CH 103

‘I really don’t know.’

Eristella gave up on thinking about how the appearances of Declen and Viscount Diaclen could coexist.

‘I can’t figure it out right away.’

And now wasn’t the time to worry about it. 

The important thing right now was determining Declen’s purpose and stopping this banquet.

“Actually, knowing that Your Highness would approach me this time, I deliberately left the banquet hall and waited.”

‘What is this again?’

‘Are you saying this to get something out of me? I must be on guard.’

“They said that a child who fell ill at the magic academy for unknown reasons is now staying at the grand duchy.”

‘You know that?’

Eristella looked at Declen in surprise, and at that very second, she had an inkling of his intentions.

With a cunning smirk, Declen continued speaking.

“So, I prepared this business presentation with special care.”

‘…….’

“If it’s Your Highness the Princess, you will come to me unconditionally to stop this.”

‘Now I get it.’

This was a trap set up by Diaclen, no, Declen.

To make her reveal her identity first.

“I was waiting with great anticipation.”

When the fox bared its teeth, Declen grinned brightly as if he was very happy.

Eristella had to admit that he had a shot this time.

“But what are you going to do now?”

Declen asked as he gave the fox’s body a once-over.

“Can you stand in front of everyone with that appearance?”

His words contained an additional meaning– that he could reveal the fact that Princess Eristella was stuck in the form of a cute little fox. So all she could do was to watch helplessly until the business presentation was over.

“You must have planned something with the grand duke, but that won’t work.”

Declen’s scheme was terrible. Worst of all, he was right.

“There is only one shock that can wreak havoc on my business presentation.”

Now he was testing Eristella.

Would the princess reveal that she has been subjected to black magic, or would she avoid it by pretending to be blind and ignorant.

Either way, it was a bad choice.

However, Eristella’s eyes shone with venom.

‘There’s nothing that I can do?’

‘Hah. Do you think I’ll run away?’

And as the change took place in an instant, a clear voice from a strong core resounded.

“I never said I couldn’t return to my original body.”

Eristella, who had returned to her original form in the blink of an eye, stood glaring at Viscount Diaclen.

“As expected, Your Highness must be the person I saw then.”

Declen let out his genuine admiration, recalling their meeting in the last imperial banquet.

Then he meticulously studied Eristella’s figure and muttered.

“It doesn’t look like that either. It’s pretty much impossible to break the curse I put on you.”

“What are you talking about?”

It was true that Eristella hadn’t completely lifted the black magic curse, but she deliberately insisted.

“But since when were you able to come back like this?”

“I’ll be crazy to tell you.”

The way Declen asked made it seemed like he was really curious and that it mattered to him.

“If you tell me since when did you return to your original form, I will tell you one thing you want to know. After all, it’s only half now, right?”

…Ugh. There was no way he didn’t know that.

But that didn’t mean she could be pushed back.

“I don’t have to listen.”

Eristella had no intention of being swayed by Viscount Diaclen, no, Declan.

Then she stared at the necklace hanging around her neck.

The necklace she had been wearing since she was a fox was still hanging around her neck; it didn’t sustain any damage.

Taking her eyes off it, she asked. 

“You have no intention of stopping the banquet right now, are you?”

“Considering how much effort I put in? No way.”

“I knew it.”

Tight tension flowed between the two as they exchanged words with seemingly relaxed smiles.

“No matter how much you’ve regained your original form, you won’t be able to prove anything. Nobody wouldn’t believe it even if the grand duke came forward as well.”

Declen was sure.

Even if it’s Grand Duke Adelasia, greed would cover the people’s eyes; they wouldn’t believe him and boycott the items.

“You asked what I am going to do?”

Eristella turned around.

“Just in time. I will show you now.”

And she ran away.

It wasn’t really running away. She was progressing straight ahead. 

Actually, it was not that she was not worried at all.

Rage simply took precedence.

Eristella did not slow down.

*******

The place where Eristella ran to was the banquet hall.

So far, she was busy hiding every time she returned to her original form so as not to be spotted by others.

From this moment on, it would be the opposite.

‘Here it goes. Let’s go in.’

She opened the door with both hands.

Lights poured down, and the people gathered in the banquet hall came into view.

Eristella looked at everyone with her signature arrogant and confident smile.

Although it was not the timing she wanted.

It was pointless to just hide until she was fully prepared.

Even if it was still early, she would come when she had to.

That was her way of doing things.

—With confidence and courage.

‘Oh. This definitely reminds me of my debutante. I think I was in a similar situation back then.’

Thinking so, the pouring eyes and the hushed voice seemed to be nothing.

Meanwhile, Heinricion was looking for Eristella when she was away for longer than expected.

However, he returned to the banquet hall because he could not find her even in his designated resting room.

‘Why are you there?’

The long-awaited moment. Eristella stood in place, receiving everyone’s gaze.

‘What are you thinking?’

It took a while for Heinricion to make eye contact with Eristella, but when he did, she turned her head away, as if she didn’t see him.

The banquet hall was in an uproar.

At first, people wondered who would make such a loud entrance. Some looked at the entrance with curiosity, while others with displeasure.

“Who…? Huh…?!”

Blinded by the backlight, it was difficult for the partygoers to see Eristella’s face instantly. 

Step by step, Eristella entered the banquet hall, revealing her splendid appearance. It was as if her presence alone lit up the lights around her.

“Hey, look over there!”

“That face… Ooh, silver hair! That silver hair…!”

Silver was not a very rare hair color.

However, there was only one person in the empire with such good looks and silver hair.

“Her Highness the Princess…? But how…? I’m not the only one seeing her… right…?”

“She definitely looks like the imperial princess.”

“Nonsense. How could she show up here? She has passed away, hasn’t she? That, too, a long time ago…?”

The confused voices were like screams.

“But no matter how I look at it, it really is Her Imperial Highness.”

That one sentence settled it.

No one could deny it.

The person who appeared in front of them was the princess that everyone thought was dead.

“Who wants to check?”

Nonetheless, none had the courage to approach and check.

It was then.

Eristella parted her lips. To declare proudly to all.

“I am back.”

Princess Eristella René Leonard had returned.

She was smiling lightly, as if she had just returned from a short trip.

“Oh my God, how can this be…”

The moment of return. Just her presence made the empire shook.

Her gaze met Declen’s, who had belatedly arrived. He had returned to the form of Viscount Diaclen.

‘How is this? This is just the first.’

Now, all that was left was to properly ruin the banquet in Eristella’s way.

‘You must have forgotten. That’s my specialty.’

Eristella’s confident, mischievous eyes looked straight at Declen.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m back now.”

Eristella glanced at the crowd and slowly grabbed the necklace hanging around her neck.

As her body changed, the size of the necklace also changed.

Like it had been enchanted like this since the beginning.

‘You tried to trick me.’

A smirk appeared on Eristella’s lips.

“The objects here are imbued with black magic.”

The moment she pulled it with force, the string of the necklace broke.

Ame: I’m still worried about the necklace…