(216) Side Story; Precious and New (10)
Her face flushed bright red. Isabelle unconsciously took a step back.
Whenever Isaac visited, after seeing Shini, he would next examine Isabelle's scar. The skin on her thigh, which had been severely torn by a wild beast, did not heal easily and required long-term treatment.
Thanks to the ointment Isaac made, the scar had almost disappeared, but the occasional throbbing pain near the bone still remained.
Isaac would prick the painful area with a long needle, claiming it was a technique he had learned somewhere. After receiving treatment like that, the pain definitely subsided.
It was just that kind of thing.
Normally, women of noble families entrust themselves to female doctors, but Isabelle was not the type to care about such things. Even her family, who knew of Isaac's skills, did not find it strange that Isabelle was being treated by him.
It is simply a very natural act for a patient to receive treatment from a doctor. Isaac said it with that intention, too.
Why is today different? Why don't I feel like lifting my skirt unhesitatingly and showing my wound like usual?
Fortunately, Isaac seemed to assume that Isabelle was backing away toward the sofa. Brushing past her, sitting on the sofa, and taking out medical tools, Isaac spoke.
"I heard there is a medicinal herb on an island across the northern sea of the mainland that is good for neuralgia, so I went there. It can be taken orally or applied topically; if you apply it to the affected area and wrap it with a bandage, it gives a cooling sensation and relaxes the muscles. If you are lucky, the occasional throbbing pain will disappear as well."
"Ah..."
"Come sit here. Let me take a look."
“Ah, well... I’m wearing a dress right now.”
Isaac tilted his head to the side. Isabelle's face flushed at his look, which seemed to ask why that was a problem.
"Seriously, why would this be a problem? There haven't been any issues so far."
"Um... I'm wearing a petticoat underneath... Anyway, it's uncomfortable."
“Then just stand there. I’ll lift it up and take a look. That’ll be fine, right?”
“Yes? No, are you crazy?”
“What? Why am I suddenly going crazy?”
“That’s strange. Are you saying you’re going to lift my skirt right in front of me?”
“Yes, that is the only way to... the affected area... Ah...”
Only then did Isaac blush, as if realizing just how awkward his proposal was going to turn out. Isaac slapped his forehead with a loud crack.
"I must be crazy."
“You’re right, it’s crazy. What’s going on? Ugh, really. Ah, I’m leaving.”
“No, but the treatment is...”
“Let’s do it later, later! You’re not leaving right now, are you?”
Isabelle shrieked and strode toward the door. Beneath her swaying skirt, her bare slippers were visible.
Isaac stared blankly at Isabelle's retreating figure as she nervously left the room, then let out a chuckle.
He didn't know Isabelle would blush and get flustered over something like this. He always thought she was an amazing person because she always boldly showed off her thighs, though.
Isaac turned around slightly and spoke to Shini, who was lying down.
"Miss Isabelle is kind of cute today. Isn't she?"
The people gathered at the party had been glancing out the window from time to time since sunset. This was because Cyrus had said he would give his birthday present after the sun had set.
The Emperor of the New Empire, who proclaimed himself Emperor at a young age, expanded his size by boldly swallowing up various countries. A man who knew how to use ice magic and whose appearance was as beautiful as the god of the moon. However, everyone could not bear the curiosity about what gift he had prepared, as he had stuck by Ariana's side like a big dog throughout the party.
Soon, as the sun set and the sky grew dark, a strange sense of unease filled the party hall.
Since it is a gift prepared by the Emperor, it "must be magnificent, right?"
“It might be surprisingly nothing special. Like a huge gem.”
“The large gem alone is impressive. I hear there is a massive mine in the region that the Northern Territory—no, the Arcana Empire—has recently taken over. Could it be that they intend to give that region to the Princess as a gift?”
"I suppose there is no gift better than a territory."
People glanced at Cyrus and Ariana and whispered.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Ariana spoke with her lips barely moving.
“This is a serious matter, Your Majesty. Everyone is looking forward to your gift, so a mediocre one will only invite disapproval.”
"Are you telling me to stop hesitating and hand over the gift immediately?"
"Your Majesty, you always have to ask again even though you already know."
Russell watched disapprovingly as Cyrus and Ariana giggled and joked in a tone only the two of them understood.
What on earth did that guy prepare to be so confident?
Cyrus took Ariana's hand and kissed the back of it. Russell almost hit Cyrus on the back of the head.
How dare you do such a rude thing in front of people!
Fortunately, Russell still had a reason not to shout in front of the public, but.
"Your Majesty, the Princess is still young."
He gritted his teeth and gave a warning.
Cyrus let out the ends of his eyebrows.
"Oh dear, Father. I understand, so please speak more modestly."
“Well, I’m telling you this because it seems you don’t realize it. Do you know that you’ve already kissed the back of my daughter’s hand seven times today alone?”
"As expected, Father, your gaze is sharp. I should be more careful."
"By that, you don't mean you intend to share a kiss more secretly, out of my sight, do you?"
"I was wondering who Ariana took after for her intelligence, and it turns out she is the spitting image of her father."
Although Russel was seething with anger at his sly attitude, his expression softened when Cyrus praised his daughter and said she resembled him. Watching Russell, whose lips twitched despite his angry gaze, Ariana swallowed a laugh.
Russell raised his hand to smooth the corner of his mouth to compose the smile. The cufflinks pinned to Russell's sleeve caught her eye.
Sapphire cufflinks.
It was the cufflinks that Ariana had given him a long time ago.
Although many years have passed, Russell always wears those cufflinks to important occasions. Even though she gave him new ones as a gift and told him to wear something else, Russell insisted on wearing those cufflinks.
“Then, shall we go out to see your present now?”
The people listening nearby wore expressions that showed they knew what was coming at Cyrus's words.
"Do I have to go out as well?"
"Because it's a little bigger."
"How big is it?"
Cyrus tilted his head slightly to the side and held out his hand. Ariana placed her hand over his. As they took a step hand in hand, even the people standing a short distance away quietly prepared to follow the two, with expressions that seemed to say, "Finally!"
Cyrus and Ariana walked at the very front, and a long procession formed behind them.
It was a magnificent sight to see well-dressed nobles trailing closely behind the two men and women. The servants tilted their heads, wondering what was going on, and then secretly followed them.
Thus, a great many people gathered in the garden in front of the party venue.
In the garden, there was something extremely large that she hadn't seen when she entered earlier. A black cloth was covering the huge object, which looked well over two meters tall.
Several Black Knights were waiting around it.
She also saw Noah and Louis's faces.
What on earth is it…?
Is it such a great gift that even the Black Knights have to be mobilized?
Ariana gripped Cyrus's hand tightly, feeling a little embarrassed. Cyrus glanced back at her. She stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, but she couldn't reach him. Only after Cyrus lowered his head did Ariana ask in a low voice.
"It's strange, isn't it?"
“That’s impossible. It’s the coolest thing in the world.”
Ariana thought that something was clearly strange.
She didn't want to see what was under that piece of cloth in a crowded place.
However, Cyrus gestured before Ariana could escape, and the Black Knights pulled down the cloth covering it.
Because of the darkness, Ariana couldn't clearly tell what it was at first. She could only tell that it was a large, transparent shape.
Then, the Black Knights turned on the lights they had prepared.
Then, Cyrus's gift shone.
"Oh my."
"Wow...!"
"That's amazing!"
Exclamations of awe erupted from here and there.
"We lost, brother."
"I know..."
She could also hear Fellowes and Russell muttering miserably.
"You are using that wonderful talent very correctly!"
Theodore's shout was also heard.
"Oh my, how pretty."
"It's really pretty, Grandma."
The sound of Carradine and Wiona marveling, too.
"This really makes me want to pray to God."
“How did they make that?”
She also heard the entire conversation between Geor and Averaster.
However, Ariana didn't say a word and just looked up at 'it' with wide eyes.
It was a sculpture made of transparent ice. Inside the pristine ice, various colored gems were nestled in their proper places, shining brilliantly enough to be blinding the moment the light was turned on.
And that huge ice piece.
“What on earth is that...”
"It was Ariana."
Ariana's face flushed red at the sight of the massive ice sculpture of 'Ariana White,' which looked as if it had been made for worship.
Cyrus looked back at Ariana, who was holding her breath, with a smug expression.
"Do you like it?"
Ariana blinked.
She was so dumbfounded that she couldn't find the words to answer.
Do I like it? That thing?
Of course, it was a wonderful statue.
If that had been a sculpture of a beast like a tiger or a lion instead of Ariana, or a sculpture of one of the various gods, she would have liked it very much.
"You must have thought it was really cool."
"Are you crazy?"
However, Ariana was not shameless enough to smile sweetly in front of a giant statue that was clearly Ariana to anyone.
"No, I admit that's true."
The answer came from the side. It was Russell.
"Dather!"
“That’s amazing, Cyrus. That’s the right answer.”
“I suppose so. There is no better birthday gift than this. Are you satisfied?”
"With my heart pounding like this, where could I find a better birthday gift than that?"
"I'm glad to hear that you like it."
"It's my birthday present, so I don't know what to do since my father likes it."
Ariana was dumbfounded by the conversation between the two men and couldn't even think of joining in.
"However, I am worried that it looks like it will melt soon."
Seeing Russell's worried expression, Ariana felt relieved.
"Right, that's ice, so it'll melt quickly. The weather is nice, so it should all be melted by tomorrow afternoon. Then I'll just gather up the gems inside and sell them all off."
"This is ice made by gathering the eternal snow from the summit of Mt. Gratten. It does not melt easily. I have even added my own effort to it, so if managed well, it should last through the year."
Ariana wanted to slap Cyrus in the mouth.
“Then I won’t be able to show off that cool thing next year.”
"That's impossible. If I maintain it whenever I have time, it will last for over two years, so there is no need to worry."
“Yeah, that’s good, I like it!”
Ariana can't hit her father's mouth... no, she can't hit her father.
So Ariana clenched her fists tightly, feeling lost, and spoke to Louis.
“Louis, smash that monstrosity right now.”
Her face flushed bright red. Isabelle unconsciously took a step back.
Whenever Isaac visited, after seeing Shini, he would next examine Isabelle's scar. The skin on her thigh, which had been severely torn by a wild beast, did not heal easily and required long-term treatment.
Thanks to the ointment Isaac made, the scar had almost disappeared, but the occasional throbbing pain near the bone still remained.
Isaac would prick the painful area with a long needle, claiming it was a technique he had learned somewhere. After receiving treatment like that, the pain definitely subsided.
It was just that kind of thing.
Normally, women of noble families entrust themselves to female doctors, but Isabelle was not the type to care about such things. Even her family, who knew of Isaac's skills, did not find it strange that Isabelle was being treated by him.
It is simply a very natural act for a patient to receive treatment from a doctor. Isaac said it with that intention, too.
Why is today different? Why don't I feel like lifting my skirt unhesitatingly and showing my wound like usual?
Fortunately, Isaac seemed to assume that Isabelle was backing away toward the sofa. Brushing past her, sitting on the sofa, and taking out medical tools, Isaac spoke.
"I heard there is a medicinal herb on an island across the northern sea of the mainland that is good for neuralgia, so I went there. It can be taken orally or applied topically; if you apply it to the affected area and wrap it with a bandage, it gives a cooling sensation and relaxes the muscles. If you are lucky, the occasional throbbing pain will disappear as well."
"Ah..."
"Come sit here. Let me take a look."
“Ah, well... I’m wearing a dress right now.”
Isaac tilted his head to the side. Isabelle's face flushed at his look, which seemed to ask why that was a problem.
"Seriously, why would this be a problem? There haven't been any issues so far."
"Um... I'm wearing a petticoat underneath... Anyway, it's uncomfortable."
“Then just stand there. I’ll lift it up and take a look. That’ll be fine, right?”
“Yes? No, are you crazy?”
“What? Why am I suddenly going crazy?”
“That’s strange. Are you saying you’re going to lift my skirt right in front of me?”
“Yes, that is the only way to... the affected area... Ah...”
Only then did Isaac blush, as if realizing just how awkward his proposal was going to turn out. Isaac slapped his forehead with a loud crack.
"I must be crazy."
“You’re right, it’s crazy. What’s going on? Ugh, really. Ah, I’m leaving.”
“No, but the treatment is...”
“Let’s do it later, later! You’re not leaving right now, are you?”
Isabelle shrieked and strode toward the door. Beneath her swaying skirt, her bare slippers were visible.
Isaac stared blankly at Isabelle's retreating figure as she nervously left the room, then let out a chuckle.
He didn't know Isabelle would blush and get flustered over something like this. He always thought she was an amazing person because she always boldly showed off her thighs, though.
Isaac turned around slightly and spoke to Shini, who was lying down.
"Miss Isabelle is kind of cute today. Isn't she?"
***
The people gathered at the party had been glancing out the window from time to time since sunset. This was because Cyrus had said he would give his birthday present after the sun had set.
The Emperor of the New Empire, who proclaimed himself Emperor at a young age, expanded his size by boldly swallowing up various countries. A man who knew how to use ice magic and whose appearance was as beautiful as the god of the moon. However, everyone could not bear the curiosity about what gift he had prepared, as he had stuck by Ariana's side like a big dog throughout the party.
Soon, as the sun set and the sky grew dark, a strange sense of unease filled the party hall.
Since it is a gift prepared by the Emperor, it "must be magnificent, right?"
“It might be surprisingly nothing special. Like a huge gem.”
“The large gem alone is impressive. I hear there is a massive mine in the region that the Northern Territory—no, the Arcana Empire—has recently taken over. Could it be that they intend to give that region to the Princess as a gift?”
"I suppose there is no gift better than a territory."
People glanced at Cyrus and Ariana and whispered.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Ariana spoke with her lips barely moving.
“This is a serious matter, Your Majesty. Everyone is looking forward to your gift, so a mediocre one will only invite disapproval.”
"Are you telling me to stop hesitating and hand over the gift immediately?"
"Your Majesty, you always have to ask again even though you already know."
Russell watched disapprovingly as Cyrus and Ariana giggled and joked in a tone only the two of them understood.
What on earth did that guy prepare to be so confident?
Cyrus took Ariana's hand and kissed the back of it. Russell almost hit Cyrus on the back of the head.
How dare you do such a rude thing in front of people!
Fortunately, Russell still had a reason not to shout in front of the public, but.
"Your Majesty, the Princess is still young."
He gritted his teeth and gave a warning.
Cyrus let out the ends of his eyebrows.
"Oh dear, Father. I understand, so please speak more modestly."
“Well, I’m telling you this because it seems you don’t realize it. Do you know that you’ve already kissed the back of my daughter’s hand seven times today alone?”
"As expected, Father, your gaze is sharp. I should be more careful."
"By that, you don't mean you intend to share a kiss more secretly, out of my sight, do you?"
"I was wondering who Ariana took after for her intelligence, and it turns out she is the spitting image of her father."
Although Russel was seething with anger at his sly attitude, his expression softened when Cyrus praised his daughter and said she resembled him. Watching Russell, whose lips twitched despite his angry gaze, Ariana swallowed a laugh.
Russell raised his hand to smooth the corner of his mouth to compose the smile. The cufflinks pinned to Russell's sleeve caught her eye.
Sapphire cufflinks.
It was the cufflinks that Ariana had given him a long time ago.
Although many years have passed, Russell always wears those cufflinks to important occasions. Even though she gave him new ones as a gift and told him to wear something else, Russell insisted on wearing those cufflinks.
“Then, shall we go out to see your present now?”
The people listening nearby wore expressions that showed they knew what was coming at Cyrus's words.
"Do I have to go out as well?"
"Because it's a little bigger."
"How big is it?"
Cyrus tilted his head slightly to the side and held out his hand. Ariana placed her hand over his. As they took a step hand in hand, even the people standing a short distance away quietly prepared to follow the two, with expressions that seemed to say, "Finally!"
Cyrus and Ariana walked at the very front, and a long procession formed behind them.
It was a magnificent sight to see well-dressed nobles trailing closely behind the two men and women. The servants tilted their heads, wondering what was going on, and then secretly followed them.
Thus, a great many people gathered in the garden in front of the party venue.
In the garden, there was something extremely large that she hadn't seen when she entered earlier. A black cloth was covering the huge object, which looked well over two meters tall.
Several Black Knights were waiting around it.
She also saw Noah and Louis's faces.
What on earth is it…?
Is it such a great gift that even the Black Knights have to be mobilized?
Ariana gripped Cyrus's hand tightly, feeling a little embarrassed. Cyrus glanced back at her. She stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, but she couldn't reach him. Only after Cyrus lowered his head did Ariana ask in a low voice.
"It's strange, isn't it?"
“That’s impossible. It’s the coolest thing in the world.”
Ariana thought that something was clearly strange.
She didn't want to see what was under that piece of cloth in a crowded place.
However, Cyrus gestured before Ariana could escape, and the Black Knights pulled down the cloth covering it.
Because of the darkness, Ariana couldn't clearly tell what it was at first. She could only tell that it was a large, transparent shape.
Then, the Black Knights turned on the lights they had prepared.
Then, Cyrus's gift shone.
"Oh my."
"Wow...!"
"That's amazing!"
Exclamations of awe erupted from here and there.
"We lost, brother."
"I know..."
She could also hear Fellowes and Russell muttering miserably.
"You are using that wonderful talent very correctly!"
Theodore's shout was also heard.
"Oh my, how pretty."
"It's really pretty, Grandma."
The sound of Carradine and Wiona marveling, too.
"This really makes me want to pray to God."
“How did they make that?”
She also heard the entire conversation between Geor and Averaster.
However, Ariana didn't say a word and just looked up at 'it' with wide eyes.
It was a sculpture made of transparent ice. Inside the pristine ice, various colored gems were nestled in their proper places, shining brilliantly enough to be blinding the moment the light was turned on.
And that huge ice piece.
“What on earth is that...”
"It was Ariana."
Ariana's face flushed red at the sight of the massive ice sculpture of 'Ariana White,' which looked as if it had been made for worship.
Cyrus looked back at Ariana, who was holding her breath, with a smug expression.
"Do you like it?"
Ariana blinked.
She was so dumbfounded that she couldn't find the words to answer.
Do I like it? That thing?
Of course, it was a wonderful statue.
If that had been a sculpture of a beast like a tiger or a lion instead of Ariana, or a sculpture of one of the various gods, she would have liked it very much.
"You must have thought it was really cool."
"Are you crazy?"
However, Ariana was not shameless enough to smile sweetly in front of a giant statue that was clearly Ariana to anyone.
"No, I admit that's true."
The answer came from the side. It was Russell.
"Dather!"
“That’s amazing, Cyrus. That’s the right answer.”
“I suppose so. There is no better birthday gift than this. Are you satisfied?”
"With my heart pounding like this, where could I find a better birthday gift than that?"
"I'm glad to hear that you like it."
"It's my birthday present, so I don't know what to do since my father likes it."
Ariana was dumbfounded by the conversation between the two men and couldn't even think of joining in.
"However, I am worried that it looks like it will melt soon."
Seeing Russell's worried expression, Ariana felt relieved.
"Right, that's ice, so it'll melt quickly. The weather is nice, so it should all be melted by tomorrow afternoon. Then I'll just gather up the gems inside and sell them all off."
"This is ice made by gathering the eternal snow from the summit of Mt. Gratten. It does not melt easily. I have even added my own effort to it, so if managed well, it should last through the year."
Ariana wanted to slap Cyrus in the mouth.
“Then I won’t be able to show off that cool thing next year.”
"That's impossible. If I maintain it whenever I have time, it will last for over two years, so there is no need to worry."
“Yeah, that’s good, I like it!”
Ariana can't hit her father's mouth... no, she can't hit her father.
So Ariana clenched her fists tightly, feeling lost, and spoke to Louis.
“Louis, smash that monstrosity right now.”
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