Hello, it’s Hikari-chan.

The day before yesterday, I was so surprised that I fainted, but yesterday I was full of energy!

I ate a lot, moved around a lot, and apparently from age five, lessons with a private tutor will begin?

I’ve finally gotten the chance to properly learn about this world!

Also, it seems that the flustered head butler from yesterday, Myuze-san, is actually my father’s aide, basically the same kind of position Charl has for my mother.

My first impression of him was like that, but he’s actually a reliable person!

Phew…

I guess that’s enough running away from reality? I’d like to keep doing it a bit longer, but unfortunately, that’s the end of it.

“Hikari, it’s alright. Your father and mother are here with you.”

“Mm…”

I’m sitting on the sofa in the reception room with my mother, holding her hand, yet I’m still really nervous.

After waiting for a few minutes—Knock knock, a sound echoes, and my father enters along with His Majesty the King in formal attire, the Queen, and the third prince, Leon.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

My mother stands up straight and gives a refined bow.

“Philia, drop the formalities. I came today for my son. As parents with children, let’s just speak casually.”

“Then I’ll take you up on that. I look forward to today.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

As if responding to the relaxed tone of His Majesty, the stiffness in their speech softens, and smiles spread across my father, mother, the King and the Queen.

“So you’re Hikari-chan?”

“Yes! Nice to meet you, I’m Hikari!”

With all my effort, I speak loudly and imitate my mother’s bow to greet the Queen.

“Oh my, how adorable! Philia, how did you raise such a well-mannered child? Is this thanks to Charl’s education?”

“Neither Charl nor I really taught her anything. She copies me a lot, and before I knew it…”

My mother and the Queen seem to be old friends, they’re really getting into their conversation.

They’re even bringing up Charl, who isn’t here.

And then—“Being a count is tough… I want to go back to when I was a baron.”

“Honestly, you’ve always been capable since back then, yet you never want to work. Meanwhile, I’m the king. And I’m this incompetent.”

My father and His Majesty are also having quite the lively conversation.

And as for me and Prince Leon—“I’m sorry about the other day.”

“Um, I’m sorry too.”

““……””

We both apologized, but after that, it’s like a funeral silence.

'Leon-sama is nervous…'

Well, that makes sense. There’s a younger girl in front of him who fainted right in front of him the other day.

This is where I, who has the mind of a high schooler, need to step up.

“Okaashama, I want to go to the garden with Leon-sama!”

“Oh, that sounds nice. Sitting here all the time isn’t ideal either, so let’s all go to the garden together.”

I knew there was a garden, but I had never been there.

One part of me wanted to see it for the first time, but nine parts of me wanted to somehow get closer to him, and I successfully got us outside.

* * *

'The garden is huge!?'

I’ve come to the garden of the house for the first time.

No, it’s ridiculously big! It’s about the size of a school field!

You could probably play soccer here if you set up goals!

How do they even maintain this? Do they have gardeners?

Why is there such a vast space with a beautiful fountain and flowers blooming so neatly everywhere?

“It’s really pretty, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

Wow, that was something nice to see.

—Wait, no, that’s not it! This is just the start! Calm down, me, calm down Hikari-chan!

“Um, I’m sorry for collapsing the other day.”

For now, instead of that vague earlier apology, I properly bow my head.

“I’m sorry too.”

Leon also bows his head, and we both raise them together and smile.

“May I ask your name one more time?”

I remember the Leon part, but I completely forgot the family name.

I don’t want to be rude to the royal family going forward.

“My name is ‘Leon Oristina’!”

“‘Leon Oristina’, please take care of me!”

Just like before, I imitate my mother’s bow and smile.

“And what is your name?”

“Hikari is…”

I look straight at Prince Leon—and say my current name.

No, my name.

“My name is ‘Hikari Wingart’!”

Right now, it’s the most important name in the world!