Chapter 20: 20. If you say so.

"Lady Nemi these dresses really suit you."

"Indeed, but how come we didn’t get to meet you sooner?"

"Well, you know…. Health and stuff."

Nemi responded to the noble daughters that had surrounded her. When Nemi changed her clothes like she was told, her father pulled her aside, and just like Julia suspected, he instructed her to pretend like she was sickly till now, and so she had to be absent from any noble gathering.

Julia crossed her arms as she observed young girls from the lower noble houses trying to get closer to Nemi. Truly a piece of shit of a father. He disowned her when she was a little kid, and pretended that she did not exist while adopting girls from orphanages for unknown reasons.

If Julia hadn’t happened to befriend her, then Nemi would still be sleeping in the shed and getting bullied by her step sisters day by day. Thinking about it, Julia was glad those three were messing with Nemi today because if they weren't, Julia wouldn’t have intervened and Nemi’s father would not have learned that the daughter he disowned had become friends with the vampire princess.

And because of this, she is also being surrounded by those noble hyenas. Julia sighed as she observed Nemi. If the parents of those girls didn’t know that Nemi was Julia’s friend, they wouldn’t be trying to become her friends. But for their families, it would be great if their daughters managed to get into the "princess’s inner circle".

"Is something wrong, your highness? You've been sighing for a while."

While Julia was focused on Nemi, Mirei asked her worriedly. In response, Julia shook her head and looked at Mirei.

"Nothing that you should worry about. I was just thinking that I would like to have a drink with her."

As Julia said so, she approached Nemi and the girls that were clearly bothering her.

"Your highness."

When they saw Julia approaching, they immediately lowered their heads until Julia allowed them to raise them again. The only one who didn’t lower her head was Nemi, which Julia was glad for.

"Nemi, can you for a second?"

"Yes, your highness."

Nemi gladly followed Julia, who rescued her from her predicament. The noble girls that were surrounding Nemi said nothing and dispersed to make other contacts with other higher noble houses.

"Nobles can be annoying, am I right?"

"What do you mean, your highness?"

Julia led Nemi far from the girls that were previously surrounding her. Once Julia felt like they were far enough from all of the nobles, Julia began talking as she handed a glass of wine to Nemi, who accepted it with a light blush.

"Stop calling me that, I am sick of everyone calling me ‘your highness’, especially if it’s you."

Julia’s face was mere centimeters from Nemi’s, causing her cheeks to turn red. She was so close that Nemi was able to smell Julia’s shampoo. The fragrance was nice, like a garden filled with blooming flowers. Julia’s words echoed within Nemi’s mind, and she could feel her heart skip a beat. We are both girls, so why do I want to kiss her? What’s wrong with me?

"I am sorry Julia. So... what did you mean when you said that nobles can be annoying?"

Nemi suppressed the urge to kiss Julia as she avoided eye contact with her. Julia nodded before she moved away from Nemi, seemingly not noticing Nemi’s flushed face.

"Exactly what I said. Like those girls flocking around you earlier."

Julia motioned toward one of the girls who was involving herself in a conversation with a few others.

"Nobles are shallow. They don’t see you as a person, but as a status. If you are not of the same or higher social standing, they will not even look at you, and if you are, then they will smile at you and nod to everything you say."

Nemi listened attentively to Julia, wondering what were those girls after then. She quickly dismissed her worries, instead focusing on Julia. Being a princess must be hard.

Despite all that she said, Julia had no experience with such behavior. All she said was what she imagined and what Loriam told her. Since Nemi is her friend, she wanted her to be on guard against bootlickers that would use her for status.

"I will keep it in mind then, thank you."

"As long as you understand."

Seeing that Nemi understood what she said, Julia gave her a light smile. which she only interrupted when she brought a wine glass to her cherry lips. This simple act was captivating Nemi, though she herself didn’t understand why.

"Ahh... I hate this…"

"Please keep that to yourself, your majesty. You should think of your reputation."

To Julia’s dismay and Nemis’s surprise, Loriam appeared, accompanied by Liora. Loriam looked completely tired. She didn’t bother to hide the fact she would rather be elsewhere.

"Yea, I will, but first… I need a recharge."

"Get off me!"

Loriam unceremoniously threw herself on Julia and began rubbing her cheek against Julia’s. Nemi looked at the mother-daughter skinship with curiosity.

"Don’t be so shy. What is wrong with a little bonding between mother and daughter?"

"There would be nothing wrong and get off me already, you pervert!"

Loriam ignored Julia and continued to enjoy the softness of Julia’s skin. When Nemi started to wonder whether or not she had been forgotten by the mother-daughter duo, Loriam stopped rubbing herself on Julia and turned to face Nemi’s direction.

"Oh? I didn’t notice you. Did I perhaps interrupt something?"

"N-No, your majesty, we were just talking…"

Julia ignored Loriam’s teasing comment and fixed her dress. Nemi, on the other hand, blushed under Loriam’s teasing smile as she frantically denied being interrupted.

"Oh, that reminds me, here."

Satisfied with Nemi’s reaction, Loriam switched gears and tossed Julia a small item.

"Isn’t this...?"

Julia eyed the familiar neckless with an elven ornament in her hand. With a sudden flash of realization, Julia began to feel around her dress for something unsuccessfully.

"I found it in Miss Nemi’s room after you changed clothes. You should be more careful."

"Thanks. But how did you know it was mine?"

Loriam sounded like a mother reprimanding a child, though arguably that was exactly what was happening. Julia swallowed her protest against the kid treatment she received. After all, Loriam did find Julia’s neckless. Loriam laughed softly.

"Of course, it was obvious that it’s yours no one else here has an elven-"

Loriam abruptly stopped talking, her cherry expression disintegrating, replaced by a guilty one.

"…I am sorry. I didn’t mean to… sorry."

Loriam could feel her heart ache when she noticed Julia’s mood dropping. It was plain to see that she said something she shouldn’t have. Loriam hesitated slightly before deciding to leave. Nemi looked at the spectacle, wondering what was going on.

"That neckless is pretty. Where is it from?"

In order to end the suffocating silence that surrounded them, Nemi began inquiring about the necklace. Julia began fiddling with the necklace, and without looking at Nemi, she began to talk.

"It was a gift... a lucky charm from my fiancé."

"I see…"

Nemi’s heart received huge damage when she heard Julia mention her fiancé. She is beautiful and kind. It should be obvious that she would be in a relationship, unlike me. What a lucky bastard.

"Your fiancé must love you if he gave you such a pretty gift. Though I would say he is the lucky one."

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Nemi suppressed the sudden rush of jealousy that was accumulating within her. She couldn’t really explain why, but the image of Julia smiling at someone else, and kissing someone else was painful for her.

"He? Oh, yeah, I guess you would think that."

Julia tilted her head confusedly, as she looked at Nemi. With a quick glance at her body, Julia realized what Nemi was saying.

"There is no ‘he’ but a ‘she’. My fiancé is a woman."

"I see."

Nemi’s face morphed into a slight smile, as an immersed joy filled her heart. That means that there is still a chance for me. Nemi was happy about the possibility of being by Julia’s side. The fact that there was a woman occupying that position was an unimportant detail.

"But what was her majesty apologizing for?"

When Nemi calmed down from her happiness, she realized that the previous exchange between Julia and her mother seemed like something bad happened.

"Her majesty feels like she had ruined her highness’s engagement."

Mirei bowed slightly as she provided an explanation. Julia fiddled with the necklace once more, and let Mirei do the talking. Mirei, noticing that Julia didn’t mind her saying more, she continued.

"The relationship was complicated a month ago, and her majesty blames herself for it."

"She should. It is her fault. If it weren’t for her, I would be married now."

Julia tossed her bit into the conversation; she was visibly unhappy thinking about it. Not knowing what to do, Nemi placed her hand on Julia’s shoulder. Troubles in Julia’s present relationship are an opportunity for her, but Julia is still her friend, and Nemi wishes for her to be happy.

"Her majesty is surely planning to fix the problem she caused. After all, she loves you above anything else. Plus, I believe that your highness’s fiancé would not let some small problem separate you."

Mirei smiled as she spoke, with confidence in her voice. Julia didn’t know how to disprove it, Mirei didn’t know about Julia’s past after all. Let alone that, said the "small problem" was Julia’s unplanned gender change. No matter what, it was doubtful that Olia would be willing to be with Julia instead of Julian.

"If you said so, Mirei."

…

"How long is it? A month?"

"I think so."

On this starry night, two elven maids chattered as they observed a young woman wearing black clothes passing by.

"All this time just because of a human worm? There are plenty of wonderful elven gentlemen. Why can’t her highness pick one of them?"

"Right? Lord Jotris would have been a great suitor if you ask me."

"Exactly. Though anyone would be better than a human."

The duo of maids laughed, unbeknown to them that the lady in a black dress was listening to their conversation. She only distanced herself once their conversation began to delve into more inappropriate topics.

The lady walks at a fast pace to one specific room within this palace that serves as the official residence of the royal family of an elven race. Reaching the door, she didn’t bother with waiting once she knocked and entered the room.

"Please fire them."

"Good evening to you too."

An older woman seated behind an antique table covered with papers replied without even looking at the lady.

"Let me guess someone was talking ill of Mr. Beleng?"

The old woman, in fact, a queen of elves, asked the lady. The lady nodded with a look of suppressed anger on her face. The queen sighed.

"Look, I understand that you loved that man and that you are still grieving. But that is not a reason to fire someone."

"But…"

The lady, or more specifically, elven princess Olia, attempted to object to her mother’s words but couldn’t find the words. The queen was right after all.

"Try getting some sleep to clean your head, and you will see, in the morning that I was right."

"Then good night, mother."

Olia, realizing that she would not get those maids fired, decided to back down for now and enjoy some good night’s sleep, as her mother said.

"Oh, yea, I almost forgot."

Just before Olia left the room, her mother’s voice stopped her.

"Yes? Mother."

"For you, it came in earlier. You should look at it in your room."

The queen gave Olia an envelope and returned to her work. Olia, seeing that her mother wasn’t going to say more, left and went straight to her room.

Olia examined the envelope that her mother had given her after she had removed her mourning gown and put on a silk pajama.

"…isn’t this?"

When Olia looked closely at the envelope, she could clearly see the seal of the vampiric royal family. She wondered if her mother hadn’t accidentally given her some diplomatic message. However, her name was clearly written on the envelope.

Olia stared at the envelope with a blank expression. The memories of the Liden forest resurfaced in her mind. The scene of the vampire queen killing Julian, the scene that frequently appeared in her nightmares.

With tears in her eyes, Olia took the envelope and tossed it into the fireplace. She stood there and watched as the envelope burned. What would she even want from me? Forgiveness? Hell will freeze before I will forgive her.

"Your highness, is everything alright?"

A voice from behind the door brought her from her thoughts. Before Olia could do anything, a young woman in maid clothes entered the room.

"Your highness, is it about Sir Beleng?"

Seeing that Olia had tears in her eyes, the maid asked carefully. When Olia nodded, the maid approached her and hugged her. Seeing this as an opportunity, the maid attempted to kiss her. Olia though, pushed her away.

"Sorry, but I promised myself to Julian, and you know it."

He is already dead! The maid wanted to yell but held back. She and Olia were close enough for her advances to be forgiven by the princess, though she did get angry when she did it in the presence of Julian. Supposedly, she didn’t want him to know that Olia was swinging both ways.

"I know, but I can’t help it. You know how I feel about you."

Olia stayed silent. She did know and she didn’t dislike the maid in question, but she had already given her heart to Julia and the wound of losing him was still too fresh for her.

"Sorry but I can’t…"

The maid sighed but didn’t say anything. She understood her friend’s reasons and so she stayed patient.

"In that case, at least let me stay here."

The maid pointed at the couch with a smile on her face. Olia didn’t say anything, just grabbed an extra blanket and threw it at the maid. The maid happily began preparing herself for the "sleepover." while the only thing on Olia’s mind was Julian. I beg thee, heavenly saints, allow me to meet Julian for the last time.

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