Chapter 21

****

The Grand Duke, having achieved the prank, briefly asked Isabelle’s well-being, and immediately brought up the subject.

“The banquet requested by Prince Edwin will be held on the ship.” 

The banquet will be held in the afternoon, so she was told to be on time, followed by a brief explanation of the banquet. In summary, Isabelle did not play a particular role at the banquet, and if she was tired, she could rest in the lounge on the ship.

“I see.”

“Do you need an escort?”

“I’ll go by myself……”

“Yes?”

Normally Isabelle wouldn’t ask. It was the same when Isabelle first went downtown in a carriage or to the pier where his ship located. 

Every time he would send Snow. 

‘What’s wrong with this man?’

Isabelle blinked her big eyes.

“Can you escort me yourself?”

“No. I’ll send Snow.”

‘I knew it.’

“I’ll be there.”

Isabelle waved her hand.

Snow said,

”What’s wrong with my escort? Do you know how many women are waiting for me?”

“Then I will wait for you on the ship.”

The Grand Duke said and left the room with Snow.

***

Isabelle was all dolled up.

Her reflection in the mirror was just as beautiful and elegant as before her return, when she became a princess.

‘The maids in this house are pretty good. But the reaction is…… ’

The maids admired the adult novel, but the maids of the Grand Duke were really blunt. After they finished dressing up Isabelle, they put their hands together and blinked their eyes.

“You are beautiful today.”

It was Laura, the maid who gave the compliment. The word ‘today’ bothered Isabelle a bit. 

“Our Princess is be the most beautiful princess in the kingdom of Desar!” 

Verdel rasied her shoulders proudly.

The kingdom of Desar’s royal family was famous for their beauty.

“Even in our empire, it is said that when drawing princess illustrations in books, we refer to the portraits of Desar’s royal family.”

“Our princess is well known among the royal family…… ”

“Verdel, can you get me my shoes?”

Isabelle gave the signal to shut up.

Yes, rumors spread. Princess Isabelle was a bad-tempered villain.

She’s been doing her best in the Empire, so she didn’t want to hear it again.

Isabelle got up from the vanity and looked at the yellow shoes Verdel had brought her. After thinking for a while, Isabelle shook her head.

“I should wear something else.”

“This is what Madame Fairy matched with her dress.”

Had Madame Fairy been hoping Isabelle would get rid of her villainous label?

The lemon-colored dress was so refreshing and lovely.

The same went for the cute yellow shoes with corsages.

‘I have to wear combat gear today.’

Isabelle pulled out her red shoes from under her bed. The magic shoes given to you by the tower lord, Chaiman. The magic shoes with pointed tips did not match the dress she was wearing.

‘Whatever. If there is a situation to avoid the Prince, I must use magic.’

Isabelle proudly put her shoes on and stepped out of the tower.

“Oh, beautiful princess.”

Snow, dressed in a neat uniform, politely bowed like a gentleman.

‘I thought I was going alone.’

He must have been sent by the Grand Duke.

“Snow looks wonderful, too.”

“I was cool from the start.”

Snow raised his glasses and grinned. A thin gold string hung from the temples of the spectacles, glistening in the afternoon sun.

“Has the Prince arrived?”

“Yeah. He’d be aboard a ship by now. The Grand Duke is serving him.”

Snow stretched out his arm and smiled prettily.

“It’s a shame. If it was a ball, I would ask the Princess for a dance.”

“It’s a banquet, but no dance?”

Isabelle placed her hand on Snow’s forearm. The fine muscles that felt hard under the cloth were quite like a soldier.

“It’s a different kind of party. You’ll know when you get there.”

Snow guided Isabelle to the carriage. He waited for her to get in, but Isabelle didn’t move.

“Princess?”

“Sir Snow, what time is the banquet today?”

“There is no set time. Why?”

“I think I’ll have to go home by twelve o’clock tonight.”

Isabelle looked at the carriage in front of her with a puzzled expression.

The orange carriage with its elegant curves resembled a pumpkin.

***

“Did you prepare this for a banquet, Grand Duke?”

The Prince, who was sitting on the sofa, smiled absurdly and shook his head. Contrary to his sweet smile, his blue eyes were sharp.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“I should have known from the moment I was told to come to the ship.”

Maybe it’s a cruise training called a banquet? In the middle of a large hall, the soldiers performed their moves with guns or something, and it was all men who served.

Looking around, the woman’s skirt was nowhere to be seen.

‘You’ve used your head quite a bit.’

A banquet held in the sea, not on the imperial land. There was even a performance that could be dismissed as military training.

‘You thought of avoiding the imperial glare properly.’

The Prince put down his champagne glass while watching the sweaty performances of the soldiers.

It tasted bitter.

“By the way, Grand Duke, where your the bride-to-be?”

The Prince inquired about Isabelle’s whereabouts.

“She will come soon. Did the Prince leave your lover Flute behind?”

The Grand Duke had received information that the Prince was accompanied by a young lady, Flute Hamel. But he left Flute Hamel behind and went to the ship alone.

“Why? Are you interested in Flute, Karl? Shall I introduce her as the 14th bride?”

The Prince skillfully changed the topic and smiled.

Then he got up from the sofa, covering his nose with his hand.

“I think it would be better to watch the sea from the deck.”

“You don’t like it here?”

“The smell of men…”

The Prince suddenly stopped his speech and wrinkled his expression.

It was because one of the muscular soldiers during the performance winked at the Prince and gave him an air kiss.

“…… It’s awfully disgusting.”

The Prince went out to the deck.

The Grand Duke watched his back with an expressionless face.

Then a certain soldier approached the Grand Duke.

“My lord, the trace of Lady Flute has been lost.” 

It was Shadow disguised as a soldier.

“Does it make sense that you lost the traces of a noble woman?”

“I will definitely investigate it.”

After completing the report, Shadow naturally disappeared into the crowd.

***

Isabelle got off her pumpkin carriage and boarded the ship.

The bridge connecting the dock and the ship had dozens of stairs. She was escorted by Snow, but to no avail as his arms had no strength.

“Ha, your escort is always so bad, Sir Snow.”

“Awhile ago, the wheel of the carriage suddenly broke, so I had to use all my strength to fix it by myself.”

Snow answered while breathing heavily just like Isabelle was.

While riding in the carriage, a swarm of mice appeared out of nowhere and ate the wheel of the carriage.

The carriage staggered and the horses ran wild, but thanks to Snow’s response, they were able to survive. 

“But how does a man get tired already? How the hell did you train your arm muscles?”

“Are you curious?”

Snow laughed slyly.

“No, I’m not curious.”

Isabelle shook her head and stepped on the steps. 

‘Oh, I think my toes are going to burst because of the shoes.’

“By the way, is the banquet will go on even after the sunset?”

“Perhaps.”

“Then what about the Grand Duke?”

“Oh, if you care about his curse, he’ll be fine.”

Snow explained.

“The Grand Duke’s curse is only strong when on land.”

“Then isn’t it okay to live on a ship without a curse?”

“After a few days, he turns into a beast on the sea. It is as if the curse came directly from the land to the Grand Duke.”

Snow shook his head, remembering one day when there was a chaos on the ship.

Finally, the two of them climbed the last stairs and caught their breaths on the ship’s railing.

The moment Isabelle thought that she should take off her shoes and rest in the lounge.

“Princess Isabelle Desar.”

Prince Edwin appeared like goddamn fate.

The Prince, who was looking at the sea from the deck, strode towards Isabelle.

“Ha.”

A sigh preceded a greeting.

The Prince’s face, who had been smiling like a picture, was momentarily distorted and then put on a fake smile again.

“Long time no see, Prince.”

Isabelle glanced around after roughly bending her knees to greet him.

The Grand Duke was nowhere to be seen.

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to meet you.”

“I see.”

This time Isabelle looked at the sea.

She felt like the little mermaid will be watching this scene for some reason.

The Prince frowned as he looked at Isabelle, who was not facing him properly.

“Who are you looking for, Princess?”

Then Isabelle, who was busily looking around her, looked at the Prince.

“Oh, it’s my first time on a ship. How amazing. Haha.”

‘Yep, it was f*cking amazing.’

When she first opened her eyes to this world, she was on this ship.

‘It’s the ship I was stabbed by the Little Mermaid!’

In her first regression, she married on this ship, and in her third regression, she died on this ship.

She had never seen the Grand Duke on both occasions…Was this ship the Grand Duke’s ship?

‘Will the little mermaid suddenly appear today on the ship?’

Just imagining it gave her goosebumps.

“I am also new to this ship, but I came first and learned the structure. I will guide you.” 

The Prince reached out to Isabelle.

‘Pretending to be polite.’

However, she could not refuse the Prince’s escort as she was a reserve Grand Duchess.

“Then please.”

“Thank you, beautiful Lady Desar.”

It was obvious why he called her Lady openly even though he knew she was going to have a ceremony with the Grand Duke. 

‘Dirty b*stard.’

Isabelle was forced to put her hand on his arm and walking along.

But something strange happened. A flock of pigeons that were not seagulls flew from the land, and rushed to Isabelle.

“Cawrrrrr!”

“Princess Isabelle!”

Isabelle covered her head and bent her body, and while the Prince fled and called her name.

Then, a strong wind blew over her head.

With the wind, the pigeons were mercilessly thrown onto the deck.

“Grand Duke?”

Isabelle stared straight ahead, convinced that she was right. As expected, it was the Grand Duke.

He walked towards Isabelle with a sword the size of her body.

There were no common questions such as are you okay or surprised? He looked down at Isabelle, who was sitting there, and grabbed her with one arm.

‘Is this comfort without shaking?’

Isabelle glanced at him, feeling like a light cotton doll. Was he angry? His eyes staring at the Prince were particularly harsh.

“The introduction is late. This is Grand Duchess Isabelle Bashke, Prince Edwin.”

“!”

As if to introduce his wife, who had already married, the Grand Duke drew a line with the Prince as Isabelle was his. 

“Didn’t he want to break up with a few days ago?’

Surprised, Isabelle held on tight, but there was no reason to fall.

The Grand Duke’s arms gave her a pleasurable pressure and held her tighter.