“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, so I think I forgot everything, but when I talk to them, they usually burst into tears.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
“…”
Karnov sighed and said nothing. When Alexei smiled and touched him on the shoulder, Karnov even clicked his tongue. His friend’s laughter increased too much.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Asha turned away from Karnov’s back. After finishing his conversation with Alexei, Karnov went out without even looking at her.
Alexei smiled and tilted his teacup.
“Asha, he is not a man with a bad heart. It’s just that he has a lot of worries.”
“Am I… worried?”
Did they call the look in his eyes that would kill even the royal family if they made a mistake a common worry?
“Anyway! I’m not going to the victory ball.”
“Is it because you’re scared of Karnov? Even if Asha says there is nothing to worry about, I will tell Karnov well.”
“No, no. I’m not going.”
Asha shook her head hard. She knew Karnov wouldn’t kill her right away. Her and Alexei’s relationship wasn’t that bad right now, and according to the original, it wouldn’t be a problem for at least five years.
However, it was not possible to measure when it would sink by removing the boards one by one from the ship.
“Asha, won’t grandfather scold you if you don’t attend the victory ball?”
“But would His Majesty have to kill me?”
Karnov kills! Asha shook her head with a disgusted face. It also bothered her that Karnov’s feelings were not shown at all.
“If you attend the victory ball, I’ll make you two cages.”
“You don’t have to give me any of that!”
“Okay, then three. How about that?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Really?”
“Really!”
Alexei smiled even after hearing that. Asha had a hunch that something was wrong, but she didn’t know how to fix it.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Asha almost had a fit about not going to the victory ball, but Lise didn’t even pretend to hear it. The reasoning was to go out to a place where many people attended and make friends.
Lise succeeded in putting Asha in a party dress, ridiculously overpowering a little girl’s outbursts, like a skinny branch.
And when Lise last came out with her shoes, Asha could see that all this was Alexei’s instigation.
“Look, His Highness sent you new shoes the other day because they didn’t fit you.”
A pair of dainty shoes laid on the palm of Lise’s hand. Roses were embroidered in pale pink on pure ivory silk, and thick ribbons were made with the same color cloth to decorate them.
Lise almost shed tears of emotion, saying that His Highness the Crown Princess personally prepared it for his younger cousin. The shoes fit her feet.
‘Well… then what’s the point.’
Alexei walked, hand in hand, with her to the ballroom, but just before they entered, he was called by the Emperor, saying it was an urgent matter.
As a result?
“In the end, I’ll enter and stand alone at the banquet hall…”
She could hear people whispering all the way from where she was.
“Oh, the one who was left alone in the palace…”
“She’s the only daughter of Prince Yuriev, isn’t she? Will the Prince return to the palace now?”
“How can he come back with that temper?”
“But his daughter is alone…”
“Even if she is not a daughter. She’s a chance to win the lottery…”
“If he was that kind of person, he wouldn’t have thought of leaving when the Crown Prince died in the first place.”
“I heard that Sir Nellin is going back to work this time, but he’s not talking about his granddaughter.”
‘Look at this. Look at this. That’s why I didn’t want to come.’
Asha stood standing like a barley straw in the corner of the victory ballroom. Originally, “Princess Anastasia” meets a lot of friends here to fill her lonely heart.
It’s a matter of course. She signed a spirit with such a brilliant appearance and was the second imperial grandchild left by the Emperor in the Imperial Palace. However, it was not the case for the current “Asha.”
There were people who often approached and spoke to her. It was either thoughtless or heartless.
She was getting hungry. It was time for Asha to make a small decision and call the attendant and ask him to bring a small canapé.
“…now… The show is here…”
“He’s here!”
“I think an ominous presence is coming here.”
“He’s a war hero, watch your mouth.”
“Even if that’s not the case, be careful if you want to remain wealthy…”
“He left and neither mouse nor bird were aware…”
“The Emperor’s favor is also unique. The current Duke of Sedvoyer is more of a scarecrow…”
The stillness came from a distance, but in an instant it encroached upon the hall like death. Even the sound of ringing music, glass clashing, and people whispering, laughing and chatting died down.
Before long, Asha could see the protagonist who caused this silence. People opened up like the ebb and flow, paving the way for him to walk.
“Karnov Neustadter…”
People quickly disappeared wherever the purple eyes, filled with slight irritation and annoyance, scanned. Standing next to him was the commander-in-chief she saw at the ceremony a few days ago.
“What is it?”
The reaction of people was a little strange for the war hero, or the main character of the ball, to appear. Just looking into each other’s eyes made her cringe and hold her breath…
“Even if I’m scared of that person, should they be scared?”
It’s because she knew Karnov was going to rush to kill her.
As the commander-in-chief and deputy commander of this war were standing side by side, people ran to greet them, but Karnov disappeared very quickly after everyone said hello.
It was to the point where she wondered if he was forced to come because someone threatened to kill him if he didn’t say hello. After saying hello to them for a while, Karnov turned his head and walked quickly and arrived right in front of her.
Karnov was tall enough to see Asha’s face only when she swallowed and tilted her head. Karnov looked down at her silently for a long time and rolled up one corner of his mouth.
“I see Your Excellency Anastasia.”
It was a simple greeting that only raised its head after bending its arms. Asha looked at Karnov, who suddenly came to him and greeted him, and first raised his skirt to greet him.
<The opportunity has arrived! First, let’s hold hands.>
‘What, what? Why are you suddenly becoming a matchmaker when you’ve only seen Karnov?’
<What nonsense!>
‘Does it make sense to hold hands first all of a sudden?!’
<This is all for the world!>
‘Hold hands with Karnov for the world? If I hold his hand, you’ll tell me to kiss him.’
<Oh? That’s good too…>
“Stop!”
Asha pressed the button on the sleeve and raised her head.
“Uh… hello, Mister Karnov.”
She just called him that way because she couldn’t think of a title, but in an instant, the surroundings were buzzing. Even Karnov raised his eyebrows.
‘What? Did you do something wrong?’
However, Karnov did not particularly point out the title. And then again, silence…
‘Why did you come to me? Did I come here to die?’
Karnov stood by Asha’s side with his greetings and kept his mouth shut up. Others moved away as if drawing a circle around Asha and Karnov.
When the music finally began to play again after a cold silence, Asha held her hands and pondered the topic. What should I talk to a war hero who will try to kill her in the future?
“Well, Alyosha said he’d come a little later. His Majesty called.”
“…I see.”
Since she became close to Alexei, she slightly implied that he didn’t have to kill her in the future, but Karnov was calm.
“Mister Karnov is…”
“Just call me by name.”
“What?”
Asha looked back with an expression on why he suddenly pretended to be friendly, and then closed her mouth when she saw Karnov’s half-dented expression.
I guess I didn’t say it because I wanted to… “Ah!”
The reason he asked to be called by name with a frown on his face was because Asha called the Crown Prince by his nickname. The Crown Prince also called her by a nickname, but he can’t be called by an honorific in front of him.
“Then Karnov, uh… Um… would you like something to eat? Here, I heard that sandwiches with spicy grilled chicken are delicious.”
Asha, who could not endure the awkward silence, tried to chatter, but Karnov had no answer. There’s not even a hint of dislike.
“…If you don’t like spicy food, sweet food? Eggs and turkeys…”
Asha blurted out the end of her speech. Karnov was still silent. But he did look at her. Asha clenched her fists. At this point, fear was diluted and only wonder and dissatisfaction remained.
‘Why the hell did you come to me?’
“I think it would be better for you to leave the palace immediately if His Majesty permits it later.”
“What?”
“I can assure you that everyone who comes to you has a purpose only to take advantage of you.”
After that, Karnov turned his head back to the hall. Asha opened and closed her lips. Karnov went on without looking at her.
“And with me, not being close…”
“So you’re afraid that I’ll have a closer friend than Karnov or Alyosha?”
“…What?”
“It’s only been five minutes since we met. Oh dear.”
“What…”
As Karnov, who was looking out the hall, turned around quickly, Asha was smiling and staring at Karnov.
“If you’re so worried about it. Karnov can be my best friend, right?”
“…I’m not kidding, Princess. And being close to me…”
“Oh, I’m a little ashamed. Hehe. Because I’ve never had a friend before. What do you do when you become best friends? Shall we start with an exchange diary?”
It was the moment when Karnov, who had been silent, finally snorted and opened his mouth to say something.
