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Chapter 132

While Lenia woke up in the early morning to visit her parents, Christina also went to go see her father, the Marquis Armadia, in the place he was staying at.

Right now, Nyx is probably flying around in the sky above the capital, dancing with various female birds in courtship songs. It’s a common practice for phoenixes, though for humans, it might be seen as a filthy thing.

As a great aristocrat, the Armadia family has a vast mansion prepared in the capital, and although it’s nothing compared to their main castle, it was still on a scale that most nobles could only dream of.

Just like during the match, Christina was wearing an Armadia bracelet on her wrist, and while surprising all the guards and servants who already knew her face, she arrived in answer to her father’s summons.

Christina left her swords, the El Spada and the Dreadnought, behind, and advanced deeper into the mansion in search of a presence.

Her step-mother and half-siblings should also be at the mansion, but with her perception ability, Christina could tell only her father, Dram, was inside the room. They were probably out sightseeing or having a tea party.

She moved past the knights standing at guard outside the door, and when she entered the office, her father greeted her with a stony face.

Standing in front of her father, who is standing with the sun shining brilliantly at his back, Christina held different emotions than what she might have felt in the past. Unlike before, when her reservations, expectations and anxieties toward her father were all still jumbled up, now her heart was certain.

「Father, I heard you called for me, I have arrived」

「Good work. Be at ease」

「Yes」

Maybe because he had noticed the change in Christina’s state of mind, Dram’s gaze changed slightly. From Christina’s point of view, it was hard for her to clearly say if she loves her father, but she definitely doesn’t hate him.

The truth is that she feels indebted to him for taking her in and raising her after her mother died. But she’s never felt any affection from Dram, and she doesn’t remember ever being treated gently by him. Though at the same time, she doesn’t remember ever feeling disrespected by him either.

With that said, even though she was his illegitimate daughter, it didn’t seem like he was thinking about using her as a pawn in a political marriage, so he probably doesn’t hate her. Thus, the relationship between Christina and her father was hard to define clearly.

「Well then, Father, may I ask what business you wished to see me about? Since you have come to the capital, will you and my brother be working together here…?」

「I won’t be asking you to accompany us to any meetings or evening parties. Does that relieve you?」

It seems he understood the fact that Christina was weak in those kinds of situations.

Christina couldn’t quite tell if he was teasing her, or if he was being serious, but she felt that this was a conversation fitting for a parent and child, and she knew that she felt happy about that.

Had she been starving for a father figure? While self-analyzing, Christina answered with a smile.

「Yes. With all due respect, I am not good with places where there are a lot of people」

「Umu… You are wearing a bracelet that I don’t remember seeing before, could that be the reason for your change in appearance?」

Now that he mentioned it, she suddenly remembered that her step-mother and half-siblings had been quite surprised by it at the match arena, so she showed him her bracelet as she answered.

「It’s a magic bracelet that I borrowed from the Headmaster. As long as I am wearing it, it changes my appearance. The Headmaster said that it would be unfavorable if I exposed my bare face around the city, so she lended this to me. I was very grateful for her offer, so I accepted it」

「I see. Olivier’s decision was correct. I can’t imagine what kind of chaos would ensue if you showed your face」

「I heard that my sisters were quite shocked, is that right?」

「They made quite a fuss, thinking you might have been cursed. Though they are calm now. But at any rate, what caused the change of mind this year? You always wished to avoid standing out, so I was a bit surprised that you participated in the Magic Tournament」

So even he can be surprised, or so Christina thought, getting surprised herself as she answered.

She thought that the intense pressure she always felt from her father had become much, much smaller than before. With just a single change in mentality, the impression you get from someone can change greatly, and likewise, the impression you leave on them can also change.

「There are some underclassmen that I want to set an example for now. Also, there was someone I wanted to get back at, for all the times they were cold to me. Were my actions troublesome for you?」

「No, they weren’t exactly troubling. I just thought that something might have been bothering you. If you show off your power like you did, then you will likely start to receive marriage proposals from many people who desire your strong bloodline」

Until now, Christina was valuable because she was part of the Armadia Marquis lineage, but now that her strength was acknowledged in the Magic Tournament, there should be plenty of mages who find her blood valuable as well.

And if her achievements as a mage are desired, then there are people who would seek her out, even at the risk of losing favor with her step-mother.

Christina must also accept the accuracy of her father’s statements.

Whether she accepts or refuses the incoming marriage proposals will depend on her father’s opinions. As for Christina, rather than follow along with her father’s wishes, she intended on rejecting all the proposals, and if push comes to shove, she would even abscond the family name.

It would probably cause problems for the Armadia Marquis family, but for Christina, her life was her own, and she never thought of it as belonging to the family. That is a line that she will not compromise on.

「But more importantly, there is something that I must give to you first」

After Dram said that, he took a letter enveloped in fine paper out of his breast pocket, and handed it to Christina. Upon seeing the crest that was stamped on the red wax seal, she raised her beautiful eyebrows.

It was the crest of the Arkrest Kingdom’s royal family. This must mean that the person who sent this letter is someone related to the royal family.

Christina had no choice but to read the contents of the letter. As she did so, an annoyed expression must have shown on her face, because Dram lightly chided her.

「Don’t make such a disgusted face. You mustn’t show such a face in front of anyone esteemed」

「I apologize. Is this an invitation to Her Highness Frau’s tea party?」

「It is an annual event. Her Highness always holds a tea party and invites several of the female students who participated in the Magic Tournament. It seems you are one of the chosen.

It should be an honor, but I can see right through to your displeasure, Christina. That is far too disrespectful」

Upon seeing the slight exasperation in her father’s appearance, Christina schooled her face back into an indifferent expression. The fact that she is able to behave that way at all in front of him, even if she is still not so comfortable around him, shows that her change of heart was truly remarkable, just as much as Lenia’s was.

「I will exercise the utmost caution in front of Her Highness, Father」

「Umu, in that case, there will be no problems. Though there is a high possibility for a problem in a different way…」

The other problem that her father was referring to was something that Christina was self-aware of, even if she didn’t like it. She rubbed her cheek with her right hand as she smiled bitterly. The cause of her bitterness was her own face, something that she would have to live her whole life with.

「Is it that Her Highness will become too enraptured by my face? There should be a knight constantly on guard duty, but I will pray nothing disagreeable happens」

「Yes, do that. Fortunately, Her Highness is sensible, but she is also at an age where she can act on her whims, and be highly impressionable」

As her father said that completely unhappily, Christina internally reflected on his words and unconsciously thought that he must actually hate her after all, but she decided to focus on analyzing the information he had just given her instead.

She only knew Frau from when she sat in her observatory seat, but the Frau who stood next to her older brother, could only be seen as a bright and impressionable young girl.

What would be the best way to interact with the princess of the royal family? Such was the question in Christina’s true thoughts.

Christina has come into contact with a former queen, the priestesses and emperors of the Dragon Palace, and even with various gods and an Ancient Celestial Dragon. So, Christina shouldn’t feel nervous about meeting her own country’s princess. But she had no idea how she should interact with her.

「That’s all for my business with you today, Christina」

「Pardon?」

「For your victory in the tournament, congratulations」