My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 101
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 101
I don't know how it happened, but I think the Empress is having an absurd misconception.
What should I do about this….
Where did Duchess Soli and the Empress even get the idea that me and the Crown Prince are in that kind of relationship!
I decided to correct her misunderstanding first. "Ryan seems to have spoken well of me. I am honoured."
"No need to be flattered, you have earned the praise you deserve."
"I'm just grateful that you would say that. I'm also grateful for the consideration Ryan has been giving me this far. He certainly resembles Her Majesty with his wonderful personality." I pretend to take her words in stride before complimenting her.
A smile appears on her lips at the non-excessive sincere compliment.
"It makes me feel very good to hear you say that. Of course, the Crown Prince takes after His Majesty’s sincerity." She turns her gaze to the Emperor beside her.
The Emperor, who's been listening to us, nods with an amused smile. “I raised my son well!”
As it turns out, there's nothing more effective than praising one's children to open a person's heart.
Seeing the satisfaction on their faces, I decided it was time to speak up.
"You are all right. Ryan is indeed a gentleman. During the time I've known him, he has never once disrespected me. Especially when escorting me, I'm in awe with how he never holds my hand without my permission first."
My words shake the Empress to her core.
“He never took your hand without your permission?”
I take advantage of the moment when her heart begins to flutter. "Actually, there have been a lot of uncomfortable rumours around… about me and Ryan."
I pause, letting out a shallow sigh.
‘Uncomfortable rumours?’
'I knew that our Dandelion's growing closeness to Princess Kaerun would cause some rumours to circulate....'
As I expected, the Emperor and Empress are all ears to my tale. They're probably wondering what the rumours are about, but I'm not going to tell them.
Because I don't know what rumours are out there right now!
In the first place, it doesn't matter what the rumours are. What's important is that the Emperor and Empress know that Ryan and I are nothing like such scandalous rumours.
I pause for a moment, then speak again. "Ryan doesn't want me to get caught up in those rumours, as he's always been very considerate. He's truly caring and calm." I smile my commercial smile towards them. Please, believe me, both me and Ryan are virtuous and upright and moral.
"Well, that's a relief." After clearing her throat, the Empress turns to me and smiles.
‘I wonder what happened? Did Duchess Soli get it wrong? But she surely said she heard it from Duke Kaerun....'
Dang it, it was my father's fault after all! To think that he would casually talk about such things!
I clench my teeth and force a smile.
After bowing to the Emperor, Empress, and Princess Julia, I leave the room. As I do so, I vow to myself: that I will not speak to my father for a week.
Try a unilateral cut-off of communication with your beloved daughter for once, father.
As I mutter to myself and shuffle my feet, someone calls my name from behind.
"Skyla!"
"Lancer."
It's Lancer, who has already arrived without me knowing.
He looks a little different today. "Why are you wearing a coat?"
"It's almost winter." Lancer fiddles with his white coat. It was a winter coat with a fur trim at the nape.
As I stare at the coat, I blurt out. "Aren't you hot?"
The question bounces back at me like a boomerang. "Not at all?"
I can't understand the answer. How can it not be hot? It's sweltering in the botanical garden right now….
"If you're hot, take off your coat and leave it somewhere," I say, worried that Lancer might collapse from heat stroke or the like.
But he has no intention of taking off his coat. "It's not that hot. Touch my hand.”
As he says that, he holds out his hand to me. I take his hand in disbelief and soon find myself trusting him.
"Your hands… they're cold."
"See? I'm not hot."
"How? Did you use some kind of magic to make them cold?"
"Yes," Lancer says, giving me a short, curt nod. Then he straightens the collar of his coat.
"Can't you just take off your coat and not use magic?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It's a nice coat." Lancer's eyes light up with a strange gleam.
I glance again at his coat. It's certainly a good-looking piece, It makes him look quite imposing on his tall frame.
You want to show off your coat….
As Lancer continues to fiddle with the fur decoration, I realise his intentions at once.
"How do I look?"
"You look great...." I find it both cute and worrisome that Lancer asks me that.
Everyone is looking at him strangely….
Not exactly, but the guests arriving at the garden are casting glances at him.
He must have noticed, because he leans over and whispers. "Now that you've seen it, I'll take it off."
"...Oh, yeah!" To be honest, I'm a little surprised how Lancer can see through me and read my mood.
He learns fast. I'm pleased that he's learning how to respond appropriately in social situations like this. It must have helped that I've been taking him everywhere.
I suppose Duchess Soli will be pleased?
I wonder if she would. While Lancer goes to deliver the gift to Julia, Duchess Soli slips up to me.
"My, Skyla. How did you do that just now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Lancer liked that coat quite a bit and said he would keep wearing it. I was worried he would wear it for the entirety of the party today, but you must have talked him out of it."
I shrug. "I didn't do anything."
"Huh?"
"Lancer said he'd take the coat off himself."
"Oh, my." Her eyes widened at my response. But only for a moment, before she smiles and puts a hand on my shoulder. "I see you've done a good job with Lancer. Thank you, Skyla."
"You're welcome."
"I'm so glad you're here. Now if only you can be by our Lancer’s side for the rest of his life, me and Duke Soli won't have to worry about anything...."
"Oh, that's a bit rude, Duchess." Someone interrupts her playful words.
There aren't many people who would dare to disagree with the Duchess in a place like this. Still, I don't have to turn my head to know who the voice belongs to.
"Ryan."
"Hello, Kayla. Duchess Soli, how have you been?"
It's the Crown Prince who pipes in our conversation.
"I apologise for the unintentional interruption, but I thought I overheard something that Kayla might find troubling." He smiles and turns to Duchess Soli.
'I never thought His Highness would hear of it....'
Duchess Soli stiffens for a moment but then nods. "On second thought, that was certainly rude of me to say. Please don't take it to heart, Princess Kaerun."
Considering that she's in the presence of the Crown Prince, Duchess Soli apologises politely, and then returns to her seat.
The Crown Prince leads me away from others.
"Does Duchess Soli usually say things like that?"
'She's trying to set Kayla up with Lancer, even if it's only in jest. It's reprehensible.’
He asks me, his eyes following the back of Duchess Soli's head.
I don't think he's asking simply to satisfy his curiosity.
"My mother does it more than the Duchess."
"Duchess Kaerun?"
"Yes. I suppose, since Lancer and I have been close since childhood, as you know, Your Highness." I try to sound as nonchalant as possible, and it must have worked.
‘Oh, yeah. You're childhood friends, so they joke around like that.’
He feels relieved that I don't take Duchess Soli's words seriously.
Nevertheless, he still seemed wary of her. "I'll have to tell the Duchess to watch her words in the future."
He's still wary? "Why?"
"Because you and I are about to be engaged."
The Crown Prince replies nonchalantly. At the same time, I can hear his inner thoughts.
‘I see you're wearing the emerald necklace I gave you, and I'm pleased.’
But he doesn't mention the necklace to me directly.
"We'll make the announcement official soon," he says, "let's arrange it after the Princess's birthday party. Maybe in two weeks or so."
"...Isn't that too soon?" It's hard enough to bring up the subject of an engagement when we just met, but to suddenly set a date?
It's a bit awkward for me.
I know he'll announce it soon, but I don't expect it to happen in two weeks.
The Crown Prince seems a little surprised for a different reason. "Too soon? Kayla, don't you think getting engaged sooner rather than later is better?"
"Yes, but...."
I feel restless. I'm reluctant to abandon Lancer and become engaged to the Crown Prince. However, I can't break her contract with the Crown Prince and abandon him.
What should I do? I can't think clearly.
"...Who's getting engaged?"
Behind us, I hear the last person I wanted to be here at this moment.
