Chapter 67
"It's been a month since the rumored Music Festival, but no one approaches Celes anymore, right?"
While moving, Sil smirked like a mischievous child who succeeded in a prank when I showed a displeased face without responding to the sudden, out-of-context topic.
"The obvious harassment has stopped, but the stares are annoying."
"Ah... indeed."
"It's not hostility or malice, but rather a kind of awe."
"Having the wealth to attend the Music Festival, naturally taking a seat among the royal section to greet others, and being engaged to the second son of a Marquis family who serves as a close aide to His Highness, the Crown Prince. With rumors like these spreading, everyone is too intimidated to approach."
"Dealing with fools every single time was tiresome, so wasn't this just perfect?"
"Things are going to get busy from now on, so it's good that I don't have to be distracted by unnecessary matters. Should we thank Billy and the others for spreading the rumors?"
Unlike Severi, Sil teased me with a cheerful grin, but my glare had no effect on him at all.
Regarding the greetings to the royals and being the fiancée of someone from a Marquis family, it seems Billy and other lower-ranking noble children, who returned to Taurus earlier than I did, talked about it at school. The slightly exaggerated rumors spread across the school in no time, and upon returning to the dormitory, I was surrounded by Ellie and the others, learning about it for the first time.
"I've already thanked them, haven't I?"
"...Didn't you grab each of them one by one and threaten them with a smile?"
"Billy probably thought it was for Celes' sake and meant well."
What part of it was meant well...?
However, my brothers Liam and Roberto, who were already aware of these rumors, praised Grandfather for silencing the nobles who made a fuss about scandals involving the royal family. They were also quite pleased with Billy and the others, saying they did a good job.
Perhaps because of these rumors, nobles look at me with fear in their eyes, while commoners direct some incomprehensible, fervent gazes at me.
By the way.
"Has it already been a month?"
The Music Festival I attended for the first time with Grandfather.
Returning from the lake with Rudo and Renato, I went to bid farewell to Father instead of Grandfather, who was still in conversation with His Majesty the King. Mirabel and Floyd were there as well.
"Well then, see you next year."
"We'll meet again soon, so wait for me."
Nodding to Rudo and Renato, who called out to me as they returned to their seats, I suddenly found my arm grabbed and pulled by Floyd, who had somehow come close to me.
"I heard you took my fiancée to the lake. Thank you."
I felt like he emphasized the part about me being his fiancée, but more than that, why was Floyd thanking Their Highnesses on behalf of me or Father?
"It was a very precious time. Since I got to see Celes smiling so adorably, I'm the one who should be thanking you."
Unlike Rudo, who gave a wry smile, Renato stepped forward and directed an angelic smile at Floyd.
While inwardly swooning over how adorable Renato was, right after I said, "Well then, see you next year," Floyd lightly bowed to Rudo and the others, pulled my arm that he was holding, and quickly started walking toward the exit of the Ballroom.
I signaled to Father, who was watching us, by lifting my chin to indicate I'd go ahead, and before I could ask Floyd if we shouldn't say something to Mirabel, I noticed his somewhat desperate expression and closed my mouth.
Normally, whenever we left, Mirabel was always by Floyd's side, and I would walk behind them with my head down while they chatted happily...
Why does he look so sad, so frustrated? Without asking Floyd, who kept glancing at me in the carriage, we remained silent until Mirabel joined us.
The eventful Music Festival somehow ended safely. After being held back by Father to stay at our secondary residence in the Royal Capital for a couple of days, all that was left was to return straight to Taurus in time for the biannual academic exam... or so it was supposed to be.
The carriage journey, where the travel time was longer than the time spent staying, put more strain on the body than expected. I had to expend considerable effort persuading Grandfather, who threw a tantrum about staying a few nights in a town we stopped at for lodging.
Reflecting on memories from a month ago, thinking how much fun the Music Festival was compared to previous ones, I suddenly remembered something and turned to the two walking beside me.
"Why didn't you two attend the Music Festival?"
Sil and Severi, whose family wealth rivals that of high-ranking nobles, did not attend the Music Festival.
I had heard from them beforehand that they wouldn't be participating, but they hadn't told me the reason why.
I hesitated to ask, wondering if there might be some complicated reason, but since they brought up the topic just to tease me, it should be fine to ask now.
I was prepared to retract the question if their expressions changed even slightly, but there was no change in Sil or Severi. In fact, they seemed to find it a bit amusing.
"Well, Adote is a nouveau riche noble family, and our coloring is unique to Sleiran. If people like us appear in public, the longstanding nobles of this country won't look kindly on us, right? Besides, standing out too much isn't good."
"Standing out causes some kind of inconvenience?"
"Hmm, well..."
"Severi."
"Ask Sil."
Sil dodged the question with a vague smile, clearly not intending to answer. I turned my gaze to Severi and asked, but he reacted the same way.
"I see. It seems I was the only one who thought of you two as friends..."
"Hey, that's unfair! We're friends, aren't we? Right?"
"..."
Leaving behind a flustered Sil and a silent, frozen Severi, I headed first toward the Training Ground where the afternoon classes were being held.
Until the results of the academic exam came out, we spent this time maintaining weapons or observing training, but starting today, it's the long-awaited practical training, and I'm aware that I'm quite excited.
In mixed classes, if you pass both basic academic studies and basic physical training, you can move on to practical training like Swordsmanship or Martial Arts.
For the academic exam alone, nobles don't struggle much, while commoners, who have helped with their parents' work since childhood, handle physical training with ease.
The challenge seems to lie in balancing both. Harrison, the instructor, laughed heartily, saying, "It'd be great if someone could advance to the next stage within a year!" Yet, contrary to his expectations, three people passed in just half a year.
Yesterday, I witnessed Harrison, the instructor, collapse to his knees upon seeing the results of the academic exam.
Incidentally, Sil and Severi, who saw it with me, looked down at Harrison crawling on all fours and burst into laughter.
"Celes making a joke? You must be really excited..."
"Harrison, the instructor, let slip that Ivan Tseli, who we thought would only guide upperclassmen, will also be in charge of first-year Swordsmanship training."
"Let slip...? Anyone would talk if interrogated with such intense pressure."
I only asked who would be in charge so as not to be rude to the instructor, but it's Harrison's fault for being mean and refusing to tell me at first.
"I think we'll start with forms and swings, but will Ivan Tseli be by our side to guide us...?"
Stopping abruptly in front of the Training Ground's gate, I muttered while pressing down on my painfully pounding heart.
"Celes looks like a maiden in love right now..."
"A maiden wouldn't talk about forms and swings."
"And that expression."
The onlookers are noisy, but more importantly, once I step inside, the Ivan Tseli I admire will be there.
"But since he's a busy person, there's a chance he might just greet us and leave the rest to other instructors..."
"Your expression... it looks the same as usual to me."
"Look closely. Her eyes are sparkling."
"Her eyes..."
"Yes, her eyes."
"If that's the case, I just need to pass quickly and move on to the next stage... What is it?"
Feeling a strange gaze, I lifted my lowered eyes to find Sil and Severi peering at my face from both sides, staring intently.
"Celes, you're kind of a disappointing girl, aren't you?"
"...Huh?"
"If you stayed quiet, you'd be a maiden."
"...What are you talking about?"
Leaving me stunned by their sudden words, just like when they brought up the Music Festival topic, Sil and Severi let out exaggerated sighs as they passed through the Training Ground's gate.