𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧
Today is a day off for me to return to my family home after a long time. Thanks to Edgardo, I buy cakes and long-lasting baked sweets from a patisserie I’ve become familiar with. I open the door of my nostalgic home, which is only a short distance away.
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“I’m home! Mom, Thor, are you here?”
“Welcome back, Alice! You look well.”
“Mom, are you feeling okay today?”
“Yes, I’m completely fine now. Having you come home today lifts my spirits. Thank you.”
“Welcome back, Nee-sama! Are you okay? Are guys not crowding around you? Are you not overexerting yourself? You look a bit plumper. You’re cuter that way, Nee-sama!”
“I’m home, Thor. I’m always struck by your intensity when I see you after a long time.”
“Nee-sama, you seem a little different. You seem brighter!”
“You always notice quickly, don’t you, Thor?”
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Although Thor seems to have many questions, I first have to take care of the main reason I’ve come home.
The National Foundation Festival is coming up soon. Nobles are essentially required to attend. There are exceptions for unavoidable reasons such as illness, pregnancy, or distant territory. Still, at least one person from each family must attend, usually the head of the household.
In the Norchev family, everyone except Mom will participate. I check if last year’s dress still fits and stand before Mom. I convince myself that the waist being tight is just my imagination.
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“It suits you well. I made a corsage for this year.”
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The corsage is sparkling with tiny gems, surrounded by large roses made from various kinds of lace that match the color of the dress.
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“It’s beautiful! Mom, thank you!”
“Alice, you look stunning. . .I’m sorry we have the same dress and necklace every year.”
“Mom, it’s a dress and accessories that have been handed down through generations.”
“Well, you make a good point.”
“Don’t I?”
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I carefully remove the dress so as not to dirty it and change back into my regular clothes, then head to the kitchen. I’ll be making dinner tonight.
I chat with Mom and Thor, who’ve brought chairs into the kitchen, as I do the prep work. I feel how much I’ve gotten used to having Prep-kun do all the prep work for me in an instant. Have I become someone who can’t live without it?!
By the time I finish making dinner while having a fun chat, Dad has come home. His warm smile fills me with love. We all eat together in a harmonious atmosphere, and I take a deep breath to infuse my resolve into my words.
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“I have something to tell everyone. I. . .I don’t want to get married after all. In the future, I want to mingle with commoners and run my own shop.”
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The room falls into a heavy silence.
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“I want to open a restaurant. The meal you all had today is what I plan to serve in the shop. I’ll save money now, send it to the house, and not cause trouble for anyone! I’m sorry for not keeping up our noble connections through marriage!”
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As I bow my head energetically, I feel an impact on my left side.
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“Oof!!”
“Nee-sama doesn’t have to get married ever! You’ve always been considerate of the family! You should live as you want!”
“That’s right, Alice! Don’t say you’re a burden, rely on us more! Of course, I’ll help too!”
“Mom, ack, my neck, my neck is stuck. . .!”
“Alice, you don’t need to send money anymore. Thank you, it really helped. Use the rest for yourself. Of course, your dad will also support you fully!”
“Help me now. . .! I’m being squeezed by both of your love! I’m happy for the hugs but my body is making cracking noises. . .!”
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In the end, even dad embraced me. While the love of family is absolutely wonderful, it left me aching all over as a cost of affirmation. It’s a pain of joy.
After we all calmed down a bit, we ate the cake I brought as a souvenir. Although I’m obliged to keep certain things confidential, it seems they understood that I’m enjoying each day.
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“I’m really happy that Alice has her own dreams and has shared them with us. There’s another piece of good news today. It seems that the research to cure mom’s illness has resumed! The Prince is sponsoring it.”
” . .R, Really. . .?!”
“You mean mom might be fully cured?!”
“Dad, is it really true?! This is the best news of my life!”
“It seems the Prince has decided to sponsor it for someone important to him. His fiancée has the same illness as mom. Though I suspect that’s the reason, the two are in a purely political marriage and don’t have a warm relationship. I can’t imagine them suddenly growing closer and deciding to sponsor the research. Things have been tense at the palace recently. If you feel it’s dangerous, leave immediately.”
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Working at the royal palace, I do feel a bit uneasy. I doubt the Fourth Knight Division, stationed far away, will get involved, but it’s best to be cautious.
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“I’d like to thank the Prince, but maybe it’s not such a good idea. Just knowing that the royalty is sponsoring it is already comforting. . .Do you think it’s not good for lower nobility like us to even send a letter?”
“Let’s just try sending it. The chance of it reaching him is low, and even if it does, he may not read it. But knowing that there are nobles who support what the Prince is doing could be a good thing.”
“Thank you! I’ll write the letter right away!”
“Can I write one too? I want to express my gratitude.”
“Let’s all write one as a family!”
“Hmm, yes, let’s do that.”
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We only have one piece of stationery suitable for sending to royalty, so we all decided to write on the same sheet. We interpreted our frugality as a way to show that connected people sent it together.
We all carefully penned our words, trying to write as neatly as possible, making sure not to be disrespectful. Using roundabout, flowery language, we wrote many words of gratitude like ‘This support is a light of hope’ and ‘This is the happiest news in my life.’ In the end, we all reviewed it, had dad seal it with wax, and entrusted the letter to him.
My family was fully supportive of opening the store, and mom’s illness might be cured. Today is a wonderful day. I’m brimming with motivation for work. All of us raised our fists and shouted, “Ei ei oh!” before heading back to the dormitory. We’ll do our best tomorrow!
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