Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 285: Interlude - 4: Birthday Party Plannings
"I did some quick planning and this was the most I could do on such short notice."
"Yen, no, this is WAY too much," Daiyu examined the plans that Feyan had prepared on his clipboard. The two stood at the entrance of the ballroom, the venue Feyan had considered to hold the event.
"Forgive me princess, but if I knew it was Ms Jotou’s birthday sooner, I could have prepared something more comprehensive. I thought this would aid at least as a guideline."
"What’s this guestlist!?" Daiyu poked the clipboard. "Might as well let the entire city in! The chief of the Ordinate, the entire Council of Cravolta and some Major Scrotum?"
"Major Schroeder my lady... I understand my penmanship may be a little messy since I wrote in a hurry, but I doubt it is illegible."
"Listen, I already need to use half my braincells to read the weird-ass alphabet in this world, you put those letters together and thought I wouldn’t misread that? And a classical band? Really?" Daiyu half-closed her right eye.
Feyan’s head tilted with knitted brows, "You... expected a party with no guests and a quiet room? Then by all means my lady, you may plan a party at your own leisure," he threw his hands up in surrender.
Daiyu groaned, "Alright, alright, I get your point. We need to bring down the guestlist, by a lot. Jotou doesn’t like too many people, party or not."
"We can shorten it to just the people in the palace?"
"That works I guess. For the music, I think a radio or something would do."
"Plenty of phonographs lying around, with a larger selection of tunes."
"This many balloons and decorations... Eh, this one’s fine. But a North Cravoltan style buffet?" Daiyu furrowed her brows, "Why North Cravoltan food?"
"Because Ms Jotou looks North Cravoltan?"
"Looks North Cravoltan-? You know Jotou came all the way from Kria, right? Like, came back to life there, what made you think he’s North Cravoltan?"
Feyan shrugged, "She has large eyes and lashes, somewhat wavy hair and the features of her face appear more Cravoltan, albeit that of a noble.
However her hair is blonde and her skin is on the fairer side. That narrows it down to North Cravoltan. I could be wrong of course. I am speaking more genetically than geographically I suppose.
Even so, I figured Ms Jotou’s tastebuds would appreciate cuisine from Northern Cravolta."
Daiyu’s half-eyed stare continued, "...So how long have you been staring at him exactly?"
"Uh, it was a mere observation..."
"Uh huh... What do I look like then?" Daiyu folded her arms.
Feyan squinted, "You, are the princess of Cravolta... The Tamara bloodline has lived in this city for generations. It is well-known that you are east Cravoltan..."
"Ya got lucky," Daiyu stopped glaring.
"I- Sure, I got lucky." Feyan sighed, "Is there something you wish to say about us?"
"Us?" Daiyu raised a brow.
"I would think you would tease me for speaking about Ms Jotou in such a manner, but instead I believe I saw a little envy. I do not think of Ms Jotou in such a way, just to be clear."
Daiyu cackled, "You think I was bothered by that? Jotou’s already occupied by a line, you’d have no chance in hell to begin with," she finished off her hysterics. "Ah... It’s more like, ya know, I don’t care if you’re looking at her like that."
"I was not..."
"But you know, I like, wouldn’t mind like a few compliments, stuff like that..." Daiyu stared into his soul.
Feyan gave a nervous chuckle, "If that is the only issue; you look lovely today princess," he smiled.
Slowly a grin curled up on Daiyu and her hands couldn’t help but lunge to pinch Feyan’s cheeks, "Aww, you’re so cute!" she said aggressively.
Feyan’s entire body wobbled with Daiyu’s assault as his eyes winced, "My lady, this hurts!" Daiyu let go and sighed in satisfaction.
Feyan rubbed his face, "Apologies for taking the time away from the current plan, but we have not spoken about in a while and I hoped to bring the topic back up, at least for a brief period."
The Undying Princess’s face quickly shifted away from a smile, "About us... We’ve been pretty busy since the last time we talked about it. Look, I obviously don’t wanna lead you on or anything. It’s just.
You’re, fancy and stuff. I’ve met your family as ’the princess’. I just, wanna be a bit more proper before I get into anything, ya know? Just gimme like, a few more weeks, I’ll come around and figure it out."
Feyan knitted his brows, "My lady, just be yourself; that is already more than I can ask for. I understand the need for time, but you do not need to ’be more proper’, whatever that is supposed to be."
"Yeah..." Daiyu pouted and muttered, "Stop being cute." She took a deep breath, "I’ll remember that."
"And here I thought that the kiss on New Year’s was meant to be more of a confirmation," Feyan chuckled.
"I’ll be honest, I was already a li’l drunk..."
"I could surmise as much."
"A ballroom is a tad large for a birthday party, wouldn’t you say?" a voice came by from the doors.
Both Daiyu and Feyan glanced in the direction, the princess having already prepared a frown by the sound of the voice. "What’re you doing here?"
Countess Keya crossed her arms and pretended to ponder, "Hm, I believe I live here."
"On the floor of the ballroom? How sad."
"How much did you hear...?" Feyan queried.
"Enough."
"What? You’ve got nothing better to do?"
"Dear, I have a lock on my neck going down my spine, you’ve taken away all my assets, imprisoned me to roam the halls of this palace that I’ve known since I was a child like some shackled ghost and exiled me from the council.
What in the heavens do you expect me to be doing?" the countess flicked her arm up.
Daiyu thought for a moment, "You’re right, we should put you back in the dungeons. New year, new rules."
"I’m laughing on the inside, I swear," Countess Keya was in fact, lying.
"Go eavesdrop somewhere else."
The countess walked in and swiped Feyan’s clipboard. "Countess!" Feyan faced in anger.
Daiyu clenched her fist, "You better give it back to him..."
"You did not even think to invite me Lord Artevik? Hm. I want to say I’m hurt, but I expected nothing more~"
"And why the hell would we invite you?"
"I’d say as a polite gesture. You may think what you like, but you cannot deny the Thundering Blade holds little to no resentment against me. After all, isn’t it her birthday?" her fingers curled around the clipboard.
"You’re too old hag."
The countess’s grip nearly broke the clipboard, "Come again!?"
"You heard me; Jotou’ll be twenty-two. And you’re like what, fifty-four now?"
"Thirty-eight! You know my age!" every wrinkle in her face crumpled as she grimaced.
"Eh, enough to have mid-life crisis."
Feyan smirked.
"Be that is it may, what does it have to do with a birthday party!?"
"You’re just not cool enough. I mean, ew, you’re like sixteen years older than Jotou. You’re tastes are gonna be way off and it’s just gonna be a few of us young people ya know?
An old lady would just ruin the vibe. Arabella’s probs the oldest, but even she’s twenty-five," with a crumple of her nose and a shrug of one shoulder, Daiyu replied.
"What would my presence exactly change princess?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"What’s your favourite music genre?"
The countess face twisted into confusion before she confidently answered, "I suppose classical; something with a violin or piano never fails to amuse me." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
"You see, that just doesn’t work. Jotou likes pop, ya know, it just can’t. We’d also need like doctors around in case you get a stroke.
And you’re probs gonna bring that old people candy, like the ones every grandma carries in their purse- you getting all this?" Daiyu looked to her.
The countess stared... her eyelids narrowing at each sentence, "Are you finished?"
"I can keep going."
"What’s the use of that? Every word that escapes your lips to berate me slowly loses its value till it’s like a kindergartener trying their best to insult me. Have you perhaps missed the point?" the countess fanned the clipboard.
Daiyu half-closed her right eye. "If you wish to attend, you only needed to ask," Feyan put his hand out for his clipboard. "I understand you are a socialite and are considered a queen of revelries, so if you want to help."
"I’ve already helped with the New Year’s Eve celebration," the countess sighed. "This is not some extravagant gala and if I’m just going to be glared at while I’m there," she paused to watch the two glaring at her...
"I may arrive, give the Thundering Blade a small gift and take my leave. Anyhow, you plan to have a small gathering of friends for her little party, have I got that right?"
"Yes," Feyan got back his clipboard.
"Well, then why not stick to something simple and do the preparations with your own two hands? I don’t believe Ms Howllett is that shallow.
Doing something personally has a lot more meaning and charm than expensive guests, abundant equipment and a feast set for nine generations."
"Wow... Actual thoughtful advice."
Countess Keya sighed, "The day you stop resenting me is the day hell turns into a bathhouse," she turned and took her exit.
"Wait, what did you have in mind for something more personal?" Feyan queried.
The countess was out the doors, "Bake a cake, make decorations, figure it out; it’s supposed to be spontaneous."
"Bake a cake huh," Daiyu thought out loud. "How hard could that be?"
"My lady, have you ever baked a cake? Or baked anything for that matter?"
"Not really. We also gotta think about food. Are you a good cook?"
"No," he squeaked. "If you want baked beans, a boiled egg or steamed potatoes, then sure I can make something."
"I can barely cook..." Daiyu shrugged it off, "Welp, guess I better start trying things."
"...I can already envision this all going swimmingly."
