CH 35

(Eve’s POV)

“Your Highness, the Princess.”

The way the people look at me now is a bit different from before.

Earlier, when I first entered the ballroom, everyone avoided me as if I was a plague, a crazy person that would explode anytime.

However, after what happened earlier, they’re now looking at me with deep curiosity.

They’re the ones who’ve witnessed our little act and wanted to know how it came to be.

I picked up my pace so I could avoid those who were prying and were about to get on to the carriage.

Ugh, I was about to get inside…

If it wasn’t for the charming low-pitched voice that called me from behind.

“Eve.”

It was Arentine.

I could see him approaching this way.

The nobles who gathered were split on both sides for him.

I can sense Arentine’s forbidding aura as he slowly approaches me.

“Are you going back to the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes. I’m quite exhausted for today and I intend to rest once I’m back.”

He held out a hand to me as I stood in front of the carriage.

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to go back with me.”

‘Of course, I’m not okay with that.’

It would be more exhausting for me to lock myself in a carriage with older brother.

The purpose of isolating me must be related to what had happened between me and Terrence.

“Older brother, I sincerely apologize, but…….”

I was about to reject his offer when suddenly, the butler of the Duke’s family came out of the mansion, running towards us.

Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince!”

The butler bowed to Arentine before speaking;.

“The Duchess requested for an audience.”

“The Duchess?”

Arentine had a puzzled look on his face, not knowing the reason for this request. However, I could guess what’s going on.

For a punishment with any of the nobles, a direct permission from the Emperor’s side was required.

Since the Emperor himself is not present, the person with the highest authority is none other than my brother, Crown Prince Arentine who is attending on behalf of the royal family.

Arentine had no choice but to let me go.

“Go back for now. Will talk again later.”

“I understand.”

I gave off a sigh of relief as I climbed into the carriage.

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

(Eve’s POV)

The carriage passed through the main gate of the Imperial Palace and entered the dark backyard.

‘It has really been a long day.’

Our carriage followed the front line guards on our way back, it took quite a while before we finally stopped in front of the Imperial Palace.

As soon as I entered my bedroom, I took a bath and went to bed without even drying my hair due to exhaustion.

I was knocked out as soon as I closed my eyes and when I reopened them, it was already the next day.

The palace maid greeted me warmly the moment they opened my bedroom, and chatted as they prepared my morning bath.

“Your Highness, I have prepared your bath water.”

“Would you like me to prepare some herbal tea and snacks afterwards, Princess?”

“Yes, please.”

After the sudden change, the palace maids slowly became comfortable around me.

At first, the atmosphere was very disciplined and tense. But ever since I treated them differently from the original ‘Eve,’ which of course they’re not aware of,  they have started to change as well. The palace maids will always smile whenever they see me and assist me in everything I do, even without me telling them to do so

But that wasn’t the case when I first transmigrated here.

After I woke up, everybody around me was always nervous and visibly trembling like a new soldier meeting his general for the first time.

But unlike the real ‘Eve,’ I don’t get annoyed or angry that easily, and maybe that’s why everyone feels at ease now.

Still, they are a bit over enthusiastic today.

“What’s going on, everyone?”

The maids suddenly stopped moving, but their eyes were glistening at my sudden question as they exchanged glances.

Then one of them was pushed by her colleagues, and she came forward.

“Your Highness, we heard that you met the Grand Duke last night?”

“Oh…”

So, that’s why they’re like this.

“Yes, that’s right.”

After confirming that the rumor was right, the maid suddenly poured out questions like a waterfall.

“Is it true that the Grand Duke asked for a dance first?”

“And that he finally confessed his love for Her Highness the Princess?”

…… Wait. What did they say?

“We also heard that his grace, the Grand Duke, asked you to forgive him from his past action, and knelt in front of the Princess to swear an oath of love?”

Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.

“……..”

Just how did the rumor become like this? In just a day?

I was so shocked about the news, as if rumors were spread like wildfire, it was passed from one person to another.

Now I’m starting to get a headache from the series of questions pouring in from here and there.

“Ladies, this is not a big deal. Don’t make a fuss out of it, you can go out for now.”

In the meantime, it was only Chloe who was sent secretly by the Grand Duke, who had silently been doing her job properly.

After I shooed the maids out of my room, I was able to sit down to eat a late breakfast.

Nell, who was currently serving the meal, told me what happened.

“Everyone in the Imperial Palace has been talking about the ball since morning.”

“Really?”

That’s good news then, since that’s the main purpose of our little act.

“What did they say about it?”

“Everyone was surprised and happy that Her Highness, has finally won the heart of the Grand Duke.”

Nell told me about the stories that spread inside the Imperial Palace in full detail.

The rumor contains about the turn of events that happened last night, it was a romantic love story that no one could ever have imagined.

We’ve only danced once, but the truth was exaggerated overnight.

This might be the reason why I don’t believe in rumors that easily.

“Since I’ve witnessed the dance between the Princess and the Grand Duke, everyone envied me.”

Nell smiled bashfully and placed the bowl in front of me.

Then suddenly explained as if she remembered something.

“Oh, I also heard that there was some sort of commotion at the residence of the Duke of Rohan this morning.”

“Commotion?”

“I heard that one of the maids was caught trying to add some drug into Lady Diane’s medicine last night while the party was ongoing. Good thing is that the culprit was caught and known to be one of the servants of the Duke’s relative.”

“Oh, really? I see.”

“They also said that it was the Duchess herself who caught the maid red handed, and sent the criminal over to the police for thorough investigation…… But it doesn’t seem to be a big deal now.”

Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.

Since I requested to keep everything a secret, the Duke’s case was not receiving that much attention.

Still, I’m glad that everything worked out fine.

“It was fortunate that the culprit was caught.”

However it would have been best if this was handled quietly without attracting public attention.

“Princess.”

A maid hastily knocked on the door.

“Her Majesty, the Empress is looking for you.”

With those words, I was forced to quickly wash up and get dressed, regardless of whether it was morning or not.

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

(Eve’s POV)

The last time I went to the Empress’s Palace was the tea party that I attended without notice.

And since there’s no reason for her to call me, I haven’t visited since then.

Attending the Ball was approved by my brother Arentine, while the visit to the temple was conveyed through our personal maids.

When I went back to the temple to meet the Grand Duke in secret, the Empress didn’t specifically call for me.

Seeing the Empress’s palace again, it seems that nothing changed from the last time I came here.

Being called quite early in the morning, I was brought to the waiting room beside Her Majesty’s bedroom, and once I came in, she greeted me wearing her indoor dress.

“Did you attend the ball yesterday?”

“Yes, mother.”

Annoyance reflected on the Empress’s well-shaped eyebrows at the word ‘Mother’ that came out of my lips.

She definitely expressed her disgust outright.

No one is watching so no need to put use of her facade.

“I couldn’t stop it because His Highness the Crown Prince said that he will be taking you as his partner, but……”

The Empress let out a sigh and said as if reprimanding me.

“It heard that you begged the Grand Duke to be your partner at the Duke’s Ball last night. Have you had any dignity left? Rumors would definitely spread for those people who have witnessed it. And not only that, it’s also a matter of face that would be related to the Imperial Family.”

“Oh my. Where did you hear that story?”

I showed bewilderment on my face, so as for me to correct the story that the Empress had heard of.

“The Grand Duke asked to dance with me first. Of course I couldn’t refuse my fiance’s request, so I accepted it. Everyone in the ballroom saw what happened.”

Everyone in the room looked at me in confusion.

Someone must have delivered that information to the Empress’s ears last night.

“Whoever told you such a false story. Must have a problem with his eyesight or comprehension.”

“Then…… -you mean to tell me that, the Grand Duke asked you to dance first?”

Looking at the Empress’s expression of bewilderment was quite satisfying.

I know for a fact that the story she received was the correct one, but calling me just to confirm it was so surprising.

Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.

“Why are you so surprised? It’s only natural to dance with my fiancé at the Ball.”

The Empress carefully observed my face without answering.

It is quite been hard to believe. She must be wondering when the Grand Duke began to have finally noticed me.

Then, the Empress suddenly turned the topic as if something came to mind.

“By the way, the last time you went to the temple, I heard that you met the Grand Duke there?”

Why is she suddenly mentioning this?

It wasn’t about the second time, in which we met secretly, but the first time that I went to the temple where I met the Grand Duke and the Duchess openly, and had a conversation.

Of course, I already expected that rumors would spread like wildfire.

But what’s strange is that, after the encounter; she never even called me to confirm the rumor.

“I know that you wanted to have the Grand Duke’s heart, but you should consider etiquette as well.”

“I only wanted to deliver a bouquet of flowers to the late Grand Duchess. And even the Grand Duke accepted it, he even thanked me for it.”

“Of course he would accept it, since you mentioned his mother’s name, he was just being polite about it.”

The Empress then clicked her tongue as if she was irritated.

“Maybe that’s why the Grand Duke was polite to you.”

So she thinks that the Grand Duke’s unexplained behavior was just to return the courtesy that I first offered?

That’s where she’s wrong cause it’s a mutual agreement….

“I think so, maybe that’s what it is.”

“It was mentioned last night by the Crown Prince that he allowed you to visit the Grand Duke’s residence .”

The Empress changed the subject again.

“Even if it is for the wedding, it would be better to refrain from going out of the Imperial Palace. Since you’re still on probation.”

So this was the gist.

‘I guess she intends to keep me locked up in the Imperial Palace.’

It must be the Emperor’s order, to make sure that I would be kept here in the palace, but I’ve already managed to go outside three times already.

I’m afraid I’ll be reprimanded once the Emperor returns.

He must be worried now, especially since the Grand Duke suddenly began to show his attention to me.