#32
“So those are what real palace people are like.”
Just as I was admiring them, I heard a scoff from behind.
When I turned around, Theodore hyung was standing there expressionlessly.
His gaze was as if looking at something strange.
But such signs quickly disappeared, and he returned to his usual cold face.
“Then shall we go?”
He drew a cold smile and extended his hand.
And when the sun had completely set.
I stood about two steps away from the beautiful but poisonous flower of high society, pale as a sheet.
‘This is fear magic. She’s using it earlier than I thought?’
I slightly raise the corners of my mouth.
“-Ugh.”
Immediately, the magic’s power grew stronger, but I was only pleased.
But the moment I secretly wiped away cold sweat.
‘…The Archduke?’
I ended up making direct eye contact with those blue eyes that had been looking my way.
* * *
Crack.
“Eek.”
“…”
Isabella Marsien rolled only her eyes downward with an indifferent gaze.
One of the carefully groomed nails had its tip slightly broken.
“Clean it up.”
Without even glancing at the trembling maid, she commanded.
The shadow guards who almost always stayed around her silently descended behind the maid.
“My lady, please, please…!”
“Haah.”
Isabella let out a long sigh at the pleading voice.
When her alluring lips drew a melancholy line, she looked like nothing but a bewitching yet tragic beauty.
Knowing that there wasn’t a grain of patience within that appearance that looked both angelic and like an innocent demon, the shadows knocked out the maid according to their master’s will.
She wouldn’t die, but it was certain she’d be dismissed from the ducal house at minimum and would be unable to use her hands.
“Bella. How beautiful…”
As if not seeing the maid being dragged away, the Duchess approached and let out an exclamation.
The ducal family’s characteristic mysterious wine-colored hair and petal-like purple eyes.
The necklace around her white, long neck was a precious thing made of silver infused with mana, and the dress with a light purple tint was also top-quality made of the same silver material.
From her shoes, earrings, to the ornament in her hair.
Rather than being buried by them, Isabella elegantly wore everything as if it had all been born for her sake.
The Duchess wiped away tears and murmured.
“You’ve grown up, our daughter.”
Isabella chuckled and said to her mother.
“I have grown up. Isn’t it about time for marriage now?”
“That’s right. Phew.”
“Sighing on such a joyous day.”
“Yes… that’s right. I’m sorry.”
Unlike Duke Marsien, the Duchess wasn’t a noble who was strict with herself.
She believed that nobles only truly became noble when they fully enjoyed noble privileges, and she had secretly passed this ideology on to her daughter as well.
Fortunately, unlike her son, her daughter satisfied her mother’s heart while appropriately appeasing her father’s mood.
‘Though she is a bit cruel…’
Couldn’t that be considered a noble privilege?
Nobles who are too virtuous tend to be looked down upon anyway.
Today, that cherished daughter would finally have her coming-of-age ceremony.
Twenty-two years old. It was the day her daughter would be united with the one she had loved for so long.
The Duchess made a slightly wry expression while thinking of the Crown Prince.
“But dear, are you really sure it’ll be fine? The imperial family is a place full of people even stricter than your father.”
“They maintain formalities because they enjoy everything. It’s different from our house, Mother. And it doesn’t matter.”
A power only she knew, unknown even to her mother, briefly swirled darkly inside her silver-gloved hands before disappearing.
“I’m the only one suitable to be his match. I consider it fate.”
It was an answer that would have left Crown Prince Theodore speechless, not knowing where to begin correcting her if he had heard it.
But the Duchess looked moved as if she had heard words of wisdom, then embraced her daughter’s shoulders and said affectionately.
“Yes, that’s right. Of course.”
“Fufu, let’s go, Mother. It’s about time for him to arrive.”
“Let’s do that.”
“Father must be ready, right?”
“Yes… he’s waiting.”
Isabella admired her reflection in the mirror and raised the corners of her mouth seductively.
She had no doubt that her coming-of-age ceremony today would be perfect.
She had thoroughly managed to keep flies from buzzing around Crown Prince Theodore. Anyone who was even slightly more beautiful or charming than her had lost those qualities or lost their minds.
‘Though I couldn’t touch those two.’
Sir Marcus and Archduke Skyle Rodias.
They were people who possessed power, skill, and beauty that even her father couldn’t touch.
‘But they’re just friends anyway.’
Since she had dressed more purely than alluringly unlike usual, surely His Highness the Crown Prince would be enchanted by her today.
If not, then there’s no choice now.
‘A bit more charm aura…’
She had been moderately controlling it until now because using too strong mana might reveal that she was an illegal black mage…
Just this once, it would be fine to use it beyond normal levels.
If only she could win his heart…
“You’re truly beautiful today.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Congratulations on your coming-of-age ceremony, Bella.”
“Thank you, Brother Julian.”
Isabella arrived at the ballroom with her family.
After her family scattered and headed into the hall, she opened the door alone and stood at the top of the shining silver staircase.
“Ooh!”
“…Indeed, the flower of the Empire.”
At the people’s admiring murmurs and gazes of praise thrown regardless of ally or enemy, Isabella moved with an arrogant posture.
‘Has he not arrived yet?’
Well, no matter how much this was a ball where she was the protagonist, royalty always arrived last.
‘Really, Your Highness. Such formalities, you could abandon them for someone who will be your future wife.’
Still, he probably wouldn’t have a partner.
Just to be sure, she had confirmed that both Archduke Rodias and Sir Marcus were already in attendance.
‘Yes, only I should stand by his side.’
The moment to finally achieve her dream had arrived.
The Crown Prince’s feelings didn’t matter. He would come to love her anyway.
He just didn’t know yet.
That only she was suitable for him…
Thinking of the Prince’s sun-like redness, Isabella’s expression naturally brightened.
Words like future empress were subtly being heard bit by bit from around her.
Isabella carefully looked over all the assembled nobles while being mindful to appear at her most beautiful and charming when he arrived.
She sometimes showed satisfied looks when seeing young nobles who had come more modestly than usual or wore drab colors.
How much time had passed like that?
“His Highness Crown Prince Theodore J Mayer enters!”
Finally, the one she had been waiting for arrived.
It was then, as she turned around delightedly, that she heard a sound that shouldn’t have reached her ears.
“…H-His Highness Second Prince Ersen Mayer enters!”
Unlike the previous announcement, the clearly flustered calling made the gazes of people in the hall color with interest.
‘Ersen? Ersen Mayer?’
‘Why, that… from that clan…’
‘…Does that mean that person attended as His Highness the Crown Prince’s partner?’
Being a mage made her hearing sharp, so she could hear the excited whispers of commoners as clearly as if they were speaking right next to her.
Isabella’s expression briefly sank gloomily before being covered again with a genial smile.
She took a step forward, intending to approach the two figures entering.
And then she hesitated, unable to proceed as intended and froze.
“Oh my!”
Some tactless noblewoman let out a small exclamation.
Red hair and golden eyes. His cool features drew people’s gazes at once whenever his expression changed.
The tall man with a good build wore any outfit magnificently and always carried the intimidating presence unique to rulers.
But the Crown Prince being beautiful was so natural that there was nothing new about it.
What surprised the nobles was because of the new figure.
“As expected.”
“Indeed.”
“…You respond as if you’ve been here before, Ersen.”
Second Prince Ersen Mayer.
He was an undeniably beautiful person.
Even his black hair, said to be evidence of being cursed, at first glance simply appeared as a color that captivated the gaze.
The Prince looked younger than his age, but with his characteristic expression, the elegant gait ingrained in his body, and those eyes that were murky yet somehow mysteriously constricted one’s stomach…
The Second Prince was like a well-bred black cat, yet mysteriously also felt like a stray cat.
So everything was newly beautiful.
Though it was actually a look where the skills of those who had dressed him occupied a large portion, only about four people knew this.
Moreover.
“Really, hyung. How would you know without coming? It’s just that I made some predictions since this is the famous ball of that person.”
“Haha.”
As if not particularly caring about the surrounding gazes, the two were conversing without lowering their voices much.
So those near them could hear the conversation between the two brothers in its entirety.
‘They get along well?’
‘How can they be like that…?’
Isabella stared at that scene with an eerie expressionless face, not even blinking.
His slightly pale white skin was shabby compared to Isabella’s healthy complexion, but it suited the Second Prince perfectly.
It was difficult to be confident that Isabella was better in any aspect.
Yes, that was partly because the Second Prince’s appearance had a new kind of charm… but it was also because of how he conversed with the Crown Prince as equals, intimately.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
