While Rio and the others were having their boys’ party in the parlor, a large-scale girls’ party was being held in the dining room of the mansion.
Out of the residents of the mansion, Miharu, Aki, Satsuki, Celia, Celia’s mother Monica, Latifa, Charlotte, Aishia, Sora, Sara, Orphia, Alma, Komomo, and Sayo were in attendance. They were entertaining the guest lineup of Christina, Flora, Roanna, Lilianna, Liselotte, and Aria.
All twenty of them could have surrounded a single table, but in order to have more intimate conversations, they decided to split into four groups.
As a result, they made the following groups of five:
Group one consisted of Celia, Sara, Alma, Christina, and Aria.
Group two consisted of Aishia, Sora, Orphia, Monica, and Komomo.
Group three consisted of Latifa, Sayo, Flora, Roanna, and Liselotte.
Group four consisted of Satsuki, Miharu, Aki, Charlotte, and Lilianna.
Using two long rectangular tables, groups one and two sat at one table, while groups three and four sat around another.
First, at group one...
“I see, so the professor had such an era too.”
“Yes. She may act mature now, but in her lower elementary years, she was the most careless scatterbrain. She was always tripping over nothing, and she could get so immersed in her books she’d be late to class.”
Aria was telling Christina about Celia’s days as a student. Hearing the unexpected side of her teacher’s past made Christina giggle in amusement.
“Celia’s still a little scatterbrained now. Like when she was looking everywhere for something that was in her hand all along.”
“Yes. Just the other day she got the shampoo and body soap in the bathroom mixed up.”
Sara and Alma also revealed some of Celia’s daily slipups.
“E-Enough already...” Celia shrank back with a red face.
Meanwhile, Aishia, Orphia, Sora, Komomo, and Monica had gathered in group two.
“Hee hee, how adorable. When Celia was this little, she was already attending the Royal Academy, so we were living apart.”
Monica had Sora on her lap and was patting her head. Sora’s physical appearance was that of an elementary school student, so Monica seemed to be making up for the time she had missed out on with Celia.
“Hmph...” Sora was like a sulking cat. She had an embarrassed pout on her face but remained still without complaint.
“It’s rare to see Sora like this.”
“She won’t let us touch her head, so I’m jealous.”
Sora was generally irritable around everyone who wasn’t Rio, so Komomo and Orphia were both watching her in surprise.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. Sora is just following Master Haruto’s orders to be nice to you all.”
“What a good girl you are, obeying your instructions. Here, have a sweet.”
“Yum!”
Sora ate the sweet Monica picked for her with her small mouth.
“She might be happy she gained a mother,” Aishia guessed, watching her chew enthusiastically.
“A-Aishia!” Sora yelled, face bright red.
Then, at group three’s table with Latifa, Sayo, Flora, Roanna, and Liselotte...
“I’m glad we can talk again, Lady Sayo,” Flora said to Sayo cheerfully. Indeed, Flora and Sayo were lightly acquainted. When Sayo first began to live at the mansion, Flora had visited the mansion and was introduced to her as Rio’s friend. However, that had been the only time they had been able to talk properly.
“Y-Yes, it’s nice to see you again, Princess Flora. I’m honored you remember me.”
“Of course I remember. I told you before that I’d love to be your friend. Did you forget?” Flora asked with a sad face.
“N-No, of course not. I just didn’t think it was proper for me to be friends with a princess... I’m not even sure I should be here right now...”
Sayo was living in the mansion as Rio’s friend, but she devoted herself to working in the shadows whenever guests came over. She appeared to be Rio’s servant, and she originally came from a small village, so she couldn’t help feeling inferior before the princesses.
“That’s because I requested it. Like I said before, you can forget that I’m a princess when talking to me.”
It was normally impossible for a servant to sit in the company of a princess, but apparently exceptions could be made if the princess herself requested it.
“Are you sure...?” Sayo asked nervously, glancing at Latifa for help.
“I don’t know either...”
Latifa looked uncertain as well. After all, no matter how much Flora insisted it was fine, it was possible that Roanna, who was there as her attendant, would find it improper. Rio, Satsuki, and the other residents of the mansion kept their status differences to a minimum in their daily life, but it was a different matter when they were hosting guests they weren’t so close to.
“You don’t mind, do you, Roanna?” Flora asked, noticing their gaze on Roanna.
“I’m fine with it, but only within Sir Amakawa’s mansion. It’d be a problem outside,” Roanna said with a slightly troubled nod.
“There you have it! Tonight is a sleepover, and this is an all-girls party to deepen our friendship, so let’s get along well. I also wanted to talk to Lady Suzune and Lady Liselotte, since we were seated separately during dinner.”
Flora clapped her hands together and smiled as bright as the sun.
“I did too. Oh, I haven’t greeted Lady Roanna properly yet! I’m Onii... I mean, I’m Haruto Amakawa’s little sister, Suzune Amakawa.”
Latifa introduced herself to Roanna, who was seated diagonally to the right of her. She seemed to be happy to be introducing herself with the Amakawa last name, as she was blushing shyly.
“I’m Roanna Fontaine. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Roanna said with a bow.