Just as Carnan sided with Duke Bronte rather than me at Ray’s inauguration ceremony in the past, so he will side with Hark because it was Hark rather than me that was useful to Carnan.
“In the end, I won, so that’s enough. Nereus also bowed his head in front of me.”
“You could have been in big trouble! It hasn’t been long since you hurt your arm. To be honest, the princess is someone who does not need to focus on swordsmanship that much. You don’t even have to try to beat the prince! Knight Stefan is also protecting us.”
Clara took a deep breath.
I paused for a moment, then smiled bitterly.
“Yes.”
I don’t have to work that much.
Before I knew it, I had to defeat Nereus again with the sword and defeat Ray. But When I first returned, I deliberately did not raise my sword. It was because I was afraid that I would harm Ray with that power again after I had developed my strength.
However, I forgot that I immersed myself in swordsmanship to protect myself from kidnappers.
I’m so excited because It was so much fun.
“There is no point in winning.”
What am I going to do to win?
To defeat Ray again and become an emperor? Or am I jealous of Julia and trying to make Theon suffer?
To sell my soul and to be greedy?
I looked down at my hands.
“All of a sudden, I want to be the best again…”
I realized.
Have I been blinded by greed again?
“I will not hold the sword for a while.”
If it was for personal protection, the current skills were sufficient. I don’t need to sharpen my sword anymore. I don’t have to beat anyone.
“You thought well, Princess.”
Clara patted me on the shoulder.
Tok-tok!
Then someone knocked on my room.
Clara stopped combing my hair for a moment, then opened the door and looked outside.
“Oh! Master Ethan?”
“I heard that the princess was injured.”
Ethan’s voice was more urgent than usual.
“Are you worried about the princess?”
Clara is moved by Ethan’s arrival.
He is as beautiful as he looks.
“The princess is okay.”
Then Clara looked at me.
“Come in, Ethan.”
Afraid of losing my permission, Ethan walked in a little faster and looked at me.
“Are you really okay?”
Ethan’s forehead was distorted in a beautiful curve.
“There are no injuries, just because of the water spirit…”
I smiled bitterly as she spoke.
‘If the spirit’s power fades like that, Ubera will soon be taken over by Hark.’
I defeated Nereus, but he will inherit the throne because he can deal with spirits, and I…will become nothing.
No one will look for me.
Then, a gentle hand slipped my hair down behind my ear.
“you are hurt.”
When I looked up, Ethan suddenly knelt down and looked up at me in the chair. He took my hand, which was nestled on my lap.
“You’ve been like this before. In the infirmary room of this palace.”
Infirmary room. It happened when Theon came to play here without me noticing.
“You say it’s okay with a face that’s not okay at all.”
Ethan pointed to the mirror.
I had a very strange face in the mirror. I felt angry and about to cry, but at the same time, I was trying to be expressionless.
I knew this face well. Before returning, the face I met every time I looked in the mirror. That face is too ugly to even look at. I hated it the most.
I’ve been fine for a while, but why is my face like this again?
I turned my head away from the mirror, I Don’t want to see my face.
I bit my lip, and Ethan stood up.
“Princess, do you know how to play the violin?”
He changed the subject a little awkwardly.
“violin…?”
“Yes. A violin.”
When I asked the question, he smiles.
“I don’t know how to play an instrument.”
I, who had no hobbies other than swordsmanship, had no knowledge of art.
The nobles tended to learn one or two musical instruments, but Carnan was not interested enough to teach me an instrument, and I was not interested in it, so there was nothing to learn.
Ethan, on the other hand, was quite good at piano and violin. When he sat down in front of the piano, people gathered around him in an instant. When the ladies sang songs, he accompanied them on the piano or violin, expanding his personal connections.
‘Everyone was anxious to ask Ethan for an accompaniment.’
“Then do you like listening to the violin?”
“I don’t hate it.”
I didn’t know anything about music to say that I liked it, so I answered in a straightforward way.
“Then would you like to hear me play?”
Ethan smiled softly and brought a violin from somewhere.
The violin concert started so suddenly, and Ethan was so enthusiastic that I couldn’t stop him.
He put the violin to his chin and naturally put the bow on it. After touching the strings a few times and adjusting briefly, he looked at me as if to confirm.
“You will be surprised to hear it.”
With him, the bow glided over the strings of the violin. A gentle melody flowed from his fingertips. Whispers as light and sweet as birds chirping.
The sight of Ethan with his eyes down and playing the violin was as beautiful as the melody he created.
The music from one violin suddenly changed the atmosphere of the room completely. It felt like I had to run around the room dancing and clapping and singing.
Ethan’s finger on the string moved quickly and smoothly for the upbeat atmosphere. I soon fell in love with Ethan’s performance. It was enough to forget the depression just now.
When the performance was over, I happily applauded Ethan, and Clara gave enthusiastic praise. Stefan also gave a small clap. Ethan smiled and bowed his head toward the audience.
“It seems that Master Ethan is a violin genius!”
Clara, although not aristocratic, had worked in the court and heard the violin several times. Ethan’s skills were not inferior at all compared to the musicians.
At such a young age, you can already play at a professional level.
“Right. That’s great, Ethan.”
I nodded at Clara’s words. He was younger than Ethan I met before returning, but His skills were similar to those back then.
Wouldn’t you be thinking of calling him a prodigy at this point?
“If you praise me like this, I can’t help but play the next song.”
Ethan smiled and put the violin back on his shoulder.
The next song he played was <Wave of Spring>.
Unlike before, the soft and warm melody tickled my ears.
But then.
Tok-tok!
Ethan stopped playing when someone knocked on my door.
“Princess Dorothea Milanaire.”
a rather stubborn voice.
“May I come in?”
It was Nereus.
At that moment, I made eye contact with Ethan. Ethan was a ‘non-existent man’ who did not intentionally greet Hark.
“Is it that person? The person who hurt the princess.”
Ethan put down his violin and asked quietly. His eyes were as cold as ice. It was a dangerous look.
I had a gut feeling that Ethan and Nereus should not meet.
“Ethan, just hide.”
“….”
“Hurry!”
I pushed Ethan behind the curtain.
“Princess?”
Nereus’ voice asked again from outside.
“Wait!”
While Clara took the time for me, I told Ethan to hide behind the curtain, putting my index finger to my mouth to tell him to be quiet. Then I put a large Stephan in front of the curtain so that Ethan was out of sight.
After hiding Ethan, I winked at Clara. Then Clara opened the door to Nereus.
“What’s going on, Prince?”
Clara’s voice to greet Nereus was different from when she met Ethan.
“I think she is injured.”
“Prince!”
The maid behind Nereus noticed Nereus’ blunt voice. King Hark, who learned of this incident, must have sent him to apologize.
“Fortunately, our princess is very healthy. Is that all you need?”
Clara said proudly, blocking the door.
Then Nereus looked at Clara.
“Wait a minute, I’m here to talk to the princess.”
Nereus pushed Clara and strode inside.
I, who was sitting on the sofa, looked at him with sullen eyes.
“What’s going on?”
I asked without getting up.
Nereus looked down at me with his mouth shut. The brief silence was a tense battle of flags.
When I didn’t blink an eye, Nereus slowly opened her mouth.
“Nothing was seriously injured.”
“Please state what your business is to come here.”
I didn’t want to talk long with him.
“I apologize for what happened. I used too much power on ordinary people who can’t even handle spirits.”
The reluctant apology, he did not give up his pride until the very end.
“It’s okay. No one was seriously injured.”
I was about to add, ‘I’m the one who won anyway?’
But it’s no use trying to win again.
“The apology is done, so it’s good to go back.”
There was no intention to bring Nereus to his knees, and there was Ethan, too, so I tried to send him back quickly.
Nereus bit his lower lip and sarcastically, opened his mouth again.
“I wanted to invite you to tea time as an apology.”
A look of reluctance was evident on Nereus’ face. This was also ordered by the king of Hark.
“I’m a little tired, so I want to rest until dinner.”
“My father personally invites you, Princess. The Duke of Bronte will also be present.”
If it was King Hark’s invitation, it was a business, not a private tea time. I have no intention of having tea time with Nereus, but I can’t refuse the king’s invitation.
I came here to do that.
I sighed inwardly.
I wanted to do well, but it felt like it was getting more and more complicated.
“I see…Clara.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Clara glared at Nereus as she lightly geared up for tea time.
“By the way.”
While I was getting ready for tea time, Nereus opened his mouth, turning his eyes to the room for a moment.
“Did you just play the violin?”
* * *
