I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 43

The debutante ball is held every year in the annex of the Imperial Palace under the name of the Empress, not the Emperor.

The timing varies slightly, but it’s generally between April to June.

Of course, it’s not just a one-day affair; it’s hosted multiple times over a span of about two months.

During this time, young noble ladies from various families gather for their social debut, creating a magnificent garden of sorts.

Participants are typically aged between 14 to 19, though this timeframe can be moved up or pushed back depending on the family’s role and position.

For instance, if the family’s sole heir is a daughter, this period tends to be advanced quite quickly.

Included among these examples were daughters of high nobility.

“Ugh, it’s so uncomfortable… Do I really have to dress like this even though it’s not today?”

Ariel frowned at the ornate dress she was wearing, clearly unenthused.

Even if they travel through Dimensional Stones, they’ll arrive two days before the ball anyway.

So, is there really a reason to wear such cumbersome attire right now?

For her, who enjoys comfortable clothes over pretty ones, this value was incomprehensible.

“This time, you’ll be attending as the face of the Duke’s family. So, even if it’s uncomfortable, you have to endure it a little.”

“I get that. I just don’t see the need to bundle up like this already.”

“Because you never know who might see you. Plus, you look really beautiful!”

That wasn’t just empty flattery to keep her in good spirits.

Having turned fifteen, Ariel was blossoming into beauty, and with light makeup and the splendid dress she rarely wore, she appeared fantastically magnificent, as if a flower had spread its wings.

Her beauty was such that even another woman like Shuri felt a pang of jealousy, wishing she could experience life with that face for just a day.

“Well, of course that’s natural. But what about Ed?”

With her demeanor brightened by the compliment, Ariel finally had the leisure to look around and inquire about Shuri’s childhood friend and attendant.

Since she had gone through all this trouble to dress up, wouldn’t it be polite for him to come and see her once?

Not that she expected a compliment, but his role as her attendant was lacking if he wasn’t there to support her.

“He’s probably waiting in the hallway. Given your personality, there’s no way he would want to see himself being prepped.”

“Is that so? Hm… Ed thought that through well.”

Just when she was about to be a bit annoyed, she appreciated his consideration.

‘Shall I surprise him a little?’

Ariel’s mischievous nature, which had been subdued for a while, was now activating.

Given Ed’s dull personality, he wouldn’t show any reaction regardless of how prettily she presented herself.

So, what if she showed him a completely different side?

What if she showcased a noble and graceful demeanor fitting for a daughter of high nobility?

‘He seems to like women with a refined aura like my mother.’

Though he never explicitly affirmed it, Ariel sensed it from how he treated her.

She quickly recalled her mother’s usual behavior and finished her mental preparation.

It was no trouble for her to don a mask and imitate the refined, noble daughter, for she was undeniably the proud heir of the Robeheim family.

“Shuri, no matter how I look, don’t say anything, understood?”

“Y-yes?”

Shuri’s response to the sudden demand was tinged with confusion.

What on earth is this naive master up to this time?

At the very least, she should share her plan with him so he could handle the aftermath, but now she isn’t even doing that.

All she could do was hope it would go smoothly.

“Oh, you’re out? That dress is beautiful.”

“…”

As soon as she opened the door, Edgar casually remarked, pointing out the dress.

It didn’t sit well with Ariel that he singled out her outfit as beautiful, but for the moment, she decided to keep her mouth shut and maintain her graceful demeanor.

“Lady! It suits you perfectly!”

“Sir, you should have seen this moment…!”

Contrary to Edgar’s sober reaction, the surrounding attendants and others displayed explosive enthusiasm.

Even though the attendants saw Ariel’s beauty multiple times a day, they seldom witnessed her looking this stunning with such elegance, given her natural aversion to dressing up.

She was not yet an adult, but with her blossoming beauty and wings, she was so attractive that even other women could feel a flutter of excitement.

“Oh, by the way, this time, just Shuri and I will accompany you.”

“I see. Well, with you two, it’s more than enough. Thank you.”

“Uh, um….”

With a radiant smile reminiscent of Helene, Ariel responded, though Edgar frowned slightly, feeling a sense of unease and subtly leaned towards Shuri to whisper something.

Going by past experiences, he was sure his childhood friend hadn’t eaten something wrong this morning.

“…Shuri, what’s going on?”

“I-I don’t know either. Lady hasn’t told me anything…”

“I can’t believe this. What wind has blown to make her behave like this?”

Ariel’s whims had been tempestuous before, but today was perplexing because the direction was notably different.

In the end, the three left the main estate, feeling uneasy as they were seen off by the other attendees.

Following Shuri’s lead, they finally encountered Helene and the retainers waiting outside.

“I’m sorry, daughter. As your mother, I wanted to be by your side on such a joyful occasion, but circumstances didn’t permit…”

Helene wished she could join, but she had to stay put as her husband, the head of the family, hadn’t returned from the northern campaign yet.

If the journey extended, she might have to visit her husband briefly, making her presence here even more essential.

As she reluctantly hugged her daughter, Helene noticed Ariel’s calm red eyes today.

“I have Ed and Shuri with me. Don’t worry too much, mother. I’ll be fine.”

“…Mother?”

As the surrounding retainers commended Ariel’s mature demeanor, Helene’s response was markedly different from theirs.

She wasn’t foolish; she could quickly pick up that her daughter’s behavior had changed overnight.

Most bothersome was the fact that even her title had shifted, raising suspicions.

It wasn’t like she would suddenly change just for a social debut. What could be happening?

“…?”

“……”

Helene immediately turned her gaze to the two standing beside her daughter, asking if something was going on.

The two bowed slightly, avoiding her eyes with a glance.

Just then, Helene exhaled a sigh of relief, realizing that no serious issue had arisen.

‘Looks like it’s just another whim of hers.’

As long as it wasn’t negative, she didn’t mind.

Moreover, seeing her daughter, who seemed like she would never mature, act a little grown-up, was rather refreshing.

“Take care on your journey, Edgar. Look after my daughter well.”

“Yes, Lord Elpelt. Don’t worry.”

With the head of the family absent, the role of seeing Edgar off was taken over by his advisor, Elpelt.

Extending his hand for a handshake and wishing him well, Edgar took his hand with a smile in return.

Afterward, Ariel climbed into the carriage first, followed by the two who were given a send-off from the retainers.

It turned out that Ariel was now sitting alone in the carriage with Shuri and the two others sitting close by.

Normally, she would have complained about wanting more space as soon as she climbed in, but today she was oddly quiet.

Edgar realized then that something was definitely off with her.

“Hey, Ariel. Why are you like this today?”

“Huh? What do you mean? This is just how I am.”

“You’re talking nonsense. Can’t you at least drop that exaggerated hand gesture?”

She had movements that seemed more suited for a theatrical performer, and Edgar struggled to focus with her hands flailing around while she talked.

Shuri was equally baffled.

At Edgar’s sharp retort, Ariel sensed it would be tough to maintain her facade any longer.

‘Who am I doing this for anyway?’

How could he fail to appreciate her generous mindset?

He truly was a dense guy.

“Well, you like this sort of thing, right? Since it’s a special occasion, I wanted to give it a shot.”

“What? What is this ‘sort of thing’?”

Ariel haughtily raised her chin, as if eagerly awaiting compliments, while Edgar found himself dumbfounded.

He had no idea why she was putting on such a show, but it was frustrating to see.

If this fancy hand gesture and cheesy manner of speaking were what she considered ‘this sort of thing,’ it wasn’t what he desired.

“I know you like elegant and noble people like my mom, right? So I thought I’d show you while dressed up.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never heard this before.”

He knew well that Helene exemplified the image of a benevolent woman, but that wasn’t necessarily what he preferred.

He had deep respect for Helene as a person, but when it came to the type of woman he liked, he preferred someone who was lively and approachable.

“Ah, no? Then what do you think of me acting this way?”

“Well, you’d just be a baffled dunce wasting your time.”

Having listened to their exchange, Shuri finally burst out laughing at Edgar’s last remark.

As the sound of air escaping filled the space, Ariel shot a fierce glare at her.

“Yah, don’t take it out on Shuri just because you did something silly.”

“Ah, okay? Geez, how embarrassing…”

In the end, all her effort to act was met with nothing but the same compliment about her dress and criticism.

Was there a more unfair exchange rate than that?

As Ariel shook her head while covering her face, she caught sight of Edgar’s smirk forming.

Still, she was grateful that her friend attempted to present his ideal woman.

Honestly, there was barely anything to appreciate but she did get to feel a fresh mood.

At times like this, giving a little lip service seemed only right.

“Hey, but seriously, you really were pretty today. I honestly didn’t have an ideal type until now, but with you today, I could call you that.”

“W-What about me…!?”

Ariel’s hands flailed chaotically at the unexpected praise.

Why was he so good at pushing her buttons at such unpredictable moments?

That’s why she couldn’t let her guard down for even a second.

Yet, there was a justification for Edgar’s words.

‘Honestly, can’t disagree with it.’

The personality traits he sought in an ideal woman were largely present in Ariel, and her looks were outstanding without any flaws.

The only issue was that she was too huffy and not straightforward, and when she got annoyed, it was hard to calm her down, which made her all the more juvenile. In some ways, she was his most fitting ideal type.

Though of course, that was only when viewed “as a woman,” something he failed to mention, leaving Ariel open to the assault.

As Edgar ruffled her hair with his roughened hands from training, Ariel’s cheeks flushed bright red, spreading to her ears.

Meanwhile, Shuri, watching from across, realized she had to step in for her master’s mental well-being.

“Um… Edgar, maybe it’s best to stop there?”

“Why? Am I going to mess up her hair?”

“Let’s just say that’s part of it….”

Feeling like a disaster was imminent, Shuri requested a seat change for her safety.

At least until the carriage reached another area through the Dimensional Stone, they shouldn’t be left alone together.

To die of heart failure before even arriving at the ball because of her childhood friend? That was an absurd situation she couldn’t let happen.