Banquet (2)
The Degorsis patriarch’s expression turned ice-cold as he stared at Pamela. “You’d do well to watch that tongue of yours.”
“......”
Pamela felt a surge of irritation at the way her body instinctively flinched and trembled, but glaring at him was all she could do. The father and daughter—whose relationship could hardly be called normal—silently regarded each other.
“The reason I’ve kept you alive is……”
This princess welcomes every noble who has attended this princess’s banquet.
The moment the Degorsis patriarch opened his mouth to continue, Achillea’s voice rang throughout the banquet hall. The magically amplified sound echoed, the lights inside the hall went out, and a single spotlight illuminated only the spot where she stood. Every eye turned toward her.
Achillea swept her calm, settled gaze across the crowd.
“……We’ll speak later.”
At the patriarch’s soft click of the tongue, Pamela turned her eyes away without answering. His face twisted at the gesture, yet she refused to look back at him.
“Insolent girl.”
His cold rebuke faded as his footsteps slowly receded. Pamela bit down hard on her lower lip.
The reason this princess invited so many of you to this banquet is to celebrate my ascension as Crown Princess… and to honor the loyal subjects who helped make it possible.
A faint tremor rose in Pamela’s deep violet eyes. She forced it down, drew a long breath, and fixed her gaze on Achillea beneath the spotlight.
First, the Astria Count Family.
The families nearest the platform smiled at Achillea’s summons. Some congratulated, some responded to congratulations, and others simmered with envy and jealousy. Pamela watched the ordinary scene from a distance, then quietly lowered her head.
All of this was possible only because you were here. Therefore, this princess offers you her deepest gratitude.
The feeling that she alone had been dropped into another world pressed down on Pamela. She turned on her heel. She had come here to accomplish something, yet the painful awareness of her own place weighed heavily on her shoulders. Only deep despair held her in its grasp.
@
“Haa……”
“Puh, are you really that nervous?”
“Of course I am… This is my first time doing anything like this.”
Achillea’s mischievous question made me glance around before answering. She looked at me, no longer bothering to hide the smile blooming across her face. The way her eyes seemed to find me cute stung my pride, but there was nothing I could say about it.
Only moments ago she had been cold and lofty, radiating the dignity of the next emperor. Now she sat at ease, gazing down at the banquet hall with regal composure.
“……Aren’t you going inside the hall?”
I had been staring blankly at her smiling profile when the question suddenly occurred to me. Achillea, who had been watching the hall with her crimson eyes, turned to meet my gaze.
“Why would this princess need to step into that throng?”
“Because all the people with real power are gathered down there?”
This banquet hall held everyone who supported the empire now and everyone who would support it in the future—from current nobles to the next generation of family heads. Even though Achillea had already been named Crown Princess, ignoring them all seemed unwise. It would be no different from what Leonhardt had done.
Yet Achillea gave a small smile and shook her head at my words.
“This princess is not the one who must go to them.”
“……”
“They are the ones who must come to this princess.”
A servant had offered her an exquisite wine glass. Achillea twirled it slowly between her fingers, then inhaled the bouquet and savored the taste. Every motion radiated such nobility that I couldn’t help admiring her inwardly. She continued with a playful smile.
“Besides, with a partner as timid as mine, how could this princess wander off carelessly?”
“……Wait, I have to move with you?”
“Naturally.”
“……”
“Are you not this princess’s partner for today?”
I awkwardly returned Achillea’s playful smile, let out a long internal sigh, and picked up the wine glass beside me. Even someone like me—who knew little about wine or alcohol—couldn’t help but admire the fragrance. I looked down at the banquet hall alongside her.
“……Huh?”
As I scanned the hall, I spotted something that made me blink slowly.
……Silvia?
For some reason Silvia, who should have remained at the academy, was inside the banquet hall. Cain stood at her side.
Already?
In the original novel there had been no event where Silvia and Cain attended a banquet like this at this point. Naturally—because Silvia had been busy comforting Leonhardt. I had assumed she would be spending time with Helena at the academy this time, yet……
When did those two get so close?
Setting aside a few special situations—situations like mine—the meaning of bringing a partner to an event like this was simple. It meant a betrothed partner or a girlfriend you intended to share your future with. Attending an official banquet together was essentially announcing to everyone else that you already had someone.
That was why Silvia had been so shocked when Achillea offered to escort me. Yet here she was, attending the banquet with Cain. Had there been an event that brought them this close? I pondered it for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle and shook my head.
There’s no point thinking about the original story anymore.
With Leonhardt already expelled, the original plot had twisted considerably. It was only natural that Cain and Silvia might grow closer in proportion to those changes. Besides, if the relatively sane and rational pair ended up together, it wouldn’t be a bad outcome.
What I wanted to do right now was simply……
Tease Silvia and Cain about it later.
That was all.
I was smiling cheerfully at the thought when Achillea’s voice made my face stiffen.
“Felice.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Princess.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you focused only on this princess today? After all, you are my partner. It wouldn’t look good if you were caught grinning at other young ladies, would it?”
“It’s not like that… but I’ll be careful.”
At her pointed remark I closed my mouth and dipped my head slightly. Seeing the subtle smile on Achillea’s lips, I let out a small breath.
“It was a joke, but do not treat it as one.”
Indeed, simply being seen looking at another woman while escorting the Crown Princess could spark unpleasant rumors. Of course Achillea and I were not in that kind of relationship, and I had not been grinning at anyone, but others might not see it that way.
I took the playful yet serious warning to heart and began to savor the wine along with her.
“By the way, I know you are the young master of a count family… but how are your dancing skills?”
“……My dancing skills?”
“Yes. Your dancing skills.”
…Just how good had Felice been at dancing? I searched my memories and fortunately the answer came quickly.
“I received the same education everyone else did as a child. I don’t consider myself clumsy.”
A swordsman could hardly afford to be clumsy with his body, though dancing was a different matter from combat. Pitch, rhythm, and harmony with one’s partner—all had to move together perfectly before it could truly be called dance. In that sense, Felice’s skill had been decent enough.
Achillea’s crimson eyes drew a long, elegant arc at my answer. The sight of her clearly enjoying herself made me flinch involuntarily. The destructive power of her attire was enormous, and the expression she wore now looked as if she had just found something very entertaining.
“There’s no need to look so frightened.”
“……Why do you say that?”
Even though she said there was no need to be afraid, I couldn’t easily shake the feeling. Because while recalling Felice’s memories, I had remembered something else at the same time.
Watching my tense reaction, Achillea kept smiling brightly. She slowly set down her wine glass and leaned toward me. The deep, pale cleavage visible beneath her vivid wine-red dress forced me to fix my gaze on her eyes. When her gentle voice reached me, I could only let out a deep breath.
“Because a banquet like this cannot possibly omit dancing, can it?”
“……Which means.”
“It means this princess and you will naturally have to participate as well.”
As she drew closer, the cherry scent that seemed to rise naturally from her body—rather than from perfume—filled my nose. Just as I was thinking the fragrance wasn’t unpleasant at all, Achillea pulled back again and flashed a wide grin.
It was a dangerous, dizzying smile.