(Grid Ractos)
Right now, in my house ... the Duke"s house, the members of my family are on the middle of a gathering.
This is because we all took a day off today.
Usually, in this kind of occasion, its either I or Jake that cannot attend the party so this is a rare thing to happen. Well though I said that, my father, Diebold=Ractos, already reached the end of the time for his visit and is not here with us. Right now, he"s in the middle of his trip towards the county in the east... so it can"t be helped.
Though this is a day off for all of us, due to the circ.u.mstances around my job, I can"t really take my family too far. At most, we"ve never done anything than eating a meal outside. So today, I will make use of this occasion to talk about something important to my family .
[ Everyone... since everyone was able to gather together today, the time is just right. I’m thinking that it"s about time we hold the announcement party for Jake"s engagement. ] - Grid
[ Eh, aah ... Do we really have to do it? ] - Jake
[ Mou~ Of course, we have to do it. Jake, you’re the next head of this Duke household, you know... Rather, even the baron will make a grand celebration for something like this nowadays, you know? ] - Liliane
[ Well, I understand that... But in that party, I and Annesa will become the center of the party, right? Furthermore, the guest of honor will be His majesty... For someone who never had such an experience in his life, I don"t really have much confidence in this... ] - Jake
That"s right. This is even something that I often forgot, but we are still a duke household.
The son of that household... In other words, the one who will become the next head of the house has already decided his fiancee. For us not to make a huge party... is quite inappropriate.
If we don’t do it, Hos majesty will keep on pestering me. "When you will do it? When will you do it?" like that.
After all, Hos majesty really likes parties and festivals, huh.
I completely understand the lack of confidence that Jake feels right now... Even at the day when I announced my engagement with Liliana, I was very nervous too.
[[ I am also looking forward to it, yeah! Even I wouldn"t attract too much attention since I am not the main person for the party. But I will still enjoy the delicious food until I"m satisfied, yeah ! ]]
[ ... Wait, Erza ? Why did you have that "guest" mindset with you? You"re on the same side as us as the one who provided the dinner, you know? ]- Jake
[[ Eh!? Then I cannot eat the food!? ]]
[ No, no. You can still eat... But the problem is not that, our position is... ] - Jake
As I was immersed in my past memories, Erza started to speaking about something stupid.
Will this kid really be alright, huh?
Well, since she has a proper job with her, I think she will be alright about her livelihood. But, you know... to my regret, her life as a girl is already done for, right?...
Even though Erza is just sixteen years old, how did she become like this?
If it"s keep on like this, wouldn"t she be on the same course as Ms.Rinna... Kh ! ?
Wha, what!? Why did I suddenly feel a chill on my back!?
[ Erza~ Just like Jake said... You have to wear a proper dress instead of your usual armour, you know ] - Liliana
[ [ Eh!? Wh... Why!!? ]]
[ Well if you asked why... in a party that"s being held as a celebration for the engagement of the next head of the duke household and as the little sister of leading actor of the party, it would be weird if you come wearing an armour, no?... Also, maybe you forgot about it. But you"re still the young mistress of the duke household, you know ? ]- Lilinae
[ ...Young lady of the duke Household, Erza=Ractos. Waah... That sounds really weird ... ]- Jake
Jake... You shouldn"t have said something like that.
Even in my head I thought [ Ah, Since Erza is my daughter so she will be the young lady of the duke household, that"s right I totally forgot about that!! ] for a moment, you know...
[ Hmm ... Then we have to prepare for Erza"s dress, too. Let"s order it together with Jake"s ] - Grid
[[ Aww... Did I have to wear a dress no matter what happens? I’ll suffer [ If I wear a thin cloth I will have a restless sickness], yeah... ]]
[ Seriously~... Erza, it"s useless even if you make up such weird a sickness, okay! You keep making such excuses like that. Even during your high society debut, you kept on making excuses... and... then...? ] - Liliane
My wife, Liliane, unusually raised her voice towards Erza who can"t be helped anymore. But, suddenly, her face became pale.
Eh ? Wha, what happen ? Is Liliane feeling unwell?
As I felt worried about her condition, I tried to ask her what happened. Then she answered with a trembling voice.
[ Wha... What should we do, Grid-sam! My, ah, Erza! Erza is...! ] - Liliane
[ O, okay, just calm down first. What happened? Why are you in so much panic? ] - Grid
[ Erza is... she had never done any social debut!! ] - Lilliane
---- The next day...
In the royal castl... the throne room
The Governor, Grid=Ractos, is giving The King, Leon=Azolias, a written invitation for the party anouncing Jake=Ractos and Annesa=Nizzet’s engagement, as the day for the party has already been decided.
[ Oooh. So it"s already decided, huh! ]
[ Yes. I am very sorry to have made His majesty wait too long... ]
[ It"s alright!... By the way, governor, this... what is this thing that"s indicated in the Invitation for the engagement party? ]
Leon=Azolias pointed at one section of the invitation card.
Over there, under the words Engagement party, written in a pitifully small font is [ Also the debut of Erza=Ractos ] .
[ ... Actually, we just realized that Erza has never done any social debut before. So we made use of this chance, or so, you know ... ]
[ Eh!?... Aah, now that you mention it, Erza is the lady of duke household, right!! Whaah… That sounds really weird... ]
Erza is not recognized as a lady of the Duke Household.
Probably, even after Erza does her social debut, that fact wouldn"t really change...
... And so, the engagement party that"s never happened in history will begin!