AN: Ayyy, I just got some cover art for this done by Harisun! I'm gonna try and put it up, but knowing me it's gonna take a few tries to get it to fit the right dimensions on here lol. Reeeally doesn't help that I have to wait for NovelBin to verify and allow it each try either, since that takes HOURS every time lol. If you wanna see a peek of it without the shitty compression that it'll prolly undergo, then why not try taking a little trip over to here? (I promise it's completely free lol)
/posts/160610339?collection=2019694
Anyways I hope you like it~! ;P
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“...What is it? Does it hurt? Bear with it for but a moment.”
Eris’s eyes flicked up towards Siffia’s face as she heard her name called, but she swiftly pulled them back down to the afflicted appendage she was treating. She spoke quietly, as if even speaking at a normal volume alone would be enough to further injure the delicate Siffia.
“Weak mage though you may be, I know for a fact you’ve suffered worse wounds during the war. This should be nothing to you.”
Eris dug into the secret pocket hidden inside of the pleated skirt that she wore and pulled out a small tin of balm, opening it and gently spreading a small bit of its contents onto Siffia’s puffing skin. The tin, though small, actually appeared to be quite expensive; The balm’s smell proved that it was a specially mixed herbal blend, something that a mere commoner would have trouble obtaining, let alone an unwanted viscount’s daughter. Siffia was quite sure that it wasn’t worth using such a pricey thing on such insignificant wounds.
“Ah, y-you don’t have to perform such a kindness on me, Lady Eris! Like you said, I’m a mage! The magic in me, it… It’ll heal me up pretty quickly, as I’m sure you know, so-”
“Then it will heal even more swiftly with this salve, will it not? I swear, I’ll never understand you… Running around helping others left and right, and yet you let yourself fall into such a state and won’t even accept the most basic of help for yourself… What kind of sense does that make?”
Though Eris’s words came out in a scolding grumble, and her eyebrows were furrowed as if she was truly seeing something impossibly confusing, somehow it all managed to bring a touching warmth to Siffia’s chest. No one since the nanny who had been fired when Siffia went through her failure of a manifestation had ever truly cared for her wounds like this. The emotions that she was experiencing were almost so vivid that she wanted to cry, even as a small sincere smile snuck itself onto her face.
“Th-thank you… I suppose i-if you put it like that, then… then I’ll have to accept your kindness once more, My Lady- Hah.”
Perhaps mistaking the soft suppressed sob that snuck out unbidden at the end of Siffia’s sentence as being from pain, Eris quickened her treatment. She placed the tin down and gave Siffia a quick once over to make sure that there were no other hidden wounds, and then stared into Siffia’s eyes for a long while, as if searching for something. Just when Siffia began to worry that perhaps Eris might have been waiting for her to speak up about something first, Eris suddenly spoke up with an even tone that didn’t seem to match her hardened expression.
“...There will be a small tea party this evening, of which I of course have been invited to. I’d completely forgotten about it and hadn’t even planned on going… but I’ve decided that I am going to go, and that I’m going to bring you with me.”
Siffia opened her mouth in shock. It was true that Eris was indeed a bit more dressed up than she had been yesterday during their excursion around town, but she certainly hadn’t expected any such situation to suddenly unfold!
Worried by the possibility that Eris might have come up with this tea party plan simply out of worry over leaving her alone in this obviously abusive household, Siffia quickly spoke up to dissuade her.
“L-lady Eris, if this has anything to do with what happened earlier, then-”
“Don’t be silly. Of course this has nothing to do with that.”
Eris narrowed her eyes in a threatening manner and crossed her arms, clearly greatly displeased with such a suggestion.
“I’m making you come along to this tea party as a test. As you know, in just a few more days it will be time for the second victory banquet. I plan to use this evening’s party to ascertain whether my current investments in you aren’t the only things needed to make you presentable in polite company.”
“Ah?!”
Siffia’s eyes rose incredulously at her words, feeling as if she were being unjustly treated, but they soon lowered down into a serious, if not altogether grim, expression of worry.
“Hmm… You may have a point...”
It was true that Siffia had barely, if ever, gone to any such social parties. Any mandatory celebrations that she’d gone to as a noble had all held the capability of being snuck away from, as she’d proven time and time again. At this point she’d become quite adept at sneaking away while in crowded places, to the point that it had become an unexpected help to her during the war.
That is to say, she’d rarely gone to a party that forced her to sit face to face with a group of others wwhile attempting to socialize with them. Even though she was sure she’d properly learned etiquette from her teacher when she was younger, she wasn’t terribly confident in employing it practically at the moment.
Seeing the understanding that had filled Siffia’s face, Eris nodded and stood up from where they’d been seated, making her way over to the door and arranging for a passing servant to call for the maids who had accompanied her to the Viscount’s residence.
“Let’s get to work, then. There’s not much time left to prepare before we have to leave.”
~~~
Though the party had begun just as the rosey red hues began to blossom across the rim of the sky, the venue in and around the noble host’s highly decorated gazebo was well lit, prepared for any and all darkness that may come while the guests conversed. It was a small affair, with only about eight participants, now nine with the addition of Siffia.
Of course, nothing about the event was particularly outstanding to Eris, who had been to numerous parties far fancier than this. But it was obvious to see how the decor, more designed to appeal to women, was quite dazzling to Siffia. The way she constantly looked around like some kind of tourist with her eyes sparkling as they made their way to their seats almost elicited a chuckle from Eris. And as Siffia discreetly tugged on her sleeve and whispered to her as they finally sat down, Eris couldn’t help the small smile that played at her lips from the cute display.
“Lady Eris… The decorations are positively beautiful!”
Eris's eyes scanned across the gazebo, not noting a single decoration that she hadn’t seen many times before. Surely Siffia must have been quite sheltered to find such common things so pretty… But for some reason Eris couldn’t bring herself to rain on Siffia’s parade as she might normally do.
Leaning down to the slightly shorter woman, Eris whispered kindly back.
“I’m sure that the host would be happy to hear you say that.”
Or perhaps surprised and maybe a bit doubtful, considering how ordinary she must have realized her own decorations to be, but Eris was certain that Siffia’s glittering eyes would convey the sincerity of her words. One would have to be a fool to not see it.
“Ah… Are you sure? I won’t come across as too childish if I said so?”
Naivete could seem adorable to some, but while in polite noble society, it was true that it often backfired. Even Siffia was aware of that, having overheard plenty of gossip while hiding. The fear of creating yet another thing for people to be mean to her about was written all over Siffias face, plainly easy to see.
Eris smirked, her eyes narrowing almost dangerously.
“Do you think they would dare to do such a thing to the guest I brought along with me? No one here comes anywhere close to my household’s prestige; You have nothing to worry about.”
“Oh…”
Siffia’s eyebrows scrunched and rose, clearly surprised, her eyes wandering around in contemplation. Eris smiled softly, wondering what might be going on in that strange mind of hers, when suddenly a different voice spoke up and caught the pair’s attention.
“My, watching the two of you whispering so closely to each other has been quite interesting!”
The voice was easily recognizable for Eris, even without looking at who it was, but out of politeness she begrudgingly looked the woman’s way. She’d chosen to bring Siffia to the tea party slightly early, out of the thoughtful consideration of letting her get acclimated with the venue before very many people had arrived. Perhaps only three others had already arrived, and were discussing amongst themselves a short distance away in a corner of the gazebo.
And so of course it only made sense that one of those ladies would happen to be the host of the evening’s party.
Eris, accustomed to such tea parties, knew that the host would make her way over to greet the two of them eventually. However, she’d been so focused on her interactions with the cute, fledgling Siffia that she’d been hoping that the host would notice and simply pass them by until later out of courtesy. Perhaps it was too wishful of her; Eris should have known that this particular lady would be too curious to be so accommodating in such a way.
She’d even practically warned Siffia of as much during the carriage ride there.
“...Countess Lind.”
Despite the almost growling way that Eris's words came out, Siffia seemed to immediately perk up upon hearing them.
“Oh! Countess Lind? It's lovely to be meeting you!”