My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 100
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 100
I frown slightly at Lancer's words.
"Don't be unnecessarily mean to His Highness, it's just a hello."
"...tsk."
"Why the sudden tongue-lashing? Do you hate Ryan that much?"
"Yes."
Lancer is too honest.
"That's too bad. You shouldn't show you don't like him."
I leave Lancer alone and gather up my things. It's time to return to the Kaerun Duchy and prepare to attend the party.
As the Emperor and Empress are coming, I have to be careful about how I dress. And once again, my mother assigned one of her maids to me. I'll be pinned down and dressed up for at least a couple of hours.
"Then I'll see you later at the palace. Don't forget your gift for the Princess." With that, I say goodbye and turn the doorknob to leave Lancer's room.
But for some reason, the door wouldn't open. Is it locked?
In a moment of panic, I turn the doorknob several times in both directions. But the doorknob only makes an iron clanking sound.
"Lancer, the door… ah." I turn to ask for help but freeze in place. Lancer has come up behind me and is very close.
"It won't open, I've locked it with magic.”
"That's some convenient magic." I give up on leaving the room for a while. I have some time to kill before the party anyway. "Why, do you have something to tell me?"
I cross my arms and look up at him.
He stares at me for a moment. "Are you only going to talk to the Crown Prince at the party?"
I'm taken aback by his sudden question, but I shrug it off. "Well, since he's the Crown Prince, I'll have to talk to him, but I won't only talk to him."
"I don't like the Crown Prince."
I smirk. "Are you jealous?"
Lancer's eyebrows furrow slightly. "Jealous?"
"Yeah. Are you jealous because I'm talking to a man other than you?"
"No. I wouldn't be jealous if you were talking to a hundred men besides me."
"Really? Why?"
"Because I trust you, Skyla."
“I thought you said you liked me?"
"Anyway, the reason I don't like the Crown Prince is not simply because I'm jealous."
"Then what is it?"
"I just don't feel right about him." Lancer ruffles my hair with one hand. It tickles my face as it brushes past my eyes. "I don't know, but there's something sinister about that man. It feels like he's hiding a lot of things."
I feel a tingle in my heart at those words. Were archmages supposed to have such good instincts?
Even though I think so, I deliberately pretend not to take Lancer seriously. "Sinister? You shouldn't judge someone you barely know."
"I'm not judging."
Lancer snaps his fingers. In a flash, the locked door swings open with a clang.
"It's just… a warning."
* * *
Princess Julia's birthday party was organised in the botanical garden inside the Imperial Palace.
I arrived early so I wouldn't be late for the start of the party, and showed the palace gatekeepers the invitation.
"Ah, you must be Princess Kaerun."
"It is an honour to see you again."
The gatekeepers bow to me as if I were a dragon. They're the same gatekeepers who saw me at the last Imperial Ball.
As I stare at them, I recognise a figure in the corner of my eye.
Viscount Artisina.
The man who said he would return to the Hebnia Kingdom and find a way to break my curse. It's been more than a week since I last bid him farewell, and I still haven't heard from him.
In truth, I'm more curious about where and what Viscount Artisina was doing now than I am about how to break my curse.
Did he return to the Hebnia Kingdom, or was he captured and brought before the King?
After all, Prince Cade and Princess Emerald’s arranged marriage was still valid. So he may be been captured crossing the border and sold as Princess Emerald's husband.
Still, I haven't heard any news of it yet. I'm sure Viscount Artisina will return in time, so I'll just have to wait and see.
With that in mind, I arrive at the Imperial Botanical Gardens and step out of the carriage with the gift box.
The botanical garden was made of a huge glass dome, inside of which all sorts of rare and tropical plants were growing.
“Woah.” As soon as I entered the botanical garden, I couldn't help but let out a small gasp of admiration.
Unlike the chilly weather outside, the temperature inside the botanical garden was warm.
So there's a place like this inside the Imperial Palace.
The warm air with its faint floral and fruity scent instantly lifts my spirits.
I walk to the party, guided by a servant.
"Oh, Skyla!" As soon as I reach the party, someone recognises me and cries out my name.
I turn my head in the direction of the voice to see a familiar face.
"Duchess Soli!"
The first person to wave to me was Duchess Soli, Lancer's mother and the Empress's closest confidante.
"It's been a long time since I've seen you. How have you been?" Duchess Soli asks me with a gentle smile, her bright blonde hair the same colour as Lancer's.
I bow to her. "I am well, Duchess. How are you?"
"I've been well, as I'm happy with my work.” Duchess Soli says with a graceful smile. As one of the Empress's closest confidants, she assisted her with many tasks.
"I hope Duke and Duchess Kaerun are doing well, I met them once a few days ago, but I'm still curious."
"Yes. They asked me to send their regards to you before I came here."
"I see. Tell them thank you. Your parents must be very fortunate to have such a supportive daughter as you, Skyla."
As she praises me, I can hear her inner thoughts.
‘Duke Kaerun is having a hard time. I never thought that such a good girl like Skyla would be tempted to read that book….’
Hmm?
I blink slowly at that.
What did I just hear?
But Duchess Soli, unaware that I can hear her inner thoughts, continues nonchalantly. "I also heard that you went to the theatre with the Crown Prince days ago to see a play. I'm glad you had a good time and are no longer working too hard."
‘Skyla must have become curious about romantic things between men and women after meeting His Highness, otherwise, she wouldn't have fallen in love with those books.’
What the hell does that mean?
Dumbfounded, I freeze, forgetting that I have to answer her.
Why does Duchess Soli think I read books?
Wait. No way...
This can't be. Don't tell me she met my parents after they found out about the books hiding in my room.
It's understandable if they told her. After all, my parents and Lancer's parents were quite close. They exchanged stories about everything from the political state of the Empire to raising their children.
I'm sure my father, mistakenly thinking I was reading that book, confided in the Duke and Duchess of Soli about his child-rearing woes.
The thought makes me want to leave the party. Why is he spreading other people's shameful stories!
Feeling uncomfortable with Duchess Soli, I end the conversation appropriately and scurry away.
Glancing around, I realise that Lancer has not yet arrived.
I see there aren't many people here. In total, there were less than ten people here, including the hostess of the party, Princess Julia.
I must have come too early.
Thinking so, I first approach the Emperor and Empress, who are seated at the table, to greet them.
They recognise me and greet me as soon as I get near.
"Welcome, Princess Kaerun!"
"It's nice to meet you."
They're clearly smiling, but for some reason, they don't feel so pure.
Is it just me?
As I bow to them, I tilt my head secretly.
A small girl sits between the Emperor and Empress. She makes eye contact with me and smiles brightly.
I recognise her at once. She must be Princess Julia.
She doesn't look well, as it's said that she's not in good health. Even in this warm greenhouse, her face is rather pale.
"Happy birthday, Princess."
"Thank you, Princess Kaerun." Her voice sounds noble, unbecoming of her young age. The royal family was different, after all.
"I have brought you a gift to celebrate your birthday."
"Thank you for taking the time and trouble to celebrate my birthday." As she speaks, Julia lets out a weak cough.
The Emperor hastily offers her a glass of water, but she declines.
"I plan to open all of my gifts later," she says, "and I will take the time to examine the gift you gave me."
"I would be honoured." I nod and hold out the birthday present I bought for her to the servant waiting by her side.
"Princess Kaerun, I've actually been wanting to meet you since the ball ended." The Empress says to me in a low voice. Somehow, she still has that smile on her face. "But, as you know, the palace walls have fallen, and I've had a lot of business to attend to, so I haven't been able to invite you. It's a shame."
The Empress had meant to invite me. Hubert was right, she's been watching me with interest.
I bow, trying to make the best of it.
"I am truly honoured that you would invite me, an insignificant person, to your palace.”
"You are worthy. The Crown Prince's praise of you is abundant," she says, smiling. At the same time, her true feelings are revealed.
'I was shocked when the Duchess of Soli told me that our Ryan and this princess have a sexual interest in each other. Young people these days burn like fire when they find something that catches their eye.’
"...?"
Hearing the Empress's thoughts, I instantly feel like I've been hit over the head with a hammer.
What? Why am I burning? With whom?
