Chapter 85

"It is not a difficult request. Unless something special happens, I will definitely go."

"Really? Then I'll be looking forward to it."

At my answer, Ellie smiled very satisfied.

And then she disappeared with her fast footsteps.

Even after Ellie left, there were many people around.

One of them looked at my wrist and said,

"Princess, the bracelet on your wrist is a design I've never seen before. Where did you get it if you don't mind me asking?"

"Yes. I'm curious too. If it's not rude, can you tell us?"

The bracelet was a gift from Elvin on my birthday.

When I first saw it, I thought it was too flashy, but when I put it on, it went well with any outfit.

"I got it from a friend, so I don't know where he bought it. But I heard that there were a lot of good things at Hermes."

"If it's Hermes... Well, the goods there are of great quality. Although the price is high."

"Even if it is expensive, it is well worth the investment if it is worth it. I'll have to go there sometime soon."

I looked at the noble girls talking with excitement.

'I've received so many things from Elvin, so when the opportunity comes, I should give this kind of favor, right?'

After introducing Hermes to the vanity aristocratic girls, the sales would increase to some extent.

Suddenly, I wondered when Elvin's birthday was.

Since I had received a gift on my birthday, I must prepare a return gift.

At that time, the entrance side became noisy.

In an unexpected commotion, I turned my head towards it.

At first, it was obscured by people, so it was hard to see.

But soon, black hair was visible through them, revealing a beautiful face.

It was Elvin.

'Perhaps if I mentioned a tiger, it would come too.'

The people of the Grand Duchy of Croix had come early, but I didn't think he would come because I couldn't see him.

It was quite a surprise.

"Isn't this the first time the Croix has attended such an event?"

"As far as I know, the invitations were sent every year, but they never attend, so I don't know what the wind was blowing."

"Come to think of it, the Young Master of Croix has been attending almost every large banquet recently held. Maybe... is it because of marriage?"

After that, I turned my head and looked at Elvin.

Then I made eye contact with him.

Instead of saying hello, Elvin looked away, pretending not to acknowledge me.

'What...?'

I was the first to draw a line with him, who always approached first to talk to me.

So I shouldn't say anything to his behavior, but somehow I felt sad.

I looked towards Elvin once more and then looked away.

Standing with a clearly expressionless face, he looked cold.

Nevertheless, Elvin has always attracted people's attention.

I didn't know it until now, but now I saw the young girls glancing over there and blushing.

The reason was unknown, but a corner of my heart suddenly became uncomfortable.

"Young Master Croix had already celebrated his coming of age last year. But he's not even engaged yet, so now the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess must have felt nervous."

"I don't think it's for that reason. When did the Young Master ever listen to others?"

The Young Lady, who spoke, looked around for a moment and lowered her voice.

"Honestly, the fact that the Young Master did not have a good relationship with his family was so open that everyone knew. There must be some other reason."

Elvin talked with others without giving a glance to his family.

It was common to be with family, but the way he behaved now made it seem like he was a stranger.

Well, he's always been like that, so it's not surprising.

I glanced towards the Grand Duke of Croix, Elvin's father.

He looked like he was holding back his anger.

The Grand Duchess had a sad face, and Elvin's half-brothers, two young men, had troubled faces.

It may be an illusion, but the expressions on their faces that were hidden in it seemed somehow happy.

Now that I saw it, the relationship between Elvin and the people of the Grand Duchy was worse than I thought.

It seemed that the Croix had a lot of secrets.

"Excuse me for a moment."

I went to the terrace.

Leaning on the railing, I looked down at the garden landscape.

Several people were gathered in a quiet corner of the garden.

It was a group of Claire and Lady Flynn who could not be seen in the banquet hall.

I thought that Claire would definitely come to a big banquet like this.

Moreover, the Crown Prince also attended today's event, so even more so.

I was wondering why I didn't see Lady Flynn earlier, but it seemed that they had gathered here out of sight.

She was watching from behind as people mocked Claire, covering her mouth with a fan.

She looked down at Claire with a dissatisfied expression on her face, but her eyes were full of joy.

"Lady Dana, you look exceptionally simple in your attire today. Unfortunately, no one seems to be giving you a dress anymore."

Someone in the crowd said mockingly.

With that said, I looked at Claire again and realized something different from usual.

Her attire was unusually modest than usual.

After getting close to the Crown Prince, she used to wear expensive dresses for some time, but now her appearance seemed to have returned to the past.

Perhaps I wasn't the only one who thought of that, so another young lady spoke up.

"Everyone is so mean. She looks good in my eyes. Seeing this reminds me of the first time I saw Lady Dana. At the time, I really only thought she was a maid who someone brought."

"Don't be like that. Lady Dana will find a new sponsor sooner or later. I heard that not long ago she received a proposal from Count Percy's son."

"Count Percy's son...Please. No matter how blind you are to money."

The young lady had an astonished face as if she couldn't believe it.

"I've heard that too. She's a Baron's daughter, and if she became a Countess, it would be a step higher in the social world, but unfortunately things went awry and it was canceled. It's sad for her."

"Even so..."

"In my opinion, the Baron made a wise decision. It would have been too late by then if his daughter was getting too old and was abandoned but looking for high places."

Said the young lady, who was lavishly adorned with all kinds of jewels. She folded her fan and brought it to her lips.

Then, with a face full of ridicule, she continued.

"Young Lady, don't be so heartbroken. Sooner or later you will find a new husband again. Well, there is no guarantee that there will be a better person than Count Percy's son at that time."

That was then.

As soon as she finished speaking, a light friction sound resounded.

There was a moment of silence in the place.

The Young lady, who was slapped by Claire, covered her cheek with her palm with a bewildered face.

She seemed unable to comprehend what had just happened to her just now.

"No, how could that be!"

Another young lady exclaimed.

"Young lady. Are you okay?"

"No, how did this happen..."

Everyone present was bewildered and angry.

However, considering the tension of the conversation a while ago, it was not very surprising.

The young lady, who was slapped on the cheek, remained silent, but later became angry.

"How dare you, a Baron's daughter.....do you know who I am!"

The young lady who was hit on the cheek raised her hand to Claire, but the hand did not reach Claire's cheek.

"Young lady. What are you doing now?"

The Crown Prince suddenly appeared and grabbed the young lady's wrist.

"Crown Prince...!"

The young lady whose wrist was caught by the Crown Prince looked astonished with wide eyes.

"What are you all doing? Several against one person."

The Crown Prince asked in a cold voice. There in the open, Claire and her tormentors stood, trembling.

It had nothing to do with me anyway, so I decided to watch it with a light heart.

"Young lady Flynn, did the Marquis teach you to treat guests this way? It's disappointing."

At the Crown Prince's rebuke, Lady Flynn had a face that looked like she was about to cry.

"Your Highness, you are mistaken. This....."

Her face, which had previously looked cruel, has changed to that of a frightened child.

She seemed quite afraid to be hated by the Crown Prince.

Then whether or not this happens in the first place.

Well, in the end, she deserved it.

When Claire met her ally, her eyes reddened as if she was sad.

But in my eyes, she seemed calculative.

The Crown Prince wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

Claire had a pitiful face as she hugged him like a pitiful heroine.

I turned my head and looked at the Crown Prince again.

The young lady, whose wrist was grabbed by him, was pale and scared.

It was clear that her wrist was hurting, but she couldn't even express it properly because she was in front of the Crown Prince.

Perhaps she deserved it, but seeing her being tormented by the Crown Prince and Claire reminded me of Roxana.

Perhaps because it looked familiar, I suddenly felt pity.

Of course, I didn't want to get involved in something that had nothing to do with me.

'I should go back in.'

I looked towards the Crown Prince and he was busy taking care of Claire.

Then he looked up as if he felt my gaze.

It was already too late to dodge, so I faced him proudly.

The Crown Prince's face, who found me, was colored with embarrassment.

To his surprise, he relaxed his hands.

Thanks to that, the young lady's wrist was released.

She wrapped her other hand around her wrist with tearful eyes.

Then the other young girls came to her and comforted her.

The Crown Prince continued to look upward without saying a word, and soon the others noticed something strange.

Claire was the first to notice and raise her head.

She looked at me with amazement, then sneered.

And that smile soon disappeared, and her face turned sad again.

It was a fleeting moment, but I definitely saw it.

A triumphant smile appeared on her face.

There was murmur between the people.

I stayed quiet without making a sound, but it all went to nothing.

However, the reaction of others did not seem to catch the eyes of the Crown Prince.

"Roxana, now this is......"

The Crown Prince looked at me with a sorry face.

I turned around with a cold face.