CH.
40 — ENTERING THE PALACE (5)

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My clothes were black, which seemed to absorb all the light except for the red ribbon that adorned my wrists.

Perhaps because of that, everyone I met right after entering the party gave me the same kind of greeting.

“Princess, you look so gorgeous today.”

“You look like the queen of the night.”

“You do have the look of someone who has subjugated two large beasts.
Strong and reliable.”

Things like this.

Don’t people usually compliment you for being pretty or beautiful? What’s going on with my image?

And thanks to the powerful atmosphere, people continue to flock around me. Please, let me go now.

‘In the past, more people would have flocked to the empress’s side.’

I turned my head slightly and looked for the empress.

Not far away, I saw the empress sitting in the upper seat, talking with several nobles.

It was definitely shabby compared to the hustle and bustle around me.

‘Even considering that I am the protagonist of today’s party, there is a huge difference.’

She smiled as if nothing happened, but she must have felt it too.
How weakened her own existence was.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Young Lady Brande.”

Perhaps upon noticing my gaze, a young lady who was standing next to me tried her luck.

When I turned my head back to the crowd, the young lady had started chatting with a young man.

“I know, right.
She was always next to the empress.”

“Maybe Her Ladyship’s favoritism has cooled down.”

“Perhaps.
Did the goldfish poop fall off?”

“Oh my, you’re so rude.”

[T/N: “Goldfish poop” is a term used for a person who is chasing after someone, acting like a parasite]

They burst into laughter at the words of the young man.

Was this meaning of the saying “to sell after the string has fallen off”? They quickly turned their palms upside down because I was getting stronger.

These were the guys who would always go to the other side if my power declined again.
I shouldn’t get too close.

“To say something so harsh…”

“You seem to be having an interesting conversation.
Would you let me in?”

But I didn’t have to add anything.

As Yulika came with a smile from behind, the atmosphere of the crowd, who had been giggling, quickly became chilly.

“Y-Young Lady Brande!?”

“H-How did you get here!?”

“What do you mean how? What a weird thing to say.
Have I come to a place I couldn’t come?”

Yulika glanced at them with a smile.

“Oh my, why are you all so surprised? As if you’re seeing some ghost.
Do you have anything against me?”

Everyone shuddered at Yulika’s words.
They all turned pale.

“Ah… Look at me.
I should be greeting the other guests as well.
Please excuse me.”

“Oh, m-me too.
Let’s go together.”

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“Cough.
Then have a good time, Princess, Young Lady.”

The people who had been excitedly gossiping about Yulika quickly dispersed like cockroaches in a lit room.

Yulika saw them off with a snort.

Oho, Yulika.
You’re pretty good.

“You must be feeling good.”

When everyone had left, Yulika snapped sharply as she looked around the place.

“People are gathering around, gossiping about me, to flatter you.”

“That’s not fair.
I was definitely trying to stop them.”

“You don’t expect me to believe that, do you?”

Well, it was hard to believe.

No, I mean, how could you be mad? You, who had even poured drinks on me?

‘By the way…’

I quickly glanced at Yulika’s, who was standing next to me, dress.

She wore a deep red dress with lots of lace, with a black corsage on the chest.

Black and red were quite a good combination, so standing side by side, she and I looked like one set.

‘No, what’s with this coincidence!?’

What’s good about looking like a set with Yulika?

It seemed that Yulika thought the same, as she showed blatant displeasure the moment she looked carefully through my dress.

“Haa…”

Yulica turned her head away from me and sighed deeply Alright, that made me a little angry.

“Helena, there you are.
Marquis Ben is looking for you.”

Just then, Leonard came to see me.
When he saw Yulika, the two greeted each other with a slight bow.

“He wants to greet you.”

“Yes, I’ll be there soon.”

I followed Leonard and left.

All the while thinking I shouldn’t be standing side by side with Yulika today.

***

After a while, the hall began to stir.

The buzz attracted me when I was greeting the middle-aged noble, and I turned my head.

‘Ugh.’

Caesar was standing in the center of the commotion.
Even though he just stood there with a cold expressionless face, the pressure was no joke.

‘What’s with that outfit?’

In addition, I realized why Yulika and my outfit matched like a set.

Caesar was dressed in a black uniform with gold ornaments on his shoulder.
Among the jet-black colors, his bright red eyes stood out even more, like a noble beast.

‘We’re both matching Caesar’s outfit.’

I see.
It was Rowena’s big picture that made me the queen of darkness.

I think I can see Rowena’s face with her thumbs up towards me in the air.

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“Princess.”

Caesar, who was looking around the hall, found me and strode towards me.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t come here.
When you and I stand side by side, we’re definitely like the queen of darkness and the devil of the night.
Like a den of evil.

‘By the way, was Caesar this big?’

The overwhelming power he exuded from other people was different.

It was truly the appearance of a ruler.

“Today is a night for the Princess.
I’m blinded by your beauty.”

“Then I shall be your eyes.”

“If I could keep you by my side, I would be happy even if I lost my light.”

Caesar said with a sly smile.

The expression of the surrounding nobles turned wretched at the crown prince’s smile, which looked like a ferocious wolf.
It seemed that they thought he was not the kind of person who’d do that.

Stupid people.
They didn’t even know that this wolf was actually a large dog that listened well.

“Princess, today…”

“Your Highness, you are late.”

That’s when Caesar’s eyes widened.

A blonde middle-aged man approached Caesar’s side.
Yulika was also with the man.

At the appearance of the man, Caesar’s expression suddenly turned cold.

“Count Brande.”

Is this Margrave Brande?

It was my first time seeing him in person.

Unbelievable.
How could such a fierce-looking Yulika be born from such an ignorant and callous-looking person?

“The more I see you, the more dignified you become.
By the way, did things go well in Salisbury last year?”

“Ah… yes.
I have heard from His Majesty that the Count has been of great help.”

Caesar said with a shaky smile.

‘Did Margrave Brande help Caesar’s work behind his back?’

Caesar couldn’t have asked for help.
Besides, the margrave wouldn’t have done it for Caesar’s good.

“I am grateful for the Count’s hard work.”

“I didn’t mean to ask for your gratitude.
I did it only for His Majesty and for the Empire.
Don’t worry about it.”

Then you shouldn’t have asked the question in a sarcastic way, old man.

“More than that, Your Highness.
My daughter plays the piano quite well these days, have you heard of it?”

“No.”

Caesar smiled bitterly and looked at Yulika.
When their eyes met, Yulika hurriedly lowered her gaze.

“She said she wanted to congratulate the princess on her feat and practiced day and night.
She’s so innocent and tender.”

Innocent? Who?

“Princess, would you please accept my daughter’s meager talents with pleasure?”

“Of course.
Since it’s for me, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Count Brande raised his head slightly at my reaction and smiled.

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“Yulika, what are you doing? His Highness is here, so let him hear it.”

“Yes? Ah… Y-Yes, of course.”

“Well then, let’s go together, Your Highness.
This way.”

Count Brande skillfully turned his back on me and wrapped his arms around Caesar’s shoulder.
And he took Caesar and moved towards the piano.

“Everyone, let’s go together.”

At the Count’s encouragement, the people in the hall gathered around the piano one by one.

I was the only one left without anyone taking care of me.

Oh, what’s this? Didn’t he say it was for me?

‘… How annoying.
But anyway, it worked out well.’

Left alone in the hall, I turned my head toward the window.

Before I knew it, the darkness fell and it was black outside the window.

‘Shall I leave for the garden for a while?’

Soon after, the piano began to play.

I sneaked out of the banquet hall.

***

The garden was dark.

I could hear Yulika playing the piano in the distance.
At the end of each song, applause was heard, and sometimes laughter was heard.

“Brande, you’re strong…”

I murmured as I walked on the still bare grass.

 I can’t believe you’re trying to appeal to His Highness by saying ‘I helped you’.
If Caesar refused, he would’ve become a rude person.

For now, we had no choice but to curry favor with Margrave Brande.

“I know that.
I really do.”

But somehow, I didn’t feel good.

Caesar, you bastard.

After wandering for a while, I arrived at the pavilion at the innermost part of the garden.
I sat alone in the empty pavilion and looked up at the night sky.

Yulika’s piano performance, which was said to be prepared for me, had turned into a cheerful song.

Mixed with the cries of night beetles, the music sound was light but somewhat sad.

What is this emptiness?

“Caesar… are you working hard to keep up with the beat?”

What are you doing right now?

Are you sitting side by side and playing together? Do you know how to play the piano? Or are you singing to the tune?

“I mean, you look pretty good.
Ironically.”

Caesar and I might look like a set, but the two of them really suited each other.
It was natural because it was intended.

Yulika had asked me why a heart was needed to be a crown princess.

I had no choice but to admit it today.

“Will Caesar smile at Yulika too?”

I remembered Caesar’s face, smiling like a boy at me.

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He always smiled at me like that.
He looked at me kindly, spoke kindly to me, and hugged me gently.

I thought that everything was allowed only to me.
So I might have been a little arrogant.

“If Yulika becomes the crown princess, will she know him too?”

Once that came to mind, my thought followed like a tail.

Caesar, who is kind to Yulika.

Caesar, who is kind to Yulika.

Caesar, who is kind to Yulika.

Caesar, who is—

“Helena.”

I heard a voice calling me from behind my crouching back.

When I looked up, I could see Caesar standing in the darkness.

Perhaps he had run in a hurry.
His shoulders were noticeably shaking, and his breathing was rough.

“Caesar.”

At that moment, I was relieved as if everything before had been a lie.

I was terrifyingly happy and relieved that he came to me and not Yulika.

I didn’t know that liking someone makes a person so selfish and childish.

‘But even so, I want it all.’

I don’t want to lose anything.
I don’t want to share.

He’s all mine,

“Come, will you hug me?”

I opened my arms with a smile.
Caesar came running and hugged me as if he had been waiting for my words.

In his arms, which were holding me enough to crush me, I felt a strange thrill and satisfaction.

‘So this is what it feels like to like someone.’

It makes you increasingly greedy.

Emotion takes precedence over reason.

Even if it was an unreasonable choice, I thought I could be willing to choose.

For Caesar’s sake.

“I think you are ruining me.
I can’t control my emotions.”

I grunted as I hugged Caesar even tighter.
Caesar grinned at my complaint.

“If that’s the case, you’ve already ruined my everything.”

“It’s okay to break more, Caesar.”

Because only I will know.

I won’t let anyone know.

The distant sound of the piano, his warm body temperature, the night air, and his arms.

And this feeling of tens of thousands of colors.

Everything was dreamy and ecstatic, and I closed my eyes.

[T/N: So *sighs* I hate this, but I think I’ve finally understood the translation for ‘Elder’ Ben, and it is actually something like ‘margrave’, but not quite… And I remember I translated this ‘margrave’ as ‘marquis’ several times for Count Brande in the previous, previous chapters.
This has become quite a mess…