Erika made a face as if to say, I thought so.
At that moment, someone placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Rather than that, I think a special bond refers more to the relationship between me and the Young Lady.”
I widened my eyes.
“Your Highness the Imperial Princess…”
Imperial Princess Yuriel was looking at me with a smile.
“I told you to call me Sister, didn’t I, little sister?”
I lowered my head in embarrassment.
At the appearance of the First Imperial Princess, Yuriel, not only Erika but also the young masters and young ladies looked surprised.
“Why do you all look so surprised? Did I come somewhere I shouldn’t?”
“Your Highness…”
“Sister.”
As Yuriel emphasized it again, I had no choice but to call her Sister.
“…Sister.”
“That’s right, Ive. Happy birthday.”
When Yuriel gestured, an attendant pulled over a cart.
The cart was piled high with gifts.
“I couldn’t decide what you’d like, so I bought everything.”
I looked at her with a dazed expression.
She really seemed like a very generous person.
Yuriel suddenly pulled me into a hug.
“I missed you, Ive.”
I had wondered whether I should send Yuriel an invitation, but Licia encouraged me to send one, so I did.
I didn’t expect she would actually come.
“Are you enjoying the party?”
“Yes, I am. It is my first time being celebrated like this for my birthday, so I am a bit overwhelmed too.”
Yuriel gently stroked my head.
“From now on, your birthdays will always be enjoyable.”
“Will they?”
“Of course. You have me, don’t you? Just trust me.”
When I smiled softly, Yuriel made a regretful expression.
“It’s a shame, but I have to go now.”
It seemed she had come by making time out of her busy schedule. I felt unnecessarily sorry.
“You must be busy, was it not troublesome for you to come?”
“Of course I had to come. How could I not come to your birthday party? No matter what happens, I had to come.”
I didn’t dislike her boundless affection.
It was probably because I had been that lonely.
“I’ll come again next time.”
“Yes, Sister.”
With a grin, Yuriel looked around at the children.
“Everyone, please take good care of my little sister.”
With just that one sentence from Yuriel, the children’s interest in me grew even stronger.
***
‘This is ridiculous, how could Her Highness the Imperial Princess treat the Young Lady like that…’
The Imperial Princess’s affection toward Ivelotte was clearly visible in Erika’s eyes.
She felt jealous.
At that moment, Erika’s gaze turned toward a young lady standing in a corner with her head lowered.
Her eyes sharpened as if she had found prey.
Erika walked toward her.
“Oh my, well if it isn’t Lady Sestia.”
Startled, the girl raised her head.
“Ah, hello, Lady Erika.”
“What are you doing in a corner like this?”
“Well…”
“Lady Sestia, I consider you a friend, you do too, right?”
“Pardon? Yes…”
“Then, as a friend, you can grant me a small favor, right?”
“A favor?”
“Yes.”
“…What is it?”
“Actually, I want to become friends with the Young Lady, so I was hoping you could help me.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
With a grin, Erika whispered into Sestia’s ear.
Sestia’s face turned pale after hearing the story.
“How could I possibly do something like that…?”
“You said we are friends, did you not? Can you not grant even that small favor?”
“But…”
“Think of your father. Who knows, I might tell my father to forgive your debt.”
Sestia’s eyes welled up with tears.
“B-But, that…”
Erika put on a regretful expression.
“You cannot do it? Then it cannot be helped. I will not be able to help you anymore either. You know, right? I was the one who delayed your father’s repayment deadline.”
“Lady Erika…”
“If you cannot even do that much for me, then I do not think I have any reason to help you either, Lady Sestia.”
In the end, Sestia lowered her head.
Her father, Baron Leman, had a large debt to Viscount Giller.
It was a debt he took on to treat his wife’s illness. His wife was suffering from an incurable disease.
And to treat that incurable disease, she had to take medicine continuously.
The problem was that the herb used to make that medicine was very expensive. Because it was a herb that only grew on the Eastern Continent across the sea.
He had borrowed a large sum of money to cover his wife’s medical expenses.
Not only from Viscount Giller, but also from other vassals.
The debt grew like a snowball and went beyond what the Baron could repay.
So the Baron bowed low before the vassals he had borrowed money from to delay the repayment deadline.
In return for going easy on him, they began to make all kinds of demands of him and used him like their hands and feet.
That relationship carried over to their children, and Sestia was no exception.
Still, since they were children, they didn’t make her do harsh things, but among them, Erika was particularly harsh.
“…I will do it.”
“Oh my, really? You will grant my request?”
Erika spoke with a gentle smile, but to Sestia, she looked extremely wicked.
***
After Imperial Princess Yuriel left, I enjoyed the party.
While eating dessert, I chatted with the children who approached me.
It wasn’t a bad atmosphere.
Until someone poured cold water over it.
“M-My Lady. I have something I want to ask.”
“Was it Lady Sestia?”
“Yes.”
“What is it that you are curious about?”
“I was wondering if you are really alright.”
“About what?”
Sestia glanced at Erika and, tightly shutting her eyes, spoke.
“Today is also the anniversary of the Grand Duchess’s death, so I was wondering if you are not sad.”
I quietly looked at Sestia.
Above her head, the word [Fear] was floating.
Today was a gathering to celebrate my birthday.
Bringing up the Grand Duchess in a place like this could only be seen as hostility toward me.
At that moment, someone immediately intervened.
“Lady Sestia, apologize to the Young Lady right now.”
“L-Lady Erika…”
Erika stepped in front of Sestia.
“Today is a gathering to celebrate the Young Lady’s birthday. I do not think it is appropriate to bring up the Grand Duchess here.”
Sestia quickly lowered her head.
“I-I am sorry, my Lady. I spoke out of turn…”
Erika smiled gently and looked at me.
“My Lady, please forgive Lady Sestia’s mistake. As her friend, I apologize on her behalf.”
As Erika apologized in place of Sestia, the children watching began to speak one by one.
“Lady Erika is too kind for her own good. There are things you should cover for and things you should not.”
“Exactly. Lady Sestia made the mistake, so why is Lady Erika the one apologizing? Does Lady Sestia not have any conscience?”
Sestia lowered her head with a tearful expression.
I looked back and forth between the two of them.
Erika’s skill in instantly turning the atmosphere to her side was impressive.
But why had Sestia taken on the role of the villain?
Looking at the situation alone, it didn’t seem like it was her intention.
Erika had become an angel-like girl who apologized for her friend’s mistake.
If I were to punish Sestia here, I would become someone who didn’t forgive mistakes.
“Since today is my birthday, I will specially forgive Lady Sestia’s slip of the tongue. And Lady Erika, you do not need to apologize on her behalf.”
Erika smiled brightly with an angelic face.
“Thank you very much, my Lady. As expected, you are so generous. Don’t you all think so?”
I quietly observed her behavior.
“My Lady, I truly want to get along well with you. Will you be friends with me?”
I grinned and took Erika’s hand.
“Of course. I am really happy that someone as broad-minded as you, Lady Erika, would become my friend.”
As if she hadn’t expected me to accept so readily, Erika flinched.
“It is an honor that you would accept me as your friend, my Lady.”
“Not just that. I want to become friends with everyone here. Will you all become my friends?”
At my words, the young ladies approached with smiles.
“Of course. I would love to be friends with you, my Lady.”
“Me too.”
“Me too.”
“Oh my, how delightful.”
I smiled brightly at Erika.
