The Reincarnated Count's Daughter Is the Strongest as She Is Loved by the Spirits, Though She Is Only Wishing for Regular Romance!

The next day, and almost every day after that, each member of our family attended various social gatherings to which we had been invited. I only had to attend a few tea parties with Mother, but my parents and Chris-oniisama were busy with evening parties as well.

Today, on the sixth day, was the day of the public exercises of the Royal Guard. It had been a long time since the imperial capital had such a clear, sunny day, and the accumulated snow sparkled brightly in the sunlight. The warm rays of the sun filled the room, making it cozy and warm. I couldn't resist opening the window slightly, only to hastily close it again as the cold air rushed in. No matter how sunny it was, the temperature difference between the capital and Berisario was significant.

"You should wear a warm coat. The training grounds are indoors, but the floor is bare ground, and some parts have no walls. It's quite spacious, so even with magic tools, it can get really cold."

"As long as it's warm around me, I'll be fine. I'm sure Ifree will do his best."

Alan-oniisama was dressed in light, easy-to-move-in clothing for his special participation in the exercises. Chris-oniisama and I were just observers, so we bundled up properly. It's probably as cold as a gym in winter, where the cold seeps in from the toes.

"Please make sure to stay quiet. Don't attract more attention than Alan."

"How could I attract attention just by watching?"

"Just being there, both of you stand out. Just don't cheer or call out names."

Is this a hint? Are they telling me to do it?

The imperial palace, which was even more vast than our castle, required us to travel by carriage, so I spent the ride looking out the window. Having only visited the palace a handful of times, I was fascinated by the unfamiliar scenery. Unlike our border castle, which also served as a fortress, the imperial palace was an elegantly and splendidly decorated building. The paths for carriages were cleared of snow, with walls of snow piled waist-high on either side. In the Colquette Marquessate, the first floor would be buried in snow, but it never snowed that much in the capital. The gardens, adorned with trees covered in white, a stream flowing beneath a frozen surface, and winter-blooming flowers, were breathtaking. However, I didn't see a single snowman.

The Royal Guard's training grounds were indeed like a gymnasium, just as I had imagined. It was spacious enough for a soccer match. There were no pillars, and the ceiling was very high, making me wonder about its earthquake resistance, but I had never experienced an earthquake in my life.

The difference between a training ground and a practice ground seemed to be whether it had facilities for outsiders to observe. The training ground had seats arranged like those in a stadium on the east side of the building, and with permission, anyone could watch. Regular official exercises like today were held. The seats were not benches but proper chairs. Many ladies in dresses were present, making it feel like an opera house. The practice ground, on the other hand, was off-limits to non-authorized personnel and was used for more practical training.

"Oh, how splendid! Did you see that swordsmanship?"

"Everyone is so well-trained and strong."

"Oh my, he just looked this way!"

Paolo had reserved seats for us in the front row of the audience, and as Chris-oniisama and I were walking towards them, I noticed a group of women gathered a bit further away. There were probably over ten of them. They were not sitting in the chairs but standing right at the fence that separated the spectators from the training area, eagerly watching the Royal Guard's training.

"...We definitely need to find a fiancé for Dia before she becomes an adult."

Those ladies were unmarried women who hadn't found a suitor by the time they reached adulthood. While it's questionable to come to a training ground in a flashy dress and cheer loudly, I understand why they are desperate. Women from families without status, wealth, or connections often have to find suitable partners on their own, or they might end up being concubines to older men of power or marrying into merchant families for money.

"Don't misunderstand me. I'm not mocking them. The knights, too, are busy with their duties and training, living in dormitories without opportunities to meet women. So these public exercises are important social opportunities for them as well."

Oh, so it's not a nuisance. It's actually welcomed.

"But having the Fairy Princess among them would be a problem."

"Right!"

I'm grateful that my family is becoming more proactive in finding me a partner, but it's sad to think they're worried I might remain single. The problem is, there are very few men who can handle all elemental spirit beasts. The Fairy Princess, backed by the Spirit King, can't marry a man who hasn't raised spirits.

"Oh."

Chris-oniisama looked back and smiled, so I turned to see Patty approaching, looking relieved that she could finally come over.

"Thank you for inviting me. These seats are amazing."

"Are they good seats?"

"Yes, the training takes place right in front of us."

Wow, right in front.

"And next to us is the special seat for the royal family."

"Huh?"

Ah, that's why there's a wall here. Beyond it is the special seat. When I peeked by standing on my toes, I saw two magnificent high-backed chairs three steps higher than our seats, likely surrounded by chairs for their attendants.

"Would you have preferred to sit there, Dia?"

"Spare me."

"Dia, Biddy is here too. Can I call her over?"

"Biddy?"

"Bridget."

Oh, so Bridget becomes Biddy. I thought it would be Britan.

"Of course."

Patty and Bridget-sama became friends in a similar way to how I did with Patty. Their sisters had married into each other's families, and they got along well after getting to know each other. Patty's maid went to fetch Bridget-sama, and after speaking with Bridget-sama's maid, she approached us, still a bit hesitant.

"Good day. May I join you here?"

Bridget-sama, unlike the other ladies cheering loudly, wore a modest navy dress with a light blue coat. Her red hair, tied up since she was an adult, swayed with sapphire earrings. Patty wore a simple pink dress with a garnet-colored coat. Both were accustomed to this level of cold, living in the central territories. Despite wearing my usual fluffy coat, tightly fastened and with a hat, I was still bundled up. Fashionable layering wasn't on my mind in this cold. Who cares about leaving the coat open? Staying warm is what matters.

"We have plenty of seats, so please make yourself comfortable."

Chris-oniisama smiled kindly, officially recognizing Bridget-sama as my friend. This means she will be warmly welcomed whenever she visits Berisario.

"Yes, please. Bridget-sama, do watch Alan-oniisama's performance."

"Thank you. I will. Also, my brother is here. May I introduce him to you? He hasn't met you yet, Dia-dono."

"Your brother?"

"Oh, Dia hasn't met Alfred-sama yet?"

"He couldn't attend the recent ball because the Ministry of Justice is extremely busy, so he's been staying at the palace."

Oh, right. They mentioned rushing to finalize the laws on teleportation magic. My apologies for causing all this trouble, Camille.

"Pleased to meet you."

Bridget-sama's brother, who greeted me politely, was an eighteen-year-old who had just graduated from the academy and started working at the Ministry of Justice. He was too busy to attend his sister's debut.

Wasn't Derrick-sama also supposed to join the Ministry of Justice? It seems the Chandler Marquisate, central to the Powell Duke's faction, has moved closer to the Goodfellow Duke's faction. With Duke Powell likely to pass his title to his son in a few years, the Chandler Marquisate is solidifying its position to cover that transition. It appears that shifts in power are still ongoing in the central government until the crown prince ascends to the throne.

"Nice to meet you. It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Everyone invited me to watch the exercises with them."

"I see."

Despite his gentle nod, Alfred-sama's eyes were full of suspicion as he looked at me. Does he think his sister might be taken advantage of?

"We spoke when you visited Berisario recently."

"Dia-dono is very easy to talk to and seems so mature despite being younger. I never thought we'd get along so well."

"I'm delighted to hear that. Patty calls Bridget-sama 'Biddy,' right? May I call you that too? Please call me Dia. That's what all my friends call me."

"Is that alright? I'm so happy!"

If it makes Biddy happy, then I'm happy too. It might take some time for Alfred-sama to trust me, but he'll understand as we work on the textbook together.

"The royals are here."

Chris-oniisama's words drew everyone's attention to the entrance. The royal siblings, dressed in flashy and warm-looking cloaks, approached us, accompanied by their miniaturized spirit beasts, attendants, and a few Royal Guards as escorts, capturing everyone's attention. The ladies who had been cheering earlier quickly adjusted their appearances, watching the procession with keen interest.

Everyone else had their spirit beasts in spirit form, so I did the same, but perhaps I should have manifested them instead. Or maybe only the royals are allowed?

"Oh, it's rare for Berisario to attend a public exercise. Ah, today Alan is demonstrating how to utilize spirits in the unit."

The crown prince stopped in front of us. The men placed their hands on their chests while the women curtsied in greeting.

"Chris, come

 with me to the special seats."

"Huh?"

Despite being honored by the invitation to join the royal seats, Chris-oniisama's obvious reluctance made me look up in surprise.

"What's with that attitude?"

"It seems more fun to watch with the girls here..."

What?! Chris-oniisama said something like that?! He always seemed to find girls troublesome, but maybe I just didn't notice because I'm his sister.

Everyone present couldn't help but compare the crown prince's group with ours. The royal brothers were surrounded by men—attendants, butlers, and tall, burly Royal Guards, creating an imposing presence. In contrast, apart from Chris-oniisama's attendants and Brad, our group consisted entirely of women. Patty and Biddy's maids were in their house uniforms, and Gemma was also dressed as a maid today. Alfred-sama had left his attendants and guards near the entrance, so our female numbers were overwhelming.

The royal brothers and their entourage noticed this and smiled wryly. Derrick-sama tried to come over but was firmly held back by Gil and Elton on both sides.

"Just come."

"...Understood."

When commanded by the crown prince, one must obey. Though Chris-oniisama seemed displeased, his attendant Rai and butler Horace also looked dejected. Wait, that leaves only Brad here among the men. Won't that be awkward for him?

"What about Alfred?"

"I'll return to work soon."

"I see. The Ministry of Justice is busy. You can take Derrick with you."

"What?!"

"Thank you."

Good luck, Derrick-sama.

Having just announced his fiancée, it would be bad for the crown prince's reputation to be seen watching the Royal Guard's exercises surrounded by girls, so Patty and Biddy were not invited. Although the Fairy Princess might be acceptable, they knew I would dislike it, so they didn't say anything, only glancing in our direction before moving to the special seats. I hope the crown prince doesn't think I'll cause any trouble.

Meeting the crown prince in Berisario didn't feel strange, but encountering him in such a formal setting with his attendants and guards was quite tiring. I wasn't the only one who felt relieved when they moved beyond the wall. The atmosphere relaxed, and everyone exchanged glances.

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Author Notes:

  The story took a whole chapter before the exercises began (;^_^A

  Thank you for reading.

  Your reports on typos are greatly appreciated.

  If you found it even a little interesting, please rate it below.

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