“…Are you nervous?”

“A little, yes.”

“A true man should enjoy events like this.”

… That’s a bit sexist.

I looked at Ashillya as she spoke.

She had changed her makeup and outfit and sat with her legs crossed, looking at me. She wore a dress similar to mine, in a wine color with black patterns. Her ample bosom and snow-white skin were on full display in the dress, making it difficult to know where to look.

Ashillya saw me slyly avoiding her gaze. She gave me a small smile, resting her elbow on her knee and cupping her chin as she stared intently at me.

“You should be more confident. You’re courting the Crown Princess, after all.”

“… You’re going too far with the jokes.”

“You think I’m joking?”

Suddenly, I met Ashillya’s red eyes. I couldn’t discern the emotions swirling in them, but it was easy to guess she wasn’t being sincere. After all, someone of her standing wouldn’t fall for me so quickly.

“I am joking.”

As Ashillya spoke with a playful smile, I let out a small sigh and averted my gaze. My instincts kept drawing my eyes to a certain ample, snow-white area. Ashillya seemed to notice my thoughts and leaned back in her chair.

“Don’t be so tense. There’s still plenty of time before I make my entrance.”

Ashillya was the star of this banquet. Naturally, she would be the last to enter, even after the Emperor himself. I had heard about this beforehand.

‘…This shows just how much His Majesty the Emperor fully supports Ashillya.’

Through even these small actions, he was demonstrating his support for Ashillya’s claim to the throne. As someone waiting, it was excruciating.

Knowing Ashillya’s personality, she wasn’t the type to criticize or get upset at me for relaxing, but the issue was that we were inside the Imperial Palace.

Although not palpable, Ashillya and I were not the only ones here. Many people were likely observing us from the shadows, so I had to be careful of every action.

With a stifling feeling, I let out a long sigh and briefly lifted my head, closing my eyes. I wasn’t trying to fall asleep, but rather clear my head.

***

“Presenting the eldest son of Marquis Bimela, Hellicion de Bimela, and the eldest daughter of Earl Degorsis, Pamela Jean Degorsis!!”

The knight guarding the banquet hall entrance announced in a booming voice. Eyes turned to witness the entrance of the eldest daughter of the renowned Earl Degorsis family and the son of the prestigious Marquis Bimela family.

Pamela looked around the banquet hall with an innocent, cute face. Hellicion led Pamela with a leisurely smile. Despite appearances, Pamela was inwardly frowning and sighing repeatedly.

‘This is so annoying…!’

Pamela’s original plan was to enter the banquet hall quickly. Entering late with this man would only make others suspect their relationship. However, at Hellicion’s insistence, they made a late entrance, immediately drawing various gazes, just as expected.

Of course, she had no choice but to comply with Hellicion’s demand. His help was desperately needed for her to attend this banquet.

“Let’s go this way.”

Hellicion led Pamela around without regard for her will, making her scream internally.

‘He has no consideration at all…!’

This was precisely why Hellicion was excluded from Pamela’s priorities despite being the eldest son of a prestigious Marquis family. In addition to acting selfishly, he treated women like trophies. No matter how powerful his family was, his ruined character made him no less than a disaster to Pamela.

Of course, she had no choice but to accompany that disaster. Moreover…

“…Both the eldest daughter and son of the Degorsis family are attending?”

“How unexpected.”

Hearing the whispers around them, Pamela forced herself to keep her head up and smiled.

‘Don’t forget.’

Reminding herself of why she came here, Pamela steeled herself. She flashed a smile at Hellicion, who was eyeing her lecherously.

“…Mmm!”

Right now, she had to play along. Right now, she had to defer to him. Right now… Right now…

Enduring with those words, Pamela accompanied Hellicion around the banquet hall, greeting aristocrats he was acquainted with.

“Nice to meet you. I am…”

‘Not him.’

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Degorsis.”

‘Not him either.’

“It’s been a while, Lady Degorsis…”

‘Definitely not him!!’

Seeing the faces of the people they met, Pamela screamed internally again.

In truth, the nobles Hellicion knew were likely all cut from the same cloth as him. Pamela knew this, but the issue was that she had no one else to rely on besides Hellicion. That’s why she accompanied him, trying to find a decent connection amidst it all, but…

As expected, she couldn’t find anyone who met her strict criteria.

“Haa…”

At some point, Hellicion had abandoned her to chat with his friends. Pamela let out a small sigh as she stared at his back.

‘This is so irritating…’

She never thought it would be easy. However, when she realized it was harder than she imagined, she felt all the strength drain from her body.

Pamela gazed blankly at the banquet hall interior.

Everyone looked happy except her. People were laughing and chatting merrily. As she observed them absentmindedly, she was startled by a loud voice and turned to look.

“…Presenting Her Highness the Crown Princess, Ashillya Philippe Hamen Urlas, and the second son of House Astria… Felix von Astria!!”

“…Felix?”

It was the Crown Princess’s entrance, the banquet’s final event. Upon hearing the familiar name announced after the Crown Princess, Pamela unknowingly gaped as she stared in that direction.

It was a picturesque scene.

Ashillya appeared, her snow-white hair glistening brilliantly, her jewel-like red eyes sweeping over the crowd. She revealed her unchangingly beautiful appearance with her usual cold expression.

By her side was a man Pamela knew very well.

With fiery red hair and deep black eyes, he was someone she always considered quite handsome, but his appearance today was different.

The light, subtle makeup and well-styled hair further enhanced his looks.

At the same time, the two wore what seemed like matching formal attire. The dress and suit, in a deep wine color embroidered with black patterns, made them look like paintings as they appeared together.

Pamela found herself enraptured by the sight of them.

Ashillya, who became the Crown Princess today, and Felix, who was escorting her. Seeing the two of them evoked an irrepressible feeling of inferiority in Pamela.

“…So this is why he refused.”

A few days ago, when Pamela had asked Felix first, she now understood why he indirectly rejected her.

Even to her own ears, her voice sounded self-deprecating and lonely, making Pamela shudder.

What was this?

Pamela herself didn’t know why her voice came out this way. If she acted like this, wouldn’t it seem like she had feelings for Felix?

With an empty laugh, Pamela shook her head from side to side but still took in the sight of them.

She envied Ashillya’s confident appearance as she naturally accepted Felix’s escort and crossed the banquet hall. Biting her lower lip, Pamela finally whipped her head around and took a step.

No, she tried to take a step.

“…Pamela.”

At the sound of that familiar voice, her foot stuck to the ground as if glued.

A chill ran through her body. Trembling with goosebumps, Pamela unknowingly clenched her fists and slowly turned her head toward the source of the voice.

There, that man stood.

The middle-aged man with violet hair and features identical to Pamela’s was looking at her with emotionless eyes.

“…Father.”

At his voice demanding a response, Pamela forcibly opened her mouth and addressed her father. The head of House Degorsis asked, still with indifferent eyes:

“Why are you here?”

“…I came with a friend.”

Standing before her father, Pamela swallowed dryly, feeling herself shrink.

“If you’re thinking of doing anything foolish, you’d best give up on it.”

The head of House Degorsis gave that cold warning as he looked down at Pamela, and she bit her lip.

Normally, she would have let it go without a word. She knew very well how stupid it was to go against him, against her father.

But perhaps it was because she saw Ashillya. Maybe it was because she witnessed with her own eyes how Ashillya had overcome it all, unlike herself.

Defiance welled up inside Pamela.

“Why…?”

“…”

“Are you going to kill me too, like you did my mother?”

The moment she voiced her defiance, Pamela instantly regretted it, but words couldn’t be taken back once they were spoken.

At the same time, upon hearing those words, the eyes of the head of House Degorsis turned icily cold.