Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 52
Eleanor stared down at the hand held out in front of her. It was a look mixed with a little resentment. Izmel swallowed a dry gulp.
She doesn’t want to take it. At least in this way.
But there was only one thing Eleanor could say anyway.
“It’s an honor, Your Highness.”
Eleanor and Izmel walked slowly toward the center of the hall. Like the parting of the Red Sea, those standing in front of the two opened a path.
Contrary to Eleanor’s unwelcome heart, a long and slow song came out. The warmth of his hand touched Eleanor’s back.
“Eleanor.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Izmel looked down at Eleanor and apologized in a low voice.
“…I’m really sorry.”
“No. I understand. It’s really fine.”
Eleanor raised the corners of her lips slightly and shook her head. Izmel whispered softly.
“Your expression doesn’t look good, though.”
Eleanor decided to just be honest with Izmel.
She didn’t want to repeat this meaningless conversation all night. She was also encouraged by the rising spirits of alcohol.
“I didn’t know, but it must have been known that Your Highness asked me for a partner. Rumors, as always, were inflated with the addition of imagination…”
For an unexpected reason, Izmel’s jaw dropped open.
“But since you entered with the Princess, not me, it was like I was dumped while trying to get Your Highness.”
“That is completely different from the truth…”
“You know. Facts don’t matter in this kind of story.”
Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. Izmel lowered his head and let out a long sigh.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what to say.”
“I know it’s not because of Your Highness. It feels a bit bad, but actually it’s just happening.”
He met her eyes without speaking.
In an instant, Eleanor’s heart thumped and heat hit her cheeks. His platinum white blonde hair and red eyes were so beautiful that it was cruel.
Looking at him twinkling, Eleanor felt a little shabby. So much so that she can understand why people were so puzzled.
“It’s not because of Your Highnessm but…”
He’s the Crown Prince of the Empire. Eleanor realized that fact once again. The warmth beyond the gloves felt far away.
“Still, I think I hate you a little today.”
“Eleanor.”
Eleanor shook her head as if to say nothing.
“I’ll hate you for a while, then I’ll forgive you right away. Your Highness isn’t someone who can be hated for a long time, and I’m not someone who dwells on hurts for a long time, so it won’t take long.”
The music died down little by little, and Eleanor took a step back from Izmel.
Could it be because of the champagne she gulped on earlier? Or was it the problem that she danced round and round behind him. Eleanor felt dizzy for a moment and stumbled.
“Huh…?”
“You have to be careful.”
Kaidel, who had been watching Eleanor from behind, quickly grabbed her arm.
“Thank you.”
He caught her and saved her from an unsightly pose, but her ankle snapped and her shoe came off. Eleanor bent over to find her shoe hidden by the width of her skirt. Kaidel got down on one knee in front of Eleanor.
In an instant, the hall was in a great uproar. At this moment, the only thing that was calm was Kaidel. He said in a calm voice.
“If you’re having trouble balancing, put your hand on my shoulder.”
Eleanor, in the awkwardness, held on Kaidel’s shoulder, waiting for him to put her shoe back on. A glimpse of warmth reached her toes, and Eleanor bit her lip startled.
Then, behind Eleanor’s back, a chuckle was heard.
[My goodness. So you’re really into it? It’s something to live for a long time.]
It was Hildegard, the Princess of Mözen. Eleanor looked back and forth between the two with a surprised face.
Kaidel replied with a sullen face, he said.
[Yes. So please treat me politely.]
[I’ll try, but it won’t be easy.]
Eleanor’s eyes shook quickly. Izmel introduced the Princess to Eleanor.
“It’s the Princess of Mözen. She doesn’t speak our language, so if there is something to be said, the Duke will interpret it.”
“Ah…”
Before Eleanor could answer Izmel’s words, the princess approached and held out her hand abruptly. She grinned.
[Hello, Princess of Bellium.]
Eleanor replied, holding her hand cautiously.
[It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.]
The princess furrowed her eyebrows as Eleanor greeted her in Mözen. Izmel and Kaidel’s eyes widened.
‘Eleanor speaks Mözen?’
If so, they just heard that…
Kaidel, who had been chewing on a brief conversation with Hildegard, involuntarily blocked his mouth.
[You speak Mözen?]
Hildegard asked, raising her cat-like eyes. Eleanor answered as calmly as possible.
[Not very fluent, but everyday conversation is possible. I heard that my brother is helping with translation.]
[Brother…? Is it Kaidel? Then you two…]
Forbidden love?
Hildegard looked at Eleanor and Kaidel alternately with a confused expression. Eleanor jumped up and shook her head.
[No. He’s Dwight. Dwight Everett.]
[Dwight?]
Hildegard’s face brightened at Eleanor’s words. It was an abrupt change that was a little disconcerting.
[So, you’re Dwight’s younger sister, right? Family?]
Eleanor nodded her head and smiled shyly.
[Yes. We’re actually twins. Although not very similar.]
[Come to think of it, you have the same eyes! That’s why Dwight kept going towards you earlier.]
Hildegard grabbed Eleanor’s hand. The initial intimidation was now nowhere to be found.
[Ah, that’s right. I’m so sorry about your ball partner. Guess I’m too unreasonable. Will you forgive me?]
“Yes, Princess.”
[Just call me Hilde. Can I call you Eleanor?]
Hildegard held Eleanor’s hand tightly and told her many stories in an excited voice. She even laughed out loud! Not a sneer, but a real laugh.
Izmel and Kaidel exchanged glances.
‘That woman, is she up to something? Should I stop it?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Then did she eat something wrong, I wonder.’
Izmel made a puzzled expression. At that moment, Hildegard and Izmel’s eyes met. The look on his face was terrified that she might do something disrespectful to Eleanor.
Hildegard whispered softly in Eleanor’s ear.
[Personally, I don’t like it very much, but you can take out everything you’re angry with that guy on me today. Because it’s my fault.]
[Pardon?]
[I wanted to hurt him so much that I crossed the line. He was so overjoyed to receive the letter you sent…]
In the end, that was all good for Kaidel. She doesn’t really like that guy either.
Eleanor stared at Izmel. She pursed her lips as if to say something, then closed her mouth tightly.
She let out a long breath. Strangely, she was in a bad mood. It was just right that he was someone you couldn’t hate for long.
At that time, Hildegard grabbed Eleanor’s arm tightly. She turned her gaze away from Izmel.
[Will you please not tell him that I said this? I’m sure he’ll act as if he has found a weakness.]
[Yes, I will.]
Eleanor smiled brightly and nodded.
[There are so many things I want to know about you. Shall we go inside and talk? Dwight too!]
***
Clearing misunderstandings and clean forgiveness. She thought it was over. After a pleasant conversation, they exchanged goodbyes with a smile. It was a perfect finish.
[Can I tell you my opinion?]
But why is the Princess lying on the sofa and eating sweets?
It’s been several days already. Eleanor, who at first greeted her politely with a smile on her face, at some point began to do what she had to do regardless of her presence.
[No.]
[Just listen while you’re working.]
Regardless of Eleanor’s sullen reaction, Hildegard continued her words. She had only been interested in two things these days: Dwight Everett, the eldest Everett son, and Eleanor Everett, the eldest Everett daughter.
[I think Idrian, he’s fine. He’s gentle and has sense.]
[Adrian?]
[Ah, that’s right. Adrian.]
I get confused every time, you know. Hildegard chuckled.
[Was it Sienna? His niece is also wild and cute. If I had a younger sister like that, I would really love her.]
“I think that way sometimes too.”
Hildegard also made friends with the children. Even though she doesn’t have a conversation, the kids have followed her well by giving her all sorts of treats every day of the class.
[Well, Lucas and Demian are cute too. They can’t grow up like their brothers… I hope they grow up to be cute and gentle like Dwight.]
Did she hear that wrong?
Eleanor’s eyebrows twitched and her cheeks twitched.
[Who?]
[Dwight. I’m talking about your brother. I was going to ask him to have dinner together, yet he looks busy.]
[I thought it would be nice if Lucas and Demian grew up like their older brothers.]
This time, Hildegard looked like she had bitten an insect.
[Indeed. You might think so. I was really freaked out when I saw Kaidel do it on the day of the ball.]
[Even if he has a cold impression, he’s kind. At first, I was also a bit scared.]
[No, he wasn’t that scary. He was famous at the Academy.]
Eleanor raised her head. Hildegard, excited when she showed interest in her, continued the story.
[There were quite a few girls who had crushes on Kaidel. Even then, it was as far-fetched as it is now.]
[It seems to be so.]
[When I entered the classroom, there were often presents piled up on the Kaidel desk. But he always put it in the lost and found box! Without even opening it once. Isn’t that too much?]
Eleanor, who was picturing Kaidel in his younger days, tilted her head.
[I think… because he really doesn’t know.]
[Ey, no way.]
Hildegard waved her hand like it was nonsense. Eleanor said as she pondered.
[Then they can just bring the present themselves.]
[As far as I know, only one person has tried that.]
[And then?]
[As soon as she met Kaidel’s eyes, she was scared of him and cried.]
Eleanor widened her eyes. Hildegard released a few more episodes. It was also the first time she learned that Kaidel had graduated the Academy two years early.
As she listened to her story, Eleanor had a clear picture of what kind of student Caidel must have been.
[He has become really soft these days. At that time, standing next to him really felt like a sharp wind was blowing.]
To be honest, I was a little scared too.
Eleanor laughed lightly at Hildegard’s confession.
Knock, knock.
Then, outside the door, Albert knocked. Eleanor, who opened the door herself, found a small envelope in his hand.
“What is that?”
“This is an invitation to the Miss.”
Invitation?
Eleanor accepted the envelope.
“It’s from the Duke of Izent.”
An uneasy feeling of foreboding enveloped Eleanor.