After the award ceremony, the celebratory banquet followed. Everyone had good stamina. They participated in fox hunting and enjoyed the banquet as if they had only waited for this time.
I was the only one with poor physical strength, so I wanted to return immediately. But there was one last thing left to do. If I finished that, I would be free from my duties for the time being.
I couldn’t see Sir Shubart or the men he put in for surveillance. One thing that worried me was about the fact I made eye contact with the empress a lot right after the award ceremony. I asked Valery repeatedly to prevent him from giving me the fox statue, but strangely I made a lot of eye contact with her. It was the same as saying she constantly watched me even though I didn’t do anything that stood out enough to catch her eyes. Fortunately, after the banquet was ripe, she left first, but it was true that I was a little uncomfortable.
I picked out the strongest drink from the table. I didn’t drink often, but getting a little drunk today was okay. No, I mean, it would be good if I looked drunk. I drank one glass in a hurry and grabbed another. I must have had five glasses, greeting people as they came and went and roughly answering the occasional approaches from the men.
“Oh my, who is this?”
Someone approached me in a high tone, startled.
I heard Ellabrihi Hemel had been married for two years and had become pregnant. Now she was expecting her baby soon. So I thought that no one would know me except Juri or the Princes, but I guess I was wrong. As soon as I turned my head, I smiled.
“Meri.”
“It’s really Blake.”
She opened her mouth wide. Then, she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hands as if it was too wide open.
“I haven’t seen you in a long time. You suddenly left without even saying goodbye.”
“You left? To where?”
I explained to Meri Delphon as I did to others. In fact, our closeness was less than Ellabrihi with me, so I thought if we met again, we wouldn’t be close to each other. But it seemed I was the only one who thought so.
“I see. No wonder. When I sent an invitation, it came back. I thought I had made a mistake. I didn’t know there was such a situation.”
“I also went suddenly, to the point I couldn’t tell anyone. So it was tough to come back.”
Meri began to pour out her words rapidly as if meeting an old friend of hers. From fashionable dresses to accessories, even scandals from people I didn’t know. Later, as if she was out of breath, she let out a big sigh and quenched her throat.
“A lot has been going on. The place I went to was really secluded, so I had to wait a month to get a tailored dress. I packed up only a little, so I had to wear the same dress.”
“A month? So you wore the same dress until then? Oh my God.”
“But it was really quiet.”
“You must have been very frustrated. It’s nice to be back, right?”
“Of course. I can see Meri too.”
I talked to Meri Delphon for nearly an hour. I was mostly the listener, so it was Meri talking, but my face turned red as time passed. Then, Meri Delphon said, “Oh my,” and her eyes widened.
“Can you give me some of your time?”
I turned my head back to the sound of a low-pitched voice. It was Valery who said he would be back after reporting something to the emperor.
“Greetings to the Prince.”
Meri Delphon glanced alternately between Valery and me.
“Let’s meet and talk later, Blake.”
“Alright. I had fun today, Meri.”
I smiled at Meri, who poked my ribs and whispered in my ear. Valery also looked at Meri as she walked away, smiling broadly at someone, then turned his head toward me.
“…”
“What are you thinking?”
Looking up at him, Valery asked, holding out the low-alcohol sparkling wine he had brought. It was like a sweet drink compared to the alcohol I had just drunk.
“I think it’s cool.”
“Do you mean me?”
“Yes. If I had to choose the coolest person I’ve ever seen, it would be the prince.”
Then he coughed a little.
“Did I do something worthy of praise?”
I swallowed my laugh and talked. Now it felt like we were back to the first time we met.
“You did me a favor.”
“Is there anything else you want from me?”
“Are you going to listen to everything?”
“Will you believe me if I say so?”
I laughed short again.
“You’re a reliable person.”
“What generous praise today.”
“Actually, I wanted to say thank you very much today. I heard from the first prince that you had an order from the emperor. Even so, you kept your promise.”
Looking into his eyes, my gaze slowly descended to his nose, mouth, chin, neck, then collarbone. He looked at me with a slight smile when I looked up again.
“If it is for your safety, I will do it again.”
How far does this man know? Come think of it, I never mentioned my real name. Even though he knew I wasn’t Blake Ariandel but Lucellai Rudbihi’s daughter when I disappeared. Perhaps there was also a time when he couldn’t believe me. And I knew that his actions spoke volumes about his decision.
How can a person like someone this much without conditions? What did I do? I still didn’t understand, but Valery was much better than the first prince to be imprinted.
I would never use that power. If I said I would accept his heart and told him I liked him, he would give me his heart as much as that power could do. Oddly enough, I was convinced.
As midnight approached, people were busy enjoying the food prepared and drunk. It had been a long time since the eyes that constantly felt half of the wariness and half of the curiosity were scattered.
I staggered as I reached for his hand. To make it look like I was drunk in other people’s eyes.
“Ah.”
“Are you okay?”
Valery certainly supported me.
I smiled, leaning up slightly.
“Actually, I drank some earlier. I was thirsty because I was in the crowd for a long time.”
“You’d better get some fresh air.”
I nodded at his words.
He took me out of the banquet hall. I thought we would go straight to the terrace, but just like the last banquet, he brought me to the private lounge very politely, unlike back then. He sat me on the bed for a while, then pulled back the curtains and opened the balcony door.
“Come here.”
He came up again and held out his hand. I grabbed his hand and got up, and headed to the balcony. I felt the cool night air.
“I feel much better.”
“Everyone seems to enjoy it, so there are quite a few people outside.”
“You saw it on the way?”
“Yes, and I thought you’d like to be quiet.”
Soon someone knocked on the door.
When Valery left the balcony and opened the door, a servant brought water. Valery received the tray and closed the door again. When did he order to bring the water?
“You will feel much better.”
“Thank you.”
I was barely drunk, but when the cool water passed my throat, I felt even my slight drunkenness disappear.
“Ah.”
“Are you feeling sick?”
“No, that’s not it. I haven’t received the fox statue yet.”
His eyes grew a little bigger, and soon he burst into laughter.
“Should I bring it right away?”
When asked, I shook my head again.
“When I go back tomorrow morning. You’re going to stay with me until then, right?”
Then his eyes were shaken even more than he had just been surprised. But it soon turned into a mild fever.
“…Alright.”
“It feels like when you took me to the villa. You were a little cuter back then, though.”
I leaned against the balcony railing. Even though the railing was high and dense, he stuck close to me as if he was worried.
“Are you worried?”
“Because you’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk. Your Highness, can I ask you something?”
“Yes. What are you curious about?”
I turned halfway to face him. He was so tall that I could see his chest if I looked straight at him, but he felt much bigger as he stood beside me.
“That day two years ago.”
“Yes.”
He knew at once what I was talking about.
“You said you had something to tell me when we met. Can I ask about it now?”
