ODGD 54

Chapter 54

The Shocking Debutante and Her Legal Sibling

“Can’t you try really killing me? Throw Pingsun at me.”

A few days had passed since then.

Yet, I couldn’t forget the letter from Meteo. Sitting alone in my room in the Duke’s mansion, I looked at the letter again and chuckled to myself.

Wasn’t it just too funny?

Even though it was a letter, the first conversation we had in six years turned out like this.

It was a trace of Meteo that I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Six years had passed since he left for special training. I had grown during that long time and was now fourteen years old.

Meteo had turned fifteen.

What would fifteen-year-old Meteo be like?

When he was thirteen, I met him during the tutorial, but I couldn’t really imagine what he would be like now.

I could only picture his pure white hair shining in the sunlight, his eyelashes, the more delicate and beautiful shape of his eyes, and his straight, elegant nose.

Everyone in the House of Pluto missed him and wanted to see him, but he hadn’t returned home even once during all that time.

“I thought he’d come back after three years, then it passed four, and now six years have gone by…”

No one had expected Meteo to devote himself to training for so long.

After six years, he should have returned by now, yet there was still no sign of it.

“He’s really addicted to training. No wonder no one can beat him.”

How relentless!

I felt both respect and exasperation as I put Meteo’s letter back into the drawer.

It seemed like I wouldn’t see him for at least another year.

Just then…

“Cent! Seeeent!”

Someone called my name from outside, and soon the door burst open.

I could tell who it was just by the voice.

“Madam!”

I stood from the console, clasping my hands together with a delighted smile.

Leahrwin, seeing me, smiled radiantly as if she had seen a flower. She gracefully approached in a flowing indoor dress.

I was now only slightly shorter than Leahrwin.

Over the past six years, I had grown from a child into a lady capable of attending a debutante ball, while Leahrwin hadn’t changed a bit since I first met her.

She examined me from head to toe with a look of admiration and clapped her hands.

“Oh my! Who would ever think a lady as beautiful as you, Cent, could be a holy knight! Honestly, I’m so looking forward to your debutante ball today! Everyone will fall in love with you!”

The servants who had come in with her eagerly echoed her words.

“Truly, I think our young lady is the most beautiful in the empire. How can someone so delicate swing such a heavy sword with such ease…!”

“Your hair and skin are much smoother and more beautiful than the young ladies who are taken care of daily at the main hall. You don’t even seem like someone who only trains rigorously every day!”

“…Haha. Thank you all.”

I smiled shyly.

I had been told I was doll-like pretty so often as a child that it had become ingrained in me.

Now that I had grown more, it seemed I received such compliments even more frequently.

At the main hall, it was tedious enough that my fellow knights constantly asked me out or sent letters.

Whenever I went out to the busy streets, Leahrwin and I drew everyone’s attention.

“Am I really that eye-catching?”

If beauty were a skill, I thought I might want to sacrifice a bit of it to improve my swordsmanship.

Right now, my looks were of little use!

Ah, but I had to leave enough so Dad could still recognize me.

“Well then, let’s get ready. Cent, today you will be the most beautiful in the world, and it will be the brightest and happiest day.”

“Yes.”

I answered lightly.

I had thought debutante balls were a waste of time, but seeing the Marchioness so happy made me feel good as well.

Countless crystals in the chandelier reflected the sunlight brilliantly.

Although indoors, the three front windows were open, letting the vast hall feel airy and bright.

Everywhere, freshly arranged flowers spread their fragrant, fresh scent.

Had the House of Pluto ever decorated a banquet hall with such care before?

The hall connected to the garden, so wherever one went, a paradise of chirping birds unfolded.

Leahrwin, having made a final check of the debutante ball venue, was overwhelmed with emotion.

“Ha… Lord Amas, please ensure that no magi appear here today!”

Please, even a demon should have some sense!

There wasn’t much time before Crescent’s debutante ball, now that she had turned fourteen. Nothing killed the atmosphere faster than a magi showing up before the ball ended.

Leahrwin had meticulously prepared everything as if it were her own daughter’s debut.

Although Crescent wasn’t a member of the House of Pluto and wasn’t even a noble, the debutante ball matched the prestige of the House.

‘Cent deserves it!’

She was the House of Pluto’s noble, its light, its flower.

While her sons had left the mansion, Crescent had remained by her side like a daughter.

Just then, Miles glanced around and approached her.

“Leahrwin, isn’t this a bit too much? What kind of ward’s debutante ball is this? Our wedding wasn’t even this extravagant—”

“Oh, nonsense! Have you forgotten that Cent isn’t merely a ward but a noble and benefactor of ours?”

“Of course, but this is really over the top. People might think Crescent is really our daughter.”

“I’ve already considered Cent my daughter, you know?”

“You really are hopeless! Father will surely think this wastes the House of Pluto’s prestige!”

“Hmm… It’s refreshing to see life brighten up the house after such a long time.”

“!”

Ruben’s voice reached them.

Miles froze at Ruben’s reaction.

“Could it be that you actually like this, Father?”

Ruben walked around the hall with his hands behind his back, looking pleased.

“What could I dislike? It’s nice to see the house lively after such a long time.”

“This, this isn’t Meteo’s welcome party—it’s Crescent’s debutante ball! It’s ridiculous enough that she’s holding a debutante ball, but the House of Pluto is treating her so lavishly! This is utterly wrong!”

“…Tch.”

Ruben clicked his tongue at Miles with disapproval.

“Preparing this much is nothing to our family. Don’t make a fuss over trivial things. Crescent’s status is already equivalent to our family’s own.”

“Father!”

Miles shouted in astonishment.

But Ruben ignored him, strolling through the garden. Leahrwin followed with a soft laugh.

Miles was left alone.

“They’ve all lost their minds! They’re completely captivated by that child!”

Was it because Crescent had saved their lives?

Technically, she hadn’t survived the demon world solely by her own power.

It was Meteo who had saved Leahrwin. Ruben would have returned from the demon world even without Crescent.

Yet Ruben and Leahrwin acted as if they had been saved by Crescent herself, offering everything to her.