Chapter 71
#071. Back to the Capital
Winster bit his lip.
He hadn't been this nervous since he swore his oath to His Highness the Grand Duke.
He'd overheard Bethany, whom he'd met by chance on his way to the castle, saying that the Knights would be swearing their oaths to the Lady today, and he'd rushed over in a frenzy.
Everyone's loyalty to the Lady was probably similar, but he had to be the second Knight to swear allegiance.
He had thought he would be loyal to the Lady from the Grand Duke's Residence.
"Perhaps..."
When that soft voice flowed out, Winster briefly visited hell. It wasn't the phrase accepting the oath.
"Is today my birthday?"
But the words that followed immediately returned Winster to heaven.
As she accepted the sword, the Lady spoke in a joking manner. She tried to appear calm, but Winster sincerely thought he had done well to rush over, hearing the tremor in her voice.
"...To receive such a grand gift."
"Wow. You didn't say that when I swore my oath."
Edwin grumbled for a moment at the muttering. But he also had a smile on his face.
"Olivia. As the future Grand Duchess, I gladly accept your glory. May my joy return to your glory."
A trembling voice echoed through the banquet hall. As soon as the second oath was over, Howard and Dian, having regained their senses, paid their respects as if competing for the order.
"Knight Howard Interfield, as a Knight sworn to Vikander, I wish to be granted the honor of becoming the Lady's sword."
"Knight Dian Szelin, as a Knight sworn to Vikander, I wish to be granted the honor of becoming the Lady's sword."
The Knights, kneeling one after another, loudly swore their oaths. With each oath of sincerity from the Knights, the cheers grew louder.
Not knowing how to react, Olivia moved her lips once. And swallowing her bursting heart, she accepted all those oaths.
At that moment, a slurred voice, as if drunk, mixed in with the cheers.
"The Lady has now completely become Vikander's person! His Highness the Grand Duke has won after all! Such a perfect re—"
Ugh-. The voice disappeared in an instant. Olivia, who didn't hear it properly, tilted her head.
However.
Edwin glared sharply at the place where the sound came from.
Winster, Howard, and Dian, who were elated by the oath, and Bethany, who was setting off fireworks with magic, and many Knights who were swearing their oaths.
But no one showed it.
"A toast from the Lady!"
Because no one wanted to disturb Olivia's joy, her eyes sparkling at the thunderous cheers.
Eventually, Olivia stood on the platform again. The golden Fruit Wine had been filled to the brim in Olivia's glass, which had been empty.
As Olivia raised her glass, the banquet hall fell silent again. Countless Knights and vassals were looking at her as if not to miss a single syllable. The gazes contained trust, loyalty, and affectionate affection.
Her nose tingled and her throat prickled, but Olivia knew exactly what she had to say now.
Olivia raised her glass. At the same time, an elegant and dignified voice echoed over the banquet hall.
"To Vikander."
"To Vikander!"
A resounding chorus followed. The sound of glasses clinking together rang out like a melody.
.
.
.
Late at night after the banquet.
Unlike the cheerful atmosphere in the castle, the reception room was as cold as ice.
The Grand Duke looked at Brock Drowin, who was standing in front of the desk, with cold eyes. Winster, Dian, and even Howard were the same.
"The Lady has now completely become Vikander's person! His Highness the Grand Duke has won after all! Such a perfect re—"
The one who blurted out those words was a trainee Knight of the 4 Knights Order. He barely endured it so as not to ruin the atmosphere of the banquet, and after calling Brock to ask about the circumstances, the answer he received was shocking.
"...While we were out on the border, we heard that the Lady had arrived. We naturally judged that His Highness had perfectly avenged the Emperor for the unjust abduction of the late Grand Duchess. I'm sorry, Your Highness."
Hearing those words, Howard felt like he had been hit on the head.
There were hardly any young Knights who knew the story of the late Grand Duchess. He never thought that Brock, one of them, would think like that.
He was only worried that the Knights would strongly oppose the arrival of the Madeleine Dukedom's Lady. He never thought that they would associate it with the story of the late Grand Duchess and think that bringing the Lady was revenge against the Imperial Family.
Come to think of it. He should have known from the moment he came and grinned, expressing his liking for the Lady.
The suffocating situation continued to the point where he couldn't even lift his head. Knock knock-. Bethany came in with a knock.
"The Lady is fast asleep."
Only then did Edwin's eyes soften. Only when the oppressive feeling that had been weighing down everyone in the reception room was slightly relieved did a low voice fall.
"...Make sure to keep their mouths shut."
"...Yes, Your Highness."
Brock Drowin knew very well that those words were by no means light.
He knew how difficult it was to clean up rumors that were already unrecoverable like scattered feathers, but Brock's only option now was to keep the Knights in check so that the rumors would never reach the Lady's ears.
Brock left the reception room with a stiff expression. It was a matter of urgency. Only after the door closed did the Grand Duke nod his head with a languid face.
At the face that told him to report now, Winster presented the invitation he had brought and said.
"This is an invitation to the Summer Ball."
"Anything related to the Imperial Family shouldn't be able to enter this castle?"
"That's... They say they're inviting the Heferti Delegation to the Summer Ball."
"...They've used their heads quite a bit."
Edwin said quietly and threw the invitation onto the desk. Howard, looking at the invitation that had now served its purpose, thought the same.
Inviting the Heferti Delegation to the Summer Ball.
It was after the Grand Duke had asserted at the Nobility Council that he would make 'the agreement with Heferti his first official duty'.
Now that it had come to this, if he didn't attend the ball, it was obvious that the Imperial Family would exaggerate the Grand Duke's absence.
"What will you do?"
"I have to go."
Not only Howard but everyone in the reception room widened their eyes. Edwin, who had answered readily, burst into a hearty laugh.
"Why are you all so surprised?"
The cold air that had been flowing in the reception room disappeared completely. A flustered Winster stammered.
"W, well, I just thought you wouldn't go to the capital, of course."
"It's my first official duty, so of course I have to go."
"Since when have you cared so much about official duties, Your Highness?"
Bethany muttered in surprise. At those words, Edwin's eyes curved loosely.
"Well. Because I don't want to waste the mineral tax."
Bethany and Dian tilted their heads. Winster was the only one who understood these words.
Ignoring the curious faces, Edwin pointed to what Winster was holding precious. It was the document envelope he had been holding since earlier.
"But. What's that?"
"Ah, this is a letter for the Lady."
"For Olivia?"
"What this is, is the Imperial Palace's Summer Ball invitation and..."
Winster's mouth, which had been rattling on, suddenly stuck together as if glued.
"And what?"
The Grand Duke's question fell, but Winster didn't say anything more. The Dukedom's letters weren't a problem, but the letter from 'Liv Green' was different.
The secret that the Lady was 'Liv Green' should not be revealed in this place. This was a special secret that only His Highness the Grand Duke, Sobel, Howard, and he knew.
"...Really? Is the Lady really 'Liv Green'?"
"Be quiet, Winster. His Highness the Grand Duke said it was a secret. How did you hear about it?"
He quickly forgot about Howard, who was troubled by the fact that he had learned the secret without permission, and was holding his head.
Winster confidently raised his head and handed the document envelope to Bethany.
"Bethany. Please deliver it to the Lady."
Accepting the document envelope, Bethany looked at the Grand Duke with a slightly worried look.
"I don't know about anything else, but what if the Lady says she's going to the ball too?"
Bethany wasn't ready to send the Lady to that harsh capital yet. Her princess who went to the Imperial Palace never returned here.
But the Grand Duke chuckled without answering. Only then did Bethany realize that she was worrying for nothing.
Edwin Lowell Vikander.
The Grand Duke before me would never allow that to happen again, no matter what. If anything, he would strongly pressure the Imperial Family.
* * *
In the bright morning, Olivia gathered the hem of her dress and walked down the hallway. Her usually light steps grew faster and faster, until she seemed to be running. Bethany, who was following behind, exclaimed in surprise, "Lady!"
Her head was still throbbing from the lingering effects of the alcohol, and her wrist ached from accepting over a hundred wooden swords, but Olivia couldn't stop.
It was because of the letters she had seen as soon as she woke up.
"A letter has arrived from the Madeleine estate. Winster brought it yesterday."
An envelope from the Madeleine estate. Inside were letters from Esella and Sally, along with a luxurious invitation and another envelope.
What is that?
Curiosity surged, but Olivia read Esella and Sally's letters first. The sight of the familiar handwriting filled her with a strange sense of joy, and she closed her mouth.
And then Olivia's eyes widened at the phrase written at the end of Sally's letter.
I am happy to be able to send you the letter you have been waiting for.
Olivia opened the small envelope and checked the sender of the letter inside. And she gasped.
A letter from the 'Knight with No Name'. Eight of them.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Olivia didn't know what to do, and after reading one of the letters, she had impulsively headed outside.
If you are willing, I would like to meet you on Ruheirn Street next Wednesday afternoon.
She didn't know if this nameless Knight was a Knight of the Imperial royal guard, or a Knight of Vikander. But she was happy just to receive the letter.
She wanted to share this joy with someone. The only person who came to mind was Edwin.
But when she found Edwin, Olivia had to close her mouth for a moment at the flood of words coming from him.
"I have to go to the capital. The Summer Ball, and the Heferti delegation is coming too."
Summer Ball. The moment she heard that word, Olivia remembered the Imperial Palace invitation she hadn't read. Now that she thought about it, it was about that time of year for the Summer Ball she always prepared for.
"An invitation came for Olivia too. Of course, attending is Olivia's choice. What do you want to do?"
Choice.
Olivia quietly mulled over the word. After being granted a one-year grace period, Olivia had never once considered going to the capital during that year.
She didn't want to see anyone in the capital.
But.
"...Me too."
She should think first. She should consider the practicalities.
The thought of the Knight with No Name's letter, and the thought of Edwin going to the capital alone, filled her head. Olivia came to a conclusion without realizing it.
"Me too, I'll go. To the capital."
At her resolute words, Edwin chuckled and nodded.
As if he knew it all along.
* * *
The vibrant roses had all withered, and new summer flowers were in full bloom in the Imperial Princess Palace's garden.
Under the shaded awning, the Tea Party that was held every year under the guise of 'Preparing for the Princess's Summer Ball' was underway. But it was so unlike a Tea Party that everyone sitting at the table was quietly watching each other.
It was the Princess who broke the uncomfortable silence.
"...Lady Madeleine. What did you just say?"
The Princess, forcing a smile, looked at Essela Madeleine, who was sitting to her right.
Esella opened her eyes wide and said innocently.
"What did I say?"
That's right. No matter how clueless she is, there's no way the little Lady Madeleine would say something like that to me...
The Princess, who was raising the corners of her lips in faint elation, had her face slightly distorted by Esella's next words.
"Ah. You're not worried about me saying that this year's ball concept seems familiar, are you?"
The Princess's eyes flashed sharply for a moment. Esella smiled leisurely.
Thanks to that, no one knew how deep the venom was hidden beneath her calmly sunken amethyst eyes.
