Chapter 27
“Hahaha, that’s quite true, Your Highness, the Second Princess Consort.”
Lynden laughed heartily, and the people observing the atmosphere between the four of them resumed their separate conversations.
As the next dance music played one after another, the banquet hall began to regain its lively energy.
Lynden held a silver tray with champagne glasses and called a passing attendant with a flick of his finger.
When the attendant approached, he lifted one glass and handed it to Alesia.
“May I have the honor of offering a congratulatory drink to Your Highness?”
“If it is from Lord Velisa’s husband, I accept.”
Alesia gave Velisa a gentle look. Velisa nodded with a bright face.
Lynden looked at her and then spoke.
“As Velisa’s husband and the Duke of Skyler.”
He lightly clinked his glass against Alesia’s.
“Congratulations on your appointment as the Second Princess Consort.”
“Thank you, Duke Lynden.”
Alesia smiled faintly and sipped from her champagne glass.
She took a sip of the golden drink with rising bubbles and smiled softly.
‘Lynden Skyler hasn’t taken a clear stance yet.’
In the Laurelz Empire, the sun represents the Emperor.
That’s why nobles use greetings involving the sun when meeting members of the royal family.
But currently, Laurelz has no real sun. The Emperor is bedridden. The Empress is serving as regent temporarily, but it’s only temporary.
The nobles are eagerly waiting for the Crown Prince to be officially appointed soon.
When Lynden mentioned “a summer without heat,” it implied a summer without the sun, meaning an empire without an emperor.
His wondering if next summer will be hot meant he was curious whether the next emperor will be decided by then.
Franz could not have been unaware of this hidden meaning.
But since he had no political base now, he didn’t express a clear position. He spoke evasively as if it was just an unimportant weather topic.
Alesia felt the same.
Now that she was the Second Princess Consort, every action of hers could be seen as the will of the Second Prince.
Alesia intended to strengthen the Skyler family’s power to create a base of support for Franz against the Roshanak and Corneille houses.
But for the Second Princess Consort to create forces hostile to the Second Prince would be inappropriate.
It was better not to clarify her stance yet.
For now, she just needed to support Lynden and make sure they owed her favors.
The true intentions could be revealed later.
It seemed Lynden Duke Skyler noticed that Alesia had read through the hidden meaning behind the sun conversation.
He looked at her with admiration and said,
“Congratulations, Your Highness. You have truly welcomed a beautiful and wise princess consort.”
“That’s too kind. I’m not familiar with the social scene in Calebs, so I have many shortcomings. If it weren’t for Velisa, I wouldn’t have even properly prepared this banquet.”
“I haven’t really helped much!”
Velisa waved her hand in response to the humble words of the Second Princess Consort. Alesia warmly held her hand and said,
“You sent roses from the Skyler family’s greenhouse.”
Alesia looked around. The banquet hall was decorated everywhere with bright red roses.
“It’s all thanks to Velisa.”
“You’re making me blush too much.”
Velisa shyly reddened her face. When Alesia tried to continue praising her, she shrank her shoulders.
It seemed she was not accustomed to receiving compliments, even if she was good at giving them.
“By the way, you promised to invite the Skyler family to the palace next time, right?”
“That’s right.”
Alesia responded in agreement and looked at Lynden.
“I wish the Miss Skyler could have come today. Next time, it would be nice if the three of you could visit the Second Prince’s palace. Would that be okay?”
“Whenever you call, I will come running.”
Lynden said politely with a smile. He didn’t seem the stiff person he was moments ago. Velisa exchanged glances with Lynden and smiled brightly.
Alesia turned her back on the Skyler couple and looked at Franz.
His face was expressionless.
As always, it was difficult to read what he was thinking.
His blank face looked as if he was displeased, but also somehow appeared to be pleased.
If he was displeased, it was probably because the conversation with Lynden was interrupted. Being pleased meant…
‘That’s not for me to figure out.’
Alesia withdrew her gaze casually. As she sipped the remaining champagne, Velisa blinked her eyes at her.
“Oh my, I must have bored Your Highness. Since you’ve greeted Lynden, now let’s talk about us.”
Velisa smoothly changed the topic and gave a glance to Franz and Lynden. When the two men nodded, she pulled Alesia along.
“All right.”
Alesia reluctantly followed. She was already planning to withdraw soon.
Velisa was helpful in many ways.
“What do you mean ‘talk about us’?”
Alesia asked curiously as she moved away from Lynden and Franz. Velisa’s eyes sparkled.
She looked around and leaned close to Alesia’s ear.
“I have something to tell you about the wedding night.”
Alesia opened her mouth slightly at Velisa’s whisper.
The wedding night.
The topic she wanted to avoid most.
Alesia frowned with discomfort.
Velisa was helpful, but she didn’t want to ask for help even in matters like this.
Her new friend was perhaps too proactive and too sociable.
“You’re bluffing — I’ve never seen you flatter like that before.”
After Alesia and Velisa parted ways, Franz muttered in a low voice. His gaze was fixed on a beautiful woman in an apricot-colored dress.
Lynden, who was sipping champagne, noticed the Second Prince’s gaze and smirked. He swallowed the remaining drink and said indifferently,
“Why do you think it’s flattery?”
“Praising a woman as beautiful and wise is usually just a polite phrase.”
“You’re discounting my sincerity.”
Lynden exaggeratedly frowned. He handed the tray to an attendant passing by and shook his head.
“Don’t you really know what I meant by my compliment?”
“What do you mean?”
Franz watched Lynden warily. His cold gaze made Lynden furrow his brows.
To be wary over a few compliments—he thought it was overprotective, even if newlyweds.
Lynden looked at the Second Prince with a surprised expression.
When the marriage proposal was being discussed, he showed reluctance. But suddenly, it seemed like he was desperate to cherish the Second Princess Consort.
He wondered what change of heart had occurred while he was away from Calebs.
Looking at the Second Princess Consort, it didn’t seem like she was the one seducing or manipulating him.
She didn’t seem that kind of person, and she appeared to have considerable hostility toward the Second Prince, since she quickly averted her eyes whenever they met.
‘That’s why he’s so restless.’
Lynden drew his own conclusion.
If that was the case, it wasn’t hard to understand. The Second Princess Consort was the most beautiful woman at this banquet.
She had a unique, noble beauty.
If she had officially debuted in Calebs’ social circle, no doubt many noble hearts would have ached.
Her appearance was not the only eye-catching thing.
Her walk, her manner when receiving greetings, the way she held her champagne glass and sipped—all perfect.
She looked delicate and pure, but her gaze was steadfast. She clearly understood the meaning behind every word she spoke.
Hadn’t she immediately caught on that the conversation between Franz and Lynden wasn’t just about the weather? That was no ordinary intelligence.
Moreover, her attitude—she met others’ eyes without hesitation but was neither arrogant nor haughty. She carried herself with dignity.
She seemed born to be a princess consort—or rather, an empress. It was natural that the Second Prince was completely devoted to her.
‘Then why does she look at His Highness, the Second Prince Franz, with that kind of gaze?’
Lynden stroked his chin thoughtfully. While the Second Princess Consort showed favor to him and Velisa, she seemed to loathe the Second Prince.
‘Even if it’s a political marriage, her hatred seemed deep.’
The Ambrose family rarely moved out of the Ambrose territory, so they likely had few chances to come to Calebs.
Thus, the Second Princess Consort’s first meeting with the Second Prince must have been after she was chosen and brought to the palace.
In that case, she must have begun to dislike the Second Prince after coming to the palace.
But was that even possible?
Lynden glanced sideways at Franz.
Dressed impeccably in his uniform, he was as strikingly handsome as a painting today.
Though newly married, all the women at the banquet sent him admiring glances.
They were desperate to get even a single glance from the Second Prince.
Lynden himself was amazed by Franz’s beauty when he first saw him. It was hard to harbor hostility toward such a man.
‘There must be something going on.’
Lynden narrowed his eyes watching Franz unable to take his eyes off the Second Princess Consort.
It was intriguing.
For the time being, it seemed necessary to pay close attention to the Second Prince and Princess Consort.
