Chapter 4.1
This was the second time I had come to the Imperial Palace.
I felt it the last time as well, but it truly was a splendid and luxurious place.
Setting aside the vast scale that seemed endless even while traveling by carriage, every single building seen through the carriage window was surrounded by brilliant golden light.
‘Is it a display of power?’
It felt as though they wanted to show off strength, even if only on the surface, to hide the weakness of the imperial authority.
The banquet hall where today’s event was to be held was located deep within the Imperial Palace.
A large building supported by thick pillars, situated to the north of a garden with a wide pond, was the venue for today’s banquet.
After getting off the carriage and passing through a long corridor, a door came into view.
The gatekeeper bowed upon seeing me and then opened the door.
As soon as I entered the banquet hall, as expected, everyone’s attention was focused on me.
“Oh my!”
“Lady Hates has arrived.”
Although I had come with a firm resolve, seeing them gathered among themselves and whispering while looking at me did not make me feel particularly good.
‘If they’re going to talk, they should at least
do it so I can’t hear.’
However, my pride would not allow me to show that I was offended.
Shall I test whether my acting skills have grown rusty?
I leisurely crossed the banquet hall while maintaining the smile on my lips.
I moved forward slowly with a look more composed than anyone else’s, wearing a nonchalant expression as if I didn’t care about my surroundings at all.
My destination had been decided from the beginning.
I approached the man who was looking down at everyone from the seat of honor.
Beside him was a man with whom I didn’t want to share the same air for even a single moment, but there was no helping it.
This is a status-based society, and no matter how much of a puppet the Emperor may be, I had to show proper etiquette toward the Imperial Family.
Without giving so much as a glance to Kane, who was standing beside the Crown Prince, I bowed my waist and greeted the Crown Prince.
“I greet His Imperial Highness Edial Winston Baltheus, the shining little sun of Baltheus and the noble Crown Prince.”
“Lady Hates, it has been a long time.”
The Crown Prince motioned for me to rise.
As I slowly straightened my waist and lifted my head, my eyes met the Crown Prince’s.
Since I had seen the Emperor not long ago, I had expected it, but the Crown Prince’s appearance was also very handsome.
However, if there was a slight difference, it was that while the Emperor had a soft impression to put it nicely, and a weak-looking face to put it harshly, the Crown Prince was the opposite.
A strength and majesty different from the puppet Emperor could be glimpsed from the man with bluish hair and red eyes, the symbol of the Imperial Family.
Yet, I knew nothing at all about the Crown Prince.
It wasn’t because I couldn’t remember the contents of the novel due to the passage of time, but because the Crown Prince only appeared briefly as an extra in the original work.
Therefore, unlike the others, I could not predict his actions, so I couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Well, since the original story has ended anyway, I can’t predict anyone’s actions.
“I heard the Lady has just returned from a trip.”
Fortunately, the Crown Prince started the conversation with a normal greeting.
While I was inwardly relieved and about to give an equally ordinary answer.
“That is correct, Your Highness. The Lady has been traveling for as long as two years.”
Suddenly, before I could even open my mouth, Kane chimed in from the side to support the Crown Prince’s words.
No, who does he think he is to meddle in my business like that?
For a moment, I looked at him with a dissatisfied gaze.
However, he was grinning at me in a way that didn’t suit him.
‘What is this?’
As someone who had never seen Kane smile before, it couldn’t be anything other than a very flustered situation.
I made a face as if I had seen something I shouldn’t have, then soon regained my composure and returned to a blank expression.
‘Let’s not get dragged in.’
“Duke Maxius was here as well. I saw the Duke at a dinner meeting two weeks ago.”
I spoke with the intention of making it as if his visit to my house had never happened.
Then, I saw Kane’s face stiffen slightly.
“The two of you have already reunited at the dinner meeting with His Majesty the Emperor.”
Reunion.
Of course, the meaning of reunion was simply meeting again after a long time, but somehow it wasn’t a word fit to be used between Kane and me.
“Yes, how is it? How do both of you feel about meeting each other after such a long time?”
What on earth is this…….
The feeling I had in this spot was exactly this.
The feeling that the Crown Prince was stepping forward to mediate between Kane and me.
“I was glad, but it seems the Lady was not.”
The moment I heard Kane’s words, my foul premonition turned out to be true.
Dumbfounded, I looked back and forth between the two men and shook my head inwardly.
Now was not the time to be standing here like an idiot.
After quickly organizing in my head what I needed to do immediately, I deliberately smiled brightly and opened my mouth toward them.
“As Your Highness knows, the relationship between Duke Maxius and me did not end very well.”
Perhaps they didn’t expect me to mention our relationship so directly, as both men looked at me with a slightly surprised air.
“So, unlike Duke Maxius, I am not particularly comfortable in this spot.”
I did not hide the fact that I was extremely displeased but was nonetheless holding it in.
I think I finally knew why the Crown Prince had suddenly held a banquet and invited
the young nobles.
Kane Maxius.
That man must have plotted something using the Crown Prince as a front.
I could tell from the attitude of the two that it wasn’t a groundless thought.
“Crown Prince, may I take my leave? It has been a long time since I’ve been to such a banquet, and there are so many people I must greet.”
Of course, even if I looked around, there were no familiar faces, but if I could escape from this place, I could grab anyone in the banquet hall and have a conversation.
“Do so.”
“Thank you, Crown Prince.”
As I turned around and left them, I felt a burning gaze watching me from behind.
In fact, I could feel gazes watching us from all directions since a while ago.
‘Quite a spectacle they’re getting, quite a spectacle.’
Well, even if it were me, I wouldn’t be able to miss this interesting sight.
The breaking of engagements, the engagement, and then the breaking of engagements again among the three prominent ducal families of the Empire.
‘It is an interesting topic of conversation.’
I didn’t care because I had come knowing it would be like this anyway.
To show a confident and unhesitating appearance, I held my head even higher and took step after step.
And while looking around for someone to exchange formal greetings with, I suddenly made eye contact with familiar faces.
‘I knew they would come.’
It was Adela Bayon and Eden Bayon.
Adela’s eyes were on the place where I had been just a moment ago, and Eden’s eyes were directed toward me.
I deliberately avoided Eden’s gaze and looked at the two of them for a moment.
Adela was beautiful today as well.
The pale cream-colored dress, which contrasted with her ebony hair, made her beauty stand out even more.
Eden beside her was also wearing a stylish and neat tailcoat; if one didn’t stay sharp, they would be instantly enchanted by his appearance.
When the thought occurred that it might really be the case, a sense of crisis suddenly rushed in.
So, after hurriedly turning my head, I approached a group of young ladies who came into view.
I quickly searched through Belita’s memories just in case, but as expected, I didn’t know anyone.
Judging by Belita’s past actions, it seemed they also took it for granted that I wouldn’t know them.
When I greeted them first, they immediately introduced themselves, so I was able to continue the conversation easily.
After exchanging short greetings with those in the banquet hall, I looked for a place to rest for a moment due to the sudden fatigue I felt.
Looking roughly, most of the few terraces already had curtains drawn, as if they were already occupied by someone.
I walked toward a place where I expected it to be empty because the curtains were not drawn, and then checked the terrace.
Fortunately, the terrace was vacant.
I drew the curtains so that no one could see and then closed the door tightly.
It was a sign for no one to enter because someone was there.
Now, this place was a perfect space of my own where I could rest comfortably away from others’ eyes.
“Ah, it’s exhausting.”
My body wasn’t particularly tired.
But I was so tired mentally.
Even though I came knowing it would be like this, I had to move around while avoiding the landmines scattered
everywhere.
I exchanged conversations with quite a few people in the banquet hall, and someone’s gaze followed me throughout that time.
I didn’t check who it was, but I had a guess.
Come to think of it, Adela and Eden saw me with Kane.
If I wasn’t careful, it was easy to be misunderstood.
“I feel like things are getting more and more tangled.”
While letting out deep sighs, I watched the outside of the terrace for a moment.
The night sky was full of stars.
“Wow, it’s pretty.”
My mind was troubled, but the star-filled world entering my eyes was so beautiful that I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
I saw many night skies while traveling.
Among them, the night sky I saw at the beach of the coastal city, Yulita, was by far the best.
‘Will I be able to see it again?’
Would I be able to go there again in the future?
At that time, I tried to burn it into my eyes because it felt like I would never be able to come again, but thinking about it, there was no reason I couldn’t go.
If I had the will, I could go anywhere.
If I had the will, I could do anything.
Thinking that way, my suffocating mood improved a little.
It was then.
While I was absentmindedly admiring the twinkling night sky for a while, the sound of the door opening came from behind.
‘Huh?’
Someone was trying to enter the terrace.
I thought that if they realized someone was there, they would withdraw immediately, so I just kept looking at the night sky without turning around.
The sound of the door closing was heard.
‘They left.’
I thought they had closed the door and left, but suddenly I heard footsteps approaching me little by little.
Since the terrace wasn’t that wide, they would immediately know someone was inside. There was no way they hadn’t seen me.
‘What is this?’
I turned around with the thought that I should give them a sharp piece of my mind for their rude behavior of entering as they pleased despite someone being there and then send them back.
Standing there was a person I didn’t want to face for even a single second.
“Lady.”
It was Kane.
As soon as I saw Kane, I looked at him with a dumbfounded expression because it was so absurd.
“What, exactly, are you doing right now?”
A cold and sharp voice came out automatically.
“I have something to say to the Lady.”
Something to say.
What could possibly be left for us to say that he keeps doing this?
