Chapter 31 · At the Betrothal Ceremony (1)

Paeon was taken aback. Surely God was testing him again.

‘And what if I’m not all right?’

He quickly recited scripture verses. Because otherwise, the flames of cruel emotion would engulf him again.

‘You must not look upon what is not yours. If it stirs your heart, you must not look upon it. Jealousy will eventually strangle you, and desire beyond your station will make you a beast.’

He recited without even breathing, but the demon that had come to him whispered ceaselessly in his ear.

‘Truthfully, you feel like you’re going mad, don’t you? At the thought of that child becoming Alter’s daughter.’

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Anastasia was not his. So even if she became someone else’s child, it was not losing her or having her taken away. But this seething, fiery emotion—was it not a possessiveness that refused to let anyone else have her?

‘Truly disgusting.’

To commit a sin, be punished for it, and still not come to his senses—to try to commit the same sin again.

“Papa weally doesn’t care?”

The face that had asked him with a slightly furrowed brow rose in his mind, and his heart throbbed. He wanted to shout. He wanted to scream that of course that wasn’t true.

“Hahahaha! Papa, you fell for Asha’s twick!”

When Anastasia laughed, the corners of her eyes curved in exactly the same way as Princess Beatrice’s, and dimples appeared on her cheeks. She was so lovable it made his chest ache.

“Hngh… I’m weally sowwy… But, but… pwease don’t hate Asha.”

When she shed tears, the whole world seemed to lose its light and his vision went dark. If there were a hell in this world, it would be wherever her teardrops fell.

“Papa.”

He was grateful for his name. He was glad he could be called Papa, even like this, and he was unbearably disgusted with himself for it.

“Papa, why awe you standing wike that? Awe you admiring how handsome you awe?”

Anastasia had come over at some point and was tilting her head, examining him.

“But Papa’s eyes wook wed.”

“…It’s because I didn’t sleep well. The princess neglected her training yesterday and was in pain again.”

“Tsk. You nag at evewy chance you get. You’we wasting time, so just go.”

Anastasia naturally spread her arms. As he carefully lifted her, he recalled the scripture verse he had recited earlier.

‘If it stirs your heart, you must not look upon it.’

◇ ◆ ◇

The banquet hall, brightly lit by a great golden chandelier, was already full of nobles. For Aquila and Alter’s betrothal ceremony, the invited guests were older, mature nobles rather than young unmarried ladies and lords, so the atmosphere was rather grave and quiet.

“Look over there. It’s Sir Parsiel.”

“Oh my, this is the first time I’ve seen him up close. He so rarely attends parties.”

Paeon was entering the hall hesitantly, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He was wearing a dark navy ceremonial uniform rather than his usual white knight’s uniform, and his pale, clean skin stood out, making it hard to believe he was a man who had rolled around on battlefields. His awkward demeanor, so ill-matched with his princely appearance, only enhanced his charm.

“Well, he hardly ever has occasion to attend parties to begin with. He belongs to the temple. Even now, he’s probably only invited because of his title as commander. In truth, his real status is,”

Baroness Roester trailed off and let out a puff of laughter.

“I apologize. It’s such a dreadful word that I fear it would spoil the ladies’ appetites if I said it.”

“Still, he is, he is truly handsome…”

“That’s right. I think he’s the most beautiful of all Lord Lux’s creations…”

Several noblewomen who had not taken their eyes off him for a single second since he entered wore dreamy, enraptured expressions.

“What does a face matter so much?”

When the baroness looked at them with a pitying eye, one countess suddenly threw in a remark.

“Hehe, it seems Lady Roester doesn’t much care for looks. The baron is the same, and you two make a truly perfect match.”

The baroness’s face turned bright red at the obviously mocking words. The noblewomen covered their faces with fans and giggled. Some women still could not take their eyes off Paeon.

Just then, the tiny girl hiding behind his legs poked her head out.

“That person is… ‘that’ princess.”

“Ah, yes… Princess Beatrice’s…”

“Truly, no matter how many times I hear it, it’s a shocking story.”

“Poor thing. She probably doesn’t understand yet.”

That she was a shameful bastard. Even without saying the rest aloud, everyone there could guess it.

“Still, it’s a relief. She’ll soon have parents.”

“Of course. Count Alter and Princess Aquila are so benevolent!”

“Isn’t their story like a romance novel? Comforting each other in grief and falling for each other…”

“They’re truly a beautiful pair. Being close like that, they couldn’t help but be drawn together.”

“I imagine quite a few young ladies will secretly shed tears over the news of Count Alter’s betrothal. They must have thought they had a chance.”

While the noblewomen chattered excitedly, the little girl, still clutching the hem of Paeon’s trousers, was peering around the hall. She looked as if she were searching for something.

“It seems the princess really does follow Sir Parsiel closely.”

“To not be afraid of someone who looks so cold. That’s a little surprising.”

“So the rumor that Sir Parsiel is serving as the princess’s temporary escort must be true. For him to take on duties outside the temple…”

“But it seems the princess hasn’t yet learned party etiquette.”

“The temple wouldn’t teach her such things. Royalty must receive an education befitting their station.”

Amid the voices full of pity but thoroughly mocking, Anastasia hopped forward and greeted them.

“Hello, ladies. It’s a nice evening.”

She lightly grasped the edges of her dress on both sides and bent her knees—a perfect royal curtsy. Though her arms and legs were so short that it looked a little awkward.

“…!”

The noblewomen were so surprised they stood blankly, and only when one lady returned the greeting did they hurriedly all greet her at once.

“It is an honor to meet you, Princess Anastasia.”

“Good evening, Princess Anastasia.”

Some lowered their eyes and bent their waists in proper etiquette, but others only made a clumsy pretense of greeting, as if it wounded their pride to do so for a bastard. Anastasia pretended not to notice and smiled brightly. The noblewomen were startled again. In her smile, they felt not the innocence of a child but a relaxed dignity as if she had already spent years in high society.

“She has more nerve than I expected.”

“Still, it seems the temple taught her the basics.”

As two noblewomen rudely whispered in front of the princess, Anastasia suddenly approached them and spoke.

“Ladies, may I ask fow introductions? Asha is new to pawties, so I want to wemember as many ladies as possible.”

They looked visibly flustered, but soon swallowed dryly and introduced each other.

“This lady is… the eleventh head of the Count Flanavia family, which boasts over three hundred years of glorious history, Countess Mabel Flanavia.”

“And this is Countess Rachel Cameron, of the Count Cameron family, lords of Sheira Castle.”

“Nice to meet you. Count Fwanavia, and Countess Camewon.”

When Anastasia smiled with her eyes crinkling and pronounced their names clearly, they stared at her as if bewitched. Soon small gasps of admiration rose around them.

“How is she so elegant?”

“She must be born to it.”

The noblewomen who had been mocking her just moments before now vied to introduce themselves.

“I am Baroness Nelson of the Baron Fidelio family.”

“I am Camella Drake, head of the Baron Drake family. A pleasure to meet you.”

“I am Ariette Laselles, Marchioness of the Laselles family.”

Amid the flood of names, Anastasia fixed her gaze on one side when she heard a certain name.

“Marchioness Laselles?”

At her bold direct address, the old lady’s eyes went wide. She was a very dignified-looking lady with pale rose hair pinned up, wearing a dress that shimmered bluish.

“Yes, Princess.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Whewe is the Mawquis?”

The marchioness was bewildered by the princess suddenly asking for her husband, but she scanned the hall and told her his location.

“He is over there. The gentleman talking beside the table with the wine.”

Anastasia looked in that direction and smiled with satisfaction.

“Thank you. Asha will gweet the othews and come back.”

Anastasia left, tugging firmly at Paeon, who was looking at her with a troubled face.

“What on earth is going on?”

“Surely the princess isn’t trying to curry favor with Marquis Laselles…?”

“Oh my! What are you saying about such a young child, Lord Drake?”

The hall stirred briefly at the unexpected event, but was soon quieted. Because the hosts of the party had entered.

“His Majesty the King Ferdinand Ordo Entimos arrives!”

“Princess Aquila Erika Entimos arrives!”

Aquila, lightly holding Alter’s hand, walked to the center of the hall with the king and Stella. In her white dress densely embroidered with gold thread, she looked more mature and alluring than ever. When Alter stopped and kissed her gloved hand, people cheered and applauded.

“Thank you all for coming. Everyone has given so many gifts that we’ll need two more wagons just to move them all!”

As soon as the customary greeting inviting everyone to enjoy the banquet ended, the orchestra played soft music. People flocked to the hosts of the party.

“They’re already scrambling to get noticed.”

In a corner of the banquet hall far from the center, Marquis Laselles sipped his wine and muttered bluntly.

“If the marriage goes through without a hitch, the rank of grand duke is as good as secured.”

His vassal, Baron Victor, also frowned and glared in that direction.

“If that happens, he’ll be the first grand duke born in several hundred years.”

“Haa… He’ll certainly try to take the position of minister of justice. And who knows how he’ll twist the laws to suit himself again.”

“We can’t just stand by and do nothing!”

Marquis Laselles trembled with anger, his hand shaking around his glass.

“But what can we do? We can’t exactly throw a fit and cause a scene here, and our poor little princess is,”

The baron looked toward where Princess Anastasia was.

“Too young and powerless. But isn’t she truly adorable?”

He let out a strange sound, “Hmmm.”

“If fairies exist, they’d look like that. She’s the cutest child I’ve seen in my life. With those big round eyes…”

“Whether the princess is cute or not isn’t the issue right now! And saying such things in public, you’ll be hard-pressed to avoid strange looks!”

“What?! What do you mean, treating me like a pervert! Surely you dote on your grandchildren like this too, Marquis!”

As they bickered quietly in the corner, they noticed something and paused.

“But somehow… it looks like Princess Anastasia is coming toward us?”