Episode 123

I deliberately turned my head towards Lloydin, pretending not to see, and naturally avoided the Crown Prince’s gaze.

‘Was it a coincidence?’

No.

It was not a coincidence.

It seemed that Crown Prince Cloud had been the one staring at me since earlier.

But why was he looking at me?

Did he have something to say?

Even if he did, I couldn’t think of anything the Crown Prince would want to say to me.

He had already said everything he wanted to when he called me aside in the palace before…

‘Wait.’

Suddenly, the conversation I had with the Crown Prince flashed through my mind, and a vague sense of unease began to creep in.

I still couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince had mentioned the Crown Princess to me, and the uneasiness was undeniable when our eyes met.

No… it can’t be.

It’s not true.

While I was trying to dismiss these thoughts, music filled the hall again, indicating that the Emperor’s speech had ended.

“My dear.”

Lloydin called me, extending his hand.

I shook off the troubling thoughts, smiled lightly, and took his hand.

We greeted my parents first, then looked for my brothers.

“Brother Jade.”

“Ayla, you’re here. Is Duke Blighton with you?”

“Yes, it’s been a while, Lord Anais.”

“Where is Luke, brother?”

Just a moment ago, Luke was here too, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

“He stepped out to take a walk in the garden with a young lady.”

“Oh, I see.”

I nodded slightly, understanding the situation.

Luke, being very popular, was always active in his romantic pursuits.

While I rarely heard about the other two brothers meeting anyone, Luke was different.

When I lived at the Anais estate, Luke used to tell me all about who he was seeing and breaking up with.

Each time, I told him that he would get stoned to death someday if he kept breaking so many hearts, but he would respond confidently, saying he was not hurting them but rather sharing his heart with the women who liked him.

He even said that if he devoted himself to only one woman, it would make the others even sadder.

It was an absurd and ridiculous statement that only Luke could make.

Because of this, he never stayed with one woman for long.

He would meet someone new before the seasons even changed, and it seemed this pattern continued to this day.

Despite spending considerable time with me while I was confined to the mansion due to my illness, he managed his romantic affairs remarkably well.

In any case, he wouldn’t stay idle at an event where young nobles gathered.

I didn’t know who he was meeting now, but I hoped this time he would be sincere. With this thought, I looked at Jade intently.

“What?”

Jade asked, puzzled by my gaze. I replied with a playful smile.

“What about you, brother?”

“What?”

“Do you have anyone?”

“I… don’t have anyone.”

“Hmm, really? Oh!”

As I continued joking with my brother, a brilliant idea suddenly struck me.

“What’s the matter?”

“What’s wrong, My dear?”

Both my brother Jade and Lloydin looked at me worriedly, as if something had happened.

“No, it’s nothing.”

I smiled at Lloydin to reassure him.

“Duke, may I have a moment to talk with my brother?”

“Yes, of course.”

I quickly took my brother Jade a few steps away from Lloydin.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

“Brother, I have a good idea.”

I whispered softly so that only my brother could hear.

“What idea?”

He lowered his voice to match mine.

“It’s a banquet.”

“Yes, it’s a banquet. So what?”

Seeing the puzzled look on his face, I added another clue.

“At banquets, men and women dance together. Right?”

“You want me to dance with one of the ladies here?”

My brother finally understood, laughing lightly in disbelief.

“No, not quite.”

I shook my head slightly, feeling both frustrated with his partial understanding and proud of my idea.

“Ask Princess Daina for a dance.”

“What?”

My brother’s surprised voice broke the quiet conversation, and he looked at me in shock.

This caused several people, including Lloydin, to look our way.

Once my brother regained his composure, we paused our conversation until people’s attention shifted away from us.

“Ayla, that’s…”

Jade continued with a hesitant look on his face.

“This is an opportunity, brother.”

Just as Princess Daina still harbored feelings for Jade, he also still had feelings for her.

However, neither of them had taken any action to advance their relationship, despite not being able to forget each other.

Of course, there might be deeper reasons I wasn’t aware of.

But such matters could only be resolved when they faced each other.

That’s how relationships are.

If one person can’t muster the courage, the other must.

For their story to restart, Jade needed to extend his hand to the princess.

“Ayla…”

“Brother, I want you to be truly happy. You know that, right?”

“Of course, I do. I want you to be happy too, Ayla.”

Jade responded with a gentle smile.

“I am very happy right now. Truly.”

“Yes, it shows.”

“Now it’s your turn. If you still have any feelings for Princess Daina, this is your chance. Please trust me.”

“Ayla…”

Jade’s face was filled with hesitation, making it difficult for him to respond immediately.

But after a moment, he appeared to seriously consider my words, deep in thought.

I decided to wait a little longer, hiding my impatience and nervousness.

‘There’s still some time before the dancing starts.’

Despite the impending start of the dance, Jade remained silent, undecided.

I was about to call out to him when…

“Brother…”

“Duchess Blighton.”

Princess Daina had approached us unnoticed and called out to me.

“Your Highness?”

I was startled, not because it was unusual for the princess to seek me out, but because we had just been discussing her.

I quickly composed myself and greeted her.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Duchess Blighton, it’s different seeing you here at the banquet compared to usual.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Are you enjoying the banquet?”

“Yes. I intended to greet you later, as I saw you talking to others. I’m sorry for being late.”

“No need to apologize. People should seek out those they wish to see.”

Her response, which seemed to carry a deeper meaning, made her turn towards my brother.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“It’s been a while, Lord Jade Anais.”

“Yes, it has been… a while.”

Jade’s expression stiffened slightly at the sudden appearance of the princess.

I worried that she might misunderstand his reaction, but fortunately, Jade soon relaxed, and I sighed in relief.

“Are you enjoying the banquet?”

The princess asked my brother the same question she had asked me.

“Yes, I am. Are you having a good time as well, Your Highness?”

“Well, I’m a bit bored.”

“Oh, I see.”

The princess’s unexpected reply seemed to surprise my brother.

At that moment, the fast-tempo music in the banquet hall changed to a gentle, slow melody.

Couples began pairing up and moving to the center of the hall.

“Lord Jade Anais.”

As the music started, the princess called my brother in a voice that seemed filled with determination.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Would you dance with me?”

To my astonishment, the princess asked my brother for a dance first.

I discreetly nudged my brother in the side to prompt him.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

My brother flinched and quickly apologized to the princess.

I feared he might refuse her, which made me anxious.

I hoped my brother wouldn’t squander this excellent opportunity.

A moment later, Jade knelt on one knee in front of the princess.

“I should have asked first. My apologies, Your Highness. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

He then extended his hand to her gracefully.