Preparations for Celebration

"Your Highness! Since the months on the demons ended, we will now have more spare time. I wanted to ask if we could discuss a few things" Anna asked while everyone was returning back to the castle. She was walking right next to Roland when she asked this. When the other witches saw this, they had a knowing smile on their faces, picking up the pace and leaving the two of them behind. Well, almost every witch except for Nightingale had uneasiness written across her face.

"*Are you alright?*" Wendy asked her in a low voice since she was aware of what was going on. She had no idea what Nightingale did with Roland but she knew that Nightingale has been smiling more and more often, especially around Roland. Wendy noticed some of Nightingale's feelings already back at the cave, however, it seems like her feelings only grew stronger despite knowing that she can't give Roland what he will need one day. Wendy even though that Roland might be different but even if a witch could give him a child, he is still a prince. And even if he didn't care about differences in social status, others definitely would.

'And even if none protested to it...There is fierce competition already and more might come after discovering His Highness's secret.' Wendy thought, glancing back at Anna talking to Roland with a cheerful smile.

"*Of course...Why do you ask?*" Nightingale replied in a strange tone unbefitting her before asking with a confused expression.

"*You know why do I ask, Veronica. Anna and His Highness hadn't spent some time together since Anna has been busy helping blacksmiths and His Highness has been busy with training me. She is after all the first witch His Highness met, if not for her, we might have not been here today. Let's give them some space, you can't keep him all to yourself, Veronica.*" Wendy said with a sorrowful look on her face, sympathizing with her friend. She understood her feelings but she also wanted her to face the reality. Despite Anna and Roland spending less time together as of late, the bond between the two seemed to have only strengthened.

"*I am aware of that...I just can't help but feel slightly jealous." Nightingale whispered back with a faint smile, trying to reassure her friend, however not before taking one last look at Roland and Anna's happy expressions.

"*By the way you are talking about me keeping His Highness all to myself but I am pretty sure he has been spending most of his time with you!*" Nightingale tore her eyes from Roland and teased Wendy with a knowing smile while nudging her.

"*But that's just because of training-*" Wendy's eyes widened, thinking that her friend started seeing her as a rival.

"*No buts! Don't tell me that you have been training all those hours without even talking to each other during breaks or something. I am pretty sure His Highness likes you a lot.*"

"*Eh? Did...Did His Highness perhaps mention me when he was talking to you?" Wendy asked masking her nervousness by playing with the strand of her hair.

"*Hmm...a few times, however, your reaction is more suspicious. I am too curious to just let you go now, tonight, I will force you to tell me everything that you two have been doing!*" Nightingale said while giving Wendy a suspicious look

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"Wendy and Nightingale are really close, aren't they?" Anna asked while walking behind the duo who had been whispering to each other for some time.

"They ought to be...Do you think they are closer than we are?" Roland asked jokingly, however, Anna's answer still caught him a bit off guard.

"Whaat? No way!" She said before she started giggling.

'How long do I know this girl...a few months at most? It's crazy how quickly we became so close but I guess it would be pretty normal for other people'

"So what exactly do you want to talk about? New knowledge or the fantasy book?" Roland asked.

"I don't really care, I just want to finally spend some time with Your Highness." Anna said and after saying it, a faint red appeared on her face.

"How about we talk back in my office after I am done with something. It won't take long and then we can talk all long till evening." Roland suggested and Anna happily nodded her head, picking up the pace and joining her sisters who all grinned at her making her feel slightly embarrassed.

With that done, Roland went to the granary and purchased all sorts of meat delicacies, enough to feed the entire town for one evening. This way, he spent nearly 500 Gold Coins but it didn't hurt him as much as he expected, on the contrary, it made him feel oddly good.

'I don't have any formal dresses for witches. I will try to find something in the Shop and I might as well buy some high-quality wine since this era's wines are not up to my tastes. The only problem will be finding Wendy's size...' Roland thought and quickly pinched himself since he felt like he has gotten a bit perverted ever since he started spending his time near those witches.

When he returned to his office, Anna was already sitting there, waiting for him. She cheerfully smiled when Roland arrived and the two of them started talking about various things while drinking tea and eating ice cream.

Roland somehow ended up telling her that his knowledge comes from another world.

"Your Highness, are you saying that you have been having dreams where you have lived somewhere else? How real did it feel?" Anna asked with an excited expression. Roland didn't feel exactly great after seeing her expression since he was slightly lying but at least some of his words held the truth.

"...Very real. I actually think those are memories from my previous life, after all, no one knows what happens to us after our death. We could be born in completely another world or several thousand years later without even being aware of our past life. I just have no idea what triggered those dreams, one plausible explanation is magic."

"Or Your Highness is just a chosen... similar to Witch-King" Anna said jokingly.

"First of all, I am not a witch, the second, I am not a king. haha" Roland replied in the same manner and both of them shared a small laugh.

"You really like that Witch-King, huh? Even though he is an antagonist of the story?" Roland asked curiously.

"Well, he can use magic, he can summon flames, ice, and lightning. Unlike the other Nazgûl, he wasn't daunted by rivers and could perceive more clearly in daylight. He might be evil but it's not like it is his own choice, right?" Anna said while counting his powers on her fingers with an excited expression.

"Well, at that point in the story, I doubt anything of his soul remains. He is fully bound to his master but it also means he grows stronger with him."

Roland and Anna continued talking for a bit before Roland felt like it's time to distribute the dresses.

"Anna, would you mind wearing this tonight? You don't have to if you don't want to but it will help make this day more memorable." Roland said as he gave her folded fiery red dress.

"Whoa...Can I really wear this?!" Anna's eyes lit up as she saw the dress and felt its texture.

"Of course, it's yours!"

"Where...Where should I change?" Anna started looking around, apparently wanting to quickly change into the dress and try it out.

"I will leave the office for a moment so you can change." Roland said and got up to his feet, however, Anna quickly stopped him with a panicked expression.

"No! I can't make Your Highness leave your own office because of this...Ho-How about this, I will change here while Your Highness will turn around." Anna asked with a completely red face while pressing the dress to her body.

"Um...Alright, but I will stand by the door to make sure no one comes in." Roland had no reason to refuse since this would be the fastest way how she can change and he can see her wearing it.

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"Please don't turn around until I say I am ready" Anna pleaded with a really cute and maybe even slightly tempting tone.

Roland nodded his head and could hear how she was taking her clothes off. After a few minutes...

"Uh...how do I..." He could hear Anna having some trouble so he asked what's the problem and he forgot to think about the trouble of reaching the zipper at the back.

"Do you want help with it?"

"Y-Yes please" She replied in a very quiet voice.

When Roland turned around, he saw Anna's exposed back.

He approached her and gently moved her hair to the front before fastening the zipper.

"You can turn around" Roland said and took a few steps back.

"Thank you...H-How do I look?" Anna asked, slightly embarrassed since it was her first time wearing such a nice-looking dress. She spun a few times, making the edges of her dress fly up.

"Graceful and beautiful, a good combination." Roland said with a thumb up and subtle wink.

Anna blushed a bit upon hearing his words which in Roland's eyes went pretty well with her dress.

'Now...I only need to give Wendy her green dress, for Nightingale I chose a darker shade of the blue dress, for Abby and Airy orange dress. For Nana a light blue dress and for Red Pepper a different shade of red dress since it would go well with her hair. As for Lightning...uh, light blue but I doubt she would like wearing a dress.' Roland thought before calling the maid to give her the dresses, telling her to give them to the girls and say that it's just optional.