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Episode 8: Princess Arien
This was unexpected that I was even a little surprised.
There was a fuss as everyone was surprised. Isaac, who didn’t care about others’ reaction, held me back and turned around to see me.
I felt like a chick stuck in an eagle’s claws when I was held in his enormous grasp.
Is he going to hit me?
I don’t care as long as he doesn’t kill me.….
“Say it again. Hide… and do what?”
“I-I’ll just hide and watch. I’ll follow you around without you knowing…….”
“Do you want to die?”
The tone was a bit off if it meant to be a threat.
Of course, I shook my head quickly because I was trying not to die.
“Then why would you do that?”
“W-Well…. I want to see you, but I don’t want to bother you…….”
Just like a small fan. Do you think I, a vulnerable wife, able to spy then assassinate you?
There was a saying that it was a suicide mission trying to assassinate a paladin. Only nonsensical person would do that.
As I was trying to make my eyes look as bubbly as possible, my husband, who had been staring into my eyes with an unknown look, suddenly made a sound similar to a sigh and touched his temple.
At the same time, Sir Ivan, who was watching us with a somewhat blank look, secretly coughed.
“Lady Rudbeckia, that is a very dangerous act.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m not saying that this bastard isn’t good enough to mistake his wife for an assassin…… As you know, the North is a dangerous place, so we are trained a little differently to those knights who are from the South. Last time, the lady was in a safe area in the temple and training area but if the lady is hiding away nearby when we have to draw our sword and use our divinnity to eradict magic, it will be hard for us to tell the difference between the monster attacking and the lady which might accidentally kill the lady because we don’t know.”
I see. No one would have guessed that when one was using their maximum power, they would be in a high-state of mind— as if you’d been drugged.
Naturally, I had no intention of pretending to chase something other than a safe place for myself
Still, looking at the reaction, I guess I really acted as an obsessive fan. Thanks for the misunderstanding, you delusions.
“Ah… I almost caused you trouble. I’m sorry, I’m such a Southern…….”
“Don’t say that. It goes without saying that you don’t know, do you? Hey, say something.”
The persistent Isaac was silent. He just licked the tip of his lips and stared at me with a strange stare.
He seemed to be dying of annoyance.
I stuttered with a sullen expression on my face, as if I am reflecting on myself as much as I could.
“Well, don’t worry. I’ll never put you in trouble…….”
“Why didn’t you let me know in advance if your schedule had changed?”
The cold voice belonged to Ellenia.
Ellenia came close to us and looked at her brother with that expressionless face.
“Ellen is right. You could’ve stopped by the house. You aren’t even appreciate to have these beauties waiting for you.”
Freya changed the mood by playfully hitting Isaac’s arm with the tip of her fan, who was still glaring at me.
The whole interaction seemed very natural as if it were common.
It was an atmosphere that seemed to demand a reply like, “Where is the beauty?” but Isaac was making the cheerful attempt awkward again by maintaining a consistent appearance.
For your information, his big grasp still clasped around my shoulder. What a narrow-minded fellow.
This response was interesting, though. I thought he’d just ignore me and walk away like he did last time.….
“You…”
“His Majesty the King is entering!”
As soon as he finally opened his mouth, a magnificent horn rang out.
It was the right time.
* * *
King Faenol opened his mouth.
The King of the North, with a gentle and dignified impression, spoke in a tone that felt moderately businesslike and favorable.
“You must have been exhausted from coming a long way, but thank you for illuminating this place, Lady Rudbeckia.”
“I also thank you for the hospitality, Your Majesty.”
“It’s rare for my niece to show up at this king’s banquet on time, but looking at it today, it seems that men really grow up once they got married. Isn’t that right, SIr Isaac?”
From the looks of it, it seemed that King Feanol had a lot of money accumulated by his nephew, who had been indifferent.
Likewise, Isaac, who must have accumulated a considerable amount of money from his maternal uncle due to his marriage with me, responded with a very polite attitude to the scratching inside joke.
“Isn’t that what father and son suposed to be like?”
The image of a benevolent His Majesty distorted as his expression turned displeasedly.
His expression didn’t change because he was displeased genuinely, his expression had a strange bitterness in it.
“Isn’t it because you’ve been making a fuss to the priest for a long time since you don’t want to hear it?”
“Who are you going to blame, I’ve shot myself in the foot, so I have to think about it..”
The voice was filled with cynicism, something that didn’t suit his age, which brought chills to everyone who heard it.
The tone had a different feeling from when he was dealing with me.
Isaac glanced at me, who was looking at him with a careful expression, and clicked his tongue as if he didn’t like it, and left like a storm.
That child’s mentality for toddlerhood is on par with Cesare.
Loud laughter could be heard from all over the place.
Yes, yes, all of you could laugh at me as much as you wanted. I’m the fool who had to smile even when my husband threw me aside.
“If only he hadn’t been Isis’s son…….”
“Calm down, Your Majesty. The new bride will be surprised.”
The queen, who gently calmed the king who was about to burst into lamentation, smiled kindly toward me.
Rich reddish brown hair. Lemon-colored eyes with a mole under her eyes.
Light coffee-colored skin, which is rare for a royalty, stood out.
I think it was said that she came from a slave in the East, but it seemed that my memory was right.
“Come on, Princess. It’s rude to look at someone like that. You have to greet them with courtesy.”
I think that child is around six or seven years old.
The royal daughter, who was looking at me with her turquoise eyes wide open, looked up at the queen who pushed her back slightly. The long braid of reddish-brown hair fluttered.
“……Welcome to Angevin Palace, Lady Rudbeckia.”
“Thank you, Princess Arien.”
When I greeted her with a big smile, the royal daughter, who quickly hid herself behind the queen’s skirt, poked her head out with widened eyes.
She looked like a cute kitten.
Seeing this, I could see why the princess’ existence was so insignificant in the original story.
King Feanol was a monarch who had given a crown to his dancer lover— a slave from a pagan country, but he could not give his daughter—who looked a lot like her mother with the pagan characteristics—the same position as any other princess.
It was inevitable no matter how hard the king tried.
Moreover, as long as they have cousins like Isaac and Ellenia, Arien will be a permanent stranger in Britannia’s aristocratic society.
I wasn’t in a position to sympathize with anyone at all, but there was a bit of pity for the princess.
Damn this world or that world.
Anyway, after the greeting, the banquet started in full swing.
The music played by the bands, the sound of people talking, the sound of laughter, the sound of glasses clinking with each order, and the rustling of jewelry filled the huge banquet hall.
“The sleeves are unique. I guess it’s popular in the south”
“Haha, I’m still waiting for my new dress.”
“Did you get your new clothes fitted already?”
“Do you like the food here? I had a hard time visiting Romagna before because the southern food didn’t suit my taste.”
As I sat at the dinner table with Ellenia, many questions were asked.
It was expected that they would glare at me, who was still smiling happily even after being properly humiliated with half pity, half ridicule, and mixed emotions.
Yeah, continue to give more of those looks! I’m a fool who can’t even think of hurting anyone!
“Phew, Ellen.”
“Frey? Where have you been?”
Freya, who had been missing for a while, finally reappeared and joined our table.
It was nice to see her complexion all flushed as if she had been riding a horse in the interim.
Freya sat on Ellenia’s right side and said to me right away.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I tried to bring him back in, but now my words are spilling over the back of his ears. Anyway, where did I leave my manner…….”
“You’ve done something useless. When did my brother ever pretend to listen to us?”
“Is that so? Phew. Ma’am, do you like horseback riding? Ellen and I host a horse riding party every summer.”
“I’m not very good at it, but I enjoy it.”
“Don’t worry, as long as you enjoy it.”
In fact, it was the opposite.
In my previous life, I was quite good at it, but I didn’t like horseback riding.
Now that I think about it, I think I just hated riding clubs. However, It was the only means of transportation here, so there was nothing I could do about it.
“It’s hard for anyone to catch up with milady’s skills. Sir Isaac helped her, of course. Why don’t you ask your husband for help, too?”
One of the ladies sitting opposite her smiled at me. The narrow, curved gray eyes gleamed provocatively.
Before I could open my mouth, Freya quickly intervened.
“That’s when I was a kid, Lady Consolacion. Besides, was there something I was good at?”
“Of course it is. Don’t get me wrong, Lady Furiana.”
Lady Consolacion apologized kindly to Freya’s farm-stuffing and exchanged glances with others. Her eyes are full of joy and happiness.
Why was there always one person like that everywhere?
“Thank you for your concern. But I can’t take away his busy time with such a trifle.”
When I said with a smile, silence lingered for a moment.
Lady Consolacion looked at my smiling face as if it was absurd, but soon cleared her throat and responded with an awkward smile.
Did you suddenly lose your excitement? Ho Ho.
“By the way, summer is coming to an end. This year’s gladiatorial game will be held earlier than last time, right?”
“Will Sir Isaac attend this game?”
“Well, I’m looking forward to it, but if Sir Isaac is present, the winner will be very obvious.”
“I don’t know what it will be like this year. I wonder who will receive the flower of glory this time more than that.”
The conversation quickly shifted to another topic.
When the mention of the gladiatorial game came out, I felt nauseous.
It was because Cesare would visit this gladiatorial season.
The gladiatorial game, which is held every three years in Earendil, was the largest event with the longest history on the continent, so participants and visitors from each country were bound to flock.