DYBAR - Chapter 99 < A Strange Relationship With A Fall >
Do Your Best And Regret
"Who dares?"
Above the quiet banquet hall, the Emperor spat out loudly. His red-hot eyes looked in all directions as if he had been insulted.
The nobles who froze wherever his fiery gaze landed shook their heads in astonishment.
Who dares.
The nobles looked around, mumbling the Emperor's words under their breath. But soon their attention was focused on one place.
The only person smiling brightly in this banquet hall was the Grand Duke, Edwin Vikander Lowell.
As the Emperor's fierceness flashed, the Grand Duke let out a drowsy laugh. Among the nobles, this Duo, who had bright ears, tilted his head, but only for a moment.
"If I ask the Viscount, what do you do? The important thing is not whether Her Highness the Princess stayed at Katanta, but whether or not she stopped by Vikander Territory according to His Majesty's orders."
A smooth voice pointed out the essence. The atmosphere of holding the Viscount accountable and trying to cover up the matter was suddenly overturned.
The joys and sorrows of Viscount Katanta and the Princess were clearly different. The back of the Princess's hands trembled as she held onto her dress.
The Princess's dignity was gradually falling to the ground. This situation was also connected to a crisis of imperial power.
The most powerful Imperial family crisis ever.
A chill came over him as if someone had put a knife in front of his heart. At some point, the Emperor's hands, which were tightly gripping the armrests, could not even be felt.
The bright red eyes looked at the Emperor as if they were truly happy.
With those provocative eyes as if they were playing a game, the Emperor summoned the Grand Duke with the intention of taking a gamble.
"Grand Duke. Let's talk about that separately."
"No Your Majesty, the Emperor."
"Edwin Lowell Vikander!"
When the Emperor shouted with bloodshot eyes, the agate decoration on the armrests broke under his strength.
The Emperor lost his balance for a moment and stumbled. His hands reflexively grabbed the broken decoration. As if this decoration were the Grand Duke's mouth.
"I will say no."
But the Grand Duke spoke without hesitation. He shrugged his shoulders casually.
All the nobles in the banquet hall froze for a moment and looked at the Princess, the Emperor, and the Grand Duke. The gaze that was always full of respect and awe became mixed with impurities.
At that moment, the Emperor felt that the authority of the throne, which he thought was eternal, was slipping away from under his palm.
Something he had never thought of before became a reality. He could clearly feel the nobles' suspicions slowly clinging to his skin.
"Then, did Her Highness the Princess really report lies about her whereabouts? Why, for what?"
"That's true, but is this really a lie? Even the summer banquet is different from before. Nо way...?"
The person whose voice came from somewhere disappeared in an instant. But it was enough to ignite doubt.
Princess Reina is praised as a Saint and has always shown grace and noble devotion. One by one, her strong image began to show flaws.
The Princess looked around her with desperate eyes. She needed someone to step forward, as did her maternal uncle, the Duke of Elkin, a little while ago.
Naturally, the Princess looked at the Marquis of Libeorn and her playmates.
But...
A part of her heart became cold. The Marquis's daughter, who always made a fuss in front of her, her playmates and even noble ladies were watching from a distance.
No one made excuses on behalf of the Princess. She turned her back to the throne and looked at all the nobles in the banquet hall with an incredulous expression on her face.
Those who show blatant curiosity, and those who feel sorry but do not say a word. And even the delegation members looked at her with interest.
Not a single word came out as if someone had grabbed the neck. The reputation she had worked so hard to build disappeared in an instant like a sand castle swept away by waves.
The Princess knew very well how scandalous people were forgotten in social circles. Either they can't even come to the banquet, or all courtship has been cut off and they are stuck in a closet like a wooden doll whose strings have fallen.
But that wasn't supposed to be her story. Crown Princess of the Welton Kingdom, or Crown Princess of the Orang Kingdom. That was her place.....!
"Father..."
The Princess's voice was pathetic and desperate as if calling out to God from the edge of the cliff.
But even as seconds and minutes passed, the Emperor's gaze did not reach the Princess.
When, one by one, all anxious expectations disappeared. The floor the Princess was standing on began to collapse. It was the moment when her royal dignity, which had always been solid under the authority of the royal family, fell to the ground.
She closed her eyes as she felt distant. Her body swayed violently and sounds like screams passed by in the distance.
Everything was a mess.
***
I blinked my eyes when I heard a soft voice. Under the deep darkness of the balcony, Edwin lightly raised his arm.
“Livia, Olivia.”
Only then did I realize that I had used too much force in my hand that was holding Edwin's arm.
"Ah, Edwin. Sorry."
"Doesn't your hand feel numb? If it doesn't make you feel numb, you might really have tremendous talent."
"Talent?"
"Don't you remember? Olivia carrying Ira Luten with one hand."
"I can't help but remember it. It was the first knight's oath I received."
I raised the corners of my mouth. He was very good at telling jokes to lighten the mood.
The cool evening breeze tickled my cheeks. I was carried by the wind with the smell of fresh flowers.
"What a messy summer banquet this is."
In addition to the huge fuss on the balcony next to me. Although the balcony was covered with thick curtains, it did not stop the sound of words coming from the open space of the balcony next to mine.
"Even If Her Highness the Princess had not fallen..."
"Anyway, the timing was good."
A long conversation continued behind the strange voice. U glanced at my badge for a moment.
It was as she said.
The timing was good.
She is loved by both the Empress and the Emperor.
The Princess fainted on the spot. The Duke of Elkin, who was standing next to her, rushed to help her, but could not prevent the Princess's beautiful, limp hair from dragging on the floor.
If the Princess knew that only the soles of her shoes always touched the floor, she would be truly horrified.
"Call the doctor to diagnose the Princess's condition. The Duke of Madeleine, the Duke, the Vice-Captain, and the Viscount Buccaneer, follow me."
The Emperor quickly resolved the situation and left. The nobles, who had been observing the Emperor's movements with dumbfounded politeness, rushed to Edwin as soon as the banquet hall door closed.
"I meet you, the great war hero, His Highness the Grand Duke. What in the world is all this about?"
"Didn't Her Royal Highness really go to Vikander Territory? Really. It's something I never even thought about."
It was here that she avoided the nobles who rushed at her without missing a word to speak.
Even now, outside the curtain, Howard and Winster were probably having a hard time dealing with the nobles. I who was trying to smile as she remembered the two sweating sweats, bit my lip for a moment.
"If it's okay with Edwin, I want to go back to Vikander."
A calm voice fell across the night sky. It was an unexpected statement. Edwin wanted to see her show off a little more triumphantly.
Edwin studied Olivia's expression for a moment and then smiled.
"Shall we go back right now?"
"Edwin still has negotiations with Heferti left."
Even so, it was a bold answer. Edwin laughed a little, saying it was true.
"Then, it won't be okay if I miss you, but other than that, everything else will be okay. I will conclude the negotiations quickly and go."
This time Olivia smiled at her face, Edwin asked subtly and cautiously.
"But why did you suddenly want to go back early? You looked really refreshed until just now."
"I felt refreshed. It was definitely very good."
The Empress and Princess were at a loss over the white crystal mine. I don't know if it had any effect, but the Prince also tried to catch me.
It was true that I felt exhilarated every time. It was nice to see people whom I should have always bowed to, bow their heads towards me, enough to raise the corners of my mouth.
But now, as good as it was, my mind was wandering. Ever since I saw Jade putting the Princess in the predicament.
"Whether it is or not, I will pay the price for being dishonorable as a 'Madeleine."
More precisely, since I saw Jade talking to me. He seemed to be confused about the emotions contained in his sparkling amethyst eyes, so I muttered without realizing it.
"What should I do if I want to receive more apologies from others?"
Regret, maybe sorry.
His eyes were similar to those I had seen on Ethella.
But I shook my head. He may have looked wrong.
Everything had been cut off. Jade doesn't even have a reason to apologize. But what about those eyes?
The emotions that I thought I had abandoned continued to surge.
If he apologized or begged, he was told by the Princess. He didn't mean it, but the person who was always stiff towards me lowered his head.
But that would only be allowed for the Princess. There is a white crystal mine between the Princess and me.
There was only Ethella between the Duke of Madeleine and me.
It was a dual feeling.
Suddenly, I felt like asking for an apology that I wouldn't make. So I hurriedly spoke.
"... It's not worth it. There's nothing to see here any more."
I like it now. This life is filled with happiness and love Vikander. If he did apologize, it wouldn't be even satisfactory. Just like the Princess did.
But when I looked up and saw Edwin, he had a strange face. He seemed a little sad. There is nothing to be sad about in this situation.
I changed the topic.
"Then why did Edwin come forward instead?"
"Me?"
Edwin smiled naturally. I narrowed my eyes.
"Perhaps the people who laughed were members of the delegation."
I knew that the laughter came from some distance away, not right next to me.
Edwin rolled his eyes sweetly at me.
"Well, it goes both ways. It was a funny timing for me too."
As he added, I smiled brightly. He was nice and I thought he only liked giving to others.
"It's surprising. I thought you weren't good at calculating"
"You have to be quick-witted to get what you want. Thanks to her, I was able to bring someone as precious as Olivia to my side."
Contrary to his playful words, his eyes were earnest as he kissed the back of my hand.
The cool night air heated up. He touched me like a hot brand. His dripping lips curved seductively.
"...... It's a good night to go back like this. Would you like to have a drink?"
"...... Great. With alcohol?"
I shrugged my shoulders, pretending to think for a moment in response to his very tempting invitation. And I nodded.
The smile at the end of Edwin's red lips deepened.
"I have to come back quickly."
After Edwin left, I shook my shoulders for a moment. I took a deep breath and looked into the distance.
Today, Tiase Palace was shining brightly in silver. It was unfamiliar to see it with such a careless heart, so I laughed a little. And as I pondered my conversation with the Empress earlier, I remembered the knight whose name I did not know.
But I shook my head. Now that the Empress had gotten to know him, I had given up on had gotten to know him, I had given up on meeting him.
He might be on the Empress's side, but contacting him was a risk worthless. It was regrettable, but it was something I couldn't do.
This was something that could be cut off from my heart, just like the story about the knight whose name I did not know.
A faint sigh escaped my slender lips. Complex emotions began to slowly spread across the night sky.
***
"If you keep scratching, won't it be difficult to obtain the 'document' you mentioned?"
Howard spoke softly in a corner of the banquet hall where the nobles were no longer following.
Although there was no specific subject, Edwin knew for sure that the subtle words referred to the Emperor. So he shrugged his shoulders and glanced behind him.
"I have to endure it, but I can't bear it when I see that face. Still, it looks like I've done well to control the drainage, Lord Interfield."
As the searching gaze grew closer, Edwin leisurely turned around. It was as he expected.
"I see you, His Highness the Grand Duke. This is Kiwal, the representative of the Heferti delegation."
"I guess you were waiting for me."
"It's not a very good relationship, but you stepped in when we were almost in a difficult situation."
The Duke of Kiwal wearing a monocle. And the one who laughed at the banquet earlier.
Edwin laughed heartily.
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