Episode 68. The Intention of Orl
Then Prince Kydel smiled inexplicably and returned to his seat.
I looked at the banquet hall and realized that Prince Kydel had been doing too much for me for some time. It was neither sympathy nor favor, but a subtle attitude that hid his intentions.
However, nothing in this world is free. He will one day come with the talons of a fire-breathing eagle to collect my debt.
Will I have anything to pay him then...?
In the meantime, the dance performance ended, and Her Highness the Princess returned to her seat with a slightly flushed face.
“The new shoes are more uncomfortable than I thought?”
“Should I bring the shoes you were wearing?”
“No. It’s fine.”
Her Highness the Princess smiled, as if she felt better.
“If you want to dance, dance too. I don’t care about that kind of thing.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. But I’m fine. I’m here today as a maid, so I have to stay by Your Highness’ side.”
I felt like my hair stood on end because my words tickled.
Her Highness the Princess’s expression hardened, so I thought I had made a mistake.
However, I followed her gaze, and my face hardened as well. The Agael messenger was coming this way.
“I am Prime Minister Yellow, visiting as the Agael messenger. May I ask Your Highness, the Princess, to dance?”
The Princess snorted softly and turned away from him. She looked as if she was about to insult the messenger.
Before she could open her mouth, I quickly took a step forward and said.
“Princess Milliora, following the custom of the royal family receiving messengers, Prime Minister Yellow of Agael has requested a dance.”
The Princess glared at me, asking if now was the time to be mindful of etiquette.
However, I glared at her with all my might and motioned for her to leave.
She kept her mouth shut, but when I glared at her so hard that her eyes started to hurt, she eventually got up.
“If that’s what you want.”
With a blank expression, she went out onto the floor with him.
I looked around the quiet surroundings. The nobles who were about to go out onto the floor had stopped and were watching Her Highness, the Princess.
Their faces showed various expressions, from bewilderment to anger.
Even Prince Kydel was looking at me with a stern expression.
It seemed as if he was saying,
'What are you doing?'
I answered with my eyes, looking very aggrieved.
'I have never cut off diplomatic relations with Agael. I can't send an envoy by insulting him!'
Then he turned his face away with a blank expression and asked a nearby young lady to dance while bowing to her with a cool gesture.
She followed him onto the floor, not knowing what to do, smiling brightly, and the young ladies stared at Prince Kydel, who had started dancing again, as if he were entranced.
He spun his dance partner around to make them look like flowers in bloom, and he didn't forget to glare at me.
His lively gaze seemed to shout, 'I told you I don't want to dance!'
I realized belatedly what he was doing.
He was dancing to distract the attention of the people who were currently focused on Her Highness the Princess.
I felt really uneasy.
'Tsk... Who wants help?'
When the dance ended and Her Highness Miliora returned to her seat, her face was red with anger.
She covered her face with her fan and snapped at me.
"Are you crazy? Do you know what I've become? Everyone looks at me like a traitor!"
"Your Highness, calm down."
"Calm down? You just came out of the boat because I asked you to come and go!"
She was so angry that her face turned red.
I really wanted to ask her when she asked me to come and go, but I held back and said.
"There's no point in insulting someone who might be a trading partner. You should show at least one person that you're welcome."
"What did you hear me say? His Majesty threw him in that corner because he didn't want to see him. What about trading with Agael!"
"Calm down, Your Highness. He might be the one who can solve the empire's iron ore problem."
"...?"
Her Highness stopped fanning herself and glared at me. I explained my thoughts to her step by step.
After hearing the explanation, the Princess frowned, looked at me with a suspicious look, and then closed her mouth.
“...Do you think that will work?”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know either.”
“Lorisha!”
“Anyway, that’s something to think about later. Later, you should tell His Majesty that iron ore exports are absolutely prohibited. You should insist that it be used fairly for weapons production and domestic consumption. I’ve prepared all the materials you need to study.”
“But if it’s as you say...”
“I’ll discuss the specifics with Count Loire after the competition is over. If the Count examines it and decides that it’s feasible, he’ll negotiate.”
She widened her eyes and snapped.
“Hey, I should take credit for that!”
“Your Highness, I told you. You need to lower yourself now.”
“...Tsk. Got it.”
She turned her head away and glared at me again.
“You’re a really funny girl.”
I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly at her.
The extravagant party continued into the night.
***
The Academy’s vacation was still far away, but Kalin Ankart studied as if it were an exam period.
Her rest consisted of occasionally reminiscing about the Emperor’s birthday party and smiling to herself.
The Viscount Ankart was excited that the Second Prince had asked his daughter to dance at the Emperor's birthday party.
However, she answered nonchalantly.
'It seems that he didn't like the fact that a pretty girl was sitting alone.'
However, when the gift was delivered from the palace a while later, she couldn't hide her nervousness.
If the Viscountess Ankart had known about it, it would have been less than an hour before the rumor spread throughout the capital.
So the Viscount kept it a secret from his wife and decided to open the gift with his daughter.
"His Highness the Second Prince has taken a liking to you! Open it quickly. Quickly."
Kalin opened the card first.
"Next time, will you let me see 'Red Tears'?
- Orl."
She thought of the First Prince sitting listlessly at the party.
He seemed to be observing the banquet hall and not allowing people to approach him.
But to send her a message promising to meet again...
The Marquis Ankart was even more excited.
“His Highness the First Prince? Wasn’t it the Second Prince who asked you to dance last time? Both of their Highnesses fell for you? Isn’t this truly a celebration for the family? Damn it, but who should I line up for...!”
“Father, don’t get excited. Calm down.”
Kalin lightly scolded her father and opened the gift.
However, she couldn’t hide her excitement anymore.
Inside the box was a gorgeous wreath made of fresh flowers. The wreath was a gift of welcome and glory.
‘Where on earth is this welcome to...?’
Kalin’s eyes lit up again at the unexpected situation.
“Keep it a secret from my mother. This must never get out.”
“I understand that. Kalin, explain.”
Kalin said as she put the wreath back in the box.
“Father, the ‘Red Tears’ were worth it.”
The Viscount shouted as his daughter tried to return to her room.
“Where are you going? Since His Highness Orl has his heart set on you, why are you studying right now? I should call the dressmaker!”
However, her reply as she left the door was dry.
“I should graduate early.”
***
The day to report the answers to the second competition was approaching quickly. Still, since she had already experienced it once, she was less nervous than before.
Moreover, this time, Her Highness Milliora had to answer, and she was talented in speaking, to the point that she seemed confident even when she said the wrong thing.
Her Highness Milliora had dressed up especially hard today. It was not a party-like extravagance, but a dress that demonstrated her determination not to be outdone by the royal family.
When she finished preparing and left, Lord Rond stopped and turned his face sharply.
“Are you ready, Your Highness?”
“Yes. Let’s go, Lord Rond.”
I found it amusing to see a man with a large body so nervous.
And the sight of a woman with a skinny body and a girlish appearance embarrassed a man like that.
The competition hall was the same as last time.
The attendants and knights of each Prince were waiting in a crowd for the appearance of His Majesty the Emperor.
Today is not a day to do well, but a day to do less well. So let's not be nervous. As I was thinking about that, the face of the Princess suddenly hardened.
When I turned around, I saw that His Highness Orl was approaching us. I had greeted him earlier.
He stood in front of Her Highness Milliora with his characteristic calm smile and whispered something in her ear.
Her face turned pale, and Lord Rond's face stiffened.
When I thought I should separate Her Highness from him, he was already smiling at me.
With a cold gaze that made people pause for a moment.
His Highness returned to his group, leaving only that unpleasant smile behind.
“Your Highness, Milliora, are you okay?”
“...”
But she just bit her lips. Tears were welling up in her eyes.
“Your Highness!”
I whispered to her, but Milliora just bit her lips.
Then His Majesty came in and she quickly collected her expression. It was fortunate that she had calmed down, but my nervousness still did not subside.
The attendant came forward and spoke loudly.
“‘Come up with a plan to most efficiently distribute the newly subjugated Amata iron ore.’ The Princes and Princesses, please tell us your answers to the second round of contests now.”
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