Chapter 139: Welcome, The Delegation of Arlanta

After a few days passed, the delegation from Arlanta arrived.

"Princess, you must get ready for the banquet."

Having just returned from a meeting with Daddy, I groaned to myself at Lilian's words.

I'll be busy from now on with the preparations for the welcome banquet in the evening. Since I had to dress up earlier this morning to see the delegation, can't I just change clothes?

"But you're pretty much ready so you'll have plenty of time."

Lilian had the same thoughts I did. We are so like-minded!

"There must have been a lot of wonderful knights in this year's delegation. The attendants were quite excited after all."

I tilted my head at Hannah's words.

Were there? I did see them when the delegation arrived earlier, but all of the knights were bowing their heads so I didn't know. Eh? Then when did the attendants see their faces? I narrowed my eyes and sank deeper into my doubts.

"Then please rest. I will come get you when it's time to get ready."

Once everyone had left, I was alone in my room.

It was a normal occurrence for the Arlanta and Obelia delegations to visit each other's countries every two or three years. We are in an era of peace so I knew that there was no particular reason for this visit.

Come to think of it, was Cabel Ernst, who was a sub-character, part of the delegation? According to the Novel, it must be near the time of his appearance.

The knights all wear the same uniform so it's difficult to differentiate who is who at first glance from a distance. I'm free anyway, so maybe I should go and check it out? I think they should be moving to the Sapphire Palace by now.

I had the sudden thought that I shouldn't stay sitting on this sofa for no reason. Honestly it didn't matter if Cabel Ernst was there or not, but I was still curious.

Hwiiing.

TL/n: The sound as Athy teleports away.

And so, I teleported to the top of the angel statue in the Sapphire Palace.

Hey, big sister! Your wings look so cool today, don't they? Excuse me for a moment. Oh, it's a perfect seat! Since it was a stone statue, it wasn't a particularly soft seat but it was good enough.

Ugh, actually, maybe sitting on the top of the statue would've been better but I just couldn't bring myself to sit on this pretty angel's head. Putting my derriere atop this carefully cut angel head made with such refined craftsmanship would be unbelievably rude!

When I took my seat on the angel's wing, I could finally see a long procession in the distance. Oh my, perhaps because it's such a large-scale relocation, it was taking much longer than expected to organize the amount of people and return them to the residence.

I watched the procession steadily approach. I didn't have to worry about being seen since I was using an invisibility spell.

Let's see, is the sub-character there?

After a while, I indeed found Cabel Ernst among the knights.

Oh, there he is. Just in case though, let me think. Let's see. Were there any major incidents or events in <Lovely Princess> that occurred during the appearance of that sub-character?

I don't think there were any. I think Ijekiel and Jennette just had some spicy romance lines, then he left alone...

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Cabel Ernst looked around as if something strange had occurred. Then, we made eye contact.

In that instant, Cabel Ernst opened his eyes and his mouth widened.

"Oh! MISS FAIRY...?!"

Uh oh! Damage dealt!

Cabel Ernst's loud voice echoed throughout the Sapphire Palace. I immediately used magic and teleported off of the angel's wing.

"Sir Ernst! Why are you screaming all of a sudden?"

"My apologies, sir! It's just that I saw a fairy on top of that angel statue..."

"What was up there?"

"Huh?"

But I had already moved to the spire of the Sapphire Palace. Cabel Ernst rubbed his eyes and looked around, but in the end, he couldn't find me and just held an absent-minded expression.

I held my chest as I looked down at him, who appeared to have matured a little since three years ago.

Oh, that startled me. Isn't that sub-character still surprising in such unexpected ways? To have discovered me on the angel statue at once was comparable to a beast with a sixth sense.

Still, it was fortunate that I was able to react quickly without panicking this time. It's probably because I gained more experience over the years. Then if Cabel Ernst was able to see me, does that mean he still has that magical item?

I watched the Arlanta delegation enter the Sapphire Palace before returning to the Emerald Palace.

୨・┈・・┈・୨✿୧・┈・・┈・୧

"Thank you for hosting such a welcoming banquet."

Cabel Ernst was nowhere to be seen at this dinner banquet. I looked around for a bit but soon returned my head to its proper position. It wasn't going to be easy finding a sub-character amongst all these people anyway.

Thinking back on it, I do believe that Jennette and Cabel first met at this banquet hall in the novel.

"Additionally, it has been an honor to meet Princess Athanasia, the beautiful flower of Obelia, so up close this year..."

After thanking Daddy, the representative of the Arlanta delegation turned to me and smiled as he continued on with his routine lip service towards me.

Uhm, was his name Duke Celoid? This man also sported a mustache. Is it a trend in Arlanta to grow a mustache?

"Thank you. I hope that you will enjoy your stay here while in Obelia."

Even in the novel, it was around this time where Jennette first met the Arlanta delegation. Then, Cabel Ernst, the sub-character, 'falls in love' with Jennette at first sight and challenges Ijekiel to a duel...Well, it wasn't exactly to that extent but they did have a battle of their own.

Now, Ijekiel seemed to casually ignore Cabel, but Jennette seemed to enjoy meeting the sub-character, who had a bright and cheerful personality.

But of course, it wasn't the pleasure of meeting someone of the opposite gender, but more like the pleasure of seeing a neighbor's dog wagging his tail warmly every time he saw her... Sniffle, thinking about it again, it's terribly depressing. What a pitiful sub-character!

"Ah, come to think of it, isn't the Princess two years younger than His Highness, Prince Dice? Would it not be a splendid idea to arrange a meeting between Princess Athanasia and Prince Dice next time? I believe that the two of you are like a match made in heaven..."

Crack! Shatter!

Just then, I heard something breaking next to me. I thought I had gotten an ominous feeling the second Duke Celoid started to speak.

"This plate is as thin as paper."

Daddy mumbled as he looked down at the plate that had been split down the middle. No, how the heck do you cut steak in a way that also cuts the plate? It's not because the plates are thin!

"But what were you saying? I think I heard gibberish."

"T-That..."

While the attendants quickly approached and cleared the mess up, Daddy asked Duke Celoid solemnly. As soon as I thought something was wrong, I immediately pushed the thought back and told myself it was nothing.

I clicked my tongue as I watched Daddy give Duke Celoid a cold glare.

Mister, my dad's a fool so you shouldn't say things like that! You can't just touch the nose of a sleeping lion like that! Prince Dice might be the Prince of Arlanta, but really, to say that he and I are a match made in heaven!

If you attach another man's name to mine so carelessly, then you're only asking for trouble.

"Duke Celoid. Princess Athanasia is next in line to the throne. While it would be nice to build a good relationship with His Highness, Prince Dice in advance, what Duke Celoid is saying is..."

Another person from the delegation whispered to Duke Celoid in a cold sweat.

I think he meant to whisper...but after absorbing the branch of the world tree that Lucas gave me, my hearing has improved a lot so I could hear their conversation very clearly.

"No, but what did I say?"

"Were you not trying to arrange a meeting?"

Yeah, that's the problem, actually. Rumors that I'll be Daddy's successor are already circulating in other countries and yet you're still attempting to tie me down to your country?

Even if I wasn't to inherit the throne myself, the man I marry would most likely become an Emperor Consort then, the next Emperor.

And Prince Dice, the Imperial grandson of Arlanta, was next in line to become Emperor after his father, who is the current Crown Prince. So it just doesn't make sense of me to be with him.

Tsk, tsk. Even if it was a joke to lighten the mood up, it wouldn't work on Daddy. Besides, if it was a serious thought, wouldn't it just be in vain?

"How can you ascend the throne with a body as weak as that of a woman's?"

But the next whispers from Duke Celoid made my blood boil.

"Although the Empress' position is currently vacant, the line of succession will naturally change if a Prince is born. She is but a delicate and beautiful Princess, so wouldn't it be better for her to marry our Prince Dice than to get caught up in a brutal battle for the throne? A woman's greatest happiness is to live a good life while being protected by her husband..."

Cra-crack! Shatter!

The sound of something breaking echoed once again in the banquet hall. The two guests sitting opposite of me suddenly moved their eyes towards the sound they heard. I smiled softly before relaxing my hands.

Thunk! Clang! Clatter!

"Oh my, my apologies."

"Gasp!"

Then a fork and knife, that had been completely snapped in half, fell from my hands onto the table. Duke Celoid and the other delegation members gaped at the sight of the silverware that weren't simply bent, but instead, were completely snapped.

"S-She snapped the silverware in two with her bare hands..."

"Due to my overflowing mana, this happens on occasion. Oh, but such a mishap hasn't happened to a person just yet."

"I-I see..."

I laughed, with a bright smile on my face.

By the way, what was that about a woman who was so weak and vulnerable that she needed to be protected by her husband? Ehhh? Take that idea and shove it.

After Daddy and I demonstrated our power, Duke Celoid appeared a little discouraged.

"This silverware is so fragile, I can't use them at all."

It seems like I wasn't the only one who was annoyed by the Duke's words, since Daddy's silverware had already turned to dust.

"It'd be better if we switched them with something stronger, no?"

The conversation between Daddy and I flowed naturally as the attendants switched out the silverware again.

After that, I was satisfied since the subsequent dinner had become very pleasant.