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Chapter 20
The next day, I once again found myself seated across from Denok in the study.
He had postponed his work to grant me an audience at my request for some time.
At first, his expression was blank, as though uninterested in anything, but he was unexpectedly kind—more than I’d anticipated.
Ah, this wasn’t the time to be distracted.
“Your Highness.”
Denok lifted his head. I carefully continued.
“Have you ever heard of the *Luminel Fairy*?”
“A fairy, you say…”
“Yes. It’s a story Melissa told me.”
I held out the sketchbook in my hands.
“It’s more like a local folktale passed down in the Luciano territory. They say the fairy sleeps inside Luminel flower petals and blesses children.”
A beat passed before Denok opened his mouth.
“I believe I’ve heard something of the sort.”
Thank goodness.
If even he was aware of it, then it must be a fairly well-known story within the territory.
Feeling slightly more confident, I turned the pages of the sketchbook.
“So I was thinking… perhaps we could incorporate that fairy into this year’s festival.”
The sketch depicted a fairy lying within a flower petal.
The streets were decorated with lanterns in shades of crimson, resembling Luminel blossoms, while children wearing fairy wings ran about joyfully.
“I’d like to place a giant figure of the fairy in the center of the plaza, to give the impression that the fairy is blessing the Luciano territory.”
Denok studied the drawing for a moment in silence, then gave a slight nod.
“Fascinating.”
“Do you think it’ll work?”
“Children will certainly love it… but more than that, I imagine the adults will be even more taken with it.”
He added, “It evokes nostalgia.”
“What’s this here?”
“Oh, that part—”
I followed the direction of his finger, which pointed to a section of the drawing featuring children wearing fairy wings.
“I thought it’d be fun to let the children wear wings. We could set up a booth where they can make their own. Assign a few maids to help run it—it’d be a simple little craft station.”
There had been a line in his mother’s note that had stayed with me:
> *‘The festival is not only a prayer for a bountiful year, but a chance to create lasting memories for the children.’*
I wanted to carry on her wishes.
“Like Her Grace intended… I’d like to create a festival that lingers in the children’s memories for years to come.”
The vivid image of a festive plaza painted a smile on my lips.
Denok watched me quietly before murmuring under his breath,
“…It’s nice.”
“Truly?”
His words caught me off guard.
I blinked at him blankly before smiling softly.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
—
From then on, things moved quickly and chaotically.
We worked side by side to calculate the size of the sculpture relative to the plaza, then began recruiting sculptors and technicians.
Luckily, we had already compiled a list of workers for the mansion’s renovation, so securing the necessary hands went smoothly.
And so, the festival preparations truly began.
The sharp, rhythmic sound of hammers striking wood echoed through the plaza.
Tall laborers carried timber on stretchers, while others, wiping sweat from their brows, began installing support beams.
From early morning, the workers’ hands were full of motion and urgency.
“Move that pillar a bit farther back! No, no, a little forward!”
“Can’t you give clearer directions?!”
There were occasional grumbles and sighs, but for the most part, everyone worked without complaint, carrying heavy loads.
All hands were on deck for the festival preparations.
And in the midst of it all—I stood.
“Things are coming along faster than I expected,” I remarked, taking in the scene, then turned to Denok standing beside me.
“It helps that everyone’s familiar with the process from previous years…”
He glanced across the plaza.
The newly hired gardeners and the mansion’s repair crew had been brought in to help here as well.
“And having skilled workers involved from the start has definitely helped the pace.”
Was that… a compliment?
A quiet pride stirred in my chest before I could stop it.
“Ah, a festival! A time when love blossoms!”
A loud voice cut in. Gerald approached with a bright grin, waving enthusiastically. Startled, I instinctively moved closer to Denok.
Denok stepped forward slightly, shielding me with his arm.
Gerald glanced at us with a curious look, then turned his back and pointed at something with his finger.
“Your Highness! My lady! Look at this—adorable, isn’t it?”
He was wearing a prototype of the fairy wings he and Melissa had designed with the maids.
Denok’s expression turned odd.
“…Gerald. Don’t tell me you plan to wear that the whole time.”
“Yup! That’s the plan. They’ll look even better at night, don’t you think?”
He bounced cheerfully, fluttering the wings. Light caught on the Luminel petals awkwardly affixed to them, creating a soft shimmer.
It was faint now, but by nightfall, they’d glimmer like a real fairy’s wings.
Even passing children had started glancing over curiously.
One little boy tugged on his mother’s skirt, whining that he wanted a pair too.
*Seems it’s drawing quite a bit of attention…*
The townspeople who had been milling about now turned their attention toward us.
Some recognized Denok and me, bowing politely. Others quickly looked away in apprehension.
My face stiffened in response.
As nobility, we couldn’t afford to interact too casually—we had an image to maintain.
It seemed Denok felt the same. I could sense his tension as he stood closely beside me.
“Sigh… You nobles. With those glares, it’s like you’re about to execute someone.”
Gerald clicked his tongue in mock disapproval.
“If you’re just going to stand around getting in the way, why don’t you take a walk and enjoy yourselves?”
Then he tossed a cloak at us.
I caught it by reflex, blinking in confusion as Gerald winked lazily.
“Think of it as a date.”
“Gerald.”
“O-okay, don’t be mad! I mean it. I really think you’re getting in the way here.”
At Denok’s single word, Gerald backed down slightly and pointed behind him.
A few workers who had been sneaking glances at us quickly turned their heads away.
“You realize if they mess up because of you two, someone’s gotta cover the damages, right?”
His words left Denok and me staring at each other with awkward expressions.
It seemed the sudden free time had caught him just as off guard as it had me.
While we stood there, not quite sure what to say, Gerald ran off toward a worker who had stumbled.
“Hey, sir! You’re going to throw your back out lifting it like that!”
He helped steady the man, allowing him to regain his balance.
And just like that, Denok and I were left alone in the middle of the plaza.
“Come to think of it… this must be your first time seeing the territory like this.”
“You’re right.”
I nodded, realizing it was true.
“If you’d like… shall we take a walk through the town?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve already relayed all my instructions. Gerald and Vernon can handle the rest.”
He gestured toward the two—Gerald flitting between tasks with boundless energy, and Vernon diligently checking over the workers. The laborer standing before him was sweating buckets.
*Maybe… it really will be fine.*
My heart fluttered, just a little.
To walk freely outside like this—back in Sertia, it would’ve been unthinkable.
As I hesitated, a hand suddenly extended toward me.
It was Denok’s.
“Didn’t you… want this?”
“Oh…”
That’s right. We had the cloak. No one would recognize us.
With a fluttering heart, I placed my hand in his. He closed his hand gently around mine.
The warmth I had grown used to every night—oddly, it calmed my nerves now.
