In Alice's room, Alice, who was busy writing something in the book, was surprised by an open door that led her to immediately close the book, putting the bird's quill where the ink was on the table.
"Sweetheart, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Yes."
Directing her chair staring at Luna, Alice's mother, Luna who closes the door approaches her daughter with a hesitant face to know if her daughter agrees with what she will say at this time.
"Listen to me, sweetheart. I want you to have friends so you don't get lonely like this. Do you want to have friends?"
Silent for a moment, Alice pondered while thinking about it.
"Friends huh."
Since Alice reincarnated into this world as her new identity, she has never thought of making friends since she focused on what she did to become stronger in order to be reliable in the future.
Although Alice knew very well that if humans could not live independently, they would need help from others whether friends, relatives, and family made her realize that what her mother said was right.
Especially with her still six years old, people would think that Alice was weird if she stayed alone without having friends by her side that could be the talk of the nobles in this palace.
"Yes, I'd like to have it, Mom."
Breathing with relief at Alice's answer, her mother lowered her shoulders to level with Alice sitting on the chair while looking at her mother.
"Well, then, can you meet your new friend tonight?"
"So soon?!"
Even though her expression seemed normal, Alice thought it was too sudden to meet a new friend that she should think would take a day or two, her mother told her to meet them tonight.
"Yes, I'll meet them tonight. But, why tonight, Mom? I think it's gonna take a while.
Seeing her confused daughter's look with curious eyes, Luna, who stood back, looked at Alice with a tender and loving face like a mother for her.
"That's because they're Mom's friends, honey. That's why I met them by advising them to introduce their son to you."
"I see."
Starting to understand the reason why Alice quickly found out that her mother's friend, who had a child, intended to meet her with their child, made Alice less surprised if it was done tonight.
"Anyway at 8:00 after dinner, you should wear a formal dress, my dear."
"Yes."
"Formal dress huh."
Behind Alice's cheerful smile on her mother, she objected to being arranged to wear a formal dress as it made her accustomed.
Although Alice admits she was reborn as a girl descended from royal blood, her past as Nia cannot be forgotten. The past where she was a corporate slave, living a simple life, living a life as a brain made her understand what simple people felt, but not the formal dress she would wear later.
Apart from making it difficult to move freely, the formal dress according to Alice is also complicated because if she go a little wrong, the person will stumble and fall who will be shy of the person.
Seeing her mother coming out of her room, Alice's cheerful expression vanished with a brooding face as she remained seated in her chair.
•••••
Alice POV
This is really torture.
Being born a royal family is good because you don't have to think about a life of struggle out there by draining your energy, sweat, and time, but the thing that's not wearing is your freedom being sacrificed for unnecessary things.
For example, like me, I have to wear a formal dress tonight to meet my mom's new friend.
Granted, it's good from my mother's point of view. But from my point of view, it's a pain in the ass.
Not only that, I also have to get used to a busy life when I grow up.
Starting from; accustomed to formal dress/party/bride, attending every event held in this kingdom, behaving as a nobleman with noble etiquette before others, always polite and authoritative in speech, I will do so when I grow up.
If only I could choose my life, maybe I'd rather live from a humble family than live a life of wealth and wealth but freedom I can't get is just another lie.
•••••
After complaining about what she feels tonight and when she grows up, Alice opens a book again to continue writing something with a bird's feather pen that she took from the ink bin, hoping that her daily activities will not be disrupted at this time.
What is written in the book is a schedule of exercises performed by Alice during her physical training, and there are additional writings written underneath.
"Finished physical reinforcement, strengthened magic to balance the two with each other."
Those words were a motivation for him to be able to fight with his weak body.
No matter what other people respond to her, the only thing Alice wants to do is focus on what she's working on, the results will be visible later.
In a room not far from Alice and Luna's adjoining room, Lisa's and Eri's room exchange glances in silence, they wait for one of them to start talking.
"Listen to mommy, my dear. Tonight you have to act ordinary, not flashy because you know her by spying on her, let's just say you never met her."
"Yes, mom."
Smiling satisfied at her daughter's words, according to Lisa, this could be an opportunity for her to see what Luna's daughter looks like so that she can understand better than anyone else to confirm whether what Eri said was true or not.
If proven true, Lisa must maintain this confidentiality from anyone because no one should know that Alice was the reincarnation of anyone else in the past, keeping her well so that she can pay closer attention than anyone else, including Edi, the Yamada family.
"Why are you making an impression on yourself?"
There was a surprise in Eri's expression when she saw Lisa's impression with a gloomy expression, making her not understand why her mother looked like that.
In a different room, there was a boy who was in the room alone staring at his reflection in the mirror with an awkward and nervous face.
"My name is Ya-Yamada Ke-Ken."
When introducing himself, the boy was nervous because this was the first time he would meet the girl he idolized tonight.
"It can't be! I can't be like this!"
Punching both cheeks hard, there was a red color on both cheeks that made the bald fade-haired boy gray, a pair of amber eyes showing determined eyes so that he wouldn't back down because of nervousness so as not to be underestimated by anyone.
"Alright. I can do it!"
Ken, who repeatedly practiced in front of the mirror, convinced him that if he was used to imagining that Alice was in front of him, the girl would get used to the introduction later to show perfect scores in his first introduction.
In the king's private chamber, Gerald, who stands beside Arga, daydreaming in silence, which makes Arga curious about what he thinks.
"What is it, Gerald?"
"Ah, excuse me, Your Majesty. I just think that your granddaughter's looks serious about taking the role of successor to your throne later."
"Oh..."
Appearing interested in Gerald's conversation, Arga, who puts his hand on the side of the throne rests his cheek in his hand while staring at Gerald standing by his side.
"What do you mean? Tell me."
"Fine."
Nodding and then looking at Arga with a serious face, Arga's narrow azure eyes opened making him confident that Gerald would say something serious because he showed her the azure eyes behind his narrow eyes.
"You could say your granddaughter is doing physical training at the moment, Your Majesty."
"Physical training?!"
Surprised at Gerald's words, Arga, who did not expect her granddaughter, Alice underwent physical training at the age of six, made her wonder why she did it at such a young age.
In fact, according to Arga, Alice can do it when she is 10 years old because her physique is better than her 6 years old, which is quite fragile and weak if she does physical training at this time.
"You have nothing to worry about, Your Majesty. Your granddaughter can overcome those shortcomings."
"Eh? Really?"
"Yes," nodded Gerald who smiled with azure eyes closed back in his squinted eyes staring at Arga.
There was a sense of relief to hear Gerald's words, making Arga unnecessary to think about the health and safety of his grandson, Alice. But on the other hand, he was curious over how Alice could overcome the shortcomings of her frail physique.
"Can it be magic energy? No, that's impossible."
Doubt that it was magical energy, as Arga Alice thought, only had less magical energy than a small flame in a candle that could be extinguished at any moment.
"Can you explain it to me, Gerald?"
"Fine."
•••••
At night, especially when dinner arrived, all the nobles gathered in the dining hall. They sit on chairs already lined up at long dining tables with white cloth on top, sitting next to each other according to their respective families.
"Which one from my mother's friend?"
While Alice sits between Luna on the right, Ren on her left, she keeps an eye on who is her mother's friend.
In a sense, this curiosity made Alice wonder if her mother's friend was a good person or a bad person, she did not want the problems that had happened in her previous life to happen a second time at her second chance.
When Alice sees Lisa smiling at Luna, her mother, she realizes that she is different from the other nobles who suspect that Lisa is her mother's friend.
"One has been discovered, only the rest..."
Nodding slowly as she looks around quietly without her father and mother's knowledge, Alice sees Edi, a man who has brown high and tight hair, a pair of light brown eyes, has a handsome face smiling at her mother, Luna, making her convinced that it is her mother's second friend.
"Would there be more or not?"
Once again, she looked around carefully so as not to be caught by her father and mother to find out if her mother had any more friends.
If her mother had many friends, Alice would have difficulty making friends with many people because she had to focus on what she was doing, not enjoying her present life like this.
After observing for quite some time while enjoying dinner with a meat steak covered in certain spices and sauces, Alice realizes that no one is her mother's friend anymore makes her breathe in a slow voice.
As all the nobles leave the dining hall, Alice also leaves with her father, Ren, who holds her hand out of the dining hall.
"I can't wait to introduce my daughter to you later, Luna."
"Yeah, I'm the same, Lisa."
At first glance, Alice's gaze leads to her mother, Luna who talks to Lisa in the dining hall accompanied by Lisa a small girl with a classic white bob, a pair of emerald eyes staring out at Alice from the dining hall.
Along the hall from the dining hall to Alice and Ren's room, Ren looks at his silent daughter smiling at her while holding her hand by her side.
"Have you thought of anything, my dear?"
"Yes," nodded Alice whose glance was forward and then turned to her father, Ren.
"Should I say hello to my friend earlier or later?"
Chuckled to hear her confused daughter, Ren, who kept smiling looking at Alice who wanted to know what she meant.
"Why do you want to greet them, my dear?"
"For it seemed rude of me not to greet them..."
Suddenly Alice's words stopped which made Ren even more curious, just keeping silent while looking at his daughter on his side with her hands holding with Ren.
"But, if I greet them when I don't know them, then it's just like I'm getting along without knowing who they are, right, Dad?"
"Yes," the chuckling Ren felt that Alice's words had a point. "You're right, sweetheart."
Silence has once again occurred between the two.
According to Ren, what his daughter said was true. If Alice greets them immediately when they don't know them from; the name, attitude, and words they tell her will be considered rude because Alice doesn't know them yet. On the other hand, if Alice doesn't greet them, then according to Ren, that step is the right step, a step that can be said to be suitable for his daughter's situation.
"She really thinks it's at her age now."
Unable to think that her daughter is different from other people's children, Ren is happy that she and Luna have been given a child by the god Alice, not knowing that Alice is actually a reincarnation of her old life as Nia.
•••••
Along the hallways of Alice and Luna's room, the two walk on each side holding hands like a mother and daughter in front of another nobleman who pass by them.
"Have you thought of anything, sweetheart?"
"Yes," Alice nodded with a serious look on her face at her mother, Luna.
"What should I do for the next introduction, mom? Should I introduce myself formally or not?"
Hearing questions from her confused daughter, Luna can only chuckle and smile at her.
"You're free to do it, sweetheart. Besides, it's not a formal meeting, it's a meeting with my friend so you can introduce yourself formally or not, it doesn't matter."
"I see."
Understanding Luna's words, her mother convinced Alice that she might give the first impression to those who look good without showing the slightest bit of badness when introducing themselves to them later.
Seeing her daughter on her nodding side, Luna smiles because she doesn't expect that the white dress worn by her daughter, Alice, looks beautiful even though her body is still a 6-year-old girl, blonde hair and crimson eyes are suitable for the dress.
At first Alice thought it didn't suit her daughter; she might think of other options if she had another maid wearing a black lace-up dress on her daughter to look good, but she pondered it because she wanted to see her daughter in her white dress first.
As a result, according to Luna's wishes, there is no shortage of Alice's appearance that looks prettier even though her young age makes Luna confident that her daughter can give them a good first impression, her new friends.
Through the right aisle of the hallway where the lodging room is located, the two of them walk to the Meeting Room so that they can meet their friends there.
In the Meeting Room, Lisa is sitting on the sofa in the middle of the room with a rectangular table sitting on the left with her daughter, while Edi is sitting on the right with her son, the two of whom exchange looks with each other's disapproving glances.
"Tsk... why this woman was here first..."
"Why does it have to be him?! My hope is that Luna will come here early, not him!"
The two swore at each other in their hearts to voice their dislike for each other without their daughter and son knowing.
""Hmph!""
The two grunting each other coldly by turning their eyes to each other leaves Lisa's daughter Eri and Edi's son Ken confused by the attitude of their parents.
While approaching the Meeting Room, curious Luna looks at Alice by her side who keeps holding hands with her as her daughter.
"Sweetheart, can I tell you why you always sleep before lunch or afternoon before dinner?"
"Ah, that's..."
There was doubt in Alice's face, but she was not sure whether telling the truth would make her mother happy or forbid her later.
Forced to do so, Alice has no choice but to lie to keep her mother from scolding her and forbid her, as she learned magic in the book about the common knowledge she had read before.
"You could say I'm bored, mom. That's why I always sleep when I'm dreaming about something."
"Oh..."
A small smile was seen on Luna's lips, she looked at her daughter again after looking far ahead of the hall.
"About what?"
"Secret."
There is resentment when hearing her daughter's secret words, Luna can only pout making Alice smile cheerfully at her mother suddenly giggle, fun seeing her sulky mother not being told what Alice is dreaming about.
When they arrived in front of a white double door that was not too big in size, they stopped for a moment.
"Are you ready, sweetheart?"
"Yes, I'm ready."
Seeing her daughter's expression of enthusiasm made Luna feel relieved, she smiled and opened the door to let her daughter in first and then herself.
As soon as they enter the Meeting Room, Lisa and her daughter, Eri, Edi and her son, Ken, they stare at Luna and Alice with little smiles on their faces as if waiting for them to enter the room.
"Alright, let's start introducing our children to each other."
"Yes, that's right."
"Yes, I agree."
Luna, Lisa, and Edi, the three of them exchanged looks with confident faces thinking that this is a moment when their children make friends to be able to feel the life they want as children.
"Mom, I have a suggestion."
"Yes, dear?"
Staring at Alice who raises her hand to make Luna pay attention to it, Alice does not waste this opportunity to give advice to her mother as her daughter.
"What if we get to know each other independently? That way, we can understand each other."
Surprised to hear advice from her daughter, Luna thinks it's a good idea to do for their children not to rely on their parents who will introduce their children.
That way, Alice can blend in with the others making Luna sure that the problem can be solved by themselves.
Not only Luna, Lisa also felt that Alice's advice was good. She doesn't mind letting her daughter do it independently in order to get to know each other, without the slightest difficulty such as; nervous or embarrassed.
As for Edi, he felt that Alice's advice was really good. Not only do they get to know each other, it's possible that they strengthen the bond between their friendship is the most effective way to do it with their parents.
"No problem."
"Me too."
"I'm just like you guys."
The three nodded to each other, agreeing to Alice's opinion and then looking at Alice.
"We'll leave the business to you, sweetheart."
"Fine."
With a cheerful smile on her mother, Luna, Alice is convinced by her suggesting this to her mother then she will be able to better understand them, her current two new friends, both of; what their sayings, traits, and characters look like, Alice just hoped that they weren't like the people in her old world who made her die from the exhaustion of working overtime at the company as Nia, her old life.
•••••
On the side of the room, Luna, who sits on a chair that has a soft and comfortable red cushion with gold ornaments on the outside of the red side, includes a handle on a chair with one long table in the North looking at her daughter, Alice.
"Alright. Let's introduce each other's names."
The other two children agreed, agreeing with Alice's words to introduce themselves to each other.
"Then start with me first."
Putting her hands on her heart, Alice looked at them with a cheerful smile like a 6-year-old girl in front of a child her age to keep acting like an ordinary child without showing any advantages.
"My name is Nishimura Alice, you can call me Alice."
After introducing herself to her two friends, Alice looks at Eri, a small girl with a classic white bob, a pair of emerald eyes with a beautiful face.
"Next is your turn!"
Understanding what Alice said, without any nervousness and shame, Eri puts her hand on her heart, she slightly inclines her body forward with a proud smile on her face.
"My name is Christina Eri, you can call me Eri if you want."
On the south side of the room, Lisa, who sits on a chair that has a soft, comfortable red cushion with gold ornaments on the outside of the red side, includes a handle on a chair with one long table staring at her daughter, Eri, with a satisfied face because her daughter introduces herself as well as a common aristocrat.
"Totally lame! She taught her daughter bad things, what a stupid mother!"
On the west side of the room, Edi, who sits on a chair that has a soft and comfortable red cushion with gold ornaments on the outside of the red side, includes a handle on a chair with a long table staring at Lisa's daughter, Eri, and a chair. with a disgusting face as if Lisa's nature was passed down directly to her daughter who did look dignified but more haughty.
"Next is your turn!"
"You can do it, Ken!"
Nodding convinced that his son could introduce himself well before them, Edi hoped that his son was unlike Eri, Lisa's daughter who showed pride rather than dignity as a nobleman.
"My-my name is... Ya-Yamada Ke-Ken... You co-could call me Ke-Ken..."
"Pfft..."
"Oi!"
Hearing the sound of laughter being held by Lisa, Edi shows his irritation to her, causing Lisa to keep the laughter from covering her mouth with her hands while taunting Edi.
"He's really pathetic. More pathetic than my daughter, Eri."
"This woman... He must be thinking something bad right now about my son."
Trying her best to contain his emotions, Edi doesn't want to fight with Lisa to show Ken the good side of being a father so that Ken won't be humiliated by Eri and Alice later.
Meanwhile, Lisa, who finished laughing slowly in her mouth with her hands wiping her tears, seemed to feel that Ken's introduction was funnier than Edi, a man who was always serious and firm.
"Well, you don't have to be that nervous, Ken."
"Eh?"
Seeing Alice approaching Ken, Ken is confused as to why Alice is holding her hand while smiling cheerfully at him.
"It's natural to be nervous when you first get acquainted so you don't have to be embarrassed, we've also done that. Right, Eri?"
Eri, who is surprised that she is involved in a conversation between Alice and Ken, sees Alice's wink make her understand the meaning, nodding while looking at Ken with a small smile.
"That's right, Ken. We've also made mistakes so you don't have to think about your first impression."
"Okay."
Although there is still nervousness in his heart, Ken somehow feels a little relieved that not being humiliated by the two of them makes her smile small for their kindness.
""She looks just like her mother!""
Both Lisa and Edi agree that Alice looks like Luna, her mother who is too kind, humble and always prioritizes others over her makes them feel dejavu at Alice's attitude.