Nia Liston 31: Interlude: Audience’s Comments Towards the Announcement

The magivision would always play during the Silver house’s breakfast. 

——《W-, we look forward to seeing you at the Ice Rose troupe’s play, “The Woman in Love”!》

The actress, who was visibly nervous stiff, was announcing her troupe’s performance with the nervous air of a first timer. Although her attire and features appear mature, the actress seems to be younger than she looks. 

——《We await you at the theatre》

A nervous actress, joined by an exceedingly composed child. 
The prominent contrast draws in the eye. 

Nia Liston. 
The program named after her began broadcasting during last winter in the Liston territory. 

Not even half a year since then, this time she will be stepping onto a stage. 

“—Fumu”

Watching the magivision at breakfast as usual, the head of the Silvers, Lord Vikson Silver, was again thinking about Nia Liston’s occasional morning appearances. 

(She seems healthy. And she looks settled in as well)

A pale little five year old girl who’s always impossibly composed beyond her years. 
When I first saw her, I was worried because of her terrible complexion and how skinny she was from recovering from her illness; but recently, she seems to have put on some weight and looks no different from a regular child. 

—However, her behavior and speech were not childlike in the slightest. 

With how she never lost her composure, it was difficult to believe that she was the same age as my youngest daughter. 

During her hands-on experience segments at various jobs, she has shown a variety of different expressions, but I have never seen one of impatience nor panic. 

“Actress aside, Nia-chan is dressing unfashionably again today hm……”

My eldest daughter, who runs a clothing company and is turning 27 this year, was once again voicing her usual comment. 
Maybe she felt offended, or vexed. Regardless, her brows would furrow every time she watched her. 

She is yet to have any plans for marriage. 

“Gufu-, gu-fu-fu……Nia-cha~n is heading on sta~ge~, gu-fu-fu-fu……”

My second daughter, a painter, is a fan of the pale little girl. 
However, the way she leered at the girl with her smile and eerie chuckling, as if licking her all over, made her appear nothing but criminal. 

As a father, I lament that marriage still seems to be a distance away. 

—My third daughter is currently at the Altoire Academy’s high school division dormitories, so she is absent. 

And finally, my youngest daughter, who is of the same age as the pale girl—

“…………”

—Appeared sullen as always; however, she was keenly watching the images projected on the magic crystal tablet.

When was it that she began looking at Nia Liston as a rival, I wonder. 

Her face showed that she was clearly displeased, but she didn’t move to back away. 
For the first time, my youngest daughter Leliared, who always bared her emotions, looked as if she was holding something in. 

It would be difficult to say she likes her. 
But there is certainly an interest. 

Vikson spoke, giving consideration towards Leliared’s emotional state.

“Lelia. Would you like to watch a play?”

The journey from the Silver’s house to the capital takes less than half a day. 
If they boarded an airship in the evening and slept on it overnight, they would arrive in the capital by morning. 

The performances were supposed to last the entire week, so if he were to adjust his schedule, he should be able to squeeze out at least a single day. —After all, Vikson was not exactly a very dedicated lord. He’s always wanted to pass off his duties as soon as possible, and slacks off work whenever he can. 

“Ricole will be going. Do you want to join us?”

With a “gu-fu?,” Ricolévita—the second daughter gave her father a creepy smirk, then looked towards Leliared. “Don’t look at me with that expression” he almost said reflexively, but his fatherly instincts held strong.

“Dear sister. Don’t look at me with that expression”

Leliared, however, keeled. 

“—I will not be going. Why need I voluntarily go through the trouble of traveling to watch Nia Liston? That’s not even a joke”

“Gu-fu-fu. Esteemed father only asked ‘would you like to watch a play,’ it’s not like he mentioned heading out to watch Nia-cha~n—ouch ow kindly don’t toss your fork, that’s dangerous, dangerous!!”

In the end, Leliared did not go out to watch the play. 

—At a later date however, after watching the video broadcast of the last performance, she decided that she would, indeed, go—though, as part of the performer side, rather than the audience side. 

At the same time as the Silver House’s lively breakfast was unfolding…

——《W-, we look forward to seeing you at the Ice Rose troupe’s play, “The Woman in Love”!》

——《We await you at the theatre》

On the magivision screen were an unknown lead actress she’d never seen before, as well as the actress for the child role—former exclusive face of the Liston territory, Nia Liston, giving their greetings. 

As she was watching the video, she quietly murmured. 

“……So you’ve arrived”

The owner of the luxurious room was having breakfast alone. 

There were a number of maids standing by, but they were so motionless they may as well have been decorations. 

Until their master spoke her order. 

“Please convey my dear brother a message. Tell him I will meet with him at lunch.”

“Understood my lady”

“Today’s plan is to make a hospital visit, yes?”

“Yes. It is scheduled right after your classes”

“Understood”

After the play announcement, she promptly finished her breakfast, stood up, and turned away from the Nia Liston who was now making pasta. 

— —This was Altoire Kingdom’s third princess, Hildetora. She was seven this year.

“The Princess of Surprise Appearances” —this was a nickname she gained after becoming popular through her appearances on magivision; she boasts a popularity so great that not a single person in the capital could fail to know of her. 

She had been waiting. 

For someone to gain as much prominence as her; for that someone to be a girl the same age as her. 

— —She was convinced that finally, someone like that had arrived. 

The Liston family has now clearly begun to promote Nia. 
Should she continue to grow without incident, a few years from now, our older selves will surely face each other. 

“I will look forward to it,” thought Hildetora, a fierce fighting spirit blazing deep inside her heart.


TLN: The narrator seems to shift a lot this chapter. Hopefully it’s not just me misunderstading things and making a poor translation (ehe).


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