“Princess! This is a precious Arabena fruit freshly grown in our estate.”
“Princess, if you could just sign a portrait for me……!”
Princess Claudia was crushed by all her own followers in a tidal wave, and she could only spend close to half a day with Luciel.
On the second day of the banquet, more free and rich events were prepared so that Luciel could spend time with Princess Claudia.
A variety of delicacies, the beautiful melodies of the best musicians and opera singers, and a part of the South Hall corridor have been opened to provide a space for exhibiting antiques and works of art.
When they were outdoors, the horse-riding arena was open and they floated a boat to play and enjoyed a variety of games.
Many nobles seemed to have been impressed thanks to the magic firecrackers that constantly embroidered the sky at night.
In the meantime, it was a day that raised the image of Bellstein, who was undervalued in the cultural aspect because it was barren northern land.
“Princess Bellstein just gave this to Her Highness the Princess, and she smiled broadly and took a bunch!”
“Let’s eat that too!”
Although it was not intentional, some nobles followed the steps of Princess Claudia and Luciel.
Seeing that the homemade strawberry candy was popular among the sweet desserts on the banquet table, Luciel thought to consider making it a Bellstein souvenir.
“After going through a lot of Bellstein today, I think the public’s evaluation was too harsh. I want to know more. Everything about the Princess and Bellstein.”
Luciel was proud and pleased to see the Princess shining eyes.
“I’m flattered, Your Highness. But you can’t know everything about Bellstein in one day. If there is an opportunity in the future, I want to show you something different.”
“Something else? I wonder what it is.”
Luciel smiled as she recalled the glass craft.
“It’s not at the stage to show you yet, but I definitely want to show it to you later.”
“I believe the day will come. When I go back, I will definitely think of Bellstein.”
Claudia smiled and grabbed Luciel’s tiny hand.
“You must also attend the summer salon that will be held afterwards.”
“A summer salon?”
Lowering her head, Claudia said.
“It is a salon that publishes articles and poems on the theme of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Hosted by my mother, so only seven families of the Empire can come. Bellstein is also a ceremonial guest, one of the families who are always invited, so I hope to see the face of the Princess that day.”
“Oh……So, should I write?”
“Not necessarily, but someone who publishes a great article will get attention.”
“Her Majesty, likes literature.”
Luciel smiled softly and became worried inside.
‘If I announce something that is clumsy, I might be embarrassed.’
But what’s clear is that summer salon is an opportunity to meet Empress and score. That one thing was certain.
Meanwhile, Evelyn, who quietly followed Luciel, had a happy face.
“How can such sweet children get along so well?”
She followed along to protect Luciel, but she also evaluated what kind of child Princess Claudia was.
Above all, to her, who could see what the mana was like, there seemed to be no evil energy in Princess Claudia’s mana. Evelyn liked her because she thought Claudia was as pure and good as Luciel.
Kizef, who approached Evelyn, quietly asked her.
“I heard you know everything about Luciel, Grandmother.”
Evelyn shook her head and laughed. Although she has lived for a long time, she still looks like a middle-aged woman, and her blue eyes, which maintain her youth and beauty, mysteriously shone with deep years.
“I heard, she was very hurt, and that made me very angry. I knew right away that Luciel was an unusual child, but…….”
A lot of emotion was felt in her short words.
“Kizef.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
“The Prince will not be able to inherit the throne.”
Evelyn smiled brightly and tapped Kizef on the shoulder.
“Come on, grown-ups will take care of themselves, so don’t worry about it and go and entertain Luciel. All right?”
“But after the reception, I still have something to tell you.”
“Do you still have more to say?”
Kizef nodded his head, biting his lip hard.
“Yes.”
“Okay, let’s hear about that later. Your bride is a very special child, so be strong to protect her. Of course, you’re already a strong kid…….”
“Yes, that’s what I’m thinking.”
Kizef was thinking of augmenting his swordsmanship training. Commander Jarga was too busy to attend a swordsmanship class every day, so he was thinking of asking for a new teacher.
“There must be some dragon blood flowing through you too. Your father refused to take over the dragon’s power. But if you have a different opinion, Kizef, tell me.”
Evelyn caressed the back of her grandchild, who had grown so tall that he was almost the same size as herself.
* * *
‘There a beast that protects the snow rabbit….’
Looking out the window, Reynold, who was playing with a small knife in his hand to cut a piece of wood, was recalling the child he had met last time.
It was very small and soft.
If she hadn’t passed out, I would have been able to see her gasping for breath and suffering for a while longer, I was sorry to lose sight of something that must have been very cute to see.
(Note: this sick f*ck)
I didn’t know that the Duke would tighten the leash like this just because I touched the little girl once.
He called the child New Daugther-in-Law. Was she the bride of Prince Bellstein, who jumped out at that time?
“It sounds like she was the main character of the reception.”
It was not clear whether the intention was to show a clear example of what would happen if he touched Bellstein, or whether the child was that precious.
Until the banquet was over, Reynold did not take a single step out from the Tulip Palace.
As if to make fun of him, the Duke sent the best banquet food and entertainment to Tulip Palace from time to time.
Princess Claudia was delighted with the great consideration, but to Reynold, it was not a consideration, but rather ridicule and a check on his moves.
It was noon on the day they left for the capital that he met Palos. His sister, who was so engrossed in the festive, said that she would come out to enjoy the afternoon tea.
Palos slowly approached Reynold with hazy eyes and bowed his head.
Reynold, as if he didn’t want to see his face, turned away and tried to get on the Imperial carriage first.
“……Your Highness! I’m sorry I couldn’t be by your side to look after you.”
“Do you know what happened while waiting for you, Uncle?”
Despite Reynold’s sharp counter-attack, Palos asked stupidly as if he had regained consciousness.
“Did something happen at the banquet?”
“Ha…… Are you kidding me now?”
Reynold’s irritation swelled to his throat, to the point where he didn’t even want to continue talking. But he endured once and endured twice, and Reynold said in a locked voice.
“Once we get on the carriage, we can talk.”
“What? Yes.”
Seeing Palos get into the carriage with a blank expression on his face, Reynold wondered if he was the person he had known so far.
“Why did someone who said he would arrive right before the banquet while coming from Ricardo State appear now? Huh?”
“……I remember that I arrived in Ricardo, stopped at the Sicilen wine region, and then rode the transfer gate to Bellstein, but my memory is sparsely cut off……I’m sorry.”
“Now what kind of excuse is that……!”
Reynold nervously tapped the carriage’s handle.
“Aren’t you enjoying your favorite wine together with drugs?”
At the prince’s continuous sarcasm, Palos swallowed his saliva.
“How humiliated I have been in Bellstein. Rather, what kind of woman did you meet in Sicilen? What happened?”
“…Woman? Me? I went there for wine sent to Imperial Palace…….”
Palos, who had said that also had his doubts whether his memory was correct. Everything was foggy, it feels like his head was really drunk on something.
It was also strange that it was bizarrely fun and hazy.
Reynolds, who pathetically looked at Palos, closed his eyes.
I’ve been enduring because he was an uncle who was by my side all this time, but what kind of big accomplishment are you trying to get while acting so stupid?
‘Wait, before he left for Sicilen, Palos definitely said something.’
‘Your Highness the Prince, I think we will find a clue to get the Crystal Fairy this time around. I plan to see a woman who knows something. I’ll tell you when I come back!’
But when he came back, he spoke only dull words like that. Even if he knew it, he didn’t seem to know anything.
Reynold was unsure and looked at Palos suspiciously.
‘I’m not sure I can completely trust my uncle. Maybe I should move separately.’
A servant boy, who was ordered by Princess Claudia, came running.
“Your Highness the Prince, Her Highness Princess Claudia, asks if His Highness can wait a little longer before you leave.”
Reynold sighed deeply and spoke coldly.
“I’m leaving first, so tell her to come slowly.”
There were so many stupid things that he felt tired.
But there was one thing he got.
We measured the level of Bellstein’s wall and how it was structured. I didn’t get to know how big the army was, but..….
Once I get the Crystal Fairy, Bellstein’s walls and troops will be of no use at all.
‘I should payback for this insult at that time.’
Reynold’s eyes coldly lit up with anger.
* * *
“Prince Reynold and a group of Palos’s aides left first to the Imperial Palace.”
Hearing Jarga’s report, the Duke smiled with a sullen face while holding the scroll of documents the mage had pulled out.
It was a document containing information obtained through hypnosis. Now it seemed like they knew a little bit what their plans were.
“All the other nobles, including the princess, are greeting each other.”
“Yes.”
He lit incense that refined Evelyn’s dragon mana so that the fact that he had been hypnotized could not be traced.
Dragon mana was thick enough to cover everything, so it was often used to erase traces of magic.
Now the banquet was over. He ordered the chief of the mage in charge of the shields.
“As soon as the gates are closed, restore the shields and structures of the barriers to their original state.”
“Yes. It will take two days to restore.”
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“Okay.”
He watched the long procession of wagons passing through the gates.
In a situation where there are so many people coming and going, it’s not right to reveal everything you have when you don’t know who is the enemy or the ally.
In fact, more than the cost of holding a banquet, it took several times more money and enormous magical power to construct a deceiving black wall and build a false defensive line.
It was Bellstein’s long-standing policy to eliminate the hindrance in advance.