Chapter 148

unedited

I got off the carriage after passing through the main gate of the Imperial Palace.

The gifts to be delivered to Nicholas and Ninaina were entrusted to the attendant in advance.

After that, my father said he had a separate business and left.

“Lady Saeron, the Crown Princess is waiting for you. Follow me.”

I followed a maid to Ninaina’s palace.

When I was almost finished, someone suddenly hugged me from behind.

I was startled and flopped in place.

“Welcome, Emir!”

“Princess!”

When I turned around, Ninaina was looking at me with a wide smile.

Ninaina looked around her, and then she whispered in my ear in a small voice.

“…… Before, I had to hide and watch other people secretly, but today I’m happy I can meet you proudly.”

“Me too, Your Highness.”

“Right, Emir?”

Ninaina smiled softly. Then she continued to talk.

“Everyone is already here. It’s not my palace, it’s another palace. let’s hurry.”

After a while, the place where Ninaina and I arrived was none other than a banquet hall.

However, it looked a little smaller than the last time I saw it.

‘Well, it may be natural that only four people were invited to the banquet except for the two birthday parties.’

But when I went inside, I was surprised at how gorgeous it was.

There was a magic tool that made a shape similar to a fireworks so that you could enjoy fireworks indoors.

What was most surprising was that the interior was decorated as if it had been in a forest or a garden.

A soft carpet that feels like stepping on real grass. Cute flowers and trees. A brook rippling through an artificial waterway.

Above all, the gentle breeze blowing with magic was really cool.

“Wow… … !”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of it and looked around the banquet hall.

In the center, a performer was playing a soft piano melody.

“Isn’t it pretty? This is what I asked my mother to decorate.”

“It’s really cool, Your Highness.”

I continued to admire without even closing my gaping mouth.

At that moment, I saw children sitting at a log table on the other side.

“Mir! Sit here next to me.”

Jake, well dressed as usual, was the first to beckon me.

“You are late. I was waiting for you!”

Cedric, who lifted his toes with a bored expression, also looked at me and waved his hands in awe.

Alice seemed to be wiggling something hard with her hands on the table, and she seemed to realize that I had come late.

“…… Ah! Miss Emir! You’re here!”

And Alice handed me something. It was a small flower. Well, is it a gift?

“…… What’s this?”

When I tilted my head, Alice gave an explanation, looking at the flower carefully.

“It’s a flower ring made of wild flowers.”

“Aha!”

“Come, I’ll put you in.”

She was so focused on fiddling with it, but apparently it was because she was making a ring with this little flower.

“That’s pretty. Thank you. Alice.”

I turned my hands around and smiled softly.

Then Alice also added with a happy expression on her face.

“I make the same ring and wear it. It’s our friendship ring.”

“Good!”

It was then. Suddenly, there was a loud noise from behind and someone appeared.

It was Nicholas.

‘Hey, those clothes…… ?’

Nicholas was walking towards us with a very casual attitude.

However, it was the opposite of that calm appearance.

He was wearing a zebra headband and a zebra shirt.

“…… Why are you all like this?”

Everyone looked at Nicholas blankly, and Nicholas asked with a slightly embarrassed face.

Then, before he could hear the answer, he bowed his head, looked at himself, and answered the text.

“Oh, is it because of this outfit?”

Yes, that is correct.

I replied.

However, Nicholas asked back with a rather puzzled tone.

“…… But today, you were also going to come dressed like this, didn’t you? Did you all bring the headbands you bought at the market?”

It was. In fact, today’s dress code was none other than ‘animals’.

Nicholas, who was usually not interested in such events, came up with the idea for some reason.

“Yes, I brought it.”

The children, including me, nodded their heads.

The azure unicorn horn headband that Jake gave me back then.

I thought, fiddling with the horns with one hand.

‘It was good to come and bring it.’

Because it’s so conspicuous.

It was a gift from Jake, so I should cherish it…….

Apart from that, I’m not a fan of cute accessories like this, so it was awkward to wear a headband.

Anyway, everyone, including me, took out their animal headbands and put them on their heads.

It was then. Nicholas called the servant and instructed him to bring something.

‘That!’

I just stopped.

As if prepared in advance, what the servants were bringing were none other than clothes and props with animal prints, like the ones Nicholas was wearing.

“Everyone, please wear this.”