Nigotta Hitomi no Lilianne

Chapter 176

Lilianne of the Observation

Unlike the usual hand-crafted birthday party, Theo’s party this time was grandiose.

That’s because Theo has entered the junior high school division this year.

He was apparently quite the celebrity in the elementary division too, but after entering the junior high, he entered a student council-like group which came with his flashy activities.

How flashy you ask? Flashy enough to be called the Silver Flash Noble.

Thanks to that, he wears sorrowful expression because his time to play with me decreased.

Ellie was delighted to take his place, though.

Such being the case, his personal connections spread out considerably and so quite a lot of people are going to come.

Accordingly, it was decided to make the party grand.

Of course, Obaasama and Ojiisama’s subordinates investigated the backgrounds and carefully selected the people to invite.

Theo is the Christophe Household’s eldest son.

There are many people that will want to curry favor with him.

Although I say that, the eldest son of the Christophe family doesn’t necessarily always becomes the successor.

While it may be still too early to consider since Alek is still on active duty, the first thing to take in consideration is that I will definitely not be selected to succeed the house.

The birthday party started punctually and many people came one after another.

As it wasn’t a formal noble party as there was no need for disguise, members of various races jumbled together.

It just began so not that much time has passed, but the hall was already crowded.

Theo who was with Alek and Claire was receiving the words of blessings from the people at the entrance.

The contents of the presents have been checked beforehand and they are apparently piled up somewhere in the hall.

I naturally can’t see them, so I don’t know exactly where they are.

Me, Ellie, Ena, Obaasama, and Ojiisama are waiting for Theo and others at the highest place within the hall.

If the place Theo and our parents were was the first floor, then we would be at the rest area on the second floor.

Theo’s friends who came here first were excluded from the advance check and were waiting at the party hall.

It was the party of the Christophe Household’s eldest son——the one recognized as the next family head——so everyone was dressed up like a proper noble.

I myself am wearing a dress Obaasama and Ellie decided on after a heated discussion.

Theo is the leading actor this time, so the final choice was a simpler dress with a largish flower on the right side of my lower back with a matching corsage on my hand.

Ellie was naturally wearing a beautiful dress that matched mine.

When the two of us stand together, we bring a lovely picturesque atmosphere, we were praised such.

Obaasama and Ena were dressed in adult, chic-style dresses.

Ojiisama was in his usual military uniform, so there wasn’t much different about him.

The four personal maids and Scarlet behind me weren’t wearing maid uniforms today, but matching dresses instead.

However, the reason I still found them looking somewhat maid-ish must be the brim’s fault.

While looking at my personal maids, I heard some kind of ruckus down below.

When I looked over, I saw a straight line opening splendidly for a crowd of people that walked over to Theo.

There was a boy dressed in the formal clothes of Theo’s academy with short hair and long-slit eyes.

There were boys and girls in the same uniforms behind him, but while I think that the clothes were same, the impression he gave off was different.

I might as well say that the way he carried himself was different, but the way he conducted himself was truly at a master level.

Seeing those people, Theo was smiling wryly a little.

But, he didn’t seem to be displeased, rather, he seemed glad to see them.

The boy shook Theo’s hand and they seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.

The boys and girls behind him were also smiling while speaking a word or two.

But, as I thought, the boy was the main character.

It’s a little far from here, so I haven’t heard what they were talking about.

But, from the intimate aura I feel from the two, I can tell that Theo is quite close with the boy.

“Lily-chan, that child who is talking with Theo-chan now is this Ovent’s Prince.”

“Pwince.”

“Yes, he grew up quite a lot in this while I haven’t seen him. The last time I saw him, he was about as big as you.”

Obaasama informed me with nostalgia and party squinted eyes.

The royalty attend the same school?

Moreover, they are close so they mingle with others?

Well, the Christophe Household are so noble that even the royalty wouldn’t move against them, so it would be better to make connections as early as possible.

“I am a bit poor at dealing with His Highness Genovi...”

“It’s unusual for you to be poor with someone, isn’t it Ellie-chan~”

“His Highness directly proposed a marriage.”

“My, my, you are so popular, Ellie-chan~ ... Fufu, as expected of you.”

Ellie’s face showed a difficult expression with a wry smile while Obaasama smiled with a hand on her cheek.

My big sis acts like a secluded young noble lady in the school and I thought she would be popular, but I never thought she would charm even a Prince.

The Prince in question had looked up from the first floor and waved towards us with a smile.

Ellie returned the wave with a complicated expression.

There’s quite a distance between us and most of the light is directed towards the main actor, which is Theo, so he might have not become aware of Ellie’s complicated expression yet.

His Highness Genovi with his almond-shaped eyes is fairly cool.

When he stands next to our Oniisama, the two pretty boys are a feast for the eyes.

He doesn’t enter my eyes though.

But, a pretty boy of such extent would bring harmony when lined up next to Ellie.

Our Oneesama is quite a beauty after all!

The boys and girls behind His Highness were apparently Theo’s classmates or members of the student council-like organization.

There were people at ease who seemed to be accustomed to this and also those who were stiff from nervousness.

Being a noble or a commoner in the academy Theo attends is irrelevant, but the number of commoners decreases considerably at the junior high division.

That’s because graduating from the elementary division is generally enough.

Therefore, the nervous children were most likely commoners.

Well, Theo also doesn’t care about the status. That’s why they must have been invited to the birthday party in the first place.

Theo talked with those nervous children with a gentle smile, and the stiffness of the smiles of the nervous children lessened a bit.

As expected of Oniisama.

He’s concerned about them so naturally! The Silver Flash Noble is living up his reputation!

After having fun with the boys and girls for a while, the group moved somewhere in the party hall.

After that, Theo entertained the guests that continuously kept arriving.

Even though it’s Theo’s birthday, the leading actor is keeping the guests company. I thought that this might be the nature of the Great Nobility that is the Christophe family, but thinking that doing this wouldn’t be like me, so I felt a bit relieved.

I should leave things like these entirely to Oniisama and Oneesama.

Nothing special happened with His Highness afterward, but Ena and Obaasama who were watching Theo entertain the guests whispered among themselves.

They were talking in low voices, but I heard it all because I was sitting on top of Obaasama’s lap. His Highness was apparently coming this way.

His objective was most likely Ellie.

Ellie who heard that from Obaasama frowned with a complex expression, but she immediately pulled herself together and made her usual face... or not, her expression was obviously showing that she wants to be somewhere different right at the moment.

A fleeting gloominess floated on her face.

Is Ellie like this in the academy, I wonder...

If she was reading a book right now, anyone would think that she’s a secluded young lady.

She’s a wolf in a sheep’s clothing.

While admiring such Ellie, the Prince in question arrived.

He left the circle of boys and girls and came by himself.

Answering the prince who came over, everyone stood up to welcome him.

“Long time no see. Great Heroes of Our Ovent, Annela-sama, Roland-sama.”

“It has been a while, Prince Genovi.”

“Long time no see, Your Highness. I am glad you seem to be doing well. However, I am not going to hand our Ellie to you.”

“My, oh my, Dear... fufu.”

His Highness showed a startled face at the sudden words of Ojiisama, but he immediately fixed his expression and acted as if nothing happened.

It may seem that Obaasama is caring only about me, but she’s properly doting on Theo and Ellie as well.

I can’t put it in words, but His Highness must have sensed the sharpness in the atmosphere too.

I, who is being hugged in Obaasama’s arms can tell that His Highness’ magical power was shrinking back considerably.

Well, anyone would want to run after being cornered by these two.

Just by being able to keep his expression up, I can tell that he’s wise at this age. It seems that he’s not on Theo’s level just yet though.

If His Highness was followed by the nervous boys and girls Theo had to look after, they wouldn’t be able to stand up from fear.

“I, I would like to talk about that properly the next time...”

“Let’s see, if you want Ellie, you have to defeat me first.”

“My, my... that’s good thinking.”

“Eh!? N, no, umm... Ro, Roland-sama... please don’t jest.”

“I have obtained An the same way. I am ready anytime. Of course, you can go even now!”

Ojiisama’s aura told me that he wasn’t joking. He was saying that seriously.

I understand that he’s incredibly doting towards his grandchildren, but to this degree! To this extent!?

The magical power of the person in question, His Highness, has also grown completely pale.

He’s also trembling a bit, this guy is hopeless. Hopeless, I say!

“Jii~ji, it’s Nii~ni’s birthday, you know?”

“Ohhh... you are right, you are right. You are so admirable, Lily! I will turn a blind eye today. Quickly return to the other bunch, Genovi.”

“Y, yes!”

Ojiisama looked at me completely like a good-natured old man, but when he spoke to His Highness with a cold magical power, His Highness escaped as fast as he could.

I was thinking whether it was fine to speak with His Highness like that, but Ojiisama and Obaasama are the Great Heroes of Ovent, and key figures of the Christophe Household, so something like this shouldn’t be a problem...

How do I say this... Your Highness, Amen.

I saw off the panicking Prince while having my cheeks rubbed after getting moved from Obaasama’s soft arms into Ojiisama’s very hard pectorals.