"Enrica."
A longing voice rings out. In a space where fog is thick and visibility is hazy.
It was a background that made me realize right away that I was dreaming.
Suddenly, I remembered. I had this dream before I regained my magic powers.
At that time, I had lost all my memories, so I couldn't remember who the owner of that voice was.
But now it was different. How could I not recognize that longed-for voice?
"...Mom."
I muttered absentmindedly, then suddenly came to my senses and pushed through the fog.
I quickly picked up my pace and turned my head several times.
I knew it was a dream, but I still wanted to see her face.
I was sure the voice had come from around here, but I couldn't find it.
In my impatience, I ran through the foggy space looking for my mother.
"It's been a while. Please come out..."
I tried desperately to find a similar shadow, but I still couldn't find one. Instead, I got this question as an answer.
"Are you happy now?"
At that question, I stopped running and stood still.
The answer was already decided.
Did Mom come to confirm it until the end?
If that's the case, then I should try my best to say it with a big smile.
"Yeah, I'm so happy."
My vision was still blurry, but the heavy regret that had been weighing on my mind had disappeared.
I woke up slowly.
It was the morning of the party.
***
'I had a strange dream...'
I wonder if Mom wanted to come to the party too.
It was the start of a day unlike any other. My heart was pounding, and I didn't want to get out of bed.
As I was staring blankly at the ceiling, Raphael, lying next to me, greeted me.
"Did you sleep well?"
The greeting was followed by a light kiss on the forehead, as was the custom.
It tickled. I nodded my head with a bashful smile, but then I noticed something strange and let out an "Ah."
"You went to the training ground again today! You even changed your clothes for fear of getting caught by me!"
"...How on earth are you not scared?"
Now that I look at it, it looks like he took a bath to hide the fact that he was sweating, and his hair was soft. But that's not what I noticed.
"I see your arms are thicker than last night. I told you that training is good, but sleep is also important..."
Even while nagging, I couldn't hide my pleased gaze. Raphael quickly attacked my weakness.
"It's still early in the morning. I think it'll be okay to lie down a little longer."
He laid me back down on his thick arms. The feeling of my head supported by solid muscles was so comforting that I wanted to go back to sleep.
I tried to shake off the feeling of being tired and thought about the party that was going to be held that day.
Time flew by.
It's been two months since I heard Vermont was leaving.
During that time, I spent my time doing various things.
First of all, we rescued the victims of the auction and helped them recover physically and mentally.
Some of them even appeared as witnesses at the trial, making it a little easier for the rest of the nobles to be punished.
In my spare time, I learned the business of a Duke, hiring new servants and learning how to manage the estate.
As a result, I've been having a hectic day without a moment to breathe. On top of that, I'm hosting a party that's going to be held today.
"It's going to be a pretty busy day."
"It will be that much fun."
Raphael, noticing the worry in my voice, spoke as if he were looking forward to it.
Seeing his face like that gave me a little strength. I quickly got up from the bed.
"Hmm, there was something I had to do."
As soon as I finished muttering to myself like that, I realized that I had no more time to relax.
Today's party will be held in the greenhouse in the garden. Considering the chilly late autumn weather, we thought of distributing small amounts of magic stones to the visitors instead of a fireplace.
It wasn't terribly expensive, but it would add a warm touch to the party and would also make a great return gift.
Of course, I was the one who created the magic stone.
Today was the last day to check that the magic stone was working properly, and I also had to check the interior decoration and seating arrangements.
"Ugh, I'll go first. I love you!"
I left the room, leaving behind a greeting that no longer felt awkward.
Raphael followed me and got up, changed into the uniform hanging on the wall, and waved me off.
***
As if the worries had been for nothing, the party preparations went smoothly.
After I had thoroughly checked everything and finished my own grooming, people started to show up. Among them, some faces were noticeably welcoming.
"Oh my, Jacob! You came to the party."
It was the boy whom Sarah and I had rescued at the first banquet we had attended.
A few months ago, I sent out an invitation to the kids I met at the top.
I thought that since these children had a strong antipathy towards the nobility, they might not attend a party like this.
But Jacob was present along with the boy who had helped me up the tower.
"Hello, Your Highness. Thank you very much for inviting me today."
The boy greeted me on their behalf. I remembered his old curt speech, so I found his changed appearance cute.
"Heh heh, it's okay, speak comfortably. There's no one here who'll scold you."
To ease the tension, I spoke, and the girl next to me answered instead.
"But, sis, this is the greeting that brother practiced all night long!"
"Ugh, please be quiet."
I kept laughing at the cute conversation until I realized something had changed.
The sickly boy's cough at the end of every sentence seemed to have subsided considerably.
I asked the Duke's doctor to pay special attention to him, and fortunately, he did.
Then Jacob, who had taken a step back, looked at me and said:
"Thank you."
Thanks to the boy knowing that he was from a foreign island, they were able to find a way to communicate with difficulty.
After that, Jacob expressed his desire to learn our language, so we are currently holding classes.
Even though I had clearly heard the news, it was still very surprising and touching to see him say it in person.
I really wanted to hug everyone, but I was afraid it might make them uncomfortable.
Instead, I personally poured a lot of food onto the plates the children were holding.
"Yeah, yeah. Eat lots of delicious food today. Eat this and that too!"
"There are too many, sis!"
After watching the kids eat enough to satisfy me, I turned away.
While I was taking care of the kids for a while, the number of customers increased significantly.
Sophia and Francis were seen having a proper conversation.
"You don't want to meet that young lady after all?"
"No, absolutely not! I absolutely do not want to get involved with this person."
When I was mistaken Sophia for the original heroine, I remembered the conversation I had with Francis and smiled faintly.
I didn't know it would turn out like this at the time.
I walked up to the two people who had happy faces and asked them.
"What are you talking about?"
The party was so much fun with people I liked.
Moderately cool weather. Beautiful music and delicious and varied food.
As the party approached its midpoint and the mood began to warm up, I finally found today's hidden star.
"Vermont!"
He, who had the appearance of a cat, was kept outside the greenhouse, in a remote part of the garden, because he was too much of a bother to the eye. As a result, it was inevitable that he would be difficult to find.
He saw me and came running towards me with a happy expression on his face.
"Are you enjoying the party? It's a day I thought of from the beginning just for you."
"I am very satisfied. What about the master?"
"I'm happy too."
A variety of fish dishes were placed on a plate in Vermont's place.
I looked at that sight and secretly laughed, then suddenly became quiet.
After this party, it occurred to me that Vermont was returning to the Demon World.
Vermont was also silent, as if he were thinking about it. We left the greenhouse and began to walk through the garden.
"That..."
As I opened my mouth to say something, Vermont, now in human form, grabbed my hand.
I was surprised by the sudden action for a moment, but soon my eyes widened.
The wound that had bled several times to summon Vermont.
Because of that, the scars that had remained blurry were slowly fading away.
Since Vermont is not a servant demon that specializes in healing magic, it was clear that it would consume a tremendous amount of magical power.
I wonder if he's been practicing this magic because he's concerned about the scars left on my body.
Soon, the scars all disappeared, and Vermont let go of my hand and said,
"It's over, Enrica."
"..."
"I will no longer be here, so live without seeing any more blood."
It was a voice that was extremely refreshing.
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