Amitia Kingdom is a nation with mid-sized territory (more precisely, the size is about the same as all of the neighbors combined excluding the three big and powerful nations which are the Empire, the Federation and the Holy Kingdom) on the western part of the continent. The soil is fertile, and the climate is warm, which makes agriculture and stock farming prosperous. The kingdom boasts a harvest which is several times higher than the domestic consumption rate. They are also proud of being the largest exporter of agricultural products in their region. Therefore, itâs obvious that Amitia Kingdom is the kitchen of the western part of continent.
Once upon a time, aggressive wars with the aim of taking the kingdomâs rich and prosperous land took place, but due to diplomacy and political maneuvering with the neighboring countries, there has been nothing more than brief skirmishes for 80 years, and in that time the kingdom never had to experience a full-scale war.  Excluding the damage from monster outbreaks, itâs not an exaggeration to say that the kingdom right now is enjoying peace and harmony.
Tonight, at an opera house located in Caldia, the royal capital of Amitia Kingdom, nobles that were dressed up and wealthy people were gathering together in a masquerade ball meeting.
Originally, the masquerade ball was a meeting for royalty, but the prestige was lowered in accordance with the prolonged peace and harmony. Currently, it has spread to the general public, and is even being held at a theater. Â Although, the only ones who can participate are people who have enough fortune and social status.
The participants are from various places, from the nobles on the top to the upstart merchants on the bottom. However, once in a while there are incognito royalty and foreign nobles participating. Itâs common for men and women who participate to look into each otherâs eyes, attempting to guess the origin of their partner and enjoying themselves while dancing and chatting.
However, that usual atmosphere was easily smashed to pieces. Today, there was a pair, a master and her attendant, who showed nothing but a terrific aura.
Just by standing there, the woman exudes a transcendental presence.
With just a glimpse, sheâs a girl who perhaps is in the first half of her teens from how she looks. She wore a costume which definitely needed an absurd amount of effort, time, and money to make. It was a black drape dress with a fitting design from her upper body to the waist, emphasizing her lower back, turning into her thin waist below, and then extending in a flare. Red rose corsages, which could be mistaken as real roses, were arranged everywhere. A red devil mask hid her face, so there was no choice but to imagine what lay behind it. However, her bewitching hair that extended to her waist, the entrancing skin without a single mole, and her pure face which could be imagined from the line below her cheek which was beautifulâŠThere no choice but to lament a sigh, a really living work of art she is.
And then the attendant behind her looked to be a woman around 17-18 years old who wore a light blue long torso dress, with dazzling platinum blonde hair and flawless skin. A white mask hid her face from the top of her nose upward, but it could be imagined that her face was also peerless. Therefore, she must surely be a beautiful woman.
Because of how these two women are, they captured the attention of everyone in the hall the moment they entered, but they were way beyond an unobtainable prize. They werenât just jewelry, or even superb first class goods. These two were on the level of a national treasure. From all appearances, they are a princess and an attendant from a powerful mighty country who participated incognito. Everyone is gazing from a distance surrounding them, altogether whispering and speculating about who they might be, but not a single person yet dared to recklessly greet them.
ââââ
ââŠWhat a surprise, this masquerade ball is more tedious than I thought.â
I thought it was going to be splendid as they would use magic lights, but it turned out there were traditional chandelier lights placed under the dancing pairs, making the entire area dim (well itâs not a problem for my vampire princess eyes though), I feel like the people were dancing ghosts in a haunted house.
Mikoto, who was looking for agreement, faintly tilted her head and wondered. As you would expect, currently her seraph wings were hidden.
âI guess these are their standards? Their so called âdanceâ is essentially a public pleasure for men and women after all.â
âIt seems so.â
Within the thick darkness, untouched by the chandelierâs light, I saw several men and women performing indecent acts without any shame (I wonât clearly tell how it is though, that sort of thing happens in a special room!).  Iâm regretting that I came here hurriedly.
How should I put it, when exactly will my main dance partner, the third prince, come? By any chance, did he not notice me? Since I also donât know his appearance, but unexpectedly Iâm standing out so thereâs a possibility that he would notice me, or maybe I wonder if itâs because Iâm too plain?
ââŠGeez, even though I already had dance training for an entire night.â
âDo you want to dance, princess?â Â Mikoto tilted her head curiously.
âI donât mean that sort of thing. Iâm a frugal person so I like to have it be useful, I feel like Iâm wasting something if I donât use it.â
âIs that so? At any rate, heâs really rude isnât he, to call out and then make you wait.â
âWell, itâs not like there was any specified time to meet or anything⊠ Ah, Mikoto. When that prince arrives late, donât suddenly start quarreling with him, okay?â
If we abruptly showed him such rudeness, even peaceful talks wonât be peaceful anymore.  With me saying so, Mikoto gave a regrettable sigh.
âThereâs no way this mere serf would disregard the princessâs feelings and do such an impudent act in the absence of Tengai-dono. âIn the first place, I believe that Iâve already been together with princess for hundreds of years right?â
Nah, to say âhundreds of yearsââŠisnât actually closer to three to four years at most?
âWell, since it is your instructions, I shall bear that in mind and hesitate for a moment before punishing that insolent fellowâŠâ
No, you must absolutely hesitate!
Itâs no good. Even seeing that Mikoto here is the most sane one out of the bunch, she still has that fighting mindset.
ââŠBy the way.â  Mikoto takes a glimpse of my face âor more accurately, my mask.  âPrincess, do you like that mask that much? In the castle town, there was a person with a very similar mask in the ramen shop, did you hear anything about that?â
âI-I wonder who that isâŠ?â
âWho knows? Well itâs probably an unfounded rumor.â
âTh-thatâs right.â
Did my secret get exposed?
Then, I sensed the small steps of a blond haired girl who wore a pink dress and was similar in height to me, come before me. She held both sides of her tiered skirt with her hands tenderly, and performed a curtsy different from my fake one(the greeting performed by putting one foot behind you and bending the other foot).
âGood evening lady, what a nice dress that is.â
âGood evening, same goes for you. Your attire is also very sweet. Itâs very well matched.â  For the time being, I replied to her with a similar greeting, and added more words in a formal tone.
Then, she stared fixedly at my face (her face was hidden because of her mask, but her pupils are blue), and asked me with a curious appearance.
âBy the way, thereâs something on my mind. I donât think a lovely lady such as yourself matches well with this scary mask, does it have some special meaning?â
Mikoto in the back also nodded and said âI agreeâ.  âŠUgh, my mask doesnât have a good reputation, even though it was a rare gacha item.
âTalking about meaning âŠActually, Iâm having a rendezvous here with somebody today ,and I had to use something that could be easily recognized.â
Since I am the princess of a demon country, with this sort of mask it should be easy to recognize. That was the plan I came up with and is why I chose it.
âOh my! Did broâŠerr, that person tell you such an outrageous thing?!â
âAh, not at all. This was my own decision. The other party told me the place and time, but didnât specify the attire or the sign, so I thought about using this to make it easy for him to know. At any rate, my apologies for being such a country bumpkin.â
âThatâs not true at all. I was just simply thinking it was a bit strange. Nonetheless, the other party is rude, isnât he? Inviting you one-sidedly without specifying the crucial information.â
My mouth relaxed, with the girl complaining in my place.
âYes he is, therefore IÂ was considering if IÂ should leave my seat soon.â
âIs that soâŠâ she said while keeping her head inclined, âUmm, in that case, would it be acceptable for you to talk with me in a separate room?â
âHuh?â I said while reflexively looking back at the girlâs eyes.
âActually I was brought by my big brother, but there is no one here who close to my age so itâs a bit boring.  Because of that I spontaneously greeted you, but your story has piqued my interest all of sudden. I absolutely want to hear your story more, pretty please?â She appealed with an embarrassed gesture, but her eyes were unreasonably glittering.
âŠUgh, Iâm bad at this. Itâs like a natural thing for someone who canât read the atmosphere to take up my pace.  It could just be my imagination, but I feel Iâve been in this situation beforeâŠ
âW-well, if itâs just a bitâŠâ  Before I noticed it, I was already giving her a nod. Oh no, what I am doing?
âIâm so happy! Um, itâs impolite but I wonder, what might your age be? As for me, Iâm twelve years old.â
âErr, Iâm more or less thirteen years old.â
Since thatâs the setting!
âOh my, then I was one year under you. âUm, is it okay for me to call you Onee-sama?â Â The girl asked nervously.
So dreadfully cute⊠what is this living thing?
âSu-sure, if you wish.â Â I couldnât go against her.
âThen, Onee-sama, thereâs a seperate room that is rented out in that direction, please come. Feel free to bring your attendant too.â
ââŠIs this okay?â  Mikoto asked for confirmation in a low voice, then I replied to her in half despair.
âItâs okay. Itâs the stupid princeâs fault for coming late anyway. I will come back later after loitering around there.â
âI understandâ Mikoto nodded. I was literally pulled by the girlâs hand, and she brought me to a room at the far back of the row of private rooms on the second floor.
Then the girl lightly knocked on the roomâs door and spoke, âOnii-sama, this is Angelica. I brought the guest.â
âAah, come in!â
A young manâs voice invited us to enter the room.
ââŠ.!?â
Mikoto and I took two to three steps back due to our precautionary instincts.
The girl turned in our direction and took off her mask and revealed her cute face. She had a fluffy atmosphere like a sweet. Then, once again she made a very deep greeting.
âI am deeply sorry for deceiving you with my form, Onee-sama. Iâll greet you once again. My name is Angelica Iris Amitia, the Amitia Kingdomâs fourth princess. The younger sister of my foolish brother born from the same mother, Ashyl Cloud Amitia the third prince of the Amitia Kingdom.â
Before the girl who said that and smiled cheerfully, Mikoto and I reflexively looked at each other, and wondered how we should respond.