Chapter 173: High Society Debuts Are Difficult! (3)
Naru knocked on Hina's door, Bang bang—The weather was gradually blossoming into a brilliant summer.It was a wonderful day with dazzling sunshine and a cool breeze brushing against the cheeks.It was perfect weather for catching and collecting insects.
'If we're lucky, we might even catch a barking squirrel! It's a squirrel that barks like a dog! If we're really lucky, we might catch a barking owl too! And a barking rabbit...'
Naru loved squirrels.She also liked weasels, magpies, and crows.She liked owls and rabbits too.She liked ants, dragonflies, and beetles.
Naru generally liked all moving animals.She also liked non-moving stones.Naru just loved everything in the world.
"But today we're going to catch dragonflies! Hina! Let's go catch dragonflies! Dragonflies are also called dragon! Flies! Catching a dragonfly is like catching a dragon!"
Bang bang— Bang Bang— Bang—Naru kept knocking on Hina's door.But no matter how much she knocked, there was no response from inside.
Click click—The door was firmly locked.What could be going on?
"Mwehehe, this Sifnoi has a 'Skeleton Key' that can open any lock...! Once I get my hands on the Thief's Codex, this Sifnoi will become the Queen of Thieves...!"
"Wow, holy shh...!"
"Therefore, I can open this lock for you.... So, Miss Naru, could you please ask Miss Yuda where she hid the Thief's Codex...? I can't find it anywhere...""Okay!"
Naru raised her hand high in agreement.It was a very brief deal.Would the thieves around the world realize that their fate had just begun to change dramatically because of this contract?Of course, Naru didn't care about such things.
"Sifnoi, open the door quickly! If Hina's oversleeping, I need to wake her up! Hehe!""Mwehehe, understood...!"
Soon, Sifnoi took out a key with a cool skull-shaped decoration from her wide-open mouth. Then she unlocked Hina's room.Click— Creak—Naru burst into the opened room.
"Hina!"
She looked around searching for Hina.But Hina's room was quiet.Only the clock announcing the 7 AM alarm was ringing, Trrrring—
"What's going on?"
As Naru tilted her head in confusion, Sifnoi spoke.
"Actually, Miss Hina left the mansion this morning with Salome to do some training...! She's working hard in various ways to be chosen as the top princess...!"
"Top princess?"
Naru thought there were more and more stories she didn't understand.Then Sifnoi, who was a friend of the Cores and an etc. of the Junk Mansion, explained.
"Princess Ordor's birthday celebration... Do you know that people are coming from all over the world...? It's such a grand party that the procession will continue until late at night...!"
"Wow...."
Listening to Sifnoi's explanation, Naru imagined an endless procession of celebrations and gifts lasting until night. The sight of elephants and camels entering endlessly seemed quite impressive.
"Will there be dragons too?"
Naru had recently become obsessed with the dragons appearing in Hina's game console. Because of that, Naru's recent dream job was to become a dragon slayer.Sifnoi soon shook her head.
"There won't be any dragons...! But nobles, royalty, and children of emperors from all over the world will gather... and have a party to choose the top princess and prince...!"
Princess Ordor's birthday celebration.It was an event of great significance for both adults and children.Especially for children, it was a significant event as it meant the first step in debuting in high society─ so all the children of nobles and world royalty prepared various things diligently to participate in the party.
If one could receive high votes in the final voting for the top princess and prince, their name would quickly become known worldwide.This would give them a great advantage in finding a marriage partner in the future.
"Last year..., it was all because Miss Syndris, daughter of Vincenzo, a margrave from the countryside, ranked high in the voting that she was able to marry the first prince of the Strong Kingdom...!""I see!"
Actually, Naru didn't care about such things.
The important thing was that Hina wasn't in her room and she couldn't go catch dragonflies.
"......"
Naru looked at the calendar hanging in Hina's room.It was already August.
"Hmmmm...."
# # #
"Hina, do you understand? You must be chosen as the top princess. To do that, it's best to keep Cecily in check first."
"Mm-hmm."
"First, you need to acknowledge your opponent. Cecily is a formidable rival. Cecily is actually almost as foolish as Naru, but she looks like a princess on the outside. The other side will try to use that strength."
Salome honestly acknowledged that Cecily was a strong opponent.Because Cecily looked like a princess.Of course, Hina was the real princess of the Marduk Kingdom.That alone would increase the chances of beating Cecily.Nevertheless, Salome pursued perfection.
"Here's the expected list of participants. Memorize all the children's names and learn all about their likes, tastes, and hobbies. You're going to win people's hearts."
Thud—Salome handed a thick book to Hina, who was sitting in the park.It was the "List of Guests for the Ordor Ball" that Salome had personally compiled and organized last night.
It was practically an extremely confidential list as it contained lots of information about the royalty of each kingdom, but Salome had stayed up all night writing the book for her daughter.
"......"
Hina was slightly shocked to see that the book was over 500 pages long. But knowing her mother's efforts well, she nodded.
"Mm-hmm. I'll memorize it all."
Memorizing wouldn't take long.It would probably take about three hours to memorize it all.Hina was determined to work hard to beat Cecily who had hit her on the head.
Flutter Flutter—At that moment, something landed on Hina's knee.It was a butterfly.
"A butterfly...."
Butterflies were one of Naru's favorite creatures.Seeing the butterfly reminded her that Naru had asked to go catch dragonflies yesterday. Were Cecily and Naru playing and catching dragonflies now? Without Hina?
Bzzzzzzzz— Mememememe— Ukf-Ukf-Ukf-Ukf— Phuc— Phuc—
Summer was the season when cicadas chirped loudly.August in Frigia was called the queen of seasons in Frigia because the sunshine was warm and the wind blew, creating many beautiful sceneries.You could see it just by looking at this park.
Whoosh—Watching the fountain spraying water and children playing around it made Hina want to join them and play too.
'August....'
Hina was lost in thought for a moment.
"Um, Mom...."
"Yes?"
"What about Naru...?"
"You don't need to worry about her. No matter how I calculate it, the probability of her being chosen as the top princess is less than 5 percent."
Salome laughed, hehehe-.Then she stopped laughing and said to Hina.
"Don't fall for Naru's temptations to play.""Mm-hmm."
Hina nodded.As she did so, Hina carefully cupped the butterfly sitting on her knee with her palm so that her mother wouldn't notice.
Flutter Flutter—The butterfly's wings fluttering in Hina's palm made her feel slightly ticklish.
"Hehe."
"Well then, Mom's going to look at some clothes for a bit. Hina, stay here and study."
"Mm-hmm."
Pop—Salome disappeared.
After making sure her mother's figure had completely vanished in the distance, Hina stood up.Then she ran to the mansion.Naru was in the mansion's garden, and she had already caught many dragonflies and put them in a collection box.Hina said.
"Naru, happy birthday for August... Here's a butterfly. It's probably a tiger swallowtail..."Hina gifted Naru the butterfly she had just caught.Soon Naru shouted.
"Wow, holy shh...! Even though Naru's birthday is still a little way off! Naru will give Hina a birthday present too! I caught lots of dragonflies here! Dragonflies are dragons!"
Naru handed the dragonfly collection box to Hina.Hina took out one dragonfly from the collection box and brought it to the entrance of an ant hill near the garden. Instantly, the ants and the dragonfly started fighting, which Hina found quite amusing.The dragonfly attacked the ants like a dragon assaulting a castle.Of course, the ants' counterattack was not to be underestimated.
It was an exciting situation in many ways.
"Now Naru's butterfly will join the battle too!"
Naru also brought the butterfly in her hand to the front of the ant hill.Butterfly, ants, and dragonfly.At first glance, one might think the butterfly would be no match for the ants and dragonfly, but Naru's butterfly was so powerful that the ants all started to flee, showing their backsides.
Swooosh—At that moment, the butterfly, ants, and dragonfly were overshadowed by a large figure.Cecily had appeared.
"Naru, here's a birthday present for you. Even though your birthday is still far off."
Naru was born in August.So Cecily had prepared a gift to celebrate Naru's birthday.
"It's yogurt!"
Naru opened the yogurt and ate it greedily. It tasted like peaches. When she finished it all, Cecily said quietly.
"...That was supposed to be applied to your face.""I already ate it! It was delicious! Thank you, Cecily!"
Whoosh—Naru hugged Cecily, who had thought of her birthday.Then she asked.
"Do you have one for Hina too? Hina's also born in August!"
Hina and Naru were born in the same month.So instead of celebrating their birthdays separately, they usually had one big celebration at the beginning of the month. It was truly a grand birthday party.The children knew this well, but the adults of this time period didn't know about it yet.Soon Cecily said.
"I don't have anything for Hina! Hmph!""...Grrrr."
Hina realized that Cecily had attacked her.She didn't expect Cecily to act like this.It was a moment when her desire to retaliate against Cecily grew stronger.Cecily was also internally building up her competitive spirit against Hina.
'We'll see who becomes the top princess!'
They both thought so.With that feeling, about three days passed quickly─.Before they knew it, it was time to depart for the Ordor Kingdom.