The trip to the capital city Laiden was quite a long one and once there Dad had a lot of other work to look after while I and Rune were at home with tonnes of invitations.
We decided to pick a handful to attend for the sake of knowing what was going on in the social world and to show our faces despite none of us wanting to.
We got dressed before we set out to go for the party arranged by Count Berkley’s daughter.
"Two hours?" Rune asked and I looked at him.
"Too long."
"One hour?"
"Fifteen minutes." I said making him laugh.
We were discussing about how long to stay at the party as we sat in the carriage and I guess I was having second thoughts despite suggesting myself that we should attend.
The carriage stopped and the coachman announced that we’d arrived. We got down and were led down the stone cobbled pathway towards the garden.
"A garden party." Rune mumbled as we entered the party venue with a few other kids already around.
"I’m glad I wore a brown dress." I responded.
"Lord Rune Aurelius!"
"It’s Lord Rune!"
The people quickly gathered over and Rune stepped ahead almost blocking me from the overwhelming amount of attention.
They started showering Rune with praises and compliments as he was involved in exposing Douglas’s crimes. They were treating him as if he was a Godsend Hero who served justice to the world.
"Oh, my! Is this Little Miss Reina?" I heard a feminine voice gasp and I smiled with a curtsy as I recognised the girl to be the actual host of the party. Rachel Berkley.
"It’s a pleasure to be here, Miss Berkley. My name is Reina Aurelius."
The girl with long brown hair stared at me for a moment before she placed her hands over her mouth with a muffled squeal.
"Oh, my God! You’re so adorable, Miss Aurelius!"
"Whoa, she’s like a doll!"
Before I knew it the ladies had gathered around me with giddy smiles, praising my looks.
I was going to leave right after a few minutes but I suddenly found myself at the table surround by the girls slightly older than me trying to feed me sweets.
"Why don’t you try this, Miss Aurelius? It’s our chef’s speciality." Rachel said.
"This is also very delicious, Miss Aurelius."
"Wow, your cheeks look so cute when they’re puffed."
"That’s true!"
I could feel fingers being poked at my cheeks that were puffed up because of them feeding me sweets.
"How old are you, Miss Aurelius?"
"11."
"So adorable!"
I was tempted to snap at them as they were treating me like a baby but I could see their expressions which made me hold back. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to eat when there were so many girls who were feeding me so happily.
"If you feed my sister so much she won’t be able to have dinner." Rune said intervening in the feeding session.
"It’s fine, My Lord. We aren’t feeding her too much."
"What if she feels sick by eating so much though?" Another noble guy piped in.
"Are you feeling sick, Miss Aurelius?" A girl asked and I smiled.
"I’m fine."
The girls seemed to have grown even more excited as they called over more snacks.
After around two and a half hours, I and Rune were preparing to leave.
"Miss Aurelius, I will send you an invitation for my tea party."
"I will send you an invitation as well, Miss Aurelius."
"Please visit us, Miss Aurelius."
I couldn’t help but feel as if I had just turned into a celebrity. I had expected such a reaction for Rune but unexpectedly, I became their center of attention.
"Are you all right, Reina?" Rune asked as we got inside the carriage.
"I’m good, it’s just, I don’t want to see sweets for the rest of the year."
"You don’t feel sick?"
"No."
He sighed and I hummed.
"I expected such kind of reaction for you though."
Rune sighed as he leaned back in his seat, "I don’t think I would be able to bear that much attention."
"I’m used to it so, it’s fine."
He looked at me and I chuckled.
"I didn’t expect those kids to be so close to you though. I heard from Kent that you rescued them from Izkar."
"I wasn’t going to," I admitted and recalled the task that suddenly fell in my lap, "but, I ended up doing it."
Rune smiled, "Those kids love you,"
I smiled as I nodded and he added, "Eric seems to adore you a lot too."
I laughed at that, "That’s because I saved his beloved mother and him from the Golden Serpent."
Rune didn’t seem convinced, "I hope you won’t let the other people hug you so easily though. It makes me uncomfortable."
I smiled, "They hug Ocean not me, Brother."
"Still..."
"Besides, I could imagine the same reaction from those girls from the garden party if I were to appear as Ocean. I might have even received some marriage proposals."
Rune’s face turned comical making me laugh.
"I only thought Ocean’s face was enough to charm people, but I guess my original face isn’t quite lacking." I said.
"You’re the cutest child in this world." Rune stated in a serious tone making me chuckle.
"Thank you, brother."
[Giver of Gifts explains that it’s a trait that is influenced by your Dragon’s bloodline.]
[Goddess of Wisdom simplifies by saying that Dragons are celestial beings with divine beauty so, with the bloodline you have inherited that beauty as well.]
"With only 50% I’m receiving that much attention, what will happen once it reaches 100%?" I wondered.
[Defender of Divine Glory suggests you to not think too much as you have a natural lovely appearance.]
"You guys seem smitten over my looks too."
[Giver of Gifts chuckles.]
[Goddess of Wisdom shakes her head with a smile.]
[Defender of Divine Glory watches you fondly.]
We attended a few more parties after that day, and I and Rune were treated like celebrities anywhere we went, Rune, because of the incident with Douglas Clark and me, because of my looks.
We also ran into some of the other students from Eden who praised Rune and asked of how he and the others were able to execute such a plan without any anamolies.
Ocean’s involvement was supposed to be a secret so, he just left them with a suggestive answer making me sigh.
"I got help from someone who was even more powerful than Douglas Clark."
To my surprise, the rest three also gave the same answers to whomever asked them about their plan.
The plan for the celebration of Grand Duke’s return wasn’t only the banquet but also the parade that was supposed to go through the town center with a large open carriage carrying Grand Duke Alarice and Grand Duchess Dahlia along with Davian.
Rune and I had decided to go see the parade since he wanted to see the two Heroes of the kingdom.
We got dressed in simple outfits with the cloaks before we set out of our mansion. Rune insisted that we also roam around and have some fun and since Dad was busy with the meetings it was only us two and Sir Rudyard.
"The route for their parade goes from the town center to the palace from this path." I said as I traced my finger over the small map in my hand.
"So, we could catch a glimpse from here." Rune said pointing at an area of the market place.
"Yes, but it will still be crowded and we might not be able to see them."
"Don’t worry, I’ll carry you on my shoulders." Rune said.
"I’ve seen them before, brother. You could ride Sir Rudyard’s shoulders and have a look."
"What about you?"
"I have wings."
Before we knew it we were at the town center, Sir Rudyard followed us as we were on foot and I and Rune held hands to not be separated.
The place was decorated with flowers and ribbons and already so packed with people that I looked at Rune with a resigned expression.
"Shall I carry you up to there?" I asked pointing at the roof of the nearest three storey building.
"You will get a proper look at them and we wont be squished." I said and Rune contemplated as we were already having a hard time bumping into people.
"All right."
We rushed towards the alleyway with Sir Rudyard in tow and instead of my wings I activated my telekinesis. I had been practicing hard to master it ever since I had got it. It was quite a convenient gift.
Sir Rudyard panicked a little as his body started floating above the ground and soon we were on the rooftop looking down at the crowd parted in two and with numerous guards lining the streets.
"It’s starting." Rune said as he leaned over the edge looking down.
Sir Rudyard also leaned ahead with us as the carriage slowly rolled in from the other side of the street with the three figures in there waving at the cheering people.
The flower petals flew everywhere and the people cheered in loud voices for their Heroes, welcoming them back home after their period of struggle.
I smiled as I saw their familiar faces lit up with smiles at the showers of praises and flowers.
"They seems quite strong." Rune mumbled and I hummed.
The carriage passed from under the building and suddenly the three paused for a moment and looked right up at us.
"I hope they don’t think we’re assassins." I mumbled.
My eyes met with Lady Dahlia’s before she swung her arm tossing the pink rose in her hand towards me.
I caught it and saw her mouth something before I saw Davian almost leaning over the side looking straight at me.
"Oh, wait. Don’t tell me..." I muttered as I leaned back.
"What’s wrong?"
"They must have sensed that it’s me."
"What?" Rune frowned.
"Ocean." I mumbled.
I saw as Alarice also smiled at me and I sighed, it was going to be a bit difficult for me to hide my identity from these three.