The new year had dawned. The capital was bustling for a while because of the upcoming New Year’s banquet, and Olivia had celebrated her eighteenth birthday just two days ago. And today. Nobles and numerous businessmen alike had been given the chance to attend the royal palace’s New Year’s banquet. For Olivia, it was the first moment she stepped into society as an adult.
“Did you hear? His Highness the Grand Duke will be attending this banquet.”
“It’s been five years, hasn’t it? The photos in the articles are so tantalizing, one can hardly bear it.”
“He must have become more manly. Back then, he had just come of age and still looked young.”
The people entering the banquet hall gathered in small groups, exchanging light conversation. Of course, the center of that topic was solely the Grand Duke of Libien. The young married ladies who remembered the Grand Duke, unlike the unmarried young ladies, spoke without hesitation about their purpose for coming here today, their faces flushed.
“Anyone who saw the articles would have noticed. His purpose for coming for northern business was quite clear.”
“It’s a disgrace to the royal family. No matter how much he likes money, for the Grand Duke to personally jump into business himself.”
“It seems we can no longer close our eyes to the fact that the world is changing.”
Those with titles were divided between those who were heated about the Grand Duke’s actions and those who subtly supported him. Olivia, who had passed by them and overheard their conversation, let out a small, hollow laugh.
“Ha, what protagonist.”
When Olivia muttered, Rafael slightly lowered his head and whispered.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s nothing.”
Olivia adjusted her grip on Rafael’s arm and tried not to let the smile on her lips fade. But Rafael did not let it pass.
“It’s not nothing, is it? Are you interested in the prince too?”
“I was just laughing at Mother’s fussing.”
Olivia eventually brought up what had happened a few days ago.
“She said her life’s masterpiece is here, and that today the protagonist would be me.”
“It did come out unusually well. Very pretty.”
Rafael laughed softly as he watched Olivia’s brow furrow. He had said it to tease her on purpose, but she seemed truly angry enough to be unable to control her expression. Olivia, trusting in her long skirt, subtly stepped on Rafael’s foot.
“Ugh, but I can’t be the protagonist. His Highness the Grand Duke’s popularity is beyond words.”
Rafael, who had groaned softly, continued. Olivia gave a light nod in agreement. Regardless of rank, everyone here was speaking only of the Grand Duke, who had not yet appeared.
At some point, the surroundings grew noisy. Olivia lightly gripped the arm of Rafael, who was lost in thought. When Rafael turned to Olivia, she gestured with her eyes toward the entrance of the banquet hall.
“His Highness Prince Winston is entering!”
“Why don’t they call him the Grand Duke?”
The title of Grand Duke of Libien was omitted. Could one attach and detach names so freely just because one had several? Olivia shook her head, saying she could not understand. Rafael thought for a moment and then said.
“Well. A declaration of intent to remain a member of the royal family today?”
“What is that supposed to mean.”
Olivia, who had been laughing softly, at some point lost her words as she watched Winston crossing the banquet hall. Even the thin resonance of the string instruments echoing softly through the hall seemed to scatter lightly. Wearing a dress coat no different from the other men, he captured everyone’s attention at a single glance simply by existing.
“No. It’s just that he looks so much like a prince today that I forgot he was the Grand Duke.”
The cool atmosphere that newspaper photographs alone could not capture—people could not easily even greet Winston and merely turned their heads toward the direction he moved. Rafael looked around in admiration.
“……Good heavens.”
And among them was Olivia, holding Rafael’s arm and covering her mouth with one hand. Rafael grinned and said.
“You’re showing a reaction quite befitting your age too.”
“If someone showed no reaction upon seeing a subject like that, would they even be human?”
When Winston, surrounded by a crowd of people, was no longer visible, Olivia lost interest again. Rafael, who had received two glasses of champagne, handed one to Olivia.
“I’m glad Alex didn’t come.”
“Why?”
“He would have lost his spirit seeing your reaction.”
“Young Duke Brown isn’t bad either.”
“Not as much as him, though.”
Olivia tapped Rafael as if to say he was stating the obvious.
“A person like the prince—there’s only the prince in this world. How common are walking statues?”
“Then what about me?”
Rafael slightly bent his waist, offering himself to be properly admired. If one erased that playful face, where would his reputation go? Olivia lightly pushed his face away and furrowed her brow.
“You’re a different kind, Brother. This side is a painting, that side is a sculpture.”
“Hmm, not a bad review.”
Rafael sipped his champagne and slowly kept watch on those who had begun to form groups. Normally, he would have been mixed in among them himself, but today he had Olivia at his side. Having noticed since a while ago that gazes toward Olivia were growing denser, he had been shifting their position from time to time.
“Anyway, this getup today is really……. What was Mother thinking?”
At Rafael’s question, Olivia shrugged. The dress with a bold plunge at the chest was helping draw the gazes of the men gathered here into one place.
“She said the Young Duke should feel some sense of crisis too.”
“She doesn’t realize that then and now are different. It’s not as if I can poke out all those brats’ eyes.”
“You’re more conservative than I thought, Brother.”
“Anyone changes when it becomes their family’s matter.”
Having come here, this level of attire was actually on the ordinary side. Olivia had stopped paying much attention to this outfit, but Rafael seemed to feel a little differently. Olivia shook her head and looked at him as if he were hopeless.
Just then, the king and queen, who had announced the start of the ball with the first dance, were returning to their seats. Just before the next song began, Rafael extended his hand toward Olivia.
“May I have a dance, my lady?”
Winston stood a little away from the center, ceaselessly tracking Olivia as she danced with Rafael. So ardently that anyone watching him could notice that gaze. Victor watched this quietly and then muttered beside him.
“Surely you’re not thinking of asking her to dance?”
“Me, ask whom?”
“Miss Russell.”
“Russell?”
“You didn’t know? The young lady you’re currently watching is the famous Miss Olivia Russell.”
“Ah. That Young Duke Brown’s betrothed.”
Winston raised his champagne glass and lightly wet his throat. Just as curiosity had stirred from the two previous coincidences, the information he heard only whetted his appetite further.
“Please do avoid any love-triangle fights.”
“Well. The Young Duke isn’t even here, and for that young lady who has been clinging only to her brother all this time, wouldn’t I be fine as a brief diversion?”
Just then, the music stopped. Many gazes reached Winston as he strode forward among the dispersing crowd.
“Miss Russell.”
Olivia, who had been returning to her spot with Rafael, turned her gaze at the familiar voice. Winston, it was him. Olivia’s eyes wavered ever so slightly.
* * *
The protagonists of that day’s New Year’s banquet were undoubtedly Winston and Olivia. The image of the two, like a painting, became a topic of conversation at many parties held after that day. Unknowingly, it was a situation that had dealt Young Duke Brown a blow.
But that pleasant New Year atmosphere sank heavily before long. It was because of news that came from near the northern border. Masha, who had been stroking Olivia’s hair, dropped the comb she was holding with a clatter.
“A w-war?”
“Yes. So that’s why. The reason my parents are rushing my marriage.”
“But there was no sign of anything like that at all, was there?”
At Masha’s words, Olivia nodded as if it were obvious.
“Only censored news makes it into the papers.”
Masha stomped her feet, saying she had no idea about such things. Olivia gently grasped Masha’s wrist and told her to calm down, then continued speaking calmly.
“Don’t worry. In the past, things like this happened countless times, and each time, the Kingdom of Betia has protected its name.”
“But still……”
“What I’m worried about is a slightly different matter than that.”
When war breaks out, Young Duke Brown, Alex, is bound to head to the army without fail. Leaving for the country was not a problem, but what was to become of her, who would be here under the name of Brown? Would there be enough time to have a child? If by any chance he left without even a child and did not return, what of her position?
“Olivia! Olivia!”
Olivia, who had thrown a robe over her nightgown, rose from her seat and poked her head out the door. Just then, Madam Russell had come right up to the bedroom door.
“What is it, Mother?”
“There’s no time to send for the madam. Hurry and get ready to go out. We’re going to the dressmaker’s.”
“What? At this hour……”
It was an hour at which it would not have been strange to be lying in bed.
“Hurry!”
Unable to resist Madam Russell’s urging, Olivia and Masha began preparing to go out once more.
