“…I humbly thank you for the invitation.”

“Hmph. Just so you know, I could have invited just about anyone to the tea party of the Spencer family. However, I’d have felt bad excluding you. Still, I fully expected for you to have been aware of your wretchedness, and abstain from attending. Who would’ve thought that you’d actually show? Did you honestly think I’d invite you?”

“…! M, my apologies…”

That day, the prince made a show of referring to her as an ugly witch. After being made pariah by her surroundings, Lithia ended up going home without being able to extend a single greeting.

Then, after Lithia isolated herself at home for a while, an invitation came from the royal palace.

The queen of Lafizard was the sender. However, at that age, Lithia still couldn’t comprehend difficult sentences, so she had her butler read it on her behalf. According to the butler, a tea party was going to be held at the royal palace to deepen the friendship between the prince and children of the same age. Apparently, Lithia was also invited.

“I, I’ll go back…”

“It’s too late. An invited guest leaving right away right away would be disgraceful.”

At said tea party…

She was aware that by attending, she’d only be making the prince uncomfortable. At the same time, she couldn’t just turn down the queen’s invitation. Thus, Lithia ruminated about it before ultimately deciding to attend.

Yet, upon greeting the prince at said party, her decision turned out to be mistaken.

“…Your scraggly hair, your demure eyes. How can you stand to walk around outside so unabashedly? Your parents probably can’t find it in them to be honest with you. Hence, you grew up so shamelessly, without a single care…”

“…!”

Lithia didn’t know—

—she didn’t know that her white hair was strange.

—she didn’t know that her golden eyes were vulgar.

…Although, come to think of it, no other children bore the same eye or hair color—only Lithia.

Even so, her family never mentioned a thing about it. Even now, somewhere in her heart, she knew that if she brought it up, her parents and brother would straight up deny it.

“I, I humbly apologize…”

Nevertheless, the prince’s words shattered that fragile hope.

Her family probably didn’t say anything because they were being considerate. Despite her ugliness, they still loved her as a family. Therefore, she should be glad. But before Lithia could even muster an ounce of gratefulness—

“—Hmph, I bet you also make your servants pander to you. But you see, not a single person here will humor you.”

The prince gazed at their surroundings.

Prompted by him, Lithia followed suit. The girls wore triumphant smiles while the boys winked in agreement.

“Ah…”

The icy gazes of the girls along with the contemptuous gazes of the boys pierced her one after another—

‘How shameless’

‘Ugly witch’

‘Obscene eyes’

Apparently, the prince was telling the truth. Everyone thought that she was ugly.

Only Lithia didn’t know, for she was sheltered—

—her wretchedness.

—how her white hair and golden hair appeared to others.

“—You’re a Moon Fairy.”

“—Oh!”

As the disembodied voice reached her ears, her vision began to tilt.

◆◆◆

“…A dream…”

Bathed in the light seeping through the gaps in the curtains, Lithia’s eyes fluttered open.

As she absentmindedly tossed and turned, she could see the same white hair scattered on pure white sheets. Ever since that day, she no longer had the urge to cut it off. As such, her white hair had grown much longer than when she was 6-years-old.

A dream from her childhood days. Back when the prince and the others used to ridicule her for being ugly. Usually, she’d have dismissed it right away.

“No…”

…Perhaps, it was because of the last thing she heard. Despite the nightmare, she wasn’t down in the slightest. Surprising even herself, rather than the words of the prince and the others, those last words were the one that lingered in her heart.

Lithia stood up and took a brush from the side drawer.

Afterwards, she made sure to comb her hair more carefully than usual.

---

***T/N: I really love that they just naturally grow closer with each other without any drama or misunderstanding…

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