Earl Degrosis’ expression turned cold as he looked at Pamela.

“You’d better watch your mouth.”

“……”

Pamela instinctively flinched at his appearance, and frustration welled up at the sight of herself trembling. Still, there was nothing she could do but glare at him.

The father and daughter, whose relationship could not be considered normal, silently looked at each other.

“The reason I’m keeping you alive is…”

[To all the nobles who attended my banquet, I welcome you.]

As Earl Degrosis was about to speak to Pamela, Ashillya’s voice rang inside the banquet hall.

At the same time as her magically amplified voice resounded, the lights inside the banquet hall went out, and only the place where she was standing was illuminated, drawing everyone’s attention there.

Ashillya looked around at the crowd with calm, subdued eyes.

“… Let’s talk again later.”

At Earl Degrosis’ words, spoken with a small click of his tongue, Pamela turned her gaze away without answering. Earl Degrosis’s expression twisted at the sight, but Pamela did not turn her head.

“Insolent thing.”

As his footsteps slowly faded after his cold rebuke, Pamela bit her lower lip tightly.

[I invited so many of you to the banquet to celebrate my appointment as the Crown Princess… and to commend the loyal subjects who helped make it possible.]

A small ripple rose above Pamela’s dark eyes. However, she forcibly suppressed it, exhaled deeply, and looked at Ashillya in the spotlight.

[First, the Astria family.]

At Ashillya’s call, the families near the platform where she was standing smiled.

People reacted differently toward them. Most congratulated them, while some envied them. Pamela, watching that ordinary sight from a distance, lowered her head.

[All of this was possible because of you. For this, I express my deep gratitude to you.]

Pamela turned her steps as if she had fallen into a different world.

Although she had come here to achieve something, at the same time, her shoulders were heavy with the poignant realization of her current position.

Only deep despair had taken hold of her.

***

“Phew…”

“Haha, were you that nervous?”

“Of course… this is my first time doing something like this.”

When I spoke to Ashillya’s playful question while looking around at the others, she looked at me without holding back her bursting smile.

It hurt my pride to think that gaze seemed somehow cute, but it wasn’t something I could nitpick about.

Until just a moment ago, Ashillya had shown the cold, aloof dignity of the next Empress, but now she was just sitting leisurely and looking down at the banquet hall with a noble air.

“… Won’t you go inside the banquet hall?”

As I absentmindedly watched Ashillya’s side profile with a small smile, I suddenly became curious and asked her.

After looking at the banquet hall with red eyes, she turned her gaze to meet my eyes at my question.

“Why do you think I should enter?”

“Well, because all the people in power are gathered there, right?”

Everyone from the nobles currently supporting the Empire to the heads of families who would help in the future gathered in this banquet hall.

No matter how much Ashillya had already been appointed as the Crown Princess, I thought ignoring them all wasn’t a good idea.

Ignoring them was no different from what Leonhardt had done.

However, Ashillya smiled slightly at my words and shook her head.

“It’s not for me to seek them out.”

“……”

“They should be the ones seeking me out.”

Ashillya, who had been spinning a luxurious wine glass in her hand, which an attendant had given her, now savored the taste of the wine, smelling its aroma.

As I was inwardly exclaiming at her every movement, which exuded elegance, Ashillya continued with a playful smile.

“Moreover, I can’t move recklessly when my partner is so timid.”

“…Oh, do I have to move together with you?”

“Of course.”

“……”

“For today, you are my partner, are you not?”

I awkwardly accepted Ashillya’s playful smile and inwardly took a long breath as I picked up the wine glass beside me.

Even I, who knew little about wine or alcohol, could only gasp in admiration at the fragrance of the excellent wine as I looked down at the banquet hall following Ashillya.

“…Huh?”

As I was looking around the banquet hall, I couldn’t help but blink slowly as I discovered something.

‘…Sylvia?’

For some reason, Sylvia, who should have stayed at the academy, was inside the banquet hall. Next to her was Cain.

‘Already?’

In the original novel, there was no event around this time when Sylvia and Cain attended such a banquet.

So I thought Sylvia would spend time with Helena at the academy this time…

‘When did they become so close?’

Except for a few unusual situations.

In other words, except for situations like mine, the meaning of a partner at such a banquet is simple.

A fiancé who has promised a future together or a girlfriend to share the future with.

A man and a woman attending such a formal banquet together was similar to announcing to others that they each had such a partner.

Knowing that fact, Sylvia must have been shocked when Ashillya proposed to escort me. But now she was attending the banquet with Cain.

Was there an event for them to become this close…? After pondering for a moment, I chuckled and shook my head.

‘No need to think about the original work.’

The original had already been quite twisted with Leonhardt’s exile. So, it wouldn’t be strange if they got closer in proportion to that.

Moreover, it wouldn’t be bad if the relatively sane and rational Cain and Sylvia got together.

All I wanted to do now was…

‘I’ll tease Sylvia and Cain later.’

That was it.

Thinking such thoughts and smiling happily, I stiffened my face at the sound of Ashillya’s voice.

“Felix.”

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“How about focusing only on me today? As my partner, it doesn’t seem good to be spacing out while looking at other ladies, does it?”

“That’s not it… I’ll be careful.”

At Ashillya’s point, I closed my mouth, slightly bowed my head, and let out a small sigh as I saw the subtle smile on her face.

“It’s a joke, but don’t take it as one.”

After all, just by me participating as the Crown Princess’s escort, looking at other women could lead to unfavorable rumors.

Of course, we weren’t in such a relationship, and I wasn’t spacing out while looking at other women.

But who knew what it would look like to others?

Taking Ashillya’s playful yet serious warning to heart, I savored the wine with her.

“By the way, I know you’re the son of the Astria family… but how are your dancing skills?”

“…Dancing skills?”

“Yes, your dancing skills.”

…How good was Felix’s dancing?

Searching through my memories, fortunately, I could find the memory related to that right away.

“I received all the education nobles should when I was young. I don’t think I’m… clumsy.”

In the first place, someone who wields a sword shouldn’t be clumsy, but using the body and dancing are separate actions. Pitch, rhythm, and even the partner.

Only when everything moves in harmony can a dance be completed.

In that sense, I think Felix’s dancing skills were tolerable.

At my words, Ashillya’s red eyes drew a long arc. Anyone could see she looked delighted, and I couldn’t help but tremble unknowingly.

Her outfit had an overwhelming destructive power, and her expression now was as if she had caught something fun.

“Why do you look so scared? There’s no need to be afraid.”

“…Why would you ask about it?”

Despite Ashillya’s words that there was no need to be afraid, I couldn’t easily let go of my fear.

While recalling Felix’s memories, I simultaneously recalled something else. Seeing my tense appearance, Ashillya, still smiling brightly, slowly lowered her wine glass and leaned her upper body toward me.

Because of the deep cleavage visible under the bright red wine-colored dress, I had no choice but to fix my gaze on Ashillya’s eyes. I couldn’t help but exhale deeply at the sound of her soft voice.

“Because such a banquet cannot be without dancing, can it?”

“…”

“You and I must also participate, of course.”

As Ashillya approached, the thick scent of cherries emanating from her pierced my nose.

When I thought that the cherry scent, which seemed to be her body scent rather than an artificial scent like perfume, wasn’t so bad, Ashillya, who had moved away again, grinned.

It was a somewhat dangerous and thrilling smile.