A Flat-Chest Believer Reincarnated in a World Where Women with Small Breasts Aren't Treated as Women ~ I Ended Up with a Flat-Chested Harem. - Chapter 44

As I was wandering around, thinking about the Manjula faction, I suddenly noticed a man approaching me. It was Count Quitunen, a middle-aged man with chestnut-colored hair.

“Lord Folca, Lady Risty, it’s been a while.”

“Indeed, Count Quitunen, it has been a while.”

The count bowed respectfully, and we returned the greeting with a deep bow.

“Congratulations on your pregnancy. I am truly happy for you both. How is your health holding up?”

Something felt slightly off in Count Quitunen’s tone. It was subtle, but he seemed somewhat tense.

“Thank you. I’m still in the early stages, so there is some worry, but everything is progressing smoothly.”

“As a parent myself, I understand your concerns. But I must say, the worries don’t end once the child is born; they only increase. The best you can do is manage what’s within your control and try not to let it weigh too heavily on you.”

Speaking of children, I noticed that Count Quitunen’s daughters, Selena and Lasha, were nowhere to be seen. Were they off doing something else? Those two had always gotten along well with Risty, and I couldn’t help but wonder where they were.

“By the way, where are Selena and Lasha?”

Curious, I asked directly. Of course, it wasn’t necessary for every family member to attend the soirée, but given that the two of them were powerful mages with a Wind attribute aptitude of 10, it wouldn’t be odd for them to be present.

“My daughters are not attending today. I’ve entrusted them with overseeing our territory in our absence.”

Now that he mentioned it, I realized I hadn’t seen them last year either. In fact, it had been about three years since I’d last seen them. I wondered if there was something going on. Although it piqued my curiosity, I didn’t want to pry and risk straining our relationship.

As I was mulling over these thoughts, Risty spoke up.

“Oh, that reminds me. I recently purchased some new pottery from your territory, Count Quitunen. The quality is as superb as ever.”

A safe, neutral topic to change the focus of the conversation. Given that there might be some underlying issues, it was a wise move on Risty’s part.

We engaged in some light small talk before eventually parting ways.

“Folca, I know the reason Selena and Lasha aren’t here. Since it’s about my friends, I’ll keep quiet, but don’t worry—it’s nothing that would put the Gustique family at a disadvantage.”

Once Count Quitunen was far enough away, Risty whispered this to me.

“Got it.”

With Risty already in the loop, I decided not to dwell on it further.

Now, what next? There was a dance happening in one of the other halls. While I wasn’t in the mood to dance, with Risty being pregnant, it wouldn’t hurt to just watch for a bit.

“Shall we take a look around the dance hall?”

When I suggested it, Risty responded, “Sounds good,” and agreed.

We headed back indoors, walking toward the other hall. As we did, another familiar face approached us. She had large, round eyes, a well-formed face, and a generous chest. Her purple dress was adorned with glass beads along the hem, glittering brightly as she walked.

With her striking appearance, she was drawing the attention of many men in the room. It was Kudell, and she too had been brought along to the evening party tonight.

“Lord Folca, Lady Risty…”

Kudell, looking exhausted, spoke in a weak, drooping voice.

“What’s wrong, Kuu? Are you tired because you’re not used to this?”

“Yes, very much so. This dress has drawn so much attention…”

Indeed, Kudell’s dress was a fine piece. The glass beads I had made for it were of excellent quality as well.

However, I knew that the real reason she was attracting so much attention was because of her natural beauty, not just the dress.

“Kuu, you’re a beautiful woman, so it’s no surprise that you’re drawing attention.”

“That can’t be true… probably not. I tried to hide behind Lady Lyla, but Alvi took her away, so now I’ll hide behind you two.”

With that, Kudell positioned herself behind us.

“Alright, let’s go stroll around the dance hall together.”

The three of us made our way into the other hall.

At the far end of the hall, a band was playing music, accompanied by none other than Princess Isabelle and Prince Stain. While it was an unusual sight, this was a yearly occurrence in the Rolique Kingdom. The two were playing violins while also using magic to create various harmonies, layering them into the performance. As expected from Princess Isabelle, who had taken the position of second queen so she could devote herself to music, it was a magnificent performance once again this year.

“Princess Isabelle and Prince Stain’s magical control is incredible… so beautiful.”

Kudell whispered in awe. I understood her sentiment. While the music was wonderful, it was the precision of their magical construction that truly stood out. Watching the graceful and smooth flow of magical energy was like watching a master calligrapher at work.

As we wandered through the hall, one particular spot seemed to be attracting more attention than the rest. From where we stood, it was difficult to see who was there due to the crowd.

Curious, we moved closer. As we approached, people noticed us and parted to make way.

Dancing in the center of the gathering were Brother Al and Lyla.

Brother Al was dressed in a white tuxedo-like outfit, which suited him perfectly. Lyla was wearing a yellow dress, complemented by a sapphire-and-diamond necklace handmade by our father.

Brother Al’s good looks and Lyla’s cuteness made them quite the picturesque pair.

…And Brother Al was good at dancing. His steps were sharp and precise. I was genuinely impressed by how well he moved. On top of that, the fact that he had the initiative to ask Lyla to dance was commendable. I couldn’t help but respect him for it.

As the song ended, Brother Al and Lyla noticed us and came over to greet us.

“Hey, Brother Al, that was a great dance.”

“I practiced hard for it.”

Brother Al replied with a slightly proud smile.

“Brother, I managed to keep up with him too!”

“Yeah, you’re much better at it than I am, Lyla.”

Seeing my little sister brim with pride was adorable. These two really were a perfect match.

“More importantly, congratulations on the pregnancy.”

“Thank you, Brother Al.”

“Thank you, Alvy.”

It felt nice to hear Brother Al’s honest and heartfelt words of congratulations.

“So, what’s next? Should we grab something to eat?”

While the food here consisted mostly of canapés and sandwiches to avoid any mishaps with the dresses, there was still a good selection available. I did feel a little hungry.

“Let’s do that. Why don’t we all head over there together?”

With Brother Al and Lyla joining us, we made our way to the area where the food was being served.

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. As we ate, we chatted, occasionally greeting others from different houses. And so, the evening party came to a peaceful close.