My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 122
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 122
* * *
The day has finally arrived for the Crown Prince to visit our duchy for the engagement.
I blink open my eyes before Phoebe can even come to wake me up.
"...." I glance out the window and see that it's still dawn. I woke up much earlier than usual. I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.
…I'm up early because I'm nervous.
I can't help it. Yesterday, I got a proposal (or something like that) from Lancer. And now, I'm about to be engaged to the Crown Prince.
Who would've thought this'll happen…. Regretting my past decisions, I burst into dry tears. The saying “no one knows what the future holds” is right. What the hell am I gonna do…?
I sit up as soon as Phoebe enters the room.
"My lady, you're up early today."
‘Haa… you're so beautiful again today…. If there was a country where only beautiful women lived, you would rule as empress for 300 years…. And your beauty would be so dazzling that no one would ever think of rebelling against you….’
And her burdensome thoughts are still unrelenting. How on earth does she manage to shower me with so many different compliments every morning? How much does she like me?
"As you may have heard, His Highness the Crown Prince will be visiting today around twelve o'clock as he has agreed to have lunch with us."
"I see."
"How would you like to dress today?"
"Well...." I wonder what I should wear to meet him today. I think about it for a moment before answering, "Just pick the simplest thing you can find. Make sure it's appropriate."
I'm going to dress as usual, which is without any embellishments. This way, he'd understand that I'm not trying to impress him or win him over.
"Alright."
‘Alright, because you are beautiful no matter what you wear!’
Phoebe nods before instructing the maids.
Why doesn't she insist that I wear something else?
I'm a little puzzled by her obedience and lack of protest. Normally, she would have been begging and pleading, "Please wear this pretty dress!"
Maybe she's given up now. Thinking so, I skip breakfast and soak in the bath. Then, after drying my hair with the help of the maids, I arrive at the wardrobe room, and I finally understand.
"...What is this?"
"It's a simple dress, as you requested." She bows, clasping her hands together. Dresses are laid out next to her. "I chose a white dress to match the winter."
Said dress was designed to look like a wedding dress.
Come on, a white dress for winter? How can someone be so shameless!
You just wanted to see me in a wedding dress, so you picked something similar!
Why the hell do I have to bicker with Phoebe over the dress I wear whenever I meet important guests?
She holds the dress out to me with a sullen expression. "Please go ahead and change, my lady."
I can sense the self-satisfaction beneath her expression. Ugh….
I stiffen, unable to take the dress.
What will the Crown Prince think if I wear this! This dress screams 'we're getting engaged'!
After a moment of anguish, I try to reason with her. "But, Phoebe, doesn't this dress look like a wedding dress to you?"
"Not at all," Phoebe calmly says. But her evil plot has been discovered.
‘My lady, how could you have noticed that I’d like to see you being shy in a wedding dress…!’
Why would she want to see such a thing?
I'm not having it.
"No. Look at it. This color, the placement of the embellishments, the skirt line, everything…. This looks just like a wedding dress."
Gulp.
I can hear her swallow dryly.
As a formidable foe, she keeps her expression under control. "...This is not a wedding dress, although it may be mistaken as that since it's white."
"I see. You're right. It's not a wedding dress unless you wear it to a wedding." I say with a small smile. "I happen to know a maid of Lancer who is getting married. I think this would be a great gift for her."
"But, my lady…."
"She's a special maid,” I interrupt.
The person I had in mind was Rachel. Technically I'm not lying, considering how she's marrying Austin, our butler.
"Lancer's my only friend, and he cares about her. So the least I can do," I tease. "After all, I'm the only princess of the Kaerun Duchy."
Eventually, Phoebe withdraws the white dress and replaces it with a plain one.
‘I just wanted to see you in a wedding dress before I die!’
Don't worry, Phoebe. I'll be sure to get married one day. I pity her as she cries on the inside the whole time I'm getting ready. I guess to make her feel better….
"Phoebe."
"Yes, my lady."
"I'm going to wear this bracelet today."
I pull out an amethyst bracelet—the matching one with Phoebe from when we were at the market—out of the jewellery box.
"My lady...." Her eyes light up. She brightens up and hums to herself when she tidies the closet.
* * *
There's still some time before the Crown Prince arrives.
As I don't want to arrive later than the guest, I go down to the dining room earlier than usual. There, my parents are already seated and waiting.
"Good morning, Skyla!"
"My dear daughter, did you sleep well last night?"
For some reason, they seem more excited than usual. The corners of their mouths were turned up so high that they looked like they were about to turn into balloons and fly to the sky.
I stare at them, wondering what the hell was going on.
"Look at your dad. Doesn't he look so dapper and dignified?"
‘Look at your dad's brooch! Brooch! Brooch! Brooch!’
My father interjects after my mother, "Doesn't your mom's intelligence and beauty shine through today? This dad of yours is very happy."
‘Do you see your mom's brooch?! Brooch! Brooch! Brooch!’
Jeez, I get it…. I cringe at my parents chanting ‘brooch!’ like birds chirping in the morning.
Sure enough, there was a sparkling brooch on each of their chests. They were gorgeous, high-end brooches with a large blue sapphire in the centre. The sapphire wasn't the only thing that stood out to me.
I think I've seen them before….
Oh. They must be the ones from Aronia’s bribery sack.
I glance at their brooches without a word.
Then my father clears his throat. "Ahem. My chest feels a little heavier today…. I wonder why?" As he speaks, he begins to fiddle with his brooch.
My mother joins in. "Oh my, I was thinking the same thing. My chest feels oddly uncomfortable for some reason. Like I have something heavy on top of my clothes." As she speaks, she begins to point to her brooch.
"...." I stare, as they want me to do. So… those two have a couple's brooches. And they want to show off to me….
Somehow, this is like a pair of preschoolers who want to show off their toys….
I sigh and lift my glass to take a sip of water. My parents never take their eyes off me, even when I'm drinking.
"Oh my, Skyla. Look at Daddy. What on earth is wrong with him that's causing his chest to be heavy?" Yes, Father. What the hell is wrong with you?
"Oh, come on, Skyla. There's something stuck to Mommy's dress. It seems to be some kind of shiny, heavy thing? What is it?" Yes, Mother, I'm very curious to know what it is, too.
I say nothing, only staring at them. Ignoring their attempts to show off, I glance away to analyse the pattern on the tablecloth.
When they didn't get the reaction they wanted, they jumped to their feet.
"Skyla, do you see this?"
"Look at this, my dear daughter!"
My parents become more and more insistent as they fiddle with the brooch and exclaim.
"Oh my God, look at this, there's something glittering on Daddy's chest, like, really glittering!"
"No, no, no, no, look, Mommy's got some kind of dazzling jewellery on top of her clothes!"
I don't think I can ignore them anymore. My stomach begins to churn.
"Mother, Father." I decide to give them the attention they want for once.
"Yes, Skyla!"
"What's wrong, dear?"
My parents, each clutching their own brooches, turned to me, their eyes sparkling.
‘Don't you adore the brooch my Duke is wearing?’
'Look at the brooch my angel is wearing!’
"...."
Suddenly, I don't want to anymore.
"...What's for lunch today?" I ask, changing my mind last minute.
Their faces instantly turn gloomy. When they regain their composure, they're as limp as a jellyfish washed up on the beach.
"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."
The door to the dining room opens as a servant announces the Crown Prince's arrival.