Before I knew it, it was ball day. My first royal ball as Medea's Princess was more extravagant and extravagant than usual. Towers of champagne towered like golden pagodas, dazzling decorations, tables laden with delicacies.
I wore a satin dress with a rippled hem and silk gloves. I was trying to maintain a smile, and my facial muscles were almost paralyzed. My mother, the Queen, always looked beautiful in her evening dress. Everyone seemed to agree, praising her beauty with all sorts of eloquence.
“Beautiful Princess, you are truly... beautiful today.”
He did compliment me, but he stuttered a bit, perhaps because he'd already lavished every word he had on the Queen's beauty. I felt like I was being overshadowed by her beauty, but that didn't matter. Does a Princess have to be beautiful? I just had to be pretty in Noah's eyes.
“Hello, pretty Princess.”
Noah, his hair casually pulled back, his eyebrows showing, approached me and kissed the back of my hand. It felt like he was saying the same ceremonial words as everyone else, and I felt a sickening sense of unease. The silver boutonniere brooch I'd given him stood out prominently on the chest of his suit.
“Thank you, Sir Noah.”
I, too, couldn't help but react in kind, conscious of the people's gaze. Noah immediately turned his head and bowed to the Queen.
“Your Majesty, the second most beautiful Queen.”
I couldn't tell if the man was saving his last life or if he was just fearless. The Queen seemed unconcerned, covering her mouth and laughing cheerfully.
“Your jokes are always fun to hear.”
The surrounding nobles, who had been frozen slightly, finally burst into laughter. He immediately turned his back and mingled with the group of gentlemen.
My wistful gaze followed him obsessively. It was incredibly sexy to see him down a glass of wine in one gulp and then rub his mouth with the back of his hand. Several women approached him, smiling and talking to him. Somehow, I had a strange feeling that this man was no longer mine.
“Beautiful Princess, would you grant me the honor of dancing with you?”
"No."
The nobleman who had invited me to dance had a hurt look on his face.
I quickly put on the mask of kindness.
“I would like to do that too, but I’m a little tired today.”
“Understood, Princess.”
I gently declined the men who offered me dances and slowly moved toward Noah. After instructing Eileen and Maria to wait, I linked arms with Milia, who had taken time off to attend the ball as a lady, and pulled her firmly towards me.
“I see Lieutenant Colonel Ted Dominic over there.”
“Princess, I am mentally prepared now...”
Milia's arm, which was tucked into mine, tightened, as if embarrassed. It hurt.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”
That handsome man with a muscular body and a chest so powerful it's almost taut is Ted Dominic. He must be about eight feet tall. Apparently, Millia has a thing for beastly men. He greeted me first, and I smiled as I greeted him.
“Sir Ted, you know Sir Millia well, right?”
"That's right, Princess. We were in the same guard. I remember her as skilled with a bayonet and physically fit, excelling at guerrilla training. She was a natural-born soldier with solid fundamentals."
I didn't mean to ask you to measure my maid's fighting prowess. Milia, standing next to me, blushed bright red.
“Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel. That is a very high compliment.”
Why do you like that saying?
"Therefore..."
While I was wondering how to connect the two, I heard an annoying sound and pricked up my ears.
"Count Rotsilt, I see you like wine. My family runs a winery in Francia, which I'll soon inherit. If you're interested in a wine that only produces ten bottles a year..."
“I don’t like it.”
“You’ve already had two bottles.”
“I’m thirsty, but there’s nothing to drink.”
It was a conversation between a woman and Noah.
That man is obsessed with wine. Especially limited edition wines. Watching her seduce him with wine is unbearable. Esmeralda, standing behind him, peeking at Noah with a sinister gaze, is also a serious threat.
"I'm thinking of playing poker. How about Sir Ted joining us? I think we'll need just one more person, including Millia and me."
I deliberately raised my voice, and the people around me rushed in, wanting to join the poker table. Noah must have heard, but he just stood there, turning away. I doggedly watched his broad back. Tell him to want to join quickly.
“I wonder what kind of cool person I should invite.”
I spoke again, louder, but he remained indifferent. This was a chance for us to be together naturally, but was he pretending not to hear?
"Isn't the cool guy already here? This is my chance to legally steal the Princess's money."
Meanwhile, Ted grinned slyly and rubbed his hands together. He strode off somewhere with long, brisk strides, grabbed the back of a non-commissioned officer's neck, and flung him in front of me, chatting with a pretty woman.
"He's a master of card magic. Isn't he perfect for the last one?"
"...Is it so?"
I looked at Noah's back with regretful eyes and headed towards the casino room with the poker table.
“Now, let me guess which card the Princess chose. Isn’t it the 3 of Spades?”
"That's right."
“That’s some great card magic, Sergeant Rosen!”
The sergeant's amazing card trick was in full swing. I nodded, a look of dismay on my face, holding the Three of Spades card. Millia clapped her hands, her eyes wide, genuinely amazed. "Naive, you fooled me with something like that, and you lost all your money," I asked Ted.
“Isn’t Sir Milia so cute?”
"Compared to me, she has cute muscles. It's just a shame she didn't train enough. Princess, you seem to have some basic strength, too. How about starting some exercise?"
Does this guy have nothing but muscles in his head? I shook my head in disgust.
“I hate exercising.”
"You should do it for your health. I'll plan a protein-based diet for you."
“I don’t want to.”
I felt like I would be forced to do health training every day if I continued like this, so I quickly got up from my seat and stopped Milia from getting up after me.
"Sir Millia, today you're not a maid or a knight, but a ball attendee. Maria and Eileen are outside anyway, so I'll just go out for a bit of fresh air."
I escaped the ballroom, avoiding Maria and Eileen's gaze, and walked alone down the corridor. Music, light, and voices leaked from inside the ballroom. Inside, it felt like another world, a place I didn't belong to, and I felt a constant sense of loneliness. I seemed quite tired of forcing smiles and pretending to be cheerful. At the end of the corridor, I saw someone's silhouette. In fact, I could recognize him even from afar. Noah was standing there, his face expressionless, looking in my direction.
“Noah.”
When I called his name first, he spoke to me in a dry voice.
“Don’t go alone. You’re a Princess now.”
“No one is watching right now, so do you really have to do that?”
“Because you told me to.”
It was an indifferent attitude. I can't even fathom what was going on. Was he upset?
“I sent you a signal earlier to play poker with me, but you pretended not to notice.”
Noah suddenly approached. I looked up at him with sad eyes. His lips, which had always held a kind smile, were now closed.
“I’ll take you to the banquet hall.”
"...All right."
We walked along the hallway in silence, keeping a suitable distance apart.
Noah and I, entering the ballroom again, turned our backs on each other as if we were strangers. Noah turned toward the politicians and soldiers, I toward the Queen and the officials.
Even before the ball ended and I returned to my room, I gazed at Noah, who stood at a distance, with a pang of longing. Finally, I took a steady step forward. Maria and Eileen, perhaps sensing my low mood, followed me quietly, holding their breath. As we left the main palace, where the banquet hall was located, and headed toward the villa where I resided, Eileen spoke cautiously.
“Are you having a hard time?”
I stopped walking and looked straight into Eileen's hazel eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
“I think it must be difficult to have to break up even though you still love each other... I apologize if I overstepped.”
“Do I look tired?”
"It doesn't seem like that at all. That makes me feel even more sorry."
Eileen lowered her eyes and clutched the hem of her skirt. I remembered how, when I'd asked her about her boyfriend a while ago, she'd casually mentioned her recent breakup and smiled. She'd said she was fine, but apparently she hadn't. She must have lingered.
"Eileen, you've been through a breakup, and you seem to be feeling a bit lost. May I ask why you broke up? I'd love to help, if I can. Maybe with a reunion."
“Thank you for your consideration. But you can’t help me...”
Eileen's face turned pale and cold, her teeth clenched and shoulders trembling, and I unconsciously grabbed her hand. Despite the hot weather, my hand felt incredibly cold. Eileen's lips moved slowly.
"He was a Medea Army sergeant. He was killed in a recent engagement near the Allied garrison. So, I've always wanted to tell you this. Princess, I hope you'll do your best while you're with him."
“Sir Eileen, this is intrusive.”
Maria looked at Eileen with a sunken expression.
"Besides, such personal stories could upset the Princess. No matter how difficult things are, I should never show them to those whom I serve."
I waved my hand and stopped Maria from sternly reprimanding her colleague. "What kind of FM is this?"
"I'm sorry, Princess. I was overcome with emotion and made a grave mistake. You were so kind and warm to us, and to Sir Millia, that I couldn't help but..."
Eileen bowed politely.
"It's not uncomfortable, Eileen. You have nothing to be sorry about."
Eileen forced a smile. Even after her boyfriend died, she smiled and carried out her duties with aplomb. It was both admirable and pitiful. I, too, struggled to remain calm, just like her, so I couldn't help but sympathize.
"Shall we four go for a change of pace tomorrow? There's a tea party happening on the Marchioness of Wales's yacht..."
I paused, startled, as I saw a familiar man standing in the distance near the fountain. Eileen and Maria looked at me quizzically, then followed my gaze in the same direction. Maria, seeing Noah holding the Queen's cat, Merifin, by the waist and observing, muttered softly.
"Count Rotsilt. Since when has Merifin been so fond of him and following him around? People call him Human Catnip."
"Maria, Eileen. I need to speak with him for a moment. Could you please step aside?"
“Yes, that person is also a knight.”
“No way...”
“It is the Princess’s order. Let’s go, Lady Maria.”
Maria and Eileen bowed politely and left the room. I slowly approached Noah, who was sitting by the fountain. Merifin's fluffy tail was rubbing against his smooth chin.
“Noah.”
"Why does the Princess of this country always walk alone? So fearless."
Noah muttered as if he was nagging, and looked down at the fur of Merifin stuck to his clothes with a slightly displeased expression.
“I just got it all off, and it’s stuck again.”
“Look here. I’ll take it off for you.”
"It's okay. I was just about to go back. It's dangerous for the Princess to be alone, so I'll take you to your room."
"You acted so indifferent like that earlier, and you don't even realize I followed you? You're like a haughty black cat." I sat down next to him, brushing the cat hair off his shoulder as I argued.
“Why are you being so cold to me? Are you angry?”
“You decided to do that.”
“There’s no one around right now.”
Merifin stretched and then disappeared into thin air. Noah, who had brushed the cat hair off his pants, leisurely lifted his chin and asked.
“What do you want me to do now?”
“Just like before. No one is watching.”
"Yes."
His eyes narrowed, and he slowly tilted his head. Perhaps it was the alcohol that had him, but his lips and eyes were red, bathed in moonlight. Through his lax lips, a hint of white teeth peeked out. It was a crooked smile.
“Then come to bed with me, Princess.”
I wore a satin dress with a rippled hem and silk gloves. I was trying to maintain a smile, and my facial muscles were almost paralyzed. My mother, the Queen, always looked beautiful in her evening dress. Everyone seemed to agree, praising her beauty with all sorts of eloquence.
“Beautiful Princess, you are truly... beautiful today.”
He did compliment me, but he stuttered a bit, perhaps because he'd already lavished every word he had on the Queen's beauty. I felt like I was being overshadowed by her beauty, but that didn't matter. Does a Princess have to be beautiful? I just had to be pretty in Noah's eyes.
“Hello, pretty Princess.”
Noah, his hair casually pulled back, his eyebrows showing, approached me and kissed the back of my hand. It felt like he was saying the same ceremonial words as everyone else, and I felt a sickening sense of unease. The silver boutonniere brooch I'd given him stood out prominently on the chest of his suit.
“Thank you, Sir Noah.”
I, too, couldn't help but react in kind, conscious of the people's gaze. Noah immediately turned his head and bowed to the Queen.
“Your Majesty, the second most beautiful Queen.”
I couldn't tell if the man was saving his last life or if he was just fearless. The Queen seemed unconcerned, covering her mouth and laughing cheerfully.
“Your jokes are always fun to hear.”
The surrounding nobles, who had been frozen slightly, finally burst into laughter. He immediately turned his back and mingled with the group of gentlemen.
My wistful gaze followed him obsessively. It was incredibly sexy to see him down a glass of wine in one gulp and then rub his mouth with the back of his hand. Several women approached him, smiling and talking to him. Somehow, I had a strange feeling that this man was no longer mine.
“Beautiful Princess, would you grant me the honor of dancing with you?”
"No."
The nobleman who had invited me to dance had a hurt look on his face.
I quickly put on the mask of kindness.
“I would like to do that too, but I’m a little tired today.”
“Understood, Princess.”
I gently declined the men who offered me dances and slowly moved toward Noah. After instructing Eileen and Maria to wait, I linked arms with Milia, who had taken time off to attend the ball as a lady, and pulled her firmly towards me.
“I see Lieutenant Colonel Ted Dominic over there.”
“Princess, I am mentally prepared now...”
Milia's arm, which was tucked into mine, tightened, as if embarrassed. It hurt.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”
That handsome man with a muscular body and a chest so powerful it's almost taut is Ted Dominic. He must be about eight feet tall. Apparently, Millia has a thing for beastly men. He greeted me first, and I smiled as I greeted him.
“Sir Ted, you know Sir Millia well, right?”
"That's right, Princess. We were in the same guard. I remember her as skilled with a bayonet and physically fit, excelling at guerrilla training. She was a natural-born soldier with solid fundamentals."
I didn't mean to ask you to measure my maid's fighting prowess. Milia, standing next to me, blushed bright red.
“Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel. That is a very high compliment.”
Why do you like that saying?
"Therefore..."
While I was wondering how to connect the two, I heard an annoying sound and pricked up my ears.
"Count Rotsilt, I see you like wine. My family runs a winery in Francia, which I'll soon inherit. If you're interested in a wine that only produces ten bottles a year..."
“I don’t like it.”
“You’ve already had two bottles.”
“I’m thirsty, but there’s nothing to drink.”
It was a conversation between a woman and Noah.
That man is obsessed with wine. Especially limited edition wines. Watching her seduce him with wine is unbearable. Esmeralda, standing behind him, peeking at Noah with a sinister gaze, is also a serious threat.
"I'm thinking of playing poker. How about Sir Ted joining us? I think we'll need just one more person, including Millia and me."
I deliberately raised my voice, and the people around me rushed in, wanting to join the poker table. Noah must have heard, but he just stood there, turning away. I doggedly watched his broad back. Tell him to want to join quickly.
“I wonder what kind of cool person I should invite.”
I spoke again, louder, but he remained indifferent. This was a chance for us to be together naturally, but was he pretending not to hear?
"Isn't the cool guy already here? This is my chance to legally steal the Princess's money."
Meanwhile, Ted grinned slyly and rubbed his hands together. He strode off somewhere with long, brisk strides, grabbed the back of a non-commissioned officer's neck, and flung him in front of me, chatting with a pretty woman.
"He's a master of card magic. Isn't he perfect for the last one?"
"...Is it so?"
I looked at Noah's back with regretful eyes and headed towards the casino room with the poker table.
***
“Now, let me guess which card the Princess chose. Isn’t it the 3 of Spades?”
"That's right."
“That’s some great card magic, Sergeant Rosen!”
The sergeant's amazing card trick was in full swing. I nodded, a look of dismay on my face, holding the Three of Spades card. Millia clapped her hands, her eyes wide, genuinely amazed. "Naive, you fooled me with something like that, and you lost all your money," I asked Ted.
“Isn’t Sir Milia so cute?”
"Compared to me, she has cute muscles. It's just a shame she didn't train enough. Princess, you seem to have some basic strength, too. How about starting some exercise?"
Does this guy have nothing but muscles in his head? I shook my head in disgust.
“I hate exercising.”
"You should do it for your health. I'll plan a protein-based diet for you."
“I don’t want to.”
I felt like I would be forced to do health training every day if I continued like this, so I quickly got up from my seat and stopped Milia from getting up after me.
"Sir Millia, today you're not a maid or a knight, but a ball attendee. Maria and Eileen are outside anyway, so I'll just go out for a bit of fresh air."
I escaped the ballroom, avoiding Maria and Eileen's gaze, and walked alone down the corridor. Music, light, and voices leaked from inside the ballroom. Inside, it felt like another world, a place I didn't belong to, and I felt a constant sense of loneliness. I seemed quite tired of forcing smiles and pretending to be cheerful. At the end of the corridor, I saw someone's silhouette. In fact, I could recognize him even from afar. Noah was standing there, his face expressionless, looking in my direction.
“Noah.”
When I called his name first, he spoke to me in a dry voice.
“Don’t go alone. You’re a Princess now.”
“No one is watching right now, so do you really have to do that?”
“Because you told me to.”
It was an indifferent attitude. I can't even fathom what was going on. Was he upset?
“I sent you a signal earlier to play poker with me, but you pretended not to notice.”
Noah suddenly approached. I looked up at him with sad eyes. His lips, which had always held a kind smile, were now closed.
“I’ll take you to the banquet hall.”
"...All right."
We walked along the hallway in silence, keeping a suitable distance apart.
Noah and I, entering the ballroom again, turned our backs on each other as if we were strangers. Noah turned toward the politicians and soldiers, I toward the Queen and the officials.
Even before the ball ended and I returned to my room, I gazed at Noah, who stood at a distance, with a pang of longing. Finally, I took a steady step forward. Maria and Eileen, perhaps sensing my low mood, followed me quietly, holding their breath. As we left the main palace, where the banquet hall was located, and headed toward the villa where I resided, Eileen spoke cautiously.
“Are you having a hard time?”
I stopped walking and looked straight into Eileen's hazel eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
“I think it must be difficult to have to break up even though you still love each other... I apologize if I overstepped.”
“Do I look tired?”
"It doesn't seem like that at all. That makes me feel even more sorry."
Eileen lowered her eyes and clutched the hem of her skirt. I remembered how, when I'd asked her about her boyfriend a while ago, she'd casually mentioned her recent breakup and smiled. She'd said she was fine, but apparently she hadn't. She must have lingered.
"Eileen, you've been through a breakup, and you seem to be feeling a bit lost. May I ask why you broke up? I'd love to help, if I can. Maybe with a reunion."
“Thank you for your consideration. But you can’t help me...”
Eileen's face turned pale and cold, her teeth clenched and shoulders trembling, and I unconsciously grabbed her hand. Despite the hot weather, my hand felt incredibly cold. Eileen's lips moved slowly.
"He was a Medea Army sergeant. He was killed in a recent engagement near the Allied garrison. So, I've always wanted to tell you this. Princess, I hope you'll do your best while you're with him."
“Sir Eileen, this is intrusive.”
Maria looked at Eileen with a sunken expression.
"Besides, such personal stories could upset the Princess. No matter how difficult things are, I should never show them to those whom I serve."
I waved my hand and stopped Maria from sternly reprimanding her colleague. "What kind of FM is this?"
"I'm sorry, Princess. I was overcome with emotion and made a grave mistake. You were so kind and warm to us, and to Sir Millia, that I couldn't help but..."
Eileen bowed politely.
"It's not uncomfortable, Eileen. You have nothing to be sorry about."
Eileen forced a smile. Even after her boyfriend died, she smiled and carried out her duties with aplomb. It was both admirable and pitiful. I, too, struggled to remain calm, just like her, so I couldn't help but sympathize.
"Shall we four go for a change of pace tomorrow? There's a tea party happening on the Marchioness of Wales's yacht..."
I paused, startled, as I saw a familiar man standing in the distance near the fountain. Eileen and Maria looked at me quizzically, then followed my gaze in the same direction. Maria, seeing Noah holding the Queen's cat, Merifin, by the waist and observing, muttered softly.
"Count Rotsilt. Since when has Merifin been so fond of him and following him around? People call him Human Catnip."
"Maria, Eileen. I need to speak with him for a moment. Could you please step aside?"
“Yes, that person is also a knight.”
“No way...”
“It is the Princess’s order. Let’s go, Lady Maria.”
Maria and Eileen bowed politely and left the room. I slowly approached Noah, who was sitting by the fountain. Merifin's fluffy tail was rubbing against his smooth chin.
“Noah.”
"Why does the Princess of this country always walk alone? So fearless."
Noah muttered as if he was nagging, and looked down at the fur of Merifin stuck to his clothes with a slightly displeased expression.
“I just got it all off, and it’s stuck again.”
“Look here. I’ll take it off for you.”
"It's okay. I was just about to go back. It's dangerous for the Princess to be alone, so I'll take you to your room."
"You acted so indifferent like that earlier, and you don't even realize I followed you? You're like a haughty black cat." I sat down next to him, brushing the cat hair off his shoulder as I argued.
“Why are you being so cold to me? Are you angry?”
“You decided to do that.”
“There’s no one around right now.”
Merifin stretched and then disappeared into thin air. Noah, who had brushed the cat hair off his pants, leisurely lifted his chin and asked.
“What do you want me to do now?”
“Just like before. No one is watching.”
"Yes."
His eyes narrowed, and he slowly tilted his head. Perhaps it was the alcohol that had him, but his lips and eyes were red, bathed in moonlight. Through his lax lips, a hint of white teeth peeked out. It was a crooked smile.
“Then come to bed with me, Princess.”
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