The Emperor, who had been watching the fight across the river, was suddenly called and startled.

“Hmm? Me?”

He looked up, greeted them, and then looked at Diana standing in a corner.

He felt sorry for her, who was virtually the star of this banquet, standing there watching.

“Yes, then I’ll take on the partner for a moment. Empress, only the first dance, right?”

The Emperor looked at Milia, praising his own kindness.

Milia felt uncomfortable.

But she couldn’t resist the Emperor’s elated mood, buoyed by the praise from his son after a long time.

“It would be a great honor if Your Majesty takes care of it.”

The Empress gritted her teeth and glared at Nathaniel and Jaina.

The two pretended not to notice, avoided her gaze, and quickly disappeared.

(This is a time divider.)

Jaina and Nathaniel hid in a corner to avoid the Empress’s gaze.

Of course, Nathaniel’s presence was so strong that all eyes were still on them.

Jaina grabbed a small plate filled with whipped cream nearby and handed it to Nathaniel.

“You did well earlier.”

It was different depending on who was pushing it and where.

If someone of the Empress’s caliber pushed it in front of everyone, the Emperor would have surely given a hint.

But the atmosphere changed when Nathaniel, the party concerned, actively refused and turned the ball to the Emperor.

For Jaina, it could be said that she was lucky.

“Not really. It’s also true.”

Nathaniel muttered as he popped a small shoe into his mouth.

‘Pretending to be cool with whipped cream smeared on your mouth.’

Jaina smiled and reached out to wipe his mouth.

“It’s just funny when you say that with this stuff on your mouth.”

At her playful words, Nathaniel pouted his lips.

Beyond his shoulder, the Empress was there, glaring as if she could kill the dancing Emperor and Diana, with her fists clenched in anger.

The Empress had wanted to hide the fact that she gathered some young ladies from difficult households for the banquet for Gravon young ladies.

Everything went awry when the Emperor danced with Diana, but.

Jaina and Nathaniel whispered as they watched Diana dance.

“It’s lucky it ended reasonably well.”

“Hmm. It looks like the beginning to me.”

“Why?”

Nathaniel shrugged his shoulders and closed his mouth.

He didn’t seem to want to talk about it.

(This is a time divider.)

As time passed, the banquet reached its climax.

Jaina danced with Nathaniel and Prince Henry, and Nathaniel didn’t dance with anyone else except her.
The heat of midsummer was not felt in the banquet hall, and Jaina’s ears were constantly filled with words of gratitude.

Anais began to mingle with the people for the first time away from the Empress.

People seemed to be charmed by the innocent personality of the princess, just like in the original work.

Jaina also made an effort to introduce Anais by joining in with them.

“Shall we go outside and rest for a while?”

Nathaniel tapped Jaina’s back and said, his touch briefly feeling startlingly cold.

‘Ugh, the floor is spinning…….’

Though she had only sipped a little at a time, she seemed to have become drunk as time went on.

Jaina nodded her head, and holding hands with him, went outside.

“It seems that the Crown Prince has fallen for the Princess.”

One of the watching noblewomen said, observing the couple’s retreating figures.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the Crown Prince take notice of someone like that.”

“The Princess is beautiful indeed.”

Envious glances were fixed on the couple’s retreating figures.

Quite a number of young women had admired Nathaniel.

But after experiencing the Crown Prince’s words and attitude, they all tended to back off.

His almost unbelievable aura and indifference left others feeling drained.

“I think I would never have married the Crown Prince even if I died.”

Actually, one of the young women who had experienced Nathaniel’s cold treatment murmured.

The people at the scene tilted their glasses as if to agree with her words.

(This is a time separator.)

Outside, the intense heat was felt.

Fortunately, the inside of the banquet hall was cool, so it didn’t feel that hot.

Nathaniel sat me down on the bench and brought me some water.

“Why are you taking care of me like this?”

At my question, Nathaniel furrowed his brows.

“You also took care of me when I was sick. My mother always said that a favor received must be repaid.”

“I’m not sick, you know.”

“A drunk person is no different from a sick person.”

I was about to get up in anger at the absurd logic, but I collapsed back into my seat.

Coming outside, the hot air made the alcohol go straight to my head.

“Ugh…….”

“What’s wrong, are you okay?”

I was hanging my head, and Nathaniel’s cool hand lifted my cheek.

It was a worried expression.

I never thought Nathaniel could make such a face.

“You know, Nathaniel.”

“What?”

His tone was still curt.

I pressed my cheek against his cool palm.

It seemed to make the drunkenness recede a bit.

He seemed surprised by my sudden action but didn’t pull his hand away.

“From now on, drinking is forbidden, Jaina.”

“I didn’t drink that much, you know.”

Nathaniel poured out a scolding at my grumbling.

He was giving a long lecture about how dangerous it was to get drunk in a crowded banquet hall like this.

I stared blankly at his face and blurted out what was on my mind.

“What do you think of me?”