The sun has sunk midway in the sky, the sound of resonant bells echoing all over the Royal Capital as the clock struck 3. The stall vendors continued to sell, the builders continued to build, and the soldiers continued to patrol. It was peaceful as usual.
Peace was even more notable in the noble's district, only the monotonous sound of carriages passing through to be heard, the horses neighing as they pulled the cars behind them, accompanied the occasional lashing of the whip.
In that very district, inside a glamorous and beautiful mansion, a little angel basked under the gentle sunlight, her stomach heaving up and down as she snored ever so peacefully, making sweet faces from time to time.
"Waah～! Anne is still so cute when she's sleeping!" ［Yuna］
"Right～? She's my daughter, after all!" ［Vanessa］
"Big Sis Vanessa, let's take a lot of pictures!" ［Yuna］
And beside the sleeping angel, two figures were admiring her passionately, their loud voices echoing in the room. Though fortunately, a barrier was already erected so the little angel can continue to sleep in peace.
If there was something else to be heard, it was the soft chimes of the spirit hovering about the little angel. It may not have eyes but one could easily tell from its actions that it was observing the sleeping Antoinette, curiously and adorably.
'The spirit's really fond of Anne, huh...' ［Grey］
It has been quite some time since Grey and Yuna arrived at the Filastra mansion, and while Grey did think of telling Vanessa the truth about Antoinette's aptitude with the spirits, he and Yuna decided to hold off on the thought,
Not only was it a difficult topic to talk about, it could also risk getting Grey exposed. It was a situation he wanted to avoid at all cost as his daily life with Yuna could be very much jeopardized at one wrong step. It was far too risky.
Plus, Antoinette was still young so no one would mind if she played around with them since they would only think it was an imaginary friend or something of the sort. They decided that they would only reveal the truth when they learn more about spirits and when the little angel is old enough.
"Grey, would you like to take some photos of Anne as well? I heard from Yuna that you're good at making albums. Can you teach me later?" ［Vanessa］
"I don't deserve that much credit, but I'll do my best." ［Grey］
"Great! Just what I would expect from my Little Brother!" ［Vanessa］
Or so she says but they really weren't siblings or anything blood related. Her real younger brother is still at the castle, working his best and buried in a mountain of paperwork that his older sister dumped on him.
Well, it's not like it was the first time it happened anyway. Kurt and the others are already used to Vanessa's antics after being with her for years. Even if they didn't want to get used to it, there was nothing they could do about it.
Moreover, the opponent was Vanessa. God knows what kind of mischief she's up to once everyone takes her eyes off her. She might look like a gentle mother right now, but deep inside she was still the same troublemaker she has always been.
"It was really hard raising Anne at first, but seeing her sleep like this just melts all my fatigue and anguish away. She's really an angel, isn't she?" ［Vanessa］
"Mmn... Big Sis Vanessa... Is it really difficult being a mother?" ［Yuna］
"Well, yes, that's a matter of fact. Especially when you have work, juggling your time really becomes a hassle. Why do you ask?" ［Vanessa］
"W.. Well... In several years' time, I... I would also become one, wouldn't I...? I... I'm just trying to prepare myself... Is all..." ［Yuna］
"Fufufu～! You sure are adorable, aren't you, Yuna～?" ［Vanessa］
Though, rather than thinking about how to deal with Vanessa, it seems like Grey has to deal with someone even more difficult. She makes those surprise attacks from time to time, but it is when she's unaware of what she just said that it lands a critical hit.
Well, it didn't take a long time for the young lady to realize what she just said, her face exploding a fierce red color as steam rose from embarrassment. Panic struck her heart as she looked at her beloved, heart racing like galloping stallions.
"G-Grey! I-I-I... I didn't... I mean, I did, b-but! Th-That's not it! I meanー" ［Yuna］
"It's alright. I get it already, so please stop. You're only making it worse." ［Grey］
"S-Sorry... I'm not ready yet, I promise..." ［Yuna］
Grey doesn't even know what the hell was going on, but all he knew was that his beloved really was something, packing a destructive power even more powerful than his fists. He truly couldn't understand her...
The clock ticked a little more, and the two finally calmed down. Whilst the little angel continued to drift in dreamland, everyone was chatting happily, talking about all sorts of topics from food to the various mysteries in the world.
It was a peaceful time, everything flowing naturally as they let themselves be carried away by the current of destiny. And whilst that was happening, Vanessa suddenly remembered something important, making a "Hmn?" sound inside her mind.
"Oh, right... Grey, Yuna, are you ready for the party?" ［Vanessa］
"Eh? Party...? What party?" ［Yuna］
"Hm? You silly things, what else would I be talking about? Princess Natalia's 3rd birthday party, of course! Don't tell me you forgot?!" ［Vanessa］
"Oh, that... The Little Princess' birthday party... Hm?" ［Grey］
One... Two... Three... And a couple more seconds. Silence swallowed the air and the two stared into one another's eyes. It took a little bit of time before what Vanessa said registered inside their minds, but when it finally did...
""Eh?! The Little Princess' 3rd birthday party?!"" ［Grey and Yuna］
... A boisterous clamor rang in the air, two shocked faces floating all of the sudden. What followed after was a couple of loud thuds as Grey and Yuna slammed the table, almost breaking it to smithereens by the sheer amount of force alone.
When they realized how loud they just were, they quickly covered their mouths and looked at Antoinette's crib. Thankfully, the sound-isolating barrier was still in effect and the little angel was still sleeping soundly. They heaved sighs of relief.
The two then sat back down and calmly tried to assess the situation, both frowning as they were sent to deep thinking. It truly was a shocking revelation, but they got a little too worked up. It was a little bit embarrassing, to be fair.
"Oh my, have you forgotten already? For someone so smart, you two are rather forgetful, aren't you, Grey, Yuna?" ［Vanessa］
"No, Big Sis Vanessa... Rather than forgetful... We weren't even informed that the Little Princess is holding a birthday party... Even the last time we visited, we only ate sweets and played around like usual." ［Grey］
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"Hm? Why are you here today then?" ［Vanessa］
"That... We were buying alchemy ingredients for Yuna." ［Grey］
"Un. There's been a shortage recently in Galderia, after all. Though... Coming here really wasn't all that productive as there's also a shortage here." ［Yuna］
It was a little unexpected, but they were glad that they came to the Filastra mansion for the day. Otherwise, they would have completely missed the news about the Little Princess'. They don't know whether they should call themselves lucky or unlucky.
Though, after learning about it, it was still worrying that they don't know anything about it. They just visited a few days ago, and there wasn't any mention of it. They feel at loss, neither of them knowing what they should do.
"Maybe we're not invited...?" ［Yuna］
"No, that's impossible! I could have sworn His Majesty wanted to invite you. Princess Natalia is fond of you two, after all. She would cry if you didn't attend." ［Vanessa］
"Hmm... Then what could it be..." ［Grey］
Vanessa was absolutely right, but with that, things became even more puzzling. Grey and Yuna stopped and thought for a long while for an answerー or well, at least they wanted to, but it didn't even take them a couple seconds then realize the problem.
『Grey... It's His Majesty's fault again, isn't it?』 ［Yuna］
『Yeah, that's most likely... No, I'm sure it's his fault... That damn King...』 ［Grey］
There wasn't even a need to argue as they could already guess what happened. The King simply forgot to tell them about the Little Princess' birthday party or something along those lines. It was the King they were talking about, after all.
The two of them have no grudge against the King, they really don't, but seeing as how he forgot to tell them something so important, they just want to give him a good smacking. Just a couple of smacks to get him back to his senses.
Meanwhile, in a certain room decorated with lavish furniture and luxurious works of art, a certain man suddenly stopped using his pen. He felt an itch in his ears and he scratched it soon after, jolting as if he just heard something disturbing.
"Hm? Did you hear something just now, Anderson?" ［Ernes］
"Please focus on your duties, Your Majesty." ［Anderson］
It was none other than the King who was still in the middle of signing the paperwork. ANd beside him was the ever so responsible Prime Minister, looking quite angry as he talked back to the King. Karma had already struck him.
Back in the Filsatra residence, Grey and Yuna were still frowning, wearing troubled expressions on their faces as they tried to think up a gift for the Little Princess. It was a simple task, but also troubling at the same time.
After all, the Little Princess was a royal. Even if they don't give a luxurious gift, they at least wanted it to be memorable. If they could make something handcrafted, then it would even better as they can rest assured with the quality of the product,
"Anyway, when is this party again, Big Sis Vanessa" ［Grey］
"Oh, it's going to be held tonight. At 6 o'clock to be precise." ［Vanessa］
Said Vanessa with the calmest look on her face, but the same couldn't be said for Grey and Yuna. They are now both frozen and speechless, looking as if the world is crumbling down before them. They aren't just shocked, they are extremely shocked.
""EEEHHHHHH?!!!"" ［Grey and Yuna］
It went without saying that a pair of booming and thundering screams ruptured the air and rocked the whole mansion. They were so loud, all the birds in the garden were spooked, flying away as fast as they could, scared as can be.
"G-G-Grey! Wh-What should we do?! Should we just buy gifts from across the streets?! No! Wouldn't that seem insincere! Ah! Maybe there's something in my storage ring! Maybe the Little Princess would like thatー" ［Yuna］
"Yuna, calm down a little bit, alright? Plus, there's only herbs inside your storage ring! I doubt the Little Princess would like them! She's still a toddler, you know?" ［Grey］
"R-Right! Then what about your 'Inventory'? Is there something we can use to give her? Maybe some jewelry?! What about money?!" ［Yuna］
"No, that won't do! There's no sincerity in those either! And we mostly have weapons, remember? There's absolutely no way we should do that!" ［Grey］
What came after shock was panic, the two running around in circles as they tried to think of a present for the Little Princess. With only less than 3 hours left for them, it only made things even more difficult, the two confused as can be,
Meanwhile, Vanessa was only giggling by their side. She always sees the two so calm and cheerful, so seeing them panic like that was somewhat refreshing. She couldn't help but break a smile at the rare sight of the two.
"Fufufu! Then let this Big Sis of yoursー" ［Vanessa］
"Sorry, Big Sis Vanessa, but we'll be going now! We still have to search for a gift for the Little Princess. We had a wonderful time here!" ［Grey］
"Un! Please look after Anne and give me some photos of her later too! Let's continue our conversation next time, okay? Promise?" ［Yuna］
Vanessa tried to extend a helping hand to the troubled youths, but she was just one step too late. Before she could even speak her words, the two suddenly dashed out of the room and left in a hurry as if someone was chasing them.
"Eh...? Will they be okay...?" ［Vanessa］
A single question floating in the air, silence soon swallowed the room. Meanwhile, the winds continued to howl at Grey and Yuna's wake, a veil of invisibility hiding them from the public eyes as they leaped from one roof towards another.
What would have taken several minutes to travel only took them a few minutes as they rode along the winds, reaching the gates to the outer district soon enough. The sight of a million buildings greeting them as the clock towers continued to tick.
The two of them were so much in a hurry, they didn't even bother and tried putting back their disguises on and simply rushed away. With only so little time in their hands, they don't even care about being seen anymore.
"Yuna, I'll take the left, you take the right. Let's meet back at the mansion before 5 o'clock. Is that fine?" ［Grey］
"Un! Copy that!" ［Yuna］
There was no need to think so much. As soon as Grey gave his command, Yuna simply followed and the two of them parted ways. They both darted out like bullets, flying off into different directions with a trace of urgency on their faces.
Yuna headed to the east and continued hopping along the roofs of the houses, her steps silent as the dead and the winds whistling past her as she darted like a passing hurricane, making the birds fly as she approached.
Her eyes swam left and right as she scanned the vicinity of any notable stores which she could get a present from. There were accessory shops, bakeries, pastry shops, and many more, but what caught her eyes the most was...
'This is it...!' ［Yuna］
She descended down the roof, landing light as a feather. She had already taken off her "Nihility" and so she has been revealed to the world, shocking the eyes of many as she suddenly dropped from above, not even making a single sound.
But Yuna paid no heed to the eyes of the masses, and simply looked straight ahead, her eyes peering through the glass windows as she observed the display items of the shop. From teddy bears to tops and rattles, they were all present. It was a toy shop!
CLING CLING CLING CLING
She opened the doors and the chimes rang in the air. Yuna soon entered the shop and a sight of happiness greeted her. There were toys left, right, and all over the plays. Not just for children, but for those kids at heart as well.
Though, as much as she was curious, Yuna was even more panicky as time was not on her side. Her eyes quickly swam left and right, scanning for every toy she could find that the Little Princess might like, crossing dozens off the list in an instant.
"Huh...? Silver hair, that's a rare sight, isn't it?"
"Mama, look! The Elf Big Sister has nice blue eyes!"
"Eh?! An elf with silver hair and blue eyes...? Don't tell me..."
Well, she wasn't the only one who was fidgety. The more people took note of her redeeming features, the more commotion there was in the air. She was quite the looker as well, so many were especially captivated by the sight of her,
It didn't take too long for everyone to piece the puzzle together. After all, there are only so many elves who had a combination of silver hair and blue eyes. She was also in the same age range, as well. Only a single figure came to their mind.
"Uh... Umm... Big Sister! Are you a Hero?"
An innocent child asked, looking at Yuna with such expectant eyes. And hearing his words, every other person in the store quickly looked at her. Even the ones outside peeked a little bit, all of them wanting to hear her answer.
Normally, Yuna would have just denied the question and moved on quietly. But now was not a time for that. Rather, it may even be beneficial to do the opposite. And so, she took out the Medal of Honor from her storage ring,
"A-Ah, sorry for my son. He was just curious, he didn'tー"
"Fufufu! It's fine, it's fine. And... Yes, people do call me that from time to time. My name is Yuna. What's your name?" ［Yuna］
Said the young lady whilst showing the sparkly and eye-catching Medal of Honor, a smile floating on her face. The very moment she did that, she basically confirmed everyone's suspicion. And their reactions were...
"Ohh!! It really is Her Highness! Look, she has the medal on her hand!"
"It must be our lucky day! To think I would meet Her Highness today!"
"She really is as beautiful as the rumors say! Should we ask for an autograph?!"
... Just as expected. An excited clamor rocked the store and rumors quickly spread like wildfire. The children's eyes were all sparkly and excited as they looked at Yuna with admiration, jumping up and down as they couldn't contain their joy.
It was rowdy and chaotic, the very reason why Grey and Yuna always hide their identities when they're out in the Royal Capital. But thanks to it, everyone now knew who Yuna was. She could finally move on to the next stage of her plan.
"Actually, everyone, it's a little embarrassing and... It might be a little bit troublesome for you, but... Could I ask you all a favor?" ［Yuna］
"A favor from Her Highness...? Isn't that amazing?"
"Of course, Your Highness! You're our Hero so you can ask us anything!"
"Me too! I'll also help Your Highness!"
It was effective, no, actually, maybe it was a little too effective. Yuna has yet to say what she wanted their help for but everyone was already full of enthusiasm, offering their help without hesitation with bright smiles plastered on their faces.
It wasn't just the adults, but the children as well, cheering happily as soon as they heard Yuna's words. They were so enthusiastic, they looked like warriors heading towards the battlefield. It was actually a little bit scary.
Then and there, Yuna then explained her situation and everyone attentively listened to her, nodding their heads from time to time. It wasn't that big of a problem so even the children could understand it. It wasn't long before they finished.
"I see, I see, so Your Highness is picking a present for Her Highness, Princess Natalia... That is quite the trouble indeed."
The people looked even more serious than Yuna was, thinking deeply about it. After all, the present in question was for a princess, after all. Even if they weren't the one giving, they would still feel nervousー or so what Yuna thought...
"Your Highness, lowly as I may be, let me assist you in your endeavors!"
"Ohh! We get to pick a present for the Princess! Isn't this amazing!"
"This is the chance of a lifetime! Let me help you too, Your Highness!"
... But the people became even more enthusiastic than before after hearing her out, their eyes lit ablaze with passion as they swore to help Yuna. It was a sight to behold indeed, Yuna puzzled whether she should be happy or puzzled.
Just like that, everyone then started scouring the toy store for any suitable present for the Little Princess, trying to match Yuna's needs and bringing them to her for the final approval, even the owner of the store joining them.
Some people even went to the other stores and tried to search for a perfect present, the rumors only spreading far and wide as time continued to pass. It was as if there was an event or something, the streets filled with clamor and commotion.
"Your Highness, what do you think of this? It's fluffy and adorable."
"Hmm... That's true, but the color is too bright. Is there a different one?" ［Yuna］
"How about puzzles, Your Highness? Isn't Her Highness a smart one?"
"Oh! That's a good idea! Thank you for suggesting that!" ［Yuna］
At first, Yuna was worried about imposing on other people, but that worry soon faded away. Rather than being troubled, the people were actually quite happy to help out, picking out the presents with cheerful smiles on their faces.
Even the children were having some fun, thinking of it as some sort of treasure hunt game, and racing to see who can give Yuna a satisfactory present. Some were even counting the presents they picked, having a little silly competition of their own.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Royal Capital, a young man was just receiving a number of items from the counter, paying the appropriate amount, and heading back out to the open streets, the chimes ringing as he opened the doors.
"I hope the Little Princess will like these..." ［Grey］
That young man was none other than Grey who was just on the way out of the 2nd store he visited. It was an art shop with a bunch of pretty coloring material and high-quality paper which many kids love to draw with.
Grey has been using all his abilities to scout the Royal Capital of the potential stores which he could buy the perfect present from, now once again veiled in his disguise as to not attract any unwanted attention.
"Now then, where should I go next... Huh?" ［Grey］
And just as he was to head to search for other shops, he saw an unusually large traffic of people over one district of the Royal Capital. There weren't just hundreds, but thousands of people crowding around and creating a ruckus.
But perhaps even more surprising was the one who was at the center of the ruckus, it was none other than his dearest and most beloved fiancée, Yuna. Everyone was handing toys to her and she was accepting them, much to Grey's confusion.
"Wha... What the hell just happened...?" ［Grey］
CHAPTER 351 END