My Mom Entered a Contract Marriage - Chapter 51

Lilica has been terribly busy since morning.

The day that she’d been anticipating had arrived, yet time flew by busily on the day itself.

She was wearing a newly made dress and a much more exquisite panier than usual.

Although Lilica said to make it as long as possible, her dress only reached her shin.

‘As soon as I grow up, I’m going to wear a long dress. One with a longer train in the back…’

A teeny tiny wish took root in her mind.

Brynn was full of spirit. Her short hair, which had become long hair, seemed to be indicative of her experience.

Lilica wore cute silk socks that were tailored to her dress, as well as newly made shoes.

It was a shoe with a new design, which had a thin strap wrapping around the top of her foot.

The amount of attention that was put on her from head to toe by the designer, the empress and Brynn could be told.

Brynn gave an ecstatic smile at the finished look.

Lilica also smiled broadly after seeing her reflection in the mirror.

“It’s so pretty.”

“Yes, my princess. You’re really lovely. The families asking for an engagement will form lines.”

Brynn let out a heated sigh.

Lilica laughed.

It was truly aristocratic in a sense, whereby the ones asking for an engagement weren’t ‘people’, but ‘families’.

Lilica put her hand into her pocket.

It felt empty because she didn’t feel the pendant that would always be within arm’s reach.

‘What is His Majesty going to do, I wonder?’

She was both curious and looking forward to it at the same time.

With a smile, Lilica looked in the mirror again and twirled around on her toes.

Brynn clapped her hands.

Lilica smiled after pinching her hem and giving her a greeting.

Lilica glanced at Lauv.

Strangely enough, her escort seemed more tense than usual today.

Even if others couldn’t tell it, Lilica could.

“Lauv, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Lauv answered politely.

Lilica spoke while tilting her head.

“Are you worried that there will be more people? But it will be safer instead, since His Majesty and many other knights will also be present.”

No moron would launch an attack in that situation, right?

Brynn spoke.

“Isn’t it just because his clothes are too stifling?”

Lilica laughed at Brynn’s words.

Lauv was dressed much grander than usual today, perhaps due to the Parta.

He was so dressed up that others might think Lauv, and not Atil, was escorting Lilica today.

Just then, a servant approached and announced Atil’s arrival.

Lilica suddenly felt quite nervous.

It was definitely the moment she’d been waiting for, but she began to feel nervous when it was right before her eyes.

As though Brynn had noticed those feelings of Lilica’s, she clasped her arm slightly, before letting her go.

Lilica nodded.

“He may enter.”

As soon as Lilica spoke, the servant quickly opened the door.

Lilica’s eyes widened.

Although she’d dressed quite a bit, Atil didn’t pale in comparison to her. His attire inadvertently made her think of a fancy candy box.

Atil laughed at Lilica, whose eyes were wide open.

“Fine clothes make the man.”

“The same goes for Atil.”

“This?”

Atil chuckled, and extended his hand with a bow.

“Then will you bestow the honour of escorting you unto me today, my princess?”

Lilica looked at his outstretched hand and reached out. Her fingertips were trembling slightly.

“I’ll allow it.”

With a smile, Atil kissed the back of her hand, then placed her hand in the crook of his arm.

“Let’s go?”

He spoke simply, as though it wasn’t a big deal, which eased Lilica’s tension.

She nodded.

The weather was so pleasant that it couldn’t be bought.

The Parta was held in the Sun Palace’s largest glass hall.

It was named as such due to the long windows that lined both sides of the large rectangular hall.

Paintings filled with their artists’ efforts hung above the windows.

The brilliant sunlight scattered throughout the entire glass hall.

All the windows reflected the sunlight like silver mirrors, and the stained glass appeared more dazzling than jewels.

Beautiful patterns criss-crossed on the marble floor where the sunlight lands.

The hall was filled with excited people.

The Parta gifts for the princess have already been handed over to the servants, and were displayed on the podium one after another.

Everyone brought their children along as they wanted the princess to take a liking to them, and so the glass hall was filled with children for a change.

The orchestra played melodious music.

As the music changed into one that announced the entrance of a member of the imperial family, everyone turned their gaze towards the stairs.

Altheos and Ludia appeared.

Normally, a servant would announce their names, but the one and only protagonist of Lilica’s Parta was Lilica herself.

Even so, they all bowed their heads in greeting.

And they awaited with a range of emotions for the person that would appear next.

Lilica stood anxiously in the waiting room.

She spoke quietly.

“I’m nervous.”

“The ones that should be nervous are the humans beneath the stairs.”

As Atil said that, he held her hand tightly.

“Don’t you have me?”

At that, Lilica finally gave him a smile.

Then, the servant called out in a loud voice.

“The princess, Lilica Nara Takar!”

Lilica took a strong step forward.

The intense sunlight made her feel dizzy.

The moment she made her appearance, everyone applauded.

The orchestra played a cheerful tune.

Lilica clasped Atil’s hand and went down the stairs.

The applause stopped when she stood in the middle of the stairs.

Lilica smiled and spoke just like she’d practised.

“I’m thankful to all of you, who’ve come to celebrate my Parta today. I hope that everyone will have a pleasant time.”

Then, after a simple curtsy, congratulatory words poured out endlessly.

“Congratulations on your Parta, my princess!”

“Wishing that you’ll reach your coming of age safely!”

“Congratulations!”

With a smile, Lilica went up the podium to stand next to her mother and greeted her once again.

Altheos and Ludia congratulated her one after another.

Ludia hugged Lilica tightly and kissed her forehead.

“Congratulations on your Parta, my daughter.”

“Thank you.”

Altheos spoke.

“Then, shall we first look at the presents from those that came to congratulate you?”

“Yes.”

This order was developed after several days of contemplation, as the gifts of those with high status, or belonging to a confidant, would be opened later down the line.

All the families that brought their children would let their child introduce themselves and after extending cordial greetings, the child would explain about the gift as Lilica opened the gift that’s brought to them by the servant.

The number of opened gifts next to Lilica gradually began to increase. Everyone let out admiring sighs as the gifts became extravagant.

Countless jewels and ornaments poured out.

Ivory combs inlaid with mother-of-pearl, exquisitely crafted doll houses, jewel-decorated headbands, misty-looking delicate and beautiful lace……

Just then, a familiar face appeared.

“Diare!”

When Lilica greeted her with a huge smile, Diare returned her greeting bravely and said.

“Congratulations on your Parta, my princess.”

“Mm, thank you for coming.”

“Of course, I have to come, as your conversational partner.”

As Diare spoke, she thumped her chest, before looking at the gift box brought by the servant and speaking bashfully.

“I ordered this with the money I’d saved without my family’s help.”

The present was horseshoes made out of silver.

It was simple when compared to the gifts that had been appearing before her, but Lilica was quite pleased and smiled brightly.

“I remember that we used to go horseback riding together every day. Thank you, Diare.”

“No, please, I hope that the silver horseshoes will protect you from anything wicked.”

“Yes, thank you.”

She kept thanking Diare when she thought about how Diare must have saved every single penny of her allowance.

Lilica gave Diare a big hug, while Diare smiled broadly, before stepping back.

The next person that stepped up was also someone familiar.

“Fjord.”

“My princess.”

Fjord greeted her gracefully.

As always, every single move that he made was captivating.

The servant brought the gift from the Barat Duchy.

“Congratulations on your Parta. I hope you’ll stay unhurt until your coming of age ceremony.”

A typical Parta congratulatory line was recited and he offered his gift.

It was a cage made out of gold. Lilica was surprised to see a bird within it.

“It’s… oh, it’s not living.”

“Please turn the handle on the side.”

Lilica turned the handle beside the cage, and heard the sound of a spring winding up.

When she let go of the handle, the bird within flapped its wings and began chirping.

“That’s amazing…”

It was a plump and cute, brown bird, with turquoise eyes and a red breast.

Lilica recognized that it was a robin, but she didn’t mention it aloud.

She just looked at Fjord with a smile.

Fjord also faced her with a soft smile.

When the beautiful song by the bird in the cage ended, Lilica spoke.

“I quite like this gift. Thank you.”

“Not at all. It’s an honour to be able to present the work that those automata craftsmen poured their heart and soul into to the princess.”

The two exchanged meaningful glances.

Fjord bowed and went down the platform.

Then unexpectedly, Tan came up.

Lilica spoke with a smile.

“I didn’t expect Tan to attend.”

“I can’t possibly miss the princess’s Parta. That’s all the more so when taking into account the gift’s heart.”

“The gift’s heart?”

While wondering if a gift can have a heart, Lauv appeared alongside the servant.

Lilica looked at Lauv, and then at Tan.

“Are you two giving me a joint present?”

“No, this is the present I’m giving you.”

Wolfe slapped Lauv on the back.

If Lilica was slapped on the back like that, she would’ve rolled down like an acorn instantly, but Lauv didn’t budge.

With a tense expression, he stepped forward and knelt down before Lilica.

He then took out a small box and opened it.

A white pearl.

Lauv spoke quietly.

“I wanted to return the pearl I’d first received, along with myself. Please accept me as yours, my princess.”

His voice travelled throughout the quiet hall.

When Lilica looked at Tan in bewilderment, he shrugged and grinned.

Lilica’s fist clenched and loosened, before speaking with a sigh,

“Lauv, if you, perhaps, want to belong to a princess, it’s alright if you halt now.”

It’s because she’d only remain as a princess for six more years.

Lauv shook his head.

“No, my oath belongs to Miss Lilica.”

Lilica looked at the pearl.

It was difficult for her to refuse in a place with such an onlooking crowd, but it was also rather hard for her to accept it.

The same went for Lauv.

Lilica was rather troubled.

But she didn’t turn her gaze towards her mother or someone else.

This was for her to decide.

She could faintly spot that Lauv’s shoulders were trembling.

Dust particles danced beneath the sunlight.

Lilica’s lengthy pondering ended amidst the silence.

Lilica accepted Lauv’s box, handed it to the servant, and clasped his hands between hers.

Lauv looked up.

Lilica spoke earnestly.

“When I first met Lauv, we didn’t begin on easy footing. A lot has happened since, and it will only continue in that manner.”

Blue-grey eyes looked at her quietly.

“Even so, I believe that this sort of suffering and adversity wouldn’t just end in hardship, but turn into a treasure between us.”

Lilica smiled beatifically.

“A pearl that’ll shine forevermore.”

Teardrops will form during grief and sorrow.

Teardrops will form during happiness and joy.

Pearls were the crystallisation of all tears.

She picked up the pearl with one hand and placed it back into Lauv’s palm.

“As such, I’ll return you the pearl and accept Lauv. Instead, I also have a favour to ask of you.”

“I’ll obey whatever orders you may have.”

Lilica recalled Lauv, who was forced to smile.

She looked into her knight’s eyes.

“Please live freely.”

The eyes she gazed into were trembling.

Lauv understood what those words meant.

Many conversations were being exchanged through their eye contact.

Unable to overcome the emotions that welled upwards, he lowered his gaze.

Lauv looked down at the pearl in his palm and kissed the back of her hand.

The scene of a knight kneeling within a huge hall that’s lit with scattered streams of sunlight, making an oath while kissing the back of a young girl’s hand, seemed to be one that’s taken out of an illustration.

Everyone watched with bated breath.

At this moment, Tan bowed gracefully and said.

“Congratulations, my princess.”

Then, the people below the platform also applauded and cheered as though they’d been awakened from a dream.

“Congratulations to the both of you!”

“Congratulations, my princess.”

The oath between the knight and the girl bore something that touched people’s hearts, so everyone applauded loudly.

This incident, named ‘The Oath of the Pearl’, became a hot conversation topic afterwards.

After Lauv got up, Ludia had an expression that was torn between a sigh and a smile. Altheos rose from his seat and said,

“Lauv Wolfe shall be granted a permanent knighthood under Lilica’s direct command.”

Lauv bowed towards Altheos in gratitude.

Lilica also bowed.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Altheos smiled.

“While Sir Lauv’s gift is impressive, my gift isn’t any less than his. Bring it over.”

The servant deftly brought a small box and offered it to Lilica.

Lilica could guess what was within it by looking at the size of the box.

It was her pendulum.

“Open and take a look.”

At Altheos’s chin gesture, Lilica opened the box.

As expected, her familiar pendant was placed within it.

A crescent moon and heart, as well as a small crown.

‘Should I make a surprised expression?’

When she looked up, Altheos spoke.

“You must be quite surprised, as it looks like the pendulum that you used to play with. The pendulum’s pendant has been deliberately matched with that artifact.”

‘Hm? No, it’s not. This is my pendant though?’

After two years of constant touching, it was the pendant that she could distinguish by touch.

When Lilica tilted her head, Altheos gave her a meaningful glance.

“That is my gift. The artifact ‘Magical Girl’. This is a single user artifact that’ll allow users to enjoy the feeling of being a wizard. Try touching it.”

Small whispers echoed all over the place.

It was because it was an artifact that had never been seen before, and also because of its unique name.

Additionally, the single user artifact meant that only one person could be designated as the artifact’s user.

As such, there were very few single user artifacts remaining.

Lilica lifted the pendant carefully.

Just then, the pendant radiated a bright light all of a sudden.

“Kyaah?”

Pporororong pporororong.

At the same time, the cheerful sound of music began ringing out from somewhere.

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