[3rd Person POV]

The beautiful music of a grand orchestra resounded within the grand ballroom hall of the Lorya estate, accompanying the conversations between nobles, merchants, and honored guests that have had the privilege of being invited to this grand event.

Meeting old friends, making new acquaintances, or introducing themselves to people of higher stations; everyone that had been invited didn't let this chance to nurture and grow their network go and put their best self forward to impress. Especially in a place where so many marquis and ducal households gather. One would be a fool to just stay in the corner of such a grand event.

Normally, nobles below the rank of Earl wouldn't have the chance to be invited to such a high class party celebrating the birthday of a duke, who also acts as prime minister, daughter. Especially one where they could see the entire member of the royal family in flesh just a few distance away from them. However, a few viscounts and barons who had relations to "Eden" had been invited.

One such noble was Baron Charles von Ingvild, a middle-aged low ranking noble with an average appearance, dirty brown hair, and average upbringing despite having a title of nobility, who owned a small piece of land containing a large village and a few smaller villages around it in the countryside. He came with his son, the heir to his title, and his son's wife.

By all standards of the norm, he wasn't supposed to have the requirements to attend the birthday of the future crown princess and daughter of Duke Lorya.

Even though his business had begun to flourish in the last few years, he was still a Baron. A small-time noble who was, quite frankly, closer to being a commoner than a noble.

However, he was now here, standing in the midst of the pillars of the kingdom. All because of the day that changed his entire life. The day the first daughter of Duke Lorya came to his land five years ago.

She was only 10 back then, and at first, he was quite confused why the famous flower of the kingdom and future crown princess would come visit his fief. There was nothing that would entertain the daughter of a duke out here in the countryside.

The only thing that he could consider the pride of his fief were the fertile lands and the suitable weather for him to grow various vegetables, fruits, flowers, and plants, and raise farm animals. They were quite a self-sustaining fief with any excess sold as additional income.

If he were to pick one aspect of his fief that could perhaps entertain the daughter of the duke, then it would be the massive flower garden that he had built for his late wife in the backyard of his estate and the massive field of flowers just outside the village.

And as he expected, the angelic lady of house Lorya indeed asked him to guide her through the field of flowers as well as see the flower garden when he invited her to his humble abode.

But, to his surprise, her reason for visiting wasn't only to admire his prized flower gardens, but for a business negotiation.

He was shocked beyond belief and wouldn't have taken it seriously, even though he would still act intrigued by her words given her position. But when she saw her eyes and listened to her words... It was as if he was talking with an extremely experienced merchant from the royal capital or the head of a high ranking noble family.

Even when she was accompanied by a female adult who introduced herself as the manager of "Eden", he couldn't subvert his attention and focus from the little girl who emanated this awe-inspiring charisma and radiance.

She wanted him to supply her company, "Eden", with flowers, one of the raw ingredients that would give the ever so popular "shampoo" and "conditioner" their fragrant scent. Flowers were indeed one of the main attractions of his small fief, but they were just mere decorations that made his fief appear beautiful... He never thought of growing them, harvesting them, and selling them as he would any other crops or animals.

Moreover, the contracts she gave him were ones he wanted to sign immediately. It would bring large profits into his fief and the other party would also benefit greatly from this deal.

And after "acting" like he was deliberating for a bit and reading the fine prints, Charles signed the contracts and became a partner of the famous beauty product company "Eden".

But that wasn't the end to the blessings the Goddess brought to him. Her daughter, the last child his beloved wife left for him, was also taken in as an apprentice by the manager of "Eden".

Ninya had always been a brilliant child who had always been good with numbers. She was even better than his son, his heir, who made up for it with his amazing social abilities and leadership. Of course, as a noble, social skills and leadership would outshine the importance of being able to calculate well. After all, they could simply hire someone to do it for them and only needed minimal knowledge to check their work.

However, Charles still held her ability in high regard, and it seems he wasn't the only one.

The manager of "Eden", Laura, wanted to take her in as her apprentice to be an accountant, or perhaps, even her assistant in the future. And of course, both Charless and Ninya didn't let go of the chance for a daughter of a small-time noble to go to the royal capital and work for an extremely famous company owned by a duke and backed by the royal family.

It was a dream come true... And five years later, Ninya had indeed become one of Laura's trusted assistants and his fief prospered.

Thus, with his status as Eden's business partner and father of Eden's manager's assistant, Baron Charles also received the extremely sought after invitation to Alterisa's fifteenth birthday.

To him, his daughter, his family, and the people of his fief, the name Alterisa von Lorya was not only the name of a duke's daughter, the future crown princess, or the owner of "Eden", but a Goddess who came and gave her blessings upon his land.

Just then, cheers began to erupt and Charles, along with his son and his wife, immediately trained their eyes towards the stage where their savior Goddess finally descended and graced them with her presence. Her appearance, beautiful beyond words and graceful beyond belief as always.

Everyone quieted down, and the beautiful music from the grand orchestra also softened, as the beautiful, melodic voice of the Goddess resounded throughout the grand ballroom.

"Welcome ladies and gentleman, honored guests. Thank you very much for accepting my invitation, coming and sparing their precious time to spend it with me and my family to celebrate my 15th birthday. I am truly overwhelmed by happiness and joy to see this many honored ladies and gentlemen coming to my birthday..."

Charles continued to watch silently as the Goddess expressed her gratitude for the guests and her happiness on this very special day, his eyes filled with awe and his heart brimming with happiness as well.

He glanced to his side, and saw his son and his son's wife also in a similar state, as well as everyone else around him.

His lips curled into a smile, slightly hidden by the graying mustache and beard around his mouth.

As expected. You've charmed everyone in this room with but a few words, my lady.

The theme of the party tonight was ballroom dance. And while he did not dare to think he'd be able to have the chance to dance with the Goddess, he was fine simply being able to watch her from the sidelines and use this once in a lifetime chance his Goddess had given him once again to talk with high ranking nobles and expand his network along with his son while thanking her in his heart.

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[Alterisa's POV]

Ah... My cheeks hurt...

I've been greeting nobles for quite a while now... Greeting my friends and their family and thanking them for coming to my birthday was fun.

But after that, greeting the nobles who I rarely met or met for the first time was very tiring...

They kept on harping their flattery and praises over and over and congratulating me for my birthday, and all the while, I had to keep my smile and thank them while also trying my best to make small conversations.

Dad, mom, and Lu-nii were helping me out with greeting other nobles so they'd only spend a little bit of time when they got to me, mostly congratulating me for my birthday and giving me a present. But because of that, they're a little bit away from me...

Fortunately, my angel is here by my side. Many nobles who didn't come to her social debut or were invited to the tea parties mom, Kiara, or I hosted were extremely surprised by her beauty. And everytime they fall into a daze, I can't help but smile smugly inwardly and though Hehe~ That's my little sister right there~! Isn't she just the cutest~!!!!

In truth, I wanted to act smug at them and educate them on Kiara's beauty, but I unfortunately can't do that in this setting, so I just held it in.

After a while, I started getting tired of repeating the same thing and listening to the same congratulations and praises over and over. The dance will also start anytime now and I still have some people I wanted to greet, so I excused myself from them and went to search for my business partners.

Some of them were high ranking nobles who I've already greeted, but there are also low ranking nobles and merchants who, traditionally, shouldn't be invited to the birthday of a duke's daughter. But I specially invited them to my birthday as well since they've supported "Eden" a lot.

One of my business partners I really want to meet was Baron Charles. He's a super important business partner who supplied "Eden" with an unending amount of flowers that we turn into essential oils to be used in our shampoos and conditioners. His fief were quite far from the royal capital so I was a bit worried that he couldn't make it. But soon, I found him along with his son and his daughter in law.

"Ah! Baron Charles! Thank you very much for attending my birthday party! I am so glad you could come!"

The kind-looking middle-aged man, his son and his daughter-in-law all turned to me with widened eyes, shocked, as I approached them with a large smile.

"Lady Lorya. Congratulations on your fifteenth birthday. It is an honor and our greatest pleasure to be invited to celebrate such an important milestone in your life with you."

Baron Charles bowed, followed by his son and daughter-in-law, and I curtsy towards them in return.

"Thank you very much. I would also like to express my greatest attitude for coming all this way from your marvelous fief to the royal capital to attend my fifteenth birthday."

"Of course. I will not miss it for the world."

Hehe~ He's such a kind man. He reminds me of the ojii-san who owns the 100-yen store near my house that I frequented when I was young. He always gives me extra candies and snacks whenever I come, and Kazu, Hana, and I also had a lot of fun playing in his backyard during summer.

Ah, good times...

"How has Ninya been faring recently? I hope she has not caused you any problems."

"Of course not, baron. She had been extremely helpful, especially in accounting. She has become Laura's right hand woman in that department. Though she does tend to work until late, even though I've told her to take care of her health."

"She has always been that sort of girl. I will tell her to take an adequate amount of rest so she will not worry you, my lady."

"Ufufufu~ Perhaps she will listen if her father was the one telling her. If not, I can only force her to take a vacation for a week to let her rest."

"Ahahaha! She might very well listen to you if you threaten her that way!"

Eh? Threaten? What threat...?

"Thank you very much for sparing a bit of your time to talk with us, my lady. But I believe you still have to greet the others as well?"

"Ah, that's right. I'm always having fun talking with you that I forgot the time. Well then, please excuse me baron Charles, Sir Nicholas, and Lady Marine."

"Mm. Thank you very much for your time as well, and congratulations on your birthday once again, Lady Lorya."

"C-Congratulations on your birthday, Lady Lorya! May you always be healthy and graced by the Goddess's blessings."

"C-C-Congratulations on your birthday, Lady Lorya!"

"Thank you very much. Well then, let us see each other again in the future."

After curtsying to them, I left in search for my other business partners and talked to them for a bit.

And after a while, I saw Kiara approaching me and called out to me.

"Onee-sama! The dance will start soon! We should go to the dance circle as soon as possible!"

"Ah, that's right! Well then, please excuse me, Viscount."

"A-Ah, of course. A pleasure to be invited once again, my lady."

"Yes. The pleasure is mine."

I curtsied and followed Kiara to the dance floor where a lot of people are already getting ready for the dance, waiting for the music to start.

"Thank you, Kiara. I'll go and search for Alexus now."

"Uhn~! Have fun, onee-sama~"

"Hehe~ Thank you~"

I entered the dance circle and searched for Alexus.







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