KFDP Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The banquet didn’t end until nearly midnight.

The emperor and the imperial family left first, followed by Sion and Mostyn, who returned home with their families.

I waited on the steps by the building’s entrance for my coachman. I had told him earlier that if I was delayed, he should keep the carriage away so it wouldn’t get snowed on.

Not long ago, the entrance had been bustling with nobles and carriages leaving, but now it was silent and deserted.

Winter banquets usually began in the afternoon and ended early, so most people returned home sooner. If not for the sudden summons with the emperor, I too would have left early like the others.

“Somehow, I’m the only one left.”

Sion and Mostyn had worried about me being alone and told me to wait inside the powder room until the carriage arrived, but I lightly refused. My cheeks were already a little warm from all the champagne I had downed while talking with the emperor.

I pulled my coat tighter against the cold wind as I stood at the entrance steps. Beyond the road and the gates stretched the central gardens of the imperial palace.

It was a moonless, dark night.

Snow was piling softly beneath the lampposts when I suddenly saw someone walking through the garden.

“At this hour… who could that be?”

The dark silhouette left the garden, crossed the road, and strode up the steps toward me.

The lights from the banquet hall revealed an unfamiliar face.

“Ah, I’m glad I’m not too late.”

The man approached, brushing snow from his shoulders and hair with a bright smile. His muted red hair and clear gray eyes were striking.

I studied him for a moment, then bowed politely.

“Greetings to His Highness Prince Killian Ellerman Decadile. I am Belladi Elton.”

The red-haired man—Killian—blinked once in surprise before bowing back.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Elton. I hadn’t even introduced myself yet, but you recognized me right away.”

“I just happened to hear today that His Highness Killian had returned to the capital.”

Thanks to that, his name had been fresh in my memory.

Besides, Killian was taller than me, even though I was wearing low heels.

Among the nobles in the capital, very few men were taller than me—even my father—and I knew all of their faces.

Above all…

“Red hair is a trait of the imperial family.”

Though the shades varied slightly, the late emperor, the current emperor, the crown prince, and Princess Hera all had red hair.

A tall, red-haired stranger standing before me could only be Killian.

“You have sharp instincts,” Killian said with a charming smile.

His nose and cheeks were tinged pink, likely from being outside for some time.

“If I had known you were attending the winter banquet, I would have come as well. Then we could have spoken sooner.”

His voice was smooth, pleasant to hear.

I slowly blinked at him.

“Do you have some business with me, Your Highness?”

“Not exactly. I simply…”

He extended his hand with elegant grace. I looked at it for a moment before resting my own hand atop his.

Killian carefully brought my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers—a courtly gesture nobles often bestowed upon ladies they admired.

“Even when I was in the Magalan Empire, I wanted to become acquainted with you.”

His gray eyes folded gently as he smiled.

“So I’m truly glad to have met you, even if just briefly like this.”

His thumb brushed lightly over my gloved fingers. The faint tickle made me tilt my head.

“Today really must be something else.”

First Kasper, then the emperor, and now Killian—strangers kept approaching me with their own motives.

And of them all…

“Killian’s intentions are the hardest to read.”

I prided myself on reading people’s hearts.

Yet even I couldn’t easily see through Killian—his mask was thicker than most.

Still, even if his true feelings were hidden, his intentions behind this gesture were all too transparent.

I naturally withdrew my hand from his and spoke.

“This scarf I’m wearing is made from red fox fur.”

Even at my odd reply, Killian only smiled enticingly.

“It suits your eyes very well, Lady Elton.”

“And it suits Your Highness’s hair as well.”

The fur’s hue was close to his hair color.

I stroked the scarf as I continued.

“Red foxes are more cautious than ordinary beasts, and that makes them clever. Sometimes, they even show themselves deliberately to humans.”

“Despite being cautious, they reveal themselves? For what reason?”

“Because after long observation, they’re confident they can deceive their target. Confident they can drink their blood.”

The red fox was a beast mixed with demonic blood. And demons loved human blood more than anything.

“They pretend to be harmless foxes, act endearing, and then bite when their prey lets its guard down. Their hidden fangs are so sharp that people are often gravely injured.”

“How unfortunate.”

“I, however, am quite skilled at hunting red foxes. I can finish them instantly without damaging even a single hair, as you can see from this scarf.”

Just like at the summer hunting competition, when I aimed for the red fox spying on me from a tree.

Killian seemed to realize why I brought up the story. His expression shifted ever so slightly. I smiled neatly at the sight.

Seeing my smile, Killian eventually grinned back.

“Impressive, Lady Elton. Hearing that only makes me want to grow closer to you.”

“I’m honored to hear that, Your Highness.”

I turned my gaze away from him and down toward the snowy road. Just then, my carriage came rolling through the snowflakes.

Killian noticed and asked in a regretful tone, “Are you leaving already?”

The carriage stopped at the entrance. The coachman hurried to open the door.

“It’s late,” I said simply.

“If it pleases you, might we meet again privately? I would regret it terribly if I let you go just like this…”

I turned my head to look at him. The light from the hall cast shadows across his sharp features.

Seeing his fine face, I recalled what Elosha had said during the banquet:

—They say His Highness Killian was quite the womanizer back in the Magalan Empire.

I could believe it.

Had I not been aware of my past life, or had I not grown accustomed to Sion’s stunning face, perhaps I might have been flustered by his invitation.

“But now that I’ve tasted real power, nothing else really catches my eye.”

“Unfortunately, I’ll be very busy this winter.”

I descended the steps and climbed into the carriage. Before the coachman could close the door, I stopped him and looked back at Killian.

“You said you’ve wanted to be close to me for some time?”

“…That’s right, Lady Elton.”

“People like us don’t befriend others without some ulterior motive.”

He froze. I smiled at his reaction.

“Amusingly enough, I also find myself curious about you, Your Highness. So once winter passes and the days grow warm, let’s meet then.”

Killian said nothing, only stared at me. His expression was far more unsettled than the playful one from earlier.

“When we meet again, you’d best be ready to lay some of your cards on the table. Until then.”

“W-wait, Lady Elton.”

He hurriedly descended a few steps and came to the carriage, gazing up at me with troubled eyes.

“Don’t you… feel anything when you look at me?”

“No.”

I answered firmly and looked straight ahead.

“It’s cold.”

Killian flinched back a step. The coachman cautiously shut the door.

Just before the carriage departed, I cracked the window open and looked back at him.

“Your Highness should head inside too, before you catch cold.”

“…Thank you for your concern.”

I nodded with a faint smile.

The carriage started forward.

A glance back showed Killian still standing motionless, simply watching my carriage disappear.

I closed the window and leaned against the seat.

“Killian, the infamous womanizer of the imperial family…”

I hadn’t expected to meet him tonight.

There was no shortage of suspicious things about him. His reputation with women, especially, seemed questionable.

Though he hid his true nature well…

“He’s not exactly smooth at seduction.”

If there had been anything to make my heart stir, it was only his looks and his voice—not his words or his manner.

“Of course, with a face like that, popularity comes easily.”

But could mere looks alone truly win over the haughty nobles of the Magalan Empire?

Perhaps others could be swayed, but the twin princesses of Magala were known for their fierce national pride.

Would they have liked the prince of a rival empire just for being handsome? Hardly.

And why did Killian end with those strange words?

—Don’t you feel anything when you look at me?

As if I ought to feel something.

“What secret is Prince Killian hiding?”

Should I assign someone to keep watch over him?

I considered it briefly, then shook my head.

For now, I had plenty else to do. Killian had already returned to the empire and taken the initiative to approach me. There was no need to rush.

Closing my tired eyes, I let the swaying carriage carry me away.