The maid who followed her sighed as she recalled the events of last night.
“If Princess Erna only listens to you and expects the person she’s going to marry, and she’s shocked and faints at the wedding, will you take responsibility?”
The maid who had spoken to Erna at those words let out a snicker.
"Expectations? What royal family has expectations for their marriage? Besides, isn't it unconscionable for Princess Erna to expect someone worthy? She'll stop thinking about such things when she looks in the mirror."
“Shh, be quiet.”
"That's not wrong. You sighed too when you saw the Princess in her wedding dress. Honestly, I felt so sorry for the Prince of Aether, who was going to marry the Princess. All the other Princesses in our Havand are equally beautiful, but how could he possibly marry such a Princess..."
“Stop making such a fuss and just go inside.”
The two maids stopped talking and went back into the room.
After a while, Erna came out of the room at the words of the Hessengard Minister that it was time to move to the banquet hall.
Erna was surrounded by several layers of maids and knights. This was to guard against any potential ambush at the wedding. Even after arriving at the venue, Erna couldn't clearly see anyone's face.
'It's better than nothing.'
Erna shrank even more at the sight of herself looking unattractive as a Princess, a bride, or a grand duke.
She was someone who couldn't satisfy anyone here. So she wanted to hide herself a little longer. The maids' chattering words kept coming back to her. They said she wanted a decent partner. That a Princess needed a mirror. Sadly, Erna couldn't help but agree with them. How dare someone like me?
Erna simply resented the tight-fitting wedding dress. A looser fit would have covered her a little more.
Upon arriving at the banquet hall, an elderly woman stood on the podium. The maids led Erna to her.
“Welcome, Erna.”
The woman greeting her warmly was someone Erna didn't know. However, she greeted her with a gaze of profound affection. It was amusing. Who would have thought a stranger would be more affectionate than the maids who had accompanied her from Havand?
"I couldn't greet you yesterday due to various security issues. I'm Vanessa, the president of the Hessengard."
Erna flinched slightly at her introduction. "A person from Hessengard?"
'I thought you'd be hostile...?'
Although the royal family of Havand is said to have ties to the Grand Dukes of Hesse, they are not direct descendants. To Hesse, Havand, their homeland, is nothing more than a conqueror. They accepted royal families from both sides, simply to end the war that had raged on for too long, with no direct lineage remaining.
'But why...'
The Hessengard parliament holds as much power as the Grand Duke. While the Grand Duke makes the final decisions, she heard that the parliament primarily handles practical matters. This means that in the current Grand Duke's absence, the chairman of the parliament holds the ultimate power.
Why would such a person welcome her, the conqueror, so warmly?
As she was confused by the unknown attitude, a loud voice was heard from behind.
“Prince Callion of the Aether Kingdom has arrived!”
At that sound, Erna turned around. And the moment her eyes met the boy entering, surrounded by knights.
“...?”
Erna's eyes widened in surprise.
At first, Erna thought the knights of the Aether Kingdom were carrying a corpse. She wasn't the only one who thought so.
The knights and maids of Havand standing nearby let out sighs they could not hide, and the knights of Aether who heard them averted their gaze as if the one they were bringing was a disgrace to them.
Erna's gaze turned to the boy who was being supported by two knights as he entered.
A dark complexion, darkened by illness. Sunken eyes, like those of someone on the verge of starvation, sallow cheeks, wrists reduced to bones. Even walking seemed difficult, as the boy continued to walk with difficulty, supported by the knights.
The reason Erna couldn't take her eyes off him was not only because he looked completely different from what the maids had described, but also because his eyes were so bright despite his body.
His deep blue eyes, in contrast to his frail-looking body, cast a piercing gaze upon his surroundings. His gaze scanned the dining hall, then met Erna's, who was staring at him in surprise.
For a moment, their gazes met in midair. Meanwhile, the knights supported the boy and placed him next to Erna.
'They said his name was Callion.'
Erna looked at him, still unable to hide her surprise.
‘We’re the same age...’
It was hard to believe they were the same age, but Callion's physique was smaller than Erna's. With Erna standing beside him, the difference in their physiques seemed even more pronounced.
“Pfft.”
Someone standing behind them couldn't help but laugh. The laughter spread through the crowd like a contagious disease. Among them, Vanessa was the only one who seemed unsure of how to handle the situation.
Erna pursed her lips at the sound of people's laughter. She knew she was being laughed at. But who would have thought that Callion, in the same situation as her, would be one too? It was at that moment that she felt sorry for Callion.
“What is this pumpkin?”
“...?”
For a moment, Erna doubted her ears. Embarrassed, she forgot the situation and looked to the side with startled eyes. His voice was hoarse, but it was the low, cracked sound typical of voice change. It couldn't be Vanessa's, so it had to be Callion's...
“What are you looking at? I’m talking to you.”
Callion looked at Erna, who was flustered, with a pitiful expression. At that moment, Erna realized that Callion had indeed spoken to her.
'Pumpkin?'
For a moment, Erna's mind went blank. She knew the meaning of those words, of course. But what was the point? And now, in this situation, how could she suddenly be called a pumpkin the moment he saw hers? Anger welled up deep within Erna at Callion's words.
In fact, Erna had been suppressing everything all this time.
All the injustices done to her since her mother's death, the humiliation, and even the fear of being suddenly abandoned in a foreign country as a member of the royal family who deserved to die.
The reason Erna was able to remain calm and rational until now was that she was the Princess of Havand and now the Grand Duchess of Hessengard, a heavy responsibility she had never wanted.
But the moment a boy she was seeing for the first time threw rude words at her, Erna's patience, which she had been holding back, snapped.
'That's rude.'
She knows she doesn't look good. But isn't that the same for Callion? If I'm like a round pumpkin, Callion is...
The hand holding the bouquet began to tremble. Meanwhile, Callion turned his head and urged Vanessa on.
"What are you doing? Just hurry up and finish this meaningless thing..."
“...Same thing.”
Callion turned his head at the sound of a voice beside him. Erna, who had just stood there, her mouth agape, was glaring at him with a sharp gaze. Both Callion and Vanessa, who were about to officiate, were speechless and stared at her. Then, Erna spoke again, forcefully, as if to demand he listen carefully.
“Something like dried earthworms.”
"...What?"
Callion's mouth fell open as he realized Erna's words were directed at him. But Erna's words didn't end there.
"Why? Didn't you hear me? I said you were like a dried earthworm."
"You...!"
Callion turned to glare at her, but Erna didn't seem frightened at all. Meanwhile, the laughter of those around her had all stopped.
They saw Erna as a weakling, her head already bowed low and her eyes barely perceiving her surroundings from the moment she entered the dining hall. Hadn't they been giggling and whispering among themselves about how out of proportion to their size? So, when Callion uttered a rude remark, they assumed she'd just endure it, unable to say a word.
Erna asked, her eyes clearly showing such thoughts.
The atmosphere inside began to turn tense rapidly.
“How dare you speak so rudely to our royal family of Aether!”
As the knight who had come in supporting Callion raised his voice, this time, the knight of Havand who had come with Erna countered.
“Didn’t you start the rude remark first!”
Those who had initially laughed along only began to grow angry when they realized their country had been insulted. The knights' voices grew louder, and their hands gripped their sword hilts. The faces of the maids standing between them turned pale. They realized this was no time for laughter. Only then did they regret their actions, but the situation was already worsening.
“This is a sacred place. Please be quiet.”
It was Vanessa who organized the atmosphere.
She raised her hand slightly, as if to declare that she would not tolerate any further conflict, halting both sides' actions. At Vanessa's words, the knights of both countries, seemingly resigned to their fate, let go of their swords and straightened their postures.
Vanessa spoke to Erna and Callion, who were standing in front of her.
“Can we start eating?”
“If Princess Erna only listens to you and expects the person she’s going to marry, and she’s shocked and faints at the wedding, will you take responsibility?”
The maid who had spoken to Erna at those words let out a snicker.
"Expectations? What royal family has expectations for their marriage? Besides, isn't it unconscionable for Princess Erna to expect someone worthy? She'll stop thinking about such things when she looks in the mirror."
“Shh, be quiet.”
"That's not wrong. You sighed too when you saw the Princess in her wedding dress. Honestly, I felt so sorry for the Prince of Aether, who was going to marry the Princess. All the other Princesses in our Havand are equally beautiful, but how could he possibly marry such a Princess..."
“Stop making such a fuss and just go inside.”
The two maids stopped talking and went back into the room.
After a while, Erna came out of the room at the words of the Hessengard Minister that it was time to move to the banquet hall.
Erna was surrounded by several layers of maids and knights. This was to guard against any potential ambush at the wedding. Even after arriving at the venue, Erna couldn't clearly see anyone's face.
'It's better than nothing.'
Erna shrank even more at the sight of herself looking unattractive as a Princess, a bride, or a grand duke.
She was someone who couldn't satisfy anyone here. So she wanted to hide herself a little longer. The maids' chattering words kept coming back to her. They said she wanted a decent partner. That a Princess needed a mirror. Sadly, Erna couldn't help but agree with them. How dare someone like me?
Erna simply resented the tight-fitting wedding dress. A looser fit would have covered her a little more.
Upon arriving at the banquet hall, an elderly woman stood on the podium. The maids led Erna to her.
“Welcome, Erna.”
The woman greeting her warmly was someone Erna didn't know. However, she greeted her with a gaze of profound affection. It was amusing. Who would have thought a stranger would be more affectionate than the maids who had accompanied her from Havand?
"I couldn't greet you yesterday due to various security issues. I'm Vanessa, the president of the Hessengard."
Erna flinched slightly at her introduction. "A person from Hessengard?"
'I thought you'd be hostile...?'
Although the royal family of Havand is said to have ties to the Grand Dukes of Hesse, they are not direct descendants. To Hesse, Havand, their homeland, is nothing more than a conqueror. They accepted royal families from both sides, simply to end the war that had raged on for too long, with no direct lineage remaining.
'But why...'
The Hessengard parliament holds as much power as the Grand Duke. While the Grand Duke makes the final decisions, she heard that the parliament primarily handles practical matters. This means that in the current Grand Duke's absence, the chairman of the parliament holds the ultimate power.
Why would such a person welcome her, the conqueror, so warmly?
As she was confused by the unknown attitude, a loud voice was heard from behind.
“Prince Callion of the Aether Kingdom has arrived!”
At that sound, Erna turned around. And the moment her eyes met the boy entering, surrounded by knights.
“...?”
Erna's eyes widened in surprise.
At first, Erna thought the knights of the Aether Kingdom were carrying a corpse. She wasn't the only one who thought so.
The knights and maids of Havand standing nearby let out sighs they could not hide, and the knights of Aether who heard them averted their gaze as if the one they were bringing was a disgrace to them.
Erna's gaze turned to the boy who was being supported by two knights as he entered.
A dark complexion, darkened by illness. Sunken eyes, like those of someone on the verge of starvation, sallow cheeks, wrists reduced to bones. Even walking seemed difficult, as the boy continued to walk with difficulty, supported by the knights.
The reason Erna couldn't take her eyes off him was not only because he looked completely different from what the maids had described, but also because his eyes were so bright despite his body.
His deep blue eyes, in contrast to his frail-looking body, cast a piercing gaze upon his surroundings. His gaze scanned the dining hall, then met Erna's, who was staring at him in surprise.
For a moment, their gazes met in midair. Meanwhile, the knights supported the boy and placed him next to Erna.
'They said his name was Callion.'
Erna looked at him, still unable to hide her surprise.
‘We’re the same age...’
It was hard to believe they were the same age, but Callion's physique was smaller than Erna's. With Erna standing beside him, the difference in their physiques seemed even more pronounced.
“Pfft.”
Someone standing behind them couldn't help but laugh. The laughter spread through the crowd like a contagious disease. Among them, Vanessa was the only one who seemed unsure of how to handle the situation.
Erna pursed her lips at the sound of people's laughter. She knew she was being laughed at. But who would have thought that Callion, in the same situation as her, would be one too? It was at that moment that she felt sorry for Callion.
“What is this pumpkin?”
“...?”
For a moment, Erna doubted her ears. Embarrassed, she forgot the situation and looked to the side with startled eyes. His voice was hoarse, but it was the low, cracked sound typical of voice change. It couldn't be Vanessa's, so it had to be Callion's...
“What are you looking at? I’m talking to you.”
Callion looked at Erna, who was flustered, with a pitiful expression. At that moment, Erna realized that Callion had indeed spoken to her.
'Pumpkin?'
For a moment, Erna's mind went blank. She knew the meaning of those words, of course. But what was the point? And now, in this situation, how could she suddenly be called a pumpkin the moment he saw hers? Anger welled up deep within Erna at Callion's words.
In fact, Erna had been suppressing everything all this time.
All the injustices done to her since her mother's death, the humiliation, and even the fear of being suddenly abandoned in a foreign country as a member of the royal family who deserved to die.
The reason Erna was able to remain calm and rational until now was that she was the Princess of Havand and now the Grand Duchess of Hessengard, a heavy responsibility she had never wanted.
But the moment a boy she was seeing for the first time threw rude words at her, Erna's patience, which she had been holding back, snapped.
'That's rude.'
She knows she doesn't look good. But isn't that the same for Callion? If I'm like a round pumpkin, Callion is...
The hand holding the bouquet began to tremble. Meanwhile, Callion turned his head and urged Vanessa on.
"What are you doing? Just hurry up and finish this meaningless thing..."
“...Same thing.”
Callion turned his head at the sound of a voice beside him. Erna, who had just stood there, her mouth agape, was glaring at him with a sharp gaze. Both Callion and Vanessa, who were about to officiate, were speechless and stared at her. Then, Erna spoke again, forcefully, as if to demand he listen carefully.
“Something like dried earthworms.”
"...What?"
Callion's mouth fell open as he realized Erna's words were directed at him. But Erna's words didn't end there.
"Why? Didn't you hear me? I said you were like a dried earthworm."
"You...!"
Callion turned to glare at her, but Erna didn't seem frightened at all. Meanwhile, the laughter of those around her had all stopped.
They saw Erna as a weakling, her head already bowed low and her eyes barely perceiving her surroundings from the moment she entered the dining hall. Hadn't they been giggling and whispering among themselves about how out of proportion to their size? So, when Callion uttered a rude remark, they assumed she'd just endure it, unable to say a word.
Erna asked, her eyes clearly showing such thoughts.
The atmosphere inside began to turn tense rapidly.
“How dare you speak so rudely to our royal family of Aether!”
As the knight who had come in supporting Callion raised his voice, this time, the knight of Havand who had come with Erna countered.
“Didn’t you start the rude remark first!”
Those who had initially laughed along only began to grow angry when they realized their country had been insulted. The knights' voices grew louder, and their hands gripped their sword hilts. The faces of the maids standing between them turned pale. They realized this was no time for laughter. Only then did they regret their actions, but the situation was already worsening.
“This is a sacred place. Please be quiet.”
It was Vanessa who organized the atmosphere.
She raised her hand slightly, as if to declare that she would not tolerate any further conflict, halting both sides' actions. At Vanessa's words, the knights of both countries, seemingly resigned to their fate, let go of their swords and straightened their postures.
Vanessa spoke to Erna and Callion, who were standing in front of her.
“Can we start eating?”
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