I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 100

Ariel couldn’t help but wonder what was going on as she saw the two people sniffling unexpectedly.

So, when she asked for the details, both Sally and Gria hesitated a bit, exchanging glances and silently debating if they should spill the beans.

But even that was caught by Ariel’s sharp gaze.

Feeling the need to be more assertive if she wanted them to speak, she insisted that if they didn’t want to humiliate themselves, they should speak up immediately.

Though she tried to soften her words, her tone was so firm that eventually, the two surrendered.

“So, that’s how it is.”

“W-well, it didn’t seem like she had bad intentions…”

Sally, who was naturally gentle, suddenly found herself defending Mirabel after hearing such things right to her face.

Of course, when they heard those words, both she and Gria were stunned, and later, they felt a bit upset too, but they didn’t think it was serious enough to blow up about.

Moreover, when reflecting on it, they could somewhat understand Mirabel’s side too.

The other party was the daughter of a grand duke, someone so prominent that only a select few from the social sphere could even say they’d met her, and people from other families were practically desperate to get a chance to connect with her.

Now, here was a woman who suddenly popped up, calling her by name and showing a bit of camaraderie.

But when Ariel asked how they had become close, they couldn’t even respond, stumbling through their words instead?

It was definitely a situation rife with misunderstanding.

“……”

However, despite Sally’s response, Ariel still seemed unsatisfied.

In fact, she frowned even more deeply than before, clearly showing her discomfort, prompting Edgar, who was watching from the side, to gently touch her shoulder to calm her down.

“Gria, do you think the same as Sally?”

“Huh? Y-yeah… It really was a situation that could lead to misunderstandings… No need to escalate things…”

Even Gria, who had been calm, stuttered while responding to Ariel.

Her response wasn’t even a full sentence or a single word but rather just a short sigh.

“…sigh.”

Ariel couldn’t comprehend it.

Were they simply kind-hearted, or were they just fools easily taken advantage of?

She fundamentally valued honor.

So, she generally didn’t make comments that would undermine someone else’s honor, but if someone insulted her or her loved ones, she would retaliate double.

And the incident that just occurred, while it could certainly be construed as a misunderstanding, was unmistakably an insult.

From the start, the notion of “room for misunderstanding” was utterly absurd to her.

The two didn’t do anything while using Ariel’s name; they were just having a private conversation that some deranged woman eavesdropped on and then blurted out nonsense.

Was there something to misunderstand here?

At least in her eyes, there was absolutely not.

“Listen up, Sally. Gria.”

“Y-yes…!”

“Even though this is my first face-to-face meeting with you in four years, and we’ve only communicated through letters before, I genuinely consider you both my friends.”

Ariel was generally someone who didn’t often look others in the eye.

Yet, she easily grew fond of those who made a good first impression, regardless of age or gender, and both Sally and Gria fell into that category.

There was no way she would have allowed them to call her by name so easily otherwise.

In fact, while they were choked up with emotion at having been referred to as friends just moments ago, she felt a twinge of disappointment on the inside.

Even though they hadn’t been able to meet in person, they had been in touch for four years, so to suddenly throw around terms like “friends” here was kind of disheartening.

On the other hand, she also wondered if they viewed her as too cold-hearted.

“And I don’t let slide anyone who brings shame to my friends, family, or loved ones. Got that?”

At her firm yet heartfelt statement, both of them looked moved, but soon they realized what she was getting at and timidly tried to object.

“B-but Ariel…”

“Enough with that, what’s your answer?”

“Y-yes…! A-ah, I understand.”

“Good. Well, it won’t cause any major harm, so don’t worry.”

There was a time she had acted unilaterally due to the weight of a crime alongside Vincent, ignoring Edgar’s advice, but this time she intended to let it slide lightly, considering their plea.

“Anyway, I apologize for the late introduction because of some uncultured woman. How have you both been?”

“Of course.”

“I’ve been so well it’s almost a problem.”

As Ariel lightly changed the subject and brought some cheer back into the atmosphere, the two nodded brightly, dropping the earlier matter.

“Back then, you only called us childhood friends… Looks like there’s been some progress, Ariel.”

While Sally prattled on about her current life, Gria caught onto the change between Edgar and Ariel just by observing them standing together.

It was no joke; back then, while they had been close, there had still been a peculiar distance, acting like a last line of defense.

To be precise, it was an impression coming mainly from Ariel maintaining that distance.

But now, it felt completely absent.

“Progress, you say… perhaps?”

“Hmm.”

Sally also realized this late and looked at the two with wide eyes filled with astonishment, while Ariel shrugged and subtly leaned into Edgar.

After all, she hadn’t intentionally shared this information in her letters, so the surprise would be considerable.

In fact, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that she initiated conversation the moment she entered the hall to witness this scene.

“Is it true, Edgar?”

While she didn’t doubt Ariel’s words, she also thought that since they hadn’t seen each other in a while, it was possible she had prepared a little prank to surprise them, so Sally asked for confirmation.

Edgar, glancing at Ariel and breaking into a playful grin, knew it was a smile she had seen many times before, so he couldn’t shake off a creeping sense of unease.

“I would like to say no, even as a joke, but I feel like I’d be in serious trouble with Ariel if I did.”

“Hmph, naturally. You try saying that, and I won’t let it go easily.”

As Ariel’s words seemed to ignite flames right in her hands, Edgar exaggeratedly stepped back with mock shock.

Meanwhile, the two women who had confirmed that the two had indeed become lovers finally offered their congratulations with soft smiles.

“Congratulations! You’ll invite us to the wedding, right?”

“If possible, I’d love to catch the bouquet…!”

Even in such a situation, Sally unashamedly revealed her wishes.

It seemed she must have someone she had her eye on, or perhaps her dreams of marriage were quite large.

To that, Ariel answered playfully that while she couldn’t guarantee it, she would try her best to let her catch the bouquet if possible.

“By the way, this feels quite a free-spirited atmosphere.”

“I was surprised too. I thought it’d feel more solemn.”

As Sally quietly mumbled while taking a drink from a passing servant, Gria nodded in agreement.

While they had thought of the word coming-of-age as a bit heavy, they also assumed the event being hosted by the Robeheim family added an extra layer of solemnity.

But the current atmosphere was no different from a typical social party.

And the two felt even more pleased to find that wasn’t the case.

“Since everyone here is to celebrate their coming of age, it doesn’t really need to be so heavy, right?”

“Seems like that was Ariel’s idea.”

“It’s not just my opinion; my father had the same thought. Since it’s a gathering of protagonists, we should create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.”

“Oh my, is it really the Duke of Robeheim…?”

Gria exclaimed with delight, clasping her hands together in a burst of emotion.

Being hosted by the Robeheim family, it was a given that Ariel would be the star of today’s coming-of-age ceremony.

That wasn’t necessarily a wrong assumption; in fact, it wasn’t unreasonable, so the two had somewhat envisioned a scenario where Ariel would step up to deliver the speech, leading the ambiance of the venue.

In other words, while it was a joyful occasion for everyone to celebrate their coming of age, they thought it would clearly be registered that the true star was someone else.

But the outcome was entirely different.

Whether it was Ariel or Yulken, even though they were hosting the coming-of-age ceremony, no one felt a strong pride or desire to show off about it.

They merely wished for it to be a modest occasion to celebrate everyone present finally crossing the true starting line of their lives.

“Still, how about saying a few words? Everyone might be secretly hoping for you to take the lead, Ariel.”

“Not really my style. Besides, Dad will be here soon; won’t that be enough?”

“Are you saying the Duke himself is coming?”

Hearing that the head of a grand house was coming was quite the news.

Especially since Gria had long admired him, her eyes lit up with excitement as she clasped her hands in front of her chest in earnest hope.

“Yes. But since it’s a rare gathering of many people, he thought it’d be appropriate to convey a few light blessings.”

Though Yulken generally preferred to stay away from such occasions due to the strong resemblance he bore to his father, he couldn’t refuse today due to Helene’s insistence.

Still, his situation was better than Ariel’s.

He had become accustomed to appearing at various events since becoming the head of the family, so he wasn’t as nervous when speaking in front of large crowds.

It was just that he didn’t particularly like stepping forward due to his temperament.

“I’m going to see him in person… Sally, pinch me. This isn’t a dream, right?”

“Get a grip, Gria. You’re going to faint before you even meet him at this rate.”

Sally supported Gria, who was swaying as if she might faint.

Watching this, Ariel couldn’t help but wonder what kind of admiration could incite such a reaction toward her father, who was indeed an impressive figure.

“Ariel, over there…”

“Huh? What’s up?”

As Ariel tilted her head in confusion, Edgar lightly tapped her shoulder, whispering and pointing to the left.

When she turned her gaze in that direction, she saw…

“I don’t like noisy things.”

“Come on, your friend has come to see you; that’s all you have to say?”

“Hmph.”

Approaching with a bright smile was Silvia, another one of Ariel’s friends and someone she was trying her best to avoid.

And beside her was some man she didn’t recognize.