My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 103
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 103
The Crown Prince steps to Julia's side. "Julia, before you blow out the candles, you must make a wish."
Julia immediately exclaims, "This year, I wish to be healthier so I can go outside to play even in winter!"
Behind her, the Emperor and Empress laugh.
"If you say your wish out loud, it won't come true."
"I guess you'll have to make a new wish."
The words fluster Julia, and she shrugs instead of fiddling with the hem of her dress or hiding behind her brother. She's bold and dignified.
Julia makes another wish, and then blows out the candles. As is customary, people begin to clap to celebrate her birthday.
"Happy birthday!"
"Well done!"
The applause gradually becomes less frequent. I stop clapping and glance at the cake. Most of the nine candles on it are still lit.
"...I'll try to blow them again."
‘Why, why won't they blow out?’
Julia is perplexed, but she doesn't show it. She blows air with all her might. But her efforts only manage to blow out two candles. The others are still flickering.
"Ah...."
"Your Highness, you can stop now...."
The nobles cautiously advise her. It seems like Julia might collapse at any moment.
“No,” she insists "I am nine years old, so I can do my own thing."
‘I can't be belittled here! I'm third in line to the throne!'
What a strong little girl she is…. I admire her strength, but it can't stop my worry from deepening.
Foo! The third time, Julia's face turns red. It's worrying. But to her dismay, the candles left on the cake are still not completely extinguished.
"Hmm." Lancer stirs beside me.
I turn my head to see him pressing one hand against his mouth and staring at Julia.
Why is he doing that? I'm puzzled by his gaze. To be honest, Lancer's attention or interest in other people is still on my mind.
Did nagging him to pay attention to others before coming to the party work?
Meanwhile, Julia is gasping. Her face is flushed bright red. She has already blown out the candles three times, but there are still candles standing firmly in their wicks.
The Crown Prince steps forward. "Julia, that's enough. I'll take over—"
"No, Brother." Julia fends him off with one swift motion. "I think I'll just do it one more time."
‘It's my birthday cake, please don't touch it!’
Julia's face is red enough to burn the slightest touch of paper, but her eyes are calmer and cooler than anyone else's.
Even if she doesn't feel well, she still tries to do everything without asking for help from others….
She's similar to me, in a way. That attitude of not wanting to ask others for help, of considering it a sin to be indebted to others.
Julia once again puffs her cheeks with air and blows out the candle. At the same time, as he is standing next to me, I can feel Lancer's finger moving.
Huh?
It's a short moment. No one was paying attention to Lancer, as everyone's eyes were focused on Julia and her candles, but I saw it.
"Happy Birthday, Princess!"
"Happy birthday!"
Thunderous applause erupts from the botanical garden. Finally, Julia has blown out all her candles.
She smiles with pride and thanks everyone. She jerks her chin towards the Crown Prince, looking triumphant, as if to say, “See, I told you so.”
Everyone cheers and rejoices. I clap my hands, but I can't look at her. I stare at Lancer instead. Then Lancer slowly withdraws his outstretched hand.
"What did you do?"I whisper, leaning in a little closer to him.
"Well, I thought she might be in trouble, so…." As he says that, Lancer presses one finger lightly over his lips. Signalling to keep quiet about what I've seen.
I'm dumbfounded. "Did you… did you use magic to help Princess Julia?
Lancer? The same Lancer who was too busy hiding from people to care about them?
She didn't even ask him to help her, and he did it of his own free will?
Tears began to well up in my eyes.
Lancer….
You… finally have selflessness! You've finally found the strength to help people in need!
I've always been worried that he treats everyone else like a bunch of rocks on the ground. But this behaviour just washed away all my worries and concerns.
"Well done, Lancer."
The brief praise immediately brings a beaming smile to his face. "Really?"
"Yeah." I reach over his head out of habit and stroke his hair lightly. "You did very well."
"Hehe, thanks." A grin spreads across his face. He looks as sweet as a puppy who's been given a bunch of his favourite things. "Praise me more."
"No." I withdraw my hand in a curt refusal.
No matter how modest the birthday party is, there are a lot of prying eyes here. So it's best not to do anything that would cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
The Imperial Palace’s pastry chef begins to cut the cake into slices and distribute them to the guests.
It's beautiful….
The pink cake is unlike anything I've seen. I stare at it for a while, unable to move my fork. The sweet aroma tickles the tip of my nose.
This looks delicious…. But I can't eat it, it's too pretty.
If I stab the cake right now, I'd lose all the beautiful decorations on it.
"Skyla, what are you doing?" Lancer asks from behind me, as he cuts into the cake with his fork and savours it thoroughly, ignoring how he has ruined the cream icing.
"It's so beautiful, I can't eat it."
"Our pastry chef is certainly skilful." Instead of Lancer, someone else replies.
It's the Crown Prince. "Is the cake good, Kayla?"
"Ah, yes, it is," I respond in a slightly awkward tone, still uncomfortable from the previous conversation. The Crown Prince clears his throat, aware of this.
"I'm glad you like it. The next time your birthday comes around, I'll make you a cake with the same design," he says, glancing at Lancer.
"Why would you want to reuse the same cake for Skyla's birthday as you did for the Princess’s birthday party?" Lancer, fork in mouth, asks in a bitter tone.
"Because Skyla said she liked it."
"Skyla doesn't like lime cake." Lancer snatches the fork from my hand. "His Highness isn't very close to Skyla, so you may not know this, but she doesn't like sour things."
"...I know. I don't need you to point it out."
‘Come to think of it, Skyla has refused lemon tea before.’
The Crown Prince crosses his arms and stares at Lancer in disapproval.
As I listen to their conversation, I think to myself, Are they idiots…? Lime cake isn't sour since it's full of sugar….
The Crown Prince turns to Lancer and speaks again. "Lord Lancer. Kayla specifically invited you to my sister's birthday party because she wanted to improve your sociability, so why are you only talking to her and no one else?"
‘I want to talk to Kayla alone, so go away.’
Lancer turns to face me, completely oblivious to his stare.
‘Is he ignoring me?’
He's the Crown Prince, after all, isn't that a bit rude?
I quickly gauge the Crown Prince's reaction before speaking, "Your Highness asked a question, you should answer it."
"It's not a question, he's telling me to get out of the way." That's easy enough to understand. Should I praise Lancer for his increased understanding of aristocratic language?
"I don't see why His Highness should interfere with who I'm talking to," Lancer says, intending to only have me hear it.
But the problem is, the Crown Prince is with us too. "Pardon me, Lord Lancer."
"Isn't it you, His Highness, who is putting pressure on Skyla?" Lancer says, as if he doesn't know why he should care about the Crown Prince.
What is really going on with these two? I'm frozen in place by the strange tension between them.
Of course, it's not from panic that I freeze.
I just want to punch them all and go home….
My eyes glance over Lancer and the Crown Prince.
What, they think I'm going to like it when they fight over me, get jealous of one another, like I'm going to get all excited?
Don't be ridiculous!
Why do they have to bicker?
Now it's up to me to try and calm them down and get them to get along. But why would I come to someone's birthday party to do that?
Fight without me, because I'm not interested.
With that, I spin on my heel.
"S-Skyla?"
"Skyla!"
I hear Lancer and the Crown Prince call out to me simultaneously from behind, but it's none of my business.
"Ah, Princess Kaerun." As I approach the refreshment table, hoping to grab a few cookies, someone calls my name.
I turn to see Julia.
"May I speak with you for a moment?" She asks, smiling brightly.
I feel a shiver run down my spine.
What business could she possibly have with me…?
"I heard that my first brother is very interested in you, and I would like to take this opportunity to learn more about you." Even though she says that, Julia doesn't seem to have the slightest interest in me.
‘You two are really not compatible, you should break up right now!’
No, how can we break up when we're not even dating?!
