TPMBHSW 09

Chapter 09

“I don’t know how long it’s been since the last imperial palace banquet.”

“Fu fu, now that Her Highness the Princess has returned, you’ll be receiving invitations until you’re sick of them.”

“You think so?”

“Ah. The young lady doesn’t know because she’s young. Back when Her Majesty the Empress was alive, the imperial palace held banquets and events every season, so many that it was hard to attend them all. You can look forward to this season.”

The young-looking lady couldn’t hide her pleased expression at those words.

Listening to their conversation, I secretly nodded.

‘That’s not wrong.’

For nearly the past ten years, the imperial family had hosted only the absolutely necessary banquets. There were several reasons, but the biggest was probably the absence of the Empress.

‘Simply put, there’s no one to do the work.’

The Emperor was busy, and the one Crown Prince had too many issues to host banquets. He was young back then, and when he was old enough to hold banquets, his conduct was poor.

A good-for-nothing who does nothing but play, hosting banquets? He would have lost even the Crown Prince position.

“Even if you pour money into decorating, with the wrong person standing there, it just doesn’t look right.”

And right now, that person was talking crap right next to me.

“But it seems His Majesty isn’t attending this banquet?”

“Ahh. His chronic illness flared up. It’s about time he rested. Ha! To escort a member of the imperial family so poorly. If my father had seen it, he would have keeled over backward.”

In the center of the hall were Richard and Sasha. Contrary to Damon’s words, Richard was performing his role excellently.

It meant he was properly keeping the flies away from Sasha.

“Tsk tsk. To miss the chance to make connections with Marquis Frost. If I were her, I’d have slapped the Count’s cheek.”

“Ah. Yes.”

I half-heartedly agreed and looked at Marquis Frost. After being pushed out by Count Kindel, Marquis Frost was scrambling as if his feet were on fire.

Just like now.

“I didn’t know the Marquis had an interest in Her Highness the Princess.”

“Ahh. He’s probably trying to do something.”

Damon let out a scoff. He seemed to enjoy watching the Marquis, who had fallen out of his favor, struggle.

After that, Damon couldn’t take his eyes off Richard and Sasha for a long while, and when the time came, he rose.

“I don’t particularly want to, but I should do what needs to be done. Now then. If you’re going to step on my foot, just fall instead, Bella.”

After giving advice that wasn’t really advice, I glared at the hand he held out to me for a moment before taking it.

It was time for the banquet to begin.

—

* * *

—

From the moment he saw the carriage engraved with the blue snake, all of Richard’s attention had been fixed on it.

The heart that had been beating quickly turned cold after he heard Damon’s voice.

Some might say: Among the dozens of carriages with people disembarking, is it possible to hear a voice from several meters away? If you reach the level of aura, you’ll come to know even if you don’t want to. That not hearing is harder than hearing.

“Richard? Why do you have such a scary expression?”

Richard, who had been imagining tearing Damon’s mouth apart, suddenly came to his senses. Sasha was tilting her head under his gaze.

Oh dear.

Richard briefly admonished himself. He was here as Sasha’s partner. He hadn’t wanted to, but since he’d chosen it, he had to do his best. He couldn’t let Sasha, who had done nothing wrong, have her high society debut ruined because of his feelings.

“…I apologize. I was momentarily distracted.”

“Come on, there you go again. I told you to speak comfortably.”

“Please endure it since we’re in the imperial palace.”

Richard politely rephrased what he meant: No matter what, you’re a princess, so how can I speak casually in front of nobles? Sasha pouted but soon understood.

“Ahh, really, how boring. His Majesty still doubts whether I’m really the princess, and Damon is…”

Richard had no difficulty handling the chattering Sasha. Sasha was a child at heart despite her size. Rather than the imperial throne or the imperial family, she was a child whose eyes sparkled at the human world she’d encountered for the first time in over a decade.

He soothed her and tried not to look at the second-floor railing until they entered the hall and the first dance began.

It didn’t take long to realize that all of it was useless.

“Waaah, isn’t Bella really so pretty?”

The first dance.

The signal marking the start of the banquet by the host, and the moment when everyone’s attention was focused.

Considering the purpose of the banquet, it should have been Sasha who danced, but Damon was not the type to yield on something like that. Sasha wasn’t the type to engage in a battle of nerves over such things either, so it was only natural that Damon claimed the first dance.

“That dress really suits Bella so well.”

Richard forced himself to turn his head at Sasha’s words. A couple he couldn’t ignore even if he wanted to caught his eye.

In the center of the hall, spinning round and round, was Isabella, and beside her was Damon. Beneath the chandelier, wearing a dress that sparkled with dozens of rays of light, she was smiling brightly.

“Pretty, isn’t she?”

“…Yes.”

Richard couldn’t take his eyes off Isabella, who was moving elegantly while holding Damon’s hand. He didn’t want to admit it, but Isabella, holding Damon’s hand, looked happy.

Adorned with imperial treasures that couldn’t be converted into money, holding the hand of the Empire’s most powerful man.

“Will they marry?”

“…The Duke is too good for him.”

“Yeah? I thought they suited each other well. Oh, it looks like Bella is saying something to Damon. Damon’s expression doesn’t look good.”

Richard didn’t miss that fleeting moment either. A cold look briefly crossed Damon’s face, which had been smiling amiably. It was a side of Damon Richard knew well.

But that too was brief. Damon narrowed his eyes into a smile and leaned his head toward Isabella.

“Hm? Now Bella’s expression doesn’t look good. Are they fighting?”

Sasha looked as if she hadn’t noticed at all what Damon had said. For an ordinary person, that would be natural.

And Richard was not an ordinary person. The only problem was that he’d been distracted talking to Sasha and hadn’t heard what was exchanged. Reading lips alone was enough to guess the content of the conversation, but Isabella’s lips were hidden by her arm.

However, he didn’t miss Damon’s.

‘Title revocation.’

That alone was enough to grasp the situation.

Damon was threatening Isabella. With her title, no less.

‘Suddenly?’

Quarrels between lovers were common. But a title? That was too heavy a subject to appear in a mere lovers’ spat. And not just any title, but the revocation of a dukedom.

‘On what grounds?’

The Bellua Dukedom was one of the most prominent families among the Empire’s nobles. Setting everything else aside, the fact that the Bellua Duchy bordered the capital was enough to guess its status. If the annual hunting festival held every social season took place in the Bellua Duchy, that said it all.

Just then, the violin let out a long note, announcing the end of the piece. Damon and Isabella stepped apart as if nothing had happened and bowed to each other. Of course, Damon only gave a slight nod.

The moment the greeting ended, Isabella immediately turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Damon, far from being flustered, took a wine glass from an attendant with an expression that said he’d expected this.

“Sasha.”

“Yes?”

“May I have a moment alone?”

“Ahh. Of course. I’ll ask Damon to dance, so go ahead.”

Should he tell her that ladies don’t ask for dances? Richard briefly considered it but soon gave up. Isabella was more urgent than that.

Nodding, Richard immediately moved toward where Isabella had gone. Nobles who tried to speak to him kept blocking his path, but he ignored them all.

Rumors would surely spread that Count Winston was arrogant, but it didn’t matter. Thanks to that, he didn’t miss the moment when the hem of the dress, glittering brilliantly even in the smallest light, disappeared beyond the terrace.

And so, when he opened the terrace door before the latch locked, Richard ended up seeing it.

“You, why are you crying.”

Isabella’s tears, illuminated by the cascade of light pouring from the hall.