I had countless questions I wanted to ask, but no answers came. It felt suffocating.
While I tried to piece together some plans in my head, my family and the others had already started interacting with one another.
"My little nephew, you look much better now," said the king.
"Yes, I've been recovering lately, and I feel much better now."
"It seems my nephew is doing well."
With that, the king walked over to us and patted each of our heads. Invidia smiled, Rena nodded shyly, and when he reached me, I looked up and smiled at him.
That surprised him a little. Usually, when he approached me, I would lower my head and pretend to be scared. But now, he could see the difference in me — as if the boy before him had become someone entirely new.
"It seems little Zeref has changed quite a lot."
Hearing the king's words, Shopia smiled.
"Yes, he's changed a lot."
For some reason, the king felt a faint sense of danger from this boy — as if I would one day take something precious from him. His instincts, which had always saved him from danger, were now whispering a warning.
What am I thinking… I must just be lacking rest.
With that, the others continued their conversations. The queen approached us, talking and behaving normally in my presence.
We spoke for a while before each of us was escorted to our own rooms. The birthday celebration would begin tomorrow, and it seemed Theresia was busy with other matters.
I entered my room and collapsed onto my bed. Everything that had happened so far had drained my energy — I needed rest.
The next morning, I stood before a mirror, looking at my reflection. I wore a white suit that contrasted with my hair, and my face had been lightly touched up with makeup.
My current appearance was a mix of cuteness and a hint of handsomeness — I had dressed up for the coming event.
After finishing, the royal stylists led me to where my family was waiting.
When I arrived, I saw them all gathered together. My mother wore a conservative green gown with her hair tied up into an elegant bun with a jeweled pin — she looked graceful and beautiful.
Beside her stood my older sister Invidia, also dressed in a one-piece green gown with bare shoulders. Her hair cascaded down her back, giving her a dignified and stunning appearance.
Next to her stood my younger sister Rena, wearing a black one-piece dress. Her short, messy blonde hair and shy expression made her look adorably cute.
When they saw me, my mother smiled, while both of my sisters blushed slightly. My appearance seemed to have gained extra points in their eyes.
"You look handsome, little Zeref," my mother said with a teasing smile, and I returned her smile.
"My big brother looks handsome!" Rena said, blushing.
"You don't look too bad now," my older sister said with a calm expression.
"Thank you. You all look beautiful too," I replied with a smile, and they returned it warmly.
After that, we headed to the grand hall where the ceremony would be held.
The hall was enormous, filled with many important guests. A massive table was laden with food worth more than the annual income of an average noble household.
As we entered, many eyes turned toward us. After all, we were nobles of Duchess rank, and my mother was the current king's sister — so we attracted plenty of attention.
We walked in with pride and dignity. Even Rena, who was usually shy, walked with a serious demeanor. As nobles of Duchess rank, we needed to show proper composure.
Several old and young men had glints in their eyes — my mother's status and beauty, as well as my sisters', were enough to catch their attention.
Although my mother had been married before, her beauty had never faded. She was a source of allure for many men. Even just meeting my elder sister was enough to captivate some of them.
But it wasn't just the men — several young girls also glanced at me from head to toe. My serious expression charmed them, and my cute appearance seemed to captivate even the older girls.
We entered and waited for the ceremony to begin. During that time, several people approached us to strike up conversations. My mother was soon surrounded by several men, and my sisters and I went off to mingle with others our age.
I walked with my younger sister, and together we chatted with several people. Social networking was important for nobles — but most of the people I spoke with were girls.
Several of them approached me first, eager to start a conversation. I kept smiling and speaking with them, and within minutes, they were laughing and chatting happily with me.
As the atmosphere grew livelier, an announcement echoed through the hall — the princess would soon make her entrance.
The grand doors opened as the King and Queen entered together. Unlike our previous meeting, they now carried the overwhelming presence and authority of rulers.
Following behind them were four princes and a little girl about eight years old, who stood behind the king once they reached the stage.
If I remember correctly… wasn't there a storyline in the game involving a conflict among the princes?
I should probably stay away from those cousins of mine — they might become troublesome.
Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang, and a 12-year-old girl entered. She wore a golden princess-style gown, her red hair and green eyes complementing her beautiful face perfectly.
She exuded an air of authority and generosity — the kind of presence that made it impossible for people to dislike her.
Her appearance immediately captured everyone's attention in the hall.
Name: Theresia Helios
Gender: Female
Age: 12
Species: Human
Talent: 10/10
Power: Low-Stage Bronze
Title: Princess, Heir to the Throne
Affection: 11% (family love)
Description: Proud to have been born as a princess. Currently somewhat confused about her unique nature.
Difficulty: SS (Work hard.)
As expected from one of the top five most popular heroines… her difficulty is beyond reason.
While I was lost in thought, the ceremony began. Many formalities were carried out, and finally, the princess delivered a speech. Afterward, many people approached her to offer congratulations and converse with her.
It was no secret that Theresia was born with the bloodline of rulers, and she was deeply respected by the people.
After some time, my family stepped forward to offer our congratulations. My mother led the way with polite formalities, while we stepped forward to personally wish Theresia well.
"Happy birthday, cousin," I said — in a tone very different from my usual one. My manner of speaking startled her, and she stared at me as if I were a stranger.
"Princess, what's the matter? Do you not remember your cousin after such a long time apart?"