CH 111

“Oohh.”

From the moment I arrived at the banquet hall, my eyes widened and I couldn’t hide my surprise. It was truly amazing splendor. It was much prettier and much bigger than I thought.

“That is really cool…”

Evan muttered something quietly while I was distracted, glancing around.

“Her gaze stayed the longest on the chandeliers in Row 4 and Column 2, followed by the sculptures by Olignaf, then the stained glass on the ceiling.”

“Huh? What…?”

“Nope. I was thinking ahead of time to design the interior of the Duke’s residence next season.”

After giving a rough answer, Evan smiled kindly at me and continued.

“Laria, the first song will start soon, so will you do the first dance with me?”

“What’s wrong with you? It is customary to do the first dance as a couple.”

I gazed at Evan’s face and burst into laughter.

“This is my first dance request, and it is important for the unmarried children of nobles whose hearts are shaken like reeds. What’s wrong with you?”

Having said that, I looked around again and smiled.

“Still, it’s so wonderful here… My first dance was always with you though I think it will be a little more exciting than usual.”

However, It wasn’t Evan who answered that. It was Elanie who suddenly approached us.

“Certainly, the banquet hall of the Imperial Palace is quite nice. Thank you for your appreciation, Laria.”

“Oh, greetings to the star of the Empire, Princess Elanie.”

As I quickly bowed, Elanie waved her hand.

“What is this strict etiquette between us?”

I bowed more politely.

‘What’s between us…’

If nothing, she was the woman who would remarry my husband anyway! It was true that we were entangled in many ways though I didn’t want to get any closer than necessary.

“I’ll tell you a secret, Laria.”

Elanie whispered secretly perhaps my expression looked like I had more to say.

“This is a fact that very few people know about, but in fact, ancient fairies breathe life into the banquet hall of the Imperial Palace.”

Elanie spoke to me while tidying up my clothes in a friendly manner.

“So that all kinds of emotions are amplified. The banquet is the event where young people have the most accidents.”

“Then, shouldn’t it not be amplified…?”

“Well, the fairies are a tribe that thinks that a successful banquet should have a lot of stories.”

Gazing at me, she smiled alluringly. Elanie was insanely beautiful for this banquet, and her splendid appearance from her usual days only shined brighter.

“So be careful, Laria. The more the imperial banquet progresses, the more people lose their minds. That’s why we don’t accept minors.”

Evan intervened bluntly.

“What is the purpose of telling the truth that only that few people know?”

He spoke in a too-blunt tone. Of course, Elanie didn’t even look at him.

“I want to build a relationship, that’s it. While Laria is kind, I find it difficult to get close to her.”

“Ahaha…”

I laughed awkwardly.

As I was thinking about how to stop the conversation, Elanie continued.

“You must not forget that emotions are bound to rise more and more. Otherwise, you will have an accident. You have to be as sensible as I am and always keep that fact in mind.”

She sneaked up on me and smiled.

“So, for the first song, you have to dance with your husband, but in the second song, if you share refreshments with me, I will tell you more about the fairies…”

“Excuse me.”

Evan intervened angrily.

“Can you please stop talking to my wife?”

“It’s a bit harsh to say things like that.”

Elanie snorted and crossed her arms.

“I’m trying to seduce you?”

“Sorry.”

I bowed again to Elanie politely.

“I’m not feeling well, so I don’t know the situation after one song. Please forgive me for not being able to make a promise for the next song because I don’t know when I will return.”

“Yes, of course!”

I thought she was easy to trick, Elanie uttered with a grin.

“Then, I’ll come back after the first song is over.”

Why was she so obsessive?

For a moment, I wondered if Elanie was this obsessed with Seymour. Evan whispered, holding my hand tighter as I watched Elanie’s fluttering back.

“Princess Elanie is a bit strange. I don’t feel good.”

“….”

One thing was certain. Elanie and Evan already said that they didn’t like each other very much. Anyway, the first song started playing, and I started dancing with Evan.

“Oh, my gosh.”

My dance was somewhat mechanical, but the atmosphere was really good.

“The decorations on the ceiling are so pretty that it looks like the Milky Way is spreading out. Haven’t you seen it?”

“….”

“The music also resonates so well that when I dance, I feel like I am the main character. Haven’t you heard of it?”

This was the reason Lady Olivia previously bragged to his young nephew, her grand-nephew, and grand-niece.

It was a wonderful place that seemed to come out of a fairy tale—like made by fairies. In the distance, Elanie was seen dancing her first dance with Seymour. The Princess invites a baron from the commoners to dance her first dance. It couldn’t have been a more great story.

‘The two seem to be doing really well. After all, even if I intervened a little, the relationship that will be in the original story seems to happen in the end.’

To put it that way, Evan and I were both supporting characters. However, when we danced together in such a beautiful place, it felt like we were the main characters of a romantic place.

“Evan, why are you dancing so slowly?”

“I’m afraid your ankle will hurt.”

“I’m really fine.”

“No, you’re a little bit slower than your usual walking speed. About two percent?”

It must have been a very slight thing that even I was not conscious of at all. Even the doctor said that there would be no discomfort in my normal movement. Besides, I didn’t hate his numerical consideration like a machine, although it was a bit strange.

“So pretty… I think I can see why the Imperial Palace banquet is famous.”

It would have been a pity if I hadn’t even been to the Imperial Palace banquet hall and ran away first.

“Still, father doesn’t dance?”

“Yes.”

Evan said, casting his gaze slightly at the table where Duke Icard was sitting.

“I heard that he never dances after Mother passes away.”

“Ah…”

He was drinking with middle-aged, high-ranking nobles.

‘Huh? Is he drinking? He doesn’t drink very well…’

Of course, it was still quiet though Duke Orlando, who I had no choice but to see at such an event, was also there.

‘…The current situation is that Duke Icard has definitely defeated Duke Orlando. As Evan entered politics after reaching adulthood, the noble family that had the most influence became Duchy Icard.’

At the top was, of course, the Emperor.

The Emperor was pouring wine to Duke Icard with a satisfied face.

‘Well, I guess they’ll have to drink together to resolve the awkward relationship they had with the iron ore mine last time.’

Even so, when Duke Icard was drinking, he really seemed to want to look good in the imperial family’s eyes.

‘But… because he knows that I’m going to die soon. If he wants to tie Elanie and Evan together, he needs to look good from now on.’

Even though I knew it all, it was a bit bittersweet.

After the dance, Evan said he would bring me a glass of water, and he sat me down in a chair and disappeared into the crowd.

I thought as I watched Duke Icard sitting at the table.

‘If I was Duke Orlando, I would try to open up relations with the Emperor, saying that a noble family member that has already passed on is inevitable.’

Perhaps, it was Duke Orlando who encouraged the development of mines on the land where Matilda’s tomb was located.

‘Maybe, he wants to use this banquet as an opportunity…’

I continued my thoughts naturally, then consciously stopped.

‘…What does it have to do with me now?’

I would be running away soon, so there was no need to worry about that even though he was already preparing for my death to the point of having a drink with the Emperor.

‘I will just be quietly watching…for a while.’

While waiting for Evan to go get water, I saw someone and narrowed my eyes.

“Oh, wait a minute. Why are you like that when you’re just a handmaid?”

A mean-looking young man was chasing a handmaid who was carrying food. It was Viscount Gerdy’s son, which I have been gritting my teeth at since the scroll book showed the fantasy in the magic tower.

“Are you ignoring me because I have a low title? Duke Orlando has been looking after me. Can’t you see when I’m here?”

I really thought I was lucky. If one was bad and the other was good, it would be a little uncomfortable for me to bully him, but since I was a bad guy in many ways, I didn’t feel guilty at all. Even from Duke Orlando’s side, how could there be such a fantastic harmony?

‘It’s good that I was bored because I didn’t have anyone to mess with at such a big and wonderful banquet.’

Wasn’t it my special skill to send someone without revealing my existence?

Still, I thought I was a bit lacking when embarrassing him during the founding party six years ago. Had I known that specific past, I would never have finished it with just an apology on his knees?

“Miss Laria.”

At that time, there was a person who approached me before Evan.

“I’m here to say hello.”

It was Seymour that looked good in pure white clothing. As expected of the male lead, he did not look like he was from commoners at all. He had a very clean and noble appearance.

“Ah.”

Almost for the first time, I was incredibly pleased with him.

“Sir Seymour, you came right on time.”

I hadn’t had any close friends in the Capital society yet.

“I have a favor to ask, and I hope you will listen to me as we have been partners for a while.”

“Oh, yes. If it’s Miss Laria’s request, of course, I have to do it.”

Seymour was the only card I could move in this banquet hall right now.

“What can I do for you?”

“Call that handmaid over there. She looks a bit awkward because there is a beggar-like thing sticking to her.”

“Yes? Well, it’s not difficult.”

“And, one more.”

“Yes. Say anything.”

I spoke with a smile.

“Second dance.”

Anyway, the rule was not to dance with the person who did the first dance for the second dance. I was originally told that I should not overdo it because of my ankle, so I was just saying that I would take a break.

“Please, ask me for the second dance.”