Translator"s note: Well, it seems like the translation are in hiatus so I just picked it up because I want to read it as well… This is my first time translating so please excuse the stiff and weird sentence.
Chapter 10-2
“Good day, you seems to be suffering quite a bit. How disgraceful. Your att.i.tude is bringing shame to Carelia Academy.”
“Ah, Mary-sama! “
Alicia turned to face the familiar voice.
In an instant, her expression brightened with happiness. She looked as if ‘My friend is coming to save me!" while Mary, who delivered the speech full with sarcasm, instinctively let out a small groan at the response. As usual, there was no wound on Alicia" high mental power, meanwhile Mary"s heart felt like broken. Do I have to resort to physical abuse…
But with a ‘Well, I"ll think about physical attack later", Mary ignored the problem and faced Alicia.
–That kind of att.i.tude was also one of the factors why the situation doesn"t go according to the game, but it was something that Mary didn"t notice. Because her basic att.i.tude was to ignore and deal with troublesome things later, it"s hard to change her personality–
And this time too, ignoring her fruitless attempt at sarcasm, she continued to ask, “Without thinking of other"s convenience, why are you monopolizing the service window?” Alicia looked at the envelope in her hand with lowered eyebrow and faced Mary and Addie with puzzled look.
“I was going to hand over the procedural doc.u.ments, but they said it needs to be sealed…”
What Alicia showed while speaking was a candle and seal.()
Looking at the familiar item, Mary tilted her head, “And?” while as usual Alicia looked around awkwardly at their surrounding and shook the seal lightly. Mary widened her eyes at the childish and idiotic action.
What are you trying to do by shaking it?!
Will something come out if you shake it?!
What is she trying to do… Mary and Addie exchange glances to search for answer. And Addie, who come to realization, clapped his hand with a pon.
“I see, Alicichan doesn"t have the custom for seal-wax, huh?”
“Seal…wax? Oh, I see!”
Finally coming to a realization, Alicia"s expression brightened.
Just like the word, seal-waxing was to dribble candle wax onto a paper and press a seal to close it. By pressing on the engraved imprint of the family crest, it was possible to recognize the sender by the seal and to prevent opening by the third party.
Although that way of sealing was for a security measure and prevention of information leakage, many used it for the sake of appearance. Especially, to n.o.bles who are concerned with their family"s name, a seal wax that represent their image was still a mainstream item.
Mary who was raised in that world and Alicia who rarely send a letter to begin with. It can"t be helped when there was a perception gap between the two of them.
“I see, so I have to seal it with this, right. But, how do I do that? “
“What, you don"t even know such a simple thing? Ignorance is really a shameful thing. Seal-waxing is just slosh, squish and bam, you know.”
“My Lady, even onomatopoeia have their limit.”
Question marks popped even more on Alicia"s head after Mary"s advice.
Addie who understand her bewilderment, shrugged his shoulder and reached out his hand toward the candle and seal in Alicia"s hand to help…
“Well, why don"t you stamp it with your own seal? “
only to stop at Mary"s word.
“…My Lady? “
“My seals? “
Under the wondering eyes of Addie and Alicia, Mary let out a grin.
“Mary-sama, I don"t have my own seal.”
“Oh, you should have it. A splendid seal engraved with family crest.”
“I"m an orphan so a family crest is…”
Feeling shy to talk about her personal history, Alicia hesitatingly explained. But despite that, Mary still emphasize, “You have it.”
Her expression held neither disdain nor sarcasm over Alicia"s origin, on the contrary it was even saying a confirmation.
Anyone could clearly see that Alicia had no seals.
It was a method mainly used within n.o.bility and those who placed importance on their social status. Moreover, her bewilderment when she was given the tools and even trying to use it by shaking the seal.
Everyone who saw that could judge that Alicia had no seal.
But Mary was sure.
Because she knew.
‘Alicia has seals. Her crest…the real family crest should be engraved".
In the later part of DoraGaku, it was an event to enter the story final phase.
It was the only thing Alicia had when she was entrusted to the orphanage. On the contrary, when the official investigates the crest, she turned out to be the missing princess.
In the game, it was not Mary who triggered the event but in this case, it couldn"t be helped. Besides, it wasn"t going according to the game so far.
–And saying it didn"t go according to game was already pushing it–
The point was that Alicia should be determined to be a royal family. And if that fact was discovered because of Mary, wouldn"t the irony be better than the game.
Alicia tilted her head curiously at Mary who smiled so confidently.
And after staring at Mary and the seal with wonder, with an “Ah! ” Alicia seemed to remember something and rummaged through her bag.
And took out a small pouch. The pouch made from cloth looked worn out, but instead of being embara.s.sed by it, she spoke of it happily, “Auntie made it for me,” and the thing she pulled out from the bag was…
"Alicichan, that is…”
“This is something I had on me when I was left on the orphanage. I always bring it with me as a protective charm, but this is a seal, right.”
With a happy smile, Alicia stroke the seal in her hand gently.
On the other hand, Addie gave a puzzled look because he knew Alicia"s real ident.i.ty. If she was the princess, the seal would be engraved with royal seal, and that could be the start of the Albert"s family downfall.
And there was the Secretariat officer who didn"t know anything, and probably didn"t even have any idea, only glanced over them before returning to work.
With an expression that said, ‘Your own seal or school seal, whatever, just be done with it."
“Uhm, just slosh, and then squish it… and bam, right.”
While repeating what Mary said, Alicia gingerly dripped the candle wax onto the envelope. Plop…the dripping red wax fell slowly and made a clump as if to harden the envelope.
And aiming at it, she pressed the seal gently. The seal sunk gently into the wax, and when she pulled it, the wax was clearly engraved with pattern.
Moon and Sun.
The people in this country would never mistake it, it was the pattern that can only be used by royalty.
“Eh, this is… “
Staring at the seal-wax, Alicia tilted her head.
But, before she came to realization, the officer peered out from the window.
“Finished? “
“Oh, Yes! I"m sorry for the wait! “
The previous question was blown off by the officer who couldn"t read the atmopshere, and Alicia raised her gaze from the envelope and handed it over with carefree voice, just like a child who wanted to show off her drawing.
The envelope engraved with Moon and Sun pattern. The people in this country, and especially an officer in Carelia Academy would recognize it, the Royal Family pattern.
The face of the officer when she saw the envelope, and when she sent the Secretariat Office into a panic, only Mary alone who calmly said,
“What a farce.”
and snorted.