It's Annoying Because My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage

“What does it say?”

Phoebe asked as she carefully examined my hardened expression.

“His Highness, the Crown Prince, wants to see me.”

“What..?”

Bewilderment momentarily flashed across Phoebe’s face when she heard me.

But it was only for a while.

The bewilderment that flashed across her face crackled like a drop of water on a hot griddle and vanished without a trace.

“...I will inform the maids to prepare accordingly.”

After Phoebe’s face returned to its poker state, she bowed down to me and walked out.

Only then did her inner thoughts explode like oil on a fire.

‘Crazy! This is crazy! The crown prince is looking for our lady! Our lady's popularity must be higher than the Tower of Babel!’

Wait what? What does that have to do with my popularity?

‘Alas, she's our charming lady! If being charming is a sin, then our lady deserves to be punished with death!’

…That compliment is a bit disconcerting.

With a nervous smile, I stared blankly in the direction where Phoebe had gone.

* * *

The Kaerun Duchy’s mansion has been turned upside down.

This is because the letter the crown prince sent me has spread among the people of the manor.

This is what Phoebe told the maids in charge of my wardrobe.

“Lady Skyla will be going to the Imperial Palace this afternoon to see the Crown Prince. Prepare a dress worthy of the honour of Kaerun Duchy.”

Word spread like wildfire when the maids heard it.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is going to see Lady Skylar!”

It then fell to the cleaning servants’ ears.

“His Highness and Lady Skyla are going to meet!”

It popped like popcorn and they buttered it as much as they wanted until it bounced into the kitchen zone.

“What? His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Skyla are meeting on the premise of marriage?”
 

The chef, who was chopping onions, had his mouth agape.

“What? The Crown Prince and Lady Skyla are going to get engaged today?”

The chef's assistant, who was preparing meat in the back, cried out in surprise.

Faced with the urgent task of making a cake with the phrase <Congratulations to Lady Skyla on getting engaged with His Highness the Crown Prince>, the dessert chef rushed to Austin, the manor's head butler, in a panic.

“Head butler! how about the wedding cake for the wedding of His Highness and Lady Skyla?”

Only then did Austin go on a mad rampage to correct the rumours that had spread throughout the manor. He was in such a hurry that rolled over when he ran up the stairs.

Anyways.

While Austin was literally rolling to put out the rumours, I was standing stiff in my dressing room.

‘...The air is chilly right now, and you want me to wear this piece of cloth?’

I stared in disbelief at the dress the maids chose.

The dress in front of me...... was, to put it mildly, a dress that maximised the exposure of bare skin.

The black shoulder straps of the dress were thinner than a fingernail. I doubted they could support the fabric underneath.

On top of that, the dress had a diamond-shaped hole in the chest area, and the back was completely exposed.

‘What kind of dress looks like this, with a hole in the middle?’

Maybe the seamstress dozed off while making the dress. Or maybe they used less fabric to save money.

As I was turning my dress around with these questions in my mind, I was approached by Phoebe from behind. She was the one overseeing my attire for this afternoon.

“Does my lady not like the dress?”
 

I could hear the panic in her voice even though her face looked nonchalant.

“It's a dress that's trendy right now.”

“What's in trend these days is a dress that's made from scrapped fabrics?”

“No, my lady.”
 

“That's a relief. Bring me another dress.”

Phoebe hesitated at my command.

I wondered what was wrong with her, who's usually obedient until I heard her thoughts.

‘B-But I want to see my lady in a pretty dress! And while I like seeing my lady in her usual modest clothes, I'd also like to see her being a little dazzling and captivating once in a while!’

Phoebe was crying and hitting the ground inside.

‘Huhu… she’d look so pretty in this! I even paid it using my own money to ask Madame Bailey to make it!’

Phoebe kept her poker face despite crying inside and spoke.

“But there must be a reason why it's popular, why don't my lady try it on and then decide?”
 

‘Wow, she's serious about this..’

I couldn't help but be impressed.

Phoebe must've really wanted to see me wear this dress.

It was hard to be this passionate. The overwhelming and persistent enthusiasm made me want to wear it once and show it off to her.

But unfortunately, I couldn't play as her doll at the moment.’

“If this trend is so great then I should've caught the flu last winter.” 

At my sarcasm, Phoebe immediately brought another dress.

This time, it was a fairly modest pale blue dress.

After doing my hair, make-up and accessories, I went to my carriage.

“My lady!”
 

Ticef greeted me.

“You're dressed well today.”

I glanced at Ticef’s outfit and murmured as I passed by him.

Ticef, who usually dresses as casually as he can get away with, was looking rather gaudy today.

Perhaps it was the gold-threaded robes and silk gloves he wore that made him look like a servant of high nobility…

‘Oh, wait, he is a servant of high nobility.’

Ticef forgot about it because he dressed as simply as I did.

“Of course I do, I have to drive the family carriage today.”

Ticef puffed out his chest proudly.

Today I'm using an extravagant family carriage, properly adorned with the seal of Kaerun Duchy.

This carriage was different from the one I usually ride, which was made from basic materials.

The carriage, made from sandalwood imported from abroad, could be smelled from miles away.

The scaffolding, carved from the finest mahogany, was more sturdy than anything else.

Moreover, the carriage could only be pulled by a white horse of the royal breed.

I stepped on the carpet made by foreign elves and entered the carriage.

“Huh?”
 

I saw something fluttering in the air as I sat down.

It was a butterfly, a blue butterfly that's rare to see in this season.

When did this butterfly get in here?

As I stare in wonder at the rare blue butterfly, Phoebe clears her throat to catch my attention from behind me.

“Should I kill it?”
 

I don't know where she got it from but she was holding a fly swatter.

Goosebumps rose on my back for a moment.

“No, no, no! I don't think that's necessary!”
 

I can't believe she was going to kill such a beautiful life!
 

I hurriedly shook my hands in panic.

But Phoebe had a different idea.

“What if it flies onto my lady’s face during the journey…”

“That's enough. If we leave the window open, I'll fly away on its own, so leave it alone.”

“...Yes.”

Phoebe obediently threw out the fly swatter.

The fluttering blue butterfly landed lightly on the carriage's decoration.

It's cute.

I stared at the butterfly with a pleased smile.

‘This butterfly reminds me of Lancer.’

Is it simply because its wings are blue?

I suddenly remembered him.

‘Come to think of it.’

I didn't see Lancer today.

That's strange.

He usually came every morning.

I swear I didn't even see a hint of him today.

‘Was it that big of a shock when I kicked him out yesterday?’

That might be the case. Maybe he was heartbroken because I kicked him out twice.

Whatever the reason was, Lancer’s absence is good news for me.

I didn't have time to hang out with him since I have to go to the palace today.

But somehow I was a little worried about Lancer, who had been stamping his attendance every day, not coming today. 

It was as if a part of my routine had disappeared.

‘I'll call him over for a cup of tea after I come back from the palace.

I slumped into my seat after organizing my thoughts.

When I plopped myself down onto a cushion made of swan feathers, my whole body melted like a marshmallow on a bonfire.

“Haaaaaaa.”

I breathed a pleasant sigh as I sat down.

‘If I take over the Kaerun Duchy, I'll be able to use this carriage every day without anyone noticing.’

Even though I currently act as the duke, I'll be able to enjoy more than this once I become a real duke.

I won't have to attend tea parties anymore.

‘...Of course, if I were to be a duke, I need to get married or engaged first.’

It was unpleasantly evil, that someone must have a marriage partner to receive a title.

“...Should I just marry Lancer?”

I unknowingly murmured out.

“Huh?”
 

Phoebe, who sat on the opposite side, looked up.

“Oh. I was talking to myself, it's nothing.”

I lightly mumbled and looked out of the window with my chin resting on my palm.

Objectively speaking, Lancer was not bad to have as a husband.

He was the youngest of three sons of the Soli Duchy.

So he was less likely to inherit the dukedom.

Especially since he's not one of the brighter ones.

So even if I married him, I would be able to retain the title Duke of Kaerun without any problems.

Why don't I just marry him?

I shook my head at the thought.

‘No, I don't think so.’

There's no way I'm going to marry him.

I tried to imagine a hypothetical wedding between us.

Yeah, I tried to imagine.

But I couldn't bear to do so.

The thought of living with that stupid Lancer for the rest of my life would make my life expectancy cut by less than half.

I could already see him making trouble all over the place.

—Skyla! You said you hate social gatherings, so I cursed you so that more than five people couldn't get together with you!

—Skyla! You said you wanted to see the ocean, so I moved the imperial waterway!

—Skyla! You said you were too busy to play with me, so I changed the time of the day to 25 hours! I want you to spend at least one hour a day with me from now on!

Skyla! Skyla! Skyla!

Lancer would stir all sorts of troubles in the name of doing them for me.

And I'll lose all my money, health, and happiness to repair the empire he destroyed by playing around.

I would rather give up my title as a duke, live in a rural village far away, and brainwash myself into thinking I had always been born there.

I sighed inwardly and then heard Phoebe calling for me.

“My lady.”
 

“What?”
 

“You don't seem to be in a good mood. Perhaps you're still bothered by the Duke’s words from yesterday.”

“Oh.”

As expected.

My maid knows me well.

She's been serving me almost all my life after all, so of course she does.

“Well, I can't go against the law.”

I chuckled lightly.

Phoebe looked at me seriously.

“My lady, if you don't mind…”

Phoebe carefully observed my reaction for a while and slowly opened her mouth.

But she didn't say anything after that.

I stared at her, waiting for her to speak up.

But Phoebe didn't speak so easily, she just repeatedly opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish inside a fishbowl.

I couldn't even hear her thoughts.

She didn't seem to know what to say or how to say it either.

“I'll wait for you, so tell me when you're ready.”

I stared at Phoebe in silence with my arm crossed.

That seemed to encourage Phoebe a little.

“My lady, if you mind my humbleness…”

“If I don't mind..?”

“Would you marry me instead?”

Rattle, rattle.

Silence fell like firecrackers on the carriage as it rolled towards the Imperial Palace.

Uh, hold on.

Am I being proposed to by my own maid?

“I know that same-sex marriage is forbidden by law, but if you give me one month, ill come back with a new identity.”

Phoebe’s hushed voice continued.

“I'll completely change my identity so that the Duke won't notice but be satisfied with it at the same time, and I'll bring the money I've saved up as dowry. So if you don't mind I’ll…”

Phoebe’s voice completely died down like a cooling bonfire.

The cold silence took over the carriage once again.

“...”

I didn't respond and just kept staring at her.

I didn't ask her back ‘What?’.

I didn't even laugh it off and say ‘Don't joke around!’.

It's too much to be a joke, so I didn't even scold her.

Since there was no need to do so.

“I apologize if that was a rude suggestion, it's just that I…”

“No, don't apologize.”

I gestured lightly towards Phoebe.

‘Would you marry me instead?’

I could understand why Phoebe said that.

She must've done it entirely for me.

Phoebe had served me for a long time and knew better than anyone else what I wanted.

Having a strong desire for power, I have wanted to be the Duke of Kaerun since I was young.

I worked harder than anyone else to achieve my dream.

I've never slacked off or been lazy when learning to be a successor.

Women my age would be chatting with friends over cups of fragrant tea and sweet cakes.

Water made me yearn for a relaxed and comfortable life like that.

No one would mind eating delicious refreshments and discussing what goes on in the world rather than suffering from paperwork and notices all day long.

But I threw it all out the window and chose the latter instead.

Just to be the Duke of Kaerun.

And now I'm on the verge of not inheriting the duchy because I don't have a marriage partner.

Phoebe must've been very frustrated seeing me like this.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I'll take care of it myself. Don't worry about it."

“...Alright.”

Phoebe nodded. Judging by the way she did, she probably had expected me to reject her to some extent.

It was then.

“Oh my god!”
 

“Heiiigh!”

Ticef and the horse cried out at the same time the carriage halted suddenly.

T/N: I have no idea what “If this trend is so great then i should've caught the flu last winter.” means either