Sen Getsusa wore silver high heels, with long, mercury-like chains fastened on both sides.
In her waist-cinching black formal gown, the white, soft tops of her feet were occasionally visible as she moved, and her milk-like forearms were exposed.
This was already the most revealing dress Sen Getsusa was allowed to wear out.
Anything more revealing had been vetoed by Yuno Gasai.
As for Yuno herself, she would not attend such a banquet. Every time such an occasion arose, it would remind her of her adoptive parents and those disgusting faces.
"What you're wearing today is... n-not bad..."
Eriri was dressed up like a little princess. Her long twin-tails were exceptionally soft and lustrous today, as if someone had used a fine-toothed comb to gently smooth them over a thousand times.
She stared intently at a certain part of Sen Getsusa, and then her face turned from white to red.
"What's wrong?"
Sen Getsusa looked down at herself.
"Um, Tsukisa," Eriri spoke slowly, "your shoes—"
Shoes?
Sen Getsusa took a step forward, revealing her petite feet and toes.
"No, I mean, if you stand straight..."
Then the shoes can't be seen, right?
Eriri stood there with a complex expression, as if she were seeing Sen Getsusa for the first time.
Sen Getsusa looked puzzled.
"Eriri can do it too, you know." Suddenly, a pair of hands brushed over Eriri's shoulders. "Just wear your backpack on the front, and it won't be visible anymore."
A woman's wisteria-colored long hair cascaded over Eriri's head. Her eyes seemed to contain an entire field of bellflowers, a deep purple tinged with faint blue. Her chin rested on Eriri's shoulder as she looked at Sen Getsusa with a smile.
"Hi! It's little Yuesha!"
Sen Getsusa greeted with a smile, "Sister Sayuri."
"Quick, come in! Oh my, Eriri is being so rude as to chat with a guest at the door."
Pouting, Eriri tossed her hair. She looked at herself and then at Sawamura Sayuri, muttering, "I hate genetics..."
The evening banquet was brightly lit. Several figures were already in the courtyard and the hall, suits paired with red wine glasses, chatting about topics that made Sen Getsusa feel drowsy.
Eriri pulled Sen Getsusa to a sofa in the corner, where many delicate snacks were laid out on a marble table.
Sawamura Sayuri was busy accompanying her husband in socializing. After repeatedly telling Eriri to take good care of Sen Getsusa, she lifted the hem of her skirt and walked away with small steps.
"Is it like this every time for you?" Sen Getsusa bit off the head of a little rabbit cookie in one go.
This wasn't a particularly hidden corner—but the two girls sitting here made it clear they didn't want to be disturbed.
Everyone was smart; no one would be so tactless as to intrude.
"Like what?"
"Sitting here alone?"
Eriri's beautiful face looked like a tender, peeled boiled egg. She held a glass of fruit juice in her hands, swishing it around boredly.
"If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have attended..." Eriri said gloomily. "Sorry, I know you don't like attending these banquets either, but Papa said..."
"Eh? Mr. Spencer?" Sen Getsusa was slightly surprised.
Eriri was also a bit puzzled; when did her father become curious about Sen Getsusa?
'That Child Tsukisa, can she come to the banquet?'
A few days ago, Mr. Spencer had pushed open his daughter's room door and sent an invitation to Sen Getsusa through Eriri.
Generally speaking, although the wealth Sen Getsusa held did indeed exceed that of the Spencer Family, wealth did not equal status.
For Mr. Spencer, who was a diplomat, his daily interactions and banquets involved wealthy nobles and political figures.
In his eyes, the Child Sen Getsusa was just a lucky girl who had inherited a large fortune and was occasionally a bit eccentric.
However, if that person had spoken... "What's wrong? Dear?" Sayuri looked over worriedly. Her husband had been a bit distracted for a while now.
"No, it's nothing..." Mr. Spencer smiled at his wife and led her toward another table.
Hopefully... nothing will go wrong, right?
"Aaaaaah! I want to go back and draw!"
"The submission deadline is getting closer and closer!!"
The girl's frantic behavior didn't match her attire at all. It was as if a dignified blonde princess had walked up with a light, graceful pace, only to suddenly start talking about her toilet being clogged.
"Let's sneak away?" Eriri propped her face up; Sen Getsusa, sitting opposite her, was surprisingly composed.
She had just finished tasting all types of cookies and was preparing to aim her 'evil hands' at the cake-type snacks.
"I still don't know why Mr. Spencer wanted to see me."
"What could that man possibly want?" Eriri took a frustrated sip of juice. "He makes me call you over, yet he's endlessly socializing with those people himself..."
Eriri stole a few glances at Sen Getsusa, fearing the girl might be unhappy about it.
Indeed, Sen Getsusa soon became unhappy, because she heard a certain familiar voice.
Sen Getsusa's memory of that voice was far too deep.
"Am I interrupting you?"
A long silver evening gown accentuated a curvaceous figure, and her short hair, black as an apple, was neat and tidy.
Beneath faint eyebrows were a pair of large almond eyes. The newcomer was holding a glass of red wine, offering an apologetic greeting to the two girls.
"Ah... may I ask?" As the semi-hostess, Eriri quickly adjusted her state. She pretentiously held her little dress and stood straight, her waist and legs tensed. She nodded slightly with dignified politeness, like a true noble young lady, as she greeted the silver figure before her.
It had to be said, her surface-level performance was quite impressive.
"I am Tojo Aoi. Miss Spencer, it has been a long time. The last time was five or six years ago."
The woman said, nodding to Eriri with an elegant and natural posture.
"Oh, Miss Tojo... Eh? What! Tojo?!"
Losing her composure, Eriri covered her mouth, her eyes wide and round!
"H-H-H-Hello..." She nervously raised her glass toward the other party. "May I ask, Miss Tojo..."
"Don't be nervous, Miss Spencer. I am the one who should apologize." Tojo Aoi's bright red lips pressed into a line. "Did I interrupt your chat?"
"N-No, haha, of course not..." Eriri discreetly signaled Sen Getsusa with her eyes. With her palm facing outward, she began to introduce her to Tojo Aoi: "This is Tsukisa, Sen Getsusa. My friend."
"And this is Tojo Aoi, she is from the Tojo Family—"
Sen Getsusa stood up expressionlessly, brushing cake crumbs from her palms.
"The little princess of the Tojo Family, I know." The girl tucked her black hair behind her ear, revealing her profile and a small ear. "We are worlds apart, Miss Tojo. It's best we keep our distance."
After saying that, she ignored the somewhat crumbling Eriri and prepared to leave.
"Tsukisa!"
Tojo Aoi called out softly and immediately chased after her, holding up her dress, leaving behind a bewildered Eriri in the corner.
What was the situation?
How did these two know each other?
Eriri felt like her eyes weren't eyes anymore.
They were a hallucination player.
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