don’t talk to Karina like that.”
“I was just kidding.”
“Don’t do it though. More than anything else, today is a special day for Miss Liriette, who came to my tea party for the first time. I just want you to talk about things that will make Miss Liriette happy.”
“Alright. I’ll be careful, Angela.”
The girls who responded obediently looked away from Karina and smiled.
As if the scowling faces and pointy words that they had just shown were false.
Liriette, who watched the whole situation, gulped.
The girls whose expressions changed in an instant.
Karina’s expression didn’t even change in spite of the harsh words.
Even Angela, who subdued the girls with a quiet voice.
She couldn’t believe they were only ten years old.
‘Nobles are different.’
Angela grabbed her hand and pulled it.
“Sit down here, Miss Liriette.”
It was right next to Angela.
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