"Ray, wake up. Ray!"

　Such a voice is heard, and Ray's consciousness rapidly wakes up.
　Open your eyes slightly, but Ray doesn't know who's in front of you.
　No, the idea of trying to understand was not in Ray's mind now.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

　Miranda, the maid who came to wake Ray, at first couldn't believe the person she was talking about was Ray.
　Miranda knew Ray, who was on alert to deal with whatever happened.
　His ability is also evident in the fact that he has won all the mock battles against the Knights of Kelebel.
　Therefore, at first I could not believe that the person in front of me was so vulnerable.
　Most importantly, Ray had come to the house many times to wake me up in the morning, and every morning I called to him, and he gave me a firm answer.
　However, today, Ray is completely in a trance, and in Miranda's eyes such a lovely sight.
　...if there were cameras in this world, that's how much I'd like to photograph and leave behind Ray today.
　But Miranda's role is to wake up Ray.
　I would have liked to keep my eyes on Ray, but today is the day for the New Year's party.
　Of course, Ray, who is attending the party, needs to get ready.
　Miranda calls out to Ray, though she's disappointed, really disappointed.

"Mr. Ray, wake up. It's party day, so you need to get a lot of things ready. Are you listening, Mr. Ray?"

　Talk to me like that for a few minutes.
　The light of will gradually looms in Ray's half asleep eyes.

"Miranda? Ah... in the morning."
"Yes. Anyway, I was up late today. I'm always up when I come to wake you up."
"It was a little late yesterday,"

　With that word Miranda understands what Ray is saying.
　Yesterday Miranda was told to enjoy the party with Leodannis and never saw Ray since.
　But perhaps anyone in the Duke of Quevel knows what happened yesterday.
　Moreover, Miranda is one of those who adores Sett.
　When I hear that the hand of the Count of Caceles attacked such a sleeping stable, I find it unforgivable.

"Did you go to bed late yesterday because of Seto?"
"That's the case, and I think there's another thing that happened to be a deep sleeper today."

　As she tells him so, Ray gets up from the bed and asks Miranda to get dressed for the morning.
　However, dressing up doesn't take that long.
　Especially in Ray's case, he was a man, and that was often the case in a matter of minutes. ... But that's only the case in normal times.
　Today is a New Year's party, and many nobles gather.
　As long as Ray also attends such a place, he can't do it as usual.
　I washed my face more carefully than usual, brushed my teeth, combed my hair...

"Well, do we have to do it so carefully?"

　It was much longer than usual that I was finally dressed... twenty minutes later.
　Asked if he was a little dissatisfied with it, Miranda smiles and nods confidently.

"Yes, I need it. I mean, if you don't do what you can at this point, you'll be in trouble when the preparation starts."

　I couldn't help but feel somewhat contradictory to the word "real preparation," but I decided that it was probably meaningless to say something here, so I wouldn't say anything more.

"Is that so?"
"Yes. Fortunately, Ray doesn't have a beard, so you don't need to take care of it... but if you're a thick-bearded person, you'll need to shave well before you go to the party."
"... I see,"

　Rey reaches to her chin, nodding to Miranda's words.
　The feel of the hand is the smooth touch of the skin.
　There is not a single beard, and there is no crunchy or rough texture.
　At Ray's age, which is normally in his mid-teens, it's no wonder he has a little beard.
　No, in some cases, there are even people with very thick whiskers.
　But so far Ray has never had a moustache.
　I've never shaved since I came to Elgin.
　In a way, it's like Zepyle's parental feelings -- slightly different.
　In this Elgin, a special knife is used to shave.
　However, it is not a sharp razor like the one in Japan, and if you are not good at shaving, your jaw, cheeks, and possibly your throat will be damaged.
　If you are a nobleman, you may be able to have a specialist staff, but that's not usually the case, so you have to do it yourself.
　Naturally, the blade is used near the neck, so those who are entrusted with the role by the nobility are limited to those who are trusted partners.
　If you leave such a role to someone who has just served a noble, it is only natural that he is an assassin and may be slashed in the neck.
　Zepyle may have prevented Ray from growing a beard so that Ray wouldn't have to do such a hassle.

(Then I'd better thank you just in case, right?)

　Thinking like that, Ray stands up after he's dressed.
　It seems to me that having breakfast after dressing up to this point is wrong, considering the current situation.
　However, there is no point in saying anything in this situation.
　With that in mind, Ray heads to the dining room.
　Along the way, many servants are busy working and make Ray realize that today is the day of the party.

"You look really busy. ... Is Miranda OK?"
"I'll be there when Mr. Ray's guidance is over."
"...that's a big deal,"
"Yes. But this party is every year. And I enjoyed it that much yesterday, so I have to do my best today."
"Is that what it is?"

　Ray would naturally like to relax the next day after having had such a big party.
　But as far as Miranda goes, she looks fine today because she had a party yesterday.

"Of course not Ray?"
"I should have been a little more relaxed,"
"...you're still young, but you're very troublesome."

　Ray bends his head to Miranda, who tells him with a touch of amazement.
　In the course of our conversation, we eventually arrived at the dining room.

"What?"

　But when Ray enters the dining room, he notices that there is no one in the dining room.
　No, there were -- fewer than usual -- maids in charge of the dining room, but there were no such people as Elena, Liberte, or Arcadia.

"What about the Elenas?"
"The ladies have already finished their meals and are preparing for the party."
"Oh... I see. I was the last one."

　To be exact, Ray overslept today.

"Wouldn't it have been better to have breakfast carried to your room?"
"What do you think? That might have been good, but then it could have happened, and there might have been some other problems.""...is that so?"

　While talking to Miranda, I decided to eat breakfast quietly in the cafeteria, saying that now that I've come to the cafeteria, it's troublesome to go back to my room.
　What was prepared was not the rest of yesterday's party... but the many dishes that were cooked properly this morning.
　Soft bread, soup, salad, bacon steak, dried fruit...there are many other dishes, but they are all well-crafted.

"Can I put so much effort into breakfast on party day?"
"It's not as hard as this, and I think it's more like getting used to cooking today."

　The maid in the dining room muttered to Ray that effect.
　Miranda nodded with a smile next to such a restaurant maid.

"Train yourself... well, I've got nothing to complain about as long as I can eat delicious food."

　Nevertheless, Ray thinks that Georgima, the head chef, is probably disappointed that he cannot study ramen.
　For Georgima, ramen...no, it must have been quite interesting to know exactly what to cook.
　If you can make it, you can concentrate as much as you like on it.
　However, Georgima's current position does not allow it.
　Georgima today is nothing but a cook employed by the Duke of Kelebel, who needs to do his job.
　Georgima may be free to some extent if she's not at work or that busy... New Year's parties are one of the busiest days of the year.
　That being the case, it would be natural for a hired cook to give priority to party cooking.

(Well, even if I'm busy today, I'll be able to study ramen again tomorrow. Is there no problem...?)

　After finishing the last bite of the remaining bread, Ray finishes his breakfast.
　You can still eat if you want, but if you do so, you'll want to keep eating as much as you want.
　Today, Ray couldn't go on with his meal as long as he needed to get ready for another party.
　Once the meal is over, the party is ready, as Miranda said.
　It was Ray's pure impression that I had something to do from this morning.
　If this is a woman, I can see that she needs a lot of preparation, such as makeup, but in Ray's case, it's a man.
　The party suit that you made to order has already been made and fine-tuned.
　That being the case, I can't help but think that I should get ready about an hour before the party begins.
　But if you tell Miranda what's going on, she'll definitely get stuck.
　No, far from being thrust into it, you'll get a big scolding.
　Knowing that, Ray is quietly taken to the party.

(Is it Donna?)

　Somehow or other, Ray is taken to Miranda, thinking like that.
　Then I came to a certain room.
　If you go in, there are some people putting on makeup.

"This place..."
"It's a room for men to put on makeup for today's party. ... Excuse me, could you please put on Ray's makeup?"

　Several men and women look at Ray and Miranda as they enter the room.

(Stylist... Was it? There was someone in Elgin who did that.)

　Ray was surprised, but the story goes on in the meantime.

"Oh, it's not Miranda. Is it better to put it in order?"

　Miranda and her acquaintance, a woman, look at Ray and tell him so.
　But Ray's face, uncovered, brings a surprise to the woman's face.
　Of course I knew the information about Ray, so I wasn't surprised by it. I was surprised to see him in the face.
　It's spotless and beardless, but the skin is smooth and fresh.
　Not very much, but it gives a different impression from the rumor of crimson.
　And at the same time, the woman wanted to put makeup on Ray inside her.
　It was only natural for a professional to want to demonstrate his ability because he was a good makeup‐wearing Ray.

"Hey, Miranda. Can you let me do Ray's makeup? I'll put a twist on my arm and finish it up to the best possible.
"What? Well, I came here to get Ray to put on makeup, so that's fine... but don't overdo it?"
"Who are you talking to? Leave it to me."

　The woman's words, with a confident, professional smile, meant Ray would be put on makeup without her will.