Chapter 79

“Congratulations, Tina!”

On a sunny afternoon, the warm sunlight gently enveloped the garden.

On the elegant round table, adorned with intricately crafted teacups and dishes, sat a dazzlingly beautiful cake.

Surrounding the cake, young ladies with delicate smiles lightly offered their praises.

Their radiant smiles, like the fragrance of flowers carried by the breeze, were directed solely at me.

“Thank you all so much… Someone like me, receiving such…”

A submissive smile still lingered on my face, masking the harmless grin.

Beyond that mask-like expression, I could see the flushed faces of many young ladies.

“Not at all, Tina. We always believed you could do it.”

“That’s right. Of course, Lady Mardian is no pushover, but honestly, Tina, you’re undeniable.”

“Hoho, Lady Mardian, surely you’re not jealous, are you?”

Naturally, their gazes turned to the woman elegantly crossing her legs and holding a teacup.

Her crimson eyes, peeking through her flowing golden hair, emitted a cold aura that didn’t match her serene smile.

“Of course not.”

Mardian smiled lightly.

“If it were anyone else, I might not be pleased, but for my Tina, I can only be happy.”

Mardian smiled seductively and tickled my chin. I tilted my head comfortably under her pleasant touch.

“Congratulations on becoming the flower of the social circle, Tina.”

“…Thank you, Lady Mardian.”

After Lillian suddenly disappeared, three years had passed since I started flattering and charming the high and mighty.

Now, I had gained some reputation. In the social circle, there was no one who didn’t know me.

Those who once ignored me were gradually losing their positions, while those I had my eye on easily joined influential factions.

As the tide turned, more and more young ladies began to pay attention to me.

Amidst the growing attention and affection, I finally surpassed Mardian and was selected as the ‘Flower of the Social Circle’ this year.

As a reward, I received priority access to the most popular boutique in the empire and a pink diamond currently in vogue in the social circle.

Honestly, the boutique access wasn’t very useful, but the pink diamond was a welcome gift.

It might take years to sell, but it would surely fetch a hefty sum of gold coins.

The tea party now unfolding in the vast garden was to celebrate my becoming the flower of the social circle.

“How does it feel to be this year’s flower?”

Bersha asked with curious eyes.

“Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real… There are so many more beautiful and noble ladies than me. I’m not sure if I deserve this.”

“Nonsense. There’s no one more lovable than Tina in this empire, no, in this world.”

At Sharrione’s words, the other young ladies nodded in agreement.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

With my shy voice, the garden filled with the lively laughter of the young ladies.

“By the way, Tina, aren’t you coming of age soon?”

Mardian elegantly sipped her tea and asked. I smiled slightly and tilted my head.

“Yes, it’s planned for next month.”

Three years had passed, and I was now nineteen.

But despite being of age, my physique remained delicate and slender.

Compared to the mature aura of a beauty like Mardian, I still had a cute vibe, and my chest, which I thought would grow like my mother’s, remained modest.

Not that it was completely flat, though.

Even the height I once hoped for hadn’t changed. Honestly, I thought I’d be over 160 cm, but I barely made it past 150 cm.

This made it inconvenient to look up at people during conversations, but I didn’t have much complaint about my body.

In fact, this appearance often triggered protective instincts in the young ladies, and I couldn’t help but think that having a larger chest would just be uncomfortable.

I never once looked at my mother’s ample chest and thought, ‘Someday, I’ll be like that…’

Really.

“If you don’t have a place to hold your coming-of-age ceremony, let me know. I’ll lend you our family’s mansion.”

Starting with Mardian, Sharrione and Bersha followed suit.

“My, how stingy, Lady Mardian. Our mansion is always open.”

“Tina, don’t forget that I’m always an option for you too.”

Grateful for their kindness, I smiled brightly.

“Hehe, thanks to you ladies, it seems like I’ll have a very happy coming-of-age ceremony.”

Much had changed, but the young ladies before me remained my reliable patrons… no, sponsors.

The family’s situation had also improved significantly.

Thanks to my mother’s tireless efforts, the Blanchard Baronet Family had escaped financial difficulties and regained a stable life.

Now, we could afford to hire servants, and recently, we even hired gardeners to beautify the mansion.

It was a peaceful and serene daily life.

Mardian seemed to have completely changed her mind, no longer attempting unnecessary physical contact with me.

Honestly, I had worried a lot about how to handle Mardian, but with this level of relationship, I was happy to go along.

Sharrione, Bersha, and even young ladies whose names I didn’t know all looked at me with warm eyes.

In the social circle, there was no one left to block my path.

‘Is Viviana still rolling around on the battlefield?’

She promised to forgive me when she returned victorious from the war.

Half of it was a lie.

I had no intention of letting go of Viviana’s guilt, and the war wouldn’t end for a long time anyway.

In the prologue of [Princess Training Simulation], the war took at least ten years to end, so it would be at least five more years before any signs of peace appeared.

Until then, Viviana would work hard to protect us.

‘Of course, if she dies in the war, there’s nothing I can do.’

If she dies, I should at least attend her funeral. After all, she was once my only master.

“Tina, say ‘ah’.”

Bersha smiled brightly and spoke to me.

Opening my mouth, a small piece of cherry entered. I enjoyed the burst of freshness with each bite and swallowed.

Well, anyway, my social life was smooth.

And it would continue to be so.

If I kept living this peaceful life—

“Lady Mardian!”

Amidst the radiant laughter of the young ladies, a deep male voice echoed.

A knight in silver armor rushed to Mardian with urgent eyes. Mardian frowned at his rude behavior, but her displeasure didn’t last long.

The knight covered his mouth and whispered something into Mardian’s ear.

As she listened, Mardian’s expression changed in real-time.

Seeing her crimson eyes waver, the news was clearly not ordinary.

“Excuse me, I must take my leave.”

At her words, the surrounding young ladies began to panic.

“What’s going on?”

“…”

Bersha asked with a worried voice, but Mardian just stared at the ground for a while.

‘Did she receive a death notice?’

Feeling puzzled, I speared a piece of cake with a fork and popped it into my mouth.

Mardian looked at me intently for a moment, then finally opened her tightly closed lips.

“The war ended this morning.”

Mardian’s words were short and concise.

“It’s the empire’s victory.”

The news that flashed through my mind in an instant.

I couldn’t help but drop the fork I was holding.

※

“Wow! They’re coming!”

“Long live the Solaris Empire!!”

Beneath the empire’s towering walls, a massive crowd had gathered.

People held each other’s hands, embraced, and shed tears of joy.

Fathers called for their sons, mothers for their daughters, and old men waved their arms, cheering as if shaking off years of sorrow.

“Long live the Saintess! Long live!!”

The red flag, a symbol of victory, fluttered majestically, rising above the blood-stained past.

Following the massive flag, countless soldiers marched in formation, crossing the walls.

“May the goddess’s blessings be with you forever!”

“Long live the empire!!”

“Heroes!!”

“May the Crown Prince be blessed with abundance!”

Under the brilliant sunlight bathing the walls, the Crown Prince was the first to cross.

Soon after, two women on horseback appeared.

The two heroes looked as divine and elegant as goddesses descended from legend.

The Saintess, dressed in white holy robes, let her vibrant pink hair flutter in the wind, showcasing her pure beauty.

Her face bore a radiant smile as she greeted the empire’s people with her slender hand.

Beside her, the Princess, dressed in a splendid uniform, maintained her noble grace.

It was truly the return of heroes.

The path was filled with cheers and congratulations.

People threw flowers in celebration. Some sang songs to welcome them.

From commoners to priests, and even some nobles, all welcomed their return.

Amidst the cheers of these people, I contorted my face in displeasure.

“How…”

Muttering softly, I clenched my fist.

The more I looked at Viviana and Lillian, the more the pressure tightened around my throat, making it hard to breathe.

I turned my back on them.

As if running away, I hurriedly left the scene.

How long had I run?

“Haah, haah…”

When I came to my senses, my face was drenched in sweat.

Even though I hadn’t run far, my legs trembled helplessly, as if they could no longer move.

“…No.”

I covered my face with both hands, a bitter smile seeping through the gaps between my fingers.

Why am I running away?

Like a criminal.

What have I done?

Ignoring the anxiety and loneliness pressing on my chest, I forced a strange smile.

That’s right.

I’ve done nothing wrong.

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