Finally, the day of the Birth Ceremony had arrived.
To be more precise, it had just begun. The faint morning sunlight slowly began to shine into the dark mansion garden.
The early hour, more fittingly described as dawn than morning. Normally, at this ti, one would either be deeply asleep in soone's arms or spending the night training.
"Ha-Yul's hair is amazing every ti I touch it."
[Sleepiness] [Sleep]
But today was different. I felt Elia’s gentle touch on my hair as she stood behind , and I yawned wide.
The mansion was bustling because of the Birth Ceremony. Everyone had risen early and were busy preparing themselves.
Despite my attempts to resist, I got caught up in the whirlwind of preparations.
I had been fast asleep, nestled in Professor Liana's arms, only to be roughly pulled out like a sweet potato, then imrsed in the bubbling bath of the underground spa to be soaked and cooked…
And now, I had been placed in front of a large mirror, my hair being fussed over.
I didn’t particularly want to be dressed up, but I didn’t mind sitting still, as I enjoyed the soft touch of Elia and the others.
“How is it so soft... it's really amazing. No matter how much I care for it, I can never get this texture...”
[Itchy]
“Ah, don’t move~”
Elia’s fingers grazed my hair, causing an itch. Earlier, Baek Arin and Ariel had also co to touch my hair, but now they had left.
I shook my head slightly from the itching, but Elia gently held my head in place to stop from moving.
“Ha-Yul is such a good boy, right? Can we stay still for just a mont?”
Even while her coaxing voice reached my ears, her hands kept moving, her slender fingers gently combing through my hair.
...The truth was, I could endure the itch, but I pretended to whine because I knew Elia would comfort .
I knew it was a bad habit, but... hmm, I thought Elia’s gentle care also had a little to do with it.
If soone treated like that, I’d probably whine too.
Anyway, though being pampered felt a little awkward, it wasn't the first ti I had received such treatnt.
When I visited the Geobhwa family, they made undergo all sorts of decoration preparations for the banquet, right? It wasn’t as awkward as that ti, at least.
Still, it was awkward.
[Elia... do we really need to prepare this much...?]
I swayed back and forth as I asked, and Elia, who was watching my reflection in the mirror, smiled warmly.
“Well... it’s not absolutely necessary, but it wouldn’t hurt, right? Especially today, since there’s the opening ceremony and you’re going to represent, aren’t you? So, I think it would be better if you dressed up a little, even if no one else does.”
[Ugh]
“Hehe, just a little more, okay? I’ll be quick.”
With a sigh, I slumped my shoulders, and Elia chuckled, her hands moving swiftly.
“Queen Elia, I’ve brought everything you asked for.”
“Thank you, Oru. You’ve done well.”
“Hehe.”
As she said this, the fairies who had brought the costics Elia requested flew in and fluttered around.
Elia petted the fairies a few tis and then placed the items they brought on the vanity.
“Hmmm…”
However, as Elia examined the costics, she let out a hum of dissatisfaction. I tilted my head in confusion at her reaction.
[Didn’t you bring these to use?]
“Well, yes, but…”
Elia trailed off, turning her gaze back to with a sowhat peculiar expression.
“…Now that I think about it, I don’t think you need much decoration. I think you’d look pretty no matter what I do with this face…”
Elia looked at my reflection in the mirror and shook her head.
“Right, you’re also entering the cross-dressing competition, right?”
[Eh?!]
“Hehe, I think you’d be fine even without any extra dressing up, to be honest.”
With a mischievous grin, Elia bent her knees and pressed her cheek against mine as I sat in the chair.
Her body heat, still warm from her recent bath, transferred to my soft cheek.
Instinctively, I rubbed my cheek against hers, and Elia looked between our reflections in the mirror with a smile.
“Honestly, I think you’re much prettier than .”
[That’s definitely not true]
I enjoyed the sensation and warmth of her cheek against mine, but I imdiately denied her statent. Normally, I would let things slide, but I couldn’t let that comnt go unchallenged.
[You’re much, much prettier than .]
“…Ahaha, it makes happy to hear that.”
At my vehent denial, Elia blinked in a daze for a mont. But it was short-lived, and she soon returned to her soft smile, turning her head to bury her nose in my hair.
“Sniff, sniff…”
[?] [Itchy]
She kept moving around, bringing her nose to my hair and neck, sniffing repeatedly.
“Hah... hmm… I guess you don’t even need perfu.”
Elia sighed deeply and nodded to herself.
“Ha-Yul slls so nice even without any scent. It’s a sha to spray anything, really. Plus, since you’ve just washed, you sll so fresh too…”
As she spoke, Elia buried her face in my neck and kept inhaling the scent. The itchiness and embarrassnt began to rise. I buried my nose in Elia's yellow hair, too.
Sniff sniff…
...Of course, there was no sll. I had expected that, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. It wasn’t just my hair that didn’t sll; my chest didn’t either…
I couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated and sulky, my lips pouting slightly.
Smooch
[Huh?!]
A kiss on my cheek startled , causing my body to tremble uncontrollably, as if struck by lightning.
I pulled back in shock, but Elia grinned mischievously, her lips curling up.
“Hehe, just teasing~”
Seeing my stunned expression, Elia giggled and poked my cheek with her finger.
[Ugh…]
I blinked in surprise, and then, realizing I had been tricked, puffed out my cheeks. Her finger, which had been pressing on my cheek, was pushed aside.
“Hehe, so cute… You really don’t need to dress up much. You’re already adorable just like this.”
Elia burst into laughter at my puffed cheeks, looking like a blowfish.
...Elia’s praise and laughter made want to smile too, but I sohow managed to hold it back.
“But, I do hope it’s real next ti.”
[Hick]
Elia suddenly leaned in closer, and I froze, wondering if it was another joke. My body stiffened.
The air I had held in my cheeks quickly escaped.
“I also want to look you in the eye and speak with you, Ha-Yul. Last ti, I held back. I wanted to receive it from you first.”
Elia’s eyes widened as she looked at my frozen expression.
“I said I’m yours, right? So, I need a signature or a stamp.”
She gently tapped my lips with her slender fingers, smiling softly.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
…
A little while later, after finishing the preparations, we all headed to the front gate.
The attire wasn’t particularly special.
The cadets, including myself, Hong Yeonhwa, Baek Arin, and Elia, wore the academy uniforms we were given. The cadet uniforms themselves were designed with ceremonial purposes in mind, so they had a formal appearance.
Professor Liana and the master wore neat clothes as usual: simple pants and white shirts, topped with robes and coats.
Wheeeng…
‘Hmm…’
As we opened the gate and stepped outside, sothing floated down toward , pushing the wind away.
It was a drone with a dark body the size of an adult man’s torso, its lenses gleaming and several spinning wings buzzing around it.
It was a drone commonly seen in the previous world. However, this one had been integrated with magic, and its appearance had a more futuristic design.
“It’s a broadcast drone,” Professor Liana, standing behind , said as she observed it. I nodded in agreent after observing the internal structure of the drone.
The drone, clicking its lenses, continued to capture images of . I glanced up at the floating hologram above it.
[Broadcast Drone (32) - Operating] [Notice: Broadcasting with a 3-minute delay. Sensitive scenes will be edited.]
‘So, drones like this will be flying around during the Birth Ceremony.’
I observed the drone with a strange expression.
Looking around, I noticed similar drones flying around Shiyoram.
Though there were so smaller competitive events mixed in, the main premise of the Birth Ceremony was a celebration, a festival ant for eating, drinking, and having fun.
At the sa ti, it was an event to promote Shiyoram’s insular situation to the outside world.
Shiyoram is the world’s top superhuman developnt institution, where the greatest superhumans of the future are nurtured. Many other institutions exist, but none compare to Shiyoram.
As a result, the world’s attention is imnse.
However, Shiyoram usually keeps its gates firmly shut for security reasons, completely blocking outside access.
For such an institution to open its gates and satisfy external curiosity, the Birth Ceremony is held.
Therefore, parts of the ceremony, especially the opening ceremony, are broadcasted to the outside world.
A sigh almost escaped my lips as I thought about the opening ceremony coming up soon.
I held back the sigh, muttering to myself.
Ziiiing…
And as I did so, the cara captured the scene perfectly.
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