Everyone's eyes will be on me.
"I will tell my aunt, don't worry. Like you said, it would be too wasteful to leave it like this. I think this dress will suit your hair color much better."
"..."
Birna was troubled by her sudden urge.
"Come on, Birna. I think it would be better if you put it on."
'This is what Medea suggested to me directly, so my mother can't blame me.'
Birna quietly picked up the hem of the dress.
Even the somewhat rough feel of the diamond powder sticking to her hands was pleasant.
After a while.
"Oh my God, Birna. You're so pretty."
Birna's appearance in a diamond dress was breathtakingly gorgeous.
Sparkling jewels were embedded in her pink hair and even a tiara on her head decorated with diamonds and pearls.
'More! More beautiful! So much so that Medea seems like my bridesmaid!'
Although the maids desperately tried to stop her, Birna wore diamond jewelry around her neck, ears, and slender arms.
She was very satisfied with her appearance in the mirror.
Her mother's instructions had long since disappeared from her mind.
'I look better. Your dress and your seat.'
"How do you feel, sister?"
Birna, who became triumphant, slightly raised the bridge of her nose and asked. Medea gently gave her what she wanted.
"You will be the star of today's banquet. People won't be able to take their eyes off you."
***
After getting ready, the two girls stood in front of the carriage to head to the banquet hall.
"Wait a minute, Your Highness. Get on this carriage. Today's banquet will be held at the palace."
Medea frowned slightly.
"You mean in the palace? I have never received such a report."
"Of course, it's a surprise banquet! I heard that Duchess Claudio had a hard time preparing without you knowing."
Birna gave an old-fashioned excuse and glanced at Medea.
As Medea stared at her, Birna became nervous.
If her stupid cousin gets upset and announces that she won't attend, all of her pretenses will be in vain.
"Oh, Your Highness. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
Birna quickly softened her eyebrows.
Then, she hung on Medea's arm like a child and showed cuteness with a loving expression.
"I really wanted to see Your Highness surprised and happy. Come on, let's go. You're not going to let Birna get scolded by my mother, are you?"
Birna grabbed Medea's hand.
"Let's go. The banquet has already started, so everyone will be waiting for Your Highness."
***
Valdina Palace.
The nobles invited to the banquet entered the banquet hall one by one.
"Oh my God.”
The dazzling light of the chandelier greeted them.
Attendees' eyes were busy looking at the gorgeous decorations and interior.
Gold-rimmed ice stones were placed on each pillar as decorations, and the sound of a beautiful symphony played by an orchestra filled the hall.
Gold candlesticks were lit, and the fragrant scent of flowers wafted throughout the banquet hall, which was decorated with hundreds of fresh flowers.
At the edge, there was a mountain of champagne glasses made of crystal glass and snacks sprinkled with gold dust.
Most of the people invited today were high-ranking nobles, but not infrequently there were also people from the 3rd and 4th districts.
"There are thousands of people freezing to death and starving to death on the streets. Gold dust on fresh flowers... It's very luxurious."
Someone grumbled.
Members of the royal family were equally embarrassed by the excessive size of the banquet.
The Queen Mother frowned.
"Medea asked to hold a banquet?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. That's what the Minister of Palace and Home Af
fairs said..."
Madame Pinatelli looked at the Queen Mother with a rare, troubled expression.
'Everything is going according to my plan.'
Catherine was secretly delighted at the audience's cold reaction.
"Honey, come here."
Regent Claudio called his wife. He was with a stocky-looking middle-aged man.
"It's been a while, Margrave Montega. Did you have a safe journey?"
Catherine gave an elegant yet gentle greeting.
The Margrave of Montega had a stern look on his face.
"Yes, but is there a reason why you held such a large banquet?"
The road from the border to the royal castle was difficult. Having come here to see with his own eyes the miserable conditions of the people, he cannot help but feel antipathy.
Catherine sighed in response to the Margrave of Montega's question.
"Today's banquet is not my intention."
Catherine cried, saying that she did not know how hard it had been to do everything the Princess wanted.
"You know. Margrave, how can we go against the wishes of a noble bloodline?"
Catherine blinked.
"Besides, the Queen Mother cares about the Princess, so I have no choice but to avoid causing unnecessary misunderstandings."
"Montega, you understand. Dea is young. There is still a long way to go before she grows up."
The Prince Regent patted the Margrave on the shoulder and supported his wife's words.
"With the King's seal and .y mother's protection, does Dea have anything to fear? But if we please her like this, things will be quiet for a while."
"..."
The Margrave of Montega made no reply as if he was preoccupied with something.
The Prince Regent and his wife exchanged smiles of conversion.
"What can I do? This is something I have endured ever since I decided to take care of Her Highness, so I expected a day like this to come someday."
The Prince Regent joked.
But Claudio didn't know. The Montega he knew was no longer the royal family in the greenhouse.
What Claudio says and the situation is plausible.
As the Margrave, he protected the border area infested with demonic beasts for over 10 years. In the process of crossing between life and death, intuition has developed considerably.
'I'll have to see it with my own eyes first and then decide.'
He sipped champagne while thinking of the deceased King.
It was then.
"Your Royal Highness Princess Medea Casey de Baldina and Lady Birna Robin Claudio are welcome!"
The gatekeeper's loud shout made people stop what they were doing for a moment and look away.
Two girls walked in under the light of the chandelier.
Birna was the first thing that caught their attention at first glance.
Lively steps and fresh, wavy pink hair. The diamond-dusted dress sparkled constantly under the light of the chandelier.
Catherine almost dropped her fan.
'Why is Birna wearing that!'
Birna, unaware of her mother's astonishment, raised her chin to meet people's gaze.
'Everyone is looking at me. You can't take your eyes off me.'
Birna subtly walked faster to show off her presence. She walked one step ahead of Medea.
The lights shining on her, people's surprised eyes, mouths gaping open. She was so satisfied that she would have laughed out loud if she had not received etiquette training.
She fit in better here.
'More than the Duke's house, this is the royal palace of Baldina.'
Margrave Montega narrowed his eyebrows when he saw Birna walking majestically.
He guessed the girl's identity when he saw the dress that was so shiny that it hurt his eyes.
"Her Royal Highness Princess Medea. Montega has returned from the frontier to see you."
"Yes...?"
Birna was puzzled.
Who on earth is this guy?
“Birna!”
At that time, Catherine, who had turned pale, called her daughter's name without realizing it. The Margrave of Montega turned to see the embarrassed girl.
He soon noticed that the girl to whom he had bowed politely bore a striking resemblance to his sister-in-law, Catherine.
"If this girl is not Her Royal Highness, then who on earth is Duchess Claudio talking about?"
Catherine was embarrassed. What does everything she said just a little while ago mean anything?
Catherine barely answered with a pale complexion.
"This is my daughter Birna. She is her cousin, so his appearance is quite similar to that of Her Royal Highness."
"Ha, how can it be just looks?"
The Margrave of Montega raised the corners of his mouth and responded.
"Even though I have been away from my capital for a long time, I understand very well how much my niece Birna wants to be like Her Royal Highness."
Catherine's face turned pale at his bitter sarcasm.
"Whoa, it's actually Her Highness's dress, but why are you wearing it, Birna? By the way, my uncle misunderstood..."
A suppressed voice barely came out through clenched teeth.
Catherine wanted to slap her immature daughter for ruining her plans.
"I just..."
Birna hummed. Even she could tell that something was wrong with her.
"Don't blame her too much, Aunt."
At that time, Medea stepped forward as if to protect her cousin.
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