DYBAR - Chapter 89 < Engagement Ceremony Of The Century (2) >

 DYBAR - Chapter 89 < Engagement Ceremony Of The Century (2) >

Do Your Best And Regret

A banquet hall with elegant melodies.

The nobles standing at the edge looked at one place with curious eyes. It was the Prince who entered the banquet hall a little while ago.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Lady Maria Ethel, who was always by his side, was not there. 

As his solo entrance was not enough, he even postponed responding to the delegation, and the Crown Prince simply overwhelmed the banquet hall with his sharp eyes and did not make any significant movements. As if looking for someone.

"Is he looking for the Lady of Ethel or the Princess Madeleine?"

Although it was an ambiguous statement without a subject, all the nobles understood it immediately. But no one gave an easy answer.

Neither Maria Ethel nor Olivia Madeleine were in the banquet hall yet.

Count Hodges, who was observing the movements of the nobles, sighed. A delegation from another country is here and they are gossiping.

The Count quickly approached the Prince and whispered.

"The nobles are talking about His Royal Highness's sole stance. Since a delegation from another country is also here, it would be better to at least have a chat with the delegation now."

"Has the Princess entered?"

"Yes?"

The Count's half-baked answer didn't even bother his ears. Leopold looked around with impatient eyes.

Every time he saw the hem of a dress similar to the one he gave Olivia, his stomach churned.

It was only for a moment that he was filled with anticipation, wondering if it might be Olivia. As soon as he confirmed that the silver hair was not as cold as the moonlight had poured in, his excitement seemed to plummet to the floor.

If he had known this would happen, he would have sent a servant to check Olivia's departure time.

"If you know so well, why don't you come forward yourself?"

Even during this time, his voice, once remembered, never disappeared. Everything became clear that day when he scolded Olivia as if he was annoyed.

The humid and high temperature, the noble meeting that didn't go as planned, Maria sulking over trivial things, and himself, who was irritated by it all. And...

"... No, Your Highness. I said something for no reason."

Even Olivia, lowered her head while smiling. 

Leopold clenched his fists without realizing it, remembering the way her green eyes were bent as if she was hurt somewhere.

An unfamiliar feeling rose up in an instant. His mind was confused as if it were all tangled up in an indescribably unfamiliar feeling.

Leopold shook his head.

At that time, it was just because the weather was not good.

Unfortunately, on the day Olivia added her words, he was in a bad mood and that's why he got irritated...

Leopold let out a quiet sigh. Funny enough, what he was doing now was making excuses, he didn't have to worry about anyone. He was making excuses about a day that just passed by.

Why?

He felt like he was lost right before his destination.

Leopold tried to control his emotions as he was approaching the edge of a cliff. But his anxiously beating heart wavered back and forth without being able to come up with an answer.

"... Bertin."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Olivia, no. Check where Liv is."

Leopold deliberately used Olivia's nickname. He had only said two syllables out loud, but he felt strangely at ease.

It won't work. It was a time when he thought about the banquet and all that, and that he should take Olivia to the royal palace as soon as she comes.

"Excuse me? Brother."

An elegant voice came from right in front. She was the Princess.

"Can you give me a moment?"

The Princess is the host of the banquet. At least she was the most certain person to know the timing of Olivia's entrance.

"... Sure."

"Maria Ethel, where is that idiot?"

As soon as she entered the dark terrace, the Princess asked sharply. Count Hodges, who had been following, was startled, pulled down the thick curtain, and stood guard in front.

Leopold, who even saw this, frowned.

"It's a banquet. Watch your words."

"I'm sorry, but even now, I've been selective about what I say. Brother, you didn't know about it and took the side of ruining my banquet, right?"

The Princess's voice shook unsteadily. Only then did Leopold notice an unusually white face.

"What does that mean?"

"Have you not seen it before?"

The Princess let out a laugh as sharp as her screams. Her fear of the Supreme Emperor and her worry of being humiliated in front of the nobles whitened before her eyes. 

The Princess roughly pulled back the curtains. Her brother will know when he sees it. What did the fool her brother choose do now!

"My banquet hall is perfect now!"

"... Olivia."

A voice that seemed to be heavily suppressed interrupted the Princess. The Prince walked after her as if possessed. The Princess felt as If her last hope had been cut off as she saw the Prince walking towards Olivia with great strides.

"Oh, brother!"

The Princess called fiercely for the Prince and then stopped. The Prince's clothes were now visible as he was moving away.

Nonsense...

The Prince's perfectly formal attire said it all.

The Princess hurriedly came out of the terrace but the Prince was already far ahead.

There were too many eyes around her to catch now. She had to find Maria Ethel instead of the Prince who had already disappeared. Is there anyone who knows her whereabouts?

Ah! 

The Princess urgently looked for Marquis Ethel. However, finding the Marquis Ethel in this banquet hall filled with numerous nobles was also like picking a star in the sky.

"Her Highness the Princess! Today's banquet Is also very nice."

"How did you come up with this concept?"

Praise from nobles poured in. 

The back of the Princess's dress was becoming damp with cold sweat. Her legs began to shake.

***

"You are truly carefree, Your Highness. Actually, I don't think we would be very happy friends."

The Grand Duke's voice seemed far away. Leopold looked at Olivia with a dizzying feeling.

Olivia, who was being escorted by the Grand Duke, was dazzlingly beautiful as if showing off that they were both partners.

"See His Royal Highness."

But it wasn't the direction Leopold had hoped for. Leopold blurted out, barely able to control his distorted mouth.

"It's not the dress I sent."

He couldn't imagine Olivia without the dress he sent her.

She even wore her diamond ring on the fourth finger of her left hand as if it were a given. It was a ring that had a much stronger 'engagement' feeling than the red gem Leopold saw yesterday.

It felt like bitter water was rising inside him. A part of Leopold's heart felt strangely tingly. Subtle emotions spread through sea-colored eyes. 

Looking at that, Olivia bit the flesh inside her mouth without anyone noticing.

It was funny. The Leopold who sent her the white dress was wearing a formal dress, just like the Leopold at the 18-year-old engagement party.

...Why on earth?

"Why did you send me the dress?"

It was a blunt question. Strangely sunken green eyes turned to Leopold. Leopold snorted and opened his lips as he looked at the Grand Duke next to her.

"That's right! Olivia, you are my...!"

He was trying to answer as if it were obvious, but the words got stuck. Leopold blinked at her.

"My..."

Fiancee. 

Are these three easy syllables really the right answer?

Leopold couldn't bear to answer. It was a moment when the silence of the moment seemed like an eternity.

"Your Majesty the Emperor, your Majesty the Empress."

The servant shouted loudly along with the sound of the horn. At the same time, Count Hodges whispered behind him.

"Your Highness, you must go."

"Let's talk again later."

Leopold added, looking at Olivia for a moment.

"... Liv."

Only after he stubbornly called Olivia by her nickname did the Prince walk to the podium.

Edwin's cool red eyes looked as if they would cut down his opponent at any moment, and turned towards the Prince.

Should he kill him?

Edwin, who was overcome by impulse for a moment, quickly looked at Olivia with a sigh.

Olivia was looking at the back of the Prince with her detached eyes. Edwin has known about his Young Lady's firmness for a long time. But something was strange today.

"... Are you okay, Olivia?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't it be okay?"

Olivia raised the corners of her mouth and muttered to herself.

It was true. There was no reason not to be okay.

Just...

All she could confirm was that Leopold Franz was rude to her until the end.

***

"This is the first time that a delegation from another country, including Heferti's delegation, came to this summer banquet hosted by the princess."

The Emperor's deep voice rang through the banquet hall.

"Everyone is very welcome to the Franz Empire. In particular, I hope that the bond between our Franz Empire and Heferti will remain strong in the future..."

The voice of the Supreme Emperor could not be heard properly. Beneath her elegant smiling face, the Princess's anxious eyes scanned the banquet hall. But no matter how many times she looked, she couldn't see Maria Ethel.

Was she worrying too much? 

Well, if Maria Ethel had her brains, she wouldn't have worked in a place where envoys from other countries came.

As the Princess thought about that, her nausea gradually subsided. At that moment, the Emperor's speech seemed to have ended. Thunderous applause echoed through the banquet hall.

The Emperor looked next to him with a happy face. The Empress, the Prince, and even the Princess.

Unlike yesterday when he was anxious, today was perfect.

Down there, without saying a word, the Emperor, and even the Grand Duke who gave all his credit to the Empire of Franz.

Even the cocky Heferti kept his mouth shut. The smile on his face as if he were checking his mood was truly something to see.

The Emperor's mood reached its peak. The Emperor brightened the mood with light applause and spoke cheerfully.

"Now let's enjoy the banquet in earnest. I heard the Princess prepared a celebratory performance for the delegation at this banquet, right?"

The Emperor looked at the Princess for a moment with his proud eyes. She was taken aback by the words 'the celebration performance', but then the Princess, with her pale white face, said something, but she couldn't hear it clearly.

"Your Majesty!"

"Then, let's begin."

Before she knew it, the newly arrived band was showing their respect to the Emperor. And when the conductor started conducting.

Leopold paused for a moment as the melody gave him a strange sense of déjà vu. Even the nobles who were happily enjoying the music looked embarrassed.

This was music that could only be used in an engagement parade.

"Is the celebration performance like some kind of play?"

It was a time when everyone was buzzing. Bright lights poured onto the stairs. The door to the stairs opened, and while colorful flower petals were falling from above, someone walked out under the lights.

"Who is it?"

"Isn't that person the Lady of Ethel?"

The Emperor, who was blinking, momentarily looked back at Leopold. Leopold, who was standing next to him, was already running up the stairs with great strides.

No matter how stupid Maria is, she wouldn't do something like this when an envoy from another country camel

It burned with hot fury all the way down the back of his neck to the top of his head. The closer the situation got, the more comical it became,

Maria, wearing an overly flashy white dress, was smiling brightly. She looked as if she was buried among glitter.

"What are you doing?"

Despite the anger that was crushing his teeth, Maria spoke cheerfully as if she were performing a play

"It's our engagement ceremony, Leopold."

"...What?"

"Your Highness readily agreed. This official engagement ceremony."

Maria grabbed Leopold's arm with a charming voice. Leopold's distorted face showed murder. But Maria did not back down.

It was an engagement ceremony held under the protection of Her Majesty the Empress and the Duke of Elkin.

Above all, she did not want to be a mistress or anything.

"What?"

"More grandly than you did with the Princess. Don't you remember?"

Maria said, blinking her eyes. At that sight, a voice suddenly appeared in Leopold's head.

"Please show me off as your official fiancee. It makes it easier for me to do my job."

How can those words be interpreted like this? 

Leopold was left speechless by this absurd and foolish thought. Maria's face brightened again as if she was looking at this figure differently.

"If envoys from other countries attend as guests, it will be more grand than the previous engagement ceremony. Yes?"

A coquettish voice rang triumphantly. Leopold gritted his teeth.

He didn't know where it went wrong, but what was urgent now was the delegation from another country. He had to make amends quickly somehow.

The Prince immediately turned around and looked down at the banquet hall. And he began his speech in a sharp tone.

"This situation right now..."

It's just a simple happening. It was something that had to be covered up, even if it meant treating Maria like a crazy woman. But when he met the green eyes looking at him in the banquet hall, Leopold couldn't say anything

His lips stiffened and his hair turned white. His breathing became heavy as if his breath had been taken away from him. All his nerves were focused solely on Olivia.

Funny enough, If Olivia wanted to say something, she did. It was at this point that he developed a burning desire that as long as Olivia would tell him she was okay, everything would be okay.

Olivia smiled brightly.

It was as if she knew it would happen.

Panting, Leopold swallowed his exhaled breath. Even though he gritted his teeth, the pain came as if his lungs had been stabbed.

He should have known. What was that uneasy feeling? 

She should have realized. What was the nervousness that made him feel like he was hanging on the edge of a cliff?

As soon as his gaze disappeared, a sharp sensation struck his heart.

Leopold muttered as if he was squeezing.

"All right, Livia..."

Luckily one of the readers of novellatte has given me the source for the raw. So we can continue to see how Olivia and Edwin journey!

Many thanks to my reader who helped me. Love you so much! 😍🙏

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