But it wasn't just Melovy Gratti who flinched in fear.
Everyone, including her, who had been gossiping about me as if it were natural when I appeared, was avoiding my eyes and Rudnine's eyes, as if they had a hurtful point.
'Tsk tsk.'
So, Yvonne, you should have stopped cursing from the beginning.
Even though these are just flies weaker than you...
By the way, Rudnine went to such lengths for me. I was grateful, but I was worried that he might end up in trouble later.
“Duke of Iels.”
While I was pondering, Countess Gratti, the mother of Melovy Gratti, stepped in to protect her daughter.
"Why are you acting like this? My daughter hasn't done anything particularly wrong. You probably don't know since she's not in the capital, but Princess Argenthoz has been acting very aggressively."
Countess Gratti glanced at me slyly as she spoke.
'What. What did I...? What does this woman want me to do?'
I strained my eyes so as not to lose the staring contest.
Damn it, you're ignoring my mother—the Duchess of Argenthoz—right now that she's not here, what the heck!
They said, if my mom were alive, she'd be funny. She could even take down a bear with her bare fists?!
“Oh my! Look at that. Isn’t that scary? Those eyes look like they could kill me at any moment...”
“Countess Gratti.”
Rudnine cut off her words as she was making a fuss over losing the staring contest.
"Yes?"
Countess Gratti froze like ice at the voice that was as cold as the wind blowing in midwinter.
"The Duke of Argenthoz is the most prestigious family in the Empire. How could a Countess so easily gossip about a Duke's daughter? I'm deeply disappointed in the Gratti family's upbringing."
“Oh, no.. that’s it.”
“Am I wrong?”
The countess's face turned pale at the low voice that confirmed it again.
“Oh, Mother!”
A terrified Melovy looked frantically back and forth between her mother, Rudnine, and me, who was standing far away.
'Oh my God. What the hell is going on?'
I was dumbfounded.
To summarize Rudnine's explanation, it was like this.
Shut up, everyone. Right now, in any case, given your status and family standing, I'm saying you should apologize for your mistakes.
‘Well, that’s true, but...’
I barely managed to hold back a laugh, as it seemed to be an extreme way of doing things that didn't suit him.
When the Duke of Iels, famous for his nobility and valuing of honor, criticized the Gratti family's education in domestic etiquette, not only the Countess but also the Count of Gratti blushed bright red.
But Rudnine didn't stop there.
He drew a clear line on this matter by adding a little more force to his voice.
"You will be held accountable for defaming the Princess. I will refer this case to the absent Duke of Argenthoz. Little Duke, please be my witness."
“Of course, I will.”
Barden, who had suddenly appeared next to him, nodded with a very angry expression on his face.
The situation became serious when even my older brother, Little Duke Barden, openly took my side.
In fact, it wasn't just Barden who heard those words, but there were many others, so if we look for witnesses, there will be many.
Yeah, the problem is me, who has been watching over you all this time.
As Rudnine said, I am a Princess from a prestigious family in the empire.
These guys have gone too far.
But in the past, perhaps there wasn't anyone who would take my side so openly.
‘...That’s probably why Yvonne didn’t say anything and just stayed quiet.’
By the way, we gathered for Adrian's birthday party, but the atmosphere felt more like a courtroom than a birthday party.
And today's defendant, Melovy, glared at me with tears in her eyes as if she was going to kill me.
Oh my. This girl still hasn't come to her senses!
I clicked my tongue inwardly and ignored Melovy.
At that moment, Rudnine came back to me and whispered softly to me.
“Don’t be upset.”
“Huh? What?”
"This isn't the end. I will definitely end the Gratti family. Don't be disappointed, Yvonne."
“The end... is this it?”
Did I hear something wrong?
I blinked and asked him again, but Rudnine just smiled cutely and innocently and shrugged.
“No. Yvonne, see only the good, think only good thoughts.”
Rudnine didn't say anything more.
Well... Actually, there won’t be anything particularly exciting going on.
Duke Rudnaine's Iels, who upholds honor, would not be that kind of person.
I nodded in relief, thinking back to all the people I had seen so far.
There were a few episodes, but Adrian's birthday celebration party started without a hitch.
And I avoided the worst-case scenario of being Crown Prince Adrian's partner and standing in the front row.
This is all thanks to Duke Argenthoz and Barden, including Rudnine.
And Prince Felix, who cooperated with us and became my partner.
“...Well, see you later, Yvonne.”
"Yes yes."
I smiled brightly and waved to Rudnine and Barden, who were heading to the front row.
Rudnine was the type who didn't like bothersome events, so he went with a very hesitant gait.
He was the Duke of Iels, and among these many nobles, he was the most important guest. Naturally, he had to be close to the Emperor.
Barden, originally a man full of ambition and a desire for promotion, was excited to take the front seat. Of course, he was also the successor to the Duke of Argenthoz.
And me?
Of course, I was a person who was naturally tired of social life and was a person who was a bit of an outsider, and Prince Felix was also an outsider, as I had heard, so we headed to the most remote and secret place as we had promised.
His eyes sparkled, and he beckoned to me.
"This pillar is the thickest, and there are many structures in front of it, so it's the best blind spot. Here, behind here... If you hide like this, you won't be noticed."
"You have great insight and skill, Your Highness! An excellent choice."
When I gave him a thumbs up and praised him, Prince Felix looked very proud and adjusted his glasses.
“Ahem.”
'He's funnier than I thought.'
While I was giggling, the Crown Prince's birthday banquet began.
On a beautifully decorated marble banquet hall dais, Emperor John Ser Verbent and Giselle Cardin Verbent sat side by side on thrones.
Empress Giselle was still smiling gently, but the problem was Emperor John.
I looked at the Emperor and frowned.
"No, how can someone like the Emperor be so absent-minded? His eyes... how should I put it, they look like the eyes of a sick fish."
That was my first impression of Emperor John.
His face, which looked like it was made of gray dough, looked like a manager who had been working overtime for a thousand days.
Is the Emperor of the Empire tired from all the work? Wasn't he supposed to spend every day playing, eating, and having fun?
‘As expected... It’s not like I’m just a head somewhere!’
I am learning again by watching Emperor John.
In comparison, Empress Giselle looked so dazzling.
Does the Emperor have a lot of work to do, and the Empress has none? Or is it that the Emperor is incompetent and the Empress is exceptionally capable?
'Are you smart because you're a black magician?'
As Emperor John rose from his seat and finished his short birthday speech in a feeble voice, the strings, which were finally free to dance, began to play.
As the atmosphere relaxed, I couldn't contain my curiosity and asked Prince Felix.
“Excuse me, Your Highness.”
"Yes."
"His Majesty, Emperor. Is he overworked these days? Don't he look so tired? He has dark circles under his eyes."
As I explained, drawing circles from my eyes to my chin with my finger, Prince Felix stared at me and then burst out laughing.
“...Puhaha!”
I clenched and unclenched my fists, glaring at Prince Felix, who smiled without answering.
Are you laughing at me? Should I show you some punches?
“Why are you laughing?”
“No, Princess! I thought it was too honest... Even though I am a powerless Prince, how could you describe His Majesty the Emperor’s complexion like that?”
“Well... It is only natural for a nobleman serving the Imperial Family to be concerned about His Majesty’s health.”
As I continued to mumble and make excuses, Prince Felix suddenly frowned and grumbled.
“No, why are you so concerned about the health of the royal family? Seriously.”
“What are you talking about? Who else would be so worried?!”
“No, no. Ah, life is so hard. I wanted to live quietly... This is making it so hard for me.”
He sighed heavily and shook his head, as if he were carrying the weight of the world alone.
'Why is it like that?'
Prince Felix, who acted as if he were a warrior who had been given the heavy task of becoming the Emperor to save the world, was definitely not normal.
‘I thought he was okay, but he’s a strange person...!’
I slowly backed away, glancing around to see if I could escape at any moment.
Nobles dancing in pairs in the central hall or chatting together near the edge tables.
And at the very front podium table, Emperor John was conversing with Adrian and the high-ranking nobles, including Duke Rudnine, Barden, and Duke Cardin.
These are the very core figures of the empire.
'Ah... Now that I think about it. Cordelia Mare! Where is the heroine?'
I opened my eyes wide and looked around.
The female protagonist, who was originally supposed to be Adrian's partner, and always supposed to be with the male protagonist.
But no matter how much I looked around, I couldn't find the woman who seemed to be Cordelia.
“Princess. Who are you looking for?”
“...Uh, I. Princess Cordelia Mare. Did she attend? Did she go out to the outdoor banquet hall? Did you see her by any chance?”
As I was wandering towards the exit leading to the outdoor banquet hall, he stared at me, clicked his tongue, and sighed.
"Look here. Why are you looking for that man again? She so confidently declared that she had no more attachment to Adrian."
“...Your Highness? What misunderstanding are you having?”
“Is this a misunderstanding?”
"Of course!"
I glared at him fiercely, but Prince Felix still seemed to not believe me, so he lowered his voice and glanced at the stage.
“Ahem. Princess Argenthoz, do you know of my sad and miserable fate?”
“Huh? That, that’s it...”
Why are you suddenly acting pitiful?
Prince Felix's biological mother, Consort Evelyn, became an idiot, and they were practically imprisoned together to survive.
He continued speaking to me in a flustered tone.
"But, how did I survive until this day? I had an extraordinary ability: I could sense things."
It was very out of the blue.
However, Prince Felix's boast that his survival skills were based on intuition was absurd yet interesting.
“...I see? So that’s why?”
So I moved closer to him with sparkling eyes and urged him to continue talking.
"Don't you know why I'm saying this? Oh dear! The Princess is seriously lacking in tact."
He stroked his chin, clicked his tongue, and shook his head in despair, like a doctor diagnosing a terminally ill patient.
“What?!”
"Yes. This was the problem! The reason Duke Argenthoz and Duke Iels were causing this uproar was because of the Princess! It was such a simple matter!"
Everyone, including her, who had been gossiping about me as if it were natural when I appeared, was avoiding my eyes and Rudnine's eyes, as if they had a hurtful point.
'Tsk tsk.'
So, Yvonne, you should have stopped cursing from the beginning.
Even though these are just flies weaker than you...
By the way, Rudnine went to such lengths for me. I was grateful, but I was worried that he might end up in trouble later.
“Duke of Iels.”
While I was pondering, Countess Gratti, the mother of Melovy Gratti, stepped in to protect her daughter.
"Why are you acting like this? My daughter hasn't done anything particularly wrong. You probably don't know since she's not in the capital, but Princess Argenthoz has been acting very aggressively."
Countess Gratti glanced at me slyly as she spoke.
'What. What did I...? What does this woman want me to do?'
I strained my eyes so as not to lose the staring contest.
Damn it, you're ignoring my mother—the Duchess of Argenthoz—right now that she's not here, what the heck!
They said, if my mom were alive, she'd be funny. She could even take down a bear with her bare fists?!
“Oh my! Look at that. Isn’t that scary? Those eyes look like they could kill me at any moment...”
“Countess Gratti.”
Rudnine cut off her words as she was making a fuss over losing the staring contest.
"Yes?"
Countess Gratti froze like ice at the voice that was as cold as the wind blowing in midwinter.
"The Duke of Argenthoz is the most prestigious family in the Empire. How could a Countess so easily gossip about a Duke's daughter? I'm deeply disappointed in the Gratti family's upbringing."
“Oh, no.. that’s it.”
“Am I wrong?”
The countess's face turned pale at the low voice that confirmed it again.
“Oh, Mother!”
A terrified Melovy looked frantically back and forth between her mother, Rudnine, and me, who was standing far away.
'Oh my God. What the hell is going on?'
I was dumbfounded.
To summarize Rudnine's explanation, it was like this.
Shut up, everyone. Right now, in any case, given your status and family standing, I'm saying you should apologize for your mistakes.
‘Well, that’s true, but...’
I barely managed to hold back a laugh, as it seemed to be an extreme way of doing things that didn't suit him.
When the Duke of Iels, famous for his nobility and valuing of honor, criticized the Gratti family's education in domestic etiquette, not only the Countess but also the Count of Gratti blushed bright red.
But Rudnine didn't stop there.
He drew a clear line on this matter by adding a little more force to his voice.
"You will be held accountable for defaming the Princess. I will refer this case to the absent Duke of Argenthoz. Little Duke, please be my witness."
“Of course, I will.”
Barden, who had suddenly appeared next to him, nodded with a very angry expression on his face.
The situation became serious when even my older brother, Little Duke Barden, openly took my side.
In fact, it wasn't just Barden who heard those words, but there were many others, so if we look for witnesses, there will be many.
Yeah, the problem is me, who has been watching over you all this time.
As Rudnine said, I am a Princess from a prestigious family in the empire.
These guys have gone too far.
But in the past, perhaps there wasn't anyone who would take my side so openly.
‘...That’s probably why Yvonne didn’t say anything and just stayed quiet.’
By the way, we gathered for Adrian's birthday party, but the atmosphere felt more like a courtroom than a birthday party.
And today's defendant, Melovy, glared at me with tears in her eyes as if she was going to kill me.
Oh my. This girl still hasn't come to her senses!
I clicked my tongue inwardly and ignored Melovy.
At that moment, Rudnine came back to me and whispered softly to me.
“Don’t be upset.”
“Huh? What?”
"This isn't the end. I will definitely end the Gratti family. Don't be disappointed, Yvonne."
“The end... is this it?”
Did I hear something wrong?
I blinked and asked him again, but Rudnine just smiled cutely and innocently and shrugged.
“No. Yvonne, see only the good, think only good thoughts.”
Rudnine didn't say anything more.
Well... Actually, there won’t be anything particularly exciting going on.
Duke Rudnaine's Iels, who upholds honor, would not be that kind of person.
I nodded in relief, thinking back to all the people I had seen so far.
There were a few episodes, but Adrian's birthday celebration party started without a hitch.
And I avoided the worst-case scenario of being Crown Prince Adrian's partner and standing in the front row.
This is all thanks to Duke Argenthoz and Barden, including Rudnine.
And Prince Felix, who cooperated with us and became my partner.
“...Well, see you later, Yvonne.”
"Yes yes."
I smiled brightly and waved to Rudnine and Barden, who were heading to the front row.
Rudnine was the type who didn't like bothersome events, so he went with a very hesitant gait.
He was the Duke of Iels, and among these many nobles, he was the most important guest. Naturally, he had to be close to the Emperor.
Barden, originally a man full of ambition and a desire for promotion, was excited to take the front seat. Of course, he was also the successor to the Duke of Argenthoz.
And me?
Of course, I was a person who was naturally tired of social life and was a person who was a bit of an outsider, and Prince Felix was also an outsider, as I had heard, so we headed to the most remote and secret place as we had promised.
His eyes sparkled, and he beckoned to me.
"This pillar is the thickest, and there are many structures in front of it, so it's the best blind spot. Here, behind here... If you hide like this, you won't be noticed."
"You have great insight and skill, Your Highness! An excellent choice."
When I gave him a thumbs up and praised him, Prince Felix looked very proud and adjusted his glasses.
“Ahem.”
'He's funnier than I thought.'
While I was giggling, the Crown Prince's birthday banquet began.
On a beautifully decorated marble banquet hall dais, Emperor John Ser Verbent and Giselle Cardin Verbent sat side by side on thrones.
Empress Giselle was still smiling gently, but the problem was Emperor John.
I looked at the Emperor and frowned.
"No, how can someone like the Emperor be so absent-minded? His eyes... how should I put it, they look like the eyes of a sick fish."
That was my first impression of Emperor John.
His face, which looked like it was made of gray dough, looked like a manager who had been working overtime for a thousand days.
Is the Emperor of the Empire tired from all the work? Wasn't he supposed to spend every day playing, eating, and having fun?
‘As expected... It’s not like I’m just a head somewhere!’
I am learning again by watching Emperor John.
In comparison, Empress Giselle looked so dazzling.
Does the Emperor have a lot of work to do, and the Empress has none? Or is it that the Emperor is incompetent and the Empress is exceptionally capable?
'Are you smart because you're a black magician?'
As Emperor John rose from his seat and finished his short birthday speech in a feeble voice, the strings, which were finally free to dance, began to play.
As the atmosphere relaxed, I couldn't contain my curiosity and asked Prince Felix.
“Excuse me, Your Highness.”
"Yes."
"His Majesty, Emperor. Is he overworked these days? Don't he look so tired? He has dark circles under his eyes."
As I explained, drawing circles from my eyes to my chin with my finger, Prince Felix stared at me and then burst out laughing.
“...Puhaha!”
I clenched and unclenched my fists, glaring at Prince Felix, who smiled without answering.
Are you laughing at me? Should I show you some punches?
“Why are you laughing?”
“No, Princess! I thought it was too honest... Even though I am a powerless Prince, how could you describe His Majesty the Emperor’s complexion like that?”
“Well... It is only natural for a nobleman serving the Imperial Family to be concerned about His Majesty’s health.”
As I continued to mumble and make excuses, Prince Felix suddenly frowned and grumbled.
“No, why are you so concerned about the health of the royal family? Seriously.”
“What are you talking about? Who else would be so worried?!”
“No, no. Ah, life is so hard. I wanted to live quietly... This is making it so hard for me.”
He sighed heavily and shook his head, as if he were carrying the weight of the world alone.
'Why is it like that?'
Prince Felix, who acted as if he were a warrior who had been given the heavy task of becoming the Emperor to save the world, was definitely not normal.
‘I thought he was okay, but he’s a strange person...!’
I slowly backed away, glancing around to see if I could escape at any moment.
Nobles dancing in pairs in the central hall or chatting together near the edge tables.
And at the very front podium table, Emperor John was conversing with Adrian and the high-ranking nobles, including Duke Rudnine, Barden, and Duke Cardin.
These are the very core figures of the empire.
'Ah... Now that I think about it. Cordelia Mare! Where is the heroine?'
I opened my eyes wide and looked around.
The female protagonist, who was originally supposed to be Adrian's partner, and always supposed to be with the male protagonist.
But no matter how much I looked around, I couldn't find the woman who seemed to be Cordelia.
“Princess. Who are you looking for?”
“...Uh, I. Princess Cordelia Mare. Did she attend? Did she go out to the outdoor banquet hall? Did you see her by any chance?”
As I was wandering towards the exit leading to the outdoor banquet hall, he stared at me, clicked his tongue, and sighed.
"Look here. Why are you looking for that man again? She so confidently declared that she had no more attachment to Adrian."
“...Your Highness? What misunderstanding are you having?”
“Is this a misunderstanding?”
"Of course!"
I glared at him fiercely, but Prince Felix still seemed to not believe me, so he lowered his voice and glanced at the stage.
“Ahem. Princess Argenthoz, do you know of my sad and miserable fate?”
“Huh? That, that’s it...”
Why are you suddenly acting pitiful?
Prince Felix's biological mother, Consort Evelyn, became an idiot, and they were practically imprisoned together to survive.
He continued speaking to me in a flustered tone.
"But, how did I survive until this day? I had an extraordinary ability: I could sense things."
It was very out of the blue.
However, Prince Felix's boast that his survival skills were based on intuition was absurd yet interesting.
“...I see? So that’s why?”
So I moved closer to him with sparkling eyes and urged him to continue talking.
"Don't you know why I'm saying this? Oh dear! The Princess is seriously lacking in tact."
He stroked his chin, clicked his tongue, and shook his head in despair, like a doctor diagnosing a terminally ill patient.
“What?!”
"Yes. This was the problem! The reason Duke Argenthoz and Duke Iels were causing this uproar was because of the Princess! It was such a simple matter!"
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