Celebrity Lady - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 68
The one and only birthday gift in the world.
One and only…….
The moment he heard what was rather touching congratulations, a small breeze blew between them as if it were a lie.
Unlike the chilly weather of the imperial capital, the wind that blew through the warmer Lyubon was gentle.
“Happy birthday. I’m grateful that you were born with such national-treasure beauty and have thus benefited the empire widely.”
Rubetria laughed with a playful greeting added to the end.
He wanted to laugh along, but……. Lark’s lips had inexplicably stiffened, leaving him at a loss for words.
“……?”
Suddenly Rubetria looked unfamiliar to him.
Was it because she was in the middle of strenuous weight loss, becoming half of herself in just a month?
No, rather than that…….
‘Ah, that’s it.’
It seemed that his own heart, now taking in Rubetria’s face, had shifted just very slightly in some way.
Her softly fluttering crimson hair, gleaming golden eyes, even the mole blossoming at the corner of her left eye…….
The fact that he felt Rubetria had changed anew, when she was no different from before, suggested something.
‘This is dangerous.’
Thinking so, Lark smiled faintly and stepped back a few paces.
“Thanks. I think I’m about to cry right now?”
“Come on, you’re exaggerating. But it really is a beautiful wristwatch, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received in my life.”
“Is it that good?”
As Rubetria broke into a pleased smile, Lark quickly averted his gaze, avoiding her face.
‘Yeah, this is really dangerous.’
His eyes, fumbling at empty space, would have seemed strange, but Rubetria, oblivious to others’ feelings, continued to chatter away.
For some reason, even his ears had gone numb, and Lark could barely hear what Rubetria was saying.
“……Your Highness!”
After a while, Rubetria tilted her head questioningly before suddenly thrusting her face forward, and only then did he snap back to attention.
“Huh, huh…….”
“Are you listening to me?”
“……What did you say?”
“Wear the wristwatch every time you visit Lyubon. I’ll have it cleaned for you at the workshop. Since it’s expensive, proper maintenance is important.”
“Right, I got it.”
The distance was too close. Lark stepped back a few more paces.
“But I really am running late. I should get going. I’ll come back next week and spend some time.”
“Already?”
The face of Rubetria pouting slightly, seeming reluctant. Another danger sign.
Lark quickly turned away.
“Yeah, sorry. Let’s see each other again next time.”
“No, wait a moment. Why are you in such a rush? You said you had something to give me too, didn’t you?”
“Oh right.”
Lark, who had been trying to escape, stopped and sighed, rubbing his forehead.
“That’s right.”
“What is it?”
“Um…… let’s go to the Princess Villa. I need to give it to you there.”
“Oh, great! The villa’s interior design has become really beautiful, so let’s at least look around the living room while we’re at it.”
Rubetria, brimming with excitement, naturally took a step beside him and began walking.
The familiar scent that seeped through his nose on the wind from such a close distance — another danger sign.
“Ha……. This is trouble.”
Finally, Lark stopped in his tracks, and with his eyes covered, he let out a laugh that sounded like a sigh.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“……Never mind. Let’s go.”
* * *
The Imperial Grand Council Chamber.
A nobles’ assembly was in full swing.
“Ahem, cough.”
“Hmm…….”
The nobles were each watching Lark carefully.
“He seems to want to show something off……, doesn’t he?”
Rosel, speaking quietly, asked the Duke Raijer beside him in a lowered voice.
“Doesn’t it? I suppose I should say something too?”
Duke Raijer looked toward Lark at the head seat.
Flash! A splendid bracelet studded with dozens of diamonds gleamed on his left wrist.
Lark seemed desperate to show it off.
“Ah, you’ve come?”
With each person who entered the chamber, he placed his left hand lightly to his forehead in greeting, behaving quite carelessly…….
“Hmm……. This matter requires some careful consideration.”
Throughout the assembly, he deliberately propped both arms on his chin and directed everyone’s attention to his glittering left wrist.
Unless one were blind, there was no way to miss Lark’s intention to broadcast across his entire body: ‘Look at my splendid bracelet!’
“Your Highness, the bracelet you’re wearing today is quite magnificent and stylish.”
At Duke Raijer’s compliment, Lark immediately lit up. Though his delight was evident on his face, he played coy.
“Oh, this? You noticed?”
“Hmm.”
As if he weren’t blind — why couldn’t he see such blatant showing off…….
The nobles stifled their laughter at his cute reaction.
“This isn’t a bracelet. It’s a wristwatch.”
“A wristwatch?”
Duke Raijer tilted his head in confusion as Lark extended his wrist. The duke’s eyes widened.
Indeed, what he’d thought was a men’s jeweled bracelet turned out to be a wristwatch upon closer inspection.
It was made much smaller than a portable timepiece, light enough to wear on the wrist, and decorated with gleaming diamonds to create a fine ornamental effect.
“Is it possible to manufacture such a small wristwatch?”
Rosel interjected, showing interest.
“Manufacturing technology is advancing steadily. In fact, they’re supposed to be released in the capital soon, so everyone should acquire one. They’re incredibly convenient.”
“How did Your Highness manage to procure one so quickly?”
“Well, you see…….”
Lark, his shoulders rising, chuckled softly and gently rubbed his nose. Of course, with his left hand.
“It appears you received a gift in celebration of your birthday?”
Duke Raijer, observing Lark with keen eyes, asked the question.
What kind of person is the Crown Prince? One born with such abundance of power and wealth that it overflows, yet conducts himself with restraint.
He makes no conscious effort to flaunt his wealth, nor does his temperament incline him toward affectation or luxury.
For such a person to come to the assembly wearing an expensive ornament and show it off?
Obvious. Duke Raijer smiled warmly.
“It seems there is someone with whom you share a pleasant connection?”
“Huh?”
Lark faltered, clearing his throat awkwardly and shifting his gaze slightly. The end of his gaze landed, unfortunately, on Biego.
“It’s not that. I mean…… it’s not like that…….”
“In fact, I was already thinking it was time to bring the matter up again.”
Duke Raijer, with a determined expression, pulled his chair forward and sat.
“It is time to welcome the imperial wives. We must not delay this matter any further and humbly request that you proceed with urgency.”
“That’s right, Your Highness. Unless there is no one, if you are indeed maintaining relations with someone, you must prepare for a Royal Marriage at once.”
Rosel added quickly.
“Yes, Your Highness. Not only the Crown Princess, but also the imperial concubines, Your Highness. It is far too late. They must enter the imperial household and take up residence as soon as possible, so they may learn and adapt.”
Duke Merlin, the head of the Merlin ducal house, also spoke.
His eldest daughter, Merlin Princess, was the kind of woman openly discussed as certain to claim one position or another, whether as chief wife or imperial concubine.
“Well, yes. I have been a bit slow…….”
Among the nobles, who were glinting their eyes like a famished wolf pack and each putting in their word, Lark offered an awkward smile.
“A bit is not the word.”
“Yes, much…….”
Duke Raijer and Rosel opened their eyes sharply and spoke once more.
“Well…… In fact, I did have a matter related to the Royal Marriage to bring before the assembly.”
Lark pulled himself upright in his seat.
The gathered nobles each lit up their eyes, competitive as ever, and fixed their gaze upon him.
If he wasted more time dithering on this problem he’d been putting off, these beasts of the chamber might overturn the entire assembly then and there.
Among the predators of the assembly, Lark, growing somewhat tense, opened his mouth slowly.
“The thing is…….”
* * *
After Lark departed.
“How curious.”
I was examining his ‘gift’ in the back garden of the villa.
Lark, who said he had something to give, had somehow conjured a single tree in the back garden in the blink of an eye.
It was the power of Rendian, the Spirit of the Earth.
“The Duke of Diolus seems quite worried. I’ve planted one at the Duchy Mansion as well, so don’t let your father kill it — contact him every single day.”
This tree, which had grown tall enough to reach my third-floor bedroom, was not for decoration.
Surprising as it may be…… it’s like a mobile phone replacement, one might say?
“The Blessing of Florinus, a lower-rank Spirit, has been placed upon it. It allows you to transmit sound to one another through plants that grow from the earth.”
Wisht, standing beside me looking up at the tree, explained.
“Florinus?”
“On the surface it looks like just an ordinary tree, but since the Blessing of Florinus has been inscribed upon it, it’s no ordinary tree. Within the bounds that the contractor permits, those who are permitted can hear and speak to one another.”
“Amazing……. And yet there are mobile phones here too?”
Seeing my astonishment, Wisht wagged his tongue.
“Strictly speaking, aren’t you a suspect in a criminal case right now? Surveillance would be enough, yet you’re being allowed to contact the outside world using your own abilities?”
“…….”
“Crown Prince, I’m starting to wonder if you’re really the one I used to know. The way you’re giving special treatment — he’d probably listen even if you asked him to sell out the nation.”
“Hmm.”
For some reason I felt embarrassed, so I scratched my cheek lightly before asking.
“But wasn’t Lark’s Spirit Rendian, the Spirit of the Earth? You said this is the power of Flori…… what, a different Spirit?”
“Lower-rank Spirits belong to the Supreme-rank Spirits. If they’re the same attribute, a higher-rank can summon a lower-rank.”
“Ah-ha!”
In other words, a Supreme-rank Spirit of the Earth could command lower-rank Spirits of the same earth attribute.
I nodded in understanding and said,
“Then the Spirit King could command all sorts of things, couldn’t he~”
“Hack!”
At my offhand remark, Wisht, who couldn’t hide his reactions, had an acute response.
Hack, hack, hmm, hack! — making strange coughing sounds, he spoke.
“……Well, I suppose so.”
“Mm, yeah.”
I pretended not to notice and approached the tree, placing my hand on the thick trunk.
“You said you missed your father, didn’t you? Let me talk to him.”
“When did I?”
“If not, never mind.”
“Well, given the Crown Prince’s sincerity, I suppose I could make a call once.”
It was an unexpected gift, leaving me somewhat at a loss.
The situation of suddenly having a conversation with my father, whom I hadn’t seen in over a month, was bewildering…….
“Um, hmm. Do I just speak? Can you hear me, Father?”
Silence.
No answer came through.
“What, is it broken…….”
As I turned away, pouting, a breeze suddenly stirred the tree’s leaves.
They created a familiar voice.
[……Rubetria?]
I quickly turned back around.
“Huh…….”
What is this? I hadn’t been thinking anything special until I heard a response.
The moment I heard Father’s voice, my feelings became strange.
Why? I hadn’t even particularly wanted to see him, nor was I especially worried about him…… What is this feeling?
Unable to explain the tingling in my heart with words, I fell silent for a long while, then suddenly flustered.
“Th-this actually works? Father? Are you…… are you doing well? Um, and your meals…… are you eating regularly?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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