Chapter 26
It felt as if time had stopped. In the vast banquet hall, it seemed like only Franz and Alesia were present. The orchestra’s music could no longer be heard.
Was it like this last time too?
Alesia absentmindedly thought as she danced, led by Franz.
She couldn’t clearly remember. Probably because the dance with Franz had ended very quickly.
If even her usually tenacious memory about every little detail regarding Franz held nothing, it must have been brief.
“Do you like the waltz?”
Startled from her thoughts, Alesia blinked at Franz’s whisper.
Without thinking, she tightened her grip on his shoulder. The faint sound of the waltz echoed clearly in her ears.
“No.”
At her answer, the orchestra stopped playing.
The first song had ended.
Alesia immediately withdrew her hand from Franz as if she had been waiting for the moment.
“I don’t like it.”
As Alesia tried to step back, he reached out his hand to her. But before Franz’s hand could even touch her, Alesia turned away.
“Ale-”
“Congratulations on your marriage, Your Highness, the Second Prince, and Your Highness, the Princess Consort.”
“Belisa, you came!”
Ignoring Franz’s voice calling her, Alesia walked toward Belisa.
She felt his persistent gaze drilling into her back, but she deliberately ignored it and spoke brightly.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Of course I had to come.”
Belisa smiled warmly and answered. Alesia took her hand and walked toward the corner of the banquet hall.
They had danced the wedding waltz during the first song, so her role in the reception was done. She no longer needed to deal with Franz.
At least, until the wedding night.
“Can I leave Your Highness the Second Prince to you?”
Belisa asked, glancing at Franz, who was still staring at Alesia.
Alesia glanced at him. His gaze remained fixed on her, his dark expression unreadable.
“I can’t bother him any more.”
Alesia waved her hand and turned her eyes away.
“There are many young ladies who want to attend to the Second Prince besides me. Should I hog him all by myself?”
She said cheerfully, winking with one eye. Before she finished, young ladies had already started gathering around him.
Alesia chuckled quietly as she saw Franz looking awkward in front of them.
Seeing her smile, Franz’s eyes hardened. He seemed almost anxious.
He hesitated as if unable to suppress the desire to approach her.
Eventually, he tried to push through the young ladies, but was stopped by a noblewoman.
Alesia thought coldly watching him.
He can’t just brush off the guests congratulating him.
She would leave Franz to deal with the noblewomen and young ladies. She wanted to enjoy her last bit of freedom before darkness fell.
“It was a truly beautiful wedding. Nat wanted to come too.”
“Why didn’t Young Lady Skyler come? I thought she would.”
Alesia struggled to divert her attention from Franz.
The more she tried to avoid him, the more strangely she felt drawn to him. So she chose to completely change her thoughts.
“We sent an invitation for the young ladies too.”
“Yes, you did. But last night she suddenly had a fever.”
Belisa sighed with worry, resting a hand on her cheek.
“She cried that she must come to the wedding, but we had to leave her behind and bring her along late.”
“That’s unfortunate. Is the fever serious?”
“Not to worry. I think she got a fever because she was so excited. Children are like that sometimes.”
Alesia smiled quietly.
“Please come visit again with the young lady next time. Is Duke Linden still in Dapa? It would be nice if the whole family came.”
“He just came back yesterday. So he came to the wedding today too. Over there—oh, he’s talking with Your Highness the Second Prince.”
Alesia followed Belisa’s fingertips with her eyes.
A dignified gentleman with black hair and red eyes was talking with Franz.
All the young ladies who had gathered around Franz had disappeared.
Alesia narrowed her brows as she looked at him.
They were just gathering to ask for the next dance a moment ago. Where did they all go? Did he drive them away?
As if reading Alesia’s curiosity, Belisa whispered beside her.
“Oh dear. Looks like my husband chased away all the ladies again. At this rate, today’s dance partner for Prince Franz will end with Your Highness alone.”
“Why is Duke Linden like that?”
Alesia opened her eyes wide and looked at Belisa, who smiled awkwardly and opened her fan.
“He doesn’t do anything. But when he looks at you with those sharp eyes, everyone runs away.”
“He doesn’t look sharp.”
“You’re only the second person to say that to him.”
“Who was the first?”
Belisa smiled playfully and spoke.
“That would be me.”
She looked at Linden with eyes full of love.
“He looks cold on the outside, but because of that awkward side, he’s even more lovable.”
“…Belisa really loves Duke Linden.”
“Oh my.”
Belisa blinked at Alesia’s innocent admiration. She fluttered her fan and gave a sheepish smile.
“I’m being foolish in front of the new bride Your Highness. Please laugh it off.”
“That’s lovely to see. I’m envious. To be able to love someone like that.”
Belisa stopped fanning and looked at Alesia.
The Second Princess Consort seemed genuinely envious. Despite having just married today, her expression was lonely, unlike a newlywed.
A political marriage, so it’s still awkward.
Belisa made her own conclusion.
The Second Princess Consort had been chosen by the reaction of the mana stone. Until then, she probably had never met Prince Franz.
From a rural baroness’ daughter to a member of the royal family overnight, people said she had been lucky.
But for the person herself, adapting to such a huge change in environment must be hard. Learning the royal etiquette alone would be no small task.
In such a situation, it wouldn’t be easy to hold illusions about a marriage partner.
Unless she was a naive and childish girl, which the Second Princess Consort didn’t seem to be.
“We were awkward at first too. Linden was quiet, you know. Like Your Highness the Second Prince.”
“Franz is…”
Not exactly quiet.
Alesia shut her mouth before she could argue against Belisa.
Now that she thought about it, Franz was quite talkative in this life.
In her past life, she had to cling and beg just to hear one cold word from him. Now he talked continuously even about things she hadn’t asked.
“You’re already calling the Second Prince by his name? That’s a good sign.”
When Alesia’s voice trailed off, Belisa smiled brightly and linked her arm with hers.
Belisa took Alesia and led her toward Linden and Franz.
“I’ll introduce you to my husband. Come here.”
“Belisa!”
Alesia was flustered and grabbed Belisa’s arm. But the petite Belisa was quite determined.
In the end, Alesia gave up struggling and stood before the two men.
“Linden, have you greeted the Second Princess Consort?”
At Belisa’s warm voice, the sharp-looking man slowly turned his head.
His cold gaze carried an overwhelming power. He had the dignity befitting the head of a great family supporting the Laurets Empire.
“What are you doing? Of course, I should greet her.”
But to Belisa, he was just her husband. She poked his side with her elbow.
Linden bowed his waist slightly as if he had been reminded.
“My apologies, Your Highness the Second Princess Consort. Congratulations on your marriage. May the radiance of the sun remain with you.”
“Thank you. May the radiance of the sun remain with Duke Linden as well.”
“What were you two talking about?”
When Alesia awkwardly greeted Linden, Belisa cheerfully asked.
Linden gave her a warm look as if he had never held a cold gaze.
“Not much. We talked about the weather.”
“The weather?”
“Yes, the weather.”
Linden lightly cleared his throat and continued.
“This summer wasn’t very hot, so I wondered what next summer would be like.”
“The sun wasn’t too fierce this year, but we never know about next year. What do you think, Duchess?”
At Franz’s question, Belisa’s eyes rolled slightly.
“I don’t know. But Your Highness, winter hasn’t even come yet. Isn’t it a bit early to worry about next summer?”
“It’s better to prepare early.”
Franz said gently to Belisa. Alesia watched him carefully and spoke.
“To meet summer, you first have to endure the winter well. So first, think about surviving the sunless season.”
At Alesia’s words, both Franz and Linden looked at her simultaneously.
A silence fell among the four.
Linden narrowed his eyes thinly and stared at Alesia as if trying to read her mind.
She straightened her waist and looked back firmly.
A tense atmosphere enveloped them.
As the dance music stopped and people’s gazes turned toward them, Linden suddenly burst out laughing.
