Fun Girl’s Party 1: Princess Mia Burns With a Sense of Mission
Following the royal castle ball’s conclusion, Mia and her friends shifted to Rafina’s room at the inn for an exclusive girls-only after-party. Upon their arrival, they seated themselves at a dinner table adorned with a tempting pot of steaming cream stew. Within the rich liquid floated substantial chunks of bread, and perfectly boiled sweet potatoes imparted a golden-yellow hue and a faintly sweet fragrance to the stew. Mia found herself captivated by the sensory experience. As she spooned a mouthful, the sweet potato on her tongue unraveled into pure deliciousness, leaving behind a luscious sugary flavor and a fruity aroma that harmonized with the stew’s creamy texture.
Exhaling quick, steamy breaths, Mia explored the stew in search of something specific until she spotted it. Its body was mostly concealed by the stew, with only a small portion poking above the surface. Resembling seaweed but not a marine vegetable, Mia wondered aloud, “Is this… the legendary mushroom, sambapilz?”
The server confirmed, “Yes, it is said that those who indulge in this mushroom experience their tongues dancing with delight due to its exquisite flavor. They are more easily found around here in Sunkland.”
Mia exclaimed, “How wonderful!”
Without delay, she scooped a portion into her mouth. Its slender, pliable consistency made it jiggle, imparting a distinctive sensation as if it were dancing on her tongue. A spontaneous giggle escaped her. Upon biting into it, a lavish mushroom essence spilled forth, creating a magical flavor that seemed to distill all the delectable essences of Mother Nature into that single bite. Paired with the stew, it crafted an indescribably delightful experience.
“Mmmmmmmmm… It’s so good…” she expressed, savoring every element, from the stew-soaked bread to the tender sunshine carrots, finding deep satisfaction in every aspect of the dish.
Contemplating the prospect of Esmeralda marrying Prince Echard, she envisioned stronger ties to Sunkland and the potential for occasional gifts of these exquisite mushrooms. Yet, it wasn’t just the mushrooms; the entire stew was a masterpiece of culinary art.
After indulging in the hearty late-night stew, Mia began to feel the embrace of drowsiness. It was only natural to seek a restful sleep after a satisfying meal, and Mia, embodying the essence of humanity, fully embraced this inclination.
“Hnnngh… I’m not really up for making the trip back to Count Lampron’s,” she murmured, stifling a yawn.
This prompted Rafina’s interest for some reason. The Holy Lady then took a deep breath and regarded the room with the utmost seriousness.
“I completely agree. It’s hardly a good idea for young ladies to head out when it’s already so late. How about you all stay here for the night?”
“Huh? Is that…okay?” asked Mia, unsuccessfully attempting to mask her drowsiness.
“Of course. This is an inn, and they have plenty of rooms. Besides, there are Serpents out there, so it’s definitely safest to stay here,” Rafina insisted, her fists balled in a persuasive manner.
“Fwaaaah… That’s…a good point. I guess I’ll take you up on your offer… Rina? Bel? You’re okay with that, I assume?”
So, it was decided that Mia and her friends would spend the night with Rafina in the inn. Assuming they’d all fit in one room, Mia’s four-girl group—composed of her, Bel, Citrina, and Anne—proceeded to rent…absolutely nothing! They stayed right where they were! Why? Because it was time for a five-girl pajama party!
Soon, the girls were fully immersed in sleepover mode. Having changed into pajamas, all provided by Rafina, they huddled on the two beds in her room, ready to talk the night away.
The idea of an all-pajamas look had been Rafina’s brainchild.
“Once we’re in pajamas, there’s no telling who’s a noble and who’s a commoner, right?”
With this statement, she effectively extended an invitation to Anne, allowing each one of them to gather on the beds of sisterhood.
Mia, initially ready to crash out at a moment’s notice, found that with so many young maidens gathered after witnessing a heart-stopping duel, sleep was all but impossible. Rest wouldn’t come until they’d exhausted every romantic topic they could think of.
“Prince Sion was so cool back there!” Bel declared, opening the conversation about her idol’s performance.
“Tee hee, you sure are crazy about Prince Sion, aren’t you, Bel?” Citrina said, giggling and playfully dismissive.
Bel nodded firmly, the joke either flying over her or sliding off her. “Of course I am! I mean, he’s just too cool! Don’t you think so, Rina?”
Mia observed the girls with droopy eyes as they carried on their conversation. Despite the charged atmosphere, sleep still weighed heavily on her. That is, until…
“What about you Moth—? Miss Anne? Is there anyone that you’re crazy about?”
…Bel went for the jugular. Mia immediately perked up, her drowsiness disappearing in an instant.
Although Mia had sought Anne’s love advice numerous times, it only now occurred to her that she had never asked about Anne’s own love interests. With intense curiosity, she turned to her faithful maid, who replied, “No. I won’t marry because I plan to stay at milady’s side and serve her for as long as I live. Oh, assuming, um…you’re okay with that, of course…”
Anne turned nervously to Mia, and their eyes met.
“If I’m okay with that?” Mia frowned. “Why would I not be? You’ve been nothing but helpful all these years. In fact, I fully intend to keep you as my maid-in-waiting even after you’re married. Perhaps, when I have children, it might be more fitting for you to serve as my wet nurse. Regardless, the key point is that even with a husband, there’s no need for you to quit your job.”
Mia, however, felt a certain discomfort with engaging in displays of affection while Anne was present. The thought of her flirting with her boyfriend while her loyal maid remained single made her feel guilty. Just as enjoying food together was ideal, Mia believed that love was best experienced simultaneously.
“Milady…” Tears of gratitude welled up in Anne’s eyes.
“But, you know,” Mia continued, “if the issue is that you’re too busy for romance, then it falls on me to find you a suitable partner. To do that, I’ll need to know your preferences. So go ahead; tell me your taste in men.”
After a round of excited girl-chattering, the topic shifted again.
“By the way, Miss Rafina, what kind of person are you into?”
Mia wasn’t sure who posed the question, but its content demanded her full attention. She even sat up a little straighter. After all, discovering what the Holy Lady sought in a man intrigued Mia, who hadn’t mustered the courage to ask the question herself.
She mentally saluted the nameless daredevil who had the guts to ask Miss Rafina, and then turned her attention to Rafina.
“What kind of person am I into? Hm…” Rafina touched a finger to her cheek and tilted her head. “I…don’t think I’m into any specific type.”
“Huh? But what about Prince Sion?” asked Bel, astonished that someone could be immune to Sion’s charms. “He’s so dreamy! And Keithwood’s really cool too!”
Unperturbed and with no regard for propriety, Bel persisted. Her memories of the Empress Prelate nightmare had likely faded.
“Hmm… They’re both marvelous individuals, that’s for certain, but…” Rafina smiled. “Not exactly the kind of person I find attractive.”
With that, she dropped the blade of rejection on the pair of grade-A Sunkland bachelors. Mia shuddered a little, involuntarily recalling moments from the previous timeline when she had seen that expression. Rafina truly had the ability to deliver a lethal blow with her smile.
“Seriously? Huuuuh. What kind of person do you find attractive then?” Bel puffed out her cheeks indignantly, persistently dissatisfied with the lukewarm response her personal best candidates had received.
“Hmmm, good question…” Rafina paused for a moment before conceding in a bashful mumble, “If I had to choose, I guess it’d be…someone who could carry me in their arms like a bride.”
The Holy Lady had seemingly lost her mind. Mia stared at Rafina in disbelief. She quickly took a sip of her drink, confirming it didn’t contain any alcohol. She then stared at Rafina again, taking another sip just to be sure, performing a literal double take.
“She’s…not drunk, right?”
Rafina appeared perfectly normal. Mia shot a sideward glance at Citrina, who sneakily sniffed Rafina’s drink before comparing it with her own. Citrina nodded, confirming it was just juice. Alcohol wasn’t the culprit.
“But…a bridal carry? That’s just…too out there. It’s so surreal…Not that bridal carries aren’t done, of course. Plenty of people perform it. The issue is how nondescript it is regarding a potential love interest. Rafina’s response is so vague; it offers absolutely no concrete picture of the actual person.”
Mia suddenly felt a sense of looming crisis. She quickly scanned the room before whispering to Bel, “By the way, Bel…did the Empress Prelate version of Rafina ever marry?”
Bel gave her a baffled look. “I can’t imagine anyone having such a death wish.”
“Right, of course… Not that I’m surprised… Oh, but maybe General Dion! Someone like him can probably handle it!”
Mia couldn’t believe Bel had that thought. Nevertheless, she acknowledged the potential in her granddaughter’s offbeat suggestion. After recomposing herself, Mia took another look at Rafina.
“Now that I think about it… Miss Rafina seems like the type who’s going to have a lot of trouble finding a husband. Being the daughter of Duke Belluga, it’s highly likely that her father will bring her a suitable groom in due time. It’s similarly likely that she wouldn’t outright refuse such an arrangement. However… considering her father’s the type to have a portrait of her drawn every year…”
The duke displayed an unmistakable excessive fondness for Rafina. While there was nothing inherently wrong with a father doting on his beloved daughter, ordering a new portrait of her every year and then selling those portraits to neighboring kingdoms seemed to be pushing the boundaries. It was akin to climbing onto a roof and shouting, “My daughter is the cutest-schmoochest little girl in the world!” to the whole town, a gesture that, in Mia’s opinion, was simply too much. Unfortunately, this was a regular occurrence for Duke Belluga.
Mia speculated that Duke Belluga would likely get along well with her own father. Knowing her father’s nature, if Rafina expressed even the slightest grievance about a potential groom, he wouldn’t push her into an arranged marriage. While the duke’s actions were a well-intentioned gesture, it complicated the process of finding a suitable partner for Rafina. She would likely go through a series of imperfect candidates, each failed attempt leaving a scar on her psyche until the Empress Prelate was born.
Feeling a sense of duty, Mia realized she had a responsibility as a friend and a seasoned expert in romance. She needed to use her experience to find and introduce the perfect man to Rafina, ensuring she would remain her friendly, non-prelate self. It was essential to keep Rafina’s desires satisfied, particularly her romantic ones, but Mia wouldn’t mind having a companion in the world of F.A.T.
“Miss Rafina, you and I are in a position that will eventually require us to produce heirs. It is something we need to do to keep our kingdom prosperous and our people happy. When it comes to the type of men you prefer, it might be wise to think in more specific terms.”
“Hmm… I suppose you do have a point.”
Mia’s suggestion prompted Rafina to adopt a more serious expression.
“In that case…” Rafina began, a thoughtful hand on her cheek, “Someone I can respect, perhaps?”
“Respect…”
“Yes. Someone selfless, who won’t hesitate to act for the good of others. Someone kind to children and the elderly alike, and who has compassion for the weak… but will firmly oppose oppression by powerful people. He doesn’t have to be physically strong, so long as he stands up to tyranny. Someone who fights quietly but tenaciously… I’m pretty accommodating, so as long as he’s got those qualities, then I don’t really care much about the rest.”
“Mmhm, mmhm. Okay, I… see?”
As she compiled the laundry list of qualities, the image of a particular individual flashed across her mind. Confronted with the cold, uncaring cruelty of the world, this man had undoubtedly fought against it—quietly and tenaciously. He tirelessly worked to protect underprivileged children, prioritizing their needs over his own despite the challenging conditions of his surroundings. Selfless, acting for the greater good, and displaying boundless compassion for the vulnerable, Mia’s thoughts turned to the priest in the Newmoon District.
While he was undeniably older than her—considerably so, in fact—as a member of the Central Orthodox Church, Mia deemed him a viable candidate. To confirm, she decided to pose a few more questions.
“By the way, what do you think about muscles?” she asked.
“Huh? M-Muscles?”
Rafina furrowed her brow, perplexed by the sudden query. Recognizing the faux pas, Mia quickly waved her hands.
Ugh, what was I thinking? Ruby’s the only one who gets excited when she sees big, muscular men. For most girls, their romantic preferences don’t include muscle mass!
Clearing her throat, Mia started afresh.
“Well, not just muscles, but more like…stature? You know, how tall they are and how big they look. The face is important too. Also, how good they are at swordsmanship or academics… And what their rank is…”
“Personally, I have no preferences regarding any of those qualities.”
“What about age then?”
“In terms of public image, it would be problematic if he was too old, but for my part, I don’t particularly care.”
Mia thought about the priest’s visage.
Hmm… I wouldn’t call him too old. Maybe this might just work?
“So long as we share the same faith, and his love for me is true, then I’m happy to marry whoever asks for my hand.”
Wonderful! The priest of that church loves Miss Rafina to death! I think I’ve found the perfect candi—
“Oh, actually, I have one more condition,” said Rafina with a clap of her hands. “And this one is very important.”
“Oh? One more condition?” asked Mia, encouraging her to continue.
With the most serious expression yet, Rafina said, “Yes. They can’t own a portrait of me.”
“Ah. Well. That…makes sense.”
So much for the priest. Mia promptly erased him from her mental list of potential candidates.
