My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 105
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 105
"Princess!"
"Puha!"
I grab Julia by the wrist, she's barely poking her face out of the water.
"Uh, my shawl…."
Her whole body is drenched in water, including the shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders. The heavily soaked shawl pulls on her body.
Splash!
Seeing that she can't get out of the fountain by herself, I jump into it without a thought.
"Are you okay, Princess?"
Held by me, she nods as she spits the water in her mouth. Her nose is red from the amount of water she has consumed.
"What's going on?"
"My God, Princess!"
People who heard the commotion rushed toward the fountain, including the Emperor and Empress.
"Julia!"
The Emperor hurriedly bends into the fountain and grabs Julia from my arms.
"Oh, my God, how did this happen......!"
His gaze falls on me. I haven't even gotten my feet out of the fountain yet.
‘No way, Princess Kaerun tried to pull something on our Julia...!’
Why am I being suspected first? I'm dumbfounded.
Luckily, Julia speaks up. "I'm sorry, I accidentally… cough!" Embracing the Emperor, Julia covers her red nose with one hand as she tries to explain the situation. "Princess… Princess Kaerun actually helped me…. cough! Don't blame her!"
Julia starts to cough repeatedly. Drops of water are dripping from the hem of her dress. The drenched dress clings to her delicate body, and she shivers from the cold.
"Someone go bring a towel, please!" The Crown Prince hastily orders his servants.
But there are no towels available for a birthday party in a botanical garden. "I've ordered them to fetch a towel from the nearest palace now, Your Highness."
"Can't they get them faster?"
‘If it's the palace closest to here, it'll take at least twenty minutes!’
The Empress sits Julia down in her chair and urges her chamberlain.
But the chamberlain was at a loss. "I've—I've sent the fastest footman. We'll still have to wait a little longer...."
In the meantime, Julia's complexion turned too pale to be ignored.
She surely doesn't look well…. I shudder as I glance at her pale face.
Even the botanical garden can't prevent the cold air from coming and going as it's almost winter.
I only stepped into the fountain, but I could feel the hem of my dress soaking wet and my body temperature dropping in real-time.
"Julia, are you okay?" The Crown Prince kneels at her feet and takes her hands in his, a look of concern in his eyes.
Julia forces a smile. "Yes, I'm fine."
Of course, she wasn't.
‘I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold!’
She was frail as it was. As time went on, her lips turned purple.
"Julia, take this." Finally, the Emperor takes off his own cape and places it over her shoulders.
But the situation doesn't improve at all.
It's been several minutes since the servant has gone to fetch the towel, but there's no sign of them returning.
If she goes outside like this, she'll collapse.
The idea of heading outdoors right now, soaking wet from head to toe, was insane. There's nothing we can do but wait at this point.
Wham!
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of warmth sweeps in, and the chair Julia is sitting on rises slightly into the air.
"Aah!" Panicked, Julia clutches the arms of the chair and gasps.
But the chair, only a fraction of an inch off the ground, soon returned to the ground.
At the same time, something else happened.
The ground, wet from the water dripping from Julia's hair and clothes, was completely dry.
Huh?
Everyone watching the scene blinked.
Not only that, Julia's golden hair is back to being fluffy and dry instead of soaked in water. Her dress flutters without a single wrinkle as if she has just taken it out of the closet.
What? This unexpected phenomenon dumbfounded everyone.
This included the hostess, Julia.
"Eh…?"
‘Hey, what the heck is going on? I'm suddenly warm!’
Julia is as warm as the hanging laundry on a sunny summer afternoon.
She stares at her outfit in confusion, then glances around.
"Oh my…."
"In an instant, Julia's body…."
Bewildered, people look around frantically, trying to make sense of what just happened.
But I'm not surprised at all.
Because I know very well who's capable of performing such a 'miracle' right here and now.
Lancer, you assh*le….
I slowly lift my head towards him, standing on the other side of the garden. When our eyes meet, Lancer blinks and tilts his head.
Don't start acting cute!
When did he become so attentive? I'm impressed he did all of that on his own accord.
"Lord Lancer, was it you who...." The Crown Prince, vaguely aware, asks him.
"Oh, Lord Lancer!" The Empress, overcome with emotion, clasps Lancer's hands in hers. "Thank you for saving my daughter! You are indeed a good child, just as Duchess Soli says!"
Calling a grown adult a child is something all mothers have in common.
"For saving Julia's life, I will never forget to repay you!" As the Empress says this, tears are welling up in her eyes.
Lancer is a little embarrassed by the praise. "I didn't do anything so great...."
"Don't be modest, Lord Lancer!" the Emperor adds, joining the praise parade. "You are the lifesaver of Julia. She would have fallen ill if she had stayed wet and shivering from the cold!"
As the Emperor and Empress continue, Lancer shakes his head and chuckles softly. "Is that so? Then I saved the Princess’ life."
Did he just accept it like that? I narrow my eyes and stare at him.
Meanwhile, the Emperor and Empress continue to fuel this absurd conversation. "Yes, yes, that's right, you have saved our princess!"
"Thank you so much, Lord Lancer, for saving the imperial family!"
And so Lancer became the benefactor who saved the Princess's life by magically drying her hair and clothes.
After observing them, the guests at the party begin to cheer and applaud.
"Wow, this is amazing!"
"Lord Lancer, you're the best!"
"Thank you, Lord Lancer." Julia thanks him belatedly, her face still frozen with cold.
"You'll need this." Seeing her complexion, Lancer flicks his finger. And then a snow-white fur coat falls over her shoulders.
"This is...."
"It's my coat," Lancer replies. "I've dried you, but it'll take some time for you to get warm again."
"Lord Lancer...." Julia's eyes sparkle. "You have done me a great favour...."
She seems to be suppressing the emotions that threaten to overflow, and have her burst into tears at any moment.
‘How cool….’
Hearing her inner thoughts, I smile to myself. I wonder what Lancer looks like to Julia now? A prince riding in on a white horse? A hero slaying a dragon? Her gaze never left Lancer.
'I wish I could learn magic to dry my hair… so I wouldn't have to sit still for thirty minutes in the morning to dry it….'
Ah, coolness in a different sense.
"Huff, huff… I've brought the bath towel—?"
The servant returns with a basket of thick bath towels, but they are in vain.
"I'm sorry, but please put them back."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't break the mood, come on."
I overhear the chamberlain whisper to the servant.
"Skyla." After a brief conversation with the Emperor and Empress, Lancer shuffles over to me. "The hem of your dress is wet, too. Let me dry it for you."
In an instant, Lancer's magic dried it. The hem of my skirt, damp and clinging to my calves, comes back to life and flutters.
I marvel. "How did you know my dress was wet? Thank you."
"How could I not know?" Lancer flashes me a gentle smile and takes a step closer. There's a hint of apology in his voice. "I'm for giving up my coat to the Princess. She doesn't seem to be feeling well, and I would've given it to you, but…."
"No, you did the right thing. If you had given the coat to me instead, I would have punched you."
Seriously. No matter how much Lancer liked me and put me first, the weak had to be protected.
"Well done. I commend you."
The corners of Lancer's mouth quirk up at that simple comment. It's strange, he looks like he's forcing himself to keep from bursting into laughter.
"...You like it that much?"
"Of course! I've gotten two compliments in a row, and that's never happened before!"
Seems like I've been stingy with praise, to the point of… that.
"I'll give you lots of them in the future." As I reply with a tremble, Lancer's eyes fold into half-moons.
He looks almost radiant with that smile.
"...Thank you, Lord Lancer," the Crown Prince adds from behind him. "I will never forget your grace in helping my sister."
He extends a hand to Lancer. The fierceness of his earlier tirade has faded.
Lancer’s smile drops. "Glad I could help." Clasping his hand, Lancer answers in a businesslike tone.
"Absolutely. I will reward you for it." The Crown Prince's smile seems somehow fake as he says this.
I narrow my eyes on him.
This guy….
What is he up to?
I desperately try to read his mind, but strangely, I can't hear anything.