Chapter 254: LOYAL FANBASE
[Just what did I get myself into?] Aristia thought, looking at the children who remained bowed.
She sighed lightly but put on a small smile.
"Then I accept your loyalties. So you’re my fans, huh?"
The children got up when she accepted. Then they froze, confusion flashing across their faces.
Even Alaric, Catherine, and Melanie tilted their heads, unsure what she meant.
"Fans?"
Aristia nodded. "Yes. It means my loyal supporters or followers, the ones who stand by this princess through thick and thin!"
The girl in front blinked, then beamed. "It would be our honor to be your fans, your highness."
Aristia nodded. "What’s your name?"
"Oh. My name is Millicent, your highness."
Aristia nodded and muttered under her breath, "Ah, Millicent. So I can call her Millie..." She trailed off when she felt an intense gaze on her.
Her eyes turned to one of the trees in front of the commoner houses and she locked eyes with sharp purple gems.
[Okay, so no Millie nickname.] Aristia looked away a bit nervously.
She turned to the others. "What about the rest of you?"
One by one, the ten or so children introduced themselves.
"I’m Imelda."
"I’m Roderick."
"I’m Gabriel."
"I’m Felicia."
"We’re Killian, Julian and Lilian." It was obvious that they were triplets, judging from their similar features and the way each one called their own name.
"I’m Taylor."
"I’m Noah."
"I’m Celeste."
"Okay," Aristia nodded. "Thank you all for choosing to become this princess’s fans. You’ve sworn loyalty to me and will protect this princess’s name! But we’ll have to get going now."
Their stroll wasn’t over, no?
The children nodded their heads.
Millicent looked at Catherine and stepped forward, a bit nervously now. "Y-your highness, since you’re taking a stroll, may we... show you around?"
All the children nodded in agreement, then turned to Catherine, waiting for her answer.
Catherine exchanged glances with Aristia and spoke a second later, smiling gracefully. "Alright, you may."
The children nodded with surprised faces before proceeding to show them around.
Commoners bowed as they passed before widening their eyes in surprise when they saw the children leading them along.
The children were very energetic.
Millicent walked beside Aristia pointing at things and talking about it.
Now that the other children knew that Aristia wasn’t difficult to approach, they stopped being tense around her.
Just like that, the sun began to set.
Catherine stopped. "It’s time for us to return."
The children also stopped.
"Ohh... Will you be coming out tomorrow, princess? It’s the Spring festival." Millicent asked.
"I don’t know yet." Aristia replied. She was already aware of this, but she didn’t know if she would be attending.
"Oh..." Millicent replied with a fine a bit downcast.
"But if I do, I’ll be sure to see my fans, right?"
Hearing this, the children perked up. "Of course, princess. We’re always here!"
"Thank you for showing us around, children." Catherine said.
The children’s eyes widened. She just thanked them for showing them around their own territory?
They quickly bowed. "It’s our honor, your highness!" They said in unison.
"Take this, as a token of my appreciation." Catherine said.
Without needing to be told, Melanie took out a pouch and put a bronze coin on the hand of each child. "Use this to buy something for yourselves."
The children were shocked. So generous!
"Thank you, your highness." They bowed again. "Goodbye!" They waved running off together.
Aristia faintly heard one of them mutter. "I’ll gather more children to follow the third princess!"
It was now only Aristia, Alaric, Catherine and Melanie.
"Let’s return to the carriage." Catherine said.
Together, they strolled back to the place the carriage was parked.
The coachman was waiting outside the carriage chewing on something.
It was something that all the coachmen working for the Grand Duke’s household began doing and it was all because of Aristia.
She usually gave the coachmen something to eat whenever they were leaving knowing that the coachmen would be waiting for hours.
[Imagine the boredom!]
She would give them melon seeds, nuts and sometimes snacks to chew on.
It seemed mediocre, but it worked surprisingly well.
The coachman learnt this and soon, all their coachmen would buy these to keep themselves occupied; cracking open melon seeds one by one and chewing in front of the carriage.
[It’s not like I turned them into gluttons.]
Seeing them, he put it down and went to assist them.
They entered the carriage and the Coachman returned to his position, getting ready to start the carriage.
The carriage started moving, soon leaving behind the commoner houses.
"I told you that the commoners don’t hate you. Look at how happy those children were to be your... fans." Catherine said.
Aristia was speechless.
[So you’re gonna ignore how those children literally looked at me like I was a child eater when Millicent approached me even though were just about the same age?]
That was what she wanted to say. But instead what she said was,
"Yes, mama. They all love me. I’m so pleased to have fans."
"I’m your first fan. I’m your best fan. No, I’m your number one fan!" Alaric grumbled, folding his hands beside her.
Aristia nodded seriously. "Of course. Al will always be number one."
Alaric became pleased and he unfolded his arms.
Catherine watched him with amusement before turning to look out the window at the trees they passed on the way back to the Estate.
Even Melanie couldn’t resist the small smile appearing on her face.
Aristia turned to look out of the window. [I wonder what papa will think when he finds out I suddenly have a bunch of ’vassals’.]
The carriage finally stopped in front of the Estate’s gate.
The guards quickly opened the gate for the carriage to pass.
After a minute, the carriage stopped in front of the mansion.
Adeline and Cassandra were already waiting outside the mansion for Aristia to return.
As soon as they entered inside, Aristia went to change her clothes.
"Yes! Finally winter’s over. Now I can change into more comfortable clothes." Aristia said.
Adeline took out her clothes; blue shirt and black pants. She bent down to help Aristia dress into the clothes before standing straight.
"I’ll escort you to the dining room."
When she entered the dining room, everyone was already there.
This time, Melanie was in the dining too.
Usually, she had her meals alone, but occasionally, she would eat with the family.
Coincidentally, Catherine was also dressed the same way.
[Or maybe it was because I talked about how it would be great to dress this way when winter’s over.]
Aristia smiled at those in the table and took her seat.
Kai had more or less gotten used to seeing her dress this way, especially since she usually wore a similar outfit during her trainings with Captain Hugh Lancelot which took place almost every day.
He had been very surprised at first, but now it had become normal.