Today was the 25th of the flower blooming month. My 16th birthday.
According to the calendar, it could be counted as spring, but the flowers have only just began to bloom. The atmosphere was still cold.
The sky was blue and magnolia bloomed on the road to the Royal Palace, where the horse was running along, informing them that it was spring.
Father was silent inside the carriage. But, he kept looking at me enough for me to be embarrassed. Many times he opened his mouth to say something but stopped.
I couldn’t put up with it and turned my gaze to my feet. Silence ruled the inside of the carriage.
We finally arrived at the Royal Palace.
The carriage stopped at the same place as it did at the time of the ball. The difference was that this time, we headed towards a rustic stone building near the carriage stop. It was in the right-wing in front of the Royal Palace.
Incidentally, the place where the ball was held was inside of the Royal Palace and the Imperial Guards stayed in the left-wing in front of the Royal Palace.
I followed after father who seemed to know the place of the noble registry section.
The front of the Royal Palace didn’t just have royals, a mixture of people from this kingdom were here; chamberlains, maids, merchants, commoners, civil officials and knights. They worked here.
We wrote our names down at the reception as soon as we entered the right-wing. We ascended to the 2nd floor where the Fernand Empire’s family registry section was. At the very end was the noble registry section.
I filled out the forms as soon as I’d arrived here, just like father had informed me beforehand.
It was a section for nobles indeed. There were sofas and when one sat down, tea was poured for them.
A serious-looking person with a bushy moustache interacted with us.
“The applicant is Ayesha-marie Org du Thousand-sama, yes? Child of Allen du Thousand, isn’t that right? You became an adult today.”
“Yes.”
“Today, you are applying to be ‘removed from the noble registry and moved to the commoner one’, is that correct?”
“Yes.”
I answered the questions and continued to fill out the form.
Err, the reason. Father is sitting next to me so it was a little bit hard to write it down.
I couldn’t possibly write, ‘I get treated badly and don’t see it getting better. I’d rather be a commoner.’ So I wrote what I told father before, ‘I want to live with my own power and make a friend I could talk equally with.’
If they investigate it later, then they’ll find out the truth. Will the staff here do the investigation? The application was finished after I signed it and father signed the approval field.
“Then, we will take care of this application. Later, it will be passed around the other sections and then finally, it will be approved once the King approves of it.”
“Is it not accepted when you receive the application?”
“Yes, this is only a place for you to apply and the final judge of this investigation is the King. At any rate, the King exist because of nobles and nobles exist because of the King. Therefore, let’s just say that your position until your application is approved is not that of a noble, but a temporary commoner.”
“Ha!”
The arrangement was crazy. I thought that I would be a commoner straight away.
My father, standing next to me, made a funny face.
“I will make your temporary ID, so please sign that.”
It’s fine if I just sign it as Ayesha-marie Org, right? Org was mother’s surname.
I received my temporary ID and we excused ourselves from the noble registry section. I needed to come here again to see if the application has been accepted.
Somehow, my anxiety started swelling up.
…… No, I can’t worry about it. I’ve come this far. I have to look at what’s in front of me.
◊♦◊♦◊♦◊
The Thousand House parent and child left and the door to the noble registry section closed.
Immediately after, the door at the back of the room opened.
The person who had appeared was Roberto, he had his long brown hair combed neatly to the back. He had a lot more presence than he did at the ball.
“Looks like I’m in time.”
“Is this ok? I’ve received the application, but forcefully persuading her that it can’t be accepted without the King’s permission leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
“It stipulates that in the law, doesn’t it? ―― Only if accepted ――, it states. It’s clear that the final decision lies with the King. I’ll take the application.”
Roberto, with eyes like a wolf who’d just grabbed his prey, raised the corners of his mouth.
“That Ojou-san, it felt like she really wanted to become a commoner, didn’t it? Why won’t you let her be one?”
“It’s not like she can’t be one. But not right now.”
Roberto waved the piece of document and said, “Thanks for your efforts,” before he too left the noble registry section.
“Ha, the 3rd Imperial Prince is also malicious…”
◊♦◊♦◊♦◊
Father and I returned to the carriage stop.
“Ayesha-marie. Are you ok? You can’t take it back now…… This is my farewell gift. It’s a social status certificate with my signature. If you show this then a firm or noble will hire you. Use it as validation.”
“Thank you for your concern. I have also become an adult. I’ll live with my own power somehow. Thank you very much for listening to my request. And also thank you so much for raising me until now… This is where we part.”
I received my 2 black bags from the coachman.
I placed the bags onto the ground, turned towards father and graciously gave my last noble bow.
“Goodbye.”
I made my words clear and also included my gratitude. I courteously bowed deeply.
I took my bags again, turned around and started walking. I didn’t look behind me anymore.
Father continued to stare at me as I walked wobbly with my big bag in my hand and shoulder bag on my back, until I turned around the corner and disappeared.
“… When you’re really in trouble depend on me, Ayesha-marie.”
Father muttered so quietly that he was the only one who could hear it.