Chapter 43
43
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I finally arrived at the audience chamber on my own two feet.
Inside, I could surprisingly hear my mother's laughter.
'Is she in a good mood because it's the festival?'
It was rare for my mother to laugh before even seeing me in the early morning.
As I wondered, the guards announced.
"Princess enters!"
But after the doors opened and I peeked into the audience chamber, I couldn't help but smile brightly as well.
"...Gray!"
As I ran towards him, Gray turned to me and quickly knelt on one knee.
"Your Highness."
When I held out my hand, he stiffly kissed the back of it.
I thought we had become quite close, but he seemed nervous in front of my mother.
"It's a pleasure to see you this morning, Your Highness. You look beautiful today."
I giggled and complimented Gray's uniform.
"You're pretty too. You came so early?"
Just then, my mother approached us with a bright face.
"My dear, have you ever heard of the Time of Blessing during the Thanksgiving Festival?"
Time of Blessing?
I reflexively nodded.
"Yes, it's when Mommy gives Ea's blessing to the children."
"That's right."
My mother replied with satisfaction and looked at Gray.
"Every year, we select one child between the ages of five and seven, and Gray here is six years old this year."
"Ah..."
Come to think of it, Gray had been a 'Child of Blessing' before.
But I don't think it was on the day I was Princess...
'Since Rosa was Princess, it must have been when he was seven?'
My mother continued to explain.
"Usually, we choose a seven-year-old, but after meeting Gray last time, I thought he was more than capable of the role."
Perhaps Gray had caught my mother's eye early on by being friendly with me, such as giving me herbs.
Only then did I erase my surprised expression and look at Gray.
"Congratulations, Gray."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I'm very happy and honored, but I'm a little nervous."
It wasn't just me; Gray was a really pretty child in the eyes of adults.
'He's polite and well-behaved, but also pure and honest like a child.'
Sure enough, everyone in the audience chamber smiled.
* * *
The Ruelle Thanksgiving Festival begins on the Eah Festival.
Water is the source of all things, and the water god Ea is the most respected god in our Ruelle.
'Also, the Eah Festival is in the middle of autumn, so the whole country is prosperous...'
Therefore, the very first event of the Thanksgiving Festival was always the thanksgiving ceremony held at the Ea Temple.
When I came out to the garden with my parents, carriages were lined up to go to the Temple.
"Pegasus Eyes...?"
As I asked, knowing full well, my father smiled.
"The Celestial Steeds are already at the Temple. The procession riding the Celestial Steeds will only be on the way back. Are you looking forward to it?"
I would be a little excited if the Celestial Steed didn't kick me.
"Uh-huh."
When I answered truthfully, Yan sat on my shoulder and chirped as if to greet me.
I took Yan off my shoulder, held him in both hands, and got into the carriage.
Soon, my parents and Beatrice got into the same carriage as me.
My father glanced at Yan for a moment and then asked.
"Dear, have you ever asked Yan about the Celestial Steeds since that day?"
Yan had fully subdued the Celestial Steed in front of my father the other day, and when asked about it, he suddenly invoked his right to remain silent.
He didn't tell me much either, but he had been arrogant before, calling the Celestial Steed a riding animal.
"Um, Yan... knows about Celestial Steeds. Maybe they're friends."
―Chirp, chirp!
Yan protested noisily at my rough excuse.
'Those things are riding animals, not my friends!'
...is probably what he wanted to say.
But my father took my clumsy answer quite seriously.
"Really? So that's how it was..."
No, does he believe me now?
'Friends, my foot!'
He didn't hit him, but he acted like a complete thug!
My father turned his gaze to my mother, who was sitting next to him.
"I think I should visit Troyne after the Thanksgiving Festival."
"You personally?"
My father nodded and replied.
"I think I should. I'm sorry for being away from my seat so often."
Instead of answering whether she liked it or not, my mother asked.
"If you're moving because of Yan, why don't you take Yan with you?"
Then my father's gaze turned to me instead of Yan.
"Dear, could you ask Yan if he wants to go to the Troyne territory with me? There's a Temple of the Sun in Troyne."
Perhaps he judged that it was difficult to get Yan's cooperation because Yan ignored all questions about the Celestial Steed.
I asked Yan directly.
"Wanna go?"
He was listening right next to me, so what other explanation would I need?
Then Yan shook his head silently.
My father chuckled and said to my mother.
"...He says no."
Beatrice covered her mouth with her palm in surprise.
She probably didn't know that Yan could express his intentions this much.
The autumn sky seen through the window was blue.
The streets, decorated with colorful flowers, were already crowded with people, forming a wave.
"Wave your hand, dear."
Following my mother's words, I waved my hand out the window.
The small hand gesture was returned with dozens, hundreds of affections.
'The people of Ruelle...'
They were the very people I wanted to protect even when I was facing death in my previous life.
I really want to do well so that I don't drive them into the quagmire of that war again.
* * *
"Greetings to His Majesty the King, His Highness the Grand Duke, and Her Highness the Princess."
When we arrived at the Temple, the High priest of Ea greeted us in person, accompanied by the priests.
My father stepped forward and spoke.
"Greetings to the High priest of Ea."
I, along with my mother, bowed to the High priest from behind my father.
It was the first time I had seen the High priest in a while, but she was not much different from how I remembered her.
'No, there's still a little bit of gold left in her hair.'
After she greeted my parents, she bowed her head to me.
"It's been a while, Your Highness. You've grown a lot."
I had always been uncomfortable with the High priest of Ea.
I wondered if she really didn't know anything about the secret Divination that my mother or Rosa had received at the Ea Temple.
"Thank... you, High priest."
When the High priest of Ea looked at Yan on my shoulder, Yan flew away somewhere.
"Huh...?"
Then he slipped into Hestia's carriage, which followed right behind.
"Yan seems to like that child Gray."
Because my father said with a smiling face, I barely took my eyes off Yan.
"I guess so."
We began to climb the stairs following the priests.
I looked up at the stairs and stopped for a moment.
'The place where Rosa received the Divination...'
It was the place where I would have to receive the Divination within three years.
Yan, who had followed behind, landed on my shoulder again and whispered.
"Straighten your shoulders. You are the daughter of the Sacred King chosen by Ea."
I was startled and looked around, but it was so noisy with the cheers of the onlookers that no one seemed to have heard Yan's voice.
"Oh, Yan's back?"
Listening to Beatrice's welcoming voice, I straightened my small shoulders as much as possible.
'Yan is right.'
Now that my Divinity had already manifested, there was no reason to be anxious about not receiving the Divination.
I looked up at the Temple.
How much had I resented it for not giving me anything, for my whole life.
'Ea, I saved Yan and my nanny with the power you gave me.'
I offered heartfelt thanks with both hands.
When I opened my eyes, everyone's eyes were on me.
The High priest said to my mother.
"Indeed, she is Your Highness's daughter. Ea cherishes Her Highness the Princess."
I started climbing the stairs again.
Towards the god of Ruelle, who had poured great power into my small hands.
* * *
"What? Lilin is riding the Celestial Steed? Daddy's, the winged horse?"
Princess Rosa of Sei Palace asked sharply.
It was a rare day when her cold symptoms had disappeared, so Gabriella explained more kindly than ever.
"Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty the King will be with Her Highness the Princess from this year's festival procession. Maybe next year, Rosa Your Highness will also..."
"Today? She's riding it today?"
Gabriella replied without losing her smile, even though she expected a very long day.
"Yes, Your Highness. Today is the day of the festival procession."
"I! I wanna ride it!"
Rosa said that and slammed the plate that had been given to her for breakfast, causing it to fall.
The wooden plate tumbled weakly and rolled under the table.
The various foods that had been on it were mixed together on the carpet, turning into a terrible lump.
"Your Highness... Of course, you will."
It was fortunate that they used a wooden plate.
Gabriella said as she picked up the fallen food without any sign of anger.
"If you're really upset, you can talk to His Majesty the King tomorrow. You've already ridden the Celestial Steed once, so if you say you want to see it again, wouldn't that work?"
But Rosa was already crying, so she couldn't listen to Gabriella's words.
"She, she gets to do everything she wants! Waaah!"
Gabriella continued to make excuses.
"I heard that Lilin Your Highness didn't want it, but His Majesty the King suddenly suggested it. I heard that Your Highnesses will be attending alternately every year..."
"Are you on her side, Gabi?!"
Rosa grabbed a handful of the food that the nanny had painstakingly picked up and threw it at Gabriella.
"...Your Highness."
The nanny's voice was calm even in this situation, but only Rosa asked, mixing in resentful sobs.
"Mommy is on her side too, right? Why? Why does everyone like her more? She and I are the same!"