What!! This is an Otome game? But I’m going to be a magician so I won’t go after the game capture targets - Chapter 3
- invitation to a tea party
After that day, Chris started to come out of his room and talk to Lucinda.
“Lucinda, I’m sorry for ignoring you for so long.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad you’ve decided to step outside of your room, Lord Chris.”
“…… you can call me brother if you want,” he said with a stiff face.
The fact that he looked a bit unfriendly may have been an attempt to hide his embarrassment.
Lucinda thought about it. She was older than him in terms of mental age, but in this life, Chris was her older brother. Besides, she was happy that he finally saw her as family.
“Yes, big brother!”
When Lucinda replied with a big smile, Chris smiled in relief and patted Lucinda’s head.
‘I don’t have luck with my parents, but it seems I have luck with my brother!’
After Chris stopped being a shut-in, she thought there might be some change in her parents’ attitude since she had successfully completed her “job”. However, there was no change at all.
Still, it was enough that they didn’t kick her out as soon as the “job” was done.
Also, Chris had started to sit with the family at mealtimes, so she was grateful that the awkward atmosphere had eased up to some extent.
Then, one day during breakfast, she was having a conversation with Chris as usual when her mother called out to her, which was already unusual.
“Lucinda.”
“Yes, may I help you?”
“The royal court sent you an invitation to a tea party that will be held by the Crown Prince. I’m sure he’s looking to select a suitable fiancée.”
“What, the royal court? Prince? Fiancée?”
She couldn’t keep up with all of the information that was suddenly coming her way.
“Yes, as I was saying, the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Aaron, is inviting young ladies close in age to him to attend the tea party along with their mothers. This is our chance to appeal to the prince! I wasn’t in favor of adopting an orphan girl, but I took you in because I thought there might be some possibility of using it to our advantage…and now that opportunity has arrived. Be sure to attend the party and be useful.”
“But, I’ve never been to a tea party before…”
“I will call an etiquette teacher, so make sure you learn well. Don’t embarrass me.”
“……Yes, mother.”
The next day, the spartan lessons in tea party etiquette began.
◇◇◇
“Lucinda, you look tired, are you okay?”
Chris called out to Lucinda, who was walking around the garden in a daze after her lesson, in a concerned tone.
“……Yes, somehow I’ll be fine.”
“The tea party is only a week away, right?”
“Yes, it is. And thanks to the daily lessons, my etiquette is much improved, so don’t worry.”
Lucinda smiled tiredly, and Chris gave a small sigh.
“I don’t think you need to go to the tea party.”
“What?”
“Even though the prince will be attending the tea party, there’s no need for you to push herself that hard. Besides, choosing a fiancée like that is just……”
Chris frowned in displeasure.
“Thank you for worrying about me. But it seems like a bad idea to miss the tea party after being invited by the royal family. And since mother is determined to attend, I think I have no choice but to go……”
“……That’s right. If it’s my mother, then she’ll do whatever it takes to make you go.”
“Yeah. It’s okay, though. I’ll just think of it as going for a nice cup of tea and some snacks.”
Lucinda declared and clenched her fists in determination. Chris giggled.
“I see. Then, I hope you will enjoy it.”
◇◇◇
The day of the tea party had finally arrived.
As Lucinda walked into the royal garden where the tea party was being held with her mother, she was overwhelmed by the magnificence of the palace grounds.
The palace in the background was so huge that it seemed to be dozens of times the size of the Count’s house, and its white walls sparkled in the sunlight.
The garden in front of her was filled with beautifully blooming seasonal flowers that had probably been carefully tended to by skilled gardeners.
‘I feel really out of place……’
Lucinda felt uncomfortable and broke into a cold sweat under the pressure of the noble atmosphere. This was undoubtedly the most luxurious place she had ever been in her two lives.
“Oh, you’re nervous? That’s why commoners are—……Well, you’ve got a pretty face, so you just need to be friendly and leave a good impression on them this time, even if it’s just a little.”
Her mother, a true aristocrat, remained composed and dignified the entire time.
While Lucinda was admiring her mother’s composure, the Queen and the Crown Prince made their appearance.
‘After all, royalty has a different aura.’
Just a moment ago, Lucinda had been impressed by her mother’s confident attitude. But now that she was in the presence of royalty, the difference in rank was obvious.
The Queen was as beautiful as the rumors said she was, and her appearance reflected a grace and elegance that a simple noblewoman could not possess.
The Crown Prince, who had inherited his beautiful features from his mother. As he stood next to the Queen to greet all of the guests, he showed no signs of nervousness. With his silky blond hair and blue eyes gently drooping at the corners, he looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.
The way they smiled kindly at each of the guests who came to greet them was like a goddess and an angel bestowing blessing to their followers.
‘Meanwhile, my mother looks more like a witch than a goddess.’
While she was thinking about this, it was suddenly Lucinda’s turn to greet the Queen and the Crown Prince, and she bowed hurriedly.
“Thank you for inviting me here today. My name is Lucinda Lancaster.”
“I’m Aaron Ras Hyland. Thank you for coming today. Enjoy your stay.”
Thanks to her daily lessons, she was able to successfully complete the first stage of greeting, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Next, all the guests were supposed to take their seats at the table to allow the tea party to begin.
Apparently, this time the parents and children would be seated separately—the mothers with the Queen and the daughters with the Crown Prince.
‘Thank God, this way I won’t have to worry about my mother getting mad at me if I make a mistake!’
Lucinda felt relieved as she took her seat at the round table away from her mother, but this only lasted a moment.
“Excuse me.”
With a polite smile, Aaron took the seat next to her.