Translator: Nox

<Episode 30>

"Why is the birthday boy looking so glum?"

"…Brother!"

"Happy birthday, Herwin. Here, a gift."

The one who slapped Herwin on the back was none other than Lucas. Dressed smartly, he drew the attention of the crowd.

Herwin, receiving the gift from Lucas, finally wore a happy expression.

"Thanks, it's been a while since I've been congratulated in person by you, Brother."

"I couldn't congratulate you in person while I was at the academy. But I sent gifts every time, didn't I?"

"Haha, I know. I received the gifts well."

"Oh dear, I didn't prepare a gift. I'm sorry, Duke Peneus."

Someone placed a hand on Lucas's shoulder and appeared.

"Prince Lydia."

"Lucas told me to come to the party, so I just came empty-handed. If I had known it was a birthday, I would have prepared a gift."

"No, thank you for attending."

Ares grinned and looked around.

"Isn't this grand birthday party the first in the academy's history?"

"Even on your birthday, you didn't rent a mansion. It might become a trend in the future."

After chatting for a while, Lucas looked around.

"But where's Lucia? Didn't she come with you?"

"Well, I haven't seen her yet…"

"She'll be here soon. The girls decided to come separately."

"Oh, so you are…"

Ethan answered instead, making Lucas awkward. Ethan wore his signature gentle smile.

"I'm Ethan Belluna. I'm a close friend of Lucia."

"Ah, I saw you in the infirmary last time, right? I was sorry about that time. I lose my reason when it comes to matters related to my sister…"

Ethan waved his hand at the mention of grabbing him by the collar in the infirmary last time.

"No, it's understandable since your sister was hurt."

"I'm Brian Chercis. Senior, I look forward to working with you."

"Okay, I'm Lucas Agnes. Please take good care of Lucia and Herwin in the future."

"I'm Ares Lydia. It seems you're also close to Arista."

Those who had briefly met in the infirmary introduced themselves and built rapport.

Standing awkwardly a little further away, Bianca glared at Lucas and Ares.

As expected of Lucia and Arista's brothers, their appearances naturally reminded her of them.

Feeling somehow uncomfortable, Bianca slightly frowned.

"Ah! There you are!"

"Haa, I've been looking for you for ages."

"I know. There are so many people."

Familiar voices were heard nearby.

"Guys, we're her—"

Ethan turned around, knowing the girls had arrived. He couldn't finish his sentence.

The same was true for everyone else. The languid red eyes slowly widened.

As the crowd gradually parted, three women revealed themselves.

In the center, Arista stood upright in her uniform, with Christine to her left and Lucia to her right.

All three were breathtakingly beautiful.

"Lucia!"

"Huh? Brother!"

Lucas rushed to Lucia in one stride.

"What brings you here, Brother?"

"What else? I was invited by Herwin."

Lucas grinned and scanned Lucia up and down.

"…Why? Is there something on my face?"

"No. Haa…"

Lucas sighed deeply and rubbed his dry face. He soon stroked his chin with a serious look.

"My sister is too pretty. What if some scoundrels come sniffing around!"

Lucia's face flushed. She could feel the people around her glancing over.

"Didn't you dress up too prettily today? Of course, my sister's beauty is the best in the world, but today it's like an angel has descended!"

"You're quite loved, Lucia."

Lucia snapped back to reality upon hearing Christine's murmur. She secretly pinched and twisted Lucas's arm.

"Just say one more word like that. I won't even look at your face when we get home."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lucia finally breathed a sigh of relief when Lucas's bragging stopped. Looking around, she felt her friends staring at her.

"Guys, I'm sorry. My brother is a bit of an exaggerator…"

"No, you really do look pretty today, as Senior said."

"That's right. You look really pretty today. Christine, Arista, you too."

Lucia became shy as Brian and Ethan complimented her. She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. She glared at Herwin, who was behind the two.

When her eyes met his red ones, Lucia twisted her legs hidden under her skirt.

"…Pretty."

Lucia felt the heat rising instantly as Herwin said with a faint smile.

Thinking it was fortunate that she had brought a fan, Lucia hurriedly covered her face with it.

"A uniform? You still haven't fixed that habit from when you were young?"

"Ugh, Ares…"

Arista sighed softly as she found Ares. Arista narrowed her shoulders and wore a displeased expression.

"I really can't say whose sister she is, can I? Isn't that right, Lucas?"

Arista, who was about to say something, closed her mouth when Ares mentioned Lucas. Lucas awkwardly rolled his eyes for a moment before grinning.

"Why? It suits you well."

"Still, people should consider the place. She's the only one here not wearing a dress, right?"Eurs, iljeulmeun heure."(Ares, just stop.)"

Ares closed his mouth only after Arista spoke through clenched teeth.

Arista, who was glaring at her annoying brother, quickly turned her head when she met Lucas's eyes. She secretly gripped the hem of her pants tightly.

Bianca, who had been quietly watching the friendly atmosphere, raised both hands.

Clap-

"Now that it seems like everyone is here, shall we start the party?"

At the sound of Bianca's applause, another member of the organizing committee signaled the orchestra, and the music changed.

The dance time began, signaling the official start of the party.

The people gathered in the hall naturally moved to the edges, leaving the center empty. Then, everyone looked at Herwin.

"Well, the party host should start first, right?"

As Bianca set the stage, Herwin looked around, seemingly troubled.

Although he didn't really want to, he knew that others wouldn't dance unless he did, so he had no choice but to choose a partner to dance with.

As Herwin glanced around, the women nearby blushed.

However, Herwin didn't dwell on them and immediately turned his head to those nearby.

As Herwin's gaze fell on the four women, Arista, one of them, raised both hands.

"Just so you know, I have no intention of dancing. I'm not wearing a dress either."

As she said, it would be difficult to ask Arista, who was not wearing a dress, to dance.

Herwin turned his gaze away. Then, he carefully extended his hand.

"Lucia."

"…Me?"

Lucia pointed to herself in a daze, and Herwin slowly nodded.

Lucia glanced around, feeling awkward.

When her eyes met Arista's, she smiled sweetly.

Lucia hesitated for a moment before taking Herwin's hand.

Soon, the two stood hand in hand in the middle of the empty hall.

Based on what they had learned, the two naturally began to dance to the music.

As the two started, people who had paired up one by one appeared and began to fill the empty spaces.

Lucia felt like she was dreaming.

If Arista had worn a dress instead of a uniform today, Herwin would have surely extended his hand to her.

'I'm probably Arista's substitute.'

Even though she knew that, Lucia's heart fluttered.

No matter what she thought, Herwin's first dance partner today was herself. That fact did not change.

"Lucia."

"Huh?"

"Don't you have anything to say to me today?"

Something to say? Suddenly while dancing?

Lucia was flustered for a moment before realizing that she hadn't conveyed those words to Herwin today.

The eyes with blue eyes curved softly.

"Happy birthday, Herwin."

She had heard many people say happy birthday, but she wanted to hear it from her first and foremost.

Herwin felt a sense of fulfillment and smiled gently.

Lucia was momentarily, very briefly, lost in thought. The way he smiled at her was exactly the same as the imagination she had before coming here.

Somehow, she had a good feeling today.

"Arista, are you really not going to dance?"

While watching the people dancing, Ethan quietly approached Arista and asked.

Arista chuckled and looked down at her clothes.

"I can't dance in this outfit, can I?"

"Don't tell me, you wore the uniform on purpose, hoping for this?"

"Ah, I've been caught. How did you know?"

Arista giggled playfully.

In fact, many male students only glanced at Arista and couldn't easily approach her.

Arista thought that her plan had worked well, but on the other hand, she had a slight regret that she should have just worn a dress.

"Hmm?"

Arista, who was leaning against the wall and drinking non-alcoholic champagne, craned her neck as she saw a familiar figure in the distance.

"…Bianca?"

While everyone was focused on the people who were dancing, Bianca was in a sparsely populated area.

She was seriously talking to female students.

* * *

"…What on earth is she doing?"

Arista quietly muffled her breathing and followed someone.

That someone was none other than Bianca. Just now, she was talking to other girls in the hall, which bothered her, so she followed her without realizing it.

Judging by the pink flower on her chest, she seemed to be an organizer.

If so, she would just be moving for the next schedule, but an unknown intuition kept tickling her neck.

Her sixth sense was heightened, and an ominous feeling crept up. Whenever she felt like this, something always happened, so Arista wiped her sweaty palms.

The place she arrived at, following Bianca, was the garden behind the mansion.

"…Are you…ready?"

"Now…install…"

Bianca and the female members of the organizing committee could be seen whispering in the distance.

Even if she tried to listen, she couldn't hear well because the distance was quite far.

Bianca and her friends seemed to be having a secret conversation, then hid something round in the bushes.

"…A crystal ball?"

It looked like a crystal ball, but she couldn't figure out what it was used for.

She wondered if they were preparing a surprise event, but their actions were too suspicious.

They were noticeably wary of their surroundings, and they lowered their voices as much as possible, fearing that someone might hear them.

Everyone already knew that they had organized this party, so she wondered why they had to move so secretly.

'Should I get a little closer?'

Arista tried to approach them, erasing her presence.

Rustle-

"Princess Lydia, what are you doing here?"

Arista shuddered and reflexively swung her arm at the voice coming from behind.

"Eek!"

A woman let out a small scream at the sudden fist flying towards her. Arista's fist stopped abruptly before it reached her.

"…You startled me."

"Th, that's what I should be saying! Where do you just swing your fist out of nowhere?"

"Sorry. I was startled by the voice from behind…"

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, Arista extended her hand to the woman who had collapsed. She grumbled and took Arista's hand and stood up.