Chapter 74

Chapter 74

"Oh..... I'm sorry..... I was in the restroom...... I met Fionel on the way and we went together. I was a little late because I got lost on my way here."

"I've seen you drag Fionel out."

"Then what were you worried about?"

"Fionel came back alone. Even after a long while, you didn't appear."

Even though Selena calmed him with a smile, there was no end to his interrogation. Was it because of the palace where his influence could not be deemed absolute? He was more sensitive than usual.

Although she was wandering in the hallway, Selena was not away from the party for very long. The time she spent drinking was much longer.

Everyone who was paying attention to Selena knew.

Thanks to this, Kalcion was seen as a man who could not bear separation from Selena for a single moment. So apparently, Fionel played a beneficial role in their plan by deliberately taking Selena to a distant restroom and leaving her wandering.

Selena beamed, smiling in the cutest way possible.

"Oh my, were you worried? How is it that you wouldn't let me use the restroom my way, Duke? Besides, it's not like the Duke can accompany me."

"That... I'll come with you."

"Not so sure about that."

Selena giggled, tapping his chest playfully.

He hired Selena only to gain information on his personal case, but through his actions without certain hidden facts, he looked like an impatient man unable to stay away from his lover for a moment. Selena kept giggling at the fact that he wasn't even aware.

"If you're so worried, why didn't you let me stay next to you? It's the Duke's fault for separating me."

"Sigh...... I was with Baron Zion. There was a situation. This won't happen again. And, don't ever act on your own."

"Yes, yes."

Whether she was his mistress or lover, the Duke of North was found to be clinging to her. The fact that she was able to tame him like this led her to claim the nickname of the temptress of the century.

'I wonder if you'd attract more men if you're called the femme fatale.'

Once again, she was reminded of the words Fionel left her with, "Be careful of that man."

Now that she recalled, should she also have been careful with the man she met in the hallway?

The man—like a prince charming on a white horse—came to her rescue in a frightening situation. He looked so handsome that she lost her reason.

"Oh, in the hallway-," she thought she should let Kalcion know before anything happened. But she was interrupted by the servant evoking the atmosphere of the hall.

"His Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived!"

Only the presence of the Crown Prince was needed to start the festival since the King was bedridden due to his dementia.

Her mouth closed after inadvertently eyeing the Crown Prince.

"In the hallway?" Kalcion, who was still carefully listening to Selena, enquired.

"That man."

".......The Prince?"

"We met."

Selena couldn't take her eyes off the Crown Prince, who was shining more brilliantly than he did in the hallway.

".......He's the Crown Prince? No, I'm sure it was him."

"What are you talking about?"

"I met him in the hallway, and he helped me when I lost my way."

"The Prince did?"

Kalcion, who finally understood, turned to the Crown Prince with wrinkles on his forehead.

"That can't be true."

"He was very kind and polite."

"The Prince?"

Kalcion, who was repeatedly looking at Selena and the Prince, opposed again.

"That's impossible."

"Well then, something impossible actually happened."

"There's no way. The person who killed a poor servant just because he couldn't get out of his way to pick up the trash and later accused him of an attempted assassination?"

Selena shook her head the same way as Kalcion in response to his incredible reaction.

"I'm also very flustered right now. He looks so handsome when he talks. If I'd known, I would have tried to dig up something else."

"Handsome?"

"......Huh? Yes."

Kalcion's face was now at maximum discomfort.

"That is called handsome?"

"It doesn't matter if the Crown Prince is trouble, he is handsome."

"Isn't it too impetuous and easy to say that he's handsome? I thought you said I was handsome."

"Yes...... that's true......, but is it something that needs careful consideration?"

Kalcion did not insist on that. However, it was evident that the words, "The Crown Prince is handsome" were making him very uncomfortable.

"The Duke is more handsome."

"......"

She teased because he was getting seriously annoyed, but it worked. The depth of the wrinkles on his forehead quieted down.

"Anyway, it's not a problem that the Crown Prince is handsome. The problem is that I ran into him without any knowledge. I could've died."

As a matter of fact, the Prince did not look as cruel as Kalcion described. Rather, Selena's first impression of him was a charming prince on a white horse. And, he was actually a prince.

'There must be something.'

Kalcion's description of Irelle was completely different from Juna's description. However, with the information she was gaining, Selena began to see why the story had a turning point.

'I'm positive that the Crown Prince has a role to play here.'

However, poking him for information wouldn't do good since she could put her life in danger if she approached him poorly. Could she not return to her world without losing her head in this world?

"What's the difference now that we met each other?"

"At least losing your life would have done less."

She should have suspected him of walking so freely through the sparse palace. Who knew that she would encounter the most likely suspect so easily?

He also said that he was working in the palace. Of course, he would because he was a crown prince. Preparing for the event meant that he was on his way to dress up as a prince.

The gold on his shoulders and splendid accessories over his chest were sparkling under the lights. A sword closely embedded with jewels hung from his waist. He was the only one to carry a sword at this party. That must be one of the privileges of being the crown prince.

People bowed their heads more deeply than when the queen and the princess appeared. The harmonious ripe atmosphere quickly subsided as if the hall was suddenly submerged in water.

Among them, the Crown Prince took slow strides toward the podium like a fish that could never be killed through suffocation alone.

"You must have been very busy. Welcome," The Queen greeted him with a smile.

"With more and more responsibilities on my shoulders. I've gotten used to it."

The Crown Prince replied with a smile the same as hers.

The Queen and the Prince looked almost of the same age. If a stranger saw them together, he could never see them be related as a mother and a child. Rather, it made more sense for them to be depicted as a couple.

The Prince's gaze at his stepmother, who was similar to his age, was cold. Even though she meant no threat to him, he had the utter determination to remove her.

That cold glare Selena noticed disappeared in a moment, and the Crown Prince took his seat.

A servant approached and filled his glass.

Then he raised his glass and began his speech.

"Today is the day to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Arkline Kingdom. Since the time of founding King, Arkline has made remarkable progress. Not to mention, there was a time when Arkline's name was shaken."

His tone was calm as if he was only talking to the person next to him. However, there was none who didn't listen to his every word. That was how powerful he was.

"But that will not be allowed to happen again. Arkline will be reborn as the greatest and most powerful nation in history, and in the process, all those who stand in the way shall be punished."

His speech was already like a King's.

The nobles bowed deeply at the declaration to assure that there would be no tolerance for those who challenged the throne.

The Crown Prince looked back at the people with a satisfied look on his face and shouted briefly.

"Hail Arkline."

All the nobles straightened up and raised their arms high in response to the Prince's words.

"Hail Arkline!"

"Hail Arkline!"

The music returned with a signal of the man's voice, and the frozen atmosphere regained its vitality.

As the Prince said, the event began in earnest, with spectacular and grand performances incomparable to the beginning. Fireworks were also lit outside the hall.

Whenever the fireworks burst into flames out in the sky, cheers were heard even outside the royal palace.

"Guess it's also a festival for people outside."

"Of course. Foundation Day has been the biggest event in the whole kingdom."

The mood inside the hall warmed up even more before the arrival of the prince. Mixed with the sound of laughter, excitement, and dancing steps.

People who were initially clinging to Selena also continued their way of celebrating. Many approached with curiosity.

"By the way, aren't the two of you dancing?"

"Your Excellency has never danced before."

"It's not that His Excellency can't dance, he just doesn't."

Those who burst into laughter were opponents of Selena.

'The Duke doesn't dance, but it doesn't mean he can't.'

The fight should not be ignored. She could ignore it only if her position was much higher than her opponents.

Otherwise, she must deal with it with all her might and eliminate the cause for her opponents to pick up a fight with her.

"I suppose, I did take lessons but I couldn't dance just once, huh?"

Selena shook off Kalcion's arm like she was throwing off a tantrum.

Just in time, a song ended, and people scattered away from the dance floor.

Kalcion reached out his hand, "you can."