I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 99

Two Days Later: The Day of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony

Finally, the day of the coming-of-age ceremony had arrived.

The hall, which usually looked quite empty, was now reflecting the personality of Yulken, the lord of the castle, and the surroundings, once perceived as chilly, had taken on a somewhat warmer atmosphere.

If the guests felt neglected in their reception, it would directly tarnish the honor of the Robeheim Family.

Thus, everything was prepared to the fullest—from decorations to soft music filling the hall, and even the meals crafted especially for their taste.

So, who were the true protagonists to be celebrated today?

Most people would naturally think that everyone invited to the coming-of-age ceremony fit that description, but those gathered there were subconsciously aware:

The one who would truly illuminate this event had not yet made an appearance.

All the while, despite pretending otherwise, everyone was secretly excited, stealing glances at the grand door where the main character would emerge.

“Do you think we’ll get to see His Highness Yulken Robeheim today…?”

“Maybe he’ll show his face at least once? It’d be quite moving…”

“He’s such a busy man, it might be hard to see him. But if possible, I would like to meet him too.”

Among those yearning for the encounter was Yulken himself.

Several families had arrived in the days leading up to the ceremony, but he had hardly shown his face, instead only greeting Ariel or Helene.

Of course, it wasn’t because he was trying to engulf himself in mystery; he simply intended to greet Ariel, who would soon take over completely after the ceremony.

Still, there were instances where he briefly made an appearance amidst his busy duties.

And during those times, those who fortuitously crossed paths with Yulken would often recount their encounters like legends, drawing the attention of all attending the ceremony.

“Ariel isn’t out yet, is she? Sally.”

“Maybe it’s taking longer than expected? Let’s wait a bit longer.”

Meanwhile, among those waiting to meet Ariel, there was one person with slightly different reasons.

Sally and Gria were prime examples of this; they had agreed to call each other by their first names during the debutante ball.

Though they had exchanged quite a bit of correspondence since, they hadn’t seen each other’s faces for around four years.

Despite the anxiety that they might be awkward after such a long time, their feelings were actually overflowing with eagerness to reunite.

Above all, since Ariel had been stunning four years ago, it was natural that everyone was curious about what she’d look like now.

“Oh my, you two appear to be quite close with Lady Robeheim.”

“Y-Yes…? N-No, it’s not that we’re that close…!”

Even though they were trying to keep their voices down, a woman who had overheard their conversation jumped in between them.

Caught off guard, Sally waved her hands and shook her head vigorously, but the woman showed no signs of backing off.

“I’m jealous…! What brought you two so close with Lady Robeheim? Oh, pardon me if that’s too personal!”

With her pink hair shimmering, the woman closed the distance, eagerly firing questions at them almost uncontrollably.

Sally, typically the lively one among them, found herself stammering and unable to keep up with the conversation.

“Uh… I-I mean it’s not like we’re that close… Right, Gria?”

“Y-Yup, that’s right.”

Though Ariel had initially called them by name, they still thought they hadn’t become that friendly yet.

After all, the actual time they had spent together was quite brief, with most of their exchanges being merely letters about each other’s situations; they worried expressing closeness via casual names might lead to a backlash.

In the social circles, there are certainly people from lesser-known families boasting about connections with high-ranking individuals they hardly know.

When this gets exposed later, they might suffer severe backlash and find it hard to show their faces again—this was the very concern that weighed on both girls.

“Uh… should we interpret this as you being careless with someone you aren’t even friendly with?”

“…Huh?”

As the two girls awkwardly laughed while persistently denying the idea, the woman suddenly changed her tone, asking with a snappy attitude.

Sally, unsure if she had misheard, inadvertently replied in a daze.

Even Gria, who was listening beside her, blinked in shock, unable to respond.

However, the pink-haired woman took this positively; with a huffy snort, she added coldly, then swiftly departed.

“I don’t know what family you belong to, but there are many watching, so I hope you’ll be more careful from now on. Well then.”

Left in a daze, the two girls exchanged wide-eyed glances, silently questioning what had just happened.

Of course, there were no answers returning to them.

The sudden change in demeanor had left them utterly perplexed.

Feeling as if they had been hit on the back of the head with a blunt object, the two could do nothing but remain frozen for a while.

Creeeak.

Just then, when their senses slowly began to clear, the great doors of the hall swung open, revealing a pair of men and women.

Although both looked somewhat different than four years ago, one thing was certain: they were indeed the same individuals Sally and Gria had met back then.

* * * * * * *

No one had given prior notice or declared her appearance to the world.

As soon as the hall doors opened and she stepped in, all eyes fixated on her, and silence fell over the place.

Amid that unusual scene, she strode forward, expression unchanged, gracefully walking her path.

No one had even told the crowd to part, yet the throngs parted swiftly left and right before her.

This wasn’t simply the might of the Robeheim Family; it was the overwhelming aura and presence of Ariel that was exceptionally remarkable.

“Is that Lady Ariel…?”

“She really does have a presence like they said.”

“Who’s that man beside her?”

“From what I heard from those who arrived earlier, he seems to be her attendant. I wonder why he’s accompanying her to such an event.”

The silence that felt eternal finally broke, and the crowd buzzed again.

Among them, there were murmurs that slightly raised Ariel’s eyebrows, but she decided to let it slide today.

After all, it wouldn’t be long before those who dared speak freely would have to keep quiet.

Giving a brief moment of grace wasn’t going to be that difficult.

“Ed, let’s go that way.”

“Why? Is someone over there?”

“Yeah, I’ve got someone I need to see.”

Ariel tugged on her sleeve, prompting Ed to tilt his head in confusion.

He assumed that since Silvia was present, she was probably referencing her, as he caught sight of Silvia seated across the hall.

If it weren’t Silvia, then who did she need to meet, he wondered.

As they followed Ariel toward her destination, suddenly, a woman appeared, blocking their path.

Not that they knew it, but this was the pink-haired woman who had just spoken coldly to Sally and Gria.

“Excuse me. Might you be Lady Robeheim?”

“Yes, that’s me. You seem unfamiliar… may I ask who you are?”

Due to the unexpected blockage on their path, a not-so-pleasant tone slipped from Ariel’s mouth.

But the woman, oblivious to Ariel’s discomfort, continued cautiously, her voice trembling.

“I’m Mirabel Chepher from the Chepher Family. I’ve been wanting to meet you, so I took the liberty to greet you, despite the intrusion.”

“I see. I’m already aware of your name, but I’m Ariel Robeheim. I have someone to meet, so can we continue this conversation later?”

“Ah, uh, sure…! But who is it…?”

Ariel casually gestured with her chin toward Sally and Gria behind her.

Mirabel’s expression changed subtly, showing surprise as she asked Ariel a bit flustered:

“Are those… your friends, Lady?”

“They’re my friends. Is there a problem?”

“Uh, no…! It’s not an issue. I apologize for the unintentional interruption. I hope we can meet again sometime…”

“Yes, let’s.”

Ariel wondered why Mirabel seemed so flustered, but before she could ponder further, Mirabel hurriedly left, hiding her pink hair.

With a puzzled expression, Ariel slowly approached Sally and Gria.

When she arrived before them, the two looked at her with a mixture of excitement and awe.

“Ariel…!”

“You considered us your friends…!”

“……?”

Ariel found herself at a loss as she stood there, caught off guard by the unexpectedly emotional display from the two.

Thus, what initially seemed to be a quiet yet lively coming-of-age ceremony began to unfold with the advent of night.