96.1 The Future Queen Assessing A Concubine
The destination for the parade was the royal castle. There were already many people there, at the plaza in front of the castle, waving their hand at us.
After we passed the castle gate, all the while waving back towards the masses, we spot His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen waiting for us at the front balcony. Thus, we came down from our horses and greeted them with bows and scrapes. Meanwhile, once the girls descended from their carriage, they greeted both of them with proper courtesy expected from them. [TL: bow and scrape – a behavior in an obsequious way expected in Early Modern European courtly circle done toward someone in authority.]
Then, the Saint, Katrina went to the centre of the plaza. She ascended the staircase leading up to the balcony while we, the Six Gods, followed her from behind. As for Muriel and the others, as the shrine maidens, they were at the base of the stairs, joining their hand together as if they were in the middle of praying.
Once Katrina had arrived on the balcony, she greeted the King and the Queen again before she knelt before the two of them. We, the Six Gods, then followed her example.
After we were all kneeling, His Majesty the King took out a wreath that had already been prepared beforehand and placed it on Katrina’s head.
“Thank you, Saint, for saving this Kingdom.”
Katrina replied with courtesy before standing up and turned around and spread her arms wide, looking at the citizens who was crowding in front of the gate.
“May Gods bless the citizens of this virtuous kingdom.” Katrina’s voice resounded in the plaza, reaching everyone’s ear as petals began to fall from the top of the gate.
The one who was scattering the petals for the people below were, of course, the shrine maidens, the Six Gods, and the Saints chosen by the academy. Naturally, Wendy was also standing among them. From my spot, I could see that she was trying her best to scatter as much petals as possible towards everyone below.
Soon, the gate was closed slowly while the people was distracted by the flower petals. Once the gate was completely shut, the flower petals shower ended too, and that also marked the end of the festival.
Despite my worries after the unexpected event, everything ended safely.
Well, the festival had ended, but the real party in the royal castle had only just about to begin. Properly speaking, it was actually the after party. Anyway, since the festival began at noon and ended in the afternoon plus the fact that we already had a light meal, we could go on until evening without a problem.
Anyway, that being said, it was now time to go to the party venue with everyone. Then again, though we were heading towards a party, everyone was walking rather sluggishly. Perhaps it was because we could finally relax and not be so tense at the thought of messing up?
“Ha~h, I’m so nervous,” Muriel said as she came to my side with a slightly excited look on her face. She seemed to be really relaxed now that everything ended up in a good note.
“It’s okay. We did it perfectly. Everything ended up perfectly.”
And then, I joined hands with Muriel. She was laughing delightfully, and I couldn’t help but grip her hand with a stronger strength than before. All the while, desperately fighting my impulse to hug her.
Suddenly, I saw something like a black smoke emitting from the bracelet on her left wrist. Feeling dread, I tried to look at it again properly, and then noticed that the lace had already turned black.
‘Oi, White, are you okay?’ I asked. However, there was no reply, enhancing the dread I felt.
‘Are you sleeping?’ I asked again, trying to ignore my feelings. Alas, like previous time, I received no answer.
“M-my apologies, Theodore-sama. It seems to be soiled somewhere,” Muriel apologized in a hurry, but I knew that this wasn’t because it got soiled. It was caused by something else. Something that made my chest throbbed non-stop in fear and trepidation.
Still, I smiled at her and hide my worry as I said, “No. It’s okay. It can’t be helped if it get soiled. That’s why I always change the thread with a new one every year. Although it hasn’t been that long since I changed the threads this year, I guess I have to prepare a new one again.”
“Sorry for the trouble, and thank you very much.”
“I can finish it ASAP. So, shall I change it for you right now?”
“No, there’s still a dinner party after this. Let’s just do it after dinner.”
“Okay. After dinner then.”
After that, we went toward the party venue. When we arrived, various dishes was already lined up on top of the table, causing me to droll inwardly.
Darn. I’m starving. Like, really, really starving right now for some reason.
Yet, we couldn’t start eating until we were done greeting both the King and the Queen. Dammit. Fortunately, both the King and the Queen seemed to be aware that we were starving because they finished the greeting and toast as soon as possible.
HYAHAHA~! IT’S MEAL TIME~!
Naturally, I couldn’t just dash straight toward the dining table even though I was very very very hungry. It was a breach of manner after all, and as the eldest son of Goldberg Family, I had to at least keep my image intact.
Nevertheless, once we reached the table, each of us began to choose our food. Incidentally, Muriel and I chose the same thing for our current meal.
Uhm, I’m so famished.
“Your appetite is as splendid as ever, Miss Muriel,” Frederick said as he came to our side.
Yet, he only addressed Muriel unlike usual. Right, I was now sure that the same thing happened to him too.
“Oi, Frederick, where’s the thank you for me? I have done my best as the Six Gods, haven’t I?”
“Eh, you are…?”
“You better not forget about me.”
My words might sounded cheerful, but my heart was beating like crazy right now. The anxiety I felt before came full force right now, and it even increased to untold proportion. Darn. Although this might be the deed of the demon race, this move of theirs was truly effective against me.
“… Ah, of course. It’s not like I can forget about Theodore even if I wanted to.”
See there, he might try to smile flawlessly, but I knew that his current smile was only a mask to hide the anxiety he felt in his heart. Still, for now, let’s take it as a good thing that he at least recalled me when I spoke to him.
Anyway, today, Frederick was attending the party as one of the Six Gods that the academy selected. So, he also scattered the flower petals from the top of the gate before. However, I didn’t really see him since my gaze was locked on Wendy, my adorable little sister.
“Oh, how cold of you? Well, that matter aside, we will be the main after this. Erm, limited to the one playing the Saint role though. We, the people playing the Six Gods, and the one assuming the role of shrine maidens are nothing more than the side characters this time.”
“Well, we’re in the same boat I guess.”
That’s right, after this, the girls who assumed the Saint role would receive flower wreaths from Katrina, the main Saint of this year. Once that was done, it would signalled the end of this Saint Festival.
It was about time now.
When the best time had come, the prime minister, His Excellency Blackcurrant rose up on the stage. He expressed his gratitude to everyone who participate in this year’s Saint Festival. His action and timing was just like how I had expected from Rex’s papa. Perfect.
Hence, Muriel, Frederick, and I went forward in a hurry toward Prime Minister Blackcurrant. By the time we reached him, we saw that everyone had already gathered there, Wendy included.
===
TN: I’ll take a break from 13-19 march 2023 for rehabilitation of my neck(due to wrong sleeping posture)
===
96.1 The Future Queen Assessing A Concubine
The destination for the parade was the royal castle. There were already many people there, at the plaza in front of the castle, waving their hand at us.
After we passed the castle gate, all the while waving back towards the masses, we spot His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen waiting for us at the front balcony. Thus, we came down from our horses and greeted them with bows and scrapes. Meanwhile, once the girls descended from their carriage, they greeted both of them with proper courtesy expected from them. [TL: bow and scrape – a behavior in an obsequious way expected in Early Modern European courtly circle done toward someone in authority.]
Then, the Saint, Katrina went to the centre of the plaza. She ascended the staircase leading up to the balcony while we, the Six Gods, followed her from behind. As for Muriel and the others, as the shrine maidens, they were at the base of the stairs, joining their hand together as if they were in the middle of praying.
Once Katrina had arrived on the balcony, she greeted the King and the Queen again before she knelt before the two of them. We, the Six Gods, then followed her example.
After we were all kneeling, His Majesty the King took out a wreath that had already been prepared beforehand and placed it on Katrina’s head.
“Thank you, Saint, for saving this Kingdom.”
Katrina replied with courtesy before standing up and turned around and spread her arms wide, looking at the citizens who was crowding in front of the gate.
“May Gods bless the citizens of this virtuous kingdom.” Katrina’s voice resounded in the plaza, reaching everyone’s ear as petals began to fall from the top of the gate.
The one who was scattering the petals for the people below were, of course, the shrine maidens, the Six Gods, and the Saints chosen by the academy. Naturally, Wendy was also standing among them. From my spot, I could see that she was trying her best to scatter as much petals as possible towards everyone below.
Soon, the gate was closed slowly while the people was distracted by the flower petals. Once the gate was completely shut, the flower petals shower ended too, and that also marked the end of the festival.
Despite my worries after the unexpected event, everything ended safely.
Well, the festival had ended, but the real party in the royal castle had only just about to begin. Properly speaking, it was actually the after party. Anyway, since the festival began at noon and ended in the afternoon plus the fact that we already had a light meal, we could go on until evening without a problem.
Anyway, that being said, it was now time to go to the party venue with everyone. Then again, though we were heading towards a party, everyone was walking rather sluggishly. Perhaps it was because we could finally relax and not be so tense at the thought of messing up?
“Ha~h, I’m so nervous,” Muriel said as she came to my side with a slightly excited look on her face. She seemed to be really relaxed now that everything ended up in a good note.
“It’s okay. We did it perfectly. Everything ended up perfectly.”
And then, I joined hands with Muriel. She was laughing delightfully, and I couldn’t help but grip her hand with a stronger strength than before. All the while, desperately fighting my impulse to hug her.
Suddenly, I saw something like a black smoke emitting from the bracelet on her left wrist. Feeling dread, I tried to look at it again properly, and then noticed that the lace had already turned black.
‘Oi, White, are you okay?’ I asked. However, there was no reply, enhancing the dread I felt.
‘Are you sleeping?’ I asked again, trying to ignore my feelings. Alas, like previous time, I received no answer.
“M-my apologies, Theodore-sama. It seems to be soiled somewhere,” Muriel apologized in a hurry, but I knew that this wasn’t because it got soiled. It was caused by something else. Something that made my chest throbbed non-stop in fear and trepidation.
Still, I smiled at her and hide my worry as I said, “No. It’s okay. It can’t be helped if it get soiled. That’s why I always change the thread with a new one every year. Although it hasn’t been that long since I changed the threads this year, I guess I have to prepare a new one again.”
“Sorry for the trouble, and thank you very much.”
“I can finish it ASAP. So, shall I change it for you right now?”
“No, there’s still a dinner party after this. Let’s just do it after dinner.”
“Okay. After dinner then.”
After that, we went toward the party venue. When we arrived, various dishes was already lined up on top of the table, causing me to droll inwardly.
Darn. I’m starving. Like, really, really starving right now for some reason.
Yet, we couldn’t start eating until we were done greeting both the King and the Queen. Dammit. Fortunately, both the King and the Queen seemed to be aware that we were starving because they finished the greeting and toast as soon as possible.
HYAHAHA~! IT’S MEAL TIME~!
Naturally, I couldn’t just dash straight toward the dining table even though I was very very very hungry. It was a breach of manner after all, and as the eldest son of Goldberg Family, I had to at least keep my image intact.
Nevertheless, once we reached the table, each of us began to choose our food. Incidentally, Muriel and I chose the same thing for our current meal.
Uhm, I’m so famished.
“Your appetite is as splendid as ever, Miss Muriel,” Frederick said as he came to our side.
Yet, he only addressed Muriel unlike usual. Right, I was now sure that the same thing happened to him too.
“Oi, Frederick, where’s the thank you for me? I have done my best as the Six Gods, haven’t I?”
“Eh, you are…?”
“You better not forget about me.”
My words might sounded cheerful, but my heart was beating like crazy right now. The anxiety I felt before came full force right now, and it even increased to untold proportion. Darn. Although this might be the deed of the demon race, this move of theirs was truly effective against me.
“… Ah, of course. It’s not like I can forget about Theodore even if I wanted to.”
See there, he might try to smile flawlessly, but I knew that his current smile was only a mask to hide the anxiety he felt in his heart. Still, for now, let’s take it as a good thing that he at least recalled me when I spoke to him.
Anyway, today, Frederick was attending the party as one of the Six Gods that the academy selected. So, he also scattered the flower petals from the top of the gate before. However, I didn’t really see him since my gaze was locked on Wendy, my adorable little sister.
“Oh, how cold of you? Well, that matter aside, we will be the main after this. Erm, limited to the one playing the Saint role though. We, the people playing the Six Gods, and the one assuming the role of shrine maidens are nothing more than the side characters this time.”
“Well, we’re in the same boat I guess.”
That’s right, after this, the girls who assumed the Saint role would receive flower wreaths from Katrina, the main Saint of this year. Once that was done, it would signalled the end of this Saint Festival.
It was about time now.
When the best time had come, the prime minister, His Excellency Blackcurrant rose up on the stage. He expressed his gratitude to everyone who participate in this year’s Saint Festival. His action and timing was just like how I had expected from Rex’s papa. Perfect.
Hence, Muriel, Frederick, and I went forward in a hurry toward Prime Minister Blackcurrant. By the time we reached him, we saw that everyone had already gathered there, Wendy included.
===
TN: I’ll take a break from 13-19 march 2023 for rehabilitation of my neck(due to wrong sleeping posture)
===
