Chapter 157

It's all due to the indecisive emperor making such a decision. However, even if he had not been chosen as the Crown Prince, Akshetra would not have left him alone. Akshetra knew that her mother had tried to kill Julius as soon as he was born. Right from the start, Julius and Akshetra weren't compatible.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, I was thinking about the Princess. I heard that she's a very scary person."

Just the news of her arriving here made my shoulders feel stiff. I felt my fingertips turn cold. It was the tension before meeting the main villain in the original novel and also the person who planned all the terrible things in Acrab.

As if he had noticed my stress, Kaichen said briskly, "Well, she is someone that shouldn't be underestimated."

"Have you ever met her?"

"Yes."

"How is she? Is she beautiful?"

"I can't guess what she thinks."

If Kaichen found her intimidating, she must really be something. Taking a deep breath, I tried to picture Akshetra in my mind. "So, is she beautiful?"

"Is that important?"

"It is! Because I'm worried."

"She is... pretty, I guess."

"Hmm..." My eyes narrowed. I couldn't believe Kaichen found her pretty. If that was so, then princess Akshetra was bound to be formidable in all aspects. Because Lamia Sorel hadn't even caught the attention of Kaichen but if Akshetra was considered 'pretty' even for Kaichen...

My stomach churned. I know I asked the question and I should have been prepared for the answer but it still made me feel bitter. I scowled and kept my mouth shut.

Kaichen tilted his head and looked at me. "Why are you so upset?"

"I am not upset."

"The scowl on your face tells a different story. Tell me."

As I pursed my lips, I heard a laugh. I felt pathetic because he was teasing me. I sighed and brushed at the hem of my dress. "Did you think she was pretty when you saw her?"

"No."

"Then how do you know that she is pretty?"

"I added all the faces of the women I've seen so far, then decided that she was on the prettier side."

"..."

"I thought you'd keep asking."

I just couldn't believe my ears that he compared her to all the women he had met before and decided she was pretty! What the hell is this?! I knew he was a magic freak but Kaichen sometimes really says crazy stuff. Does he think he can calculate everything like a magic formula? I felt a little depressed.

A shout announced the arrival of Princess Akshetra.

So, I can finally see her. To survive, to complete this novel and to live peacefully, I just have to defeat the main villain. Because whether it is animation, novel, manga, or real life, the flow of the story is already set.

The sound of heels echoed through the banquet hall. The cold silence enveloped the hall. The first thing I saw was a silver dress that gave off a mysterious aura which was barely visible to others. Because of the halter-neck style dress, her pretty shoulder line was visible, and the rich blue hair was tied up and fixed with corsage very elegantly. Akshetra clearly was elegantly beautiful which was never excessive.

It's not too flashy... But it's not too plain either. Above all, her power and dignity were apparent. She had the same hair color as Julius, but her appearance was completely different, and unlike him who looked a little easy, Akshetra's cold expression overwhelmed the audience. The man who calmly escorted her was also surprisingly handsome, but he was somewhat overshadowed by Akshetra's indomitable presence. He must be Asta, the aide of the princess whom I had only heard rumors about.

Her blue eyes looked around. Her sweeping gaze stopped abruptly where I stood. Our eyes met. She looked me in the eye and her lips curled up in a smile.

I flinched. A chill ran down my spine. Perhaps she sensed my uneasiness because her smile grew deeper. She slowly turned and walked towards Julius.

It must be a coincidence... I looked at Akshetra's back, unsettled. No matter how much I tried to convince myself, I knew it wasn't a coincidence. Akshetra had looked for me after entering the banquet hall. She had smiled at me as though evaluating me. It seemed as though she already knew about me. It gave me goosebumps. I lowered my head and rubbed my arms to warm them.

"Are you cold?" asked Kaichen.

"N-No."

I'd rather be cold than unsettled like this. People getting chills and goosebumps had seemed like just fictional tropes used in novels and cartoons because I had never felt that way. Maybe because I had never seen Julius very serious even if he was the Crown Prince. Only Kaichen had been the one who had ever made me feel chilly. I had thought it was because he was special to me but...

Akshetra was different. The chilliness was a human instinct. It was like a warning that she was dangerous. Just eye contact had made me so scared even though I had overcome my fears a long time ago.