I leaped up with a start.
'W-what?'
When I looked up, Ruperi was staring down at me with an expression that said he was extremely displeased.
I opened my nonexistent mouth in shock.
[H-how did you wake up? No! Why are you here?]
"That's what I want to ask. Why are you out in the hallway?"
[That's none of your business!]
"None of my business?"
I had only squeaked from surprise, but perhaps my tone had sounded unpleasant. Ruperi's eyes darkened.
He seemed to be in a worse mood than usual, so I hurriedly asked again.
[That's not what I meant……. Anyway, why are you here?]
"I followed Paul. You snuck out of the bedroom."
Had the Sleep Magic not worked?
'That can't be. The spell definitely worked.'
Whether I was flustered or not, Ruperi continued to look at me with lowered eyes.
Unable to endure his persistent gaze, I somehow made words appear.
[I was going to Praten's study.]
"Just as I thought. You were going to Brother again. What were you going to do there?"
[I need to revise the party plan. The plan is there.]
"Revise the plan?"
[If they're going to hold a surprise party anyway, it would be nice if my opinions were in it too. That's why I was going.]
Apparently, he had not expected that answer. Ruperi blinked his blue eyes.
Then his stiff expression relaxed, and he returned to his usual self.
"If that's why, I'm coming too."
[You too?]
"It seems like Paul wants to throw me a birthday party, so I should go too."
No, it is your surprise birthday party.
I tried to stop him in surprise, but Ruperi stubbornly insisted. He even made a ridiculous claim.
"You lied because you were really going to Brother again."
[Why would you say that?]
In the end, I had no choice but to take Ruperi with me.
[Fine. It isn't dangerous like it was last time, so let's go and come back quickly.]
***
Ruperi and I concealed our presence as we headed to Praten's bedroom.
It looked just like when we went to break Dikidia's Curse before.
"Last time it was the garden, and this time it's the manor."
[True. But is Praten's bedroom really this far away?]
"Ah, didn't I tell you? We're not going to his bedroom. We're going to his study."
We're going to his study?
"Brother would be worrying over things in his study."
Ah-ha. So he was the type who kept work and rest strictly separate?
We carefully surveyed the hallway.
Using Mana Sense, we located the servants moving about and the knights on patrol. We also poked our heads out to make sure no one was there.
"Father will scold us again if he catches us."
[Scold us?]
"He told me not to wander around alone at night. Paul, you can climb stairs, right?"
[What do you take me for? Of course I can.]
With my stuffed legs, I padded up the stairs.
Ruperi could have carried me, but I had asked him to put me down. If I kept using him as a mount, I felt as though I would eventually forget how to walk.
The hallway upstairs was as quiet as the one below. Once we entered it, we hid in an empty room because knights were approaching from every direction.
After who knew how long, we finally reached Praten's study.
"That's Brother's study."
[The stairs are so close. Why did we take such a long way around?]
"Because I wanted to have an adventure with you. It's our first adventure around the manor."
Fine. If you enjoyed yourself, that was enough.
Ruperi entered Praten's study.
He looked around before approaching the desk, and we quickly found the party plan.
"Paul, the plan is……"
But Ruperi's expression became strange.
[What is it?]
"It's nothing. Do you want me to put you up there?"
[Yeah.]
When I agreed, Ruperi picked me up and set me on the desk. He lit a candle and sat in the chair.
"All right, let's see. First: the atmosphere of the banquet."
To call it a party plan was generous. It was closer to a sheet of doodles.
Praten and Anchina had simply written down whatever came to mind on blank paper while putting their heads together.
That was why the party plan was in complete disorder.
[I don't like a soft, fluffy atmosphere. I'd prefer something a little more dignified.]
"It's a birthday party."
[Who said it had to be solemn? I only said it shouldn't be too frivolous! Look, they wrote 'lighthearted' here again.]
I opened a nearby inkwell, dipped the tip of a pen into it, and revised the atmosphere of the banquet.
"Second: should the cake have two tiers or three?"
[Obviously four. It's a birthday cake, so it should be big.]
I changed the type of cake, the number of tiers, and even the design.
"……Third: should the party clothes be white or blue?"
[Obviously dark colors. If the surroundings are bright, white would throw off the balance.]
Scratch, scratch—
The sound of the pen scraping against paper reflected my will.
Then came the fourth…… What? Why aren't you saying anything?
When I looked up, Ruperi was staring at me with a dumbfounded expression.
[Why?]
"……Now I understand why you put me to sleep every night."
We bickered with the party plan between us.
"Why are you trying to make my birthday party serious?"
[Who said I was making it serious? I only said it shouldn't be too lighthearted!]
"That's the same thing! If you celebrate it seriously, it isn't a birthday party anymore. It's a formal birthday celebration!"
[You're really underhanded! I'm giving you advice out of the goodness of my heart!]
From the mood of the party to the background music that would play softly beneath it.
Ruperi and I did not agree on a single thing.
How could the atmosphere be serious?
The colors should be blue, like House Kreuz.
The dress code should be white and blue to match the hall's colors.
As expected of Holy House of Kreuz, Ruperi had a horrifying preference for bright atmospheres.
'No! Absolutely no white!'
When Ruperi rejected all my opinions, I enlarged my letters in anger.
[Then at least let the music be to my taste! I said I don't like cheerful music!]
"That isn't happening either! How can the music at a birthday party be gloomy?"
[Who said I was going to use gloomy music? This isn't allowed, that isn't allowed. Then what am I supposed to do?]
"Think normally!"
Are you indirectly saying that I have no common sense? That little brat is really underhanded!
I glared at Ruperi, fuming.
Unfortunately, though, the party plan was in Ruperi's hands.
I considered taking it with a Wraith, but the paper would tear easily.
I was thinking about how I could make my opinions count when—
"Pfft."
Ruperi laughed as he looked at me.
[Why are you laughing?]
"It's my first time seeing Paul seriously insist on something."
Your first time?
"All right. Since Paul wants it that badly, I, as your owner, should understand."
I had no idea what he was talking about, but he said he would reflect my opinions, so my sulky expression eased.
Ruperi sat back down and carefully read through the party plan.
We still bickered, but I was able to reflect my tastes—no, my opinions—far more than before.
'You should have acted like this from the beginning. This is satisfying.'
At last, we reached the guest list.
It was not something I could touch, but I looked through it with Ruperi.
[It's supposed to be a surprise birthday party, but I guess they plan to send invitations.]
As I said that and looked at Ruperi, he frowned at the guest list.
Then he took the quill I was holding, circled one guest's name, and moved it outside the list.
Did that mean he did not want the person invited?
When I looked closer, I recognized the house.
Sharos Sorin Streck.
'House Streck? Isn't that the house of the current Pope of Horanus?'
House Kreuz might be known as a holy house, but that did not mean only members of House Kreuz could awaken Divine Power.
Even within House Teneris, people awakened Divine Power. Other houses could certainly produce them as well.
Yet he did not want someone from House Streck to attend.
[Why are you crossing him out?]
"Because I don't want to see him."
[You don't want to see him?]
"Something happened."
I tilted my head at him, but Ruperi would not tell me what had happened.
After that, we finally left Praten's study.
As we quietly opened the door and stepped out—
"Ruperi, I told you not to wander around alone at night."
Duke Kreuz stood beside us, looking down at Ruperi with stern eyes.