Translator: Nox

Chapter 88

#088. The Engagement Ceremony of the Century (1)

Fiancée.

Those three syllables sent ripples through Conrad's mind. Olivia's diary surfaced vividly in his sleep-deprived head.

After his faith in his father crumbled, Conrad stayed up all night reading Olivia's diaries.

Desperation outweighed any guilt he felt about reading someone else's diary. It wasn't out of affection for his sister or any sense of kinship he had never felt before.

He simply wanted to alleviate the guilt he felt for driving a child of only six years old to such extremes.

He hoped that within those diaries, there would be even a single line that would give the girl some breathing room.

And within the five volumes, Conrad finally discovered the first and last time she was genuinely happy.

It was a story from when Olivia was nine years old, on the day she went to the Crown Prince's eleventh birthday.

• Father spoke to me first. I was so happy. He told me to become the Crown Princess Consort. At first, I only thought I had to do well, but after seeing the Crown Prince, I really want to become the Crown Princess Consort. Because the Crown Prince is like an angel who helped me. I think the phrase 'shining brightly' is used to describe someone like the Crown Prince.

• I'm so happy. If I become the Crown Princess Consort, Father will talk to me every day, and the Crown Prince will be with me too. Then I can be with my brothers and Esella too. Just thinking about it makes me happy. If I do my best, as Mom said, everything will come true.

It was laughable. That there was only one moment in those five volumes when she was happy.

That made his heart ache even more. Because after that, Olivia struggled desperately to see that 'shining smile' even once more. Because she whipped herself even when there was no response to her desperate efforts.

That's why Conrad had to ask the Crown Prince.

"Olivia,"

A rough pain scraped mercilessly inside his throat.

"...Did you really think of her as your fiancée?"

"Well..."

Leopold's face, which had been so relaxed as if he would answer immediately, gradually hardened. His sea-blue eyes widened, and the lips that had been sporting a cynical smile clamped shut.

Soon, a heavy atmosphere settled in the office. In a gloomy atmosphere like a thick fog that no one could escape, Leopold quietly thought of Olivia.

Did he think of Olivia as his fiancée?

Well, it was such an obvious question. If the person next to him wasn't Olivia, then who else could it be?

But why couldn't he answer right away? Leopold moved his lips.

Of course, that one word lingered stubbornly in his mouth. A pain shot through his chest as if someone was squeezing his heart. Would he feel better if he said this?

It was then. Knock, knock-. A light knock sounded, and the door opened without permission.

It was Maria Etel who peeked her head through the door. The moment her eyes met Maria's, Leopold unconsciously looked at the Madeleine.

The Madeleine's amethyst eyes looked at him with an unreadable gaze. His fingertips tingled strangely.

As if unaffected by the heavy atmosphere, Maria spoke cheerfully like a fairy.

"Oh, you had a guest. Excuse me, Leopold. I've been looking all over for you because of the ball preparations."

"...Then, I'll be going now."

"Ah."

As the Madeleine rose from his seat, Leopold swallowed a hollow breath.

He felt like he had to answer something to the earlier question. But in this situation, everything felt like an excuse.

An excuse? There was no one in this empire to whom he needed to make excuses.

He didn't have to feel responsible for his answer. His arrogant pride raised its head proudly.

Meanwhile, Conrad finished his bow and left the office. With the sound of the door closing, a deep sigh escaped Leopold's lips.

"I told you there was a meeting with the Heferti Delegation."

Maria, who had been glaring at the Madeleine's retreating figure, was startled. It was a voice that was too sharp to be her lover's.

She had been anxious enough that Leopold was with the Madeleine,

She rushed over, worried that they might be talking about Olivia Madelaine. But instead of understanding her feelings, he was rebuking her.

She felt like tears would well up in her eyes from the resentment. She resented Leopold, who had no idea what today would become.

But Maria forced herself to act cheerful, pouting her lips. She intended to let it slide this once if he told her she was cute.

"Well, does Leopold have to go? We'll see them at the ball anyway."

"Maria. Meeting with foreign countries is a matter of national importance. Don't act so lightly."

But in the end, all that came back was a sharp voice. Maria bit her lip. Her vision blurred with tears.

"Ha. Don't cry, Maria."

All she got to comfort her was a dry word. There was no embrace like before, no gentle touch stroking her cheek.

But in this situation, all Maria could do was listen to Leopold.

"I-I'm not crying."

Because today is a good day. Because everything will go back to normal after today.

So Maria added with a bright smile.

"I'll go in separately after preparing. I have to make thorough preparations for the ball."

The blue eyes that turned away gleamed firmly. Like Maria's plan that would never change and would finally be achieved today.

.

.

.

Ha.

The valet, who was fastening Leopold's cuff buttons, flinched at Leopold's sigh. But Leopold didn't even care about that and swept his hair back roughly.

Why did she cry so easily at what he said? He had only said one thing as the Crown Prince to someone who took national affairs lightly.

He was annoyed by the naivety that had only seemed pretty before. It would have been better if Maria was just a little smarter.

Then she would have known enough to stay away from him at the ball today without him having to tell her not to come near him.

He should have told Maria directly earlier, but he couldn't catch her because he was rushing out.

It would be nice if Maria could at least grasp the gist of how to handle exchanges with foreign countries today. At least as much as Olivia...

"If you know so well, why doesn't the Princess step forward herself?"

Leopold's lips stiffened for a moment at the sudden memory.

He couldn't believe it.

But.

The voice in his memory that was pushing Olivia with reproach was definitely his.

Grand Duke Vikander's Residence in the middle of the day.

Olivia, sitting on the sofa in the drawing room, stared blankly at the table. More precisely, at the dress and shoes in the large box placed on the table.

"A gift has arrived from the Crown Prince. What shall we do, Miss?"

It was an impulse to say she would look at the gift in Sobel's question. The Leopold that Olivia had seen so far was very proud. Such an arrogant man was rejected from calling her by her nickname in front of all the nobles.

And yet, a gift?

"...Isn't it a bomb disguised as a gift?"

She even made a joke for a brief moment. Of course, Sobel, upon hearing this, gave a serious answer that he would call a magician with a stiff face for a moment.

But. This is.

"It's a white dress."

Sobel muttered.

It was a beautiful white dress that anyone could see. An expensive dress with flower-shaped embroidery in silver thread and scattered with fine diamond powder.

"...It's worse than a bomb."

"Yes?"

Sobel asked back. But Olivia didn't even have the strength to answer. This is, really.

Because it looked exactly like the dress from her sixteenth birthday, her engagement ceremony.

She thought she had thrown everything away. Memories stained with gray welled up. The excited anticipation of that hot day and the overwhelming feeling of the moment she had been waiting for.

And.

"...I knew it wouldn't be great, but I didn't think it would be this bad. The Princess isn't the type to look radiant."

Even the words that dropped her into the abyss in an instant.

Olivia's fingertips trembled slightly. Her breath kept getting stuffy. The misery and shame of that time came to mind and filled her head.

What is the reason? What on earth is the intention of sending her such a dress?

Why does he keep...

Only when she heard the light tinkling of bells did Olivia startle and raise her head. And she realized who was next to her.

Edwin Lowell Vikander.

The man, who had been looking sweetly at Olivia since morning, shrugged and nudged the dress box.

"It came to the wrong place."

Then he smiled at Olivia.

"What kind of man in the world would stand by and watch my lady wear a dress sent by another man?"

Edwin pouted his lips.

"I'm not that much of a generous gentleman. Olivia, please understand."

The words that shamelessly revealed his jealousy strangely calmed Olivia's heart. Olivia's rapid breathing slowly returned to its original rhythm.

Edwin, who had subtly examined Olivia's complexion, raised the corners of his lips with a smirk. His alluring lip line moved slowly.

"...The dress Olivia wears, the shawl she drapes. Even the thread anklet she wears on her ankle. I try not to be jealous, but I am jealous."

Olivia pondered Edwin's words for a moment. She couldn't tell if he was talking about being jealous of the clothes or something else. But it was a word that felt somehow dangerous to ask again.

So Olivia threw a joke in the sense of making a reasonable compromise.

"...I don't think someone who even has bells on their thread anklet should be saying that?"

"I can say more because I have them on. I've already declared to the world that I'm the lady's cute cat. But a dress comes to the lady like this. Hmm, should I apply for a duel?"

She laughed because it was so absurd.

Even after seeing the face from which the darkness had completely disappeared, Edwin added leisurely.

"Besides. My lady hasn't even worn all the dresses I gave her. How dare they covet her?"

Beneath these seemingly leisurely words lay a deep sincerity. Sobel turned his gaze away with a feeling of chill for a moment. He suddenly met eyes with Howard, who was standing in front of the door.

At the same time, Howard nodded. Sobel swallowed a sigh at the expression that the day to draw his sword in earnest would come soon. He had one more thing to do, but well, good is good.

Sobel thought about where His Highness's sword was. Today, or tomorrow. It briefly crossed his mind that he should take it out in advance.

The second day of the Summer Ball.

The start of the ball was smooth. Fortunately, that stupid Maria Etel didn't seem to be copying Olivia today.

The Princess, relieved, smiled brightly as the hostess of the ball and greeted all the nobles.

"Princess, you look especially beautiful today."

"Oh, has there ever been a day when the Princess wasn't beautiful?"

Even with the playful jokes that came and went, the young Count made excuses with a flushed face.

"That's not it, I meant that you are most beautiful in the moonlight."

The Princess covered her mouth gracefully and laughed.

It was natural to say that she was more beautiful today.

Thanks to telling the Empress about the Abandoned Mine late last night, all her worries had disappeared. She slept soundly for the first time in a long time, and during the day, she heard the Empress's plans on how to order Olivia.

So naturally, she couldn't help but smile more brightly.

"Thank you, Count."

The Princess, who was smiling and moving her seat, discovered the Ladies far away. They liked the atmosphere of the ball, but their faces were somehow strange.

"What's wrong?"

The Princess approached them and asked Lady Libeorn, her closest playmate. The Lady shrugged with a troubled face for a moment.

"It's nothing. We were just talking to each other for a moment."

"What are you talking about? I'm curious as the host."

"Somewhere, um."

Lady Libeorn looked around for a moment. And she whispered to the Princess.

"It feels like an engagement ceremony."

"What do you mean? Engagement,"

The Princess, who had been laughing elegantly as if she had heard something interesting, paused for a moment. And she slowly looked around.

While the soft melody was getting farther and farther away, the decorations of the ballroom came into view as if they were engraved in her eyes.

The tables and chairs that were arranged more neatly than usual today, the basins and shimmering lights placed along the stairs. Even the flags with a white background and the colorful flowers that sparkled splendidly.

...No way.

The Princess's hair stood on end.