"Ahem."
Yulei cleared her throat, directing my attention back to her.
"Long ti no see, Lady Alora of Light. I caught a re glimpse of you during Lady Es's birthday party. It's a pleasure."
"Likewise."
You heard correctly, 'Es's birthday party'. Not our birthday party, not Alora's, but Es's. Her birthday was the only one celebrated that day, much to Es's dismay, but I had been the one to convince her otherwise.
It wasn't for so grand reason, but had the rest of them discovered that we're twins, then the ss of relationships between Es, her six friends, and would be amplified.
And that's not sothing I'm in the mood to deal with at the mont.
"I see that you're no longer on crutches. Has your state improved since the last ti we t?"
"Lady Yulei has good eyes. Correct, I've gotten better. I can comfortably walk around at a decent pace, but not much more than that, unfortunately. Still, it's an improvent compared to half a year ago."
"Congratulations."
Passing these formal comnts around, our true thoughts lingered within our interlaced gazes.
"Would you like help pushing the chair?"
Yulei politely declined my offer, "No need, this chair can move on its own with just a thought of mine."
Automatic driving? That's so advanced technology.
Why aren't there any cars or vehicles of that sort around then? Why only horse-drawn carriages?
A lack of innovation or another limitation?
That made quite curious, but, for now, I focused my thoughts elsewhere.
"Shall we go et Jill and Vanessa then?" Yulei asked with an upward curl in the corner of her lips.
"Sure."
Our formalities dropped slightly; Now that I think about it, have I ever spoken to Jill? Maybe a word or two?
I strutted along Yulei's wheelchair through the luxurious hall. Shimrs of pretty lights danced off the grounds, walls, and through the paned windows into the large terrace connected to the hall.
The ground beneath our feet felt like dense cotton balls, and the scent of the aromatic foods filled the room.
It was quite the fancy set-up for a single Ascendancy.
However, this is Hilda we're talking about.
The daughter of the Commander of the Sanctified Knights, Giliard Von Lamperard.
Hilda Von Lamperard.
If anything, her noble status was so low that it'd be hard to connect her to be the daughter of such a powerful and famous man. Giliard was too low-key, and his daughter, Hilda, has acted as my Sword Maid for the past year, also diminishing her presence as a noble lady.
And, when you put it that way...
I've only seen her in a training outfit on the day of our eting and a maid's outfit since then. I haven't seen her dressed up.
Curiosity and interest slithered in my chest;
I want to see that.
She'd be so pretty.
A murky grin licked my lips beneath the mask.
Pushing my hands into my pocket, I habitually fiddled with the device lingering in my pocket. It was an item similar to a vape, used mainly to soothe nerves and dull pain receptors.
While I do admit that it's quite pathetic to be reliant on drugs...
I fucking want so, right now.
This atmosphere, these emotions, these thoughts; the endless nagging of voices blasting in my eardrums, driving to the brink of insanity-
I want to numb it.
Taking a deep breath, I clenched my shivering fingers and bit my dry lips. I smothered the thirst in my body and arrived at Jill and Vanessa's side.
"Oh, Yulei, you're back-!" Vanessa shouted as she waved at Yulei, but then, once she looked towards , the girl pouted with a scowl-
"Ugh, look who we have here. Hmph."
It seems she still holds a grudge for my actions back then.
On the other hand, Jill gave a solid nod, "Hello." And greeted in a simple, yet efficient manner; that deanour fit him like a glove.
There was, however, one issue.
...My neck hurts.
Yulei is sitting in a wheelchair, so she's at eye level.
But Jill and Vanessa...
So tall.
I had to crane my neck to look them in the eyes; Jill's green hair was styled in a niche, rough manner, his face was too handso for his age, and his body was quite developed. Vanessa was in a similar situation; her black hair was lush, and she was as pretty as Yulei.
I, on the other hand, grew by 1 cm from 104 cm to 105 cm. These two were both over 150 cm, and my body was also much smaller; I looked like a dwarf when placed by their side.
I'm damn tiny.
"It's nice to et you too." Lifting the hem of my dress, I gave them a polite curtsy that they returned in response.
Running his fingers through his hair, Jill stared down at with a slim smile. The angle of his face, plus his good looks, plus the hair, plus the well-grood suit and shoulder cloak...
I can already see all the broken hearts to co in the future.
Shrugging inwardly in pity for the ladies, "I've heard of your accomplishnts, Jill, you are close to the Second Step, are you not?" I tossed Jill a complint.
"...Yes, Lady Alora. Thank you." He kept his words short as he scratched his face.
Beside him, Vanessa held her hands on her hips, "Hmph, of course he did. But how did that stupid girl beat him to it..." Grinding her teeth, Vanessa, dressed in a simple yet stylish black dress that fit her hair, seed to dread the thought of Hilda outpacing Jill in the Ascendancy race.
"Vanessa, stop it. Hilda deserves it. She works harder than anyone I know." Yulei stepped up... Uh, that's an inappropriate word for Yulei, she didn't step up in Hilda's defence but rolled up in Hilda's defence...?
Nevermind.
She stepped up in Hilda's defence.
Harumphing, Vanessa twisted her head to the side but went quiet. She was oddly submissive to Yulei, but the sa happened that day on the hill.
"It's not a race." Jill added that from the side, whilst letting out an exaggerated sigh.
Knowing him, he was probably thinking sothing like:
[...Who cares?]
I'm not entirely familiar with him, but it felt that way to .
"By the way, Alora, have you seen Es yet?" Yulei shifted her attention back to .
Shaking my head, "Not yet. I don't know where she is."
In fact, everyone but Hilda and Es was here.
Hilda, I understood she was preparing, but Es? Why was Es not here yet?
Is she doing sothing else important?
-----
"Hnng~ Lily, that's enough!"
Lily stood behind the seated Es, neatly combing and tidying her appearance. "You say that, but your cheeks are all puffed up with pride and excitent. You want to look pretty for her, don't you?"
Pouting, Es turned her head slightly with flushed cheeks.
...And yes, this is why Es was late.
She was too focused on prettying herself up for Alora that she had forgotten the ti, and Lily was invested in turning Es into the prettiest girl of the night, so the issue of being late had long passed over her mind.
Glancing at the figure in her reflection, Es ran her fingers over the white dress with pink highlights, adorned with golden leaves that fluttered outward in waves of folds and frills.
It was a mirror dress of Alora's, but Es had no idea, nor did Lily.
The tailor provided the dress according to the Mistress' whims, and her whims this ti around led her to create a bouquet of mirrored, twin flowers.
As Lily adorned Es's snow-white hair with a red ribbon-
"Hm?"
-she noticed that a ssage had been delivered.
Pulling out the rectangular device, she listened to the words within...
"Oh no, Lady Es!"
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"We're late! Very late!"
"Oh!"
-----
With small talk passing around this cohort of four, a visitor from the nearby group ca over.
"Hildekar?" Jill gave the silver-haired, handso young man a slight nod.
"Greetings, Vanessa, Yulei, Jill, and Lady Alora."
His llow gaze glazed over the others before landing on , "I actually wanted to thank you, Lady Alora. Hilda's progress can be attributed to your constant aid. Truly, thank you." He bowed down at a 45-degree angle, but, funnily enough, he was still tall enough to look down at in the eyes.
...When will I get taller?
Holding that mixture of a grudge and envy in my heart, "No problem. Hilda is my Sword Maid, after all."
"Speaking of, how's she been? The rascal won't tell anything, staying quiet and avoiding at every left and right turn. Honestly, it's getting hard to keep my father at bay with his insistent pestering about my aunt."
...???
Aunt? Father?
What's he talking about?
"Hildekar, she doesn't know."
"Oh, right! Hilda is my cousin. Her mother is my aunt from my dad's side. She avoids for certain reasons, but my dad cares too much about his sister. He always cries about 'She's so clumsy!' and 'What if that bastard Giliard tricked her again!'."
Hildekar shrugged midway, "Anyways, how's she been?"
...Hold up.
They're cousins?
Right then, the mory of my days as a fly ca back; Hilda's mother had silver hair.
It makes sense now.
"You should be asking that instead." Chuckling, I helplessly lifted my palms, "I'm the one handling her all day."
Hildekar stared at for a mont before a smile broke out on his face, "True! My apologies, Lady Alora, how have you been this past year?"
Hearing that question;
Hearing those words;
I smiled;
107,123,649WhilepilesofcrazedCursesflowedthroughmybrain107,124,051
With an almost blank tone, I uttered:
"Perfect, I've been doing Perfect."
Right, mother?
My eyes moved to the distant waves of chestnut and blue, and, in return, they gazed straight back at with endless love in them; truly Perfect, am I not?
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