BRAND NEW WORLD-Chapter 53: The New Moon Goddess Festival (Part 7)

In front of a mirror, a silver-haired woman with blue eyes and pointed ears stood still as Lusserina styled her hair. She was dressed in an all-white winter outfit. Soft footsteps could be heard approaching.

"Mother! Are you ready yet?" a girl called out.

The girl was Daisy, standing at the doorway in a matching white winter outfit.

"Yes, I'm ready," I replied.

After finishing our preparations, I approached Daisy, and together we went downstairs to the first floor. The wooden floor creaked beneath our steps as we descended the staircase and headed straight for the front door. Outside, Rima and the others were already waiting.

"You finally came out," Rima teased with a sly smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Since everyone's ready, let's go," Rima said.

With that decided, we all departed together for the capital.

[At the Capital]

Several hours later, we finally arrived at the capital.

"Incredible… it's as if yesterday's storm never happened," I murmured.

"That just shows how important this festival is to them," Rima commented.

The capital looked exactly as it had before the storm—bustling with people enjoying the festival. There was no trace left behind, as though the storm had never existed. I glanced at Daisy beside me.

"So, where should we start?" I asked with a smile.

For a moment, Daisy sank into thought, pressing her index finger against her chin while glancing left and right.

"T-there!" Daisy exclaimed, pointing at a stall selling sweet snacks.

And just like that, our adventure through the capital began—sampling various foods and enjoying the games on display.

• • •

During winter, it was hard to tell the time since the sun rarely appeared in the sky. Fortunately, the bells of the capital still marked the passing hours.

The bell rang three times. It's three in the afternoon, I thought.

We were resting in the plaza, tasting food and drinks from nearby stalls.

[A Short While Earlier]

After we finished walking around—

"M-Mom… drink…" Daisy said softly.

"Oh, you're thirsty? Then let's find something to eat as well."

"Perfect timing. I know a good place," Rima chimed in.

"Which fancy restaurant are we going to this time?" I teased.

"Hey! Do you think I only know luxury restaurants?" Rima retorted, frowning.

Seeing that, everyone burst into laughter.

"Haha, alright, alright. Please lead the way."

Rima took the lead, and we walked through the snow-covered, bustling streets of the capital.

Wait… isn't this the road to the plaza? I thought in surprise.

Sure enough, we soon arrived there.

"This is…" I murmured.

"Hehe, surprised?" Rima asked with a mischievous grin.

The plaza before us looked completely different from yesterday. Food and drink stalls were neatly lined along its edges, and people enjoyed their meals in the open air.

This feels like a buffet, I thought.

"I heard this idea was proposed by the ancestor of Movento's mayor back then. At least, that's what King Siegfried told me," Rima explained.

An ancestor… could it be…?

I brushed the thought aside—there were more important things right now.

"What do you want to eat, Daisy?" I asked.

Daisy looked around, unable to decide.

Too many choices, I thought with a smile.

"Got any recommendations, Rim?"

"Mmm…" Rima hummed, her eyes darting left and right.

"You're the one who brought us here, yet you don't have any recommendations?" I teased.

"I-I'm not a food maniac like you," Rima replied, cheeks reddening.

I asked the others as well, but their answers were the same. Just then, someone called out.

"Lun!"

I turned toward the voice.

"Ares!" I exclaimed.

"Hey, long time no see. Anything new?" Ares asked.

"Nothing much. Same as always."

After introducing Ares to everyone, I asked him for food recommendations.

"Ohh, so that's why you all look like people who want to buy something but don't have enough money," Ares joked with a chuckle.

"D-do we really look like that?"

"No, sorry, just kidding," Ares said with a wry smile. "Don't worry—I know plenty of good options."

With Ares's help, we gathered various foods and drinks he considered delicious. Some were even from Earth, like pork-filled buns and sweet red bean buns. Afterwards, we found an empty spot to enjoy our feast.

[Back to the Present]

Two hours passed unnoticed as we enjoyed the buffet-style meal and chatted.

"Alright, it's time to head back," Rima said.

"Back?"

"Yes, we still have another event later."

"An event…" I murmured. Ah, that one.

"It looks like we should return home and get ready," I added.

Disappointment appeared on Daisy's face—her lips pouted, and her shoulders drooped.

"Don't worry. I guarantee the next event won't disappoint," Rima reassured.

Despite the lingering regret, we parted ways with Ares, Elise, and the others, then returned to Lake Dewata.

• • •

After returning home, we bathed and changed for the formal event. A few hours later, Lusserina finished dressing me.

In the mirror, I wore an ivory silk gown that hugged my figure with a simple yet luxurious design. The fabric flowed elegantly, shimmering softly with every movement. A golden shawl draped around my arms, giving me a noble air—not merely decorative, but a symbol of the dignity and status I had long carried. A gold-engraved belt fastened the gown at my waist with precision, adding both grace and authority. I also wore aquamarine earrings and a matching pendant.

When did she even prepare this? She was with us the entire time, I thought.

"All done, my lady," Lusserina said.

"Mom, I want to see!" Daisy exclaimed.

I turned toward her.

"Wow! Mom, you're so beautiful!" Daisy cried, eyes sparkling.

"Thank you. You look like a princess yourself," I said, gently patting her head.

Daisy wore a similar outfit, minus the shawl.

"Lun! Are you ready? Let's go!" Rima called from downstairs.

"Yes, I'm coming!"

We went downstairs to find Rima wearing a gown similar to mine. Once everyone was ready, we headed for the capital in a horse-drawn carriage.

Several hours later, we arrived once more at the capital. The sky had already grown dark, and lamps and lanterns illuminated the streets as our carriage passed through. After a few minutes, we reached the entrance gate to the noble district and proceeded straight toward the palace gates.

From afar, a line of carriages could be seen waiting to enter the palace. Each carriage was stopped at the entrance for inspection.

Security at the entrance is quite strict. Since the guests are VIPs, it makes sense that the protection would be this tight, I thought.

After several minutes, it was finally our turn. Once the inspection—mostly a formality—was complete, we were allowed inside.

When the carriage came to a halt, and Abi opened the door, a red carpet stretched from the courtyard all the way to the palace entrance. The guests attending tonight's event were all dressed in their finest attire.

My heart pounded as I stepped down from the carriage. Despite that, I couldn't help but feel excited to see how tonight's banquet would unfold. Holding Daisy's small hand, we walked along the red carpet toward the palace.

A servant guided us toward the palace hall. As we stepped inside, the interior left anyone in awe. Towering pillars supported the high, expansive ceiling. Along both sides of the corridor, paintings and valuable ornaments—vases and decorative planters—adorned the walls. We also passed an open corridor overlooking a garden, though it was barely visible in the darkness of the night.

As I glanced toward the garden, I suddenly sensed someone passing by. Instinctively, I turned around.

Before me stood a tall man with blond hair, wearing an ivory-white tuxedo adorned with gold epaulettes resting on his shoulders. The moment I saw him, my body stiffened, goosebumps rising along my skin. My heart began to race uncontrollably.

Could it be… him?! My heart jolted.

I opened my mouth to call out, but no sound came out. My body felt frozen, as though rooted in place. While I was lost in thought, someone suddenly tapped my shoulder.

"Lun?" Rima asked.

Recognising her voice, I turned toward her reflexively.

"Ah!" I gasped.

"What's wrong? You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?" Rima asked, concern evident on her face.

"I-I'm fine," I replied, shaking my head. "It's just that…"

I looked back to where the man had been—but he was gone.

Huh? Where did he go? How could he disappear so quickly? Did I imagine it? I wondered in confusion.

"What did you see?" Rima asked, following my gaze.

"It's nothing. Let's keep going," I said, resuming my steps.

At the end of the corridor, hidden behind a wall, a blond-haired man leaned his back against the stone surface. A faint smile formed on his lips before he pushed himself off the wall and walked to the other side of the hallway.

When we arrived at the hall, my eyes were dazzled by the gleaming granite floor. The room was already filled with guests. Along one side of the hall stood buffet tables offering a wide variety of food and drinks.

As I was looking around, someone approached us.

"Miss Rima!" a voice called out.

The man who greeted her appeared to be in his forties. It was my first time meeting him.

"Prime Minister Orba!" Rima replied.

"How have you been, Miss Rima? It's been quite some time," Prime Minister Orba said.

"I'm well. And you?" Rima asked.

"I'm doing well too," he replied, then turned his gaze toward me. "So this is the legendary sister of Miss Rima…"

"Oh, right—Lun, allow me to introduce him. This is Orba, Prime Minister of Kalimantra, in the northern region," Rima said.

I nodded. "Luna. Lunaria Oberyth."

"A pleasure to meet you, La— I mean, Miss Luna," Prime Minister Orba said with an awkward smile. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Was he about to call me 'Lady' just now? I thought.

After exchanging a few words, Prime Minister Orba excused himself. Soon after, several others came to greet us—more precisely, to greet Rima.

"Ugh… we've spent several minutes just returning greetings," I muttered.

"Welcome back to noble society. You'll get used to it eventually," Rima said with a small laugh.

"We'll look for a place to sit. Poor Daisy must be tired—and bored."

"Alright then. I'll go greet the others," Rima replied.

Daisy and I found an empty seat along the side of the hall—a luxurious brown sofa adorned with gold engravings. Abi and Lusserina stood beside us, while Abi handed Daisy a drink and sat close to me.

She's probably on guard because this place is unfamiliar and full of strangers, I thought.

Just as we were enjoying a quiet moment, a young beastman—more precisely, a cat-man—suddenly approached.

"I pay my respects to Lady Lunaria," the cat-man said, abruptly kneeling before me.

I choked on my drink.

—cough—cough—

"My lady! Are you alright? Is the drink not to your liking?" Lusserina asked hurriedly, offering me water.

No, that's not it, I thought.

Naturally, his sudden kneeling drew everyone's attention to us.

"What are you doing?! Stand up at once! Cough," I said softly.

As if obeying an order, the cat-man immediately stood straight. His posture resembled that of a noble, as if nothing unusual had happened moments ago.

All I could do was let out a long sigh.

"So… can you explain why you suddenly knelt earlier?" I asked, clearly irritated.

"It is only proper for me to kneel before royalty," the cat-man replied calmly.

Is there really a rule that says one must kneel before a noble? I wondered.

Wait—did he just say 'royalty'?

"What do you mean by 'royalty'?" I asked.

Just as he was about to answer, someone suddenly interrupted.

"Hey, Miss Luna! How have you been!" a man called out cheerfully.

When I turned around, the person who had spoken was Prince Hasby.

Huh? Why is he here? I was startled.

"Oh? Was this man proposing to you just now? How cruel of you to let someone else propose first…" Prince Hasby said, pretending to cry.

"…"

"Then I won't lose either!" he declared before suddenly kneeling as well. "Miss Luna, would you mar—THUD! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

Prince Hasby cried out in pain as someone twisted his ear.

The one responsible was Princess Zeba—his first wife.

"Please forgive his foolishness, Miss Luna," Princess Zeba said apologetically.

"Ah, it's fine," I replied. There's no way I could scold a prince from another nation. Thank goodness Princess Zeba arrived just in time, I thought.

"Is this seat taken?" Princess Zeba asked.

She gestured toward the empty sofa beside me.

"No, it's free," I replied.

"Then, excuse me," she said, taking a seat beside me.

"How have you been, Miss Luna? It's been quite a while," Princess Zeba said warmly.

"Indeed… the last time we met was during the summer," I replied. "How is the kingdom doing? What happened to the worms after we left?"

"Thanks to you, we've all been busier than ever," Princess Zeba said energetically. "But we also gained valuable resources. The hides of the sand worms can be used to make armour or everyday clothing. Because they're rare and valuable materials, after repairing the damage caused by the worms, we've also had to deal with thieves and looters."

By the end of her explanation, her shoulders drooped, and she let out a long sigh.

"I see… I'm glad things worked out."

"And how about you, Miss Luna? I heard you're taking care of a young girl now?" Princess Zeba asked, glancing at Daisy beside me.

"Oh, yes. Let me introduce her. This is Daisy—she's a new member of the Oberyth family. Daisy, say hello," I said.

"D-Daisy…" Daisy replied shyly, hiding behind me as she spoke softly.

"Aww! She's adorable!" Princess Zeba exclaimed.

For the next few minutes, Princess Zeba continued chatting with me, completely ignoring Prince Hasby, who had been standing in front of us the entire time as if invisible. The cat-man also stood beside Prince Hasby. Judging by his posture, he seemed to have a military background.

After a long conversation, Princess Zeba excused herself to greet other guests, taking Prince Hasby with her. The atmosphere finally returned to calm. Only Daisy, Lusserina, Abi, and the cat-man remained with me.

Just as I was about to speak, King Siegfried's voice rang out from across the hall.

"May I have everyone's attention!" King Siegfried called out.

All eyes turned toward him. I stood as well.

"Thank you all for attending this joyous evening. You have come from many lands and backgrounds, yet you share one thing in common—we are all grateful to the Moon Goddess for the lives we have been given. Therefore, let us take a moment to offer our prayers of gratitude," King Siegfried declared.

Some guests closed their eyes, while others bowed their heads. A few moments later, King Siegfried announced the start of the banquet and invited everyone to enjoy the feast accompanied by medieval-style music.

Not long after, Rima returned—this time accompanied by King Siegfried, Queen Anastasia, and Princess Veni, more formally known as Princess Vernotta.

"Lun, look what I brought," Rima said with a mischievous grin.

"You're making it sound like they're objects," I muttered.

"Hahaha! Miss Rima's sense of humour never gets old," King Siegfried laughed.

We mostly talked about the festival. After some time, Rima suddenly grabbed my hand.

"Lun, let's dance!"

"Are you insane? How am I supposed to dance wearing something like this?!" I whispered.

"Relax. We won't move much—just small steps left and right," Rima replied.

"That's easy for you to say," I grumbled.

"Don't worry. Just follow the rhythm, and you'll be fine," she assured me.

After a bit of persuasion, I finally gave in. We stepped into the centre of the hall and joined the others in dancing.

"When the rhythm changes, everyone has to switch partners with the nearest person," Rima said with a sly smile.

"Why are you telling me this now? If I'd known, I wouldn't have danced!" I protested, frowning.

"If I'd told you earlier, you wouldn't have joined at all," Rima laughed.

"Exactly."

Soon, the music shifted. Rima released my hand, and I found myself changing partners. Over the next few minutes, I danced with several familiar faces—Prince Hasby, Rania, and others. Radhimar clearly wanted to dance with me as well, but he restrained himself to maintain his dignity as a high priest.

As the melody continued, I suddenly caught sight of the man I had seen earlier in the corridor. He was dancing too—this time wearing a mask. When the rhythm changed again, and it was time to switch partners, he suddenly left the dance floor and headed toward the balcony doors.

Sensing an opportunity, I followed him.

My heart pounded harder with each step closer to the balcony. I hesitated briefly before opening the door. After taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and stepped outside.

The hope that had soared sky-high plunged into despair when I found the balcony empty.

I walked forward slowly. The view of Nuzantra's capital from above was breathtaking. And yet—for some reason—I couldn't enjoy it.

Where did he go? I wondered.

While lost in thought, Rima called out to me.

"Lun! What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident on her face.

"I'm fine. I just wanted some fresh air," I replied.

"If you're tired and want to go home, just say so. Don't push yourself," Rima said gently.

"I know. Don't worry," I replied, returning inside with her.

High above the palace, a faint mirage appeared in the sky—its shape vaguely resembling a person. Moments later, the mirage vanished, revealing the very same man Luna had seen in the corridor.

"Oops… that was close. I'm eager too, but it's not time yet," he muttered softly.

"I hope you can be patient."

A light enveloped his body—and he disappeared into nothingness.