My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 69
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 69
Aronia?
When I hear her name, I frown slightly. I see Phoebe doing the same.
Needless to say, my current feelings towards Aronia lean more negatively.
I don't like her. I'm still angry with her, ever since she stole my ball invitation at the last Imperial Ball.
"I don't have anything to say to that lady. Send her back on her own."
"She's here to apologise." Austin stops me with those words the moment I try to go up the stairs.
"Apologise? For what?"
Is she here to apologise for what happened at the ball?
"I don't know the details, my lady. But she's here not long after you went out to the market, and she's been waiting for you even when we told her you were out."
‘Though, she told me not to lie to her when I first said that the lady was out….”
Hearing Austin's inner thoughts, I feel a little awful. What the hell does Aronia usually see me as? A mould in my house? Or at the desk in my office?
"I'm well aware that you and Lady Aronia's relationship isn't exactly amicable, but I'd suggest that you meet her once, otherwise there might be rumours later that you kicked her out."
"Hmm." Austin always gives me realistic advice, so I generally agree with him. "Okay. But tell her my clothes are all dusty from going to the market. I'll be right there to meet her after I change."
"Alright."
After asking Austin to relay the message, I go up to my room and change with Phoebe's help.
To be honest, I can hardly believe that Aronia had walked into the Kaerun Duchy with her own feet.
To think that Aronia would come to apologise to me, what a long time to live and see.
In truth, things didn't used to be this bad between us.
As an alumnae of the same academy, I met her there a few years ago. She and I happened to be in the same class, and that's when we started talking.
After I left, she still remembered me and would occasionally come to the duchy to see me.
Whenever she did, I would sit with her and we would talk about things. She would tell me stories, mostly about the goings-on in society, and I would tell her about what business was booming throughout the empire, and so on.
Then one day, through another acquaintance she made at a social gathering, Aronia was swept up in a ridiculous business venture.
As her friend, I wanted to make sure she didn't get scammed, but unfortunately, she didn't take my advice.
The outcome was obvious. Not only did she wipe out her business capital, but she also earned the scorn of her family.
Since then, she's been busy gossiping to others, hardening her features whenever she sees me.
When I recall it, I feel awful again.
Well, let's just see what she has to say.
I open the door to the parlour and storm in. Aronia, who's been sitting on the sofa, rises to her feet. She's wearing an unusually dull-coloured dress.
There's nothing glamorous about her outfit, it's as If she indeed came to apologise, as Austin had said.
"P-Princess Skyla!"
"Lady Aronia."
I stride briskly to the other side of the couch across from her and sit down. Restless, she settles down in her seat after seeing me doing so.
"Princess, how have you been—"
"What can I do for you?" I get straight to the point. I don't want to take up any time with greetings.
"I..."
As Phoebe stands behind me, Aronia's gaze flicks to her. It seems like her presence makes her uncomfortable.
On another day, I would have asked her to leave. But I have no intention of doing so this time.
"Why, are you going to say something that my closest maid shouldn't hear?"
"Well, that...."
"If you have something to say, say it."
I have had enough of Aronia. I can't wait to get out of here after hearing whatever she has to say to me.
After a long pause, she slowly speaks up. "...I came to apologise."
"I know, go ahead."
"I-If you can get your maid out of the room, I'd like to talk to you alone…."
The imposing figure of Aronia is no longer here. Stuttering and unable to calm down, she's almost pathetic.
Still, being human myself, I feel a little sorry for her, so I do what I can do and have Phoebe leave.
Aronia only slowly raises her head when she hears the door close. Then, she abruptly gets off the sofa and falls to her knees in front of me.
...What's wrong with her?
Startled by the unexpected turn of events, I blink slowly as I look down at her.
She's now kneeling at my feet.
"I, um, I apologise for stealing your invitation to the ball the other day."
Her head hangs low, and she struggles to force the words out of her lips.
"...."
I narrow my eyes on her.
I honestly don't know if this is something to get down on your knees for, but judging by the fact that the prideful Aronia is doing it in front of me, she must've made up her mind.
What the hell is she thinking?
But strangely, I can't hear her thoughts. Only her voice continues to be heard.
"The… the truth is, I was very envious of Princess Skyla."
…She was envious?
I stare down at Aronia. Then, she continues.
"You know, you're always so confident, so assertive, and so good at whatever you do… and you're also beautiful… so I wanted to be just like you."
"...."
What a mindless parade of praise.
Naturally, I love compliments, and I never refuse them. However, it feels quite weird to be the recipient of such praise when the other person is on their knees.
Whether she knows how I feel or not, Aronia explains further.
"Then I developed a bad attitude, and because I was always comparing myself to you, I became jealous before I even knew it..."
"...."
"So I made a foolish decision, ignoring all the good advice you gave me, and now I'm an outcast in my own house."
"...." I remain silent, simply amazed that it's Aronia and not anyone else speaking in front of me.
"At that time, you were clearly looking out for me and trying to help me, but I was blinded by jealousy, so I didn't take your advice… and later, I started to gossip about you."
"...."
"...I am so sorry."
With that final apology, Aronia bows her head. Her forehead is almost touching the marble floor of the parlour.
"...Lady Aronia, come sit on the sofa so we can talk face to face."
It takes a while for me to open my dry mouth. In response, Aronia slowly picks herself up and walks back to the couch.
Her face is as pale as white paper. The hollows under her eyes show that she’s out of shape.
It hits me that she had put a lot of thought into this apology.
"Thank you for apologizing, Lady Aronia.”
"I'm—I'm sorry...."
"I know you are, just drink some water." I offer her a glass of water from the table. It takes some effort for her to lift it with her limp arms.
"Do you… forgive me?" She asks, her parched lips wet with water when she takes a deep breath.
"No, of course not," I say. "I don't think I could forgive you right now and be friends again with her. I'm a very narrow-minded and selfish person."
"Ah…."
"But I’ll say hello if I see you in the future," I trail off slowly. "And if you ever send me a tea party invitation, I'll attend from time to time."
To be honest, I can't fully forgive Aronia, I've been hurt and damaged by her behaviour over the years. And I'm not the kind of person who can just wipe the slate clean and start over right then and there just because I got an apology.
So I can never cheerfully chirp, ‘Yes, I forgive you for everything! We're friends again from now on!’
However, I can give her a second chance.
Because that's more realistic. It's the only way I'll know if she's truly remorseful.
"Instead, depending on what you do in the future, I can either push you away completely, or I can embrace you again."
Suddenly, the dark cloud hanging over Aronia's face dissipates.
"...Thank you, thank you so much, Princess Skyla!"
"So, is there anything else?" I ask, crossing my arms in front of me.
Her face instantly turns bright red.
"Oh, actually… on the balcony at the ball...."
Aronia’s thoughts can be heard.
‘I'd like to tell you to forget all the things I said on the balcony, but… how should I
say that?’
Aha. Aronia must've felt bad about drunkenly confiding in me about her family affairs. She did accidentally leak the secret of her birth.
And I know just what to say to ease her worries.
"I don't remember much."
"What?"
"I do remember drinking on the balcony with the lady, but I don't remember exactly what we said to each other. I guess this is what alcohol does to people."
"...Yes, it's not good for you if you drink a lot." Maybe it's because she's such a social butterfly, but Aronia is pretty quick to notice.
After that, she asked me about how I'd been doing. From her reaction, she didn't have any idea that I was involved in the collapse of the palace walls.
Seems like the imperial court had handled the incident neatly.
I really like the crown prince.
I think to myself, checking the clock on the wall. It's almost time for dinner. I want to go down to the dining room after travelling around the market.
"Well, I should probably get going," I say as I fix the shawl around my shoulders.
"P-Princess Skylar!" Aronia hastily stops me.
"What?"
"You said earlier that if I give you tea party invitations, you would join from time to time."
"And?"
"By any chance… I'm holding a tea party in a few days, would it be difficult for you to attend?"
"No, no!" No, no, no! It's not difficult at all, Aronia! Please give me a tea party! I reply hastily, remembering how my parents burned my invitations for firewood.
