"And you know what? Letitia is very kind, and she compliments me on what I'm doing, even though I'm just doing normal things, and she says, 'Noel, you're very good.
During a break from work.
I was telling Luke about a senior colleague I admired.
'From the moment I saw him already, I was like, 'Cool! I want to be that person! I thought, "I didn't know he was so nice and kind. He's such a nice and kind person.
It was the appearance that I admired at first, but the more I get to know her, the more I like her inside.
I felt like a competent adult woman.
I wasn't even good enough for the local mage guild, so the work I was doing must not have been very commendable in the eyes of the royal court mages.
Even so, he still had kind words for me.
What a wonderful person.
As I speak enthusiastically, Luke sighs.
'Hmm? What's wrong? How are you?
No, I wondered why they were going in that direction instead of me being the closest one.
"Nearest? Diagonally?
"It's nothing.
Luke exhales deeply again.
As I look at his profile, I remember what my mother told me yesterday.
I was happy to be working in a place that was too comfortable compared to before.
'Work well! It's a lot of fun to practice magic, too.
And if you tell your mom that
That's all well and good, but more importantly, you're going to marry her and get married! I know, you studied potions at the Academy. We'll make you a love potion and give you some. It's the perfect plan!
And that's when the nonsense came back.
It is a crime to make a love potion and to make her drink it.
You don't know anything about it," she said.
As I was shrugging my shoulders, Luke suddenly said, "Oh dear," he said.
By the way, do you know there's a royal ball at the palace next week? It's called the Scarlet Rose Ball.
I know that. I'm famous.
I knew about that ball.
Or rather, if you were born and raised in the kingdom, I'm sure there is no one who doesn't know about it.
It's a ball with a history and tradition that has been going on for over a hundred years. The Dauphin of the kingdom has met his future queen at this ball for generations. All girls spend their girlhood longing for this ball.
Wow, I didn't know you were interested in that. I didn't know Noel was interested in that kind of thing.
Rude. I used to be a dream girl, too.
I thought you were more the type of person who wanted to be a grand wizard than a princess.
Oh, of course you were my first choice. I think Princess was my second choice.
My mom, a saver, didn't buy me any playthings at all.
So I remember borrowing romance novels from my friends and devouring them.
I remember feeling a little sad because I didn't always have what everyone else could afford back then.
But my mother used all the money she had saved to pay for me when I said I wanted to go to the Academy of Magic.
I'm grateful for that kind of loneliness thousands of times over.
I was born and raised in the countryside, so she has a strong belief that girls should get married, which is a bit of a problem for me.
But I see. The Scarlet Rose Ball will be held at the royal palace.
Once again, I am reminded that I am in an amazing place.
The best ball in the kingdom, which I used to admire in the past, is being held right in front of me.
However, since it is an important event that may determine the future queen, only a handful of people in the kingdom will be able to attend.
It's not a problem if you marry the crown prince, though, unless you are from a family that won't have any problems marrying the crown prince - the highest level of nobility or a princess from a neighboring country, you are not even allowed to enter.
That's why it's more of a girl's dream.
Well, it's something elegant and wonderful that I, as a commoner, will never have the opportunity to experience.
I was admiring the fact that it's really there, and Luke said to me, "It's amazing.
And you, my buddy, are going to be there.
I couldn't understand the words.
After about a minute or so of rigidity I said, "I don't understand.
"........................ huh?