Chapter 44: CH 43

“This is an invitation to the Festival of Lights from the imperial family.”

“Imperial family?”

“Yes that’s right.”

Levi calmly replied to Mikael’s question.

Yul opened his eyes in surprise at the answer.

It was only a week ago that Mikael had thrust a knife at Andrei. After that, they didn’t seem to have reconciled or that the relationship was restored. However, he was surprised to hear that an invitation had been sent from the imperial family. He wondered if it was Andrei’s own gesture of reconciliation, but I also thought that he was a saint.

“It’s already Festival of Lights week.”

“Yes. Indeed.”

“What is the Festival of Lights?”

“Ah, Yuri doesn’t know. The Festival of Lights is the biggest event in the Empire. It is a long festival that lasts for 15 days once a year, and large and small events take place throughout the empire, as well as events hosted by the imperial family, such as fireworks and hunting competitions.”

“Oh wow!”

At Levi’s explanation, Yul let out a happy exclamation. Even though the festival wasn’t going on yet, and he didn’t even know if he would be able to attend it.

“Then what is this invitation? Is this an invitation to that event hosted by the imperial family?”

“That’s right. In the case of fireworks, since they are held on such a large scale, you can see them anywhere in the capital, but they are held close to the imperial castle. Therefore, it is best seen from the tower in the Imperial Garden. Since the tower is owned by the imperial family, no one can enter, and only those with an invitation can enter.”

A splendid fireworks display was already unfolding in Yul’s head. Just imagining the colorful fireworks that embroidered the dark night brought a smile to his eyes.

He had no experience, but since it’s a fireworks display hosted by the imperial family, the scale would probably be great too. There was no doubt that it could not be compared to the fireworks at the school festival that he could barely see through the lab room window.

“As for His Majesty’s message, he told you to come comfortably, especially since no other nobles were invited to the Tower this year.”

“I see.”

Mikael immediately recognized Andrei’s omitted words. It was to remind him that he was inviting only them, so he didn’t have to miss the event in case he was worried that Yuri would be found out. He didn’t add that word by word, but Andrei’s consideration was clearly conveyed.

Upon realizing this fact, Mikael’s heart felt complicated in many ways. He was both grateful and apologetic to Andrei. Even so, he was still angry that he had tried to hurt Yuri.

It was funny. Having known Yuri for only a couple of months, he felt that Yuri was more important to him than Andrei, whom he had known for decades.

Don’t tell me… Do I perhaps like Yuri… ?

Mikael’s expression, which had frozen for a moment at the question that suddenly popped up, quickly overcast.

“I really like fireworks… Aagh!”

Yul, who was jumping around happily, ended up getting eaten by Lucky again.

Yeah, that can’t be. How could I like such a trivial little stuffed toy?

Mikael shook his head with a long sigh.

“Ahh, Mikael! Get me out quickly!”

Yul’s voice could be heard vaguely, but Mikael silently wiped his face.

***

Yul, dressed in a blue suit, stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself. To be precise, he stared at the countless small jewels hanging on his clothes.

People who didn’t know might not think that all of them are real jewels, but Yul knew that all of them were real jewels.

Thanks to that, the weight of the clothes was too much for Yul’s small body to handle, but Yul was just happy. He internally promised that if he became a human and left this place, he would take only these clothes with him, whenever that would be.

To put it bluntly, once upon a time, the diamond ring he was trying to steal from Mikael and run away from wasn’t his, but now, these clothes were technically his. So even if he took this, it wasn’t illegal.

Yul, who was in a happy mood as if his bank account balance had already increased, smiled heartily.

Unaware of Yul’s impure thoughts, Mikael simply thought he liked the new clothes. He went further and promised that he would make new clothes of similar designs.

“Mikael, let’s go quickly, quickly!”

Yul, who was approaching Mikael with short legs, looked up at the tall Mikael from his own position.

Wearing a suit of a similar color to his own, but slightly darker, he didn’t want to admit it, but he looked pretty cool even to him.

Long legs, long arms… Ugh, why are my limbs so short! I feel comparative deprivation!

It wasn’t long after admiring him that he despaired of the length of his short limbs, which were dozens times taller from him.

Yul looked at Mikael with envious eyes as he toddled up to him, while weeping in his heart. He picked up Yuri who showed an incomprehensible flow of emotions and put him in his inner pocket.

“It will be stuffy, but bear with it. I’ll take you out in the carriage.”

Although all the servants in the castle had sworn allegiance to the Orlov family from a long time ago, human nature was unknown. Just in case, Mikael put Yuri in the inside pocket of his banquet suit.

It was bulging because of Yul’s hair, but the clothes themselves were so fancy that it was not noticeable unless someone looked closely.

He would be alone with Andrei in the tower, so he would be free to take out Yuri. It was for the purpose of hiding Yuri until then, so it didn’t matter if the clothes were damaged for a while.

Of course, this thought was Mikael’s point of view.

Even today, his subordinates, Levi and Caleb, had to close their eyes and swallow a sigh. To put it to the extreme, they were thinking ‘what should I do with that madman’, but couldn’t bear to express it openly.

***

The carriage of the Archduke Orlov stopped in front of the Imperial Garden. It was thanks to Andrei’s goodwill that the carriage was able to enter places that ordinary nobles would not dare to set foot on.

Normally, numerous imperial servants would have greeted Mikael, but today there were only a minimum number. This, too, was undoubtedly Andrei’s consideration.

Taking advantage of the opportunity for the servants to greet each other with courtesy, Mikael naturally turned around, and Levi and Caleb followed suit. Thanks to this, the servants could not see the bulging traces of Yul.

‘Ah, I’m stuffy to death.’

Yul endured the discomfort and stayed as calm as possible. In the past, he would have protested and squirmed at Mikael, trying to find a comfortable position, but he couldn’t behave like he used to, now that he knew he could get Mikael into trouble.

Mikael could have left him in the castle and went to watch the fireworks alone, but he took care of him who wanted to watch them. It was evident that he cared for him. So he couldn’t bother Mikael who was like that.

‘I am a doll. An obedient doll. A normal doll.’

Yul made self-suggestions in his heart and endured the stuffiness.

Meanwhile, Mikael arrived in front of the tower in the backyard.

“His Majesty is above.”

“I understand.”

Mikael responded lightly to the servant’s words and climbed the stairs. From here on, there were no imperial servants following him.

He climbed not a few steps and looked around just in case. As expected, there was no one else around except Caleb and Levi.

“You can come out now.”

Mikael grabbed Yuri’s head and carried it into his front pocket. Yuri’s head popped out of the pocket.

“Oh, I thought I was going to die of suffocation.”

His small mouth grumbled and complained. Then a pleasant smile spread. The thought of the fireworks seemed to cheer him up.

Before long, the three men and a doll reached the top floor of the tower.

The inside of the colorful tower was full of various foods. While Yul rolled his eyes here and there while looking at the various foods with an expression as if he had arrived in another world, Mikael went straight across the inside of the tower to the terrace.

There, Andrei was sitting half-reclining in his chair.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

He greeted him casually, as if he had forgotten all the conflict he had with Mikael just before. Mikael greeted him lightly as expected.

“It was nothing. It happens every year. The little friend is also welcome.”

“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”

When Yul greeted him skillfully, Andrei let out a cool laugh. “Oh, he’s funny,” he muttered.