It was early.

Very... Very early in the morning...

While I was having my beauty sleep peacefully, having a nice dream surrounded by my cute little besties, a wet cloth of ice cold water on my face jolted me up back to reality.

"UWWAAAHHHH!!!"

I screamed in shock, opened my still sleepy eyes to see just what the hell happened, and saw Anne's smiling figure with a wet cloth in her hand.

The sun wasn't even out yet... The sky was still dark, and when I checked the clock, it was barely five in the morning...

Then, with her beautiful voice that somehow lacked any kind of warm this time, Anne told me to enter the bath and get ready...

I looked at her unmoving, still frozen in shock and dazed, and she began lifting me up by my armpits and carried me with my feet dangling in the air to the bath like a cat.

"Nya- I mean, w-what's happening?! Why did you wake me up so early?!?!"

"Hah... Did you forget what day is it, Alterisa-sama...?"

"Hm? What? Is there something special today...?"

"..."

I turned my head around while still being held up by Anne and looked at her confusedly.

Special day... Aaahh, it's the last day of the Kingdom's Founding Festival.

Right, we have a grand ball tonight...

Wait... Even though we had to arrive by late afternoon, we still don't need to get ready this early, right?!

"Anne! We still got plenty of time! We only need to get there by late afternoon!"

"That is certainly the case if there wasn't anything special to be announced today, Alterisa-sama."

"Special announcements...? What- Ah."

T-That's right... I-It's today...! T-Today is the day!!!

I-I can't believe I forgot!!!

I keep telling my self to forget about it so I won't be nervous, but I can't believe I really forget about it!!!

"...It seems you have remembered."

"...Yes."

Anne smiled softly at me and put me down before stroking my head a few times.

Normally, a maid wouldn't dare do such a thing to their master. But Anne and I are essentially sisters at this point, and we act like one at least when we're alone or with Maria-chan.

We could act like sisters anytime we want, even in front of mom and dad. They never minded it and have known about who close we are for years now. But, Anne refused, saying she also has her pride and honor as a maid and will continue to act as one, at least in front of her employer.

"You will also be heading to the royal palace earlier along with Master Altair and Lady Lisa."

"Ah... That's right... We're going to sign some papers for the engagement."

Mm... Even though we're only going to be engaged, why does it seemed like we're getting married...?

Is this really how it goes, normally? I've never heard of needing to sign papers for an engagement in my past life. Maybe that's just how it goes here.

Well, considering that engagements here are essentially agreements between the two families to be in alliance in each other until the couple is officially married, I guess having it on paper makes sense.

Hah... Well, it can't be helped.

"That's right. So, let us not dawdle here any longer. We have prepared a bath for you, and as soon as you finished breakfast, we shall begin your preparations."

"Yeeeees~"

I held hands with Anne and she began leading me to bath, yawning every so often.

As soon as we entered the bath - still ridiculously large no matter how many times I see it - a team of maids, including Maria-chan, immediately stipped me off every clothing in my body and began washing me.

A-Ah... I-I'll never get used to this... I-I like touching cute girls more than being touched myself!!!

"Phew... Finally, it's over..."

While Anne, Maria-chan, and the others began to start preparing my dress and other things, I submerged myself into the bathtub filled with hot water up to my mouth and began blowing bubbles.

I was... polished to perfection. As expected of the maids in our household... They really didn't miss a spot...

Though for some reason, I could hear some of them giggling while I was going through what seemed to be a car wash for my body...

...They sure are enjoying my suffering.

After a while, Anne appeared again and lifted me up out of my sanctuary that is my bathtub by my armpits once again.

"A-Anne! P-Put me down!! I'll get out myself!!!"

"...Understood."

She put me down and began drying me up with a towel. Then, she wrapped up a towel around my body and my hair, and we returned to my room to eat breakfast.

Finishing my breakfast quickly, we returned to the dresser where the maids are already prepared to immediately dress me up like a doll.

I just sit there in front of a mirror, staring at myself as Anne and the others began drying my hair with a makeshift hairdryer; just the maids with affinity to wind and fire creating hotwind to dry my hair as they comb it.

It took quite a while since I have really long and voluminous hair. And after that, the began putting on some light make up and powder.

As usual, they didn't put that much make up. In their words, they said "All too much make up will do is only hide your true, natural beauty, Alterisa-sama!!! We only need a little to accentuate your Goddess-like beauty!!!"

Yeah... It's really embarrassing, so I never argued with them again after that. Moreover, I'm still very young and I also didn't really like putting on so much make up, so this works for me.

After the make up, three maids, who were the ones most skilled at hairstyling, went forward and began combing through my hair and did their magic.

My snow-white hair was done in a half-up braid around the crown of my head, and then tied together by a beautiful golden lily hairpin. Then, the rest of my long hair that reach down to my hips was curled beautifully and decorated with various small shimmering jewels and pearls.

"Wow... That's amazing..."

Seems like those three went all out for this one... This is... amazing... I really look very beautiful, much more than usual...

Seriously... Even I couldn't help but stare at my own reflection, and I'm not even a narcissist...

"Thank you very much, everyone!"

"Fufun~! You're very welcome, Alterisa-sama~!"

"Hehe~ You are already so beautiful as is, so any hairstyle would fit you, Alterisa-sama! So, all we did was do our best to make accentuate that beauty even more!"

"Mm... I'm happy you like it, Alterisa-sama." They all looked so happy and proud, understandably. This is so beautiful...

"Now then, let's begin fitting you to your dress, Alterisa-sama."

"Ah, okay!"

I stood up and Anne led me to another team of maids. There were around seven maids there, and at their center was a mannequin with a beautiful, shoulderless, light blue dress.

Golden embellishments in flowery patterns subtly decorated the bottom edges of the dress. A long, semi-transparent, light blue laced shawl that covered the shoulders, over the neck, and flowed down to the chest and around the arms, resembling a divine raiment of a goddess. A pair of pure white laced gloves that almost reached the elbows. And finally, the extremely beautiful platinum necklace with yellow diamonds.

Mm... No matter how many times I see it, it's really beautiful...

...Why does it feel like a wedding instead of an engagement? And its not even an engagement party, but only an announcement.

Seriously...

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

"Oh my God~!!!! Baby~!!!! You look so beautiful!!!!!!"

Gufuuu! O-Owww...

The moment I appear in the living room where all my family had gathered before heading to the royal palace, I was tackled by my mother and raised into the air.

Her arms tightened around my waist, embracing me with her mana-strengthened strength.

Fortunately, I have an airbag to cushion the blow to my face... These two airbags I've sworn to obtain in the near future...

Seriously, I might've been seriously injured if mom was as flat as I am right now...

"M-Mom... P-Please let me down-"

"Ahhh~!!! My baby angel~!!! You're so cute~!!! You're the most beautiful little angel in the world~!!!"

...Guess this is my life now. Once mom got into this tension, I won't be put down for a while...

"Lisa. Place her down so I can appreciate my daughter's cuteness as well."

Suddenly, dad approached mom from behind and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh my~ You mean my daughter, right Al~? I hadn't even come close to being satisfied, so please take your hand off me."

"..."

...W-What's going on? W-Why are their aurae whirling so viciously...?

I pulled my face away from mom's airbags and looked towards Lu-nii.

H-Help me!!! Don't just stand there and smirk!!! Place Kiara down for a moment and help me!!!!

"...Fine. This is a special day, so I won't argue with you."

"Ufufufu~ You better not~"

Phew... Okay, their aurae finally calmed down...

Dad approached me, who was still dangling in the air from mom's embrace, and kissed my forehead.

"You look extremely beautiful today, Risa."

"Hehehe~ Anne and the others did their best~ And mom also helped picking my dress~"

"Ufufufu~ As her mother, I just know what would suit my little angel the best~"

"Ehehehe~"

"Mm. Your mom have always been amazing with these things."

Mom is the resident fashion woman in this household after all. She was in charge of all the clothing everyone wear in this household. I think even the servants' uniform were partly designed by her.

After a while, I was finally let down and I could see now what mom, dad, and Lu-nii were wearing.

Mom was wearing a pure white dress with light purple embellishments on the edges of her dress, while dad wore a dark purple suit with a white shirt within. Mom's accessories were all either gold or white while dad wore a light purple tie pin.

Yep, these two are lovey-dovey as usual. Even the dress and suit their wearing reflected each other's hair and eye color. Such romantics~

On the other hand, Lu-nii wore a jet-black suit with a white shirt as well.

Umu, as expected of a capture target and the parents of the most beautiful villainess. Their beauty level are seriously super high, it feels like I'm in the middle of a top model gathering.

"Well then, shall we go?"

"Uhn~ Ah, considering the time, are we going to have lunch with Seara and the others, Al?"

"Unfortunately, the royal family would still be busy with preparations. But, they have prepared lunch for us, so we could have them before going to the meeting."

"I see."

Hmm, I see~ So that's the plan, huh?

Well~! Free lunch it is~

I walked towards Lu-nii and Kiara, and stole her away from his clutches.

"Nee-cha~!! You're so pretty~!!!!"

"Oh my~ Really~ Thank you very much, Kiara~ You're very pretty as well, today~ I really want to show you off to everyone~!!"

"Ehehehe~"

Mm... It's really unfortunate... Kiara hadn't made her debutante yet so she can't join us this evening...

Hah... I really wished this announcement would've come next year... That way, I can play with Kiara and venture around the ball in search for new sweets before and after the announcement.

Umu... A shame indeed.

"Please hold on just for a little while, okay? I will definitely return home quickly! Let's sleep together tonight, okay?"

"Really~?! Yaaayyy~!!!! I want to sleep with nee-cha!!!"

"Ehehehe~ You're such a cutie~"

Mm~~ Her cheeks are so marshmallowy. I can rub my cheeks against hers all day~

"Alright~ Be a good girl okay, Kiara~ Mom, dad, Lucas, and your Risa-neechan will return quickly~"

"Yesh!!! Have a nice trip~!!!"

"Fufufu~ What a good girl~"

We all kissed her cheeks and forehead and then left her with a maid before we head out on our household's main carriage.

"Bye bye, Kiara~!!!! I'll miss you~!!!"

"Bye byee~~"

Hah... I missed her already...

My cute little angel...







AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please vote and comment your thoughts~!