Maria’s voice grew softer and softer until it became a murmur. Then, she coquettishly shook Leopold’s arm.

“Leopold, please be on my side. If you speak to Her Majesty the Empress,”

“Maria.”

Leopold gritted his teeth and called Maria. It was an attempt to suppress his anger, but Maria was startled and froze, looking up at him.

His head throbbed. Leopold pressed his temples briefly and blurted out,

“Didn’t you hear from Lady Sopron? What your duty is as the Crown Princess?”

For Leopold, it was a somewhat restrained voice, but he could not hide his annoyance. Tears welled in Maria’s eyes.

I always thought that innocent look was lovely. But today, Leopold found it hard to look at Maria’s face.

My adorable and pitiful lover. Maria, who I wanted to do everything for. But since the day before yesterday, what filled Leopold’s head was different news.

“Sire, the Crown Prince. The news from the messenger to Duke Vicander has been cut off.”

“Send another.”

What’s the problem? Leopold responded nonchalantly. But the hesitant Earl Hajes cautiously said,

“That’s… actually, the news from the messenger was cut off a few days ago, and I sent two more, but all three have no news.”

The news from the messengers sent from the Crown Prince’s palace being cut off? And all of them on their way to Duke Vicander?

It was clear that his father’s dog had played a trick. Completely cut off from Olivia, whom he thought he could contact at any time, Leopold could not shake off his discomfort.

If it were before, Olivia should have sent news first. That there has been no contact until now was intolerable.

In the midst of this, Maria was also sulking.

……This never happened when Olivia was around.

Leopold, suppressing his awkward feeling, looked into Maria’s face.

Tears clung to the strands of her golden lush eyelashes. Leopold softly licked his lips, struggling to calm his anger.
“……Do not cry. If you cry, it makes me very sad. Didn’t I say to show me how well you can do?”

“I’ll try to do better.”

Maria Etel’s voice trembled pitifully. Only then did Leopold embrace Maria. No sooner had Maria clung to him than Leopold tenderly whispered.

“It’s an important time, Maria. You know that, right? At least you must not be found lacking compared to Olivia.”

At the gentle voice, Maria’s eyes, which had been softening, suddenly sank into darkness as if totally empty. At the same time, her heart thumped heavily.

How dare he mention Olivia, that halfwit. Not only that, but he even reminded her of the traces of his old fiancée.

How could Leopold do this to me?

The whole situation was sorrowful, but Maria swallowed her anger. And she gave Leopold his favorite answer.

“……Yes.”

Leopold’s satisfied chuckle was heard, but Maria could not laugh.

That damn Olivia, Olivia, Olivia!

Even in Tiaje Palace, everywhere I went, Olivia Madelleine’s wretched touch was present.

“Ah, that was something Princess Madelleine did.”

“Until now, the Princess has handled things this way.”

I was fed up with Olivia’s name coming up all the time.

It wasn’t bad to completely turn things upside down this time.

Completely, wiping away the previous memories with a new style of banquet.

To make people never forget my banquet, and in addition, to firmly engrave me in Leopold’s mind.

……For example, by making the banquet itself like my engagement ceremony!

Maria Etel’s eyes shone brightly at the sudden great idea. Her red lips curled into a wide smile.

(This is a time separator.)

At that moment, in the Duke’s castle.

Lying in bed, Olivia was deeply lost in thought. After waking from a refreshing sleep, various ways of how to make the mine jointly owned rapidly came to mind.

And not much later, Olivia’s green eyes sparkled intelligently.

A very good idea had come to her.

A very good idea to gift this white crystal mine to Edwin.

As she pictured Edwin’s happy face, a joyful smile also spread across Olivia’s face.