Chapter 180: High Society Debuts Are Difficult! (10)
I examined Astarosa's state, whose heart had been pierced, from various angles.Although her demon horns were curled and tall like a deer's, and her tail had grown thicker like a Tyrannosaurus, she seemed to be in good health.
"Judas, is this really okay? No matter how I look at it, she looks like a great demon. She looks like she could massacre humans, is this really alright?"
Brigitte looked at Astarosa with very worried eyes.As Brigitte said, the current Astarosa looked so demonic that it would feel natural if she appeared as the final boss monster in a game.
Is it really okay to let such a being loose in society?Wouldn't it be better to keep her confined somewhere? It's natural to have such thoughts.Whether she heard our conversation or not, Astarosa went "Hup—."
"Hnnnngh—!"
With her hands clenched tightly and putting force between her thighs, she looked just like someone desperately holding it in because they needed to use the bathroom but couldn't find one nearby.I was seriously contemplating what to do if she wet herself here.
Pop—Astarosa's body shone white like a firefly.For about 3 seconds.It was completely luminescent.
The more surprising thing happened when that soft light disappeared.The horns on Astarosa's head had vanished, and the tail on her bottom and bat wings on her back were gone too.She looked like an ordinary human to anyone.
A beautiful barbarian woman with long hair tied back, resembling Cariote somewhat.We should call her 'Dina' rather than Astarosa.Had she returned to being human?No, this was just deception.Some praying mantises use camouflage tactics to mimic flowers and catch approaching insects and bugs in one go, right?Like that, this was just a disguise to deceive humans by transforming into one.It would be better to call it 《Camouflage》.Still, the completeness was so excellent that no one would think of Dina as a demon.
"You've returned to human form. At least in appearance."Cariote touched Dina's hand and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she nodded, saying, "Appearance doesn't matter. You're always my little sister and my family."At this, Dina blushed and turned her head to the side.
"Why are you saying such embarrassing things so unlike you, sister?"
Seeing her snort with a "Hmph—", I thought that Cecily's inability to be honest and her grumbling must be a strong maternal inheritance.Both Cariote and Dina were like that.
Anyway, in this manner, the Mage of Devastation, Valdes, was quickly subdued.The anti-demon soldiers of the Voluntari royal family and the court soldiers of the Ordor kingdom arrived belatedly, but the situation had already been resolved, so we just briefly handed over the aftermath cleanup.
In conclusion, they said that the annex palace should be closed for the time being due to the lingering effects of the death magic that Valdes had scattered.Wasn't a children's party in full swing in this small palace?
# # #
"It's crawling with children."
Salome raised her eyebrows as she looked at the banquet hall. As Salome said, this adults' banquet hall was teeming with children who had taken refuge.A banquet hall where adults and children mingled together.The most excited one was Naru.
"Molumolu, use lightning!"
—Meowww.
Zap—Naru's Molumolu puffed up its fur with static electricity and then launched a lightning-like shock at the opponent's Molumolu.In the end, the opponent's Molumolu collapsed on the floor, and this Molumolu battle was also Naru's victory.With this, Naru became today's Molumolu champion.
"Wow, holy shh—! Naru became the Molumolu champion!"
Naru hugged her Molumolu tightly and shouted loudly.I'm not sure what's what, but 'Molumolu Champion' seems to be a great honor for children.
These days, children's future dreams are things like 'Molumolu Champion' or 'Molumolu Master'.It's like when doctor, lawyer, astronaut, president— used to rank high in children's future dream surveys, and then 'YouTuber' started ranking high. I wonder if adults felt similar to how I feel now?To think I'd realize the world is changing in this way here.
Swoosh—At that moment, the atmosphere in the adults' banquet hall changed.Someone had appeared in this banquet hall, holding the hand of the Ordor king.She was a woman with striking blonde hair and blue eyes.She wore a white dress with fine lines and despite wearing shoes, there was elegance in her steps.
"It's the Ordor princess."
"She's always beautiful."
"It's hard to believe she's 40 this year."
That's right.She was the princess of Ordor.
The Ordor princess appeared in the banquet hall holding her father's hand and slowly waved to the people.She looked just like a champion who had won unanimously in a global beauty pageant.Her princess power was definitely SSR.
In fact, my princess power scouter had set the Ordor princess as the SSR standard and ranked others below her, so it was natural for the Ordor princess to be SSR grade.The SSR princess Ordor placed a flower crown that looked handmade on Naru's head.
"Congratulations on your victory, Naru."
"Wow!"
Naru raised her hands with a Whoop—Soon the princess said.
"Would you like to become my adopted daughter?"
Everyone held their breath at that question.Becoming the adopted daughter of the Ordor princess.That meant being formally invited into the Ordor royal family.
It meant having the opportunity to someday become the queen of Ordor, the country of knights and princesses.In other words, it's like being able to become a hereditary U.S. president.Wouldn't anyone with power want to enjoy such luxury?
"Does that mean Naru will become an Ordor princess?"
"That's right."
"Wow, holy shh—!"
"You can live in the palace wearing dresses every day, wearing pretty crowns, and watching flowers and butterflies. And if you want, you can invite people and have parties every day."
So those are the perks of becoming a princess.A life of lounging around and playing every day.I wanted to become a princess myself.However, Naru seemed to think differently.
"Naru can do that already! If I become a princess, can I hunt dragons?"
"No, you can't do such dangerous things."
The Ordor princess shook her head.Then Naru trembled slightly and asked carefully.
"Then what about dragonflies?"
"A princess shouldn't carelessly catch things like dragonflies."
That was correct.An SSR princess shouldn't carelessly catch things like dragonflies.She had to maintain her dignity.However, after hearing this, Naru growled like a small beast.
"It doesn't sound very fun!"
I see.Naru didn't seem very interested in the position of the Ordor princess's adopted daughter.Soon, the Ordor princess also laughed "Hohoho—" and patted Naru's head.
"I think so too. If I could, I'd rather live like you, running around catching butterflies and taking walks with Molumolus, instead of living boringly in this palace."
"Naru doesn't want to be an Ordor princess!"
Naru took off the flower crown on her head. Refusing to become the Ordor princess's adopted daughter. Because no one could have imagined this, the small banquet hall was greatly stirred.
"What happens now?"
"If we can't find a successor for the Ordor princess..."
Voices full of concern burst out.Then Naru shouted, adding a few words.
"Also, Naru hasn't become the champion yet! Because Naru hasn't competed with Neva's Molumolu yet. Neva's Molumolu must be strong! Probably!"
Naru pointed at Princess Neva with her finger with a Pop—
Princess Neva was a girl with blue hair so long it touched the ground, and her princess power was at least A+ grade.She seemed like a girl who could dream of becoming an SSR princess if she honed her princess skills for a few years.The girl was startled when Naru pointed at her.
"...What? Me? But my Molumolu is small..."
—Meow.
Indeed, the Molumolu on Princess Neva's shoulder was small. If the average size of Molumolus was about that of a volleyball, Neva's Molumolu was the size of a small tangerine.Could that small Molumolu be strong enough to make even Naru nervous?Naru said.
"Of course it's small now, but in about 6 years, it will grow incredibly big! Neva, let's have a Molumolu battle together then!"
"......"Neva hesitated and mumbled without answering readily.However, adults next to Neva whispered things like "Another chance to become an adopted daughter in the Voluntari royal family..." or "Actually the most suitable as cousins with the Ordor royal family...".
By the way, everyone who knew about it was aware that the earlier commotion with the Mage of Devastation, Valdes, was caused by the Voluntari royal family.Apparently, the Ordor king and princess decided to just let it slide.They decided to put the Voluntari kingdom and its royal family in 'debt', they say.
"Neva, let's meet again in 6 years!"
Naru waved her hand vigorously towards Neva.Neva didn't seem to understand what Naru meant, though.
In the end, there was no little princess of the year.Instead, the protagonist of the year voted at the adults' banquet was, unsurprisingly, Salome.
Princess Salome of the Marduk Empire, who was thought to have gone missing.It was somewhat natural for such a Salome to be chosen as the protagonist of the year.However, despite receiving the most votes, Salome was indifferent.
"Thank you. I'll give this honor to the Ordor princess."
Originally, the person who received the most votes at the banquet had the opportunity to become partners with the Ordor princess and dance.But Salome didn't seem to want to dance with the Ordor princess very much.Well, what's fun about two women holding hands and dancing together?
"A banquet where the Ordor princess has no partner."
"This year's banquet is full of surprises in many ways."
People's eyes sparkled with excitement even as they were bewildered.Now only the ball, the finale and highlight of the banquet, remained.
Just as I was about to stand up from my chair, thinking I should step up for the princess without a partner, Brigitte grabbed my shoulder.
"No, I don't think that will be necessary."
Swoosh—Brigitte's finger pointed at someone.He was a sturdy man who bowed his head while extending his hand towards the Ordor princess.
"Princess, would you dance one song with me?"
"...Oh my, that would be lovely. It's been a while since I danced with father."
He was the king of Ordor.To people, the Ordor king was a solemn war lord, so he was far from something like 'dancing'.The only dance that would suit him would have been a sword dance.
So everyone was surprised.And I was surprised too.An SSR princess shouldn't dance carelessly with men.Even if that man was her own father.
That was the meaning of voting for women at the princess's banquet to determine the winner.Only the most beautiful woman could be a partner without tarnishing the honor of the SSR princess, the Ordor princess.Therefore, dancing with her own father was an act that lowered the Ordor princess's princess power.However, they danced, spinning round and round as if such things didn't matter.
"Juli, when was the last time we danced like this?"
"It's the first time since I was 6 years old. You didn't dance with me after that, father, saying that men and women shouldn't mix. You haven't danced since then either, right? Your steps are a complete mess."
"Is that so? Haha, I see. It's surprising how that little tomboy has grown up like this. Very surprising."
It looked too clumsy to be a dance between a king and a princess. It just looked like an ordinary old commoner and his grown-up daughter stumbling around.But because of that, there was something that touched people's hearts.
Tugtug—Before long, children were pulling on their mothers' and fathers' sleeves.Thanks to that, the banquet hall became filled with the clumsy dance moves of parents and children.Naru, who had been this year's winner, watched the scene with a somewhat envious look.Soon, someone approached Naru and tapped her shoulder with a finger.
"Naru, do you know how to dance?"
"...No!"
"Then, I'll teach you."
It was Brigitte.Naru slowly grasped the hand Brigitte extended.