“Shall I cover the wound, Miss?”
Regina asked as she finished her makeup for the party.
The scar Iris left last time was vivid on Elise’s neck.
Iris, who used magic on Elise, was not punished at all.
The viscount and viscountess, who returned after going out that day, ignored it after hearing the situation.
So Elise negotiated with the viscount and viscountess.
Not to touch her outings anymore.
The viscount and viscountess, who were worried that Elise might gossip about what Iris did, accepted it in a flash.
Elise gained the freedom of movement. And Iris became quiet.
‘A scar of victory.’
Elise gently touched the scar where the scab had formed.
“Should I wear a scarf?”
She wanted to expose the wound openly, but she was bothered by Karan’s gaze looking at her cheek that was swollen from being hit by Fraser before.
Regina quickly nodded and brought out a beautiful scarf from the dressing room.
“I’m upset that I have to cover it because our Miss’s neck line is a charm point.”
“It sounds like the rest is not much.”
“No! That’s not it!”
Elise chuckled. It was fun to see Regina react when teased.
“It was a joke. I should leave now. I’ve been lazy enough already.”
“Yes, Miss!”
Regina escorted Elise with a sweep of her chest.
****
The New Year’s party had begun.
From morning to night, the bustling streets were in sight.
Children got candies and toys from their parents after a long time, and merchants had the opportunity to make money from outside guests.
The New Year’s party was filled with fun events for everyone, regardless of age or gender.
A place where culture, love, and money come and go.
Everyone enjoyed the New Year’s party purely, but Elise couldn’t.
It’s been several years since she couldn’t participate in the street festival.
Every year during the New Year’s party, Elise headed to the palace instead of the streets.
She participated in the banquet held during the New Year’s party for three days straight.
She also interacted with people at the banquet until after midnight, slept when the sun rose after returning to the mansion, and repeated the life of going to the banquet again at night.
The reason was one, to build a network that would help Chase.
But this year, there’s no need to do that, so it’s time to fit in and come out.
‘It might be the last New Year’s party in Bedrokka, so let’s enjoy the festival.’
The carriage carrying Elise just stopped in front of the grand banquet hall.
The front of the grand banquet hall was noisy.
Even though they came to avoid the crowded time, it seemed to take quite a while to enter.
Elise and Regina got off the carriage and joined the long line.
“Iris must have gone in early, right?”
Iris left 20 minutes earlier than Elise, and she would have entered without standing in line with the privilege of the royal family.
Just like Elise did in the past.
“Are you bored waiting?”
Regina glanced at Elise.
She thought Elise would be upset about the changed treatment.
“But it’s nice to watch people.”
However Elise was fine.
Literally, she was absorbed in watching people.
Especially, what Elise noticed was the women’s hair clips.
She had already found two women wearing Jasmine’s hair clips.
It was a new design hair clip that added glamour by densely embedding small jewels according to Elise’s advice.
The hair clip that Jasmine used to use did not fit in a glamorous place like a banquet.
Because it focused solely on practicality. So it was not enough to captivate women’s hearts.
[How about attaching the jewel attached to the nail to the hairpin? It will look great under the lights, emitting various lights.]
Elise advised, and as you can see, the result.
“Your hairstyle is unique today. It looks comfortable but elegant.”
“Is that so? It’s all thanks to this clip.”
The woman wearing the hair clip turned her head as if to show off her hairstyle.
“Oh my, is this clip that famous hair clip? Where did you get it? I want to get one too.”
“I specially asked Jasmine Orleans for it. How is it, does it look pretty to you?”
A faint smile crossed Elise’s face as she listened to the conversation.
Thanks to the conversation between the women, the time spent in line was not boring.
However, it seemed that there were some who were not satisfied, as complaints erupted here and there.
“Why aren’t we going in? Has something happened?”
“I’ve never had to wait this long before, today is too much.”
Negative emotions are easily contagious.
As soon as someone started complaining, complaints burst out from most of the mouths.
Listening to the complaints continuously, Elise no longer found the act of standing in line enjoyable.
“Shall I go ahead and say something?”
Regina, seeing Elise’s expression stiffen slightly, spoke.
“What are you going to say and to whom?”
“To the administrator managing the entrance. I mean, I have to tell them that you have arrived.”
“Then will that person let me in?”
Elise guessed that the entrance of the guests was being delayed.
Usually, at a banquet, people enter in the order they arrive, but the New Year’s party was different.
Delegations from various countries, royalty, and major guests from Bedrokka made their entrance.
The order of entrance was used as a means for the king to wield the nobility, while considering the delegations from various countries.
The invited guests evaluated people based on the order of entrance.
Whether they have power that can be beneficial, or not.
‘Whether they are people to keep by their side, or not. They will also judge whether it will be helpful for business.’
Elise recalled the time when she was the first among the nobility to enter.
Was it the spring when she was 26?
It was a time that had become either three years ago before regression, or seven years later after regression, and a bitter smile spread across Elise’s face.
“You were here.”
A pleasant voice was heard as Elise was lost in gloomy thoughts.
Then other noises began to be heard.
“Is that the barbarian?”
“You can hear it. It’s the prince. But I thought the rumor was inflated, but he looks fine.”
Elise raised her head at the snide remarks filled with envy and jealousy. Karan extended his hand to her.
“I thought it would be difficult to pick you up at the mansion, so I waited. I thought you would come straight to me, but you’re here.”
Karan paused for a moment and looked around.
Those who met his gaze turned their gaze away and closed their mouths.
A sharp aura flowed from him.
“You’ve been having a hard time.”
As the surroundings quieted down, Karan finished his words.
The hardship Karan spoke of was not simply physical hardship.
Elise slightly smiled as if to relieve his heavy heart and held his hand.
“Just a moment, Your Highness!”
As Karan was about to greet her as he did when they met at the cafe, Elise quickly stopped him.
Karan looked at Elise with a posture that had been bent over.
The two had the same eye level.
“The greeting is done, Your Highness. But why are you here? You don’t have to stand in line.”
Karan was a foreign guest officially invited by Bedrokka.
Naturally, his order of entrance should have been a while ago.
“I told you earlier. I was going to pick you up. I plan to enter with you, but is it uncomfortable for you to enter with me?”
“Enter together?”
“We’re going to get married. I heard that in Bedrokka, people who are going to get married enter together.”
There was nothing particularly formal in the social circle of Tetris.
So Elise did not ask Karan for the formality of Bedrokka.
She also planned to enter the banquet alone.
Entering alone was not only to respect the culture of Tetris, but also for Karan.
‘It’s Karan’s first day revealing himself in Bedrokka. Even if he’s criticized, there’s no need to provoke people deliberately.’
If she entered alone, the focus would be on the gossip of the two, not on Karan.
“Your Highness, I’m fine, so please enter first.”
At Elise’s neat refusal, Karan’s facial muscles stiffened.
“Do you dislike entering with me?”
“Why would I?”
“Are you ashamed of my outfit?”
“No. Not at all.”
Elise strongly denied it. Today, Karan was very splendid.
The formal wear, wherever it was tailored, highlighted his slim but sturdy physique, and his handsome features were clearly revealed one by one, thanks to his forehead being fully exposed unlike usual.
“So it’s because I’m lacking after all.”
He twisted Elise’s meaning.
“Karan, you’re misunderstanding deeply. It’s me who’s lacking for you. The reason I said I wouldn’t enter with you today is…”
“Elise, the only thing I want to hear is ‘I will enter with you.’ If it’s something else, I wish you wouldn’t say it.”
His overly hard stance was unfamiliar.
When Elise didn’t answer, Karan stood by her side, holding her hand.
He even had a relaxed smile, as if waiting wasn’t boring at all.
In the meantime, the line had shortened a bit.
“We’ll be able to enter in about thirty minutes.”
At Karan’s calculation, Elise sighed.
The prince of Tetris was standing in line with those who had no titles and were not heirs to a family.
The choice to enter alone for his sake had turned the result to the worst.
‘It’s the worst. Then I have no choice but to choose the lesser of two evils.’
Elise gently shook Karan’s hand.
Karan, who had been looking ahead, turned his head.
“Let’s go.”
At Elise’s single word, Karan laughed. His splendid smile looked just like a picture.
****
When Elise and Karan appeared in front of the grand banquet hall, there was a moment of silence.
It was like an explicit criticism.
Elise was worried that Karan’s mood would be upset.
But Karan didn’t erase the faint smile on his lips.
Once again, Elise liked Karan’s solid personality.
“His Highness Karan Lisandro of Tetris.”
Haltbin handed the invitation to the administrator managing the entrance.
When the administrator put the invitation into a small box, a flash of light came from inside the box.
The blue light proved that Karan’s invitation was real.
“Please come in, Your Highness.”
When the administrator greeted him politely, the heavy doors of the grand banquet hall opened.
Ten knights in splendid attire raised their swords. The entrance music was played in response to the signal.
People’s gaze was instantly focused on the entrance of the banquet hall.
“We’re quite late.”
Elise spoke calmly, receiving dozens of pairs of eyes.
“Yes, I had some business.”
What could it have been?
He didn’t seem like the type to break promised agreed time.
Noticing Elise’s puzzled gaze, Karan slightly tilted his body.
“The welcome greeting of Tetris was aggressive. I just loosened up a bit.”
Hearing that, she became even more confused. But Elise couldn’t ask him any more.
“It’s been a while, Elise.”
Chase, who had entered first, approached.
Thanks for the wonderful chapter!❤️🔥