Satou's here. I've seen harps in stories and tv shows, but I've never seen one in person. I have an image of a woman wearing toga playing a harp, but that's quite heavy isn't it.
◇
I'm saved by the announcement that the little sister of Princess Shistina will come.
Stopping the anti-listening device, we clean up the spell documents and get back to a normal tea party state.
While feeling a bit like a secret lover of a married woman somehow, my eyes catch sight of a little girl who appears on the entrance of the room.
"Shistina nee-sama!"
The small princess hugs Princess Shistina.
Her name is Doris, born from the same mother as Princess Shistina, she's the twelfth princess who's only 10 years old. She's two years younger than Arisa, but her physique is no different than Arisa's.
Princess Doris is behaving like a spoiled child with her big sister for a while, after that she turns toward Mia and speaks in high tension.
"Mia-sama! I've brought an unusual harp and Hisui today for Mia-sama!"
The 'Hisui' that Princess Doris was talking about isn't a jade but a small songbird with feathers as beautiful as a jade.
It's singing beautifully from inside a luxurious cage.
--I wonder what is this? I get deja vu like I know this bird.
"Mia-sama, please play this!"
Mia receives the harp, flicks the strings with her finger and confirms the music scale.
The harp looks mystical befitting to be an item of a princess of a large kingdom.
The strings that look like they're made from gold are arranged on the harp's jade-like main body.
In addition, a relief of a long haired woman is carved on its supporting part.
This female statue doesn't seem to be a mere decoration but it also serves as an echo pipe, Mia is doing trial and error with a serious face, trying to grasp the harp's characteristic.
Looks like Princess Doris is bored now that Mia isn't keeping her company, she steps toward me.
"I permit you to give your name."
Princess Doris spoke so as if commanding me who was still sitting.
The way she's trying her best to look dignified is heartwarming.
"Nice to meet you your highness. I am Viscount Satou Pendragon, a retainer of Earl Muno."
After that, I bow stylishly like a young nobleman would.
Normally I would only do this to a lady, but this kind of greeting should make a little girl who's trying hard to look like an adult happy.
"My! What a wonderful greeting, Sir Pendragyon--Viscount-sama. I am the twelfth princess of Shiga Kingdom, Doris Shiga. I'm born from the same mother as Shistina nee-sama's nano--desuwa."
Princess Doris returned the greeting even while fumbling her words and using wrong speech.
After looking restlessly to my sides, she turns toward Arisa.
"Arisa, leave that space."
"No way."
Arisa rudely refused the order even though it was against a princess of a large kingdom.
It seems the princess didn't think that she would be refused, her line of sight loiters around restlessly.
Mia is sitting on the opposite side of Arisa.
After looking troubled for a while, seemingly unable to tell Mia to leave, she smiles as if she's realized something and then she holds both her hands toward me.
--What does she want me to do?
"Let me sit on your lap, Pendra--Satou."
I see, she wants to sit on my lap huh.
"Doris, you're being impolite."
"Princess, sit beside Princess Shistina."
Princess Shistina and Princess Doris's close aide rebuked her, but she turns her clingy-like line of sight toward me.
"--I can't?"
"Understood, Princess Doris."
I grab her waist and put her on my lap.
Mia and Arisa seem dissatisfied, but please let me off for just spoiling a cute child.