I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 44

Although there was a Dimensional Stone, it was bound to take quite a while to reach the capital, Hildak, given that Hespania was located on the very edge of the North.

So, we set out well in advance, but our pace slowed down more than expected, and by the time our group arrived in Hildak, it was just a day before the ball was to be held.

As the capital of the Empire, Hildak was a city that truly represented prosperity.

So much that even Ariel, who rarely gave empty words, remarked, “Every time I come here, something new appears,” subtly expressing her admiration for Hildak’s development.

“It’s a different vibe than Hespania.”

If the city had slender, tall spires, Hildak was filled with broad and sprawling buildings. To put it another way, while Hespania had the atmosphere of a majestic stronghold built on frozen land, Hildak felt more like a vibrant city nestled in rich plains.

Ariel nodded slightly in agreement, though she felt a deeper affection for Hespania.

It wasn’t just because she was the heir to the family ruling it; she loved the unique, sticky atmosphere of Hespania.

“Did you know? Even though this is the capital, the security is surprisingly not that great.”

“Really? That’s unexpected. I’ve heard Hespania has pretty good security.”

Even though they were living somewhat luxuriously thanks to the Symbol of Dominion, the northern region was harsh land. Many thought that the residents lacked warmth and that crimes like looting and robbery were rampant, but surprisingly, Hespania was the opposite.

That’s partly because the Robeheim Family actively cut down the seeds of such lawbreakers, but more so because the harsh environment fostered a strong sense of solidarity among the people.

Thanks to this, the residents’ awareness regarding crime reporting was even better than in the capital, Hildak.

“I’ve heard from my mother that while Hildak looks like a bustling metropolis on the outside, it’s actually a place with a lot of rot inside.”

“Yeah, places like this often have severe income disparities.”

Moreover, due to these flaws, the security tends to be lax.

Edgar nodded along as if this made sense, appreciating the view of Hildak spread out before the carriage.

Every place has its struggles, after all.

There’s no need to rigidly categorize which is better or worse.

Thus, the carriage continued its relentless journey until it finally reached the Imperial Palace located at the edge of Hildak.

Edgar was awestruck by the Robeheim Family’s castle, but the Imperial Palace was on another level. Just looking from outside, its grandeur was striking.

‘At this point, I’d probably get lost.’

This didn’t seem like a place he could live in at all. Even adapting to the Robeheim Family’s castle had taken considerable time.

It seemed there was a significant gap between aesthetics and practicality; if anyone handed him money and told him to survive here, he’d probably shudder in horror.

“Stop the carriage and announce your identity!”

As they reached the gate of the palace, the guard’s booming voice reverberated through the carriage.

Usually, a User steps out to announce their master’s identity, but Ariel told the two to stay put and stepped out herself.

Shuri tried to follow, but Edgar stopped her and accompanied Ariel instead.

The guards wore distinctive uniforms, their sturdy figures and intense gazes indicating they were no ordinary soldiers. Perhaps they were members of the Royal Knights.

“I am Ariel Robeheim. I’m here to attend tomorrow’s ball.”

Ariel stated her name and purpose in a cool tone, still icy towards a person she was meeting for the first time.

Edgar felt a shiver down his spine watching from the side.

“Ah, so you’re the lady of the Robeheim Family. I deeply apologize for my rudeness.”

At first, the guard was taken back when a girl he’d never seen suddenly spoke informally, but soon realized he was face to face with someone of a status he couldn’t even fathom.

Immediately standing upright, the guard offered his apologies again, to which Ariel replied dismissively without even meeting his gaze.

“There’s no need for apologies. It’s just what you should be doing.”

Nothing more, nothing less.

Ariel’s tone was so businesslike for a fifteen-year-old girl that the guard’s expression stiffened for a brief moment.

It wasn’t out of offense; rather, it was the strange unease of encountering such a demeanor.

“Can I go back now that the verification is complete?”

“Ah, yes. However, you cannot bring the carriage inside.”

“…Is there such a regulation? How bothersome.”

Ariel clicked her tongue lightly, but understanding the reasoning, she refrained from complaining further.

With many young ladies from different families arriving, accommodating all their carriages would complicate matters within the palace.

Maybe ten, or twenty carriages would be manageable, but anything beyond that would be tricky.

Eventually, they called out to Shuri inside the carriage, and leaving the rest to the coachman, the three entered the palace together.

During the journey, a guard asked if they needed any guidance, but she promptly declined, stating she had been there before.

“Oh, wow…!”

“Honestly, the only word that comes to mind is ‘amazing.'”

While the exterior had already been impressive, walking inside was jaw-dropping.

The beautifully arranged landscaping left Edgar and Shuri unable to close their mouths in awe.

However, having visited a few times already, Ariel seemed to have lost her interest.

Just seeing the two’s faces brighten made her mood lift a bit too, and she smiled in response.

“How about we explore a bit more? We have plenty of time after all.”

They had the freedom to explore until the ball tomorrow.

If they weren’t particularly interested in the palace, a stroll around the downtown area would be nice too.

But surprisingly, both of them firmly shook their heads at Ariel’s suggestion.

While the palace was fascinating, that was all it was; they weren’t keen on devoting more time to sightseeing.

After all, the reason they were there was to assist Ariel, not for leisure.

With their polite refusal, they headed straight towards the annex where the ball would take place.

Even though it was just an annex, it was unbelievably vast, almost the size of a castle, yet Ariel wore a bored expression.

“Oh, is that you, Lady Robeheim?”

“Huh?”

As they walked down the path towards the distant annex, a man suddenly approached from the opposite direction and greeted Ariel.

With orange hair, he had a rather shallow impression.

He looked a bit older than the two but was someone Ariel didn’t recall at all.

“I believe we met once before, but I’m not sure if you remember me. I’m Diliatra from the Bellus Family.”

“I’m Ariel Robeheim.”

Not finding him particularly interesting, Ariel responded with just a greeting, intending to pass by.

Diliatra extended his hand, but she didn’t take it and instead scanned him from head to toe, as if asking if he had anything more to say.

‘I wish he’d just buzz off.’

She didn’t like him from the first greeting.

Though Shuri was a User behind her, at least Edgar, standing next to her, made it clear he was an attendant by his mere presence.

Yet Diliatra still treated Edgar like he was just a mere attendant, which was outright dismissive behavior.

“Is the one beside you an attendant? It seems the Robeheim Family treats their attendants quite well.”

“…….”

Diliatra questioned in a way that implied ‘why’s someone like him here?’ as if it weren’t obvious he was with her.

In that moment, it was as if a rock had been thrown into the still waters of Ariel’s heart.

“Hey.”

“…Yes? ‘Hey,’ you say, are you talking about me…?”

“Yeah, you. Diliatra or whatever. I’ve been keeping my irritation in check, and you call him an attendant?”

Though, by title, Edgar was indeed with her as an attendant, he didn’t resemble one at all based on his attire or demeanor.

Besides, if a noble lady brought another man along to a ball, anyone would notice that he couldn’t simply be an attendant.

Yet, Diliatra’s blatant demeaning comment on her childhood friend was something she simply couldn’t let slide.

If it weren’t for Helene’s warning not to cause trouble, she might have tossed a fireball at him right then and there.

“So, you weren’t an attendant after all. How rude of me. I certainly thought so…”

Diliatra took a step back, quickly apologizing.

But even that failed to satisfy Ariel’s discontent.

There’s a limit to how much nonsense you should say. At this point, he was reaching the level of art in absurdity.

Though she couldn’t physically kick him, she felt like punching him in the face just to relieve her frustration when—

Thud.

Something stopped her left hand.

Turning her head, she found Edgar looking at her with a furrowed brow.

“Ariel, what are you doing?”

“Let go. This guy insulted you, regardless of which family he comes from. Do you think I’d just watch?”

“From his perspective, it could’ve been confusing. He apologized, so let’s not make a scene.”

Of course, Edgar knew this man had specifically made those remarks to belittle him.

He wasn’t that oblivious.

However, making an enemy out of someone like him would yield no benefits.

Even if this guy was the successor of a family that ranked among the top three powers in the Empire.

Besides, if she swung a hand here, rumors would surely spread among the crowd that she had attacked someone, distorting the facts.

Edgar was wary of that kind of situation.

He appreciated Ariel’s willingness to avenge him, but it was precisely in moments like these that maintaining a calm head was the best approach.

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear anything. I received an apology, and it would only tire us both to continue talking.”

“Th-thank you. I had no idea you were a friend of the princess. I’ll make sure to arrange a proper introduction next time.”

Apparently, Diliatra had been eyeing Ariel for a while.

Even under the guise of being apologetic, emphasizing their friendship and hinting at future meetings was telling.

For Edgar, it only added to his discomfort, but given the circumstances, there was no point in arguing, so he decided to part ways now.

“Oh, and you. You called him my friend, right?”

“Uh, yes?”

As they finished the conversation and turned to head back their separate ways, Ariel suddenly called out to Diliatra.

With a confused look on his face, Diliatra tilted his head.

Was he mistaken to think they were friends?

But then, there was only one child in the Robeheim Family.

Maybe finding Diliatra’s vacant stare amusing, Ariel smiled as she slipped her arm through Edgar’s.

This was what’s known as a ‘linked arms’ move.

“What a shame. He’s not just a friend; he’s my betrothed.”

“Y-you’re betrothed…?!”

Ariel continued walking with a short, “Well then,” leaving Diliatra behind, who was now astonished with wide-open eyes.

News of a betrothal to the only daughter of the Robeheim Family hadn’t reached anyone yet, so he must have felt as if the world was crashing down around him.

Ariel couldn’t help but chuckle at just how satisfying that was.

‘That’s pushing it.’

Meanwhile, observing this scene from the side, Edgar couldn’t help but smirk as well.

He realized Diliatra would be watching them and didn’t drop his link of arms, which only highlighted how red Ariel’s ears had turned.

She loved to act strong all the time, which was cute in its own way.

But today, it felt more fitting to say she looked splendid.

As they headed toward the annex, Edgar decided against asking her if she was alright.

Today seemed to be one of those days where she wanted to play the part of the confident friend, so he figured it’d be best to let her be.