Along with the gruff voice, the princess’s face turned pale. However, the emperor, already full of anger from the statement about entry prohibition, didn’t even notice her expression.

“Be careful with your words, Duke! Where in this empire is a place the imperial family cannot go? Especially when the place the princess has visited is her own property!”

The enraged emperor suddenly felt a chill down his spine. The red eyes staring fixedly at him relaxed slightly.

Oh.

A pleasing tone was deliberately displayed.

As if the emperor should know what he doesn’t.

Before the emperor could ponder the meaning, the princess bowed her body.

Ah.

A premonition that something was wrong filled the emperor as he felt a sudden tension in the air.

However.

“…Let it be so.”
Amidst these numerous nobles, it was an impossible task to stand out. With the emperor’s permission, the princess approached Conrad Medelaine with quick steps. Dragging him against his will, she stood in the middle of the banquet hall.

The dance music started a beat late. Nobles who didn’t properly start the dance continued with movements that didn’t match the melody.

Such a chaotic banquet.

Among them, the only one genuinely enjoying, smiling as if nothing was wrong, was just one person.

“…It seems slow to spread rumors, whether it’s the father or the son. Olivia.”

Even with Edwin genuinely enjoying and smiling, Olivia couldn’t bring herself to smile along.

Her mind was dizzy from the sudden events, and she was confused by various pieces of information.

The fact that even the emperor knew about the princess’s Bacsujeong Mine, or the story that Bicander prohibits the entry of the imperial family and the entire Medelaine Duchy.

However, carefree Edwin looked at Olivia and laughed.

“Who knew the banquet would be this enjoyable. It would have been a pity if you hadn’t come.”

In the midst of his excitement like a child, Olivia spilled out the thoughts that had been lingering in her mind. Yes, this was a banquet. No matter how much she thought about it, the problems she could only ponder alone were resolved by asking questions at the mansion.

Edwin leaving the banquet hall for their private date was a complete change from his earlier appearance.

How delightful. Olivia followed Edwin’s laughter, and in a loving tone, he said to her,

“May I request one dance?”

In the hand extended to her, Olivia hesitated for a moment, and when she felt a mischievous playfulness fleeting above her green eyes, she responded.

“Well, just one song?”

For a moment, Edwin blinked. It was a formal dance request, but it felt like being hit on the head. Suddenly, he remembered the complaint he had muttered to Winchester during the victory banquet.

“Why is the time for waltz fixed?”

“Because you have to change partners.”

Olivia’s words now overturned that customary etiquette.

Olivia, who was more faithful to etiquette than anyone else.

Giving Edwin a stern look, Olivia raised her head dignifiedly.

“It’s quite regrettable the way you’re asking for a dance. It doesn’t match what the person who asked me to raise my deployment said.”

As Olivia’s eyes sparkled provocatively, Edwin’s Adam’s apple vibrated slowly.

“Then, to Olivia’s deployment.”

It felt like a drop of sweet temptation falling onto a thirst that had always been tight. The slightly lowered voice sincerely requested,

“May I pre-listen to all the dances at this banquet, Olivia?”

Looking at the hand offered once again, Olivia smiled brightly.

“If that’s the case, it’s enough for you to join me from the first song.”

When Maria came out onto the terrace, beautiful melodies filled the corridor. It was unbelievable. In that banquet hall, the center should have been Leopold and me.

To miss the first dance like this.
However, I couldn’t go back inside the terrace to find Leopold.

The strong scent of poison that had emerged a while ago on the terrace dispersed. At the same time, the conversation with Leopold lingered in my messed-up mind.

“Let’s go back, Leopold. Won’t the Duke take over the banquet?”

“…Maria.”

“Yes, Leopold.”

“My head hurts. Can I go out for a bit? What’s so special about that kind of dance anyway?”

The vividly remembered conversation made Maria grit her teeth. If she went back alone now, the mockery in the banquet hall would all be directed at her. She would have to enter any drawing-room and wait for the banquet to end. It was a miserable situation.

It was when she was about to enter the drawing-room with a heavy heart.

“So, what about Etel, the darling?”

“I knew since you acted like a duke. The prince looks at the princess, what’s the big deal.”

At the voice echoing in the corridor, Maria unconsciously hid herself. She wanted to pour hot tea over those who were speaking recklessly right now.

But she had to endure.

There was no strength left in her now. At least if she had officially been declared the fiancee.

I should have held my engagement ceremony today. I should have firmly asserted my position in front of everyone.

But no matter how much I regretted it, it was too late.

It was a pity that the completion of the dress had been postponed.

I should reschedule it now. The position of the prince’s one and only fiancee. The fact that this position belonged to Maria Etel had to be publicly declared in front of everyone.

A dangerous greed flickered above her blue eyes. Greeds that she could never let go of were filling her.

And at that moment, in the grand banquet hall.

The emperor looked sharply at a certain place. The princess, who always adeptly controlled the atmosphere among the nobles, couldn’t hide her disarray today.

The beautiful sea-blue eyes glanced at the emperor while busily moving elsewhere.

The emperor followed the princess’s gaze. At the end of it was…

Olivia Medelaine.

What interesting thing could be happening? The bright face, smiling as if nothing was wrong, briefly met the emperor’s when he glanced over.

Unbelievably.

The appearance of the lady was, for some reason, remarkably similar to what I had so desperately wished for – the princess of Lowell.

The astonished emperor blinked. Only now did he realize that the resemblance was only in the green eyes, and the lady in front of him had returned to the appearance of the lady he knew.